𝒊𝒗. 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔

𝒙𝒗𝒊.

"We have to keep moving," Nico said. "He'll send monsters after us." 

Nobody was in any shape to run, but Nico was right. Noelle nodded and helped both the boys to their feet while Rachel helped Annabeth. 

"You did good back there," Percy told her. 

She managed a weak smile. "Yeah, well. I didn't want you to die." She blushed. "I'm still waiting for our right time." 

Percy blushed too. "Right."

Noelle turned to Annabeth. "Are you okay to keep moving?" 

She nodded. "I'm...I'm all right." 

She was clearly not all right. But Rachel had got her on her feet, and they started straggling back through the Labyrinth again. 

"Back to New York," Percy said. "Rachel, can you—" 

He froze. A few feet in front of them, his flashlight beam fixed on a trampled clump of red fabric lying on the ground. It was a Rasta cap: the one Grover always wore. 

~

Percy's hands shook as he picked up the cap. It looked like it had been stepped on by a huge muddy boot. After all that they'd gone through today, Percy couldn't stand the thought that something might've happened to Grover, too. 

Then he noticed something else. The cave floor was mushy and wet from the water dripping off the stalactites. There were large footprints like Tyson's, and smaller ones—goat hooves—leading off to the left. 

"We have to follow them," Percy said. 

Noelle crouched closer to the tracks, the Artemis in her immediately knowing what to make of them. "They went that way. It must have been recently." 

"What about Camp Half-Blood?" Nico said. "There's no time." 

"We have to find them," Annabeth insisted. "They're our friends." 

She picked up Grover's smashed cap and forged ahead. 

Percy and the others followed bracing themselves for the worst. The tunnel was treacherous. It sloped at weird angles and was slimy with moisture. Half the time they were slipping and sliding rather than walking.  

Finally they got to the bottom of a slope and found themselves in a large cave with huge stalagmite columns. Through the center of the room ran an underground river, and Tyson was sitting by the banks, cradling Grover in his lap. Grover's eyes were closed. He wasn't moving. 

"Tyson!" Percy yelled. 

"Percy! Come quick!" 

They ran over to him. Grover wasn't dead, thank the gods, but his whole body trembled like he was freezing to death. 

"What happened?" Percy asked. 

"So many things," Tyson murmured. "Large snake. Large dogs. Men with swords. But then...we got close to here. Grover was excited. He ran. Then we reached this room, and he fell. Like this." 

"Did he say anything?" Percy asked. 

"He said, 'We're close.' Then hit his head on rocks." 

Percy knelt next to him. The only other time he'd seen Grover pass out was New Mexico, when he'd felt the presence of Pan. 

Noelle shined her flashlight around the cavern. The rocks glittered. At the far end was the entrance to another cave, flanked by gigantic columns of crystal that looked like diamonds. And beyond that entrance...