Another Love ─── L. Castellan

lxxviii. maybe i should have sent a postcard

"I'm sorry," I said. "I got lost."

"LOST?" she yelled. "Two weeks, Romy? Where in the world—"

"Annabeth," Chiron interrupted. "Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private, shall we? The rest of you, back to your normal activities!"

Without waiting for us to protest, he picked up Annabeth, Luke and me as easily as if we were kittens, slung us over his back, and galloped off toward the Big House.

∘☽༓☾∘

I didn't tell them the whole story. I just couldn't bring myself to talk about Calypso. I explained how I'd caused the explosion at Mount St. Helens and gotten blasted out of the volcano. I told them I'd been marooned on an island. Then Hephaestus had found me and told me I could leave. A magic raft had carried me back to camp.

All that was true, but as I said it my palms felt sweaty.

"You've been gone two weeks." Annabeth's voice was steadier now, but she still looked pretty shaken up. "When I heard the explosion, I thought—"

"I know," I said. "I'm sorry. But I figured out how to get through the Labyrinth. I talked to Hephaestus." 

"He told you the answer?"

"Well, he sort of told me that I already knew. And I do. I understand now." I turned to look at Luke before explaining my idea.

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "Romy, that's crazy!"

Chiron sat back in his wheelchair and stroked his beard. "There is precedent, however. Theseus had the help of Ariadne and it worked, and worked well."

"But this is my quest," Annabeth said. "I need to lead it."

Chiron looked uncomfortable. "My dear, it is your quest. But you need help."

"And this is supposed to help? Please! It's wrong. It's cowardly. It's—"

"Hard to admit we need a mortal's help," I said. "But it's true."

Annabeth glared at me. "You are the single most annoying person I have ever met!" And she stormed out of the room.

"That went well." I muttered, before shaking my head and turning back to Chiron. "Can I go now? I need to shower and get everything ready before leaving again."

"Of course, my girl." Chiron smiled. "In the morning I will have Argus take the two of you into Manhattan. You might stop by your mother's, Romy. She is...understandably distraught."

I sighed.

"I want to go." Luke muttered, speaking for the first time since we got there. "I can't sit out of this, not when she's already almost died once."

"Speak to Annabeth." Chiron muttered.

"Chiron," I said, "what about Grover and Tyson? Do you think— "

"I don't know, my girl." Chiron gazed into the empty fireplace. "Juniper is quite distressed. All her branches are turning yellow. The Council of Cloven Elders had revoked Grover's searcher license in absentia. Assuming he comes back alive, they will force him into a shameful exile." He sighed. "Grover and Tyson are very resourceful, however. We can still hope."

"I shouldn't have let them run off."

"Grover has his own destiny, and Tyson was brave to follow him. You would know if Grover was in mortal danger, don't you think?"