¹On This Spring Day.

014.

               Now that he was saying it all, it all sounded quite ... ridiculous. He knew they didn't believe him, and that only made his palms sweatier.

               "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 mean, Violet—"

               "I know." Percy winced at the daughter of Eros's name. The dreams he had on Ogygia flashed across his mind. He had so many questions, but no one at Camp seemed to have the answers for him. "I'm sorry. But I figured out how to get through the Labyrinth. I talked to Hephaestus."

               "And did he give you any answers about Violet?"

               "Well ... no."

               AJ sneered, but before he could snap back a reply, Chiron spoke up, "And Lord Hephaestus gave you the answers to navigating the Labyrinth?"

               "Um," Percy gave the blond boy a nervous look, "yes. Well, he sort of told me that I already knew—and I do! I understand now."

               He explained the idea to them.

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

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

               "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," Percy spoke up. "But it's true."

               Annabeth glared at him; AJ raised his eyebrows silently. "You are the single most annoying person I have ever met!" she roared, hand shaking as she pointed at Percy. And then she stormed out of the room.

               AJ nodded like he expected that reaction. "There's a time and place when talking is beneficial—learn it, Jackson."

               The son of Poseidon's jaw ticked. "Great advice, AJ."

               "I think so, too."

               "We must give Annabeth time to calm down before bringing anything to do with this up—the Labyrinth, Daedalus, Violet." He gave the two pointed looks when mentioning the daughter of Eros.

               "About that ..." Percy sighed. "Hephaestus mentioned he thought Violet was down in the Labyrinth, but ..." He glanced at AJ, who frowned at the son of Poseidon.

               Chiron shuffled with a stack of papers on his desk. "Yes, Miss Beaumont. It is ... hard to say where she is currently at." He looked back at AJ and Percy. "But neither of you believe she is dead."

               "No," AJ answered for both him and Percy. He crossed his arms and looked off. "Annabeth's sure ..." He glanced at Percy. "Well, she was certain that Percy wasn't dead, that he was on Ogygia." The son of Poseidon winced at the name. "And she was right about that, wasn't she? So maybe—maybe she's right about Violet. That's Violet's ..."

               Percy shifted in his seat. "Where does Annabeth think Violet's at?"

               "Were you or were you not on Ogygia?" countered AJ.