𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 ― p. jackson ¹ ✓

trois

Ready was a strong word. Belle could tell Chiron was anxious, though he tried to sound upbeat.

"Hey, uh, Chiron, can I ask you a favor while I'm gone?" Percy questioned.

"Of course, my boy."

"Be right back, guys," Percy told them.

Belle nodded. While Percy and Chiron went into the woods to talk, Katie threw her arms around Belle and pulled her into a tight hug. Belle responded just as enthusiastically, blinking back tears. She wondered if this was going to be the last time she would hug Katie Gardner.

"Oh, be careful, Belle!" Katie exclaimed.

"I will, I promise."

She pulled away and hugged Connor. Belle then hugged Travis, whispering to him to get a move on at asking Katie out. When she pulled away, his face was beet read. She laughed and stood on her tiptoes to ruffle his hair a little bit.

Belle joined Grover and Tyson over by the rocks. They waited for Percy and Annabeth to join them after talking to Chiron. Finally, they did, and Belle gave one last wave to her three best friends before turning back to Zeus' Fist. She sighed and stared at the crack between the boulders.

"Well," Grover began, his voice nervous. "Goodbye, sunshine."

"Hello, rocks," Tyson agreed.

Belle took one last glance at the above world. And, together, the five of them descended into complete darkness.

It took them one hundred feet for them to get completely lost.

The Labyrinth looked nothing like the corridor Belle and Percy had fallen into. Instead of stone walls, it was now constructed of red bricks with iron-barred portholes every ten feet. Belle shined her flashlight around on all of the walls. Annabeth tried their best to guide them through the maze, but the Labyrinth liked playing tricks.

"If we keep one hand on the left wall and follow it, we should be able to find our way out again by reversing course," Annabeth told them.

Just as she said that, the left wall disappeared. The group of five found themselves in a circular chamber with eight different tunnels. None of them had any idea how they'd ended up there.

"Um, which way did we come in?" Grover asked.

"Just turn around," Annabeth announced.

Belle turned to the tunnel closest to her, but everyone else faced a different one than her. None of them could decide which way would lead them back to Camp. They were lost in the middle of the biggest maze to ever exist.

"Left walls are mean," Tyson muttered. "Which way now?"

Annabeth circled her flashlight across each archway of the eight tunnels. Belle pointed hers towards the ceiling. It was a normal stone ceiling, but she could feel tree roots right above it. She guessed that if they ever needed to trap someone, that would be the best way.

"That way," Annabeth decided, shining her flashlight at one of the archways.

"How do you know?" Percy questioned.