Lost

28

The next few days went by quickly. Everyday we broke into groups and looked around Rome, but found nothing.

Piper and I were speaking again, but it was all forced and everyone could tell there was something wrong, so I was never paired with Piper again.

The whole day Jason, Frank, and I had looked around the Colosseum for the third time since our trip.

When we returned back to the hotel I went to my room and read Annabeth's letter over and over again until a soft knock alerted me someone was at my door.

Hazel came to my room and explained to me everything that had happened when they were away, which was practically nothing.

She had gone out with Piper and they'd looked all over the city and found absolutely nothing, which was no surprise.

"Chiron called," she told me quietly. "We leave for home tomorrow."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What do you mean? We've barely even looked here!"

Hazel sighed as she shook her head. "After we told him everything that'd happened, he told us it was no use to stay any longer and that we'd looked. It's practically been two weeks, Percy."

"So?! We can't just leave!" I protested. "We haven't found anything yet! Let me talk to him..."

"It's no use calling back," she explained. "He even told me he'd been trying to reach us for a few days now. The call even cut out and I tried calling him back, but it was no use."

I sighed. "Hazel, we can't go back. We just can't..."

Hazel nodded as she sat besides me. "Percy, I know it's hard to leave, but we're missing school and we've already looked practically everywhere, so—"

"School doesn't matter to me anymore, Hazel, can't you see?" I asked weakly. "We can't go. What if she's here and we're close to finding her?"

"I know, but Chiron told us we needed to go back," she replied. "He said we could continue to look on weekends nearby, and that the satyrs and Hunters of Artemis were still looking."

"So?!" I asked defiantly. "I have to help, Hazel! She left me a note. She trusted me to find her!"

Hazel took in a shaky breathe. "I know that, Percy! Chiron said he'd let us extended our Christmas break a little to continue searching."

My eyes widened. "We have to wait until then?"

"It's only a little over a month!"

"She could be dead by then," I murmured.

"Well, there's nothing we can do," she replied, and I knew she was right. "And we can always try to go to Olympus on the Winter Solstice."

"You're right, Hazel!" I said while grinning. "The Winter Solstice! We just have to be back by then. We can stay in Rome and keep looking until then."

Hazel shook her head as she stood up and headed towards the door. "I'll be back tomorrow morning to wake you up for our plane ride, alright? Percy...please...."

I nodded, knowing she was right, even though it just about broke me. "See you then, Hazel."