Percy's POV
Chiron had insisted we talk about it in the morning, which was kind of like, "Hey, your life's in mortal danger. Sleep tight!" It was hard to fall asleep, but when I finally did, I dreamed of a prison.
I saw a goy in a Greek tunic and sandals crouching alone in a massive stone room. The ceiling was open to the night sky, but the walls were twenty feet high and polished marble, completely smooth. Scattered around the room were wooden crates. Some were cracked and tipped over, as if they'd been flung in there. Bronze tools spilled out of one—a compass, a saw, and a bunch of other things I didn't recognize.
The boy huddled in the corner, shivering from cold, or maybe fear. He was spattered in mud. His legs, arms, and face were scraped up as if he'd been dragged here along with the boxes.
Then the double oak doors moaned open. Two guards in bronze armor marched in, holding an old man between them. They flung him to the floor in a battered heap.
Boy: Father!
The boy ran to him. The man's robes were in tatters. His hair was streaked with gray, and his beard was long and curly. His nose had been broken. His lips were bloody.
The boy took the old man's head in his arms.
Boy: What did they do to you? (turns to the guards) I'll kill you!
???: There will be no killing today.
The guards moved aside. Behind them stood a tall man in white robes. He wore a thin circlet of gold on his head. His beard was pointed like a spear blade. His eyes glittered cruelly.
King: You helped the Athenian kill my Minotaur, Daedalus. You turned my own daughter against me.
Daedalus: You did that yourself, Your Majesty.
A guard planted a kick in the old man's ribs. He groaned in agony.
Boy: Stop!
King: You love your maze so much; I have decided to let you stay here. This will be your workshop. Make me new wonders. Amuse me. Every maze needs a monster. You will be mine!
Daedalus: I don't fear you.
The king smiled coldly. He locked his eyes on the boy.
King: But a man cares about his son, eh? Displease me, old man, and the next time my guards inflict a punishment, it will be on him!
The king swept out of the room with his guards, and the doors slammed shut, leaving the boy and his father alone in the darkness.
Boy: What shall we do? Father, they will kill you!
The old man swallowed with difficulty. He tried to smile, but it was a gruesome sight with his bloody mouth.
Daedalus: Take heart, my son. I—I will find a way.
A bar lowered across the doors with a fatal BOOM, and I woke in a cold sweat.
Theo's POV
I should've known that time moves faster in the Labyrinth. It did the same in the Lotus Casino and the Sea of Monsters.
I had been there for three, maybe four days since I ended up in Austin, Texas. I came out all the way in Camp Half-blood, and I found out that two weeks had passed.
Oh, gods. David. Kathrine. They must be worried sick.
I opened my eyes, and I found myself in the infirmary. I looked down and saw Diego sleeping at the foot of my bed.
I felt something holding my left hand. I looked over and saw a familiar blonde sleeping on the chair next to my bed while holding my hand.
She looks cute when she's asleep.
I gave her hand a gentle squeeze, which caused her to stir. She slowly opened her storm-grey eyes and lifted her head.
Her eyes widened when she saw me smiling at her.
Theo: (smiles) Morning, Wise Girl.
Annabeth smiled widely as she got up and wrapped her arms around my neck.
Annabeth: Thank the gods you're okay.
I chuckled as I hugged her back.
Theo: It's gonna take a lot more than a creepy maze to bring me down.
Annabeth: (chuckles) Just shut up.
She grabbed my face and smashed her lips onto mine. We kept kissing until we had trouble breathing, so we had to separate.
Suddenly, Diego walked up to me and wrapped his paws around my neck as though to hug me while licking my face.
Theo: (laughs) Yeah, I missed you too, buddy.
???: He caught your scent while I was carrying you.
I looked around and saw who else was in the room. It was Chiron, Percy, Grover, Zoe, Tyson, and Clarisse, who was leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed.
Clarisse: (smirks) Big guy came running at me the second he smelled you. He didn't want to leave you out of his sight.
Theo: Can't really blame him.
Chiron: It is good to see you well, Theo.
Theo: Well, I've had better days, but I feel great.
Chiron: Now, if you don't mind, would you care to tell us how you came to be in the Labyrinth?
I couldn't tell him about Nico. So, I told him that a creature was in an alley in Brooklyn, so I followed it. It caught me off guard and somehow transported me to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Then I told him about the entrance to the Labyrinth that I had found in the pit lane that I used, and I'd been stuck in there until I found Percy and Annabeth last night.
Chiron looked at me as if he knew I was hiding something, but then he softly smiled.
Chiron: Well, regardless of the circumstances, it is good that you are alright. I have already informed David that you were finally found. If you are capable, may you come to the sword arena? There will be a war council there.
Theo: Alright. I'll be there in a minute.
Chiron nodded as he and Clarisse left the infirmary.
Zoe: What creature would be capable of teleporting you halfway across the country?
I looked around, making sure that there was no one who could overhear me, then I looked at them. I glanced at Tyson, and I figured that he must've known about Nico at this point from Percy, so I trusted him.
Theo: I couldn't tell you guys in front of Chiron and Clarisse, but...
I looked at Percy.
Theo: It was Nico.
Percy's eyes widened, and so did everyone else's.
Percy and Annabeth then told me about the Iris message Percy sent. Apparently, Nico is trying to summon the dead with the help of a spirit, which according to Annabeth, is never a good sign.
They then told me about Grover's search license being at risk because the Council of the Cloven Elders didn't believe that Grover heard the great god Pan spoke to him back in December, and they threatened to revoke Grover's license if he didn't find Pan in a week.
And then there's the fact that there is an entrance to the Labyrinth right in the middle of Camp Half-Blood, which Luke will most definitely use for an invasion if he finds Ariadne's string, which will guide him along the Labyrinth.
So, in other words, in order to find Nico, help Grover, and stop Luke, someone has to get into the Labyrinth.
So, with a little help from Annabeth, I got up from my bed and made my way to the sword arena with the others.
Chiron and Quintus (the new sword instructor) stood at the front by the weapon racks. Clarisse and Annabeth sat next to each other and led the briefing. Tyson and Grover sat as far away from each other as possible. Also present around the table: Juniper the tree nymph, Silena Beauregard, Travis and Connor Stoll, Beckendorf, Lee Fletcher, and even Argus, our hundred-eyed security chief.
That's how I knew it was serious. Argus hardly ever shows up unless something really major is going on. The whole time Annabeth spoke, he kept his hundred blue eyes trained on her so hard his whole body turned bloodshot.
Annabeth: Luke must have known about the Labyrinth entrance. He knew everything about camp.
I thought I heard a little pride in her voice like she still respected the guy, evil as he was.
Then the Dryad, Juniper (who I found out was Grover's girlfriend), cleared her throat.
Juniper: That's what I was trying to tell you last night. The cave entrance has been there a long time. Luke used to use it.
Silena: You knew about the Labyrinth entrance, and you didn't say anything?
Juniper's face turned green.
Juniper: I didn't know it was important. Just a cave. I don't like yucky old caves.
Grover: She has good taste.
Juniper: I wouldn't have paid any attention except...well, it was Luke.
Her face turned even greener.
Grover: (scoffs) Forget what I said about good taste.
Quintus: Interesting. And you believe this young man, Luke, would dare use the Labyrinth as an invasion route?
Clarisse: Definitely. If he could get an army of monsters inside Camp Half-Blood, just pop up in the middle of the woods without having to worry about our magical boundaries, we wouldn't stand a chance. He could wipe us out easy. He must've been planning this for months.
Theo: He's been sending scouts into the Maze.
Everyone looked at me in surprise.
Theo: I ran into one of them while I was down there. I knocked him out and ran the other way.
Everyone kept staring at me, which I found a bit uncomfortable. Annabeth held my hand and grabbed everyone's attention away from me.
Annabeth: Not to mention, we've...found another one.
Chiron: Chris Rodriguez.
He gave Quintus a meaningful look.
Quintus: Ah. The one in the...I understand.
Percy: The one in the what?
Clarisse glared at him.
Clarisse: The point is, Luke has been looking for a way to navigate the maze. He's searching for Daedalus' workshop.
Percy: The guy who created the maze.
Annabeth: Yes. The greatest architect, the greatest inventor of all time. If the legends are true, his workshop is in the center of the Labyrinth. He's the only one who knew how to navigate the maze perfectly. If Luke managed to find the workshop and convince Daedalus to help him, Luke wouldn't have to fumble around searching for paths, or risk losing his army in the maze's traps. He could navigate anywhere he wanted—quickly and safely. First to Camp Half-Blood to wipe us out. Then...to Olympus.
The arena was silent except for Mrs. O'Leary's toy yak getting disemboweled: SQUEAK! SQUEAK!
Finally, Beckendorf put his huge hands on the table.
Beckendorf: Back up a sec, Annabeth, you said "convince Daedalus"? Isn't Daedalus dead?
Quintus: I would hope so. He lived, what, three thousand years ago? And even if he were alive, don't the old stories say he fled from the Labyrinth?
Chiron: That's the problem, my dear Quintus. No one knows. There are rumors...well, there are many disturbing rumors about Daedalus, but one is that he disappeared back into the Labyrinth toward the end of his life. He might still be there.
Annabeth: We need to go in. We have to find the workshop before Luke does. If Daedalus is alive, we convince him to help us, not Luke. If Ariadne's string still exists, we make sure it never falls into Luke's hands.
Percy: Wait a second. If we're worried about an attack, why not just blow up the entrance? Seal the tunnel?
Grover: Great idea! I'll get the dynamite!
These two cannot be this stupid.
Clarisse: It's not so easy, stupid. We tried that at the entrance we found in Phoenix. It didn't go well.
Annabeth: (nods) The Labyrinth is magical architecture, Percy. It would take huge power to seal even one of its entrances. In Phoenix, Clarisse demolished a whole building with a wrecking ball, and the maze entrance just shifted a few feet. The best we can do is prevent Luke from learning to navigate the Labyrinth.
Lee: We could fight. We know where the entrance is now. We can set up a defensive line and wait for them. If an army tries to come through, they'll find us waiting with our bows.
Chiron: We will certainly set up defenses. But I fear Clarisse is right. The magical borders have kept this camp safe for hundreds of years. If Luke manages to get a large army of monsters into the center of camp, bypassing our boundaries...we may not have the strength to defeat them.
Nobody looked real happy about that news. Chiron usually tried to be upbeat and optimistic. If he was predicting we couldn't hold off an attack, that wasn't good.
Annabeth: We have to get to Daedalus' workshop first. Find Ariadne's string and prevent Luke from using it.
Percy: But if nobody can navigate in there, what chance do we have?
Annabeth: I've been studying architecture for years. I know Daedalus' Labyrinth better than anybody.
Theo: From reading about it? That's not enough. Trust me on that.
Annabeth: It has to be.
Theo: I know more about the Labyrinth from walking in it for weeks compared to what you know from reading about it for years. And even then, what I know about it doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.
Annabeth: I...
She sighed, having no counterargument.
Chiron: (clears his throat) First things first. We need a quest. Someone must enter the Labyrinth, find the workshop of Daedalus, and prevent Luke from using the maze to invade this camp.
Clarisse: We all know who should lead this. Annabeth.
There was a murmur of agreement. I knew Annabeth had been waiting for her own quest since she was a little kid, but she looked uncomfortable.
Annabeth: You've done as much as I have, Clarisse. You should go, too.
Clarisse: (shakes her head) I'm not going back in there.
Theo: Can't blame her.
Travis: (laughs) Don't tell me you're scared. Clarisse, chicken?
Clarisse got to her feet, I thought she was going to pulverize Travis, but she spoke in a shaky voice.
Clarisse: You don't understand anything, punk. I'm never going in there again. Never!
She stormed out of the arena.
Travis: I didn't mean to—
Chiron: The poor girl has had a difficult year. Now, do we have agreement that Annabeth should lead the quest?
We all nodded except Quintus. He folded his arms and stared at the table, but I wasn't sure anyone else noticed.
Chiron: Very well. (turns to Annabeth) My dear, it's your time to visit the Oracle. Assuming you return to us in one piece, we shall discuss what to do next.
Waiting for Annabeth was harder than visiting the Oracle myself.
I'd heard it speak prophecies once before, when the Oracle had come out for a little stroll in the woods. I still had nightmares about that.
I'd never felt threatened by the Oracle's presence, but I'd heard stories: campers who'd gone insane, or who'd seen visions so real they died of fear.
I paced the arena, waiting. Mrs. O'Leary ate her lunch, which consisted of a hundred pounds of ground beef and several dog biscuits the size of trashcan lids. I wondered where Quintus got dog biscuits that size. I didn't figure you could just walk into Pet Zone and put those in your shopping cart.
Chiron was deep in conversation with Quintus and Argus. It looked to me like they were disagreeing about something. Quintus kept shaking his head.
On the other side of the arena, Tyson and the Stoll brothers were racing miniature bronze chariots that Tyson had made out of armor scraps.
Percy walked off towards the Big House.
Which left me and Zoe.
Zoe: Are you alright?
Theo: Yeah. I've been better. You?
Zoe: I am fine. I have been worried ever since I heard about your disappearance. I knew you would survive, but still...
I nodded in understanding.
Theo: I'm going back down there with Annabeth.
Zoe looked at me surprised.
Zoe: I thought you would avoid going back into the Labyrinth.
Theo: Under normal circumstances, I would. But...The camp is in danger, and she'll need all the help she can get.
Zoe: I suppose she does.
Suddenly, I felt a nudge on my leg. I looked down and saw Diego with a wrapped package in his mouth.
Theo: What you got there, bud?
I took the package from Diego's mouth and gave him a scratch behind the ears, making him purr contently.
Zoe: Artemis visited me a few days after you disappeared. She gave me this, hoping that I would give it to you when you return.
I looked at her in surprise.
Zoe: (smiles) Open it.
I slowly unwrapped the package, revealing a silver jacket, which looked suspiciously similar to the ones I've seen the Hunters of Artemis wear.
Wait...
Theo: Is that...?
Zoe: Yes. I have told you before that you fight like a true Hunter. I suppose this makes you an honorary member.
I chuckled as I put the jacket on. It fit me perfectly, and it was extremely comfortable.
Theo: Thank you, Zoe.
Zoe smiled as she put her hand on my shoulder.
Chiron: My dear. You made it.
Annabeth looked at me first. I couldn't tell if she was trying to warn me, or if the look in her eyes was just plain fear. Then she focused on Quintus.
Annabeth: I got the prophecy. I will lead the quest to find Daedalus' workshop.
Nobody cheered. I mean, we all liked Annabeth, and we wanted her to have a quest, but this one seemed insanely dangerous. After the shit I've seen down there, I didn't even want to think about Annabeth descending into that shithole again.
Chiron: What did the prophecy say exactly, my dear? The wording is important.
Annabeth: I, ah...well, it said, you shall delve in the darkness of the endless maze...
We waited.
Annabeth: The dead, the traitor, and the lost one raise.
Grover: The lost one! That must mean Pan! That's great!
Percy: With the dead and the traitor, not so great.
Chiron: And? What is the rest?
Annabeth: You shall rise or fall by the ghost king's hand. The child of Athena's final stand.
Everyone looked around uncomfortably. Annabeth was a daughter of Athena, and a final stand didn't sound good.
Silena: Hey...we shouldn't jump to conclusions. Annabeth isn't the only child of Athena, right?
Yeah, but she's the only one going down there.
Beckendorf: But who's this ghost king?
No one answered. I remembered the Iris message that Percy saw of Nico, and I had a bad feeling the prophecy was connected to that.
Chiron: Are there more lines? The prophecy does not sound complete.
Annabeth: I—I don't remember exactly.
Chiron raised an eyebrow. Annabeth was known for her memory. She never forgot something she heard.
Annabeth shifted on her bench.
Annabeth: Something about...Destroy with a hero's final breath.
Chiron: And?
Annabeth: (gets up) Look, the point is, I have to go in. I'll find the workshop and stop Luke. And...I need help. (turns to Theo) Look, I hate to ask you this, but—
Theo: It won't matter whether you ask me or not. I'm going with you.
She smiled for what seemed to be the first time in days, and that made it all worthwhile.
Percy: I'm in, too.
Annabeth nodded, then turned to Grover.
Annabeth: Grover, you too? The wild god is waiting.
Grover seemed to forget how much he hated the underground. The line about the "lost one" had completely energized him.
Grover: I'll pack extra recyclables for snacks!
Annabeth: And Tyson. I'll need you too.
Tyson: Yay! Blow-things-up time!
Tyson clapped so hard he woke up Mrs. O'Leary, who was dozing in the corner.
Annabeth: And Zoe. We could use your skills along with Theo's.
Zoe: I would be honored.
Chiron: Wait, Annabeth. This goes against the ancient laws. A hero is allowed only two companions.
Annabeth: I need them all. Chiron, it's important.
I didn't know why she was so certain, but I was happy she'd included Tyson. He was huge and strong and great at figuring out mechanical things. Unlike satyrs, Cyclopes had no problem underground.
Zoe, on the other hand, has over 3000 years' worth of experience fighting monsters. If anyone would turn the odds in our favor when it comes to monster fighting, it'd be Zoe Nightshade.
Chiron: Annabeth, consider well. You would be breaking the ancient laws, and there are always consequences. Last winter, five went on a quest to save Artemis. Only three came back. Think on that. Three is a sacred number. There are three fates, three furies, three Olympian sons of Kronos. It is a good strong number that stands against many dangers. Six...this is risky.
Annabeth: (takes a deep breath) I know. But we have to. Please.
I could tell Chiron didn't like it. Quintus was studying us like he was trying to decide which of us would come back alive.
Chiron: (sighs) Very well. Let us adjourn. The members of the quest must prepare themselves. Tomorrow at dawn, we send you into the Labyrinth.
Percy's POV
Quintus pulled me aside as the council was breaking up.
Quintus: I have a bad feeling about this.
Mrs. O'Leary came over, wagging her tail happily. She dropped her shield at my feet, and I threw it for her. Quintus watched her romp after it. I remembered what Juniper had said about him scouting out the maze. I didn't trust him, but when he looked at me, I saw real concern in his eyes.
Quintus: I don't like the idea of you going down there. Any of you. But if you must, I want you to remember something. The Labyrinth exists to fool you. It will distract you. That's dangerous for half-bloods. We are easily distracted.
Percy: You've been in there?
Quintus: Long ago. I barely escaped with my life. Most who enter aren't that lucky.
He gripped my shoulder.
Quintus: Percy, keep your mind on what matters most. If you can do that, you might find the way. And here, I wanted to give you something.
He handed me a little silver tube. It was so cold I almost dropped it.
Percy: A whistle?
Quintus: A dog whistle. For Mrs. O'Leary.
Percy: Um, thanks, but—
Quintus: How will it work in the maze? I'm not a hundred percent certain it will. But Mrs. O'Leary is a hellhound. She can appear when called, no matter how far away she is. I'd feel better knowing you had this. If you really need help, use it; but be careful, the whistle is made of Stygian ice.
Percy: What ice?
Quintus: From the River Styx. Very hard to craft. Very delicate. It cannot melt, but it will shatter when you blow it, so you can only use it once.
I thought about Luke, my old enemy. Right before I'd gone on my first quest, Luke had given me a gift, too—magic shoes that had been designed to drag me to my death. Quintus seemed nice. So concerned. And Mrs. O'Leary liked him, which had to count for something. She dropped the slimy shield at my feet and barked excitedly.
I felt ashamed that I could even think about mistrusting Quintus. But then again, I'd trusted Luke once.
Percy: Thanks.
I slipped the freezing whistle into my pocket, promising myself that I would never use it, and I dashed off.
Theo's POV
After the meeting, I followed Annabeth into the Athena cabin, which I had never been in.
It was a silvery building, nothing fancy, with plain white curtains and a carved stone owl over the doorway. The owl's onyx eyes seemed to follow me as I walked closer.
Theo: Hello?
Nobody answered. I stepped in and caught my breath. The place was a workshop for brainiac kids. The bunks were all pushed against one wall as if sleeping didn't matter very much. Most of the room was filled with workbenches and tables and sets of tools and weapons. The back of the room was a huge library crammed with old scrolls and leather-bound books and paperbacks. There was an architect's drafting table with a bunch of rulers and protractors, and some 3-D models of buildings. Huge old war maps were plastered to the ceiling. Sets of armor hung under the windows, their bronze plates glinting in the sun.
Annabeth stood in the back of the room, rifling through old scrolls.
Theo: Knock, knock?
She turned with a start.
Annabeth: Oh...hi. Didn't hear you.
Theo: You good?
She frowned at the scroll in her hands.
Annabeth: Just trying to do some research. Daedalus' Labyrinth is so huge. None of the stories agree about anything. The maps just lead from nowhere to nowhere. (sighs) I'm starting to think you were right. Reading about it wouldn't be enough.
I recalled my experiences in the Labyrinth, how it tried to fool me at every turn. I wondered if Annabeth knew that already.
Theo: We'll figure it out. We always do.
Her hair had come loose and was hanging in a tangled blond curtain all around her face. Her gray eyes looked almost black.
Annabeth: I've wanted to lead a quest since I was seven.
Theo: I know. And you're gonna do great.
She looked at me gratefully but then stared down at all the books and scrolls she'd pulled from the shelves.
Annabeth: I'm worried, Theo. Maybe I shouldn't have asked you to do this. Or Percy or Zoe or Tyson or Grover.
Theo: I was gonna go with you whether you asked me to or not. I wouldn't miss it. And neither would they.
Annabeth: But...
She stopped herself.
Theo: What is it? The prophecy?
Annabeth: I'm sure it's fine.
Theo: What was the last line?
Suddenly, Annabeth wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly. I wrapped my arm around her as she buried her head in my chest.
Theo: Hey, hey. It's okay.
I was aware of everything in the room. I felt like I could read the tiniest print on any book on the shelves. Annabeth's hair smelled like lemon soap. She was shivering.
Annabeth: Chiron might be right. I'm breaking the rules. But I don't know what else to do. I need you five. It just feels right.
Theo: Then don't worry about it. We've come across plenty of roadblocks before, and we pushed past them.
Annabeth: This is different. I don't want anything happening to you...any of you.
Behind me, somebody cleared his throat.
It was one of Annabeth's half-brothers, Malcolm. His face was bright red.
Malcolm: Um, sorry. Archery practice is starting, Annabeth. Chiron said to come find you.
Annabeth: Okay. Tell Chiron I'll be right there.
Malcom left in a hurry.
Annabeth and I separated, and she rubbed her eyes.
Annabeth: You go ahead, Theo. I'd better get ready for archery.
I nodded before kissing Annabeth's forehead.
Theo: I'll see you in the morning.
I started walking away, but I stopped at the doorway. I couldn't help but recall one of the lines of the prophecy. The child of Athena's last stand. If this means what I think it means...
I was worried that I might lose her again and for good this time. I had to say it, while I still had the chance.
Theo: Annabeth?
Annabeth: Hm?
I turned around and faced her.
Theo: I...I love you.
Annabeth's eyes widened.
Theo: I have for a while now. I'm sorry that it took me this long to say it, but...When I heard that line, I...I don't want to lose you, Annabeth. I don't know what I'd do if I—
In three long strides, Annabeth marched up to me and smashed her lips against mine. I felt a jolt of electricity as time seemed to freeze. It was a moment that I never wanted to end.
Soon, we pulled away. Annabeth's grey eyes gazed lovingly into my hazel eyes.
Annabeth: I love you too.
My heart skipped a beat when I heard her say that.
Annabeth: I should get going. I don't want to miss archery.
Theo: Right.
I moved out of the way, and she started leaving. But then she stopped and turned around.
Annabeth: I know you're worried about that line, Theo. I wish I could say that it'll all be okay, but...
Theo: I know. All we can do is...go down there and hope for the best.
Annabeth: (nods) Yeah. You should go get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow.
She turned around and walked away. I wanted to hope that it'd all be okay, but I couldn't shake the feeling that one of us wasn't going to come back from this quest alive.
I just hope it's not her.