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we were doing okay until we hit the tree roots.
the spider raced along and we were keeping up, but then we spotted a tunnel off to the side that was dug from raw earth, and wrapped in thick roots. grover stopped dead in his tracks.
"what is it?" percy asked.
he didn't move. he stared openmouthed into the dark tunnel. his curly hair rustled in the breeze. he reminded me of one of medusa's statues.
"come on!" i said. "we have to keep moving."
"this is the way," grover muttered in awe. "this is it."
"what way?" percy asked. "you mean... to pan?"
grover looked at tyson. "don't you smell it?"
"dirt," tyson said. "and plants."
"yes! this is the way. i'm sure of it!" up ahead, the spider was getting farther down the stone corridor. a few more seconds and we'd lose it.
"we'll come back," annabeth promised. "on our way back to hephaestus."
"the tunnel will be gone by then," grover said. "i have to follow it. a door like this won't stay open!"
"but we can't," annabeth said. "the forges!"
grover looked at annabeth and i sadly. "i have to. don't you understand?"
annabeth looked like she was ready to drag grover by the hooves. for some reason the line of the prophecy 'the lost one raise' came back to me. i looked at grover's expression and i knew, i knew that he had to do this.
"we'll split up," percy said.
"no!" annabeth cried. "that's way too dangerous. how will we ever find each other again? and grover can't go alone."
tyson put his hand on grover's shoulder. "i — i will go with him."
