𝒊𝒊𝒊. 𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒

𝒗𝒊.

The next morning after breakfast, Noelle joined Percy and Grover in the meadow watching the satyrs chase the wood nymphs through the snow. The former saying he had something important to tell the both of them. Apparently he had a dream along the lines of Luke tricking Annabeth into helping him and he just left her there to die. Percy said he thought he saw a cave ceiling collapse on their friend.

"That slimey greaseball," Noelle spat. "Next time I see him, I'm killing him."

Percy rested his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to calm her down. Noelle felt her tensed posture loosen as she relaxed back into him from where she sat between his legs.

"A cave ceiling collapsed on her?" Grover asked. 

"Yeah. What the heck does that mean?" Percy asked.

Grover shook his head. "I don't know."

Noelle sighed. "This is just getting worse considering what Zoë dreamed—" 

"Whoa. What do you mean? Zoë had a dream like that?"

"She woke me up at about three in the morning on accident. She told me she had a dream and she looked really panicked. I came with her to the Big House and she demanded to talk to Chiron." 

"Yeah." Grover nodded in agreement.

"Wait, how do you know about it?" Noelle questioned with an accusatory look.

Grover blushed. "I was sort of camped outside the Artemis cabin." 

"What for?" 

"Just to be, you know, near the Hunters." 

"You're a stalker with hooves." 

"I am not!" he protested.

"Anyway, she got real upset when Argus wouldn't let her in. It was kind of a dangerous scene. I had to be the middle man."

Percy tried to imagine that. Argus was the head of security for camp—a big blond dude with eyes all over his body. He rarely showed himself unless something serious was going on. He decided he wouldn't want to place bets on a fight between him and Zoë Nightshade. 

"What did she say?" Percy asked. 

Noelle furrowed her brows. "Well, she starts talking really old-fashioned when she gets upset, so it was kind of hard to understand. But something about Artemis being in trouble and needing the Hunters. And then she called Argus a boil-brained lout... I think that's a bad thing. And then he called her—" 

"Whoa, wait. How could Artemis be in trouble?" 

"I don't know." Noelle frowned in confusion. "Zoë's dream sounded weird when she explained it."

Grover took over the story, "Well, finally Chiron came out in his pajamas and his horse tail in curlers and—" 

"He wears curlers in his tail?" 

Grover covered his mouth. 

"Sorry," Percy said. "Go on." 

Noelle began again, "Well, Zoë said she needed permission to leave camp immediately. Chiron refused. He reminded Zoë that the Hunters were supposed to stay here until they received orders from Artemis. And she said... She said 'How are we to get orders from Artemis if Artemis is lost?'" 

"What do you mean lost? Like she needs directions?" 

"No. I think she meant gone. Taken. Kidnapped." 

"Kidnapped?" Percy tried to get his mind around that idea. "How would you kidnap an immortal goddess? Is that even possible?" 

"Well, yeah. I mean, it happened to Persephone," Grover said.