This Dark Night ― Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase¹

―xvi. percy has a lot of confusing feelings

PERCY EXPLAINED EVERYTHING. How he'd caused the explosion at Mount St. Helens and got blasted out of the volcano, ending up marooned on an island before Hephaestus found him and a magic raft carried him back to camp. He left out the parts about Calypso—it was too hard to talk about just yet, especially in front of Naomi and Annabeth. Percy decided not to try to analyze why mentioning the daughter of Atlas to either of them made him feel like he was dangling off a cliff.

"You've been gone two weeks." Annabeth's voice was steadier than before, but she still looked shaken. "When I heard the explosion, I thought—"

"I know," Percy said. "I'm sorry. But I figured out how to get through the Labyrinth. I talked to Hephaestus."

"He told you the answer?" Naomi asked.

"Well, he sort of told me that I already knew," Percy said. "And I do. I understand now."

He told them his idea.

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "Percy, that's crazy!"

Chiron sat back in his wheelchair and stroked his beard. "There is a precedent, however. Theseus had the help of Ariadne. Harriet Tubman, daughter of Hermes, used many mortals on her Underground Railroad for just this reason."

"But this is my quest," Annabeth protested. "I need to lead it."

Chiron shifted uncomfortably. "My dear, it is your quest. But you need help."

"And this is supposed to help? Please! It's wrong. It's cowardly. It's—"

"Hard to admit we need a mortal's help," Percy said. "But it's true."

Annabeth glared at him. "You are the single most annoying person I have ever met!" She stormed out of the room, and Naomi was right behind her, shooting Percy a look as if to say, I'll talk to her.

Percy wondered when Naomi had become Annabeth's person instead of his.

Again, he tried not to dwell on the way that made him feel.

He stared at the doorway, his jaw tense. "So much for being the bravest friend she's ever had."

"She will calm down," Chiron promised. "She's jealous, my boy."

"That's stupid," Percy said. "She's not... it's not like..."

Chiron chuckled. "It hardly matters. Annabeth is very territorial about her friends, in case you haven't noticed. She was quite worried about you. And now that you're back, I think she suspects where you were marooned."

Percy met the centaur's eyes, and he knew Chiron had guessed about Calypso. It was hard to hide anything from a guy who'd been training heroes for three thousand years. He'd seen it all.

"We won't dwell on your choices," Chiron said. "You came back. That is all that matters."

"Tell that to Annabeth."

Chiron smiled. "In the morning I will have Argus take the three of you into Manhattan. You might stop by your mother's, Percy. She is... understandably distraught."

Percy's heart skipped a beat. His mother must have been devastated, thinking he was dead. How had he not even considered her until now?

"Chiron," Percy said, "what about Grover and Tyson? Do you think—"

"I don't know, my boy." Chiron gazed into the empty fireplace. "Juniper is quite distressed. All her branches are turning yellow. The Council of Cloven Elders has revoked Grover's searcher license in absentia. Assuming he comes back alive, they will force him into a shameful exile." He sighed. "Grover and Tyson are very resourceful, however. We can still hope."