Forgotten memories

The battle begins

The Labyrinth made distances feel shorter, but by the time Rachel guided us back to Times Square, I felt like we'd run all the way from New Mexico. We climbed out of the Marriott basement, blinking against the bright summer sunlight, the noise and chaos of traffic and crowds hitting us all at once.

I couldn't decide which felt less real—the bustling streets of New York or the glittering crystal cave where I'd watched a god die just hours ago. Percy led the way into a quiet alley, where echoes bounced perfectly, and then he whistled as loudly as he could—five long, clear notes that rang against the buildings.

A moment later, Rachel gasped, her eyes wide. "They're beautiful!"

We looked up to see a flock of pegasi descending gracefully from the sky, weaving effortlessly between skyscrapers. Blackjack led the group, with four sleek, white-winged friends following closely behind.

"Yeah," Percy said with a grin, patting Blackjack's neck. "I'm lucky that way. Listen, we need a ride to camp, and fast."

The Pegasus Guido groaned and protested, flapping his wings impatiently, but nobody seemed to notice. Saddles were adjusted, straps tightened, and everyone began climbing aboard—everyone except Rachel.

"Well," she said softly, turning to Percy and me, "I guess this is it."

He nodded, looking a little uncomfortable. We both knew she couldn't come to camp. I glanced at Annabeth, who was pretending to fuss with her own Pegasus, avoiding Rachel's gaze.

"Thanks, Rachel," Percy said earnestly. "We couldn't have done it without you."

"I wouldn't have missed it," Rachel said, forcing a small smile, though her voice wavered. "Except for nearly dying... and Pan..." She trailed off, glancing away.

"He said something about your father," I said carefully. "What did he mean?"

Rachel fiddled with the strap on her backpack, her fingers twisting nervously. "My dad... My dad's job. He's... kind of a famous businessman."

"You mean... you're rich?" Percy asked, eyebrows raised.

"Well, yeah."

"So that's how you got the chauffeur to help us? You just said your dad's name and—"

"Yes," Rachel interrupted, her tone sharp but not unkind. "Percy... my dad's a land developer. He flies all over the world, looking for tracts of undeveloped land. The wild. He buys it, tears it down, and builds ugly subdivisions and shopping centers. I hate it. I really do. And now... after seeing Pan... seeing him die—"

"Hey," I said quickly, "you can't blame yourself for that."

"You don't know the worst of it," she said, her voice dropping. "I—I don't like to talk about my family. I didn't want you to know. I... I shouldn't have said anything."

"No," I reassured her. "It's fine. Look, Rachel, you were amazing. You led us through the maze. You were brave. That's the only thing that matters. Nothing else—nothing your dad does—changes that."

She looked at us, her expression softening with gratitude. "Well... if you ever feel like hanging out with a mortal again... you could call me or something."

"Uh... yeah. Sure," Percy mumbled, his voice uncertain. I could tell he wasn't sure what to say, and the past few days had left his feelings tangled up.

"I mean... I'd like that," he added finally, a little more confidently.

"My number's not in the book," she said with a teasing smile.

"He got it," I said with a smirk.

"Still on your hand? No way," she exclaimed, staring at Percy.

"No. I kinda... memorized it," he said, looking awkward.