𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 , pjo

♛ Approach the Inmost Cave

It took a while to figure out where the two missing demigods were. Grover had an excellent nose, better than most satyrs, but it just seemed as if a barrier or thick blanket had been placed over Percy and Annabeth. The group of five kept traveling north, passing busy highways and large college campuses without a care in the world. If any mortals saw them, they would most likely mistake Laelaps for a large Ford truck or something of the sorts.

Once they were almost to the tip of Michigan- the lower peninsula, at least- Romá began to suggest that maybe whatever took Annabeth and Percy was no longer in Michigan. Maybe the thing had jumped over the lakes into Canada, or downed a Monster energy drink and sprinted its way down to Mexico.

Romá's wild fantasies were immediately turned down when Grover's little goat tail started to wag, his nose smelling two familiar scents.

"It's Percy and Annabeth!" he cried joyously.

"Are you sure?" Lin questioned. He was seated right behind her, so she had to strain her neck to take a glance at him.

"Yes, yes! I'm sure!" he sniveled, purely out of relief. "It's faint, but I can smell them."

"The good luck of Cheboygan," Romá sighed, surprising Lin with the fact that she knew what town they were in. Amphitryon guessed that Grover was not able to sniff out the pair's strong scent because they were secluded from the mainland, and then pointed at an island lost in the fog.

"How are we supposed to get there?"

It didn't take long to figure out. In Mackinac City was a group of ferries leaving for Mackinac Island. They threw the companies money for tickets, and hopped on board.
Unfortunately, Laelaps was still being mistaken for an oversized truck, so she was stashed somewhere else until the boat made it to the island. On the more fortunate side, the ride only took sixteen minutes to make it to their destination (Eastway).

They could feel the thundering as soon as they exited the ferry, yet no one else around them seemed frightened or caught off guard. The Mist had apparently been working double time since Laelaps was resurrected.

But that didn't matter. If whatever had taken Percy and Annabeth was a serious threat- which it obviously was if it was powerful enough to capture the two- the group could waste no time in defeating it.

That's why they made it to the forest in no time at all. Sherlock Holmes could have pointed out where the threat was with no deduction needed, for you could just follow the loud booms and cheerful roars.

Lin realized she had been lucky so far. The fact that Amphitryon had been exactly where the trio stumbled and that Artemis had been so willing to assist them was pure luck. And she knew she didn't bring about that luck. It was most likely because of Romá, and who her father was.

That thought brought up another, one Lin hadn't bothered to think of since this all started. How was she supposed to do this without the instilled faith in her parent? They hadn't claimed her in her two years at the Greek camp, so that must mean they didn't care for her. Right? They most likely weren't going to be with her during the upcoming battle.

"Now's not the time to think about that," Romá said softly, bumping Lin with her shoulder.

"How'd you-"

"I'm your best friend, doofus."

"Right," Lin grinned, her doubts fading away, if just for a while.