Annabeth Chase and the Battle of the Labyrinth

Chapter 27 - I go on the gameshow of death

From the way that Percy nearly head-dived into his bowl of porridge, it was obvious that he had got as little sleep as me that night. I wanted to ask him what he dreamt about, but decided that if he wanted me to know, he'd tell me. 

Eurytion quietly served us breakfast, none of us in a particularly talkative mood. Percy looked tired and confused, Grover was nervously munching on cutlery, Nico glared at his uneaten bowl which Tyson eyed off while gulping down his own. For my part, I tried to push my own dreams out of my head and focus on today's task; re-entering the Labyrinth. 

When we were done eating, Eurytion escorted us back to the cattle grid that we had arrived through. 

"Nico, you could come with us," Percy blurted out as I opened my mouth to farewell the cowherd. 

If four was a bad number to quest with, I was pretty sure that five was even worse, but I kept my mouth shut, not willing to dash Percy's hopes. He was staring at Nico with such obvious concern that I half expected him to wrap him up in a hug and carry him away. 

"I need time to think," Nico mumbled, his eyes downcast and not meeting anyone's gaze. He looked so vulnerable and small in his oversized black robe that I started feeling the need to hug him. 

"Nico, Bianca just wants you to be okay," I said softly, stepping forward to place my hand on his shoulder. 

He shrugged it off and started heading back to the ranch house, not even casting a backwards look as he trudged away. 

"I'm worried about him," I said, turning to see Percy gazing after him, a sad look on his face. 

"He'll be alright," Eurytion rumbled, scratching Orthus' head. "The boy can stay here and gather his thoughts as long as he wants. He'll be safe, I promise." 

"What about you?" Percy asked. 

"Things are going to be run a little different on this ranch from now on," he said, determination in his voice. "No more sacred cattle meat. I'm thinking about soya-bean patties. And I'm going to befriend those flesh-eating horses. Might just sign up for the next rodeo."

I grimaced at that thought. I didn't know who would be more at risk; Eurytion himself or all the other riders. 

Percy seemed to share the same thought. "Well, good luck." 

"Yep." Eurytion spat into the grass. "I reckon you'll be looking for Daedalus' workshop now?"

Hope surged through me and I felt a renewed excitement wash away my tiredness and fears. "Can you help us?"

Eurytion shrugged. "Don't know where it is. But Hephaestus probably would."

"That's what Hera said. But how do we find Hephaestus?"

He dug under the collar of his shirt to show a smooth silver disc hanging from a silver chain. As he handed it to me, I saw that there was a depression in the middle that was a lot bigger than my thumb but would have fitted one of Eurytion's. 

"Hephaestus comes here from time to time," he said. "Studies the animals and such so he can make bronze automaton copies. Last time, I - uh - did him a favour. A little trick he wanted to play on my dad, Ares, and Aphrodite. He gave me that chain in gratitude. Said if I ever needed to find him, the disc would lead me to his forges. But only once."

"And you're giving it to me," I asked, shocked at his generosity. 

He shrugged again, a small pink tinge appearing in his cheeks. "I don't need to see the forges, miss. Got enough to do here. Just press the button and you'll be on your way."