Chiron stroked his beard thoughtfully as he considered what we told him.

"That's why Luke wants the string." I finished. "It will allow him to effortlessly navigate the Labyrinth."

"But we still don't know why." Annabeth exploded. Finally, Chiron decided to add something to the conversation.

"I might have a theory."

"You sure did take your sweet time to share it," I muttered. Annabeth glared at me to shut up. Chiron continued as if I hadn't said anything.

"There are rumors that the Titan Army has turned its sights on Camp Half-Blood. Sometime soon they will attack." I frowned, leaning forward in my seat.

"We have a magical barrier powered by the magical fleece." I forced myself not to think of the quest to get it. "How does Luke expect to get an army of monsters in here?" Annabeth sat up straighter as if a bolt of lightning struck her.

"The labyrinth. There might be an entrance directly into the camp and he could use it to get his army directly in the camp!" I shook my head.

"We've lived here for years. I think we would know if there was an entrance to a magical maze." Chiron smiled ruefully.

"You'd be surprised. Camp Half-Blood still has some secrets that even I don't know about."

"Besides, Luke knew this camp better than anyone. If anybody could find an opening, it would be him." I rolled my eyes at her admiring tone.

"Great; now we have to find the entrance I'm assuming." Annabeth grinned.

"Clear your schedule and meet me at the dining pavilion in 10 minutes. I need to get a few things." With that, she ran out of the office.

As I stood up to follow her, Chiron added.

"Did I not say that you two could do amazing things together?" When I turned back to look at him, I could have sworn that the wily old horse was smirking at me.


"We've looked at all the cabins, scoured the woods, and completely destroyed the training areas to find this cursed entrance. It's. Not. Here."

As usual, Annabeth ignored me.

"Maybe in the amphitheater-" I snatched the map of Camp from her hands before she could even finish that sentence. She glared at me. "Fine, do you have a better idea?" I snorted.

"I actually do because anything would be better than randomly searching. Do you even know what the entrance to the labyrinth looks like?" Annabeth crossed her arms.

"They are all marked with a Delta, the symbol of Daedalus, the labyrinth's creator. This is why we do research, Clarisse."

"Whatever," I grumbled. "We are not even a hundred percent sure that there is an entrance here." Annabeth frowned.

"What do you-" She paused as she understood my meaning. "The desert near your mom's house!" She began pacing in front of me, excitedly. "We know there is definitely an entrance there. We could enter the labyrinth, travel its halls, and try to find the opening into Camp from inside the labyrinth." I smirked.

"A plan worthy of Athena?" Annabeth grinned.

"A plan worthy of Athena." She agreed.

Chiron did not agree. "It's too dangerous. No hero has entered the labyrinth for over a hundred years." I scoffed.

"Then it sounds like the labyrinth is overdue for a visit."

"This is the best way to find the entrance," Annabeth stressed. "You said it yourself. Clarisse and I do great things together. Who better to be the first to explore the maze?" Chiron shook his head.

"Annabeth, you are going back to California in a few days." Her face fell as she let out a few curses. "And I am not allowing Clarisse to go alone."

"Don't think I can handle it?" I demanded. He glared at me.

"Do I need to remind you of the state that Chris is in because he entered the labyrinth?" I froze at that and the memory of my dreams came flooding back. Was I really volunteering to enter the place that caused so much fear and terror? Annabeth continued, oblivious to me.

"Chris probably wasn't prepared. The labyrinth has been an interest of mine for years. No one understands it better than me. That alone gives us an advantage."

"I'm going in," I said quietly. "Whether you want me to or not. Something in there might help heal Chris." Chiron looked between the two of us and saw a losing battle. He massaged his forehead wearily.

"Fine." He agreed. It looked as if he had aged another decade.

An hour before Argus was going to drive me to the airport, I found myself sitting by Chris' bedside. I had persuaded Will and Lee to check on him once every hour while I was gone.

I was trying to force Chris to eat when I heard another voice.

"How sweet! Even the daughter of war has fallen in love!" I turned to see a woman, sitting in the other chair across from me. She was easily the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

She had my mom's facial features and dirty blonde hair. Her eyes were the same shade of brown as Chris' and her brilliant smile reminded me of one of the Aphrodite girls. Silena? It didn't take a genius to figure out who was in the room.

"Lady Aphrodite," I said, bowing my head slightly. She giggled and waved her hand flippantly.

"No need for that lady business. With my relationship with your father, we are practically family!"

I did not need to be reminded of my father's personal relationships though I didn't mention that to her.

"What are you doing here. Aphrodite?" I muttered. Her obnoxiously beautiful smile widened.

"To do what I do best! Offer romantically helpless demigods love advice!" I stared at her.

"What?" She laughed again.

"Oh, this is wonderful. First, in December, Perseus goes on a quest to save Annabeth. Now, only two months later, you go on a quest for Chris. How sweet! Finally quests for love instead of saving the world."

By the time the goddess of love had finished talking, my face was burning.

"I do not love him." I stammered. I didn't sound convincing even to myself. Aphrodite smiled, knowingly.

"Ask my darling daughter, Silena, for help when you're out of denial." She responded and disappeared in a shower of rose petals, leaving me alone with my conflicted feelings. I needed to get back to Arizona. There were fewer goddesses.


It had only been 2 months since I left my mom's house. Yet when I arrived at her door, it felt as if I had never gone back to Camp.

"So," My mom began, stirring her tea. "You're going to go into the labyrinth." I nodded, not looking at her. "The same labyrinth that Chris was in." I nodded again. "The labyrinth that made him go insane." When I nodded again, my mom muttered a prayer under her breath. "Since I know that nothing I say will convince you not to go. Do me a favor and don't die. I just got my daughter back and I'm not interested in losing her so quickly." This was said with a blank emotionless expression and was so brisk, strict, and loving that I couldn't help hugging her. When my mom hugged me back, I swore I could feel tears drip onto my shoulder.


I cursed as I stumbled over another rock. I had been searching for the entrance of the labyrinth for the past few hours in the searing heat and had found nothing. I was looking in the general direction that Chris had come from with no luck.

I was about to give up, return to my mom's house and try again tomorrow when I noticed a shimmering figure moving across the sand dunes. If I wasn't a demigod, I would have assumed that it was a mirage and I was going insane. But when it pointed its finger at me and beckoned me forward, I did what any child of Ares would do and followed it with my spear raised.

The figure was almost ghost-like in appearance. He was as pale as a corpse with cold eyes that stared at me as I approached. I would have thought that he was a zombie but he was too translucent. Before I could say anything or demand who he was or what he wanted, the ghost turned and began walking off. I ran after it, yelling questions.

The specter mostly ignored me. He led me to a mound of rocks surrounded by cacti. I frowned in confusion.

"What the Hades is this? And you better answer this time, punk or I'll-" I cut off when I realized that the stupid ghost had disappeared.

Muttering curses under my breath, I began to examine the pile. Annabeth had told me if something was the entrance to the labyrinth all it would need was a demigod's touch to make the delta appear. I ran my hands across the stones, feeling like an idiot until the glowing-blue greek letter emerged from the sandstone background.

The two largest stones rolled away to reveal a dark corridor, leading into the rest of the maze. Swallowing nervously, I stepped into the darkness.