A/N: Can't update very often as I've got quite a bit of schoolwork to do. But anyway, chapter 8 :)
Chapter Eight: Ariadne's String
Clarisse's POV:
I looked at my mobile screen, installed with something from a memory stick I'd forced a scrawny child of Hermes to steal from the Hephaestus cabin.
Basically, I had a tracker on Leo, and I could see their progress.
I heard footsteps, so I quickly ducked behind a bush and held the phone in my pocket. The small light that was peeking through the trees revealed it was just Dan and George. I breathed a sigh of relief (that I would never let them hear) and stepped out from behind the bush.
"It's me!" I snapped quickly when they turned around sharply. "So, they're stopped in New York for the night." Great. Stopping off, when lots could be at risk. So typical of them.
"So...what do we do?" George asked.
"We get out of camp before morning where everyone will notice we're gone. We go into the maze before them." Obviously.
"But how will we find our way?" Jeez, George, it's not 21 questions.
"How are we even going to get in?" Dan joined in with the quizzing.
"I have both sorted. There's an enterance down there-" I pointed to a cluster of rocks, a.k.a Zeus' Fist, "And I have Ariadne's string." I held up some silvery-gold looking thread in triumph. Both looked at it blankly.
I sighed in frustration. Newbies. "Ariadne's string." I slowly emphasised every syllable. "It helps you around." I said more quickly, as I heard a screech in the distance.
Harpies.
Leo's POV:
"What?" I said indignantly, as everybody glared at me.
"I didn't particularly want to be in a Californian ranch." Snapped Annabeth. I remembered the story they told of an evil cowherd, when they almost got sold to Titans.
"Look. No magical cows." I shrugged. Annabeth made a frustrated sound, causing Percy to glare at me. I sighed.
"Ah well. C'mon, we're all tired and sick of that tunnel. Look, there's a sign saying there's a cafe at this ranch. It all seems harmlessly human." Melody came to my rescue, which was good, because half the demigods around me looked like they wanted to claw my eyeballs out. I gave her a grateful look.
Jacob shrugged. "Sure." And most of us headed towards the ranch.
"Wait." Annabeth gushed. "I have a bad feeling."
Percy slipped his arm around her. "It's alright." They kissed.
"Gross. Get a room. Wait, there's a room at this house, I bet you." I ran ahead, knowing they'd have to follow me.
George's POV:
We hurried down to the rocks. Clarisse felt around them, cursing under her breath. That was when we heard a giggle behind us.
When I turned, I saw a small-looking girl who could be a little older than us. Everything about her had a greenish tint.
"What do you want, Juniper?" Clarisse snapped.
"I know where it is, but if you're going to be so rude-" Juniper shrugged and turned back towards a tree. Then I realised, she was a dryad.
"No! Please, Juniper, tell us." When the dryad turned and met Dan's pleading gaze, I knew she had to give in. It's hard to resist that look; I knew from experience.
"Well, you're actually polite. I might..." Her words trailed off into a sigh.
"Well, I won't tell the harpies." She floated over to us and pointed to a fissure in the rock. Clarisse touched it, and it opened.
As we decended, we heard Juniper's girly voice again. "But, when Grover asks, I'll say." She giggled as the rock closed over us before Clarisse could go and strangle the girl.
Clarisse checked the monitor, and growled, "They're in California now! Must be daytime up there."
"Guessing time passes differently down here?" Dan suggested.
"Yup." Clarisse sighed. "Ah, well, we'll find them sometime."
Larka's POV:
Leo was the first there. He knocked. The man that answered the door was young. His blonde hair had gel in it.
I stepped forward, knowing Leo would say something he found funny but would get us all sent away.
"Hello." I said. "I was wondering where the cafe is."
He laughed. "And I bet you're wondering where you are, and where the next entrance is."
"Yes." I replied, distracted. "Wait-what entrance?" Darius cut in before he could say anything else. He laughed again.
"Well, you see, I am a God. I do know about labyrinths, and I know you're all Demigods."
Percy suddenly seemed to recognise him. "Apollo?"
"Yup. Come in. Cafe's shut, the house isn't." He smirked, and held the door open for us all.
After having a drink and snack, we decided we should probably get back to the labyrinth.
"As you wish." Apollo shrugged.
In a flash of light, we were back underground.
After walking through various corridors, we came to what looked like one of those underground army bunkers. Annabeth and Percy spent ages looking around in every corner. Annabeth screamed at one point, but it turned out to be a false alarm, as it was only a spider.
"Looks like an alright place." Darius said.
"Good. I'm off to sleep." Jacob collapsed onto one of the bunks.
"I'll take the first watch." Melody volunteered.
"Ok. Wake me up when you get tired, and I'll take over." Percy said.
I fell asleep, afraid of sleep-talking about Darius.
