𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 | 𝐩. 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

Father-daughter reunion

The fields of Asphodel were crowded with dull, flat faces of the dead in the fields of darkness. They whispered among one another, but Evangeline couldn't hear a word they were saying. After a few miles of walking, she began hearing a familiar screech in the distance. Looming on the horizon was a palace of glittering obsidian, above the parapets swirled three dark bat-like creatures, the Furies. She had a feeling they were waiting for them.

"I suppose it's too late to turn back now," Grover said wistfully.

"We'll be okay." Percy tried to sound confident but failed.

"Maybe we should search some of the other places first," the satyr suggested. "Like Elysium, for instance..."

Annabeth grabbed his arm, stopping him from running off. "Come on, goat boy."

Grover yelped. His sneakers sprouted wings and his legs shot forward, attempting to pull himself out of her grip, but she didn't let go and then he landed flat on his back in the grass.

"Grover," Evangeline said. "Stop messing around."

"But I didn't-" He yelped again. His shoes were flapping like crazy, they levitated off the ground and started dragging him away from them.

"Maia!" He yelled, but the magic word wasn't working. "Maia already!" he said.

Percy was the one to move first, grabbing Grover's outstretched hand, but he was too late. Grover was picking up speed, skidding downhill like a bobsled.

The three ran after him.

Annabeth shouted, "Untie the shoes!"

It was a smart idea, but not so easy when the shoes are pulling you along feet-first at full speed. Grover tried to sit up, but he couldn't get close to the laces.

They kept after him, trying to keep him in sight as he zipped between the legs of spirits who chattered at him in annoyance. Evangeline was sure Grover was going to barrel straight through the gates of her father's palace, but his shoes veered sharply to the right and dragged him in the opposite direction.

The slope got steeper and Grover picked up speed. The three had to sprint to keep up, now. The cavern walls narrowed on either side, and Evangeline realized they had entered some kind of side tunnel. No black grass or trees now, just rock underfoot, and the dim light of the stalactites above.

"Grover!" Percy yelled. "Hold on to something!"

Grover was grabbing at the gravel, but there was nothing big enough to slow him down.

The tunnel got darker and colder, then she saw what was ahead of them. Percy skitted to a stop, looking in terrified astonishment at what was awaiting them.

The tunnel widened into a huge dark cavern, and in the middle was a chasm the size of a city block. Grover was sliding straight toward the edge.

"Come on!" Evangeline yelled, grabbing the boy from the back of his shirt, to keep him moving.

"But that's—"

"Not now!" Evangeline shouted.

"Grover's going to fall if we don't catch him," Annabeth yelled, sprinting for the satyr.

Grover's predicament got Percy moving again, running after the girls. The satyr was yelling, clawing at the ground, but the winged shoes kept dragging him towards the pit, and it didn't look like they could possibly get to him in time.

The flying sneakers had always been a loose fit on him, and finally, Grover hit a big rock and the left shoe came flying off. It sped into the darkness, down into the chasm. The right shoe kept tugging him along, but not as fast. Grover was able to slow himself down by grabbing onto the big rock and using it like an anchor.