Lost

8

"Grover...she's dead," I said softly. "Now, please, tell me who."

Grover shook his head and placed his hands over his face. "I shouldn't have told you...you don't understand."

I readjusted myself so I could see Grover more clearly, who still had his hands plastered over his face. "Grover, I can take it. Just please tell me."

"It's Annabeth," he said without looking up. "There was no body to be found. That's what we're looking for."

"Greek Fire—" I started.

"—is what Chiron told people so they wouldn't question it," he finished for me. "Annabeth's not stupid, Percy."

I shook my head. "Wasn't stupid. She wasn't stupid. She isn't anything now, Grover, and it's my fault—"

"It's not your fault!" he admitted, still refusing to look at me. "Annabeth isn't dead, and even if she is it wasn't by Greek Fire."

"Then why would Chiron lie to me?" I whispered. "I could've helped searched, I could've found her..."

Grover shook his head. "He thought you were too emotionally a-attached to the c-case for a q-quest."

"Even if she were still alive, you think she wouldn't find her way back?" I asked. "Think she wouldn't Iris message us? Email? Call?!"

"The l-lines are down, didn't C-Chiron tell y-you?" he asked. I shook my head. "Of course he d-didn't...."

Anger started to build up inside of me. "What do you propose happened to her, then, Grover?"

"They t-think she's out there s-somewhere," he admitted. "She can't be very far, t-though, although we d-don't really know...all we've found is a l-letter...."

My eyes widened. "A letter? What did it say?!"

"It said 'the w-war isn't over. It's h-her, Percy. It's A'," Grover recited from memory. "They f-found that in the woods w-when they went l-looking for her...for her b-body..."

"That was for me!" I yelled. "Chiron—he should've given that to me, the letter was for me!"

"It could've b-been from b-before the war," Grover tried to reason with me.

I shook my head. "No, it's recent. The war isn't over? She she would've given it to me earlier. And how can you tell it's from Annabeth?"

"Well, we a-assumed. It was f-found with her c-camp necklace," he murmured. "And she s-signed it. W-what else does the A m-mean?"

"The A as a signature? I assumed she was talking about someone...." I murmured. "I've gotta go...."

I grabbed the crutches Will had propped up against the bed for me and hastily made my way towards the Big House, Grover trailing after me.

He grabbed my arms. "Percy, no! She's p-probably dead, a-anyways..."

"Let me go! There's a chance that she's out there, and she needs me!" I cried. Grover broke away and stood there as I made my way to the Big House.

Chiron sat alone on the porch and gave off a weak smile when he saw me, which quickly vanished.

"Percy, Will let you out early—?" he started.

"Why did you keep it from me?" I yelled. Chiron turned red. "Before you deny it, just let me talk. For months, months, I've been beating myself up, losing the ability to go on, all while she was out there? And waiting for me?!"

Chiron shook his head. "It's not that simple, Percy—"

"No, it is! Don't you want to see her, too? Did she mean anything to you?! Of course she didn't, you're becoming like them! Heroes are just your pawns now, huh?!" I shouted.

"That's enough!" he bellowed. My face turned pink. "Sit down and let me explain to you everything. You will not interrupt me."

I obeyed Chiron and struggled to sit across from him. When I finally sat down he spoke.

"Percy, I understand why you're upset. I thought that telling you and getting your hopes up for no reason would cause more harm than help," he said. "Clearly, I was wrong. You're struggling, and it's all my fault. I care about Annabeth, Percy, and I'm sending anyone I can agree to to go look for her."

"Right now the Council of Cloven Elders have people looking, the Amazonians are looking, the nymphs, the satyrs, the Centaurs, and I was just about to alert the Hunters of Artemis. I've told them about this, I'm waiting to tell them in person," he finished.

"I know, Thalia came to my apartment and punched me. That's where I got this bruise from," I said as I gestured towards my face.

"I'm sure she did," Chiron said. "Any questions?"

I nodded. "What have you learned? W-where are you looking?"

"Well, Olympus is closed currently, so we have no godly help except Artemis's. And she hasn't even pledged her help yet," Chiron started. "So we don't know where to start. There have been no prophecies yet. But we have searched the woods, New Rome, most of New York, and most of Eastern America."

"What have you found?" I asked. "Surely, something. And what about the letter?"

"We have her camp necklace and the letter. I think she is referring to some god or goddess or even a monster, but we all have different theories," Chiron admitted. "No one has found much yet. We're about to send a team out to California to her mortal parent's house."

"Mr.Chase doesn't know yet?" I asked. Chiron shook his head. "And that's how you're telling him? What-why hasn't he called? Maybe she's there, maybe—"

"Exactly, Percy," Chiron said. "Our phone lines aren't reaching his number for some reason, so we have reason to believe she's either there or he can't reach us. We're sending a couple satyrs there to see."

"I'm joining them," I said forcefully. Chiron widened his eyes. "I am! I'll go with them. Grover and I can just go."

Chiron shook his head. "Percy, you have school. And they're going on a plane—"

"School can wait, this is more important," I said. "And if I die, I die. Planes...I can just deal with it. If it's for Annabeth, I have no fear anymore."

"I know it's no use denying you as you'll just sneak off anyways," Chiron said. "Collect your things. There should be some things left in your cabin. And you can borrow some items from the camp store. They leave on Monday."

My face lit up. "Thank you, Chiron. I'll find her...I have to."

He nodded. "I know you will. Just get Will's approval, which won't be easy."

"That's true, but I'm certain I can convince him," I said. "Thanks, Chiron."

"Her necklace is in the Big House. First drawer in the kitchen. I must go teach archery now."

I watched as he climbed out of his wheelchair and galloped away. As soon as he left, I ran into the Big House.

I quickly located the necklace. It was untied, but still intact. It was a little dirty, but all the beads were there, including the college ring and the coral I'd given her.

"I'm going to find you, I promise that, Annabeth. I swear it on the River Styx."