Read Online The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan - Free Book Online Page B

real they died of fear. I paced the arena, waiting. Mrs. O’Leary ate her lunch, which consisted of a hundred pounds of ground beef and several dog biscuits the size of trashcan lids. I wondered where Quintus got dog biscuits that size. I didn’t figure you could just walk into Pet Zone and put those in your shopping cart. Chiron was deep in conversation with Quintus and Argus. It looked to me like they were disagreeing about something. Quintus kept shaking his head. On the other side of the arena, Tyson and the Stoll brothers were racing miniature bronze chariots that Tyson had made out of armor scraps. I gave up on pacing and left the arena. I stared across the fields at the Big House’s attic window, dark and still. What was taking Annabeth so long? I was pretty sure it hadn’t taken me this long to get my quest.
    “Percy,” a girl whispered.
    Juniper was standing in the bushes. It was weird how she almost turned invisible when she was surrounded by plants.
    She gestured me over urgently. “You need to know: Luke wasn’t the only one I saw around that cave.”
    “What do you mean?”
    She glanced back at the arena. “I was trying to say something, but he was right there.”
    “Who?”
    “The sword master,” she said. “He was poking around the rocks.”
    My stomach clenched. “Quintus? When?”
    “I don’t know: I don’t pay attention to time. Maybe a week ago, when he first showed up.”
    “What was he doing? Did he go in?”
    “I—I’m not sure. He’s creepy, Percy. I didn’t even see him come into the glade. Suddenly he was just there . You have to tell Grover it’s too dangerous—”
    “Juniper?” Grover called from inside the arena. “Where’d you go?”
    Juniper sighed. “I’d better go in. Just remember what I said. Don’t trust that man!”
    She ran into the arena.
    I stared at the Big House, feeling more uneasy than ever. If Quintus was up to something…I needed Annabeth’s advice. She might know what to make of Juniper’s news. But where the heck was she? Whatever was happening with the Oracle, it shouldn’t be taking this long. Finally I couldn’t stand it anymore.
    It was against the rules, but then again, nobody was watching. I ran down the hill and headed across the fields.

    * * *

    The front parlor of the Big House was strangely quiet. I was used to seeing Dionysus by the fireplace, playing cards and eating grapes and griping at satyrs, but Mr. D was still away.
    I walked down the hallway, floorboards creaking under my feat. When I got to the base of the stairs, I hesitated. Four floors above would be a little trapdoor leading to the attic. Annabeth would be up there somewhere. I stood quietly and listened. But what I heard wasn’t what I had expected. Sobbing. And it was coming from below me.
    I crept around the back of the stairs. The basement door was open. I didn’t even know the Big House had a basement. I peered inside and saw two figures in the far corner, sitting amid a bunch of stockpiled cases of ambrosia and strawberry preserves. One was Clarisse. The other was a teenage Hispanic guy in tattered camouflage pants and a dirty black T-shirt. His hair was greasy and matted. He was hugging his shoulders and sobbing. It was Chris Rodriguez, the half-blood who’d gone to work for Luke.
    “It’s okay,” Clarisse was telling him. “Try a little more nectar.”
    “You’re an illusion, Mary!” Chris backed farther into the corner. “G-get away.”
    “My name’s not Mary.” Clarisse’s voice was gentle but really sad. I never knew Clarisse could sound that way. “My name is Clarisse. Remember. Please.”
    “It’s dark!” Chris yelled. “So dark!”
    “Come outside,” Clarisse coaxed. “The sunlight will help you.”
    “A…a thousand skulls. The earth keeps healing him.”
    “Chris,” Clarisse pleaded. It sounded like she was close to tears. “You have to get better. Please. Mr. D will be back soon. He’s an expert in madness. Just hang