THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH Percy Jackson ... - No one's invited.

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When I got to the part about Geryon and the stables, my mom pretended like she was going to strangle
me. “I can’t get him to clean his room, but he’ll clean a hundred tons of horse manure out of some
monster’s stables?”
Annabeth laughed. It was the first time I’d heard her laugh in a long time, and it was nice to hear.
“So,” my mom said when I was done with the story, “you wrecked Alcatraz Island, made Mount St.
Helens explode, and displaced half a million people, but at least you’re safe.” That’s my mom, always
looking on the bright side.
“Yep,” I agreed. “That pretty much covers it.”
“I wish Paul were here,” she said, half to herself. “He wanted to talk to you.”
“Oh, right.The school.”
So much had happened since then that I’d almost forgotten about the high school orientation at
Goode—the fact I’d left the band hall in flames, and my mom’s boyfriend had last seen me jumping
through a window like a fugitive.
“What did you tell him?” I asked.
My mom shook her head. “What could I say? He knows something is different about you, Percy. He’s a
smart man. He believes that you’re not a bad person. He doesn’t know what’s going on, but the school
is pressuring him. After all, he got you admitted there. He needs to convince them the fire wasn’t your
fault. And since you ran away, that looks bad.”
Annabeth was studying me. She looked pretty sympathetic. I knew she’d been in similar situations. It’s
never easy for a half-blood in the mortal world.
“I’ll talk to him,” I promised.“After we’re done with the quest. I’ll even tell him the truth if you want.”
My mom put her hand on my shoulder. “You would do that?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, he’ll think we’re crazy.”
“He already thinks that.”
“Then there’s nothing to lose.”
“Thank you, Percy. I’ll tell him you’ll be home…” She frowned.“When? What happens now?”
Annabeth broke her cookie in half. “Percy has thisplan .”
Reluctantly I told my mom.
She nodded slowly. “It sounds very dangerous. But it might work.”
“You have the same abilities, don’t you?” I asked. “You can see through the Mist.”