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

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“I don’t fear you,” the old man groaned.
The king smiled coldly. He locked his eyes on the boy. “But a man cares about his son, eh? Displease
me, old man, and the next time my guards inflict a punishment, it will be on him!”
The king swept out of the room with his guards, and the doors slammed shut, leaving the boy and his
father alone in the darkness.
“What shall we do?” the boy moaned. “Father, they will kill you!”
The old man swallowed with difficulty. He tried to smile, but it was a gruesome sight with his bloody
mouth.
“Take heart, my son.” He gazed up at the stars. “I—I will find a way.”
A bar lowered across the doors with a fatalBOOM , and I woke in a cold sweat.
***
I was still feeling shaky the next morning when Chiron called a war council. We met in the sword arena,
which I thought was pretty strange— trying to discuss the fate of the camp while Mrs. O’Leary chewed
on a life-size squeaky pink rubber yak.
Chiron and Quintus stood at the front by the weapon racks. Clarisse and Annabeth sat next to each
other and led the briefing. Tyson and Grover sat as far away from each other as possible. Also present
around the table: Juniper the tree nymph, Silena Beauregard, Travis and Connor Stoll,Beckendorf , Lee
Fletcher, even Argus, our hundred-eyed security chief. That’s how I knew it was serious. Argus hardly
ever shows up unless something really major is going on. The whole time Annabeth spoke, he kept his
hundred blue eyes trained on her so hard his whole body turned bloodshot.
“Luke must have known about the Labyrinth entrance,” Annabeth said. “He knew everything about
camp.”
I thought I heard a little pride in her voice, like she still respected the guy, evil as he was.
Juniper cleared her throat. “That’s what I was trying to tell you last night. The cave entrance has been
there a long time. Luke used to use it.”
Silena Beauregard frowned. “You knew about the Labyrinth entrance, and you didn’t say anything?”
Juniper’s face turned green. “I didn’t know it was important.Just a cave. I don’t like yucky old caves.”
“She has good taste,” Grover said.
“I wouldn’t have paid any attention except…well, it was Luke.” She blushed a little greener.
Grover huffed. “Forget what I said about good taste.”
“Interesting,” Quintus polished his sword as he spoke. “And you believe this young man, Luke, would
dare use the Labyrinth as an invasion route?”