DISTANCE WAS SHORTER IN THE LABYRINTH. Still, by the time Rachel got them back to Times Square, Selena felt like they'd pretty much run all the way from New Mexico. They climbed out of the basement of a Marriott and stood on the sidewalk in the bright summer daylight, squinting at the traffic and crowds.

Selena couldn't decide which seemed less real—New York or the crystal cave where she'd watched a god die.

Percy led them into an alley. Then he whistled as loud as he could, six times.

A minute later, Rachel gasped. "They're beautiful!"

A flock of pegasi descended from the sky, swooping between the skyscrapers. Blackjack was in the lead, followed by five of his white friends.

"Yeah," Percy spoke to him, "I'm lucky that way. Listen, we need a ride to camp quick."

Everybody started saddling up—except Rachel.

"Well," she told Percy, "I guess this is it."

Selena sat on top of her pegasus, pretending not to hear their conversation. When Percy looked over at her, she quickly fiddled with her empty sheath. 

"Thanks, Rachel," Percy said to Rachel, "We couldn't have done it without you."

"I wouldn't have missed it. I mean, except for almost dying, and Pan..." Her voice faltered.

"He said something about your father," Percy remembered. "What did he mean?"

Rachel twisted the strap on her backpack. "My dad...My dad's job. He's kind of a famous businessman."

"You mean...you're rich?"

"Well, yeah."

"So that's how you got the chauffeur to help us? You just said your dad's name and—"

"Yes," Rachel cut me off. "Percy...my dad's a land developer. He flies all over the world, looking for tracts of undeveloped land." She took a shaky breath. "The wild. He—he buys it up. I hate it, but he plows it down and builds ugly subdivisions and shopping centers. And now that I've seen Pan...Pan's death—"

"Hey, you can't blame yourself for that."

"You don't know the worst of it. I—I don't like to talk about my family. I didn't want you to know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"No," Percy said, "It's cool. Look, Rachel, you did awesome. You led us through the maze. You were so brave. That's the only thing I'm going to judge you on. I don't care what your dad does."

Rachel looked at him gratefully. "Well...if you ever feel like hanging out with a mortal again...you could call me or something."

"Uh, yeah. Sure. I mean...I'd like that," Percy said.

"My number's not in the book," she said.

"I've got it."

"Still on your hand? No way."

"No. I kinda...memorized it." Selena's heart dropped at that sentence.

Her smile came back slowly, but a lot happier. "See you later, Percy Jackson. Go save the world for me, okay?"

She walked off down Seventh Avenue and disappeared into the crowds.

When Percy got back to the horses. Nico was having trouble. His Pegasus kept shying away from him, reluctant to let him mount.

"Go without me!" Nico said. "I don't want to go back to that camp anyway."

"Nico," Percy replied, "we need your help."

He folded his arms and scowled. Then Annabeth put her hand on his shoulder, "Nico," she said. "Please."

Slowly, his expression softened. "All right," he said reluctantly. "For you. But I'm not staying."

Selena raised an eyebrow at Annabeth, like, how come all of a sudden Nico listens to you? She stuck her tongue out at her.

At last, they got everybody on a Pegasus. They shot into the air, and soon they were over the East River with Long Island spread out before them.

They landed in the middle of the cabin area and were immediately met by Chiron, the potbellied satyr Silenus, and a couple of Apollo cabin archers. Chiron raised an eyebrow when he saw Nico, but if they expected him to be surprised by our latest news about Quintus being Daedalus, or Kronos rising, they were mistaken.

"I feared as much," Chiron said. "We must hurry. Hopefully, you have slowed down the Titan lord, but his vanguard will still be coming through. They will be anxious for blood. Most of our defenders are already in place. Come!"

"Wait a moment," Silenus demanded. "What of the search for Pan? You are almost three weeks overdue, Grover Underwood! Your searcher's license is revoked!"

Grover took a deep breath. He stood up straight and looked Silenus in the eye. "Searcher's licenses don't matter any more. The great God Pan is dead. He has passed on and left us his spirit."

"What?" Silenus's face turned bright red. "Sacrilege and lies! Grover Underwood, I will have you exiled for speaking thus!"

"It's true," Percy said. "We were there when he died. All of us."

"Impossible! You are all liars! Nature-destroyers!"

Chiron studied Grover's face. "We will speak of this later."

"We will speak of it now!" Silenus said. "We must deal with this—"

"Silenus," Chiron cut in. "My camp is under attack. The matter of Pan has waited two thousand years. I fear it will have to wait a bit longer. Assuming we are still here this evening."

And on that happy note, he readied his bow and galloped toward the woods, leaving them to follow as best they could.