Briares doubts his ability to help the quest and so leaves the group. Annabeth tells Percy her fears about the quest and continues to hide the full prophecy. When Percy sleeps, he dreams of Daedalus and Icarus. The two frantically put on metal wings to escape the workshop. As Daedalus hastily secures Icarus’s wings. As guards and King Minos run into the room, Daedalus and Icarus use a blast of hot air to propel themselves into the air. Icarus glides joyfully, but quickly plummets to the ocean when his wings malfunction. Daedalus can do nothing to save him.

Awake, Percy spots an opening in the ceiling, which they use to exit the Labyrinth into Triple G Ranch. They meet the two-headed dog Orthus and his owner, Eurytion (son of Ares). Eurytion takes the group to the lodge to meet Geryon, a monster with three torsos, and Nico. Geryon gives them a tour of the ranch in a carnival-like train, showing off all the endangered and sacred animals—like the red cattle of Apollo—he raises and kills for profit. Geryon’s stables are full of carnivorous horses and tons of the horses’ poop, which troubles Grover and Annabeth.

When Nico becomes angry at Geryon for evading his request for information on Daedalus, Percy realizes that Nico isn’t after his soul for the soul exchange.