The Burning Maze
Chapters - Rick Riordan
Chapter 1: Once was Apollo / Now a rat in the Labyrinth / Send help. And cronuts
Apollo, Meg, and Grover travel through the Labyrinth towards Palm Springs, guided by Grover's nature senses. They encounter supernatural fire blasts and are pursued by strixes, deadly blood-drinking owl creatures. Meg and Grover use their combined plant magic to block the tunnels, but one strix scratches Apollo, paralysing him. The trio fights for survival in the underground maze.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Grover Underwood
Source: Fandom
Chapter 2: Now I'm a suitcase / Duct-taped to a satyr's back. / Worst. Morning. Ever.
The group emerges from the Labyrinth in the burning desert of Southern California. Grover explains the crisis: the Burning Maze, a supernatural drought and fire zone created by the third Triumvirate emperor, is destroying the land and killing nature spirits. They must find the Erythraean Sibyl, the Oracle hidden within the maze.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Grover Underwood
Source: Fandom
Chapter 3: Strixes do sucketh / Yea, verily I tell you / Much sucking is theirs
Apollo and his companions navigate the burning landscape of Southern California. They find allies among the surviving dryads and nature spirits who are fighting against the Maze's destructive power.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Joshua, Grover Underwood, Coach Hedge, Mellie, Chuck Hedge
Source: Fandom
Chapter 4: Welcome to my base / We have rocks, sand, and ruins / Did I mentions rocks?
The group establishes a base at Aeithales, the desert compound that was once the home of Meg's birth father, Dr Phillip McCaffrey. Apollo learns that the third emperor is Caligula, who has allied with the sorceress Medea to create the Burning Maze and capture the Erythraean Sibyl.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Joshua, Grover Underwood, Coach Hedge, Mellie, Chuck Hedge·Mentioned: Caligula, Helios
Source: Fandom
Chapter 5: First-aid succulent / Heal me of my many cuts! / (But no slime trail, please)
Apollo recovers from injuries and learns more about Meg's childhood at Aeithales before Nero killed her father. The compound's surviving dryads tell them about Caligula's growing power and Medea's sorcery fuelling the Burning Maze.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Joshua, Grover Underwood, Coach Hedge, Mellie, Chuck Hedge·Mentioned: Caligula, Nero
Source: Fandom
Chapter 6: Random plumes of fire / Ground squirrels nibble my nerves / I love the desert
Apollo and Meg explore the desert ruins near Aeithales. They encounter hostile fire-based creatures and begin planning their approach to penetrate the Burning Maze to reach the imprisoned Sibyl.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Joshua, Money Maker, Agave, Aloe Vera, Prickly Pear, Reba, Grover Underwood, Coach Hedge, Mellie, Chuck Hedge
Source: Fandom
Chapter 7: Family fun packs / Should be for frozen pizza / Not for frag grenades
The group arms themselves and prepares for their mission into the Burning Maze. Grover shares intelligence about the maze's structure and Medea's defences.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Joshua, Money Maker, Agave, Aloe Vera, Prickly Pear, Reba, Grover Underwood, Coach Hedge, Mellie, Chuck Hedge
Source: Fandom
Chapter 8: We blow up some things / You thought all the things blew up? / No, we found more things
Apollo and his allies begin their assault on the Burning Maze, fighting through waves of fire and magical defences. They encounter explosions and increasingly dangerous territory.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Joshua, Money Maker, Agave, Aloe Vera, Prickly Pear, Grover Underwood, Coach Hedge, Mellie, Chuck Hedge
Source: Fandom
Chapter 9: Collect call from Horse / Do you accept the charges? / Nay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Apollo receives a vision involving horses and learns more about Caligula's obsession with his horse Incitatus, whom he elevated to political office in ancient Rome. The horse is now a real threat.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Incitatus, Grover Underwood, Coach Hedge·Mentioned: Caligula
Source: Fandom
Chapter 10: Cute kid you got there / With the itty-bitty boots / And murderous grin
Apollo meets Jason Grace and Piper McLean, who are living in Southern California. Jason has been investigating the Triumvirate and has built temples to honour minor gods as a personal mission. Piper is processing her breakup with Jason but remains a loyal friend and ally.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Incitatus, Grover Underwood, Piper McLean, Jason Grace, Tristan McLean·Mentioned: Aphrodite
Source: Fandom
Chapter 11: No touchy the god / Unless your visions are good / And you wash your hands
Jason shares his research on the Triumvirate with Apollo. He has been working to build shrines and honour forgotten gods, hoping to strengthen the divine community against the emperors' threat.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Grover Underwood, Piper McLean, Jason Grace
Source: Fandom
Chapter 12: O, Pinto, Pinto! / Wherefore art thou puke yellow? / I'll hide in the back
Apollo and his expanded group travel through the scorched landscape towards the Burning Maze's core. They use a decrepit vehicle for transportation and face roadside dangers.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Grover Underwood, Piper McLean, Jason Grace, Coach Hedge
Source: Fandom
Chapter 13: Don't move the gas grill / Meg is still playing with it / We are so KA-BOOM
The group enters the Burning Maze itself, a shifting labyrinth of fire and heat. Meg's plant powers are critical for survival as she creates pathways through the flames.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Grover Underwood, Piper McLean, Jason Grace, Coach Hedge
Source: Fandom
Chapter 14: Bedrossian Man / Bedrossian Man, run as / Fast as ... yoga pants
Apollo and his allies navigate through more of the Burning Maze's dangers. They encounter Medea's minions and fight their way deeper into the labyrinth.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Naevius Sutorius Macro, Grover Underwood, Coach Hedge
Source: Fandom
Chapter 15: Grover leaves early / Grover is a smart satyr / Lester, not so much
Grover separates from the group to pursue his own mission to heal the dying nature spirits of Southern California. Apollo and Meg must continue without their satyr guide.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Naevius Sutorius Macro, Grover Underwood, Coach Hedge
Source: Fandom
Chapter 16: Let's charmspeak battle / You are ugly and you suck / The end. Do I win?
Piper McLean confronts Medea, who uses charmspeak against her. Piper fights back with her own Aphrodite-given abilities, matching the sorceress in a battle of persuasive magic.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Naevius Sutorius Macro
Source: Fandom
Chapter 17: Phil and Don are dead / Bye-bye, love and happiness / Hello, headlessness
The battle against the Burning Maze's defenders intensifies. Apollo witnesses the death and destruction caused by the supernatural fire and Caligula's forces.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Piper McLean, Jason Grace, Medea·Mentioned: Caligula
Source: Fandom
Chapter 18: Whoa, there, Medea / Don't be all up in my face / With your hot granddad
Apollo confronts Medea directly. The sorceress reveals more of Caligula's plans and the connection between the Burning Maze and the captured Erythraean Sibyl, whose prophetic power fuels the maze.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey, Piper McLean, Jason Grace, Medea·Mentioned: Caligula
Source: Fandom
Chapter 19: In my underclothes / Slathered with grease. Really not / As fun as it sounds
Apollo endures more trials within the Burning Maze, pushing through extreme heat and danger to reach the Sibyl's prison.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey
Source: Fandom
Chapter 20: O muse, let us now / Sing in the praise of botanists! / They do plant stuff. Yay.
Meg's Demeter powers prove essential as she creates botanical pathways and defences within the fire maze. Her connection to plant life allows the group to survive where others would perish.
POV: Apollo·On page: Meg McCaffrey
Source: Fandom