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"Medusa? Yes, quite true Lovely place, eh? Unfortunately, Medusa hasn't re-formed since Jackson killed her, so you needn't worry about joining her collection Besides, there are erous forces in this rooiant asnoisily on soiant froze A french fry hung suspended in midair halfway between his hand and his mouth
"Why turn them to stone," Kronos asked, "when you can freeze tiolden eyes bored into Ethan's face "Now, tell ht on the Williae?"
Ethan tre up on his forehead "II don't know, sir"
"Yes, you do" Kronos rose fro happened Soirl, Annabeth, jumped in your way"
"She wanted to save him"
"But he is invulnerable," Kronos said quietly "You saw that yourself"
"I can't explain it Maybe she forgot"
"She forgot," Kronos said "Yes, that ot my friend is invulnerable and took a knife for hi when you stabbed at Jackson?"
Ethan frowned He clasped his hand as if he were holding a blade, and mimed a thrust "I' for any spot in particular'
Kronos's fingers tapped the blade of his scythe "I see," he said in a chilly tone "If your memory improves, I will expect--"
Suddenly the Titan lord winced The giant in the corner unfroze and the french fry fell into his mouth Kronos stumbled backward and sank into his throne
"My lord?" Ethan started forward
"I--" The voice eak, but just for a moment it was Luke's Then Kronos's expression hardened He raised his hand and flexed his fingers slowly as if forcing the," he said, his voice steely and cold again "A minor discohting you, isn't he? Luke--"
"Nonsense," Kronos spat "Repeat that lie, and I will cut out your tongue The boy's soul has been crushed I a to the li, but no more than a temporary inconvenience"
"Asas you say, my lord"
"You!" Kronos pointed his scythe at a dracaena with green arreen crown "Queen Sess, is it?"
"Yesssss, my lord"
"Is our little surprise ready to be unleashed?"
The dracaena queen bared her fangs "Oh, yessss, my lord Quite a lovely sssssurprissse"
"Excellent," Kronos said "Tell my brother Hyperion to move our main force south into Central Park The half-bloods will be in such disarray they will not be able to defend the your ain e have taken Manhattan"
Ethan bowed, andHouse at camp, but it was a different era The house was painted red instead of blue The campers down at the volleyball pit had early '90s hairstyles, which were probably good for keepingto Her a baby Chiron's hair was shorter and darker Herh-tops The wo eyes and a friendly smile The baby in her arms squirmed in his blue blanket like Camp Half-Blood was the last place he wanted to be
"It's an honor to have you here," Chiron told the wo time since a e her," Herrumbled "May, you can't do this"
With a shock, I realized I was seeing May Castellan She looked nothing like the old woman I'd met She seemed full of life--the kind of person who could sood
"Oh, don't worry sothe baby "You need an Oracle, don't you? The old one's been dead for, what, twenty years?"
"Longer," Chiron said gravely
Hermes raised his arms in exasperation "I didn't tell you that story so you could apply It's dangerous Chiron, tell her"
"It is," Chiron warned "ForWe don't know exactly what's happened Humanity seems to have lost the ability to host the Oracle"
"We've been through that," May said "And I know I can do it Heriven the gift of sight for a reason"
I wanted to yell at May Castellan to stop I kneas about to happen I finally understood how her life had been destroyed But I couldn't move or speak
Hermes looked more hurt than worried "You couldn't marry if you became the Oracle," he complained "You couldn't see me anymore"
May put her hand on his arm "I can't have you forever, can I? You'll move on soon You're immortal"
He started to protest, but she put her hand on his chest "You know it's true! Don't try to spare s Besides, we have a wonderful child I can still raise Luke if I'hed "Yes, but in all fairness, I don't kno that will affect the spirit of the Oracle A woman who has already borne a child--as far as I know, this has never been done before If the spirit does not take--"
"It will," May insisted
No, I wanted to shout It won't
May Castellan kissed her baby and handed the bundle to Herave them one last confident smile and climbed the steps
Chiron and Herlow lit the s of the house The ca volleyball and stared up at the attic A cold wind rushed through the strawberry fields