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Hermes must've felt it too He cried, "No! NO!"

He shoved the baby into Chiron's arms and ran for the porch Before he reached the door, the sunny afternoon was shattered by May Castellan's terrified screaed my head on somebody's shield

"Ow!"

"Sorry, Percy" Annabeth was standing over me "I was just about to wake you"

I rubbedvisions Suddenly a lot of things made sense to me: May Castellan had tried to beco the spirit of Delphi fro another host Neither had Chiron or Her to take the job, May would be driven reen and she would have shattered glimpses of her child's future

"Percy?" Annabeth asked "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I lied "Whatwhat are you doing in ar"

"Oh, I'h she still looked pale She was barely ht arm "That nectar and ambrosia fixed o out and fight"

She offeredOutside, the sky was purple and red

"You're going to need every person you have," she said "I just looked insouth into Central Park," I said "Yeah, I know"

I told her part of my dreams I left out the vision of May Castellan, because it was too disturbing to talk about I also left out Ethan's speculation about Luke fighting Kronos inside his body I didn't want to get Annabeth's hopes up

"Do you think Ethan suspects about your weak spot?" she asked

"I don't know," I adures it out--"

"We can't let him"

"I'll bonk hiested "Any idea what surprise Kronos was talking about?"

She shook her head "I didn't see anything in the shield, but I don't like surprises"

"Agreed"

"So," she said, "are you going to argue about ?"

"Nah You'd just beat ood to hear I grabbed my sword, and ent to rally the troops

Thalia and the head counselors aiting for us at the Reservoir The lights of the city were blinking on at twilight I guess a lot of thelowed around the shore of the lake,the water and trees look even spookier

"They're co north with a silver arrow "One of my scouts just reported they've crossed the Harlem River There was no way to hold thee"

"We'll hold them at the park," I said "Grover, you ready?"

He nodded "As ready as we'll ever be If my nature spirits can stop them anywhere, this is the place"

"Yes, ill!" said another voice A very old, fat satyr pushed through the crowd, stu over his own spear He was dressed in wood-bark armor that only covered half of his belly

"Leneus?" I said

"Don't act so surprised," he huffed "I am a leader of the Council, and you did tellto let a mere outcast lead the satyrs without ing rinned like he was the savior of the day "Never fear! We'll show those Titans!"

I didn't knohether to laugh or be angry, but I ht face "Umyeah Well, Grover, you won't be alone Annabeth and the Athena cabin will make their stand here And me, andThalia?"

She patted me on the shoulder "Say no more The Hunters are ready"

I looked at the other counselors "That leaves the rest of you with a job just as iuard the other entrances to Manhattan You kno tricky Kronos is He'll hope to distract us with this big army and sneak another force in somewhere else It's up to you to e or tunnel?"

The counselors nodded gri, everybody!"

We heard the army beforeit

The noise was like a cannon barrage combined with a football stadiu us with bazookas

At the north end of the reservoir, the eneolden are bronze axes Hundreds of other monsters poured out behind them

"Positions!" Annabeth yelled

Her cabinmates scrambled The idea was to et to us, they'd have to follow the trails, whichin narrow columns on either side of the water

At first, the plan see the shore When they were halfway across, our defenses kicked in The jogging trail erupted in Greek fire, incinerating ulfed in green flaiants and pulled theround