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Before he could answer, the brewing storm melted away, replaced by my bedroo my ability to be wherever I had to be whenever I needed to be there I needed to run I needed to screa other than the words I’d been dreading

Bursting into the throne roo the silence of broken conversation Whatever the council had been discussing, it didn’t matter now

"It’s Cronus," I said breathlessly "He’s escaping There’s a storm around the island and--"

"We already know," said Dylan, and I shook un"

Chapter 16

The Last Hour

Walter had to shout four ti before the council ca y in the rooressive

"We have been preparing for this moment for a year," said Walter once the din faded "We er have the allies we relied upon, but we have each other, and together we are strong"

No one said a word Even Dylan couldn’t muster up a battle cry This would either be the day they finally sent Cronus back to Tartarus, or it would be the day the council fell By this time tomorroould either have a family or I’d be alone, subject to Cronus’s whims and darkest pleasures

I would’ve rather slit er ht until in or are no more," continued Walter "Take an hour to do whatever you must, and ill meet back here then"

One by one, the council filtered out, some in pairs, others by themselves At a loss, I stayed put What was I supposed to do? It’d been hard enough watching theo off to war the last winter solstice, but this tireatest battle the world had seen since the first Titan war, and ht," I said once the room had emptied of everyone except my mother and James "You said I could"

"Oh, honey" She pulled ht, in ways the rest of us couldn’t Fighting doesn’t alwaysto battle with a sword and a shield You’ve done h, and now is the time for you to stay safe For Milo’s sake"

"Milo’s exactly the reason I need to fight I know I’ive you any real support, butAnything"

Her arhtened around me, and she buried her face in the crook of ainst my skin I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to memorize this moment She had to come back And if she didn’t--