This Dark Night ― Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase¹

―xvi. a trick ends in death

AFTER A WELL-NEEDED NAP and as much nectar and ambrosia as she dared to ingest, Naomi stood with the rest of the gods' army as they prepared to face yet another horrible monster.

The Hephaestus cabin was out of Greek fire. The Apollo cabin and the Hunters were scrounging for arrows. There were sixteen campers, fifteen Hunters, and half a dozen satyrs still in fighting shape. Everyone else had taken refuge on Olympus. The Party Ponies tried to form ranks, but they staggered and giggled and all smelled like root beer. The Texans were head-butting with the Coloradoans. The Missouri branch was arguing with Illinois. The chances were pretty good the whole army would end up fighting each other rather than the enemy.

Chiron trotted up with Rachel on his back.

"Your friend here has some useful insights, Percy," he said.

Rachel blushed. "Just some things I saw in my head."

"A drakon," Chiron said. "A Lydian drakon, to be exact. The oldest and most dangerous kind."

Percy stared at her. "How did you know that?"

"I'm not sure," Rachel admitted. "But this drakon has a particular fate. It will be killed by a child of Ares."

Annabeth crossed her arms. "How can you possibly know that?"

"I just saw it. I can't explain."

"Well, let's hope you're wrong," Percy said. "Because we're a little short on children of Ares..." He cursed in Ancient Greek.

"What?" Naomi asked.

"The spy," Percy said. "Kronos said, 'We know they cannot beat this drakon.' The spy has been keeping him updated. Kronos knows the Ares cabin isn't with us. He intentionally picked a monster we can't kill."

Thalia scowled. "If I ever catch your spy, he's going to be very sorry. Maybe we could send another messenger to camp—"

"I've already done it," Chiron said. "Blackjack is on his way. But if Silena wasn't able to convince Clarisse, I doubt Blackjack will be able—"

A roar shook the ground. It sounded very close.

"Rachel," Percy said, "get inside the building."

"I want to stay."

A shadow blotted out the sun. Across the street, the drakon slithered down the side of the skyscraper. It roared and a thousand windows shattered.

"On second thought," Rachel said in a small voice, "I'll be inside."

❊

Camp Half-Blood had drakon-fighting classes, but Naomi probably could have taken a thousand and still not been prepared for the sight before her. The two-hundred-foot-long serpent was as thick as a school bus, slithering down the side of a building with yellow eyes like searchlights and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth big enough to chew elephants.

Naomi would rather take on a dozen Hyperions than spend another second looking at the monstrous creature that none of them would be able to defeat.

Meanwhile, the enemy army advanced down Fifth Avenue. The campers had done their best to push cars out of the way to keep the mortals safe, but that just made it easier for the enemy to approach. The Party Ponies swished their tails nervously. Chiron galloped up and down their ranks, shouting encouragement to stand tough and think about victory and root beer, but Naomi figured they'd panic and run any second now.

"I'll take the drakon." Percy's voice came out as a timid squeak. Then he yelled louder: "I'LL TAKE THE DRAKON! Everyone else, hold the line against the army!"