SAFE . . . reyna ramirez-arellano

30 - fight fight

THE PLAN WENT wrong almost immediately. Briar scrambled along the ridge, trying to keep her head down, while Leo, Jason, and Coach Hedge walked straight into the clearing.

Jason summoned his golden lance. He brandished it over his head and yelled, "Giant!" Which sounded pretty good, and very confident. Briar didn't know if she could've done that if she was him.

Enceladus stopped chanting at the flames. He turned toward them and grinned, revealing fangs like a saber-toothed tiger's.

"Well," the giant rumbled. "What a nice surprise."

Briar didn't like the sound of that. But she scurried along, trying to get to Reyna as quick as she could without being seen.

Coach Hedge shouted, "Let the girl go, you big ugly cupcake! Or I'm gonna plant my hoof right up your—"

"Coach," Jason said. "Shut up."

Enceladus roared with laughter. "I've forgotten how funny satyrs are. When we rule the world, I think I'll keep your kind around. You can entertain me while I eat all the other mortals."

"Is that a compliment?" Hedge frowned at Leo. "I don't think that was a compliment."

Enceladus opened his mouth wide, and his teeth began to glow.

"Scatter!" Leo yelled.

Briar saw Jason and Hedge dive to the left as the giant blew fire — a furnace blast so hot even Festus would've been jealous. Leo had dodged behind the bulldozer, then ran for another machine.

She saw Jason rise and charge the giant. Coach Hedge ripped off his canary yellow jacket, which was now on fire, and bleated angrily. "I liked that outfit!" Then he raised his club and charged, too.

Before they could get very far, Enceladus slammed his spear against the ground. The entire mountain shook.

The shockwave sent Briar sprawling. She blinked, momentarily stunned. She had landed behind a bush, but she could still see Leo on the ground near her and Jason staggering to his feet on the other side of the clearing. Coach Hedge was knocked out cold. He'd fallen forward and hit his head on a log. His furry hindquarters were sticking straight up, with his canary yellow pants around his knees — a view Briar really didn't need.

The giant bellowed, "I see you, Briar Lovelace!" He turned and blew fire at the bushes Briar had landed behind. She hastily got up and rolled into the clearing, the underbrush burning behind her. And now her skin was soaked with mud, and not in a good way.

Enceladus laughed. "I'm happy you've arrived. And you brought me my prizes!"

They'd played right into Enceladus's hands. Briar's heart dropped.

The giant laughed even louder when he looked at Leo. "That's right, son of Hephaestus. I didn't expect you all to stay alive this long, but it doesn't matter. By bringing you here, Briar Lovelace has sealed the deal. If she betrays you, I'm as good as my word. She can take her girl toy and go. What do I care about a girl?"

Briar could see her girlfriend more clearly now. Reyna wore a purple t-shirt that wasn't unlike Jason's and leggings. Her bare feet were caked with mud. She wasn't completely unconscious, because she lifted her head and groaned — yep, that's Briar's girl all right. But she had a nasty cut down the side of her face, and she looked thinner and paler than Briar remembered.

"Rey!" Briar yelled.

Reyna blinked, trying to focus. "Bri . . . ? Jay? Where . . ."

Briar drew her knives and turned to Enceladus. "Let her go!"