WINGED ₁

78

NEW YORK WAS A WAR ZONE. Madeleine and Ethan flew over small skirmishes everywhere. A giant was ripping up trees in a park while dryads pelted him with nuts. A bronze statue of Benjamin Franklin was hitting a hellhound with a rolled-up newspaper. A trio of Hephaestus campers fought a group of draecaenae in the middle of a public mall.

Madeleine was tempted to stop and help, but she knew that the real fighting was further into the city. Smoke and noise rose, quickly circling the Empire State Building. Although the Apollo Cabin had succeeded, others had not.

"There!" Ethan said, pointing. Madeleine peered down. It was Connor's cluster. Him, Castor, and a handful of other demigods were surrounded by hellhounds. They were putting up a fight, but it was a lost effort. Connor himself was on the ground.

Madeleine swung in sharply, but she couldn't wait to land. Her brother was in trouble. She withdrew one of her knives and threw it at the hellhound.

Her aim, as always, was true. The dog disintegrated, a knife in its scruff. Connor looked up, his face full of terror.

"Miss me?" Madeleine shouted.

Castor whooped.

⎯⎯ ୨ winged ୧ ⎯⎯

The next hour was a blur. Madeleine's brain turned off, and she fought on autopilot. She waded into legions of monsters, untouchable. Luke didn't show his face, which meant Madeleine was safe. She stabbed, gutted, and slashed until she was covered in a fine layer of dust like flour.

Annabeth, Percy, Ethan, and Madeleine raced from block to block, trying to defend the weak spots. Too many demigods lay wounded in the streets. Madeleine didn't recognize any of them, but she hadn't been looking too hard. 

She couldn't think about it. If she stopped now, she would never start again. Her goal now was simple: she needed to fight until they won. Then she would worry about her friends.

As the night wore on and the moon rose, the enemy pressed in, backing up the demigods' army until they were only a few feet from the entrance of the Empire State Building. Allies switched from Madeleine's side: sometimes it was Grover, playing a hasty tune on his reed pipes. Sometimes Annabeth shimmered into existence, teeth grit with determination. Sometimes it was Drew, swinging her axe as a flying enemy swooped down, ready to sink its teeth into Madeleine. Sometimes it was Ethan, fighting more viciously than Madeleine had ever seen him, teeth bared. Sometimes it was Percy, his sword swinging in a wide arc, untouchable.

It still wasn't enough.

"Hold your lines!" Katie shouted, but Madeleine knew they couldn't. There were too few of them left. A brave ring of demigods, Hunters, and nature spirits were holding the enemy back, but it was ten to one. No matter how invulnerable Percy and Madeleine were, they were also tired. Exhausted. Madeleine's arms ached. Her feet burned. Her eyes stung.

Behind the enemy troops, a bright light began to shine. Madeleine thought, with a leap, that it was the sunrise. But no: Luke had finally decided to show his face. He rode toward them on a golden chariot. A dozen Laistrygonian giants bore torches before him. Two Hyperboreans carried his black-and-purple banners. Madeleine's brother looked fresh and rested, his powers at full strength. He was taking his time advancing, allowing Madeleine and her allies wear themselves down.

"Fall back!" Annabeth shouted. "Fall back to the doorway! Hold it at all costs!"

They began to retreat, but stopped when a hunting horn sounded. It cut through the noise of the battle like a fire alarm. A chorus of horns answered from all around them, echoing off the skyscrapers.