Sunburn- phoebus apollo

--vii. I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror

PERCY JACKSON

Percy had never made as many promises to protect someone as he'd made for his sis—but in all honesty, he was starting to think it should have been the other way around.

Because Rhea was feral in battle. Literally chaotic, and violent, just like how the ocean was. He was pretty sure she'd unlocked more hidden abilities tonight than any other demigod on the battlefield right now, and he was also sure the only reason she was still awake and fighting was because she had the backing of several powerful gods on her side. And also, she was invincible, which was a huge plus.

Because, considering the stunts she'd pulled today, Percy was pretty sure that no one would complain if Rhea chose to sleep this off for several years straight.

****

It started with Hyperion and his army.

They heard them before they saw them. The noise was like a cannon barrage combined with a football stadium crowd—like every Patriots fan in New England was charging them with bazookas. At the north end of the reservoir, the enemy vanguard broke through the woods, a warrior in golden armor leading a battalion of Laistrygonian giants with huge bronze axes. Hundreds of other monsters poured out from behind them.

"Positions!" Annabeth yelled.

Her cabinmates scrambled. The idea was to make the enemy army break around the reservoir. To get to them, they'd have to follow the trails, which meant they'd be marching in narrow columns on either side of the water.

At first, the plan seemed to work. The enemy divided and streamed toward them along the shore. When they were halfway across, their defenses kicked in. The jogging trail erupted in Greek fire, incinerating many of the monsters instantly. Others flailed around, engulfed in green flames. Athena campers threw grappling hooks around the largest giants and pulled them to the ground.

In the woods to the right, the Hunters sent a volley of silver arrows into the enemy line, destroying twenty or thirty dracaenae, but more continued to march behind them. A bolt of lightning crackled out of the sky and fried a Laistrygonian giant to ashes, and Percy knew that Thalia must have been doing her handy daughter of Zeus thing.

Grover, meanwhile, raised his pipes and played a quick tune. A roar went up from the woods on both sides as every tree, rock, and bush seemed to sprout a spirit. Dryads and satyrs raised their clubs and charged. The trees wrapped around the monsters, strangling them. Grass grew around the feet of the enemy archers, while stones flew up and hit dracaenae in the faces.

But the enemy just kept slogging forward. Giants smashed through the trees, and naiads faded as their life sources were destroyed. Hellhounds lunged at the timber wolves, knocking them aside. Enemy archers returned fire, and a Hunter fell from a high branch.

"Percy! Rhea!" Annabeth grabbed their arms and pointed at the reservoir. The Titan in gold wasn't waiting for his forces to advance around the sides; instead, he was charging straight toward them, walking directly on top of the lake.

A Greek firebomb exploded right above him, but he raised his palm and sucked the flames out of the air.

"Hyperion," Annabeth said in awe, which Percy didn't think was the right reaction. "The lord of light. Titan of the east."

"Bad?" he guessed.

"He's the greatest Titan warrior next to Atlas," Rhea explained—and he noticed suddenly how clammy she was beginning to look. There was a dead look in her eyes; something flat and apathetic. "In the old days, four Titans controlled the four corners of the world. Hyperion was the east—the most powerful. He was the father of Helios, the first sun god before Apollo took his place."