Eye of Hecate

Leo

The plan goes wrong almost immediately. Piper scrambles along the ridge, trying to keep her head down, while me, Ozzy, Jason, and Coach Hedge walk straight into the clearing.

Jason summons his golden lance. He brandishes it over his head and yells, "Giant!" Which sounds pretty good, and a lot more confident than I could've managed. I was thinking more along the lines of, "We are pathetic ants! Don't kill us!"

Enceladus stops chanting at the flames. He turns toward us and grins, revealing fangs like a saber-toothed tiger's.

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

I don't like the sound of that. My hand closes on my windup gadget. I step sideways, edging my way toward the bulldozer.

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

"Coach," Jason says. "Shut up."

Enceladus roars 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 frowns at me. "I don't think that was a compliment."

Enceladus open his mouth wide, and his teeth begin to glow.

"Scatter!" I yell.

Jason and Hedge dive to the left as the giant blows fire—a furnace blast so hot even Festus would be jealous. Ozzy and I dodge behind the bulldozer. I wind up my homemade device and drop it into the driver's seat. Then I run to the right, heading for the tree harvester.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jason rise and charge the giant. Coach Hedge rips off his canary yellow jacket, which is now on fire, and bleats angrily. "I liked that outfit!" Then he raises his club and charges, too. Ozzy summons her wand and staff, already running to join them.

Before they can get very far, Enceladus slams his spear against the ground. The entire mountain shakes.

The shockwave sends me sprawling. I blink, momentarily stunned. Through a haze of grassfire and bitter smoke, I see Jason staggering to his feet on the other side of the clearing. Ozzy has a glowing blue circle around her, but she looks nervous. Coach Hedge is knocked out cold. He fell forward and hit his head on a log. His furry hindquarters are sticking straight up, with his canary yellow pants around his knees—a view I really don't need.

The giant bellows, "I see you, Piper McLean!" He turns and blows fire at a line of bushes to my right. Piper runs into the clearing like a flushed quail, the underbrush burning behind her.

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

My gut twists. This is the moment Piper warned us about. We played right into Enceladus's hands.

The giant must read my expression, because he laughs even louder. "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, Piper McLean has sealed the deal. If she betrays you, I'm as good as my word. She can take her father and go. What do I care about a movie star?"

I can see Piper's dad more clearly now. He wears a ragged dress shirt and torn slacks. His bare feet are caked with mud. He isn't completely unconscious, because he lifts his head and groans—yep, Tristan McLean all right. I've seen that face in enough movies. But he has a nasty cut down the side of his face, and he looks thin and sickly—not heroic at all.

Ozzy points her wand at Piper's dad. "Hey, I know that guy!"

"Dad!" Piper yells.

Mr. McLean blinks, trying to focus. "Pipes...? Where..."