𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 - 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐨𝐜

¸„.-•~°ˆ˜¨𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭¨˜ˆ°~•-.„¸

Fortunately, Blackjack was on duty. Percy did his best taxicab whistle, and within a few minutes three dark shapes circled out of the sky.

They looked like hawks at first, but as they descended Phoenix could make out the long galloping legs of pegasi.

Blackjack landed at a trot, the two other pegasi right behind him.

"Thanks for coming," Percy spoke to the winged horse. "Hey, why do pegasi gallop as they fly, anyway?"

Phoenix rolled her eyes, now was not the time for Q and A. Her siblings were in danger.

Blackjack whinnied.

Percy shook the question off, "We need to get to the Williamsburg Bridge," he said.

Blackjack and the other two lowered their necks so Percy, Phoenix, and Annabeth could climb on.

On the way to the bridge, a knot formed in the pit of Phoenix's stomach.

She had seen The Minotaur before. It was one of the first monsters Percy had ever defeated.

Four years ago the monster nearly killed Percy's mother on Half-Blood Hill. Phoenix was there and she remembered it almost perfectly. This would not be easy.

The three saw the battle before they were close enough to make out individual fighters.

It was well after midnight now, but the bridge blazed with light. Cars were burning. Arcs of fire streamed in both directions as flaming arrows and spears sailed through the air.

They came in for a low pass, and Phoenix saw her siblings retreating.

They would hide behind cars and snipe at the approaching army, setting off explosive arrows and dropping caltrops in the road, building fiery barricades wherever they could, dragging sleeping drivers out of their cars to get them out of harm's way.

But the enemy kept advancing.

An entire phalanx of dracaenae marched in the lead, their shields locked together, spear tips bristling over the top.

An occasional arrow would connect with their snaky trunks, or a neck, or a chink in their armor, and the unlucky snake woman would disintegrate, but most of the Apollo arrows glanced harmlessly off their shield wall.

About a hundred more monsters marched behind them. Hellhounds leaped ahead of the line from time to time.

Most were destroyed with arrows, but one got hold of an older Apollo child and dragged him away.

Phoenix felt a tear roll down her cheek.

She didn't see what happened to him next. She didn't want to know.

"There!" Annabeth called from the back of her pegasus.

Sure enough, in the middle of the invading legion was Old Beefhead himself.

The last time they'd seen the Minotaur, he'd been wearing nothing but his tighty whities. They didn't know why. Maybe he'd been shaken out of bed to chase Percy.

This time, he was prepared for battle.

From the waist down, he wore standard Greek battle gear-a kiltlike apron of leather and metal flaps, bronze greaves covering his legs, and tightly wrapped leather sandals.

His top was all bull-hair and hide and muscle leading to a head so large he should've toppled over just from the weight of his horns.

He seemed larger than the last time Phoenix had seen him-ten feet tall at least. A double-bladed axe was strapped to his back, but he was too impatient to use it.