Andy Jackson: Child of Land & Sea

A Trick Of Death

Act V — Walking On Water

Part X — We will take any dare that the other side will dare to dream up. We'll fight tough; we'll play fair, but we're sure to win because we'll team up.

They set up a two-block perimeter, with a command tent at the Empire State Building.

"Saving the day, uh?" Andy patted Chiron on the arm.

He shrugged. "I'm sorry it took so long. Centaurs travel fast, you know. We can bend distance as we ride. Even so, getting all the centaurs together was no easy task."

"How did you get through the magic defenses around the city?" Anthony asked.

"They slowed us down a bit," Chiron admitted, "but I think they're intended mostly to keep mortals out. Kronos doesn't want puny humans getting in the way of his great victory."

"So maybe other reinforcements can get through?" Andy asked hopefully.

"Perhaps. But time is short. As soon as Kronos regroups, he will attack again. Without the element of surprise on our side..."

"And Typhon?"

Chiron's face darkened. "The gods are tiring. Dionysus was incapacitated yesterday. Typhon smashed his chariot, and the wine god went down somewhere in the Appalachians. No one has seen him since. Hephaestus is out of action as well. He was thrown from the battle so hard he created a new lake in West Virginia. He will heal, but not soon enough to help. The others still fight. They've managed to slow Typhon's approach. But the monster cannot be stopped. He will arrive in New York by this time tomorrow. Once he and Kronos combine forces—"

"Then what chance do we have?" Andy's words were betraying her. "What are we fighting for? We can't hold out another day."

"We'll have to," Thalia said. "You said hope wasn't going anywhere while you were here."

"I know what I said," Andy snapped. "I said a lot of things and..." she glanced at Thalia. "Do you really think I can carry out all of that?"

Thalia didn't hesitate. "If there's anyone who can," she shrugged, "it's you, Jackson. Don't you forget your promises. I'll see about setting some new traps around the perimeter." She looked just as exhausted as Andy felt, but she managed to get up and stagger off.

"I will help her," Chiron decided and left Andy and Anthony alone.

Anthony cleaned the monster slime off his knife. "Andy..." he started. "Even with the centaurs's help, I'm starting to think—"

"I know," and she really did. Hope was looking more and more useless to her. Defeat was here and there was nothing they could do to stop it. "Listen..." her voice faltered. Andy had so many things she wanted to say. She had a bad feeling this would be their last chance to talk. "Hestia showed me some things."

"About Luke?" he guessed.

"Yes. And you and Thalia. The first time you've met." The memory almost made him smile. "And the time you met Hermes."

He slipped his knife back into its sheath. "He swore we were brothers. He promised we'd never disappoint each other. He said we'd be a new family, and it would turn out better than this. He too said a lot of things."

"Thalia is afraid that—"

"That I can't face him, I know. I can see it in her face, every time she looks at me."

Andy swallowed. This was proving harder than she'd anticipated. "I think that... Ethan thinks Luke's still alive. That he's still in there, fighting Kronos for control."