𝒊𝒊. 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆

𝒙𝒗𝒊.

"Oh, yeah?" Noelle taunted. "Try me, coward."

"Noelle, maybe sit this out," Percy said.

"Percy, if you haven't noticed, I can't really leave this circle of spears. Even if I could, I wouldn't. We're in this together, until the end."

"That's really cute, guys," Luke said annoyed. "But are you done? I'm ready to kill you now."

Percy clenched his jaw, giving Noelle a quick glance. "One on one," he challenged Luke. "What are you afraid of?"

"Two on one," Noelle corrected.

Percy took a breath. "Two on one."

Luke curled his lip. The soldiers who were about to kill them hesitated, waiting for his order.

Before he could say anything, Agrius, the bear-man, burst onto the deck leading a flying horse. It was the first pure-black Pegasus any of them had ever seen, with its wings like a giant raven. The Pegasus mare bucked and whinnied. Percy could understand his thoughts. He was calling Agrius and Luke some names so bad Chiron would've washed his muzzle out with saddle soap.

"Sir!" Agrius called, dodging a Pegasus hoof. "Your steed is ready!"

Luke kept his eyes on the pair of demigods in front of him.

"I told you last summer, Percy," he said. "You can't bait me into a fight."

"And you keep avoiding one," Percy noticed. "Scared your warriors will see you get whipped?"

Luke glanced at his men, and he saw Percy had trapped him. If he backed down now, he would look weak. If he fought them, he'd lose valuable time chasing after Clarisse. For Noelle and Percy's part, the best they could hope for was to distract him, giving their friends a chance to escape. If anybody could think of a plan to get them out of there, Annabeth could. On the downside, both of them knew how good Luke was at sword-fighting. Noelle didn't even have a sword, just a six-inch blade.

"I'll kill both of you quickly." he decided, and raised his weapon. Backbiter was a foot longer than Percy's sword, making it six times longer than Noelle's knife. Its blade glinted with an evil gray-and-gold light where the human steel had been melded with Celestial bronze. Luke whistled to one of his men, who threw him a round leather-and-bronze shield.

He grinned at them wickedly.

Noelle had realized how stupid her insisting to fight with Percy was. She was at such a disadvantage, having been out of practice. Even if she could use her knife she'd have to throw it, risking hitting Percy in the process. And her bow and arrow wouldn't do much in a close combat fight. But maybe— just maybe— if Percy could distract him long enough...

"Luke," Annabeth said, "at least give one of them a shield."

"Sorry, Annabeth," he said. "You bring your own equipment to this party."

The shield was a problem. Fighting two-handed with just a sword gives you more power, but fighting one-handed with a shield gives you better defense and versatility. There are more moves, more options, more ways to kill. Percy thought back to Chiron, who'd told him to stay at camp no matter what, and learn to fight. Now he was going to pay for not listening to him.

Luke lunged and almost killed Percy on the first try. His sword went under Percy's arm, slashing through his shirt and grazing his ribs.

Percy jumped back, then counterattacked with Riptide, but Luke slammed his blade away with the shield.

"My, Percy," Luke chided. "You're out of practice."

He came at Percy again with a swipe to the head. Percy, who had parried, returned with a thrust. Luke side stepped easily.