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Porphyrion almost fell. <strong>The</strong> circle of monsters let out a collective growl and moved forward—wolves and<br />
ogres fixing their eyes on Jason.<br />
―No!‖ Porphyrion yelled. He regained his balance and glared at the demigod. ―I will kill him myself.‖<br />
<strong>The</strong> giant raised his spear and it began to glow. ―You want to play with lightning, boy? You forget. I am the<br />
bane of Zeus. I was created to destroy your father, which means I know exactly what will kill you.‖<br />
Something in Porphyrion‘s voice told Jason he wasn‘t bluffing.<br />
Jason and his friends had had a good run. <strong>The</strong> three of them had done amazing things. Yeah,<br />
even heroic things. But as the giant raised his spear, Jason knew there was no way he could deflect this strike.<br />
This was the end.<br />
―Got it!‖ Leo yelled.<br />
―Sleep!‖ Piper said, so forcefully, the nearest wolves fell to the ground and began snoring.<br />
<strong>The</strong> stone and wood cage crumbled. Leo had sawed through the base of the thickest tendril and<br />
apparently cut off the cage‘s connection to Gaea. <strong>The</strong> tendrils turned to dust. <strong>The</strong> mud around Hera<br />
disintegrated. <strong>The</strong> goddess grew in size, glowing with power.<br />
―Yes!‖ the goddess said. She threw off her black robes to reveal a white gown, her arms bedecked with<br />
golden jewelry. Her face was both terrible and beautiful, and a golden crown glowed in her long black hair. ―Now<br />
I shall have my revenge!‖<br />
<strong>The</strong> giant Porphyrion backed away. He said nothing, but he gave Jason one last look of hatred. His<br />
message was clear: Another time. <strong>The</strong>n he slammed his spear against the earth, and the giant disappeared into<br />
the ground like he‘d dropped down a chute.<br />
Around the courtyard, monsters began to panic and retreat, but there was no escape for them.<br />
Hera glowed brighter. She shouted, ―Cover your eyes, my heroes!‖<br />
But Jason was too much in shock. He understood too late.<br />
He watched as Hera turned into a supernova, exploding in a ring of force that vaporized every monster<br />
instantly. Jason fell, light searing into his mind, and his last thought was that his body was burning.<br />
“JASON!”<br />
Piper kept calling his name as she held him, though she‘d almost lost hope. He‘d been unconscious for<br />
two minutes now. His body was steaming, his eyes rolled back in his head. She couldn‘t tell if he was even<br />
breathing.<br />
―It‘s no use, child.‖ Hera stood over them in her simple black robes and shawl.<br />
Piper hadn‘t seen the goddess go nuclear. Thankfully she‘d closed her eyes, but she could see the<br />
aftereffects. Every vestige of winter was gone from the valley. No signs of battle, either. <strong>The</strong> monsters had been<br />
vaporized. <strong>The</strong> ruins had been restored to what they were before—still ruins, but with no evidence that they‘d<br />
been overrun by a horde of wolves, storm spirits, and six-armed ogres.<br />
Even the Hunters had been revived. Most waited at a respectful distance in the meadow, but Thalia knelt<br />
by Piper‘s side, her hand on Jason‘s forehead.<br />
Thalia glared up at the goddess. ―This is your fault. Do something!‖<br />
―Do not address me that way, girl. I am the queen—‖<br />
―Fix him!‖<br />
Hera‘s eyes flickered with power. ―I did warn him. I would never intentionally hurt the boy. He was to be<br />
my champion. I told them to close their eyes before I revealed my true form.‖<br />
―Um …‖ Leo frowned. ―True form is bad, right? So why did you do it?‖<br />
―I unleashed my power to help you, fool!‖ Hera cried. ―I became pure energy so I could disintegrate the<br />
monsters, restore this place, and even save these miserable Hunters from the ice.‖<br />
―But mortals can‘t look upon you in that form!‖ Thalia shouted. ―You‘ve killed him!‖<br />
Leo shook his head in dismay. ―That‘s what our prophecy meant. Death unleash, through Hera‟s<br />
rage. Come on, lady. You‘re a goddess. Do some voodoo magic on him! Bring him back.‖<br />
Piper half heard their conversation, but mostly she was focused on Jason‘s face. ―He‘s breathing!‖ she<br />
announced.<br />
―Impossible,‖ Hera said. ―I wish it were true, child, but no mortal has ever—‖<br />
―Jason,‖ Piper called, putting every bit of her willpower into his name. She could not lose him. ―Listen to<br />
me. You can do this. Come back. You‘re going to be fine.‖<br />
Nothing happened. Had she imagined his breath stirring?