the_blood_of_olympus_-_rick_riordan

the creature’s head off with his metal fangs. The rock shell toppled backwards and shattered.
Argentum was not so lucky. He sprang at another ghost, which swung its heavy arm and bashed the
greyhound in his face. Argentum went flying. He staggered to his feet. His head was twisted forty-five
degrees to the right. One of his ruby eyes was missing.
Anger hammered in Reyna’s chest like a hot spike. She’d already lost her pegasus. She was not
going to lose her dogs, too. She slashed her knife through the ghost’s chest, then drew her gladius.
Strictly speaking, fighting with two blades wasn’t very Roman, but Reyna had spent time with pirates.
She’d picked up more than a few tricks.
The earthen shells crumbled easily, but they hit like sledgehammers. Reyna didn’t understand how,
but she knew she couldn’t afford to take even one blow. Unlike Argentum, she wouldn’t survive
getting her head knocked sideways.
‘Nico!’ She ducked between two earthen ghosts, allowing them to smash each other’s heads in.
‘Any time now!’
The ground split open down the centre of the courtyard. Dozens of skeletal soldiers clawed their
way to the surface. Their shields looked like giant corroded pennies. Their blades were more rust
than metal. But Reyna had never been so relieved to see reinforcements.
‘Legion!’ she shouted. ‘Ad aciem!’
The zombies responded, pushing through the earthen ghosts to form a battle line. Some fell, crushed
by stone fists. Others managed to close ranks and raise their shields.
Behind her, Nico cursed.
Reyna risked a backward glance. The sceptre of Diocletian was smoking in Nico’s hands.
‘It’s fighting me!’ he yelled. ‘I don’t think it likes summoning Romans to fight other Romans!’
Reyna knew that Ancient Romans had spent at least half their time fighting each other, but she
decided not to bring that up. ‘Just secure Coach Hedge. Get ready to shadow-travel! I’ll buy you some
–’
Nico yelped. The sceptre of Diocletian exploded into pieces. Nico didn’t look hurt, but he stared at
Reyna in shock. ‘I – I don’t know what happened. You’ve got a few minutes, tops, before your
zombies disappear.’
‘Legion!’ Reyna shouted. ‘Orbem formate! Gladium signe!’
The zombies circled the Athena Parthenos, their swords ready for close-quarters fighting.
Argentum dragged the unconscious Coach Hedge over to Nico, who was furiously strapping himself
into the harness. Aurum stood guard, lunging at any earth ghosts who broke through the line.
Reyna fought shoulder to shoulder with the dead legionnaires, sending her strength into their ranks.
She knew it wouldn’t be enough. The earthen ghosts fell easily, but more kept rising from the ground
in swirls of ash. Each time their stone fists connected, another zombie went down.
Meanwhile, the Athena Parthenos towered over the battle – regal, haughty and unconcerned.
A little help would be nice, Reyna thought. Maybe a destructo-ray? Or some good old-fashioned
smiting.
The statue did nothing except radiate hatred, which seemed directed equally at Reyna and the
attacking ghosts.