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divided; keep <strong>the</strong> gods divided. If that’s <strong>the</strong> case, we can’t let Nike play us against each o<strong>the</strong>r. We<br />
should send a landing party <strong>of</strong> four – two Greeks, two Romans. The balance might help keep her<br />
balanced.’<br />
Listening to Zhang, Leo had one <strong>of</strong> those double-take moments. He couldn’t believe how much <strong>the</strong><br />
guy had changed in <strong>the</strong> last few weeks.<br />
Frank wasn’t just taller and buffer. He was more confident now, more willing to take charge.<br />
Maybe that was because his magic firewood lifeline was safely stashed away in a flamepro<strong>of</strong> pouch,<br />
or maybe it was because he’d commanded a zombie legion and been promoted to praetor. Whatever<br />
<strong>the</strong> case, Leo had trouble seeing him as <strong>the</strong> same klutzy dude who’d once iguanaed his way out <strong>of</strong><br />
Chinese handcuffs.<br />
‘I think Frank is right,’ Annabeth said. ‘A party <strong>of</strong> four. We’ll have to be careful who goes. We<br />
don’t want to do anything that might make <strong>the</strong> goddess, um, more unstable.’<br />
‘I’ll go,’ Piper said. ‘I can try charmspeaking.’<br />
Worry lines deepened around Annabeth’s eyes. ‘Not this time, Piper. Nike is all about competition.<br />
Aphrodite … well, she is too, in her own way. I think Nike might see you as a threat.’<br />
Once, Leo might have made a joke about that. Piper a threat? The girl was like a sister to him, but,<br />
if he needed help beating up a gang <strong>of</strong> thugs or subduing a victory goddess, Piper was not <strong>the</strong> first<br />
person he’d turn to.<br />
Recently, though … well, Piper may not have changed as obviously as Frank, but she had changed.<br />
She had stabbed Khione <strong>the</strong> snow goddess in <strong>the</strong> chest. She had defeated <strong>the</strong> Boreads. She’d slashed<br />
up a flock <strong>of</strong> wild harpies singlehandedly. As for her charmspeak, she’d become so powerful it made<br />
Leo nervous. If she told him to eat his vegetables, he might actually do it.<br />
Annabeth’s words didn’t seem to upset her. Piper just nodded and scanned <strong>the</strong> group. ‘Who should<br />
go, <strong>the</strong>n?’<br />
‘Jason and Percy shouldn’t go toge<strong>the</strong>r,’ Annabeth said. ‘Jupiter and Poseidon – bad combination.<br />
Nike could start you two fighting easily.’<br />
Percy gave her a sideways smile. ‘Yeah, we can’t have ano<strong>the</strong>r incident like in Kansas. I might kill<br />
my bro Jason.’<br />
‘Or I might kill my bro Percy,’ Jason said amiably.<br />
‘Which proves my point,’ Annabeth said. ‘We also shouldn’t send Frank and me toge<strong>the</strong>r. Mars and<br />
A<strong>the</strong>na – that would be just as bad.’<br />
‘Okay,’ Leo broke in. ‘So Percy and me for <strong>the</strong> Greeks. Frank and Hazel for <strong>the</strong> Romans. Is that <strong>the</strong><br />
ultimate non-competitive dream team or what?’<br />
Annabeth and Frank exchanged war-godly looks.<br />
‘It could work,’ Frank decided. ‘I mean, no combination is going to be perfect, but Poseidon,<br />
Hephaestus, Pluto, Mars … I don’t see any huge antagonism <strong>the</strong>re.’<br />
Hazel traced her finger along <strong>the</strong> map <strong>of</strong> Greece. ‘I still wish we could’ve gone through <strong>the</strong> Gulf <strong>of</strong><br />
Corinth. I was hoping we could visit Delphi, maybe get some advice. Plus it’s such a long way<br />
around <strong>the</strong> Peloponnese.’<br />
‘Yeah.’ Leo’s heart sank when he looked at how much coastline <strong>the</strong>y still had to navigate. ‘It’s July