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made sure the gods kept their promise. Anyway, I’m glad you found her. You promised to find a way<br />
back to her, and I just wanted to say, if we do survive all this, I’ll do anything I can to help you.<br />
That’s a promise I will keep.’<br />
Leo was speechless. Here they were, hiding behind a wall in the middle of a magical war zone,<br />
with grenades and grizzly bears and Bronze Butt Nikettes to worry about, and Percy pulls this on him.<br />
‘Man, what is your problem?’ Leo grumbled.<br />
Percy blinked. ‘So … I guess we’re not cool?’<br />
‘Of course we’re not cool! You’re as bad as Jason! I’m trying to resent you for being all perfect<br />
and hero-y and whatnot. Then you go and act like a standup guy. How am I supposed to hate you if<br />
you apologize and promise to help and stuff?’<br />
A smile tugged at the corner of Percy’s mouth. ‘Sorry about that.’<br />
The ground rumbled as another grenade exploded, sending spirals of whipped cream into the sky.<br />
‘That’s Hazel’s signal,’ Leo said. ‘They’ve taken down another Nikette.’<br />
Percy peeked around the corner of the wall.<br />
Until this moment, Leo hadn’t realized how much he’d resented Percy. The dude had always<br />
intimidated him. Knowing Calypso had had a crush on Percy had made the feeling ten times worse.<br />
But now the knot of anger in his gut started to unravel. Leo just couldn’t dislike the guy. Percy seemed<br />
sincere about being sorry and wanting to help.<br />
Besides, Leo finally had confirmation that Percy Jackson was out of the picture with Calypso. The<br />
air was cleared. All Leo had to do was to find his way back to Ogygia. And he would, assuming he<br />
survived the next ten days.<br />
‘One Nikette left,’ Percy said. ‘I wonder –’<br />
Somewhere close by, Hazel cried out in pain.<br />
Instantly, Leo was on his feet.<br />
‘Dude, wait!’ Percy called, but Leo plunged through the maze, his heart pounding.<br />
The walls fell away on either side. Leo found himself in an open stretch of field. Frank stood at the<br />
far end of the stadium, shooting flaming arrows at Nike’s chariot as the goddess bellowed insults and<br />
tried to find a path to him across the shifting network of trenches.<br />
Hazel was closer – maybe sixty feet away. The fourth Nikette had obviously sneaked up on her.<br />
Hazel was limping away from her attacker, her jeans ripped, her left leg bleeding. She parried the<br />
metal lady’s spear with her huge cavalry sword, but she was about to be overpowered. All around<br />
her, the Mist flickered like a dying strobe light. She was losing control of the magic maze.<br />
‘I’ll help her,’ Percy said. ‘You stick to the plan. Get Nike’s chariot.’<br />
‘But the plan was to eliminate all four Nikettes first!’<br />
‘So change the plan and then stick to it!’<br />
‘That doesn’t even make sense, but go! Help her!’<br />
Percy rushed to Hazel’s defence. Leo darted towards Nike, yelling, ‘Hey! I want a participation<br />
award!’<br />
‘Gah!’ The goddess pulled the reins and turned her chariot in his direction. ‘I will destroy you!’<br />
‘Good!’ Leo yelled. ‘Losing is way better than winning!’
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