TERRIFIED . . . annabeth chase

ten.

VAL COULD SEE the white flag from half a mile away as she walked up to Percy, Grover, and Thalia. It was as big as a soccer field, carried by a thirty-foot-tall giant with bright blue skin and icy gray hair.

"A Hyperborean," Thalia said, turning to send a wry smile at Val. "The giants of the north. It's a bad sign that they sided with Kronos. They're usually peaceful."

"You've met them?" Percy asked.

"Mmm. There's a big colony in Alberta. You do not want to get into a snowball fight with those guys."

As the giant got closer, Val could see three human-size envoys with him: a half-blood in armor, an empousa demon with a black dress and flaming hair, and a tall man in a tuxedo. The empousa held the tux dude's arm, so they looked like a couple on their way to a Broadway show or something — except for her flaming hair and fangs.

The group walked leisurely toward the Heckscher Playground. The swings and ball courts were empty. The only sound was the fountain on Umpire Rock.

Percy looked at Grover. "The tux dude is the Titan?"

Grover nodded nervously. "He looks like a magician. I hate magicians. They usually have rabbits."

Percy stared at him. "You're scared of bunnies?"

"They're so cute though," Val added, frowning.

"Blah-hah-hah! They're big bullies. Always stealing celery from defenseless satyrs!"

Thalia coughed.

"What?" Grover demanded.

"We'll have to work on your bunny phobia later," Percy said. "Here they come."

The man in the tux stepped forward. He was taller than an average human — about seven feet. His black hair was tied in a ponytail. Dark round glasses covered his eyes, but what really caught Val's attention was the skin on his face. It was covered in scratches, like he'd been attacked by a small animal — a really, really mad hamster, maybe. Val loved hamsters. Even if animals hated her half the time.

"Percy Jackson," he said in a silky voice. "It's a great honor."

His lady friend the empousa hissed at him.

"My dear," Tux Dude said to her. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable over there, eh?"

She released his arm and drifted over to a park bench.

Val glanced at the armed demigod behind Tux Dude. Ethan Nakamura. His nose looked like squashed. Val was sure that it wasn't like that before.

"Hey, Ethan," Percy said. "You're looking good."

Ethan glared at him.

"To business." Tux Dude extended his hand. "I am Prometheus."

Percy didn't shake his hand. "The fire-stealer guy? The chained-to-the-rock-with-the-vultures guy?"

Prometheus winced. He touched the scratches on his face. "Please, don't mention the vultures. But yes, I stole fire from the gods and gave it to your ancestors. In return, the ever merciful Zeus had me chained to a rock and tortured for all eternity."

"But—"

"How did I get free? Hercules did that, eons ago. So you see, I have a soft spot for heroes. Some of you can be quite civilized."

"Unlike the company you keep," Percy noticed, staring at Ethan. Val frowned. What did he do?

Prometheus apparently thought Percy meant the empousa.