Tyson put his arm around me. If anybody else had tried that, I would've pushed

him away, but Tyson was too big and stubborn. He hugged me whether I wanted it

or not. "Not your fault, brother. Kronos does not explode good. Next time we

will use a big stick."

 

"Percy," my father said. "Beckendorfs sacrifice wasn't in vain. You have

scattered the invasion force.

 

New York will be safe for a time, which frees the other Olympians to deal with

the bigger threat."

 

"The bigger threat?" I thought about what the golden Titan had said in my dream:

The gods have answered the challenge. Soon they will be destroyed.

 

A shadow passed over my father's face. "You've had enough sorrow for one day.

Ask Chiron when you return to camp."

 

"Return to camp? But you're in trouble here. 1 want to help!"

 

"You can't, Percy. Your job is elsewhere."

 

I couldn't believe I was hearing this. I looked at Tyson for backup.

 

My brother chewed his lip. "Daddy . . . Percy can fight with a sword. He is

good."