I remembered the fight on the Princess Andromeda. I'd been hopelessly

outmatched. Kronos had almost killed me with a single cut to my arm, and I

couldn't even wound him. Riptide had glanced right off his skin.

 

"We can give you the same power," Nico urged. "You heard the Great Prophecy.

Unless you want to have your soul reaped by a cursed blade ..."

 

I wondered how Nico had heard the prophecy — probably from some ghost.

 

"You can't prevent a prophecy," I said.

 

"But you can fight it." Nico had a strange, hungry light m his eyes. "You can

become invincible."

 

"Maybe we should wait. Try to fight without — "

 

"No!" Nico snarled. "It has to be now!"

 

I stared at him. I hadn't seen his temper flare like that in a long time. "Urn,

you sure you're okay?"

 

He took a deep breath. "Percy, all I mean . . . when the fighting starts, we

won't be able to make the journey. This is our last chance. I'm sorry if I'm

being too pushy, but two years ago my sister gave her life to protect you. I

want you to honor that. Do whatever it takes to stay alive and defeat Kronos."