smoldering with fire.

 

"You will not escape me this time, Percy Jackson!" Hades bellowed. "Destroy

him!"

 

"Father, no!" Nico shouted, but it was too late. The front line of Roman zombies

lowered their spears and advanced.

 

Mrs. O'Leary growled and got ready to pounce. Maybe that's what set me off. I

didn't want them hurting my dog. Plus, I was tired of Hades being a big bully.

If I was going to die, I might as well go down fighting.

 

I yelled, and the River Styx exploded. A black tidal wave smashed into the

legionnaires. Spears and shields flew everywhere. Roman zombies began to

dissolve, smoke coming off their bronze helmets.

 

The redcoats lowered their bayonets, but I didn't wait for them. I charged.

 

It was the stupidest thing I've ever done. A hundred muskets fired at me, point

blank. All of them missed. I crashed into their line and started hacking with

Riptide. Bayonets jabbed. Swords slashed. Guns reloaded and fired. Nothing

touched me.

 

I whirled through the ranks, slashing redcoats to dust, one after the other. My

mind went on autopilot: stab, dodge, cut, deflect, roll. Riptide was no longer a