realized how tired I was. Every muscle in my body ached. I looked down at my

clothes. They were slashed to pieces and lull of bullet holes, but I was fine.

Not a mark on me.

 

Nico's mouth hung open. "You just . . . with a sword . . . you just — "

 

"I think the river thing worked," I said.

 

"Oh gee," he said sarcastically. "You think?"

 

Mrs. O'Leary barked happily and wagged her tail. She bounded around, sniffing

empty uniforms and hunting for bones. I lifted Hades's robe. I could still see

the tormented faces shimmering in the fabric.

 

I walked to the edge of the river. "Be free."

 

I dropped the robe in the water and watched as it swirled away, dissolving in

the current.

 

"Go back to your father," I told Nico. "Tell him he owes me for letting him go.

Find out what's going to happen to Mount Olympus and convince him to help."

 

Nico stared at me. "I ... I can't. He'll hate me now. I mean . . . even more."

 

"You have to," I said. "You owe me too."