I stared into Hestia's eyes, and an image rushed into my mind: I saw a dark

alley between red brick warehouses. A sign above one of the doors read RICHMOND

IRONWORKS.

 

Two half-bloods crouched in the shadows — a boy about fourteen and a girl about

twelve. I realized with a start that the boy was Luke. The girl was Thalia,

daughter of Zeus. I was seeing a scene from back in the days when they were on

the run, before Grover found them.

 

Luke carried a bronze knife. Thalia had her spear and shield of terror, Aegis.

Luke and Thalia both looked hungry and lean, with wild animal eyes, like they

were used to being attacked.

 

"Are you sure?" Thalia asked.

 

Luke nodded. "Something down here. I sense it."

 

A rumble echoed from the alley, like someone had banged on a sheet of metal. The

half-bloods crept forward.

 

Old crates were stacked on a loading dock. Thalia and Luke approached with their

weapons ready. A curtain of corrugated tin quivered as if something were behind

it.