Zeus didn't want any of us to leave the front line. But your mother kept

pestering him nonstop, 'It's a trap, it's a diversion, blah, blah, blah.' She

wanted to come back herself, but Zeus was not going to let his number one

strategist leave his side while we're battling Typhon. And so naturally he sent

me to talk to you."

 

"But it is a trap!" Annabeth insisted. "Is Zeus blind?"

 

Thunder rolled through the sky.

 

"I'd watch the comments, girl," Hermes warned. "Zeus is not blind or deaf. He

has not left Olympus completely undefended."

 

"But there are these blue lights — "

 

"Yes, yes. I saw them. Some mischief by that insufferable goddess of magic,

Hecate, I'd wager, but you may have noticed they aren't doing any damage.

Olympus has strong magical wards. Besides, Aeolus, the King of the Winds, has

sent his most powerful minions to guard the citadel. No one save the gods can

approach Olympus from the air. They would be knocked out of the sky."

 

I raised my hand. "Um . . . what about that materializing/teleporting thing you

guys do?"