"Listen to me!" I said. "Kronos's army is invading Manhattan."’

 

"Don't you thi nk we know that?" East asked. "I can feel his boats right now.

They're almost across." "Yep," Hudson agreed. "I got some filthy monsters

crossing my waters too."

 

"So stop them," I said. "Drown them. Sink their boats."

 

"Why should we?" Hudson grumbled. "So they invade Olympus. What do we care?"

 

"Because I can pay you." I took out the sand dollar my father had given me for

my birthday.

 

The river gods' eyes widened.

 

"It's mine!" East said. "Give it here, kid, and I promise none of Kronos's scum

are getting across the East River."

 

"Forget that," Hudson said. "That sand dollar's mine, unless you want me to let

all those ships cross the Hudson."

 

"We'll compromise." I broke the sand dollar in half. A ripple of clean fresh

water spread out from the break, as if all the pollution in the bay were being

dissolved.