"Get back!" I slashed the air in a wide arc, driving the rest of the demigods

away from Annabeth. "No one touches her!"

 

"Interesting," Kronos said.

 

He towered above me on his skeletal horse, his scythe in one hand. He studied

the scene with narrowed eyes as if he could sense that I'd just come close to

death, the way a wolf can smell fear.

 

"Bravely fought, Percy Jackson," he said. "But it's time to surrender ... or the

girl dies."

 

"Percy, don't," Annabeth groaned. Her shirt was soaked with blood. I had to get

her out of here.

 

"Blackjack!" I yelled.

 

As fast as light, the pegasus swooped down and clamped his teeth on the straps

of Annabeth's armor.

 

They soared away over the river before the enemy could even react.

 

Kronos snarled. "Some day soon, I am going to make pegasus soup. But in the

meantime . . ." He dismounted, his scythe glistening in the dawn light. "I'll

settle for another dead demigod."