The group walked leisurely toward the Heckscher Playground. The swings and ball

courts were empty. The only sound was the fountain on Umpire Rock.

 

I looked at Grover. "The tux dude is the Titan?"

 

He nodded nervously. "He looks like a magician. I hate magicians. They usually

have rabbits."

 

I stared at him. "You're scared of bunnies?"

 

"Blah-hah-hah! They're big bullies. Always stealing celery from defenseless

satyrs!"

 

Thalia coughed.

 

"What?" Grover demanded.

 

"We'll have to work on your bunny phobia later," I said. "Here they come."

 

The man in the tux stepped forward. He was taller than an average human — about

seven feet. His black hair was tied in a ponytail. Dark round glasses covered

his eyes, but what really caught my attention was the skin on his face. It was

covered in scratches, like he'd been attacked by a small animal — a really,

really mad hamster, maybe.