letting me wear myself down.

 

Annabeth appeared next to me. "We have to fall back to the doorway. Hold it at

all costs!"

 

She was right. I was about to order a retreat when I heard the hunting horn.

 

It cut through the noise of the battle like a fire alarm. A chorus of horns

answered from all around us, echoing off the buildings of Manhattan.

 

I glanced at Thalia, but she just frowned.

 

"Not the Hunters," she assured me. "We're all here."

 

"Then who?"

 

The horns got louder. I couldn't tell where they were coming from because of the

echo, but it sounded like an entire army was approaching.

 

I was afraid it might be more enemies, but Kronos's forces looked as confused as

we were. Giants lowered their clubs. Dracaenae hissed. Even Kronos's honor guard

looked uneasy.

 

Then, to our left, a hundred monsters cried out at once. Kronos's entire

northern fla nk surged forward. 1 thought we were doomed, but they didn't