The lord of time disappeared under a giant blue butt.

 

We pushed them for several blocks until Chiron yelled, "HOLD! On your promise,

HOLD!"

 

It wasn't easy, but eventually the order got relayed up and down the ra nks of

centaurs, and they started to pull back, letting the enemy flee.

 

"Chiron's smart," Annabeth said, wiping the sweat off her face. "If we pursue,

we'll get too spread out. We need to regroup."

 

"But the enemy—"

 

"They're not defeated," she agreed. "But the dawn is coming. At least we've

bought some time."

 

I didn't like pulling back, but I knew she was right. I watched as the last of

the telkhines scuttled toward the East River. Then reluctantly I turned and

headed back toward the Empire State Building.

 

We set up a two-block perimeter, with a command tent at the Empire State

Building. Chiron informed us that the Party Ponies had sent chapters from almost

every state in the Union: forty from California, two from Rhode Island, thirty

from Illinois . . . Roughly five hundred total had answered his call, but even

with that many, we couldn't defend more than a few blocks.