arrows, but nothing hit her.

 

"I AM CLARISSE, DRAKON- SLAYER!" she yelled. "I will kill you ALL! Where is

Kronos? Bring him out! Is he a coward?"

 

"Clarisse!" I yelled. "Stop it. Withdraw!"

 

"What's the matter, Titan lord?" she yelled. "BRING IT ON!"

 

There was no answer from the enemy. Slowly, they began to fall back behind a

dracaenae shield wall, while Clarisse drove in circles around Fifth Avenue,

daring anyone to cross her path. The two- hundred-foot-long drakon carcass made

a hollow scraping noise against the pavement, like a thousand knives.

 

Meanwhile, we tended our wounded, bringing them inside the lobby. Long after the

enemy had retreated from sight, Clarisse kept riding up and down the avenue with

her horrible trophy, demanding that Kronos meet her battle.

 

Chris said, "I'll watch her. She'll get tired eventually. I'll make sure she

comes inside."

 

"What about the camp?" I asked. "Is anybody left there?"

 

Chris shook his head. "Only Argus and the nature spirits. Peleus the dragon is

still guarding the tree."