"Nakamura," Kronos said. "Attend me. Giants — deal with them."

 

He pointed at my friends and me. Then he ducked into the lobby.

 

For a second I was stunned. I'd been expecting a fight, but Kronos completely

ignored me like I wasn't worth the trouble. That made me mad.

 

The first Hyperborean giant smashed at me with his club. I rolled between his

legs and stabbed Riptide into his backside. He shattered into a pile of ice

shards. The second giant breathed frost at Annabeth, who was barely able to

stand, but Grover pulled her out of the way while Thalia went to work.

 

She sprinted up the giant's back like a gazelle, sliced her hunting knives

across his monstrous blue neck, and created the world's largest headless ice

sculpture.

 

I glanced outside the magic barrier. Nico was fighting his way toward my mom and

Paul, but they weren't waiting for help. Paul grabbed a sword from a fallen hero

and did a pretty fine job keeping a dracaena busy. He stabbed her in the gut,

and she disintegrated.

 

"Paul?" I said in amazement.

 

He turned toward me and grinned. "I hope that was a monster I just killed. I was