please ..."

 

I could move again.

 

I surged forward and scooped up her knife. I knocked Backbiter out of Luke's

hand, and it spun into the hearth. Luke hardly paid me any attention. He stepped

toward Annabeth, but I put myself between him and her.

 

"Don't touch her," I said.

 

Anger rippled across his face. Kronos's voice growled: "Jackson . . ." Was it my

imagination, or was his whole body glowing, turning gold?

 

He gasped again. Luke's voice: "He's changing. Help. He's . . . he's almost

ready. He won't need my body anymore. Please — "

 

"NO!" Kronos bellowed. He looked around for his sword, but it was in the hearth,

glowing among the coals.

 

He stumbled toward it. I tried to stop him, but he pushed me out of the way with

such force I landed next to Annabeth and cracked my head on the base of Athena's

throne.

 

"The knife, Percy," Annabeth muttered. Her breath was shallow. "Hero . . .

cursed blade ..."