occurred to me that Peleus might attack.

 

"We've got to hurry." I glanced at Nico. "I don't suppose you could conjure up

some skeleton horses."

 

He wheezed as he ran. "So tired . . . couldn't summon a dog bone."

 

Finally we scrambled over the embankment to the shore, and I let out a loud

whistle. I hated doing it.

 

Even with the sand dollar I'd given the East River for a magic cleaning, the

water here was pretty polluted. I didn't want to make any sea animals sick, but

they came to my call.

 

Three wake lines appeared in the gray water, and a pod of hippocampi broke the

surface. They whinnied unhappily, shaking the river muck from their manes. They

were beautiful creatures, with multicolored fish tails, and the heads and

forelegs of white stallions. The hippocampus in front was much bigger than the

others — a ride fit for a Cyclops.

 

"Rainbow!" I called. "How's it going, buddy?"

 

He neighed a complaint.

 

"Yeah, I'm sorry," I said. "But it's an emergency. We need to get to camp."