Another Love ─── L. Castellan

xxvii. i disagree with earlier thoughts; don't become a matador

Despite knowing that Luke was on our side, the sword was a sharp reminder that, should he wish, he could harm anyone mortal, demigod or human, or immortal, monster or god. 

"Tyson, stay here. I don't want you taking any more chances." I turned to Tyson, distracting myself from the memory of last summer, and the scars that the hell hound had left on my chest.

"No!" Annabeth said. "We need him."

I stared at her. "He's mortal. He got lucky with the dodge balls but he can't—"

"Andi, Annabeth's right, do you know what those are up there? The Colchis bulls, made by Hephaestus himself. We can't fight them without Medea's Sunscreen SPF 50,000. We'll get burned to a crisp," Luke called, already walking up towards them.

My brain short circuited at his sentence.

Annabeth rummaged through her backpack and cursed. "I had a jar of tropical coconut scent sitting on my night-stand at home. Why didn't I bring it?"

"You didn't know what we were going to be fighting," Luke replied.

I'd learned a long time ago not to question Annabeth too much. There was so much going on in her brain at any one time that it was hard to make coherent sense of her at points. 

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm not going to let Tyson get fried, because I'm nice like that."

"Romy—"

"Tyson, stay back." I raised my sword. 

Tyson tried to protest, but I was already running up the hill toward Clarisse, who was yelling at her patrol, trying to get them into phalanx formation. It was a good idea. The few who were listening lined up shoulder-to-shoulder, locking their shields to form an ox-hide-and-bronze wall, their spears bristling over the top like porcupine quills.

Unfortunately, Clarisse could only muster six campers. The other four were still running around with their helmets on fire. Annabeth ran toward them, trying to help. She taunted one of the bulls into chasing her, then turned invisible, completely confusing the monster. The other bull charged Clarisse's line.

I was halfway up the hill, Luke beside me—not close enough to help. Clarisse hadn't even seen me yet. 

The bull moved deadly fast for something so big. Its metal hide gleamed in the sun. It had fist-sized rubies for eyes, and horns of polished silver. When it opened its hinged mouth, a column of white-hot flame blasted out.

"Hold the line!" Clarisse ordered her warriors.

Whatever else you could say about Clarisse, she was brave. She looked like she was born to wear Greek battle armour, but I didn't see how even she could stand against that bull's charge.

Unfortunately, at that moment, the other bull lost interest in finding Annabeth. It turned, wheeling around behind Clarisse on her unprotected side.

"Behind you!" I yelled. "Look out!"

I shouldn't have said anything, because all I did was startle her. Bull Number One crashed into her shield, and the phalanx broke. Clarisse went flying backward and landed in a smouldering patch of grass.

"Oops?" I murmured, as Luke shot me a somewhat exasperated look.

"First rule, Andi, don't distract someone already in a fight!" Luke called.

The bull charged past her, but not before blasting the other heroes with its fiery breath. Their shields melted right off their arms. They dropped their weapons and ran as Bull Number Two closed in on Clarisse for the kill.