The Dissonant Notes Of Fate

Thirty-one

THALIA's instincts took over and dodged, raising her shield to block Kronos' attack. The scythe clanged off, but then the Titan King dropped low, using his weapon to throw her off her feet. She yelped, spinning midair and collapsing on the ground. She raised her shield again and the force made her bones rattle. Thalia kicked out, sending Annabeth back, and rolled aside, before jumping to her feet.

Ethan ducked to one side, trying to get behind her, but then Bianca was there, slamming her knives against Ethan's sword and pushing him back. Thalia was vaguely aware of Grover playing his reed pipes behind them rapidly, and the sound filled her with warmth and courage—thoughts of sunlight and a blue sky and a calm meadow, somewhere far away from the war.

Before she could fully stand, Kronos was on her again, slashing his scythe. The daughter of Zeus stumbled back, right against the throne of Hephaestus—a huge mechanical thing covered with bronze and silver gears. The Time Titan sliced, and Thalia swore, leaping straight up onto the seat. The throne whirred and hummed, and her eyes widened, remembering Luke's warning about the thrones of the gods. Thalia jumped again, right over Kronos' head, as the throne shot tendrils of electricity in all directions. One hit Kronos in the face, arching down his body and up his weapon.

He let out a yell and crumpled to his knees. Thalia landed behind him, panting, and attempted to run the Titan through. Her spear bounced off Annabeth's skin, the force making her shoulder bones shift. She gritted her teeth, quickly backing up.

The only way she would successfully beat Kronos was by finding Annabeth's weak spot.

Bianca was flipping in the sky, kicking Ethan in the face, and as the Nemesis kid crumpled, the daughter of Hades charged the Titan Lord with a roar. Kronos rose from the ground, and flicked his wrist. Bianca flew backward, slamming into Aphrodite's throne and crumpling to the floor.

"No!" Thalia yelled. She had seen Kronos do this, to Michael Yew, throw him off the bridge. Ethan Nakamura got to his feet, and his chest rose and fell. Anger flared through his eyes. Thalia heard Bianca groan from behind the boy. She wanted so badly to run him through. She really loathed Ethan.

But she couldn't fight him without turning her back on Kronos.

Grover's music took on a more urgent tune. He edged to the side, moving towards Bianca, but he couldn't go any faster and keep up the song. Grass grew on the floor of the throne room. Tiny roots crept up between the cracks of the marble stones.

Kronos bared his teeth. His hair was disorganised and sticking up. His face was covered with electrical burns. He held out his hand and his scythe flew into his hands.

"Nakamura!" he barked. "Time to prove yourself. You know Thalia's secret weakness. Kill her, and you will have rewards beyond measure."

Ethan's eyes met hers, full of that rage, that anger, and Thalia was sure that even though he hadn't before, he knew now. And even if he couldn't kill her himself, all he had to do was tell Kronos. There was no way she could defend against both of forever.

Eventually Aegis would give. The power behind Kronos' scythe would eventually rip her shield to pieces.

"Look around you, Ethan," Thalia said, voice hard. "The end of the world. Is this the reward you want? Do you really want everything destroyed—the good with the bad? Everything you've grown up with?"

Grover was almost to Bianca now. Thalia hoped he would heal her and maybe get both of them out. The grass thickened on the floor. The roots were almost a foot long, like a stubble of whiskers.

"There is no throne to Nemesis," Ethan snarled right back. "No throne to my mother."

"Yes!" Kronos sneered. His hair was still smoking. "Strike them down! They deserve to suffer."