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Leo XXXIX

"Leo XXXIX," Travis read, ignoring the blush that crept up his neck.

The other readers waited in anticipation for what happened next.

LEO AGREED WITH NEMESIS ABOUT ONE THING: good luck was a sham...

"Bad luck comes with being a demigod," Percy said with a sigh. "The moment things start going well, like you're having a good school year, bam! Suddenly a monster tries to kill you, the school is in shambles, and you're somehow responsible."

Annabeth frowned. "Which time are you referring to?"

"Any time! I can never have a normal semester without a monster showing up and ruining it." Percy complained. "I'm just lucky Paul was able to get me into Goode."

Last winter he had watched in horror while a family of Cyclopes prepared to roast Jason and Piper with hot sauce.

Hephaestus, Thalia, and Aphrodite grimaced at the reminder.

Annabeth and Grover suppressed a shudder.

He'd schemed his way out of that one and saved his friends all by himself, but at least he'd had time to think.

Now, not so much. Hazel and Frank had been knocked out by the tendrils of a possessed steampunk bowling ball. Two suits of armor with bad attitudes were about to kill him.

Nico balled his hands into fists, his stomach twisted itself in knots.

Everyone will be fine. he reminded himself, letting out a shaky sigh.

Leo couldn't blast them with fire. Suits of armor wouldn't be hurt by that. Besides, Hazel and Frank were too close. He didn't want to burn them, or accidentally hit the piece of firewood that controlled Frank's life.

The demigods winced at the thought.

"Good idea," Annabeth said in agreement.

On Leo's right, the suit of armor with a lion's head helmet creaked its wiry neck and regarded Hazel and Frank, who were still lying unconscious.

"A male and female demigod," said Lion Head. "These will do, if the others die."

The readers tensed.

Hades glared at the book.

"Wait! You can't kill them! Gaea said she wanted my blood, not Hazel's or Frank's," Percy protested.

"Exchanging their lives for yours is not the solution!" Poseidon argued, eyes wide in alarm.

Its hollow face mask turned back to Leo. "We do not need you, Leo Valdez."

"Oh, hey!" Leo tried for a winning smile. "You always need Leo Valdez!" Travis nervously laughed.

Hephaestus cringed. "Don't antagonize them."

He spread his hands and hoped he looked confident and useful, not desperate and terrified. He wondered if it was too late to write TEAM LEO on his shirt.

"I don't think it would work," Katie frowned. "Something tells me they're not as easy to trick as the nymphs."

"Is there anything laying around that you can use?" Ares asked impatiently. "A mallet? A wrench? Anything?"

"There's not a lot he could do right now," Annabeth said with a grimace. "One wrong move and the third eidolon could kill Hazel and Frank."

Nico reared back as if he had been slapped. Hades gritted his teeth with a pained expression.