I discarded my sword and lunged in front of the girls, spreading my arms goalie-style. A shell of
purple light surrounded me, and the flames rolled harmlessly over translucent wings that now extended on
either side of me. With my new accessories I was able to shield Sadie and Annabeth from the worst of the
blast.
I lowered my arms. The giant wings retracted. My feet, floating just off the ground, were now encased
in large ghostly legs with three long toes and the talons of a bird.
When I realized I was hovering at the center of a giant glowing purple vulture, my first thought was:
Carter will never stop teasing me about this.
The fire had blackened the entire field, instantly turning wet mud into cracked clay. The Mist and
magic lights had burned away. My new sword was a steaming line of bronze slag on the ground. Carter
lay right where he’d dropped, wreathed in smoke, his hair charred, his face red with blisters.