The Titan's Curse Read Online Free

catapult, but more flexible . . . almost like a tail.
    â€œUnfortunately,” Thorn said, “you are wanted alive, if possible. Otherwise you would already be dead.”
    â€œWho wants us?” Bianca demanded. “Because if you think you’ll get a ransom, you’re wrong. We don’t have any family. Nico and I . . .” Her voice broke a little. “We’ve got no one but each other.”
    â€œAww,” Dr. Thorn said. “Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family.”
    â€œLuke,” I said. “You work for Luke.”
    Dr. Thorn’s mouth twisted with distaste when I said the name of my old enemy—a former friend who’d tried to kill me several times. “You have no idea what is happening, Perseus Jackson. I will let the General enlighten you. You are going to do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you.”
    â€œThe General?” I asked. Then I realized I’d said it with a French accent. “I mean . . . who’s the General?”
    Thorn looked toward the horizon. “Ah, here we are. Your transportation.”
    I turned and saw a light in the distance, a searchlight over the sea. Then I heard the chopping of helicopter blades getting louder and closer.
    â€œWhere are you taking us?” Nico said.
    â€œYou should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls.”
    â€œThey’re not dolls! They’re figurines! And you can take your great army and—”
    â€œNow, now,” Dr. Thorn warned. “You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you do not, well . . . there are other uses for half-bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway.”
    â€œThe Great what?” I asked. Anything to keep him talking while I tried to figure out a plan.
    â€œThe stirring of monsters.” Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. “The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!”
    â€œOkay,” Bianca whispered to me. “He’s completely nuts.”
    â€œWe have to jump off the cliff,” I told her quietly. “Into the sea.”
    â€œOh, super idea. You’re completely nuts, too.”
    I never got the chance to argue with her, because just then an invisible force slammed into me.
    Looking back on it, Annabeth’s move was brilliant. Wearing her cap of invisibility, she plowed into the di Angelos and me, knocking us to the ground. For a split second, Dr. Thorn was taken by surprise, so his first volley of missiles zipped harmlessly over our heads. This gave Thalia and Grover a chance to advance from behind—Thalia wielding her magic shield, Aegis.
    If you’ve never seen Thalia run into battle, you have never been truly frightened. She uses a huge spear that expands from this collapsible Mace canister she carries in her pocket, but that’s not the scary part. Her shield is modeled after one her dad Zeus uses—also called Aegis—a gift from Athena. The shield has the head of the gorgon Medusa molded into the bronze, and even though it won’t turn you to stone, it’s so horrible, most people will panic and run at the sight of it.
    Even Dr. Thorn winced and growled when he saw it.
    Thalia moved in with her spear. “For Zeus!”
    I thought Dr. Thorn was a goner. Thalia jabbed at his head, but he snarled and swatted the spear aside. His hand changed into an orange paw, with enormous claws that sparked against Thalia’s shield as he slashed. If it hadn’t been for Aegis, Thalia would’ve been