Idiot!’ Porphyrion’s voice shook the ruins.
‘Our brother Mimas awaits them at Sparta.
You need not worry. The demigods cannot
change their fate. One way or another, their
blood shall be spilled upon these stones and
wake the Earth Mother!’
The crowd roared approval and brandished their weapons. Hippolytos bowed and
retreated, but another giant approached the
throne.
With a start, Piper realized this one was female. Not that it was easy to tell. The giantess had the same dragon-like legs and the
same long braided hair. She was just as tall
and burly as the males, but her breastplate
was definitely fashioned for a woman. Her
voice was higher and reedier.
‘Father!’ she cried. ‘I ask again: Why here,
in this place? Why not on the slopes of
Mount Olympus itself? Surely –’
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‘Periboia,’ the king growled, ‘the matter is
settled. The original Mount Olympus is now
a barren peak. It offers us no glory. Here, in
the centre of the Greek world, the roots of
the gods truly run deep. There may be older
temples, but this Parthenon holds their
memory best. In the minds of mortals, it is
the most powerful symbol of the Olympians.
When the blood of the last heroes is spilled
here, the Acropolis shall be razed. This hill
shall crumble, and the entire city shall be
consumed by the Earth Mother. We will be
the masters of Creation!’
The crowd hollered and howled, but the giantess Periboia didn’t look convinced.
‘You tempt fate, Father,’ she said. ‘The
demigods have friends here as well as enemies. It is not wise –’
‘WISE?’ Porphyrion rose from his throne.
All the giants took a step back. ‘Enceladus,
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my counsellor, explain to my daughter what
wisdom is!’
The fiery giant came forward. His eyes
glowed like diamonds. Piper loathed his face.
She’d seen it too many times in her dreams
when her father was held captive.
‘You need not worry, princess,’ Enceladus
said. ‘We have taken Delphi. Apollo was driven out of Olympus in shame. The future is
closed to the gods. They stumble forward
blindly. As for tempting fate …’ He gestured
to his left, and a smaller giant shuffled forward. He had ratty grey hair, a wrinkled face
and eyes that were milky with cataracts. Instead of armour, he wore a tattered sackcloth
tunic. His dragon-scale legs were as white as
frost.
He didn’t look like much, but Piper noticed that the other monsters kept their distance. Even Porphyrion leaned away from
the old giant