PERI'S POV

"RUN!" Hazel screamed.

"Yeah, no shit!" I quipped back, already trying to pound the sand as fast as possible.

But it felt like we weren't getting anywhere.

To my surprise, Leo popped up and grabbed hold of the Celestial Bronze's midsection, easing the weight a little.

I glanced back over my shoulder.

Narcissus was nocking an arrow, but it was so old and brittle, it broke into splinters. "Ow!" He yelled very attractively. "My manicure!"

The nymphs struggled as they charged us, burdened with posters, T-shirts, and other Narcissus brand merchandise. They also weren't working as a team. They kept stumbling over one another, pushing and shoving. Echo made things worse by running among them, tripping and tackling as many as she could.

We were only halfway up the crater, and they were closing in rapidly. We had about two minutes until we would be swarmed with them.

I growled in frustration. "Fuck this!"

Using all my strength, I pushed the plate over and out of everyone's hands, toppling it to the ground with a tremendous crash and poof of sand.

"What the hell?!" Leo yelped, he and Hazel trying desperately to lift it back up.

"Get on the plate!" I said urgently. "I've got a plan!"

I could hear the nymphs' screams getting ever closer.

"But-"

I narrowed my eyes at them. "Get. On. The. Plate."

Leo squeaked in surprise before nodding quickly, the two of them scrambling onto the Celestial Bronze. I leapt on after them.

"Peri, I hope you have a plan." Hazel murmured, sparing a glance over her shoulder. The nymphs were only a few yards away now. They'd be upon us any second.

I took a deep breath, feeling the familiar hum of metal below me. Channeling deep within myself, I mustered up as much of my already drained energy as I could.

I tried my hardest to focus, the hoots and hollers of the nymphs booming in my ears.

"Here they come!" I heard Leo saying.

My eyes shot open, and the Celestial Bronze plate shot twenty feet straight up into the air.

Hazel let loose a scream, her cinnamon curls flying all about her face.

The plate wobbled dangerously, and I struggled to keep it steady, the nymphs' angry shrieks not helping my concentration in the least bit. I clenched my fists tightly, practically willing the atoms of the Bronze plate to be still.

At this height. I could see where the Argo II was floating patiently on the lake by the beach. I swallowed thickly, knowing I had to take all of us there.

Leo followed my gaze to the bronze warship. He looked down over the edge of the plate we were flying on, and I saw a look pass over his face.

"Wait!" He cried. "We can't leave Echo!"

I looked down quickly, remembering the brave nymph who helped us. She stood camouflaged, concealed from the other, angrier nymphs. We locked eyes for a moment.

She smiled and said firmly, "Leave Echo."

I blinked. "What? Why?"

Leo frowned. "You don't think you can still save Narcissus?"

"Save Narcissus." She said confidently. Even though it was only an echo, I could tell she meant it. She was going to use her second chance at life to save someone she cared about - even if he was a hopeless, handsome jerk.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Yeah, okay."

I faced the Argo II in the distance.

I unclenched my fists, and the result was similar to that of letting go a coiled spring.

The plate rocketed forward, and we propelled at an alarming speed. Luckily, the bronze plate was textured and had lots of traction, otherwise the three of us would've slipped right off.

It was an enormous strain; the lot of us probably weighed a good 450 pounds altogether.

It felt like an elephant was stepping on my chest. My head was swimming. The closer we came to the Argo II, the more I felt like I was going to pass out. But only one thought was flooding my mind.

I can't drop them.

Knowing my body was about to give out only made me push harder.

I couldn't let my friends down.

Literally.

Just when I thought I could't hold out any longer, the Argo II was right before us in all its gigantic glory.

Black spots danced in my vision as the deck of the warship appeared below us.

I slowed the plate down as much as possible before slipping into unconsciousness.