Hazel looked behind Hecate at the middle gateway. She saw Percy and Annabeth sprawled helplessly before those black-and-silver doors. A massive dark shape, vaguely humanoid, now loomed over them,its foot raised as if to crush Percy. ‘What about them?’ Hazel asked, her voice ragged. ‘Percy and Annabeth?’ Heacte shrugged. ‘West, east and south….they die.’ ‘Not and option.’ Hazel said.’ ‘Then you have only one path- and that’s the most dangerous of all……’