Thalia understood. She tapped the bracelet, but this time she yelled,“Aegis!”
Instantly the bracelet expanded, flattening into a wide bronze disk—a shield with intricate designs hammered around the rim. In the center, pressed into the metal like a death mask, was a face so hideous I would’ve run from it if I could’ve. I looked away, but the afterimage burned in my mind—snaky hair, glaring eyes, and a mouth with bared fangs.

He scribbled something and handed me the diary. The last word read: Promise.
Itook a deep breath, and closed the book.“Yeah. I promise.

He shook his head and put the dagger into my hands. He returned to writing: That blade was a gift from the girl I saved. She promised me it would always protect its owner.
Hal took a shaky breath. He must’ve known how bitterly ironic that promise sounded, given his curse. He wrote, A dagger doesn’t have the power or reach of a sword, but it can be an excellent weapon in the right hands. I’ll feel better knowing you have it.

You have an important future. Your choices will change the world. You can learn from my mistakes, continue the diary. It might help you with your decisions.

I’ll try. I’ll have to expose some wiring in the wall. And to summon the lightning, that’ll take a few minutes of concentration. You guys should probably step back, in case…you know, I explode or something.

Every time I blinked, I remembered Hal’s words on that computer screen, as if they’d been burned onto the back of my eyes: A sacrifice in your future. A choice. But also a betrayal.

Yeah. It’s magical fire. Whatever it touches, it burns. You can’t put it out with water, or a fire extinguisher, or anything else. But if we can make enough for some kind of bomb and throw it at the leucrotae—

There’s more,” I pressed. “What scared you so badly?”
He avoided my eyes. Reluctantly he typed, Hard to be sure. Luke, I also saw a sacrifice in your future. A choice. But also a betrayal.
I waited. Hal didn’t elaborate.
“A betrayal,” Thalia said. Her tone was dangerous. “You mean someone betrays Luke? Because Luke would never betray anyone.”
Hal typed, His path is hard to see. But if he survives today, he will betray—