He nods through Annabeth’s instructions, glances around every few seconds to see where things stand. Leo works fast, and the crowd of kedan and spectres is still lumbering towards them. He doesn’t mind letting the others forge the plan, on this one—he might, in other circumstances, but all the lightning and flying has taken it out of him and he’s content to let someone else do the thinking for a moment.

A few minutes later, and he’s standing and luring attackers like the best of them. He raises his sword over his head, and after a moment’s focus a bolt of lightning runs through it, down from the sky. The sound, the crackle, is deafening even to his own ears. But it does its job, and even several kedan who hadn’t been heading towards them now turn and make their way towards the targeted spot.

When the crowd closes in, he takes a half-step in front of Vanessa instinctively. He’s seen that she can handle herself, but he can’t help it. It’s easier to rely on making himself the target, and thinking he can take whatever they throw at him.

But getting attacked isn’t part of this plan. He’s mentally counting the steps, the moments until the kedan and spectres end up where they’re supposed to be. When they’ve got about thirty seconds left, he turns to Vanessa and offers a hand. “Ready to go?”