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FRANK HAD FOUND NO EXITS. The top was covered with Celestial bronze mesh, like the curtains that roll down over closed storefronts at the mall. Percy unsurprisingly the most impatient and frustrated. He kept trying to slice everything repeatedly even if he knew it wouldn't work.
I tried to control the water. I thought I could will it to expand and break the tank, or explode out the top. The water didn't obey. Maybe it was enchanted, or under the power of Phorcys. Even both me and Percy's willpower combined couldn't beat a sea god's.
Finally, my half-brother seemed to give up. He just stopped and sunk to the floor of the tank, eyebrows furrowed. It wasn't hard to guess the stressed thoughts running in his mind.
I sank down to the floor too and squeezed his shoulder. Percy looked at me, a dejected look on his face. I gave him a smile.
We'll figure it out eventually. And you know I don't sugarcoat things, I said, projecting my thoughts.
Percy just nodded and sighed, sending a bubble of oxygen floating upward.
Look! Frank said.
Outside the glass, Keto was leading Coach Hedge through the amphitheater, lecturing him on something while the coach nodded and admired the stadium seating.
Coach! Percy yelled. Then he seemed to realized it was hopeless. The coach couldn't hear telepathic yelling.
Frank bumped his head against the glass and I banged on it with my fists.
Hedge didn't seem to notice. Keto walked him briskly across the amphitheater. She didn't even look through the glass, probably because she assumed the tank was still empty. She pointed to the far end of the room as if saying, Come on. More gruesome sea monsters this way.
Percy realized he had only a few seconds before the coach would be gone. He swam after them, but the water didn't help him move as it usually did. In fact, it seemed to be pushing him back. He dropped Riptide and used both arms.
I watched him in apprehension and anxiety. He had to get Coach's attention.
Coach Hedge and Keto were five feet from the exit.
In desperation, Percy scooped up a giant marble and hurled it underhanded like a bowling ball.
It hit the glass with a thunk—not nearly loud enough to attract attention.
My heart sank.
But Coach Hedge had the ears of a satyr. He glanced over his shoulder. When he saw Percy, his expression went through several changes in a matter of microseconds—incomprehension, surprise, outrage, then a mask of calm.
Before Keto could notice, Hedge pointed toward the top of the amphitheater. It looked like he might be screaming, Gods of Olympus, what is that?
Keto turned. Coach Hedge promptly took off his fake foot and ninja-kicked her in the back of the head with his goat hoof. Keto crumpled to the floor.
