The Forbidden Daughter | PJO Book One

eleven

ANNABETH GETS VERY TEMPTED

The Queen Anne's Revenge responded to Percy's every command. He knew which ropes to hoist, which sails to raise, which direction to steer.

They ploughed through the waves at what Ariana figured was about ten knots. (Don't ask how she knew that.)

It all felt perfect - the wind in her face, the waves breaking over the prow.

"Surprised I don't feel sick." Ariana commented, being a daughter of Hades she figured she would feel sea sick.

"That is odd." Agreed Annabeth.

They sailed through the night.

Annabeth tried to help Percy keep lookout, but sailing didn't agree with her. After a few hours' rocking back and forth, her face turned the colour of guacamole and she went below to lie in a hammock.

Ariana took her place.

She watched the horizon. More than once Ariana spotted monsters. A plume of water as tall as a skyscraper spewed into the moonlight.

A row of green spines slithered across the waves - something maybe thirty metres long, reptilian.

She didn't really want to know.

Once she saw Nereids, the glowing lady spirits of the sea. She tried to wave at them, but they disappeared into the depths, leaving her unsure whether they'd seen her or not.

Sometime after midnight, Annabeth came up on deck. They were just passing a smoking volcano island. The sea bubbled and steamed around the shore.

"One of the forges of Hephaestus." Annabeth said. "Where he makes his metal monsters."

"Like the bronze bulls?"

Ariana nodded. "Go around. Far around!"

Percy didn't need to be told twice. They steered clear of the island, and soon it was just a red patch of haze behind them.

Percy looked at Annabeth. "The reason you hate Cyclopes so much ... the story about how Thalia really died. What happened?"

It was hard to see her expression in the dark.

"I guess you deserve to know." she said finally. "The night Grover was escorting to camp, he got confused, took some wrong turns. You remember he told you that once?"

Percy nodded.

"Well, the worst wrong turn was into a Cyclops's lair in Brooklyn."

"They've got Cyclopes in Brooklyn?" The son of Poseidon asked.

"You wouldn't believe how many." Ariana said.

"But thats not the point. This Cyclops, he tricked us. He managed to split us up inside this maze of corridors in an old house in Flatbush. And he could sound like anyon Percy. Just the way Tyson did aboard the Princess Andromeda. He lured us, one at time. Thalia thought she was running to save Luke. Luke thought he heard me scream for help. And me ... I was alone the dark. I was seven years old. I couldn' even find the exit."

She brushed the hair out of her face. "I remember inding the main room. There were bones all over the floor. And there were Thalia and Luke and Grover, tied up and gagged, hanging from the ceiling like smoked hams. The Cyclops was starting a fire in the middle of the floor. I drew my knife, but he heard me. He turned and smiled. He spoke, and somehow he knew my dad's voice. I guess he just plucked it out of my mind. He said, 'Now, Annabeth, don't you worry. I love you. You can stay here with me. You can stay forever?' "