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Leo slu the deck All around him, his beautiful new ship was in sha The foresail was tattered The satellite array that powered the onboard Internet and TV was blown to bits, which had really urehead, Festus, was coughing up sroaning sounds on the port side that sonment or broken off co and shuddering as it flew, the engine wheezing like an asthmatic steam train

He choked back a sob "I don’t know It’s fuzzy"

Tooat hiirl scared hie polo shirt, and his baseball bat (did he have to carry that everywhere?), and the newcomer, Frank

Leo wasn’t sure what to h Leo wasn’t stupid enough to say that aloud Leo’s memory was hazy, but while he’d been half conscious, he was pretty sure he’d seen a dragon land on the ship--a dragon that had turned into Frank

Annabeth crossed her arms "You mean you don’t re to s as I couldn’t control it"

Coach Hedge tapped his bat against the deck In his gym clothes, with his cap pulled over his horns, he looked just like he used to at the Wilderness School, where he’d spent a year undercover as Jason, Piper, and Leo’s PE teacher The way the old satyr was glowering, Leo al to order hie said, "you blew up some stuff You attacked some Romans Awesome! Excellent! But did you have to knock out the satellite channels? I was right in the e match"

"Coach," Annabeth said, "why don’t you make sure all the fires are out?"

"But I already did that"

"Do it again"

The satyr trudged off, h to defy Annabeth

She knelt next to Leo Her gray eyes were as steely as ball bearings Her blond hair fell loose around her shoulders, but Leo didn’t find that attractive He had no idea where the stereotype of duly blondes came from Ever since he’d met Annabeth at the Grand Canyon last winter, when she’d marched toward him with that Give ht of blondes as erous

"Leo," she said calmly, "did Octavian trick you somehow? Did he frame you, or--"

"No" Leo could have lied and blamed that stupid Rouy was a jerk, but he didn’t fire on the camp I did"

The new kid, Frank, scowled "On purpose?"

"No!" Leo squeezed his eyes shut "Well, yes…I mean, I didn’t want to But at the sainside ed She sounded almost…scared

"Yeah," Leo said "Why?"

From belowdecks, Percy called up, "Annabeth, we need you"

Oh, gods, Leo thought Please let Jason be okay

As soon as they’d gotten on board, Piper had taken Jason below The cut on his head had looked pretty bad Leo had known Jason longer than anyone at Camp Half-Blood They were best friends If Jason didn’t make it…

"He’ll be fine" Annabeth’s expression softened "Frank, I’ll be back Just…watch Leo Please"

Frank nodded

If it was possible for Leo to feel worse, he did Annabeth now trusted a Rood she’d known for like, three seconds, one, Leo and Frank stared at each other The big dude looked pretty odd in his bedsheet toga, with his gray pullover hoodie and jeans, and a bow and quiver fro over his shoulder Leo remembered the tiirls in silvery clothes, all ar with them The idea was so ridiculous, it almost made him feel better

"So," Frank said "Your name isn’t Sammy?"

Leo scowled "What kind of question is that?"

"Nothing," Frank said quickly "I just-- Nothing About the firing on the ca He didn’t want the Rouys"

Leo wanted to believe that He was grateful to this kid for not hating him But he knew it hadn’t been Octavian Leo had walked to a ballista and started firing Part of hi He’d asked hi? But he’d done it anyway

Maybe he was going crazy The stress of all those ht’ve finally made him crack

But he couldn’t think about that He needed to do so productive His hands needed to be busy

"Look," he said, "I should talk to Festus and get a dae report You mind… ?"

Frank helped him up "Who is Festus?"

"My friend," Leo said "His na Come on I’ll introduce you"

Fortunately the bronze dragon wasn’t daed Well, aside fro except his head--but Leo didn’t count that

When they reached the bow of the ship, the figurehead turned a hundred and eighty degrees to look at them Frank yelped and backed away

"It’s alive!" he said