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"I was born for hurt!"

WHOOM! A swell of salt water washed over the bow, dousing Coach Hedge The Argo II listed dangerously to starboard, then righted itself and rocked on the surface of the lake Machinery hued to nautical form

Three banks of robotic oars dipped into the water and beganthem forward

"Good job, Festus," Leo said "Take us toward the south shore"

"Yeah!" Coach Hedge pumped his fists in the air He was drenched frooat "Do it again!"

"Uh…maybe later," Leo said "Just stay above deck, okay? You can keep watch, in case--you know, the lake decides to attack us or soe pro the All clear bell and headed for the stairs Before he got there, a loud clump-clump-clump shook the hull A tan stallion appeared on deck with Hazel Levesque on his back

"How--?" Leo’s question died in his throat "We’re in thefly?"

The horse whinnied angrily

"Arion can’t fly," Hazel said "But he can run across just about anything Water, vertical surfaces, small mountains--none of that bothers hi at hi the feast in the foru in his face He was tempted to ask if they had met before, but he was sure they hadn’t He would re such close attention to hiirlfriend, he reminded himself

Frank was still below, but Leo aluy would co Leo made hie crept forith his baseball bat, eyeing the ic horse suspiciously "Valdez, does this count as an invasion?"

"No!" Leo said "Um, Hazel, you’d better come with me I built a stable belowdecks, if Arion wants to--"

"He’s more of a free spirit" Hazel slipped out of the saddle "He’ll graze around the lake until I call him But I want to see the ship Lead the way"

The Argo II was designed like an ancient trire The first deck had one central corridor with crew cabins on either side On a normal trireme, most of the space would’ve been taken up with three rows of benches for a few hundred sweaty guys to do the manual labor, but Leo’s oars were automated and retractable, so they took up very little rooine room on the second and lowest deck, which also housed sickbay, storage, and the stables

Leo led the way down the hall He’d built the ship with eight cabins--seven for the dee (Seriously--Chiron considered hie e, which here Leo headed

On the way, they passed Jason’s room The door was open Piper sat at the side of his berth, holding Jason’s hand while he snored with an ice pack on his head

Piper glanced at Leo She held a finger to her lips for quiet, but she didn’t look angry That was souilt, and they kept walking When they reached the mess hall, they found the others--Percy, Annabeth, and Frank--sitting dejectedly around the dining table

Leo had ured they’d be spending a lot of tiic cups and plates from Camp Half-Blood, which would fill up hatever food or drink you wanted on coical ice chest with canned drinks, perfect for picnics ashore The chairs were cushy recliners with thousand-finger e, built-in headphones, and sword and drink holders for all your de-back needs There were no s, but the walls were enchanted to show real-tie from Camp Half-Blood--the beach, the forest, the strawberry fields--although now Leo ondering if this made people hoingly at a sunset view of Half-Blood Hill, where the Golden Fleece glittered in the branches of the tall pine tree

"So we’ve landed," Percy said "What now?"

Frank plucked on his bowstring "Figure out the prophecy? I ht? From the Sibylline Books?"

"The what?" Leo asked

Frank explained how their harpy friend was freakishly good atbooks At some point in the past, she’d inhaled a collection of ancient prophecies that had supposedly been destroyed around the fall of Rouessed "You didn’t want the at the ie of Half-Blood Hill "Ella’s sensitive She was a captive e found her I just didn’t want…" He made a fist "It doesn’t e, told him to take Ella to Camp Half-Blood They’ll be safe there"

Leo doubted that any of thery Romans on top of the probleiants; but he kept quiet

Annabeth laced her fingers "Let ht noe have et this ship fixed Leo, what do we need?"

"The easiest thing is tar" Leo was glad to change the subject "We can get that in the city, at a roofing-supply store or so to Festus, we can find both of those on an island in the lake, just west of here"

"We’ll have to hurry," Hazel warned "If I know Octavian, he’s searching for us with his auguries The Romans will send a strike force after us It’s a matter of honor"

Leo felt everyone’s eyes on him "Guys…I don’t knohat happened Honestly, I--"

Annabeth raised her hand "We’ve been talking We agree it couldn’t have been you, Leo That cold feeling you ic, either Octavian or Gaea or one of her minions But until we understand what happened--"