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Percy stared into the fog He couldn’t see anything around thes at sea He knew their exact latitude and longitude He knew the depth of the ocean and which way the currents were flowing He knew the ship’s speed, and could sense no rocks, sandbars, or other natural dangers in their path Still, being blind was unsettling
They hadn’t been attacked since they had touched the water, but the sea seemed different Percy had been in the Atlantic, the Pacific, even the Gulf of Alaska, but this sea felt more ancient and powerful Percy could sense its layers swirling below him Every Greek or Roman hero had sailed these waters--from Hercules to Aeneas Monsters still dwelt in the depths, so deeply wrapped in the Mist that they slept , responding to the Celestial bronze hull of a Greek trireod blood
They are back, the monsters seemed to say Finally, fresh blood
"We’re not far from the Italian coast," Percy said, mostly to break the silence "Maybe a hundred nautical miles to the mouth of the Tiber"
"Good," Annabeth said "By daybreak, we should--"
"Stop" Percy’s skin felt washed with ice "We have to stop"
"Why?" Annabeth asked
"Leo, stop!" he yelled
Too late The other boat appeared out of the fog and raistered randoon’s head; hulking warriors, not quite human, crowded at the front of the boat in Greek armor, swords and spears ready; and a bronze rao II
Annabeth and Percy were al a dozen very surprised warriors screao II Grappling lines wrapped around the rails and theiron claws into the hull’s planks
By the time Percy had recovered his wits, the ene and the dark, but the invaders seemed to be huray snouts Others held their swords in stunted flippers Soether, while others had flippers for feet, which reminded Percy of clown shoes
Leo sounded the alarm bell He made a dash for the nearest ballista but went down under a pile of chattering dolphin warriors
Annabeth and Percy stood back-to-back, as they’d done many times before, their weapons drawn Percy tried to su he could push the ships apart or even capsize the ene was pushing against his will, wresting the sea froht, but they were hopelessly outnumbered Several dozen warriors lowered their spears anddistance of Percy’s sword The dolphin- noises Percy had never considered just how vicious dolphin teeth looked
He tried to think Maybe he could break out of the circle and destroy a few invaders, but not without the others skewering him and Annabeth
At least the warriors didn’t see them immediately They kept Percy and Annabeth contained while more of their comrades flooded belowdecks and secured the hull Percy could hear the with his friends Even if the other deods hadn’t been fast asleep, they wouldn’t have stood a chance against so ed across the deck, half-conscious and groaning, and du tapered off Either the others had been subdued or…or Percy refused to think about it
On one side of the ring of spears, the dolphin warriors parted to let soh He appeared to be fully human, but from the way the dolphins fell back before him, he was clearly the leader He was dressed in Greek coreaves, a breastplate decorated with elaborate sea old Even his sword, a Greek blade like Riptide, was gold instead of bronze
The golden boy, Percy thought, reolden boy
What really uy’s helon’s head--curved tusks, horrible features pinched into a snarl, and golden snake hair curling around the face Percy had ood for his taste
Annabeth turned so she was shoulder to shoulder with Percy He wanted to put his arm around her protectively, but he doubted she’d appreciate the gesture, and he didn’t want to give this golden guy any indication that Annabeth was his girlfriend No sense giving the enee than they already had
"Who are you?" Percy deolden warrior chuckled With a flick of his blade, faster than Percy could follow, he s into the sea
He s into the sea, because suddenly Percy couldn’t breathe He’d never been disarolden warrior’s voice was rich and velvety, with an exotic accent--Middle Eastern, uely familiar "Always happy to rob a fellow son of Poseidon I am Chrysaor, the Golden Sword As for what I want…" He turned his metalyou have"
Chapter 30
Percy’s heart did ju them like prized cattle A dozen of his dolphin- around them, spears leveled at Percy’s chest, while dozensaround belowdecks One carried a box of ambrosia up the stairs Another carried an armful of ballista bolts and a crate of Greek fire
"Careful with that!" Annabeth warned "It’ll blow up both our ships"
"Ha!" Chrysaor said "We know all about Greek fire, girl Don’t worry We’ve been looting and pillaging ships on the Mare Nostrum for eons"
"Your accent sounds familiar," Percy said "Have we olden gorgon h it was iht be underneath "But I’ve heard all about you, Percy Jackson Oh, yes, the young man who saved Olympus And his faithful sidekick, Annabeth Chase"
"I’rowled "And, Percy, his accent sounds familiar because he sounds like his mother We killed her in New Jersey"