Buried Treasure

Chapter Fourteen

"So why are you we doing this again captain?" Leo asked molding his candle wax into ear plugs. The entire crew besides Annabeth who was at the wheel was molding ear plugs.

"Like I've said already first mate Valdez, the sirens voices attract men by making them see their truest desires. When you hear their voices you will be over come with an urge to reach your truest desired which the sirens control. Their only goal is to drown you. Many men die in the Sirens Den, Mr. Valdez and I can't loose my crew to them. The candle wax will protect you from their voices. Under no circumstances do you remove your ear plugs." She ordered to the entire crew.

"Aye aye captain!" They responded back. Percy sat on the steps attempting to mold his ear plugs to fit properly. "And why can we not go around the sirens den captain?" A man asked, who was rigging a sail.

"There is no going around the sirens den. You must go through it. Be prepared men. I will not be affected by their song. They only prey on men." Annabeths gray eyes were locked on the gray mass of rocks that was in our path. The mass split in two allowing entrance for a doomed ship. The rest was unable to be seen from here.

Jason sits with Percy assisting him. "Nervous?" He asked molding the candle wax correctly. Casting a glance at Annabeth, Percy noted the chain around her neck from the locket he had given her. "No. Just annoyed with the candle wax." The chatting died down as they fell into the shadow of the rocks. The entrance a few feet away. Annabeth called out an order.

"Men to your stations now! Ear plugs in tightly until I give the signal. Do it now!" The men obeyed and ear plugs were put in. The Argo ll disappears into the rocks of the sirens den. It was eerily quite as Annabeth steered the ship. The men were all waiting by around the mast hearing nothing. Percy looked around. There was barely enough light as remains of ships littered the rocks surrounding them. Skeleton remains dotted the rocks and ships. Pirates who hadn't survived. The men raised their hands in a salute to their fallen brothers.

Annabeth first heard the voice to the right of her. To her ear it was a high pitched screech to upon studying she knew, to a man's ear it was like angels singing. It would be the sweetest sound men would ever hear. When she looked around she didn't see anything. Only when they water rippled did she. Upon a rock ledge half submerged in water laid a shape. It looked like a thin girl made of skeletal bones covered in water with glowing white eyes. They were simple but beautiful. Until the fangs and claws came out. If Annabeth blinked they would flicker in and out of focus. They were disguising their true forms.

Looking around a few more peeked out of the sea and from behind ship wreckage. The screeching continued but the men seemed unfazed. The sirens quickly took notice and Annabeth felt the sea stir. The waters turned rough under her feet and Annabeth struggled to keep hold on the wheel. It became bumpy and violent until they hit a rock, slicing half of the ship. The water was going faster, under the sirens control. She could hear the sound of a distant waterfall.

Before she could do anything the ship hitched to one side and she was thrown against the deck. The men not expecting it were thrown off their feet. Ear plugs popped out and were scattered on across the desk. Annabeth got up but it was too late. The men had heard the sirens song and their eyes dropped to a sleepy glazed over state. "No!" She calls and the ship was rocked again. The sirens singing filled the air over the sounds of rushing water.

The crew including Percy heard the voices and were filled with images of their truest desires. Percy saw her blonde hair first. It was loose down her back. Then those beautiful gray eyes of hers. Annabeth was sitting on the edge of ship smiling a breath taking smile at him. "Come on seaweed brain." She holds her hand out to him.

Quickly thinking when she saw the men going toward the edge she grabbed a rope and went flying. In a three second set up Annabeth swung off the top deck and onto the main deck. In one pull all the men were pulled back against the mast and tied tightly. The sirens screech once the men were out of their grasps. Annabeth did a quick head count. One was missing. Percy.

The ship hitched, jerked, and turned backwards as the water ran faster. Annabeth could see the water fall now. It was approaching too quickly. She had to get to the wheel and stop the ship. The crew was clawing at the ropes as the sirens sing. Where was Percy? Did he go overboard? Annabeth bolted toward the wheel at the moment the ship tipped over the water fall.

The men, luckily tied to the mast, remained in their place, as for Annabeth she was flung to the back of the ship away from wheel. She felt her body collide with another. Groaning she looked up to see Percy holding her. He must have been thrown too. His gaze was dreamlike as the sirens continued to sing. Before she could say anything, Percy's lips were on hers.

They were soft, warm, and tasted of the sea. They were lips a girl could get lost in forever as they moved over her own. Percy's eyes had dropped closed as he melted into the kiss. Cutting the kiss off was annabeths fist. It collided with his jaw and he stumbled back in a daze.

Finally, Annabeth had gotten to the wheel. The waterfall was past them but now they were coming fast up to a dead end with the sirens singing. She had to make a quick decision. On a long shot she yanked the wheel 90 degrees and the ship obeyed running through the sirens shattering them back to water. She gripped the wheel as the ship burst through the opening she found.

The ship was airborne as it shot out of the sirens den and hit the water. Sails and riggings collapsed onto the desk, bent and out of shape. The crew were groaning still bound against the mast. Percy was laying on the deck rubbing his aching jaw groaning. The sun warmed the deck as Annabeth untied the crew letting them fall forward. Everyone looked at Annabeth and Percy walked over slowly. "What happened?"