Indigo Eyes

Chapter 23

The ship rode low in the water like a submarine, its deck plated with iron. In the middle was a trapezoid-shaped casemate with slats on each side for cannons. A flag waved from the top – a wild boar and spear on a blood-red field. Lining the deck were zombies in grey uniforms – dead soldiers with shimmering faces that only partially covered their skulls, like the ghouls I'd seen in the Underworld guarding Hades's palace. The ship was ironclad. A Civil War battle cruiser. I could just make out the name along the prow in moss-covered letters: CSS Birmingham. And standing next to the smoking cannon that had almost killed us, wearing full Greek battle armour, was Clarisse.

"Losers," she sneered. "But I suppose I have to rescue you. Come aboard."

"Tyson, can you -"

"Sure. I help Pretty Girl," he said as he quickly scooped her up and she groaned as she held her ribs, wishing the ambrosia worked faster as they began to climb onto the boat.

Annabeth had given her a few sips of nectar from a canteen she'd found in her bag once they were onboard, Cressida back on her feet as she hugged her ribs.

"What happened to you?" Clarisse asked.

"Hydra pushed me into a tree. Hard," she answered.

"You seem to have a thing for trees, Lynn" she smirked, and Cressida narrowed her eyes.

"You seem to have a thing for using me for my powers, La Rue," she returned.

"You guys are in so much trouble," she laughed after giving them a tour of the ship and escorting them to the captain's quarters where a table was set with white linen and China. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, potato chips and Dr Peppers were served by skeletal crewmen. "Tantalus expelled you for eternity," Clarisse told us smugly. "Mr D said if any of you show your face at camp again, he'll turn you into squirrels and run you over with his SUV."

"He may have said that to you," Cressida said, her mouth half-full with chips. "But my father would never banish me from my home. I could probably pull some strings for Books and Tyson."

Annabeth smirked at her as she took a chug from her Dr Pepper can and Percy glared at her and she smiled at him, her cheeks full like a chipmunk.

"Did they give you this ship?" Percy asked.

"Course not," Clarisse scoffed. "My father did."

"Ares?" Percy asked incredulously.

Clarisse sneered. "You think your daddy is the only one with sea power? The spirits on the losing side of every war owe a tribute to Ares. That's their curse for being defeated. I prayed to my father for a naval transport and here it is. These guys will do anything I tell them. Won't you, Captain?"

The captain stood behind her looking stiff and angry. His glowing green eyes fixed me with a hungry stare. "If it means an end to this infernal war, ma'am, peace at last, we'll do anything. Destroy anyone"

Clarisse smiled. "Destroy anyone. I like that."

"Watch it, La Rue," Cressida warned. "You wanna get to my friends, you gotta go through me first. And we both know how that's going to end," she said as her eyes flared with fire for dramatic effect.

"Clarisse," Annabeth said, "Luke might be after the Fleece, too. We saw him. He's got the coordinates and he's heading south. He has a cruise ship full of monsters –"

"Good! I'll blow him out of the water."

"You don't understand," Annabeth said. "We have to combine forces. Let us help you –"

"No!" Clarisse pounded the table. "This is my quest, smart girl! Finally, I get to be the hero, and you will not steal my chance."

"Where are your cabin mates?" Percy wondered. "You were allowed to take two friends with you, weren't you?"

"They didn't ... I let them stay behind. To protect the camp."

"Now I understand why you came to me," Cressida huffed with a satisfied smirk before she squashed her Dr Pepper can in her hand, thinking about how she would be handing it to Grover to snack on if he was here.

"You mean even the people in your own cabin wouldn't help you?" Percy said.

"Shut up, Prissy! I don't need them! Or you!" Clarisse snapped.

"Clarisse," Percy said, "Tantalus is using you. He doesn't care about the camp. He'd love to see it destroyed. He's setting you up to fail."

"No! I don't care what the Oracle –" She stopped herself.

"La Rue," Cressida asked softly, curiously. "What'd the Oracle tell you?"

"Nothing." Clarisse's ears turned pink. "All you need to know is that I'm finishing this quest and you're not helping. On the other hand, I can't let you go..."

"So, we're prisoners?" Annabeth asked.

"Guests. For now." Clarisse propped her feet up on the white linen tablecloth and opened another Dr Pepper. "Captain, take them below. Assign them hammocks on the berth deck. If they don't mind their manners, show them how we deal with enemy spies."

"I'd be careful if I were you," Cressida said as she stood. "I don't do well being held captive."