σɾɳιƚԋαʂ (ρʝσ x ɱαʅҽ σƈ)

I Board the Princess Andromeda

Theo just shrugged with a smirk on his face.

Percy: Tyson can go if he wants to.

Tyson: (claps his hands) Want to!

Annabeth gave me the evil eye, but I guess she could tell I wasn't going to change my mind. Or maybe she just knew we didn't have time to argue.

Annabeth: Alright. How do we get to that ship?

Percy: Hermes said my father would help.

Theo: Well, you might want to hurry up and ask him, Jackson. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be harpy food tonight.

I'd always had a hard time calling on my father, or praying, or whatever you want to call it, but I stepped into the waves.

Percy: Um, Dad? How's it going?

Annabeth: Percy! We're in a hurry!

Percy: We need your help. We need to get to that ship, like, before we get eaten and stuff, so...

At first, nothing happened. Waves crashed against the shore like normal. The harpies sounded like they were right behind the sand dunes. Then, about a hundred yards out to sea, four white lines appeared on the surface. They moved fast toward the shore, like claws ripping through the ocean.

As they neared the beach, the surf burst apart and the heads of four white stallions reared out of the waves.

Tyson: Fish ponies!

He was right. As the creatures pulled themselves onto the sand, I saw that they were only horses in the front; their back halves were silvery fish bodies, with glistening scales and rainbow tail fins.

Annabeth: Hippocampi! They're beautiful.

The nearest one whinnied in appreciation and nuzzled Annabeth.

Percy: We'll admire them later. Come on.

Then we heard the harpies:

Harpies: There! Bad children out of cabins! Snack time for lucky harpies!

Five of them were fluttering over the top of the dunes-plump little hags with pinched faces and talons and feathery wings too small for their bodies. They reminded me of miniature cafeteria ladies who'd been crossbred with dodo birds. They weren't very fast, thank the gods, but they were vicious if they caught you.

Percy: Tyson! Grab a duffel bag!

He was still staring at the hippocampi with his mouth hanging open.

Percy: TYSON!

Tyson: Huh?

Percy: Come on!

With Theo's help, I got him moving. We gathered the bags and mounted our steeds. Poseidon must've known Tyson was one of the passengers because one hippocampus was much larger than the other two—just right for carrying a Cyclops.

Percy: Giddyup!

My hippocampus turned and plunged into the waves. Annabeth's, Theo's, and Tyson's followed right behind.

The harpies cursed at us, wailing for their snacks to come back, but the hippocampi raced over the water at the speed of Jet Skis. The harpies fell behind, and soon the shore of Camp Half-Blood was nothing but a dark smudge. I wondered if I'd ever see the place again. But right then I had other problems.

The cruise ship was now looming in front of us—our ride toward Florida and the Sea of Monsters.

Riding the hippocampus was even easier than riding a Pegasus. We zipped along with the wind in our faces, speeding through the waves so smooth and steady I hardly needed to hold on at all.