CHAPTER ELEVEN:
MY DREAM ISLAND
Percy woke up about an hour later.
He tried to sit up but immediately paused.
"Rest," Annabeth said. "You're going to need it."
"Tyson...?"
I let my eyes sink into the sea, trying to drown my feelings.
"Percy, I'm really sorry."
We were all silent while the waves tossed us up and down.
"He may have survived," she said halfheartedly. "I mean, fire can't kill him."
Aella was staring at me. I knew she wanted to say something, but she didn't.
Estella sat at the front of the boat, her legs curled to her chest as she stared out into the sea. I knew she was thinking of Clarisse.
We hadn't been able to find her after the explosion. Between trying to avoid Scylla and the fire, it was kinda hard. We had searched as best as we could, but we found nothing.
I knew Percy probably didn't care. He never liked Clarisse, she wasn't my favorite either but, she was Estella's sister, I get it if she's sad.
Waves lapped at the boat. Annabeth showed Percy some things we'd salvaged from the wreckage—Hermes's thermos (now empty), a Ziploc bag full of ambrosia, a couple of sailors' shirts, and a bottle of Dr Pepper.
We had fished him out of the water and then found good knapsack, bitten in half by Scylla's teeth. Most of his stuff had floated away, but he still had Hermes's bottle of multivitamins, and of course Riptide. The ballpoint pen always appeared back in his pocket no matter where he lost it.
We sailed for hours. Now that we were in the Sea of Monsters, the water glittered a more brilliant green, like Hydra acid. The wind smelled fresh and salty, but it carried a strange metallic scent, too—as if a thunderstorm were coming. Or something even more dangerous. I knew what direction we needed to go. I knew we were exactly one hundred thirteen nautical miles west by northwest of our destination. But that didn't make me feel any less lost.
No matter which way we turned, the sun seemed to shine straight into my eyes. We took turns sipping from the Dr Pepper, Aella didn't want any because she said drinking anything would personally make her through up.
Percy talked about his latest dream of Grover. By Annabeth's estimate, we had less than twenty-four hours to find Grover, assuming his dream was accurate, and assuming the Cyclops Polyphemus didn't change his mind and try to marry Grover earlier.
"Yeah," he said bitterly. "You can never trust a Cyclops."
Annabeth stared across the water. "I'm sorry, Percy. I was wrong about Tyson, okay? I wish I could tell him that."
I knew she meant it just by the look on her face.
"Annabeth, what's Chiron's prophecy?"
Everyone turned towards the two. (Even Estella)
She pursed her lips. "Percy, I shouldn't—"
"I know Chiron promised the gods he wouldn't tell me. But you didn't promise, did you?"
"Knowledge isn't always good for you."
"Your mom is the wisdom goddess!"
"I know! But every time heroes learn the future, they try to change it, and it never works."
"The gods are worried about something I'll do when I get older," he guessed. "Something when I turn sixteen."
I looked over at Aella. She was looking at me until I looked over at her, then she looked away.
Annabeth twisted her Yankees cap in her hands. "Percy, I don't know the full prophecy, but it warns about a half-blood child of the Big Three-the next one who lives to the age of sixteen. That's the real reason Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades swore a pact after World War II not to have any more kids. The next child of the Big Three who reaches sixteen will be a dangerous weapon."
"Why?" Percy and I asked at the same time.
"Because that hero will decide the fate of Olympus. He or she"— she loooked over at me—"will make a decision that either saves the Age of the Gods, or destroys it."
I looked back into the sea. I don't mean to sound mean, but I hope it's Percy, I don't think I'd be able to make a decision like that.
"That's why Kronos didn't kill me last summer" Percy said.
She nodded. "You could be very useful to him. If he can get you on his side, the gods will be in serious trouble."
"But if it's me in the prophecy—"
"We'll only know that if you survive three more years. That can be a long time for a half-blood. When Chiron first learned about Thalia, he assumed she was the one in the prophecy. That's why he was so desperate to get her safely to camp. Then she went down fighting and got turned into a pine tree and none of us knew what to think. Until you came along."
On our port side, a spiky green dorsal fin about fifteen feet long curled out of the water and disappeared.
"This kid in the prophecy...he or she"—he looked over at me—"couldn't be like, a Cyclops?" Percy asked. "The Big Three have lots of monster children."
Annabeth shook her head. "The Oracle said 'half-blood.' That always means half-human, half-god. There's really nobody alive who it could be, except one of you."
I let out a groan, allowing my head to fall. I'm really hating this half-blood stuff.
"Then why do the gods even let us live? It would be safer to kill us."
"You're right."
"Thanks a lot."
"Percy, I don't know. I guess some of the gods would like to kill you, but they're probably afraid of offending Poseidon. Other gods...maybe they're still watching you, trying to decide what kind of hero you're going be. You could be a weapon for their survival, after all. The real question is what will you do in three years? What decision will you make?"
"Did the prophecy give any hints?"
Annabeth hesitated.
Maybe she would've told us more, but just then a seagull swooped down out of nowhere and landed on our makeshift mast. Annabeth looked startled as the bird dropped a small cluster of leaves into her lap.
"Land." she said. "There's land nearby!"
Half of us sat up. Sure enough, there was a line of blue and brown in the distance. Another minute and I could make out an island with a small mountain in the center, a dazzling white collection of buildings, a beach dotted with palm trees, and a harbor filled with a strange assortment of boats. The current was pulling our rowboat toward what looked like a tropical paradise.
A weird feeling of Deja Vu washed over me as I examined the island. For some reason I felt like I had been there before.
"Welcome!" said the lady with the clipboard.
She looked like a flight attendant-blue business suit, perfect makeup, hair pulled back in a ponytail. She shook our hands as we stepped onto the dock. With the dazzling smile she gave us, you would've thought we'd just gotten off the Princess Andromeda rather than a banged-up rowboat.
Then again, our rowboat wasn't the weirdest ship in port. Along with a bunch of pleasure yachts, there was a U.S. Navy submarine, several dugout canoes, and an old-fashioned three-masted sailing ship. There was a helipad with a "Channel Five Fort Lauderdale" helicopter on it, and a short runway with a Learjet and a propeller plane that looked like a World War II fighter. Maybe they were replicas for tourists to look at or something.
"Is this your first time with us?" the clipboard lady inquired.
Annabeth and I exchanged looks. Annabeth said, "Umm..."
"First-time-at-spa," the lady said as she wrote on her clipboard. "Let's see..."
She looked us up and down critically. "Mmm. An herbal wrap to start for the young ladies. And of course, a complete makeover for the young gentleman."
"A what?" Percy asked while I snorted.
She was too busy jotting down notes to answer.
"Right!" She said with a breezy smile. "Well, I'm sure C.C. will want to speak with you personally before the luau. Come, please."
Now here's the thing. We were all used to traps, and usually those traps looked good at first. So I expected the clipboard lady to turn into a snake or a demon, or something, any minute. But on the other hand, we'd been floating in a rowboat for most of the day. I was hot, tired, and hungry, and when this lady mentioned a luau, my stomach sat up on its hind legs and begged like a dog.
"I guess it couldn't hurt," Annabeth muttered. Of course it could, but we followed the lady anyway.
I could tell that Aella and Estella were still suspicious, and to be honest, I was too.
I kept fiddling with my ring, prepared to form my sword at any second.
The place was amazing. There was white marble and blue water everywhere I looked. Terraces climbed up the side of the mountain, with swimming pools on every level, connected by watersides and waterfalls and underwater tubes you could swim through. Fountains sprayed water into the air, forming impossible shapes, like flying eagles and galloping horses.
Tyson loved horses, and I knew he'd love those fountains. I almost turned around to see the expression on his face before I remembered: Tyson was gone.
"You okay?" Annabeth asked Percy. "You look pale."
"I'm okay," he lied. "Just...let's keep walking."
I knew he was lying, I always knew when he lied.
We passed all kinds of tame animals. A sea turtle napped in a stack of beach towels. A leopard stretched out asleep on the diving board. The resort guests—only young women, as far as I could see—lounged in deck chairs, drinking fruit smoothies or reading magazines while herbal gunk dried on their faces and manicurists in white uniforms did their nails.
As we headed up a staircase toward what looked like the main building, I heard a woman singing.
Her voice drifted through the air like a lullaby. Her words were in some language other than Ancient Greek, but just as old—Minoan, maybe, or something like that. I could understand what she sang about—moonlight in the olive groves, the colors of the sunrise. And magic. Something about magic. Her voice seemed to lift me off the steps and carry me toward her.
We came into a big room where the whole front wall was windows. The back wall was covered in mirrors, so the room seemed to go on forever.
There was a bunch of expensive-looking white furniture, and on a table in one corner was a large wire pet cage. The cage seemed out of place, but I didn't think about it too much, because just then I saw the lady who'd been singing and she was beautiful.
She sat at a loom the size of a big sereen TV, her hands weaving colored thread back and forth with amazing skill. The tapestry shimmered like it was three dimensional—a waterfall scene so real I could see the water moving and clouds drifting across a fabric sky.
Annabeth caught her breath. "It's beautiful."
The woman turned. She was even prettier than her fabric. Her long dark hair was braided with threads of gold. She had piercing green eyes and she wore a silky black dress with shapes that seemed to move in the fabric: animal shadows, black upon black, like deer running through a forest at night.
"You appreciate weaving, my dear?" the woman asked.
"Oh, yes, ma' am!" Annabeth said. "My mother is-" She stopped herself. You couldn't just go around announcing that your mom was Athena, the goddess who invented the loom. Most people would lock you in a rubber room.
Our hostess just smiled. "You have good taste, my dear. I'm so glad you've come. My name is C.C."
I noticed Aella and Estella share a glance.
They had never been friends so the fact that they even looked at each other pulled at my nerves.
The animals in the corner cage started squealing. They must've been guinea pigs, from the sound of them.
We introduced ourselves to C.C. She looked Percy over with a twinge of disapproval, as if he had failed some kind of test. Immediately, I felt annoyed.
Only I can look at him like that.
"Oh, dear," she sighed. "You do need my help."
"Ma'am?" percy asked.
I furrowed my eyebrows looking between the two. There was something off about her that I just couldn't pin-point. It was like a random smell in the wind and didn't know where it came from.
C.C. called to the lady in the business suit. "Hylla, take the girls on a tour, will you? Show them what we have available. The clothing will need to change. And the hair, my goodness. We will do a full image consultation after I've spoken with this young gentleman."
I get that we probably look bad, I mean we were almost blown up.
"But..." Annabeth's voice sounded hurt. "What's wrong with my hair?"
Aella snickered. I knew she was about to say something but she stopped when she noticed my glare.
C.C. smiled benevolently. "My dear, you are lovely. Really! But you're not showing off yourself or your talents at all. So much wasted potential!"
"Wasted?"
"Well, surely you're not happy the way you are! My goodness, there's not a single person who is But don't worry. We can improve anyone here at the spa. Hylla will show you what I mean. You, my dear, need to unlock your true self!"
Annabeth's eyes glowed with longing. I'd never seen her so much at a loss for words. "But...what about Percy?"
I looked back over at Percy curiously.
"Oh, definitely," C.C. said, giving him a sad look. "Percy requires my personal attention. He needs much more work than you."
I would've laughed if I wasn't so suspicious.
The guinea pigs squealed like they were hungry.
"Well..." Annabeth said. "I suppose"
"Right this way, ladies" Hylla said.
The other girls followed after her. I took a minute to stare at Percy, waiting for him to say something like 'don't goz' or 'stay' but instead he said "it's okay, you can go"
I hesitantly followed after the girls.
"The bathrooms are down there, in case you gotta go" Hylla pointed down a hall.
"Where exactly are we going" Estella asked falling in line beside the girl.
"This place is like a maze" Aella said examining the walls. "A beautiful maze" she then sighed looking over at me "I hate mazes"
"Here" hylla said opening a door to reveal a large white room with large widows.
"It's very golden" Aella mumbled looking around at the golden curtains, coach, and appliances.
"It's beautiful" Annabeth said as we entered the room.
"It's something" Estella added to the train.
"What exactly are we doing here" I asked looking around the room.
"Makeovers" Hylla said as a few more girls walked into the room.
I looked over at Estella who stared at the girls with the same look I had. "Have you seen—"
"—Any boys? No" she finished off "that's weird right?"
I nodded.
"You two first" Hylla pointed at Annabeth and Estella.
Estella widened her eyes and stepped back "absolutely not, alright, I'm good" Hylla grabbed her hand and Estella seemed to tense even more "come on, it'll only be a minute" Hylla said dragging her towards the chair.
"This doesn't feel right" Aella said walking up beside me.
I nodded.
I felt a weird itch travel across my skin. Like there was something crawling on me, but I checked an there was nothing.
My mind wandered to Percy, I remembered when he got stung by the scorpion and I felt his sickness. It started to make my mind wander to the possible things that could be happening to him. Like maybe the woman was making her hungry Guinea pigs eat him or—
"You're thinking about Percy, aren't you?"
My thoughts stopped and I turned to Aella "how'd you know"
"You had your 'worrying about Percy look' on" she smiled sitting down on the coach.
I sat next to her "my what?"
"You heard me"
"I don't have a worrying about Percy look, I have an 'I have a stupid brother' look" I said sinking into the couch as Aella laughed.
"He is pretty stupid" Aella agreed.
We both turned our heads towards the door as another girl came running in.
She looked about our age, maybe 5 feet tall, dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and dark olive colored skin.
"Reyna, what are you doing" Hylla asked watching as the younger girl, now known as Reyna, sat down on the couch across from me and Aella.
"I finished my duties, and now I'm bored" she crossed her legs and turned to us "I'm Reyna, Hylla is—"
"—Your sister, I can tell" I said.
Seriously though, they looked almost like twins. And that's coming from a twin.
"I'm Reyna" she held out her hand.
I glanced over at Aella who hesitantly shook her hand "Aella" she then looked at me "and that's river"
Reyna leaned closer "who are they" she whispered pointing at Estella and Annabeth.
"Oh that's Estella" Aella Said pointing at Estella who seemed to be enjoying her conversation with Hylla "and that's Anniebell" she pointed to Annabeth.
I looked over at Aella with a confused look, but didn't say anything.
"Our friend Percy is in the other room" Aella added. I didn't fail to notice Reyna's face slightly drop.
"He's my brother" I corrected.
She looked over at me, maybe a little sad.
I began to get nervous again. I didn't like being separated, and the way she was looking at me made my nerves crawl.
I really hoped he was okay.
"Stop worrying" Aella Said placing a hand on my knee.
I looked up at her, ignoring the butterflies in my stomach "I can't help it, he's my brother, and I love him. I don't care if he's older, it's still my job to make sure he's safe"
Reyna seemed to space out a little "maybe you should go check on him" she blurted. "Won't hurt right" she glanced up at Hylla as if to make sure she wasn't listening.
Aella took a moment but nodded "I mean, she's not wrong"
I looked between the two "alright. I'll be quick" I was out of the room within a blink of an eye.
I had been looking for an exit for the past 5 minutes.
I followed the path we took there till I found the door we came from "Percy" I called as I walked through the door.
The moment I entered the crazy lady spun towards me trying to hide her guilty mojo.
"Miss..." my voice trailed off "lady?"
She cursed in Ancient Greek then She shoved one of her Guinea pigs into the cage and closed the door.
It squealed and clawed at the bars, as if it would die if it stayed in there.
I looked around the room and frowned. "Where's Percy?"
One of the Guinea pigs began squealing up a storm, I mean it was so loud I almost covered my ears.
I looked over at the cage, locking eyes with the weirdly familiar green eyes of the Guinea pig the lady had just put in the cage.
"He's having one of our treatments, my dear. Not to worry. What did you think of the tour" She stepped in my line of veiw.
I slightly squinted. "I didn't really pay attention"
"What a shame" C.C. said, "i have a feeling you would have loved the pools" she said as if she knew something I didn't.
I scoffed "I doubt it"
"Really?" C.C. said. "I thought someone like you would. I mean you, my dear, have the makings of a sorceress. Like me."
I paused talking a step back. "A sorceress?"
"Yes, my dear." She held up her hand. A flame appeared in her palm and danced across her fingertips. "My mother is Hecate, the goddess of magic. I know a daughter of Poseidon when I see one. We are not so different, you and I. We both seek knowledge. We both admire greatness. Neither of us needs to stand in the shadow of men."
"I'm so confused."
Again, the Guinea pig squeaked, I let out a loud groan placing a hand on my ear.
"Stay with me," the lady told me. "Study with me. You can join our staff, become a sorceress, learn to bend others to your will. You will become immortal!"
"Uhh—"
"You are too intelligent, my dear," She said, which was completely wrong. "You know better than to trust that silly camp for heroes. How many great female half-blood heroes can you name?"
"I don't know?"
"Bah! Men get all the glory." She closed her fist and extinguished the magic flame. "The only way to power for women is sorcery. Medea, Calypso, now there were powerful women! And me, of course. The greatest of all."
"I have no idea who you are?"
"I am Circe darling" she stepped towards me, but stepped back. Circe laughed. "You need not worry. I mean you no harm."
My body froze. We left Percy with her, and Percy was no longer with her.
"What have you done to Percy?"
"Only helped him realize his true form."
The Guinea pig squeaked again and this time I didn't flinch from the loud noise. Instead I froze, my eyes traveling pack towards the Guinea pig and it's sea-green eyes "oh gods" I gasped.
"Forget him," Circe said. "Join me and learn the ways of sorcery."
"I—"
"Your friend will be well cared for. He'll be shipped to a wonderful new home on the mainland. The kindergartners will adore him. Meanwhile, you will be wise and powerful. You will have all you ever wanted."
I couldn't stop staring at it, my eyes so wide I thought they would fall out.
It squealed and scratched, as if trying to warn tell me something.
I finally looked away and my eyes fell onto Percy's bag, which was shoved under the couch. I had an idea "Let me think about it," Annabeth murmured. "Just... give me a minute alone. To say good-bye."
"Of course, my dear," Circe cooed. "One minute. Oh...and so you have absolute privacy." She waved her hand and iron bars slammed down over the windows. She swept out of the room and I heard the locks on the door click shut behind her.
I didn't hesitate and rushed over to the cage. "All right, which one are you?"
The green eyed one squealed, but so did all the other guinea pigs. I was almost 100% sure that one was him, but almost wasn't enough. I looked desperate.
I rushed over and dug through his backpack, the moment I found the bottle of Hermes multivitamins, I grabbed it and started struggling with the cap.
I wanted to scream at the jar for not opening, but instead of struggling I formed a knife and used it to pop the top off.
I popped one of them into my mouth just as the door flew open and Circe came back in, flanked by two of her business-suited attendants.
"Shit" I cursed.
"Well," Circe sighed, "how fast a minute passes. What is your answer, my dear?"
"This," I said, and grew my knife into a sword.
The lady stepped back, but her surprise quickly passed. She sneered. "Really, little girl, a knife against my magic? Is that wise?"
I was praying to all the gods that my plan would work.
Circe looked back at her attendants, who smiled. They raised their hands as if preparing to cast a spell.
I felt the ground beneath my feet rumble and hoped Aella was able to feel it and know I needed her help.
The guinea pigs started squealing in terror, I wanted to yell at them to shut up because they were bugging me but I was really focusing on not collapsing the roof onto of us.
"What will River's makeover be?" Circe mused. "Something small and ill-tempered. I know...a shrew!"
Blue fire coiled from her fingers curling like serpents around me.
I had the urge to panic and hide, too, but I that didn't seem like the right idea, instead I leaped forward and edge of my sword against Circe's neck.
"How about turning me into a shark instead? One that has her teeth inches from your throat!"
"How!" Circe yelped.
I held up the bottle of vitamins for the sorceress to see.
Circe howled in frustration. "Curse Hermes and his multivitamins! Those are such a fad! They do nothing for you."
"Turn Percy back to a human or else!" I said.
"I can't!"
I slightly nodded "Then you asked for it."
Circe's attendants stepped forward, but their mistress said, "Get back! She's immune to magic until that cursed vitamin wears off."
I dragged Circe over to the guinea pig cage, knocked the top off, and poured the rest of the vitamins inside.
"No!" Circe screamed.
Suddenly the Guinea pigs began to turn into people and they grew and grew until the cage popped. Percy was the first one out and was sitting on the floor, a human again—thankfully back in his regular clothes—with six other guys who all looked disoriented, blinking and shaking wood shavings out of their hair.
"No!" Circe screamed. "You don't understand! Those are the worst!"
"Listen lady!" I dug my sword into her skin drawing a little blood "I hate boys too, but you don't see me turning them into rodents"
One of the men stood up—a huge guy with a long tangled pitch-black beard and teeth the same color. He wore mismatched clothes of wool and leather, knee-length boots, and a floppy felt hat. The other men were dressed more simply—in breeches and stained white shirts. All of them were barefoot.
I probably would have been terrified if I wasn't holding my sword. Or in the same room as the 13 year old boy who kicked a gods ass.
"Argggh!" bellowed the big man. "What's the witch done t'me!"
"No!" Circe moaned.
Just then the door swung open and Aella came running in, Estella and Annabeth hot on her tail.
They took a second to examine the room before Estella gasped. "I recognize you! Edward Teach, son of Ares?"
"Aye, lass," the big man growled. "Though most call me Blackbeard! And there's the sorceress what captured us, lads. Run her through, and then I mean to find me a big bowl of celery! Arggggh!"
Circe screamed and I let her go throwing my hands in the air and stepping back. She and her attendants ran from the room, chased by the pirates.
The other three girls turned to us.
"Thanks..." Percy said awkwardly "I'm really sorry—"
Before he apologize for being a major idiot, I tackled him with a hug, then pulled away just as quickly. "I'm glad you're not a guinea pig." Then I punched him in the gut "but I'm still pissed"
"Me, too." He said. I knew he meant he was glad not the be a Guinea pig.
"Come on, fish sticks" Aella said. "We have to get away while Circe's distracted."
We ran down the hillside through the terraces, past screaming spa workers and pirates ransacking the resort. Blackbeard's men broke the tiki torches for the luau, threw herbal wraps into the swimming pool, and kicked over tables of sauna towels.
I almost felt bad letting the unruly pirates out, but I guessed they deserved something more entertaining than the exercise wheel after being cooped up in a cage for three centuries.
"Which ship?" Annabeth said as we reached the docks.
We looked around desperately. We couldn't very well take our rowboat. We had to get off the island fast, but what else could we use? A sub? A fighter jet? I couldn't pilot any of those things. And then I saw it.
"There." I said.
Annabeth blinked. "But-"
"Absolutely—I can make it work." Percy said
"How?"
He grabbed Annabeth's hand and pulled her toward the three-mast ship. Painted on its prow was the name that I would only decipher later: Queen Anne's Revenge.
Aella and I shared a knowing look before following
"Argggh!" Blackbeard yelled somewhere behind us. "Those scalawags are a-boarding me vessel! Get 'em, lads!"
"We'll never get going in time!" Annabeth yelled as we climbed aboard.
I looked around at the hopeless maze of sail and ropes. The ship was in great condition for a three-hundred-year-old vessel, but it would still take a crew of fifty several hours to get underway.
We didn't have several hours. I could see the pirates running down the stairs, waving tiki torches and sticks of celery.
Aella swung her hand out as a large gust of wind nocked half of them down, then I swung my hand out and threw it the pullers collapsed in the way.
Aella and I shared a high-five.
"Mizzenmast!" Percy yelled out of nowhere.
We all looked at him like he was nuts, but in the next second, the air was filled with whistling sounds of ropes being snapped taut, canvases unfurling, and wooden pulleys creaking.
Annabeth ducked as a cable flew over her head and wrapped itself around the bowsprit. "Percy, how?"
He didn't answer, just shrugged.
The Queen Anne's Revenge lurched away from the dock, and by the time the pirates arrived at the water's edge, we were already underway, sailing into the Sea of Monsters.
AUTHOR TALKS!!
Next chapter is the sirens chapter. I'm so excited!!
PJO S2 CONFIRMED!! YEA!!!!