What The High Tides May Bring

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Two hours after Sciron mercilessly imprisons Percy and Beckendorf, destroys the Pax, and sets sail again, they arrive back at Messina.

Annabeth spent the entire time relaying the story of how she'd been kidnapped and how Percy had helped her escape Ares. Without mentioning any magic, gods, or monsters, she talked about how she had stayed aboard Percy's ship because he was the only captain she trusted after her kidnapping (so maybe she threw in a few white lies to cover up things she didn't want Luke to know). Then she described their journey and some of the places they'd been - Málaga, Sardinia, Naples, and a small village not far from Messina.

Luke seems to have a bad first impression of Percy that Annabeth can't quite pin down - Sciron must have told him some things - but he grudgingly agrees that the captain did help her and keep her safe.

"I'm just glad you're alright," he keeps repeating. "I was so worried that I would be bringing back a body."

Sciron crosses the deck and informs them that they're to leave his ship in Messina. "Our deal is done," he says, reaching out and shaking Luke's hand. Annabeth is immediately suspicious about what kind of deal they made, but she'll have to ask Luke about it later.

"What now?" Annabeth asks Luke. He gives her a strange look.

"We go back home, of course. There's a cargo ship in Messina that will take us back to England. Then we'll have all this dirty pirate business behind us."

Annabeth frowns at that, but she tries to keep Luke's perspective in her mind. He's a British officer who had no tolerance for pirates even before his fianceé was kidnapped by one. He must have hated working with Sciron and only did so because he thought it was his best chance to find her.

It isn't until Sciron docks at Messina that Annabeth realizes that this is really it. She's headed back to England forever. She's going to marry Luke and they're going to start their family. Her adventures are over.

She'll never see Percy again.

She grabs at Luke's arm. "Wait. I should say goodbye."

"To Sciron?"

"To Per- I mean, Captain Jackson." Probably better to use his formal name. She doesn't need Luke feeling suspicious than he already is. "I never really thanked him for rescuing me."

Luke doesn't look happy, but he doesn't fight her. "Okay. I'll talk to Sciron."

Annabeth tries not to look irritated as he approaches the pirate. It's already happening - she's already being treated like a lady again: unable to speak for herself to anyone except her husband. From now on, Luke is going to be doing nearly everything on her behalf.

Luke returns a minute later. "Sciron said you can have five minutes. Don't push it - he's really eager to be off again, and I don't trust him one bit."

Annabeth nods. One of Sciron's crew members leads her down to the bottom of the ship, where the brig is. Although they're walking fast and don't have much time to look around, Annabeth is shocked to see that the cargo hold is bursting full of treasure. Gold, priceless gems, pearls - you name it, it's there.

The bottom of the ship sloshes with a thin layer of water and it smells like rotting fish. She has to resist the urge to cover her mouth. The crew member hangs a lantern on a hook in the wall and then steps outside into the hallway.

"Five minutes," he reminds her before closing the door.

Annabeth crouches down to the cell. It's not even tall enough for a woman to stand up in, let alone two men. As her eyes adjust to the darkness, she sees the two figures sitting against the opposite wall.