Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"kneel before your queen"
ARIADNE WASN'T SURE HOW LONG SHE HAD ZONED OUT. It felt like forever, but it might've only been a few minutes or seconds. What brought her back was the stillness of the wind. It was odd, especially when out on open sea.
"We're not far from the Italian coast," Percy said, mostly to break the silence. "Maybe a hundred nautical miles to the south of the Tiber."
"Good," Annabeth said. "By daybreak, we should—"
"Stop." Percy looked pale.
"Why?" Ariadne asked her boyfriend.
"Leo, stop!" he yelled.
Too late. The other boat appeared out of the fog and rammed them head-on. In that split second, Percy registered random details: another trireme; black sails painted with a gorgon's head; hulking warriors, not quite human, crowded at the front of the boat in Greek armor, swords and spears ready; and a bronze ram at water level, slamming against the hull of the Argo II. Annabeth and Percy were almost thrown overboard, except for Ariadne pulling them back with force.
Festus blew fire, sending a dozen very surprised warriors screaming and diving into the sea, but more swarmed aboard the Argo II. Grappling lines wrapped around the rails and the mast, digging iron claws into the hull's planks.
By the time Ariadne recovered her wits, the enemy was everywhere. She couldn't see well through the fog, but the invaders seemed to be human like dolphin, or dolphin like humans. Some had gray snouts. Others held their swords in stunted flippers. Some waddled on legs partially fused together, while others had flippers for feet.
Leo sounded the alarm bell. He made a dash for the nearest ballista but went down under a pile of chattering dolphin warriors.
Ariadne, Annabeth, and Percy stood back-to-back, as they'd done many times before, their weapons drawn. Percy tried to summon the waves, hoping he could push the ships apart or even capsize the enemy vessel, but nothing happened.
She raised her sword, ready to fight, but they were hopelessly outnumbered. Several dozen warriors lowered their Spears and made a ring around them, wisely keeping out of striking distance of their sword's. The dolphin-men opened their snouts and whistling, popping noises.
At least the warriors didn't seem interested in killing them immediately. They kept the three contained whole more of their comrades flooded belowdecks and secured the hull. She could hear them breaking down the cabin doors, scuffling with his friends. Even if the other demigods hadn't been fast asleep, they wouldn't have stood a chance against so many.
Leo was dragged across the deck, half-conscious and groaning, and dumped on a pile of ropes. Below, the sounds of fighting tapered off. Either the others had been subdued or...
