The Sea // pjo

Chapter Twelve // Resort What The Heck and I Become a Pirate (Also, I Hate Spas)

    I woke up on the shores of some island.

    The sun blinded me, and I thought, Apollo...please chill out...

    My body was achy, and I was so thirsty.

    It wasn't until I sat up that I realized I didn't dream and I didn't have a sleep paralysis episode.

    I was happy about those two things, but what I was not happy about was the fact that I had no idea where I was or where—

    OH, MY GODS.

    PERCY.

    ANNABETH.

    TYSON.

    CLARISSE.

    I could barely move as I struggled to my feet, only to come face to face with an unsuspecting girl around my age.

    She was dressed in a white Greek chiton and gold lace-up sandals and was holding a basket of folded towels.

    The weird thing was...I had seen her before.

    Last year when Percy and I fought Ares at Santa Monica. When the stupid ocean wouldn't let me help fight. I had seen her in the water.

    I thought it had been an illusion or something, but now that I was staring at her and she was staring at me, my stomach flipped.

    WHAT. WAS. HAPPENING.

    "You..." The girl breathed. "I know you."

    "And I know you," I agreed.

    "But–"

    "From–"

    "Where?" We finished off in unison.

    Neither of us answered one another.

    She still had her obsidian eyes, arched nose, and strong jaw, but of course just a little older like me.

    "I'm sorry," I cleared my throat. "Where am I?"

    When I asked that, the girl seemed to jerk to life, and she flashed a workplace smile, "Oh, this is one of the beaches of CC's Spa and Resort! I'm Reyna! Is this your first time here?"

    I blinked, "Uh—"

    "I'll take that as a yes," Reyna smiled. She grabbed my hand with her free one. "Come along, let's get you back so my sister can register you for the spa before the luau!"

    I wasn't sure what to say as she dragged me through the sand, passing a bunch of model-like girls in bathing suits, just sunbathing.

    Once my feet hit the solid ground that didn shift around every time I walked, my jaw dropped.

    White marble and blue water filled my vision everywhere I looked. Some terraces climbed up the side of the mountain and swimming pools at every level. Those pools were connected with elaborate water slides, waterfalls, and underwater tubes you could swim through.

    I stared at the fountains that were spraying water in different shapes, unable to fathom what I was seeing.

    "Where are we go—"

    "SALLY! OH, MY GODS! YOU'RE ALIVE!!!"

    I was tackled to the ground by my brother and Annabeth.

    An overwhelming relief spread over me as I could feel their heartbeats while they almost stopped mine from the embrace.

    They continued to strangle me until I choked out, "I can't breathe, guys..."