The Sea // pjo

Chapter Thirteen // Annabeth Scuba Dives and We Reach The End of the Line

    The ship was like an extension of my brother and me.

     It listened to every command we gave it, and for the first time in a long time, it felt like we were working as a team and succeeding at something simultaneously.

     It was perfect.

    Well, as perfect as you could get sailing in a stupid Greek chiton and sandals.

    I quickly abandoned the shoes, tossing them below deck, and just walked around the ship barefoot, praying I didn't get any splinters.

    Percy and I took turns sailing the ship, meaning I took the night shift to avoid sleeping.

   My brother gave me a worried look as he asked again, "Are you sure you're okay with being up here by yourself?"

    I leaned against the main mast of the Queen Anne's Revenge, giving him a look, "Yes, Jackson. I'm alright. Go check on your girlfriend below deck. Make sure she hasn't vomited everywhere."

    Percy's face went red, "She's not my—"

    "Not yet."

    He gave me a look before he shuffled on his feet and said, "You don't need all of that stuff, by the way...the make-up, dress...ya know."

   I fiddled with the gold braided belt around my waist and shrugged, "Eh...Yeah,...not my style. The hair, though..." I pulled some of the braids between my fingers, looking at the gold, "I think I'll keep it."

    Percy snorted, smirking at me, "Whatever, Sal. Call me if you need me."

    "I will..."

    I watched him disappear before moving to the front of the ship, watching the dark waves hit the vessel's sides, the sound almost blocking my thoughts.

    But I couldn't help but think about Reyna and her sister.

    They were demigods; they had to be.

    And we had just left them there.

    I wasn't sure if they would have come with us, but I could have asked.

    Something about sticking close to them felt right in my heart, but I was on a quest and needed to get to work.

    My mind drifted to Clarisse, and I hoped she was okay and was also continuing on with her journey.

    With a sigh, I hopped off the ledge and back onto the deck, glancing at a volcano to my left. I didn't need anyone to tell me to go around that. Probably one of Hephestus's forges, but I did not feel like finding out.

    So a little after midnight, we were still sailing on steadily, where I spied nothing but open ocean and a random monster every once in a while.

    When I walked by the stairs to the deck below, I could hear voices catching snippets of what Annabeth was saying, "wrong turns," "Grover," "Cyclops's lair." I smiled strained, and knew she was telling Percy about what happened to Luke.

    I settled on a small crook on the starboard side of the ship, one leg hanging over the ledge as I recalled what she had told me.

    She had saved Grover, Luke, and Thalia from being eaten by a Cyclops in Brooklyn.

    She had only just been seven.

    When she told me, I thought maybe she would pass out, but she didn't. She held on strong till the very end, which was when she started to cry.