(Percy's POV)
“You are in so much trouble,” Clarisse said.
We’d just finished a ship tour we didn’t want, through dark rooms over crowded with dead sailors.
We’d seen the coal bunker, the boilers &;engine, which huffed & groaned like it would explode any minute.
We’d seen the pilothouse and the powder magazine and gunnery deck (Clarisse’s favorite) with two Dahlgren smoothbore cannons on the port & starboard sides & a
Brooke nine-inch rifled gun fore & aft-all specially refitted to fire celestial bronze cannon balls.
Everywhere we went, dead Confederate sailors stared at us, their ghostly
bearded faces shimmering over their skulls. They approved of Annabeth because she told them she was from Virginia. They even tried following Nora everywhere she went, which I found weird but Nora didn't seem to mind. They were interested in me, too, because my name was Jackson-like the Southern general-but then I ruined it by telling them I was from New York. They all hissed & muttered curses about Yankees.
Tyson was terrified of them. All through the tour, he insisted Nora hold his hand.
Finally, we were escorted to dinner.
The CSS Birmingham captain’s quarters wad about the size of a walk-in closet, but much bigger than any other room on board. The table was set with white linen & china. Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, potato chips, & Dr Peppers were served by skeletal crewmen. I didn’t want to eat anything served by ghosts, but my hunger overruled my fear.
“Tantalus expelled you for eternity,” Clarisse told us smugly. “Mr. D said if any of you show your face at camp again, he’ll turn you into squirrels & run you over with his SUV.”
“Did they give you this ship?” I asked.
“‘Course not. My father did.”
“Ares?”
Clarisse sneered. “You think your daddy is the only one with sea power? The spirits on the losing side of every war owe a tribute to Ares. That’s their curse for being defeated. I prayed to my father for a naval transport & here it is. These guys will do anything I tell them. Won’t you, Captain?”
The captain stood behind her looking stiff and angry. His glowing green eyes fixed me with a hungry stare. “If it means an end to this infernal war, ma’am, peace at last, we’ll do anything. Destroy anyone.”
Clarisse smiled. “Destroy anyone. I like that.”
Tyson gulped.
“Clarisse,” Annabeth said, “Luke might be after the Fleece, too. We saw him. He’s got the coordinates & he’s heading south. He has a cruise ship full of monsters-“
“Good! I’ll blow him out of the water.”
“You don’t understand,” Annabeth said. We have to combine forces. Let us help you-“
“No!” Clarisse pounded the table. “This is my quest, smart girl! Finally I get to be the hero, & you two will not steal my chance.”
“Where are your cabin mates?” I asked.
“You were allowed to take two friends with you, weren’t you?”
“They didn’t...I let them stay behind. To protect the camp.”
“You mean even the people in your own cabin wouldn’t help you?”
“Shut up, Prissy! I don’t need them! Or you!”
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Daughter Of Lightning - Book 2 (A Percy Jackson x OC fanfic)
FanfictionA year ago Zeus's lightning bolt was stolen...which would've been the cause of the next world war. But Eleanor, Percy, Annabeth & their satyr friend Grover had managed to return it. Grover had headed off in search of the great Lord of the wild: Pan...
