Annabeth Chase and the Sea of Monsters

Chapter 13 - Tantalus tells us a ghost story

We ambushed Tantalus right after we finished singing bonfire songs. It seemed like the perfect time seeing as everyone was feeling depressed and battle-worn. Usually from the singing, the bonfire would be at least six metres high and spewing flames as it reflected the mood of the camp, but tonight it was barely more than embers.

Dionysus had already left. He looked surlier than normal, his pudgy Cupid face screwed up in a scowl as he glared at Tantalus before stomping off to the Big House. I didn't know what made him so grumpy, but I hoped it was because he hated the new activities director as much as we did.

"Well, that was lovely!" Tantalus exclaimed as the Apollo kids finished the last mournful note on their guitars and the camp fell into gloomy silence.

Casually, he roasted a marshmallow over the dying embers then went to pick it off without looking at it, like it wouldn't notice him. The marshmallow did. It scooted along the stick as Tantalus's fingers groped for it, then, when he almost managed to grab it, it slipped off the stick and leapt straight into the flames.

"Now then!" he turned back around to face us, attempting to cover up his embarrassment. "Some announcements about tomorrow's schedule."

"Sir," Percy said suddenly, interrupting Tantalus.

The activities director's eye twitched angrily. "Our kitchen boy has something to say?"

Percy stood up amidst all the snickers from the Ares kids and I hurriedly scrambled to my feet to stand beside him. No way was I going to let stand him alone and face the camp by himself.

"We have an idea to save the camp," he said, staring down Tantalus defiantly.

I could feel the excitement of the camp around us, the bonfire flickering to life as the camp's interest grew.

"Indeed," Tantalus said contemptuously. "Well, if it had anything to do with chariots -"

"The Golden Fleece," Percy interrupted again. "We know where it is."

The bonfire burned even brighter. Tantalus looked ready to argue but I nudged Percy and he retold the dream he'd had about Grover. I watched the campers as he spoke and some still looked skeptical, even though the bonfire was growing even brighter.

"The Fleece can heal anything," I said once Percy had finished. "It made an entire land fertile and stopped all sickness. It was one of the most wanted ancient treasures ever. The Fleece can save the camp. I'm certain of it."

"Nonsense," Tantalus said. "We don't need saving."

The whole camp stared at him.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Besides, the Sea of Monsters? That's hardly an exact location. You wouldn't even know where to look."

"Yes, I would," Percy said.

"You would?" I whispered to him, surprised. Even I didn't know where to look.

He nodded, looking like it had just come to him. "Thirty, thirty-one, seventy-five, twelve."

I recognized them as the numbers the Grey Sisters had told him, but I didn't see how they helped us.

"Ooo-kay," Tantalus said. "Thank you for sharing those meaningless numbers."

"They're sailing coordinates," Percy said, grinding his teeth. "Latitude and longitude. I, uh, learned about them in social studies."

I stared at him in amazement. How'd he work that out? Then I remembered what I had told him earlier, about how the Grey Sisters knew the location of the thing he sought. And they'd told him exactly where to find it.