Landing is not pretty. With the oars damaged and the foresail torn, we can barely manage a controlled descent. The others are strapped in below deck while Leo and I stand astern at the help, with Coach Hedge on the forward railing screaming "YEAH! Bring it on, lake!"
Festus creaks and whirrs warning signals.
Leo clenches his jaw. "Yeah, yeah. I know."
I'm shaking Wii controllers like crazy while sampling as many albums as possible. Maybe we did make this more complicated than it needs to be. But no point worrying about that now.
"Hang on, Coach!" Leo yells. "This is going to hurt!"
"I was born for hurt!"
WHOOM!
A swell of salt water washes over the bow, dousing Coach Hedge. The ship lists dangerously to starboard, then rights itself, rocking on the surface of the lake. Machinery hums as my oars change from aerial to aquatic form.
"Good job, Festus." I sigh with relief. "Take us toward the south shore."
"Yeah!" Hedge pumps his fists in the air. He's drenched, but grinning like crazy. "Do it again!"
"Uh, maybe later." Leo tells him. "Just stay above deck, okay? You can keep watch in case... you know, the lake decides to attack us or something."
"On it." Hedge promises.
Leo rings the all clear bell and we head for the stairs. Before we can even get there, there's a loud clump clump clump. The tan stallion appears on deck with Hazel on his back.
"How-?" Leo stammers. "We're in the middle of a lake! Can that thing fly?"
The horse whinnies angrily. If I try, I can understand him, thanks to Pan. Not worth the effort right now.
"Arion can't fly." Hazel frowns. "But he can run across just about anything. Water, vertical surfaces, small mountains- none of that bothers him."
"Oh."
Hazel is looking at him strangely. The same way she had at the feast. It doesn't sit well with me. She's Frank's girlfriend, why is she looking at Leo like that? I almost wish Frank would come up the stairs right now.
Coach Hedge creeps forwards with a baseball bat. "Theo, Valdez, does this count as an invasion?"
"No!" We tell him quickly.
"Um, Hazel, you'd better come with me." Leo nods his head to her. "I built a stable belowdecks, if Arion wants to-"
"He's more of a free spirit." Hazel slips out of the saddle. "He'll graze around the lake until I call him. But I want to see the ship. Lead the way."
I head straight for the mess hall while Leo shows Hazel around the ship. Percy, Annabeth, and Frank are sitting dejectedly around the dining table.
We made the lounge super nice, since we figured we'd all be spending a lot of time here. The cupboard is lined with magic plates and cups from Camp Half-Blood, which fill up with whatever food or drink we want on command. The walls are enchanted to show real-time footage of Camp. The beach, the strawberry fields, the big house. I find myself staring longingly at the sight, my window blinds closed just as I left them. The images are supposed to make us feel happy, but they're making me homesick.
Heracles is lounging in his dog bed beside the table, so I go and sit next to him. No one says anything to me, but there is a tense energy around the table.
When Leo and Hazel join us, everyone seems to break out of their trance. Leo is understandably nervous. Everyone is mad at him. I am too, in a way, but I know it's ridiculous to feel that way. It clearly wasn't him who fired on the Romans. I can't hold anything against him, despite how I feel.
