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CHAPTER TWENTY ( the princess andromeda )
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I WISHED I had paid more attention to Silena Beauregard's pegasi lessons back at camp, since they could've come in handy at this very moment. The hippocampus was easier to handle than a pegasus, so that wasn't a problem, but I couldn't find a non-awkward position to hold on to. When I looked to my side to see how the others were doing, I saw Percy effortlessly riding his hippocampus through the waves without having to hold on. That just wasn't fair: his father was the creator of horses, he had it easy.
I hadn't taken into consideration how big the cruise was until we got close enough to it. Its white hull was approximately ten stories tall, and it was covered with brightly lit balconies and small portholes. Just above the bow line, the ship's name was painted in black letters. It was surprisingly easy for me to read: PRINCESS ANDROMEDA
A huge masthead was attached to the bow – a tall woman in a white chiton, carved for it to look like she was chained to the front of the ship, resembling the old myth. It would've been pretty, but her face was sculpted to be one of absolute terror. I shuddered after staring at the masthead for too long, and couldn't imagine what type of person would want a screaming woman to be the face of a vacation cruise ship.
"How do we get aboard?" Annabeth shouted over the noise of the waves, and the hippocampi seemed to know what we needed. They skimmed along the starboard side of the ship and pulled up next to a service ladder rooted to the side of the hull.
"Ladies first," Percy told us.
I glanced at Annabeth to see which one of us was going to take the lead. She raised an eyebrow and I huffed in response, knowing what she was implying. I slung the duffel bag over my shoulder and reached out for the bottom rung of the ladder. I pulled myself higher onto the ladder, leaving my hippocampus by itself. It whinnied in farewell and I carefully removed a hand from my tight grip on the rung to wave back before it dived underwater. I climbed up the ladder and got a few rungs up before Annabeth and Percy followed after me.
Finally it was just Tyson in the water. His hippocampus was entertaining him with backwards ollies, which made him laugh like the little kid he was. The sound of his laughter was so loud that it echoed through the ship.
