𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 | 𝐏𝐉 𝟐

𝟎𝟏𝟓.𝟑

As the Argo II raced across the waves, Leo had to use all his skill just to keep the ship in one piece. Percy and Jason were a little too good at cooking up massive storms. At one point, Juliet stood next to him, yelling against the roar of the wind: "Percy says he talked to a Nereid in Charleston Harbor!"

"Good for him!" Leo yelled back.

"The Nereid said we should seek help from Chiron's brothers."

"What does that mean? The Party Ponies?" Leo had never met Chiron's crazy centaur relatives, but he'd heard rumors of Nerf sword-fights, root beer–chugging contests, and Super Soakers filled with pressurized whipped cream.

"Not sure," Juliet said. "But I've got coordinates. Can you input latitude and longitude in this thing?"

"I can input star charts and order you a smoothie, if you want. Of course I can do latitude and longitude!"

Juliet rattled off the numbers.

Leo somehow managed to punch them in while holding the wheel with one hand. A red dot popped up on the bronze display screen.

"That location is in the middle of the Atlantic," he said. "Do the Party Ponies have a yacht?"

Juliet shrugged helplessly. "Just hold the ship together until we get farther from Charleston. Jason and Percy will keep up the winds!"

"Happy fun time!"

It seemed like forever, but finally the sea calmed and the winds died.

"Valdez," said Coach Hedge, with surprising gentleness. "Let me take the wheel. You've been steering for two hours."

"Two hours?"

"Yeah. Give me the wheel."

"Coach?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"I can't unclench my hands."

It was true. Leo's fingers felt like they had turned to stone. His eyes burned from staring at the horizon. His knees were marshmallows. Coach Hedge managed to pry him from the wheel. Leo took one last look at the console, listening to Festus chatter and whir a status report. Leo felt like he was forgetting something. He stared at the controls, trying to think, but it was no good. His eyes could hardly focus.

"Just watch for monsters," he told the coach. "And be careful with the damaged stabilizer. And—"

"I've got it covered," Coach Hedge promised. "Now, go away!"

Leo nodded wearily.

He staggered across the deck toward his friends. Jason sat with his back against the mast, his head slumped in exhaustion, Daphne tried to seem chill about it but looked like mild panicked trying get him to drink some water. Piper seemed to be flying around like a fly near them.

Juliet had led Percy inside the cabin some half an hour ago, when they returned, Percy looked freshly showered, still exhausted but able to hold his body weight. "Water heals him," Juliet answered Leo when he looked curious.

Annabeth and Augustus had their heads leaning against each others as they sat, desperately trying to ward off the sleep.

Hazel and Frank stood just out of earshot, having an argument that involved lots of arm waving and head shaking. Leo should not have felt pleased about that, but part of him did. The other part of him felt bad that he felt pleased. The argument stopped abruptly when Hazel saw Leo. Everybody gathered at the mast. Frank scowled like he was trying hard to turn into a bulldog.

"No sign of pursuit," he said.

"Or land," Hazel added.

She looked a little green, though Leo wasn't sure if that was from the rocking of the boat or from arguing. Leo scanned the horizon. Nothing but ocean in every direction. That shouldn't have surprised him. He'd spent six months building a ship that he knew would cross the Atlantic. But until today, their embarking on a journey to the ancient lands hadn't seemed real. Leo had never been outside the U.S. before—except for a quick dragon flight up to Quebec. Now they were in the middle of the open sea, completely on their own, sailing to the Mare Nostrum, where all the scary monsters and nasty giants had come from.