The Sea Tyrant's Obsession (PJO x ROR) 18+ WTM/WTS Book 1

*Clarisse Blows Up Everything

Ares chuckled nervously and glanced at his uncle Poseidon, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah... my daughter saved them just in time," he said in response to his father. "If she'd been delayed a few seconds, those three kids would've been toast."

He shifted uncomfortably under Poseidon's scowl, his usual confidence faltering for a brief moment. "But, uh... you know, she did the right thing, right?" Ares added with a strained grin, hoping to smooth things over.

Poseidon narrowed his eyes at Ares, his gaze cold. "I suppose," he said with disdain.

New title:

Clarisse Blows Up Everything.

The gods exchanged wary glances at the new title.

"Ares, it seems your daughter might blow up something in the next scene," Zeus remarked.

"It better not be the ship. Percilla is on it," Poseidon said coldly.

"And my son," Athena added.

Ares frowned. "There is no way my daughter will blow up the ship; she's on it as well."

"If we're going to see something blow up, I hope it's the monsters," said Cú Chulainn.

The scene began to play.

"You are in so much trouble," Clarisse said.

We'd just finished a ship tour we didn't want, through dark rooms overcrowded with dead sailors. We'd seen the coal bunker, the boilers and engine, which huffed and 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 and starboard sides and a Brooke nine-inch rifled gun fore and 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 Anthony because he told them he was from Virginia. 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 and muttered curses about Yankees.

Buddha raised an amused eyebrow. "They must still not be over their loss, even after being dead for so long."

Tyson was terrified of them. All through the tour, he insisted Anthony hold his hand, which he didn't look too thrilled about.

"That's hilarious," Loki snickered.

Finally, we were escorted to dinner. The CSS Birmingham captain's quarters were about the size of a walk-in closet, but still much bigger than any other room on board. The table was set with white linen and china. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, potato chips, and Dr Peppers were served by skeletal crewmen. I didn't want to eat anything served by ghosts, but my hunger overruled my fear.

Poseidon watched the scene unfold with a look of utter revulsion.

They're feeding her that? he thought, his expression darkening. Unhealthy mortal junk... This is an insult. Percilla deserves fine dining—not this disgrace.

"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 and run you over with his SUV."

"That worm dares to expel and threaten my daughter with such humiliation?!" Poseidon roared furiously. ""I'll drag him to the deepest trench in the ocean and leave him to be torn apart by the Leviathans!"

"Did they give you this ship?" I asked.

"'Course not. My father did."

"Ares?"