‘The daughter of Gaia has been killed.

  I hear the Earth Mother’s voice, demanding an explanation from me. It seems she has realized that things are not adding up, that destiny has been twisted. After all, there have been too many impossibilities in too little time. Eventually, even the sleeping mother will notice.

  But I will not deign her with a response. I have no reason to, not after she subverted the threads of fate by means I still do not know of.

  How did the world not fall to storm or fire?

  It matters not anymore.

  For there will be no fate where Gaia gets what she wants. I will make sure of that. Perhaps that is unfair to her, but is it not also unfair that the squabble of primordials was entrusted to seven children?

  Is it not unfair that their enemies will always return from defeat, yet they themselves only have one chance to use, one life to lose?

  The gods have earned their succession from the Titans, just like how the Titans succeeded the first beings. Their age is over.

  Soon, Kronos and Gaia will both realize this.’

  Athena always has a plan.

  But Annabeth liked to think that those plans didn’t usually end up with her boyfriend comatose.

  …Oh, who was she kidding?

  “Wake up!” Piper shouted.

  Lying on the deck, Percy finally sprung to life with a gasp. Annabeth hid her sigh of relief well. Of course Percy wouldn’t be downed just like that. He had gone through much worse and still pulled through.

  The son of Poseidon coughed, spitting seawater. “D–did it work?”

  Annabeth gestured around them. The sun was shining and the waves were calm. “We did it.”

  The ship was all intact, too. Leo and Tyson had done fantastic work on the engine, and the CCS Birmingham was still going strong.

  “So, how far are we from…you know?”

  “Circe’s Island?” Annabeth shrugged. “Who knows? We found it on accident last time. There’s no guarantee we run into it again.”

  Percy looked worried. “That’s not good…”

  At the ship’s railing, Leo had been keeping a lookout the whole time, and he thankfully chose that moment to speak up. “Uh, hypothetically, does Circe’s Island have a fighter jet and submarine docked in its harbor?”

  Annabeth raised an eyebrow, joining him at the railing. “Huh. Good timing.”

  The island got closer and closer, and Annabeth couldn’t help but admire the scenery. Circe’s resort was undeniably a marvel of architecture, especially since it had to have been built in the middle of nowhere.

  But as they moved into the pier, the zombie crew grew restless. Maybe they sensed that this island couldn be anything good. Clarisse also seemed to have that feeling, and she was much more vocal about it.

  “Why are we stopping here? It’s definitely not the Cyclops’ island.” She demanded. “A place this nice, in the Sea of Monsters? It’s bound to be trouble.”

  Circe’s Island did indeed look very nice, with its tropical beach, immaculate mountainscape, and marble-white buildings. And demigods did not get nice things without a catch.

  “It’s like our job to go look for trouble at this point.” Leo muttered.

  “We could use more supplies, Clarisse,” Annabeth said. “And we don’t know what or who could be here. We should at least go check it out.”

  Even Annabeth knew it was weak reasoning. But it wasn’t like she could tell Clarisse they were trying to rescue two Roman demigods who were complete strangers to them. Clarisse looked unimpressed, as if she had expected Annabeth to come up with a better excuse.

  Even as Percy, Leo, and Piper made to disembark, the daughter of Ares stubbornly refused to move. “I’m not convinced. There’s no reason to waste time when Thalia’s tree is dying! And you know there’s no way something won’t jump out and try to kill us here, Chase.”

  Annabeth had thought that Clarisse of all people would have been willing to go; potential of glory in battle and whatnot. But it seemed she had expected too little of Clarisse.

  The ghost captain sniffed the air and growled. “I don’t like this place. It smells cursed.”

  A little ironic coming from the dead soldier bound to Ares, but Clarisse seemed to take it as further evidence. “This is a waste of time, Chase.”

  “How about you stay on the ship, then?” Annabeth suggested, tired of arguing. “Wait here while we explore the island, and stay ready for immediate and sudden departure.”

  “Immediate and sudden–so you do expect to be attacked!” Clarisse triumphantly declared. “Go on then. I’ll be waiting to say ‘I told you so.’”

  With that, she turned on her heel and marched back to the captain’s quarters. As Annabeth disembarked the ship and joined her friends, the Confederate captain gave them a salute. Evidently, they had earned the ghost crew’s respect after the incident with Charybdis.

  Percy saluted back, before frowning. “Wait, Clarisse is staying on board? Can I do that too?”

  “What for?”

  “Well, Tyson’s up there too.” Percy pointed out. “And I don’t really want to be turned into a guinea pig again.”

  “Tyson’s on board because the ship can’t survive without him keeping it together.” Annabeth reminded. After going through so much turbulence, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the CCS Birminghan was just one monster attack away from imploding on itself. “Besides, you’ll be fine. Leo will protect you.”

  Leo blinked. “I will?”

  “Anyway, do you have the vitamins?” She held her hand out to Percy.

  He took Hermes’ multivitamins out, shaking the bottle for good measure. He read the fine print tag on the plastic cover: “Hermes’ Multivitamins, 5th Exclusive Version! Filled with nine essential vitamins, amino acids, and minerals, everything you need to feel yourself. Now with 50% more resistance, it is a must-need for your personal immunity.”

  Percy narrowed his eyes. “Warning, side effects may include hyperactivity, nausea, heartburn, headaches, dizziness, and insomnia. If you experience these symptoms please contact your sponsoring god because Hermes’ multivitamins may not be for you and we are not liable. Batteries not included.”

  “Are you sure about this, Anna–”

  Annabeth took the bottle, opened it, and popped a lemon-chewable Minotaur gummy into her mouth before her friends could protest. She made a big show of chewing and swallowing.

  By the look on his face, Leo seemed to be waiting for her to drop dead. She sighed. “I’m fine, you guys. This will keep us immune from Circe’s magic.”

  Annabeth passed the multivitamins to Percy. “Everyone take one.”

  They did, with varying levels of hesitation. Leo squeezed the purple gummy in his hand apprehensively. “Become a guinea pig or eat a grape harpy…tough choice, I gotta say…”

  “Welcome!”

  They all jumped. Annabeth swore there had been no one near just a moment before, but the lady with the clipboard and dazzling smile was very real. Annabeth had never met her before, but the recognition was immediate. After all, the dark brown skin, piercing black eyes, and proud chin were just a few of the traits shared with a certain praetor of the Twelfth Legion.

  The blue business suit did throw her off a bit, but there was still no doubt who she was.

  Hylla Ramirez-Arellano looked all of them up and down. “Is this your first time with us?”

  “Y-yes, it is! It’s so lovely to meet you.” Piper returned Hylla’s graceful smile with her own. “We just left a storm, and we’re a bit lost. Could you explain to us where we are?”

  “This is our Spa and Resort Island, owned by our patron C.C.” She responded breezily. “She offers a plethora of treatments and makeovers for all that arrive on our wonderful resort.”

  On that note, the future Amazon queen glanced at each of them critically. “Hmm. A herbal wrap to start for the ladies, I’d say. And of course, a complete makeover for the young gentlemen.”

  “What does that mean?” Leo whispered to Percy.

  “You don’t want to know.”

  “Right, then!” Hylla finished writing on her clipboard. “C.C. will want to speak with you personally before the luau. Come, please.”

  Her friends all looked at her inquiringly as Hylla began to walk away. Over her many years of being a leader, Annabeth was used to others looking to her. Often, people would trust her wisdom and intelligence over their own. She was used to having to make the plans and call the shots, even when surrounded by some of the strongest and smartest heroes ever. Annabeth wasn’t the only person who knew she could do a good job.

  She pushed away the guilty surge of pride. Getting caught up in that line of thinking was dangerous , especially for her.

  (‘Sometimes you just see the bad stuff, you know? And you start thinking the way Luke does, to tear it down and make it better. Don’t you ever feel that way, Percy? Like you could do a better job if you ran the world?’)

  “It’ll be fine. Let’s go.”

  Annabeth had seen a lot of amazing places, like Olympus and New Rome. But Circe’s Resort had an elegance to it that rivaled the best structures of the gods. Gleaming white villas reminded her of New Rome, and she almost expected a dome to appear somewhere. Terraces lined the side of the mountain, leading into pools and waterfalls. The fountains that sprayed water in animal-like shapes were an engineering marvel just by itself.

  The main building was a perfect organization of white marble columns and intricate glass, with many rooms having entire walls of windows. Hylla led them into the main room, where mirrors lined the back, making the hall seem endless. The wire pet cage in the corner almost ruined the feng shui, but Annabeth couldn’t help but admire all the time and effort evidently put into the interior.

  Annabeth stopped her architecture study when Circe’s voice floated through the air. Float was quite literal too, as her harmony seemed to drift through the air and off the chiseled steps like an otherworldly lullaby. It beckoned at the demigods to come closer, come closer.

  Circe worked at her loom as she sang, her hands gracefully moving back and forth to weave her tapestry. Perhaps by magic, the waterfall moved and shimmered like it was three-dimensional.

  The witch turned toward them. Once, her green eyes and gold-threaded hair seemed regal, awe-inspiring. Now, Annabeth saw it as threatening. Her liquid grace reminded Annabeth of a dangerous riptide.

  “I’m so glad you have come, halfbloods.” Circe stopped her weaving, standing to meet her teenage guests. “My name is C.C.”

  They all introduced themselves. Circe looked at Piper and Annabeth appraisingly, but it turned to disapproval when she saw Percy and Leo. She sighed deeply, looking pained. “Oh dear. You do need my help.”

  Leo and Percy exchanged pointed glances as if they were accusing each other of letting Circe’s expectations down.

  “Hylla, take Annabeth and Piper on our tour, please. Give them a taste of the treatments we have available. The clothing will need to change, and they could use our complimentary skincare too.” The witch glanced at them pityingly. “Oh, and the hair, my goodness. Do get that fixed before my consultation with the gentlemen is over, will you?”

  Annabeth knew to resist the magic in her voice, but she still couldn’t stop the twinge of guilt at Circe’s words. She forced her face to stay neutral. There was no reason she needed to please this woman, even if her hair was a mess from the ocean fizz.

  Piper, on the other hand, looked hurt by the comment. “What’s wrong with my hair?”

  Annabeth jabbed her friend in the stomach with her elbow.

  “My dear, you are lovely. You’d do your mother proud! But you’re not showing off yourself at all, and it’s wasting your potential!”

  Annabeth tried not to snort. They all knew Piper never showed off her beauty or charm; that just wasn’t who she was. Circe’s comment seemed to have the opposite intended effect as Piper now looked offended. “Wasting?”

  “Well, surely you’re not happy the way you are! There’s not a single person who is!” Circe reasoned. “But don’t worry. Everyone can be improved here at the spa, and Hylla will show you what I mean. You will unlock and understand your true self.”

  Piper just frowned. “What about Percy and Leo?”

  Circe looked at the boys sadly. “Oh, they need my personal attention. They need much more work than you.”

  Leo’s face fell, looking disheartened. Annabeth exchanged a worried look with Percy. She wasn’t sure if Leo even realized it, but it seemed to some Circe’s words might have hit a little harder.

  “Right this way, girls.” Hylla gestured toward the exit. Her tone was light but held no room for disagreement.

  With one last nod to Percy, Annabeth secretly slipped the bottle of Hermes’ multivitamins into his hand as they were led into the waterfall-laced gardens. Hylla brought her and Piper through the best that Circe’s Resort had to offer: underwater tubes that people could swim through, wild animals relaxing on the beach, and even the grand library.

  Hylla played the part of a tour guide well, but Annabeth noticed that Piper wasn’t listening. She seemed to be lost in thought. As if thinking aloud, her friend suddenly said, “I didn’t even cut it choppy this time. Annabeth, do you think it looks okay?”

  Annabeth raised an eyebrow. “Yes, it’s fine, Piper. You know you look great no matter what. C.C.’s just–”

  “I know, I know.” Piper nodded, but she still seemed troubled. “It’s just…she said I could unlock and understand my true self. Doesn’t that imply I’m not sure who I really am? That I haven’t found something important in myself?”

  The daughter of Athena narrowed her eyes worriedly at her friend. “Piper, are you okay?”

  Piper avoided eye contact. “I just—“

  “Here we are, girls.” Hylla interrupted them. “Let’s get started with cosmetic treatment now.”

  Before she knew it, they were guided to expensive styling chairs and sat down. A mirror was set in front of her, while haircare, skincare, and makeup products lined a table beside her. Hylla stood behind her, a hairbrush already in hand.

  “Relax, dear.” Annabeth didn’t realize how stiff and guarded she was until Hylla gently massaged her shoulders. “This is the first step toward improvement, and reaching your full potential as the beautiful young lady you are! We will make sure of it during your time here.”

  Hearing her words, Annabeth involuntarily felt her body slump into the chair in relaxation. Hylla began to tend to her hair, brushing and braiding. Beside her, Piper looked at her uncertainly as a different attendant fawned over her.

  Annabeth looked around the room, where other women and girls were milling about. Nymphs, demigods, and mortals (from what she could tell) all minded their own business without a care in the world. She kept an eye out for a younger version of Hylla, as discreetly as she could.

  Soon, her hair was newly washed and combed, braided with gold. Hylla then applied the finest makeup better than Annabeth could ever do herself, bringing out her gray eyes and making her skin glow. While she watched herself in the mirror throughout the process, Annabeth had to admit that she looked good. The difference before and after was like night and day. It was almost too easy to see how Circe’s promises of true potential seduced so many women to stay on this island.

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  “Done. You look beautiful, don’t you think?” Hylla said. “Your friend is finished too. I’ll get your new clothes in just a second.”

  Once she left, Annabeth turned to look at Piper, and it was like staring into the sun without shades. Resplendent in every way, it was almost unfair how gorgeous her friend was. “Goodness, Piper. Aphrodite herself would be jealous.”

  The makeover was truly overboard for Piper in Annabeth’s opinion. It was almost threatening how much beauty she radiated now that all the stops had been pulled out. In a way, seeing Piper like this vividly reminded Annabeth how even beauty could be a weapon.

  (‘Nike is all about competition. Aphrodite…well, she is too, in her own way. I think Nike might see you as a threat.’)

  “Old news.” Piper grinned, flicking her lush brown hair across her shoulder with one hand. “But you…Percy’s going to be completely tongue-tied when he sees you.”

  Annabeth shook her head, smiling. “Percy doesn’t care about that. I don’t need all this to impress him.”

  “If you say so.” Piper sing-songed.

  “Alright, enough.” She smothered a laugh. “Hylla will be back soon. We need to find Reyna and get back to the boys as soon as possible.”

  Leo could barely hear the warning bells going off in his head, and that scared him. Every word that came out of Circe’s mouth threw Leo’s emotions completely out of whack. For some reason, he needed to impress this lady. She knew what was best for him, and Leo couldn’t disappoint her.

  He pinched himself, trying to stay focused, but it wasn’t easy. With a voice like that, Circe couldn’t be that bad, right? She seemed like she genuinely wanted to help them.

  “You gentlemen need serious help to unlock your potential, which luckily for you two I can give.” Circe guided them toward the mirror wall. “You must first admit that you’re not happy the way you are. Look into the mirror. Can you honestly say that this is what you want?”

  He didn’t know what Percy was seeing, but for Leo, his reflection shook him to the bone. He had seen it a thousand times before, of course. But once Circe’s voice pointed out all the flaws and faults, he couldn’t unsee it.

  Immediately, all the little insecurities that whispered in his mind began screaming with full force. His height, his baggy eyes, and his scrawny build all loudly reinforced that Leo wasn’t good enough .

  Leo hated how he was feeling this way. This was something he tended to not think about, so why couldn’t it leave his mind now? Circe had to be putting him under some spell, some trance…but knowing that didn’t make the thoughts go away.

  “There, there.” Circe consoled him, seeming to read his mind. “How about we try…this.”

  With a snap of her fingers, a curtain fell and covered the mirror. It shimmered once, twice, and then a new reflection stood in front of Leo.

  Staring into the image, Leo almost felt like one of the nymphs that went crazy over Narcissus. Every disappointed thought he had ever had about his physical appearance was remedied completely by the reflection. Taller, a picture-perfect face, more athletic. The only thing that remained exactly the same was the impish grin, and even that looked better somehow.

  “This can be you if you want,” Circe promised. “I can give you a full makeover.”

  “H-how?” Leo bit his tongue. Was he really letting this witch get to him?

  Thankfully, Percy seemed to be unfazed. “That’s enough. You’re making us feel like we’re ugly and not good enough, as if we’re inferior to this new us. But even though you say we’re not happy with ourselves, I know there are people who like and want us for who we are. We don’t need your makeover, C.C.”

  As the son of Poseidon spoke, it suddenly occurred to Leo that Percy wasn’t talking to Circe, that his words were directed at someone else. The fog in his mind that Leo barely realized was there seemed to thin.

  “So confident in what you need.” Circe cooed mockingly, her benevolent smile beginning to twist. “So sure of who you are. But I know what your true self is, the same as all men.”

  A sneer suddenly spread across her face, startling Leo. The helpful, kind woman was gone in an instant. “You’re Circe. The witch that turned Odysseus’ men into pigs.”

  “Too little too late, boys.” With her true colors revealed, Circe summoned blue flames atop her fingertips. “You should have realized earlier. But at least you can still realize your true forms!”

  The blue fire coiled around the two demigods like snakes. The guinea pigs in the corner screeched in fright, but Leo had never feared fire and he wasn’t about to start now. Neither of them even flinched at her magic.

  And when nothing happened to them, Circe’s triumphant sneer faded. “What? Why isn’t it working?! How!?”

  Percy raised the bottle of multivitamins as if that explained everything. It apparently did, since Circe howled in outrage. “Curse Hermes and his multivitamins! Those are such a fad! They do nothing for you!”

  Leo waved away the blue flames and shot his own at Circe, who stumbled backward as her dress caught fire.

  “Bah! Men! Always taking the glory.” She growled, her eyes glowing dangerously. “Heroes are so annoying!”

  Percy ran at her, but Circe just snapped her fingers and disappeared into a puff of smoke. Percy and Leo were left alone with the sound of squealing guinea pigs.

  Now that the danger was over, Leo couldn’t believe how easily he had been manipulated. It was like Medea all over again; somebody had to snap him out of it and save him. He turned to Percy.

  “Thanks, man. For saying all that, I mean. I…I guess I kinda needed that.” Leo shook his head, embarrassed. “I was an outsider for a long time so…it hit a little close to home.”

  Percy clapped a hand on his shoulder encouragingly. “Hey, I get it. I fell for it last time too. But Circe doesn’t know what she’s talking about. So don’t let anyone tell you you don’t belong, man.”

  A tiny, treacherous part of Leo bristled at the last part. It was easy for Percy to say that. The son of Poseidon had always been the hero, the center of attention, just like Jason. Meanwhile, Leo’s fate was with a girl on an island no man found twice.

  But Leo quickly buried that thought. He knew Percy meant what he said. The Seven were his best friends and the closest people to Leo. He had a place with them as much as the one he wanted with Calypso. If they wanted him (which Leo knew they did), he didn’t need anyone else.

  “Nemesis once called you, um, the seventh wheel?” Percy added. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about either, by the way. She’s wrong.”

  Leo was surprised he recalled that. That meant it was something important that Percy wanted to remember.

  (“I feel bad about failing her, and…anyway, I’m glad you found Calypso. You promised to find a way back to her, and I just wanted to say if we do survive all this, I’ll do anything I can to help you. That’s a promise I will keep.”)

  “Can you be any less of a stand-up guy?” Leo rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at his lips. “So, what do we do now?”

  Percy shrugged. “We should probably find Annabeth and Piper and see if they’ve found Reyna.”

  “Good idea.” Leo frowned, checking his arms. “By the way, how much longer does our immunity last?”

  Percy checked the label on the bottle. “Not much longer.”

  “Then we should find a quick getaway.” Leo glanced at the magic reflection, which had turned back to a curtain when Circe vanished. “And we could use a distraction…”

  He trailed off, his eyes landing on the guinea pigs. There were about a dozen of them, scuttling around in the cage. Percy followed his gaze.

  The son of Poseidon looked wary. “Uh, those are the pirates, remember? And from what I recall, they caused Reyna and Hylla a lot of trouble when we released them.”

  “But if we don’t release them, will Reyna ever end up at Camp Jupiter?” Leo pointed out.

  Percy’s face was scrunched up in deep thought, which wasn’t an expression Leo saw on him often. Eventually, he groaned loudly. “Ugh, you’re probably right. I hate time travel.”

  “Don’t we all.” Leo walked over to the cage and held out a hand to Percy. “Gummies?”

  It hadn’t taken long for them to find Reyna. The future praetor had just finished doing a mortal woman’s hair. Piper and Annabeth waited for the woman to leave, before quickly confronting Reyna.

  “Can I help you?” The young girl asked, her dark eyes guarded.

  Piper exchanged a glance with Annabeth and decided to just rip the bandage off. “We’re to help, Reyna. You and Hylla need to get out of here.”

  She blinked, seemingly more confused than anything. “What?”

  “Haven’t you seen what’s happening here? What Circe’s doing?”

  Reyna narrowed her eyes. “I…I don’t know what you’re talking about. Circe keeps us safe here. And how do you know my sister? Who are you?”

  “Circe turns men into guinea pigs.” Piper pressed. “Are you sure she really cares about your well-being if she does that? Can you just stand by and let that happen–”

  Suddenly, a knife was at Piper’s throat, shutting her up effectively. “Stop charmspeaking me. And answer my question. Who are you and how do you know us?”

  Piper hadn’t even realized she’d been charmspeaking, actually. Honestly, she wished she had time to befriend and truly earn Reyna’s trust, but they didn’t have the time. Piper gently pushed the blade away from her throat. “I’m Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite.”

  “Annabeth, daughter of Athena. We’re demigods just like you.” Annabeth placatingly said. “Please, you don’t belong here on this island. This world needs you out there, not with a sorceress who uses men as entertainment.”

  Before Reyna could answer, another voice interrupted her. “There you are!”

  Hylla ran up to them, and Piper didn’t fail to notice how she put herself between them and her sister. “Why did you two run off? Our treatment isn’t over just yet.”

  “Bellona’s the goddess of war. Don’t you think her daughters have a greater purpose than to play maidservants to a witch?” Piper responded, and both Hylla and Reyna stiffened.

  “How do you know that?” Hylla’s gaze grew cold, as imperious as a monarch. The same look that intimidated pirates, no doubt.

  But Piper couldn’t stop now that she had begun. “Circe said that we’re wasting our potential. But being here and working for her is holding you back, not us. You could be a queen, Hylla. You can be greater than anything Circe has promised you.”

  She deliberately didn’t use her charmspeak, but Hylla hadn’t tried to kill them yet, which had to be a good thing. Piper thought they might have a chance, until, “You say I greater by leaving the greatest sorceress of history and her teachings? You’re saying I should trust a promise of a strange Greek instead of my own choices?”

  “I–” Piper hesitated.

  She had completely forgotten about the Greek-Roman feud. Based on the faces of hostility from the Ramirez-Arellano sisters, there was an instinctual distrust that went deeper than just for the normal stranger.

  Piper had promised Hera that she could bring the Greeks and Romans together, that the rift could be connected. This felt like her first test.

  But before she could speak, she heard crashes and yelling from behind them. Piper turned to see screaming spa workers and honest-to-gods pirates charging into the resort. They began ransacking everything they saw, kicking over tables, throwing herbal wraps into the pool, and breaking tiki torches.

  “How–” Reyna gasped. “Hylla, we have to run.”

  Piper grabbed Hylla’s wrist before she could leave. “Come with us!”

  Hylla scoffed. “And you can keep us safe better than Circe can?”

  “The pirates are immune to magic,” Annabeth said. “That’s how they turned back to humans. Circe can’t do anything to them!”

  “But we can keep you safe,” Piper promised. “You’d be better off, trust me.”

  Reyna looked at her sister unsurely. Hylla seemed to be conflicted, which gave Piper a glimmer of hope once more. She was fighting against time, against reason, against centuries of hate, but Piper wasn’t going to give up.

  “If you come with us, I promise you’ll find where you belong. A safe place. A home.”

  The Ramirez-Arellano sisters fell silent, and Piper watched Hylla’s thoughtful face carefully. It was a long time before Hylla spoke. Too long. The pillaging of the pirates kept growing louder and louder.

  Finally, Hylla sighed. “I never did like playing doll to Circe.”

  “Hylla?” Reyna’s eyes widened in surprise.

  “And she ruined many innocent people’s lives,” Hylla admitted, continuing as if Reyna hadn’t said anything. “We have no idea if we would eventually be next.”

  Piper, half in elation and half in disbelief, asked. “So you’ll join us?”

  Hylla’s nod was almost interceptable. Reyna shook her head in dismay. “So we’re running again, Hylla? Just like–”

  “I’m sorry, Reyna. We’re here because I wanted to protect you.” Hylla looked at the mess the pirates were causing. “But I don’t think I can do that here anymore.”

  “You don’t have to protect me…” Reyna muttered.

  Hylla stepped toward Piper. “We’ll go with you. But if you ever turn back on your promise, I will make you regret it.”

  Oh, great. Another responsibility.

  “This way.” Annabeth gestured. “We have to get to the pier!”

  They ran past the chaos. No sign of Circe, but the pirates were definitely letting off some steam after spending centuries as guinea pigs. She saw a few of them raiding the salad bar, chewing celery enthusiastically.

  Percy and Leo were at the docks, and they seemed to be panicking. To her horror, Piper realized the CSS Birmingham was gone. Long gone, it seemed; zero trace of it no matter which way she looked across the open ocean.

  “There you are!” Percy said. “Clarisse left already! She took Tyson!”

  “I can see that!” Piper frantically looked around. Did her promise come back to bite her so quickly? “What do we do?”

  Annabeth pointed at the far end of the docks. “There!”

  Leo did a double-take. “I can’t work that!”

  “I can,” Percy said. “Come on!”

  The six demigods sprinted for the old sailing vessel. The name was painted on the prow of the three-mast ship: Queen Anne’s Revenge .

  “Aaaargh!” A pirate cried out. “Stop ‘em scalawags! They headed for me vessel!”

  A few pirates tried to intercept them, but Percy and Annabeth made quick work of them. Piper kept looking behind her anxiously, but Hylla and Reyna were thankfully keeping up.

  They managed to climb aboard, but the deck was a hopeless maze of sails and ropes. Piper was about to ask how they would get going when a mist formed ahead of them, and out of it stepped Circe.

  And she was not happy. “You freed them! Those are the worst! Look what a mess you’ve made of my spa!”

  “Back off, witch lady!” Leo yelled, throwing a hammer at her.

  Circe deflected it with an invisible barrier, before sending a green blast of magic at him. Leo flew backward, hitting the ship’s wooden planks hard.

  “Leo!”

  “Stop it! Let us leave!” Reyna cried out.

  Circe tut-tutted. “Hylla, Reyna, I’m disappointed in you two. You had such great potential, yet you throw it away for a group of upstarts you’ve barely met?”

  Hylla gripped a pirate saber she had scavenged from the battle and pointed it at Circe shakily. “You heard her. We’re leaving.”

  “None of you are leaving on my watch.” Circe snarled. “I’ll turn you all into shrews and feed you to the leopards!”

  “Mizzenmast!”

  For a moment, everyone stared at Percy like he was crazy. Even Circe seemed taken off guard. “Wha–”

  A rope cable suddenly swung off the mast and whipped toward Circe. It struck her cleanly and sent her sprawling into the air and off the ship, wailing in surprise. Piper looked around in shock as canvases unfurled and ropes snapped into position. The sails rose and the ship groaned as the rudder turned.

  And as Circe splashed into the water below, the Queen Anne’s Revenge lurched away from the dock.

  This was the life.

  The wind in his face, the waves breaking over the prow; Percy felt every bump and sensation of the ship cutting through the water, and it was amazing. It was like playing a musical instrument. Without looking, he knew which ropes to hoist, which direction to steer, which sails to turn.

  He stared into the constellation of the night sky. For a moment, Percy found himself searching for a huntress running across the stars. He reminded himself that it didn’t exist yet.

  The sound of metal and metal rang behind him. Annabeth was teaching Hylla and Reyna how to fight, and by the sounds of it, they were learning fast. He was glad they would learn with them rather than amidst a bunch of hostile pirates. Percy didn’t know the details of what had happened, but remembering the dark look Reyna had when mentioning her time with the pirates…he decided not to think too much about it.

  Leo and Piper were resting in the hammocks below. Percy had talked a little with Annabeth about what happened on the island, and needless to say they were worried for their friends. Both Leo and Piper had at one point admitted having self-esteem or insecurity issues. He didn’t know how far those feelings went, and how much it affected them now.

  Still, there wasn’t much Percy could do other than just be there for them. It was up to them if they would actually talk about their problems.

  Speaking of problems, Clarisse was proving herself to be a pain in the neck. Apparently, they were taking too long, and once all the mess had started Clarisse had taken the liberty to just leave. And she took Percy's baby brother with her! Tyson better be safe, or Clarisse was going to have an unhappy son of Poseidon to deal with.

  Still, the daughter of Ares did have the coordinates. She would be making her way to Polyphemus' Island, so all he could do was hope to meet her there.

  As the hours dragged on, Hylla and Reyna fought long into the night, still training by the time Percy fell asleep. Hylla seemed to have a chip on her shoulder, after seeing Percy and Annabeth fight. Clearly, she had something to prove, and her effort showed. The girl was sweating bullets despite the cool night air.

  Reyna, on the other hand, seemed to be terrified of holding a pirate saber. She refused to use it, and Percy couldn’t fathom why. She ended up fighting with her dagger, which Annabeth seemed pleased about.

  He dreamt of Kronos’ Sarcophagus, with shadows swirling around the glowing gold. Inside were his remains, still waiting for a chance to reform, either by the Fleece’s power or the body of the Son of Hermes. Not that anyone would know that yet, of course.

  Thalia was next to him, blue eyes stormy. She marched to the coffin and raised her shield, despite Percy’s protests. With Medusa’s face staring down at the sarcophagus, she pushed aside the golden lid.

  Even Percy wasn’t sure what she saw in it. But whatever it was, it began to glow. Thalia screamed as golden light engulfed everything, and Percy woke up in a cold sweat.

  Thalia was still in her tree, he reminded himself. And she needed the Fleece or she would die. Time was running out for her.

  Time was also running out for his best friend. He hadn’t dreamt of Grover in a while, but that only made him want to get to the island and save him sooner. Fortunately, thanks to his nautical senses, Percy knew they were less than a day from Polyphemus’ home.

  Less fortunately, they had to pass through the Siren’s Island.

  All six of them gathered at the deck. The air was hazy and dark, and Percy had no idea what time it could be. A thick fog set in, just for good measure.

  “The Sirens,” Annabeth pointed to a dark spot in the mist. “We’ll be in the range of their singing soon.”

  “Their singing causes sailors to drown themselves, right?” Reyna asked.

  Leo pointed his thumb behind him. “There’s a big tub of candle wax below deck. Stuff it in our ears and we’ll go right past, no problem.”

  “Good.” Percy nodded. “It’s settled then…”

  Annabeth shifted nervously. Percy stared at her. She stared back.

  “No.”

  “Percy.”

  “No!”

  “Just take my knife this time!”

  “We’re not risking it!”

  “Piper’s here! Worst comes to worse, she’ll stop me.”

  Percy tried not to groan, ignoring all the wary looks they were getting as they argued. No doubt Hylla and Reyna thought they were crazy. “Why do you need to hear them? You know what they’ll show you.”

  “Do I?” Annabeth challenged. “A lot has changed since then, Percy. The Sirens tell you desires and truths you don’t even realize about yourself. That’s wisdom. I’m not going to get this chance again.”

  Annabeth had once confessed to Percy that she wished she had powers just like the rest of the Seven, during her quest for the Athena Parthenos. She only had her intelligence, and she worked for every opportunity to further wisdom. Honestly, Percy thought she was fine as she was now, but…

  The gold beads glinted in hair curls, and her gray eyes shined in the dim light with determination. Her lips pursed in the way they always did when she was set on something and…gods, this was unfair.

  In defeat, he agreed to her plan. Leo got the candle wax and all of them besides Annabeth plugged their ears. They tied up Annabeth’s feet and hands. Then, they tied her to the mast, ropes looping around her so many times you could barely see anything aside from her face.

  “Don’t you think this is a little overkill?” Annabeth called from the mast.

  “What? Can’t hear you, wax in my ears.” Percy shouted back.

  She rolled her eyes at him as he focused on the wheel. He willed the ship to go as fast as possible. The sooner they could get past the island, the better. Jagged rocks loomed out of the fog, forcing Percy to steer the Queen Anne’s Revenge around.

  He glanced at Annabeth, watching her face go from puzzled to shocked to panic. He still couldn’t hear anything but the blood rushing in his head and his heart thumping in his chest.

  Annabeth began to struggle against the ropes, but all she could do was throw her head back and forth. Percy tore his gaze from her anguished face and looked around him. Piper and Leo looked pained as well. Annabeth seemed so miserable that it was hard not to cut her free.

  He couldn’t watch, and neither could Piper and Leo. Percy met Hylla’s eyes and pleadingly gestured for her to watch Annabeth. She was probably the only one who could.

  She nodded unhappily, and Percy fixed his gaze on the blurry horizon. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the wreckage of ships and small planes in the water. What could the Sirens possibly sing that could drag so many lives off course?

  To say the curiosity was tempting was a drastic understatement.

  The minutes passed. The jagged rocks disappeared back into the fog, and the haze in the air seemed to clear just a little.

  Hylla grabbed his shoulder, and Percy immediately spun around. Hylla pointed at Annabeth, who was hunched over from the mast, tears streaming down her face. She met his gaze with watery eyes and nodded slowly, mouthing safe.

  Percy thrusted a hand out and the ropes tying her to the mast zipped away. Annabeth slumped to the ground. Piper was the first to reach her, cutting her bonds. She didn’t try to move, so it seemed they were out of earshot of the Siren’s song.

  He took his earplugs out. Percy didn’t realize how much he missed the sailings sounds of water and wind. But he didn’t let it distract him, running to Annabeth and embracing her in his arms. She hiccuped against his chest, and occasionally a sob would slip out–a horrible, agonizing sob.

  Annabeth whispered to him what she saw, her hoarse voice punctured by cries of heartbreak.

  She told him of the world she was shown. A world where no one had ever or would ever suffer from the Titans or the Giants. Where the Greeks and Romans were not in camps, but in the outside world, doing what they loved without fear of monsters. Where people like Luke and Silena could be happy and alive, and where their mortal families didn’t have to worry for their children.

  A world where there were no gods to please or praise.

  And soon, it became clear why Annabeth was so distraught. The Sirens must have made that desire real in her head, something she could achieve if she went to the island. But everything about that illusion was…

  Impossible. Not a single thing could come true about what Annabeth saw.

  They all knew there would always be heroes that died. That there would always be monsters to fight. And no matter how hard they tried, they could never truly relax in this world.