Chapter 11:

Augur

Nico sank, his tail cutting a path through the water, so that by the time he came out of his shock he was at least seventy feet down and five minutes short of being able to get back to the surface and save Will. Octavian was closing in fast – the merman could see the hull of his ship already, and it was coming with disturbing swiftness for The Apollo. By the time Nico got there he'd be too late. His sword wouldn't be any use against humans on dry land. Unless they wandered close enough for him to poke.

He made way towards the foreign ship, shadows peeling themselves from the gradually darkening water below him and rushing dexterously for the barnacled hull, Nico at their head. He was so mad. Octavian looked like the lecherous sort, and Nico was fast becoming a new member of the Octavian-Haters club. He'd invaded mermaid waters, indirectly threatened Nico and his way of life and his ship had dented Nico's face so much so he'd revealed the closest guarded secret of his species.

And somehow, all of that paled, and seemed unimportant. Nico wasn't rushing a pirate vessel because he was in danger, or because his family was, or to give it a good thump in return for a smashed nose.

Will's face, blanched in horror and posture stiff as he tried to disguise the shuddering of his suddenly clenched fists: it kept playing over and over again in his eyes. Exactly what he was feeling, Nico wasn't about to analyse, but the pirate who'd fought Percy Jackson and won and captured the Prince of Hades didn't get to look like that at the sound of a single man's name.

Nico wanted to save Will. And he wanted to add a new shipwreck to the bottom of the ocean. It was a happy day under the sea when both his interests complimented each other.

Augur was pulling in beside The Apollo, soft waves lapping the sides as it came to a supernaturally gentle stop. Its sails dropped and the plank lowered all before Will's crew could blink, and he unsheathed his sword before Octavian was even in view. Like his ship, Octavian tended to turn up with a deft swiftness that shouldn't exist outside the Underworld.

"William Solace."

And there he was, standing in a spot that had definitely been inhabiting nothing but air a second ago. He looked no older than when Will had seen him last, and he was wearing the same rat-like grin he had when he'd told Will keel-hauling was the least of his worries if they crossed tides again.

Will said nothing. His crew inched closer to him until they were fanned out at his back. Lou was holding a gun almost half her size, and had it hefted against her shoulder like it weighed the equivalent of a feather cap. Butch had gone for a ball and chain with sporadic armour bits covering whatever Butch felt he needed most. Shins, not chest, it seemed.

Jason, bless him, had equipped himself with his golden coin and a shining sneer, purple shirt still in a condition that didn't leave the imagination much to speculate. He looked like the wolf-boy he'd been raised as.

Raising his hand, Will offered Octavian a one-finger salute – you know which finger it was. The rat-like grin dropped to a rat-like scowl. Octavian was just… rat-like.

Apparently everyone else was under the same assumptions, because when Will said, "We have a pest problem, lads and lad-ettes," there was an overall snort of agreement, and Octavian got the message loud and clear. He yanked his sword out of where he'd buried it in the wood of his ship, striding across the plank and boarding The Apollo. His crew followed.

"You know, brother," Octavian began, "that I'm walking away from this with your body in tow. Your answer to the next question decides whether it'll be unconscious" – his smile flashed back – "or dead."

From beside Will, Lou asked in a high-pitched voice, "Am I the greatest pain in the podex to sail the seven mighty seas?"

"Yes," Will said immediately, breaking into a grin.

"Do I look like an interbred rodent?"

"Yep."

"Does this coat make me look like I'm trying too hard?"

"I can't recall a time it hasn't."

Butch giggled as Will and Lou continued to ignore Octavian's rising temperature, bantering while Lou kept imitating him. Will snuck a glance at Octavian, and was delighted to see the rage on his face. He was still so angry – so angry – about Nico getting hurt because of his half-brother, and that because Octavian was the most pathetic person to exist, the something that had been budding between he and Nico was cut short. Maye Nico hadn't felt it, but Will –

Classic mistake. His mind had wandered, and his guard had slackened. The tip of Octavian's sword point was under Will's chin and a cruel snarl was right in his face. He tilted his head back but Octavian took a step forward until they were almost touching. The barrel of Lou's gun swung around to point at Octavian.

"Step back," she warned.

"He's chosen," Octavian replied. "He's leaving with a blood trail behind him."

Well, Will thought blandly, at least dead men don't talk.

"I'll shoot you if you touch him." Lou gestured with her head to Jason. "He'll run you through, and Butch will splatter what's left of your skull."

Octavian's eyes darted between the four of them and slowly, reluctantly, he stepped back, keeping his sword aimed at Will. His lips parted.

It was so unexpected and so anticlimactic, said the same way some people would say 'Okay' that it took a moment for Will to process what Octavian had said.

"Attack."

The pirates of the Augur fell on Will's crew. One of them spun Lou away, tipping the barrel of her gun to face the sky so her first shot fired into the distance before tackling her to the ground. Jason was immediately engaged in a vicious battle, where his opponent had none of the finesse but plenty of aggression. Butch became a spikey whirlwind of flying chains and danger, and the sudden battle continued by giving him a wide berth.

Will brought up his sword as Octavian shot at him, blocking overhand just in time. His half-brother may be weak, but speed was on his side for the moment. How Will was the disgrace and not Octavian was anybody's guess. At least he could handle a fight properly.

"So, is the end-game here, 'Tavi?" Will taunted as he ducked under Octavian's blade, kicking his arm as he twisted around. "No grand public hanging for The Apollo's handsome captain?"

Octavian, usually too busy trying to make up for his abysmal swordsmanship to trash-talk, surprised Will when he retorted, "I don't care where you die as long as I get to see it."

That something twisted in Will's gut again, and by accident he met Octavian's eye, a paler shade of blue than his and narrowed, filled with so much restrained sadistic energy that Will was sure something cold and slimy had wormed its way into his shirt and was crawling down his spine. He shuddered in disgust.

A blade swiped across Will's belly, a shallow cut that drew a thin line of blood from hip-bone to ribs. He jerked back and Octavian grinned, swooping in and clearly hoping to catch Will again while he was off his guard and reeling. The back of Will's hand received a slash when he put it over the wound, plastering his shirt into it in a pseudo-bandage. His upper arm was the next casualty. Octavian had been practicing, obviously; to his glee and Will's detriment. Burning hatred rose in his stomach like acid, the pain from the cuts adding fuel to his fire and sending a blinding glow into the air around him.

Storming at Octavian, ready for the counter-strike that would send him down, Will pulled his sword back to run his half-brother through, spinning him around so his back pressed against the side of the ship. Nothing could have frozen the fire in his lungs or saved Octavian from an immediate, sticky end.

Nothing, except pale blue eyes alighting on the wooden trough behind Will, still erect under the mast, it's shades torn but intact and the remains of Lou's enchanted chain hanging from the hook just above. Will watched the puzzle pieces click in Octavian's brain, and the Arctic took up residence in his chest. His sword point hovered, and didn't fall.

"So, William. Where's the mermaid?"

Obviously, this was the perfect moment for Octavian's ship to suddenly begin shaking.

I'm just doing a mass update and finishing the story in one go, so I don't post a chapter then go silent again.

Sorry for the long, long looooooooong wait you guys, but I do have a life. I've had some changes, some realisations, my profile explains everything (when I fix it up).

I'm changing my username too, in light of these realisations and life changes n'other fancy things.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

Frost Out!