Disclaimer: All rights belong to Rick Riordan. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes and violence

Author's Note: I know Rick Riordan is going to stop writing his mythoverse books but I'd sell my soul for a book about Reyna and Hylla escaping Circe and becoming pirate queens

Chapter 11

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Annabeth sits on the edge of a cot in the infirmary, watching Will as he cleans and organizes his tools for the third time.

"I'm fine," he insists. "I was only a statue for a few minutes."

Still, his skin is paler than normal even a few days after the Medusa encounter. Will had been pretty shaken for the first day, but he'd put on a brave face and forced himself back into his work. Percy had asked Annabeth to hang out with him and make sure he was truly recovered, though Annabeth would have done it anyway.

"It's just the third time you've done that," she points out, swinging her feet.

Will closes the leather bag and turns around to face her. "I'm more bored than anything. No one's been hurt in days. No sickness, no injuries, not even a splinter."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," she teases, the corner of her lip curling up.

He runs a hand through his wavy blond hair. "I just don't have anything to do. All this quietness gives me too much time to think."

Annabeth understands that better than most. She's felt the same way. Ever since Medusa taunted her about her choices, Annabeth has been weighing the pros and cons of her decisions over and over again. It seems like every monster they've encountered lately has been hand-picked to make Annabeth doubt her future. The Sirens showed her other paths she could take. Medusa gave her a way to escape her inevitable choice. Now she can't even enjoy this adventure because she feels completely torn up inside.

There's nothing but heartache for you. Whichever path you choose, you're going to lose one of them, Medusa had said. Annabeth had been dreaming at night again, seeing herself on that beach in the white dress, the funeral pyre behind her sending up tendrils of smoke into the sky. Sometimes Luke is there; sometimes he isn't. Sometimes the sea is calm; sometimes it's storming.

Last night, Annabeth had a new dream. Instead of being on that strange beach with the funeral pyre, she was standing on the beach by Luke's estate, wearing the wedding dress she'd worn the day the pirates attacked. She was staring out over the smooth waves, her expression full of longing and regret.

She had felt so disturbed when she awoke in the morning. Although she had tried to put it out of her mind, the unsettled feeling keeps crawling back to taint her mind.

"I keep thinking about how I would feel if my life had really ended like that," Will continues. "Am I satisfied with where I am? With who I am? With what I've done?"

"You've saved a lot of lives, Will," Annabeth assures him. "And you're a good person. A lot of people would miss you."

"That's a start," Will agrees, "but what about on a deeper level? I've never been in love. I've never really made my mark anywhere. There's so many things I haven't experienced yet. I'm not ready to die yet. Being turned to stone was a huge wake-up call for me."

Annabeth understands his anxiety. She's been in love, yes, but there are still so many things she wants to do with her life before settling down. She wants to do something truly heroic - like helping to recover the pearl before it's used for evil. She wants to travel more, fight more monsters. Above all, she wants to be known.

She knows it's her hubris shining through, but she can't help it. Annabeth wants to do something that will last for ages - whether physically, or in legend.

"I feel the same way," Annabeth says. "Percy offered to help me find a ship back to my home, but I joined the Pax because I wasn't ready to get married yet. I love Luke, but I wasn't ready to be a housewife yet."

"To be honest, Annabeth, I could never see you as a housewife. From the first day you came aboard the ship, you looked like you belonged here just as much as any of us."

"Sometimes I'm tempted to never leave," she admits. "I think about my life on this ship, short as it may be, and I would rather die young than live a long, boring life."

"If you want to stay, why don't you?" Will's blue eyes, as clear as the sky, stare intensely into hers. "I have my doubts about my life, but I have never regretted my decision to join the crew of the Pax."

Right now, Annabeth longs to stay more than anything. But the thread connecting her to Luke and her family still pulls her back. "I can't stay. There's too much I love about my old life."

Will leans back. "The ship will be very different without you. I almost don't remember what it was like before you came."

"Percy will probably be relieved once I'm gone. One less crazy girl who jumps overboard and swims to her death less." Annabeth rolls her eyes, thinking of all her less-than-bright moments. The Sirens, the fight with the kraken, the salt monsters...at best, she had been a minor cause for worry. At worst, she had caused a lot of trouble.

"I wouldn't say that at all." There's an edge to Will's tone, as if he knows something she doesn't. Annabeth picks up on it, but before she can ask, the alarm bells begin ringing. She and Will exchange a look before leaping into action. Annabeth grabs her knife and runs through the lower deck to the ladder, scaling it quickly. Will is at her heels, his medical bag slung over his shoulder. Maybe he spoke prematurely about there being no injuries.

Up on deck, the sailors are in a flurry of activity. The sky is dark, gray clouds blocking out the sun and a light rain falling from the skies. The waves are choppy, sending the ship listing back and forth. Annabeth spies Percy and Frank standing on the topmost deck, staring out to the horizon with their spyglass. She and Will climb up the stairs to join them.

"What is it?" she asks, breathless.

Percy lowers the spyglass from his eyes. His eyes are unreadable. He silently hands the tool over to Annabeth, who points it in the same direction they were looking in. She sees a ship in the distance, heading their way. It's a massive ship, with dark sails. At the top mast, two flags flap in the wind: one black with a skull on it, the other plain and the color of blood.

"Who is it?" Annabeth asks as she hands the spyglass to Will, whose skin turns an even paler shade of white as he looks.

"Only one pirate flies those flags," Frank says, gripping the wheel nervously, his knuckles white. "Captain Edward Teach."

"Or as he's commonly known - Blackbeard."

Percy paces across the deck as Frank continues to keep the ship steady. The Queen Anne's Revenge plows through the waves towards them, getting closer and closer until everyone aboard the Pax can see them with their naked eyes. Percy's men are loyal and brave, and though an undercurrent of fear runs through the ship, every sailor remains at his post.

Annabeth watches in fascination. She's heard the tales of Blackbeard's strength and ruthlessness - everyone has. He's the most feared pirate of them all. She wonders, though, why only the flagship is sailing their way; where is the rest of the fleet?

Most of all, she's surprised by Percy's reaction. He's always been confident at sea. Even in Tortuga, when he helped her escape Ares, the god of war, he hadn't seemed at all uneasy. But now, as he waits for the pirate to approach, his hand hovers over the hilt of his sword and he walks back and forth, his eyes constantly flickering around the horizon.

"It'll be fine," he says out loud after a few minutes. "I've met Blackbeard once before. Even helped him and his crew."

"Percy, we're in your element. The sea is all around us. How could we lose?" Annabeth asks.

"This is Blackbeard's element, too. Do you think any pirate becomes successful without my father's approval?"

Annabeth hadn't thought of that before. But surely Poseidon would favor Percy over Blackbeard, especially since Percy is on a mission to help him.

"Blackbeard is also a son of Ares. Not only is he good in a fight, but he enjoys it. And it's widely known than Ares and I don't get along. Meetings with his children don't usually go well for me."

Annabeth stands on the top deck, clutching her knife in her hand, trying to think of ways to reason with the pirate should his past with Percy not be enough to convince him to let them sail past without a fight. As every minute passes, the Queen Anne's Revenge closes the distance. The rain still comes down, soaking everyone except for Percy.

When the flagship finally pulls up next to the Pax - which is tiny in comparison - Percy's crew is assembled in a line behind him. Frank stands at his right side, and Annabeth stands slightly to his left. All their weapons are sheathed, though Beckendorf is standing right in front of one of his new machines, ready to fire should fighting break out.

A few tough-looking pirates throw a few planks across the distance between the two ships. Annabeth feels her heart race as they wait. Rain drops slide down her face, dripping in her eyes and down her chin, but she dares not move a muscle. The wind blows her ponytail to the side, and one annoying strand of hair blows in front of her face, tickling her nose and mouth.

Percy's wearing a formal jacket over his usual white shirt, and he has his sand dollar pendant tucked under his collar. The wind ruffles through his black hair, but the rain doesn't touch him. On his opposite side, Frank isn't faring as well. He's also wearing a formal jacket and holding his golden spear at his side, but the rain has flattened his already short crew-cut. He fidgets uncomfortably.

A group of pirates surround two figures, acting as a guard detail as they cross the planks. When they step foot aboard the Pax, the front line moves to the side, revealing the two figures. Annabeth's mouth parts in shock at what she sees. Frank's brow furrows, and Percy blinks in surprised.

Two girls, one Annabeth's age and one a couple years older, stand in front of the assembled crew of the Pax. The younger one wears a purple cloak over golden armor that snaps sharply in the wind. Her dark hair is braided over her shoulder and she has a sheathed golden sword at her side. Her dark brown eyes scan the crew before settling on Percy.

The older girl, who looks very similar to the first, doesn't bother giving a second of attention to the crew. She just glares at Percy. Her hand drifts to the twin long knives sheathed on either side of her silver belt. She's wearing all black from her boots to the hat on her head and her dark hair blows freely in the wind. There's a faint silver scar across her forehead.

For a moment, there's only stunned silence. Then the older girl speaks.

"Perseus Jackson. I swore that if I ever saw you again, I would kill you."

She flies into motion, and by the time Annabeth blinks, she's standing an inch from Percy, one of her knives held across the back of his neck, the other pressed into his throat. Percy's crew draws their weapons and points them at the girl, but the Queen Anne's Revenge crew is just as fast, stepping forward to protect their captain.

Only Annabeth and the younger girl remain rooted, watching everything unfold. Their eyes meet across the deck, and Annabeth sees the same intelligence in the girl's eyes that she saw in her mother's.

"Peace, Hylla. There's no need for a battle," the younger girl says, setting a hand on her sister's arm. "He's the one we want."

"Call off your men," Hylla orders, pressing her blades more tightly into Percy's skin.

"Stand down," Percy calls out, loud enough for everyone to hear. The Pax's crew hesitates, but they slowly sheath their weapons and take a step back. Only Frank remains, his spear pointed at Hylla. "Frank," Percy says tightly.

"Her first," Frank replies, narrowing his eyes. Hylla shoots him a glare, but just as smoothly as she attacked, she steps back and sheathes her knives.

"You will come aboard our ship with two representatives," the younger girl decrees. "There we will decide what to do with you."

Percy looks between the girls. "Who are you?" he asks. "What happened to Blackbeard?"

Hylla's lip curls up in a snarl, but her sister simply tilts her head. "You don't remember us?"

"Of course he doesn't," Hylla spits. "He's just like every other man."

"We'll see." The younger girl scans Percy up and down. "You have five minutes to choose your companions. If you try anything, we will destroy your ship and every one of your crew members."

She turns sharply, her cape flashing, and she and Hylla walk back over the plank to their ship.

"I want to go."

Percy looks up sharply at her. "No way. Did you see the way those girls were glaring at me? They're going to kill me. And I don't even know what I did to make them so angry."

Annabeth knows she can't describe the connection she felt when she made eye contact with the younger girl, but somehow she knows that he needs her to help broker peace. "I'm a girl. I'll be able to understand them better than you."

"It's too dangerous."

"I'm coming, too." Frank crosses his arms, his mind made up.

"The crew needs you. Who else will lead them when I'm gone?"

"I will." Beckendorf steps up. "If something happens, I can keep the ship running. The crew will listen to me."

Percy runs his face with a hand, looking frustrated. Annabeth isn't sure if it's with the situation they've found themselves in or at himself because he doesn't remember these girls.

"That settles it," Annabeth jumps in, seizing the moment. "Frank and I will go with you. Beckendorf will take over the ship if we don't return."

Percy slumps in the chair in the navigation room. He looks downright awful. Annabeth wishes she knew what was running through his head.

"Fine," he finally says. "We'd better go before they think we're trying to pull something."

As they walk the plank to the other ship, Annabeth finds that she's more excited than fearful. She has a lot of admiration for the two girls - even if they do want to kill Percy. She can tell from the way the men defer to them that they command respect - something that she never imagined possible for female pirates.

The pirates lead their group into a decent-sized room that serves as a captain's office. Hylla sits in the high-backed wooden chair behind the desk, her knives set by her hands on the table. The younger girl stands by her side, leaning against the wall, two dogs at her feet. They growl when they fix their black eyes on Percy.

Hylla sits up straight, glaring at Percy every second. The pirates sit them down on chairs in front of her, rougher than necessary, before exiting, the door closing definitively behind them. For a long moment they sit in silence.

"I already know who you are, Perseus, son of the sea god. Introduce your companions. I like to know who I'm about to kill."

Percy nods at Frank. "This is my first mate, Frank Zhang." His eyes flicker to Annabeth, and she sees a hint of fear in them. "This is Annabeth Chase."

"Since you don't remember me, I'll reintroduce myself. I'm Captain Hylla Ramirez-Arellano of the Queen Anne's Revenge. That's my sister and the first mate, Reyna."

Reyna nods coldly.

"Now convince me why I shouldn't kill you."

Percy looks at her closely. "We have met before," he decides. "But I don't remember where."

"How convenient." Hylla taps her fingers against the desk, and through the window sunlight glints off the silver ring on her first finger. It has a crossed spear and sword engraved into it.

Reyna's dogs still have their hackles up, but they aren't growling. Reyna watches them for a moment before speaking. "He's telling the truth. He doesn't remember."

"Then allow me the honor of reminding you." Hylla leans back and crosses her arms. "It was four years ago."

"The summer I went to the Sea of Monsters," Percy says, nodding. "But you're not - "

"Monsters aren't the only ones who resided there. You docked at our shores, battered and weary from your journey. I greeted you on the beach, welcomed you to our home, introduced you to our mistress. And how did you repay my kindness? You freed the worst pirates to ever sail the seas from captivity and allowed them to destroy our sanctuary. They took us captive and forced us to work as slaves on their ship."

Percy's eyes widen. "Circe's island," he says. "I remember now. You gave me a tour." His eyes flicker up to Reyna. "You were working there, too."

"Apprenticing," Reyna corrects.

"You knew what the sorceress was going to do to me!" Percy accuses, his confusion turning to anger. "You led me into her trap. You weren't innocent."

"No one is innocent," Hylla snaps. "And you were vain enough to fall for her tricks."

"She manipulated me," Percy argues. "I didn't fall for anything. I was young and insecure and she took advantage of me. She lied to me. She turned me into a guinea pig!"

"And you should have stayed that way! Circe did you a favor."

"A favor?" He shakes his head adamantly. "Turning men into pigs isn't a favor."

"She didn't turn you into anything. She was revealing your true form."

"Look," Percy says, waving his arms. "I'm sorry that you were enslaved by pirates and your home destroyed. But it wasn't my fault. I did what I had to do to escape. I didn't purposely free the other pirates. I didn't even know they were Blackbeard and his crew. We were just a bunch of guinea pigs in a cage."

"It wasn't your fault?" Hylla raises an eyebrow. She glances back at her sister. "Do you even hear this?"

Reyna stares at Percy, a strange expression on her face. Unlike her sister, she seems more reserved. She holds her emotions close to her chest. Annabeth can't get a good read on her. She has no idea if her silence is good for Percy or bad.

"When the pirates were turned back into their human form, you ran," Reyna says slowly. "You knew they were dangerous, and you ran away and left us to their mercy."

Percy opens his mouth, but Annabeth knows that whatever he's going to say is only going to make things worse. She beats him to the punch.

"From his point of view, the entire island was full of enemies," she reasons. "You guys helped Circe turn him into a guinea pig. The pirates were chasing him even though he helped free them. He was surrounded by assailants. It wasn't a fight he could win. He would have been stupid to stay."

Both girls turn their eyes to Annabeth.

"Annabeth Chase," Reyna says, sounding her name out aloud. "I haven't heard of you before."

Annabeth feels her cheeks turn red, but she refuses to look away first. She won't appear weaker than she already does.

"She's my advisor," Percy says quickly.

"Fights your battles for you, as well," Hylla remarks.

"I wonder if her sword is as sharp as her tongue," Reyna adds. There's a challenge in her gaze.

"Pirates only understand one thing - strength," Hylla says, turning back to Percy. "Along with being slaves, we were entertainment for the crew. They would pit us against their best swordsmen. We had to fight to survive." She points to the scar on her forehead. "I got that fighting Blackbeard himself."

"We rose to the top of the ranks," Reyna continues. "We commanded respect. Eventually, we won the crew over and took over the ship from Blackbeard."

"If it wasn't for you, Perseus Jackson, we would still be serving girls for Circe." Hylla smiles humorlessly. "Circe didn't even stick around to help once the pirates broke free. She could have turned them back into guinea pigs but she didn't even bother to fight. She just disappeared, leaving us to fend for ourselves. That was our wake-up call."

"You understand our predicament." Reyna uncrosses her arms, and Annabeth sees that she has an identical ring to Hylla's. "We swore to kill you. No amount of reasoning, no matter how logical, will convince our crew that we should let you go."

"They want your blood," Hylla agrees. "We haven't fought anyone in a long time. They won't respect us anymore if we let you go. And honestly, I'm still not convinced we should."

Percy spreads out his arms amicably. "Like I said, I'm really sorry about what happened to you. If I had known what the pirates would do to you, I would have tried to stop them. But that was four years ago now. We've all come a long way. Right now, I'm on a very important mission."

"What mission?" Reyna's eyes bore into him.

Percy glances over at Annabeth, and she nods. Although his mission is supposed to be secret, he's going to have to tell them if he wants even a chance of getting out of here alive.

He explains the prophecy and the pearl. He tells them about his dreams. They both listen attentively.

"Neptune is a powerful deity. If he lost his domain, it could cause trouble for our entire world," Hylla muses when he's finished.

"Italy would especially be vulnerable," Reyna adds. "Most of our country is surrounded by sea." She looks at the three of them, but her gaze settles on Annabeth. "Our mother is Bellona, the Roman goddess of war."

"Like Ares?"

Hylla rolls her eyes. Reyna patiently explains, "No, Mars is the Roman equivalent of Ares. He's also a god of war, but he's more of the overall god of war and strategy. Our mother is the goddess of the homeland and the defense of it."

"So you should support our mission," Annabeth reasons. "If we fail, your homeland is endangered. That would weaken your mother's power and influence."

Hylla glances at Percy. "Where did you find her?" she asks. "And how did you convince her to hang around?"

Percy shrugs, but when he glances back at Annabeth, there's a hint of a smile on his face.

Hylla and Reyna exchange glances, an entire silent conversation happening within the space of a few seconds. Hylla finally turns back to them.

"Very well," she says. "We have decided to allow you to live, provided that you continue on this mission. There is just one condition."

Percy nods, looking relieved. "Anything."

Reyna points with her chin at Annabeth. "She will have to win in combat against one of our men."

Percy's face turns pale. Annabeth is sure hers does the same. She sits stock-still, fear coursing through her veins. She came on this mission because she was sure her wisdom and intelligence was needed; she didn't think she would need to fight. Especially not a one-on-one battle.

"That's impossible," Percy sputters. "I'll fight. I'm the one who put us in this position in the first place."

"You're the son of the sea god and a well-known pirate. We have no one that would take up a challenge against you."

"Then let me fight," Frank offers.

Reyna shakes her head. "It has to be her. Annabeth convinced us to let you go free; now she must convince our crew. As I said before, the only thing our men respect is strength. She must do what my sister and I did and earn freedom through combat."

As terrified as Annabeth is, she also feels really empowered. She has a lot of respect for Reyna and Hylla and she wants to do something they did. Like her conversation this morning with Will: she wants to make her mark, to be known. What better way than by beating one of Blackbeard's pirates in combat?

Annabeth has been training with Percy for more than a month now. She's fought monsters. What's one pirate?

"I'll do it," she agrees, standing up. Both Percy and Frank turn to stare at her, but she ignores them, keeping her gaze on the sisters.

"Good," Reyna nods. "I'll gather our men."

"And I'll find a worthy opponent," Hylla says. The two girls sweep out of the room.

"Annabeth, are you sure?" Percy asks. "This is my fault. I should be the one risking my life."

"It's fine," Annabeth says. "This is my chance to prove myself. What's the point of all my practice over the past few weeks if I never fight anyone?"

"Remember to fight smart and not hard," Frank says. "Pirates aren't always known for their brains. Whoever it is will underestimate you. Use that to your advantage."

She nods.

"If it gets too close, I'm stepping in," Percy says.

"Don't. You can't put everyone aboard the Pax at risk. You know that Hylla and Reyna will attack if you interfere. I'm not worth all their lives."

"Then I'll be strong enough to fight them all off."

Annabeth knows that although Percy is strong, he's not that strong. She'll have to make sure she wins this cleanly - for everyone's sake. She can't have Percy go off the rails and make things worse.

Reyna and Hylla return. "Everyone's ready. Come with me."

Hylla escorts Percy and Frank out, leaving just Annabeth and Reyna. Reyna has a pile of armor in her arms, which she offers to Annabeth.

"Thanks," Annabeth says, taking just the breastplate. She doesn't want to be weighed down by a whole suit.

"Let me help. You've never worn armor before."

Annabeth isn't sure how Reyna could know that, but maybe it's a war goddess thing. She raises her arms and lets the other girl tighten up and secure the straps.

"I wouldn't have chosen you for the fight if I didn't believe you could win," Reyna says as she works. "I believe you're stronger than you know. Certainly stronger than your male companions think. This isn't just a chance for you to win your freedom. This is a chance for you to prove yourself. Women have to work twice as hard to gain half as much respect, yet we are so rarely given the opportunity to do so."

Annabeth reties her boot laces and pulls her hair up into a tighter ponytail. "How did you do it? Go from being a servant to a capable fighter."

"It does help when your mother is a goddess of war," Reyna admits. "But mostly I took my fate into my own hands. When something bad happened, I accepted the new reality I was left with and did my best to improve my prospects. Nothing comes out of wallowing or being indecisive."

She tugs on the shoulder straps and then steps back, nodding in satisfaction. "You're ready. We best not keep them waiting."

She swings the door open, and an excited cheering sounds. Annabeth steps forward into a ring created by pirates. They jeer and scream as she continues walking.

On the other end of the ring is a pirate with a face full of scars and a mouth full of gold teeth. He grins at her and twirls his sword in his hand. Annabeth glances up behind her at the top deck, where Percy and Frank are standing between Reyna and Hylla.

"This is a battle to the death," Hylla calls out, the pirates going quiet when she speaks. "Should the Pax's champion win, they will be set free. Should our champion win, we shall execute the Pax's captain and first mate."

A loud cheer goes up from the pirates. Annabeth tightens her grip on her dagger. Hylla raises a pistol and fires into the air. The pirates begin clamoring as Annabeth and her opponent, who she nicknames Goldteeth, circle around each other.

He makes the first move, leaping forward and swinging his sword at her midsection. She dances back, out of range, and stabs forward as he momentum carries him past. He jumps back, just missing the tip of her dagger.

He tries again, this time feigning to the left and them slicing at her right side. Annabeth is just a slight second too slow and the edge of his blade catches her arm. She flinches back as a sharp pain cuts through. She glances down at her forearm and sees a huge gash just under her elbow. The pirates cheer at the sight of blood.

Annabeth decides to try offense this time. She runs at him, hitting the ground at the last second and rolling under his sweeping blade, stabbing upward. She pulls her knife out of his thigh as his sword arcs down and rolls out of the way. His blade hits the deck with a dull thunk.

They trade blows for a few more minutes, neither drawing blood. Annabeth has a hard time getting close enough for her knife to do any damage, and he has a hard time keeping up with her because of her speed.

Annabeth begins to pick up on his fighting style as they spar. She sees his strengths and weaknesses. She learns his tell and how to read his attacks before he even begins. She picks up on his patterns, and she begins piecing together a strategy.

She goes on the offensive again, blocking a sword strike with her knife and pushing his arm to the side before freeing her knife and swiping at him before he can figure out how to angle his long blade back at her. She cuts a shallow arc across his chest (serves him right for not wearing armor) and then steps back. For the move to work she had to sacrifice her leg; as she retreats, he's able to slice weakly at her right leg. The cut across her calf is shallow, but it stings and weakens her stance.

Angered by the injury she dealt to him and empowered by the sight of her limping, the pirate grows cocky, which is exactly what Annabeth had planned on. He hefts his sword up and charges straight at her. She waits until the last second to move, stepping out of the way and catching his sword arm, holding it out harmlessly in front of her. As he struggles to escape her grip, she stabs her knife into his chest.

Killing a man doesn't feel like killing a monster does, even if the man had been trying to kill her. A sickening feeling fills her gut even as the pirates cheer her on. One reaches down and pulls the knife out of Goldteeths' chest, wiping it clean on his shirt before returning it to her. She almost doesn't take it back.

Looking back up at the top deck where Hylla pronounces her the winner, Annabeth reminds herself why she had to do it. If she hadn't killed him, she and her friends would have been killed. It wasn't a choice. There was no alternate way around it.

This is a cruel world where people die - and sometimes where you have to kill others.

Frank and Percy are set free, and they help Annabeth limp back over to plank to the Pax. The Queen Anne's Revenge crew pulls the planks back and sets sail again. As the ship passes, Reyna lifts her chin at Annabeth in a gesture of respect.

Will runs up to Annabeth as Frank and Percy set her down on the deck. He opens his bag and begins pulling out tools.

"You know, when I said I was bored because no one had injuries, I didn't mean for you to go out and get yourself cut up," he says dryly as he begins to stem the bleeding. Annabeth winces but holds the cloths where he tells her to.

"What happened?" Beckendorf asks, approaching their little group. The rain has stopped, but the clouds are still dark around them. In the background, Annabeth can hear Frank ordering the crew to set sail again. Normally the swaying of the ship doesn't bother her, but she feels dizzy from blood loss and her head spins.

"Remember the summer I went into the Sea of Monsters?" Percy tells Beckendorf the whole story, from when he went to Circe's Island to Annabeth defeating their pirate.

Annabeth leans her head against the railing, half-listening to Percy telling the complete story (and making her sound way more heroic than she really was) and half-listening to Will as he gives her instructions.

"Alright, the bleeding has slowed down and I've cleaned up the wound as best as I can, but you're going to need stitches," he says. "I don't know if you've ever had stitches before, but it's going to hurt."

"Okay." Annabeth's head is still spinning too much for her to fully comprehend his words.

"Hey, Percy, come here," Will says. Percy crouches down next to them.

"What is it?" he asks, glancing down at the mess of bloody rags. "Is she okay?"

"She will be, once we get these stitched up."

"So what do you need me to do?"

"Hold her hand."

"What?"

Will sighs. "It's going to hurt a lot, so I may need you to hold her down, or she'll just need something to hang onto. So hold her hand."

Annabeth is lucid enough to notice that Percy's face turns red. She smiles a little. Of course the powerful, strong, and confident pirate captain would get nervous about something as stupid as a minor medical procedure and holding hands. She reaches up and grabs his hand. It's cool, like water.

"Ready?" Will asks.

"Just get it over with."

He begins working. It's the most painful thing Annabeth has ever experienced - even more than getting the injuries in the first place. She squeezes Percy's hand hard, trying not to cry or instinctually kick Will away.

The worst part is that she has to go through it twice - once on her leg, and once on her arm. It seems to last forever. When Will finally ties off the last knot, she feels exhausted from tensing her muscles. Next to her, Percy rubs his hand and smiles at her ruefully.

"You're stronger than you look," he remarks.

"Sorry."

"Let's get you down to the infirmary. I don't want the wound to get infected." Will gathers up his bag of medical tools and stands. Percy helps Annabeth to her feet and then helps her limp across the deck, down the ladder, and then through the hallway to the infirmary. She collapses on one of the cots.

"Uh, thanks," Percy says, standing awkwardly by her cot.

"For what?"

"You saved us today. You were pretty awesome." He reaches up and scratches at the back of his neck. "So thanks."

"We'll call it even for when you saved me from the Sirens," she says. Her eyelids feel heavy, and her head is still spinning a little, though not as badly as before.

"Rest well," he says, and then she closes her eyes and fades away.