It was hours before we were able to resume our journey once again. The ship had been tightly wedged between the sheer cliff wall and a thick sea-rock spire, and even with Tyson throwing the engine in full-reverse and the bear twins aiding the team of giants in pushing, the ship wouldn't budge. I tried to help it along by bidding the sea to rise, but my fight with Scylla had exhausted me, and something about this water seemed almost foreign. Maybe it was because it was mixed in with the Sea of Monsters, or maybe it was because I was just fatigued, but either way, I couldn't offer much help.

It was only when the sun lowered to paint the sky a warm shade of red that we got the stroke of luck we needed. Apparently, Charybdis had gotten sick of gargling saltwater, because with an enormous belch, she'd sent a tidal wave heading our way. Everyone scrambled back onto the ship just as the wave hit, slamming the hull into the cliff wall with the ear-piercing crash of metal against rock, but fortunately knocking the ship loose at the same time.

We kicked it into overdrive, praying the ship remained in one piece as we sailed the final sprint through the strait. I think everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief when the looming cliffs on either side of us fell off, giving way to a vast expanse of blue and orange.

We hadn't made it out unscathed, however, as I soon came to find.

"Reports," Luke demanded, leaning over the same poker table we'd been huddled around earlier that day, hands gripped tightly around the plastic siding. He looked about as exhausted as I felt. The whole day, he'd been running around coordinating teams with various tasks during the aftermath of the fight. I wondered how long it had been since he last sat down. "Chris, you first. How many did we lose?"

The demigod in question stared at his hands folded on the table, the corners of his mouth sinking. A moment passed before he responded. "Zach and Tristian were killed," he said softly.

I felt like I'd taken a punch to the gut. I had been the one who wanted to go on this mission. I'd been so caught up in wanting to be a hero, to prove myself to Kronos and keep the camp out of danger, that I'd stubbornly pushed and pushed until we'd gotten the quest. I was the one who had steered us this way, and everyone else was just along for the ride. Now two people were dead, and we'd only just entered the Sea of Monsters. I'd been so stupid days before, thinking retrieving the Fleece would be so easy I could do it on my own.

I glanced up at Luke. He held Chris's gaze, jaw set and eyes hardened, but I saw his fingers nearly turning white as he gripped the side of the table. "Go on," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Mary—" Chris faltered for a moment. "Mary and Cameron are in critical condition. Adri is doing everything she can for them, but she has so many other injuries to tend to right now…"

A crushing weight bore down on the room. Luke closed his eyes and sighed. He tried to remain stoic, but I could see his features tighten in remorse. The words Silena had shared with me resurfaced. He still cares for his friends.

"We'll have shrouds burned for our fallen soldiers," he resolved. His eyes travelled to the dracanae queen, who was filing her fingernails to a point against one of her scales and looking not at all interested in the conversation. I grit my teeth. She was probably lamenting the fact that she didn't get to eat those demigods herself. "Sess, what about your troops?"

She sighed and looked up from her hands. "Sssadly, my ssssecond-in-command, Naga, was killed. Regina the empousssa ssself-immolated when she was grabbed, Joe Bob the Laistrygonian had his head bitten off, and of coursssse, we all sssaw what happened to Big Bertha."

It took me a few seconds to realize Big Bertha was what she had named the drakon.

Luke sank down in his chair and leaned forward, hands clasped and eyes downcast. "Six deaths, then," he said.

I balled my fingers into a fist. I felt like there should've been something more I could do. If only I'd known what form Scylla took, and how she snatched up her victims; using her "pets", as it were. I could've planned to use Medusa's head from the very beginning of the fight, and no one would've had to die. Hades, I could've just tied it to the ship's figurehead and it would've been smooth sailing all the way to Polyphemus's island.

"So the stories are true," Luke mused. At my questioning look, he explained, "It's said that every ship that passes too close to Scylla loses six of its crew, one for each of her heads. I suppose this time was no different."

A sullen silence filled the room, and for a moment I wondered what Luke was thinking. But then Oreius stepped out of the corner.

"But we gave her one Hades of a brawl," he said gruffly, pounding his fists together and grinning like a madman.

Agreius stepped forward as well, smacking a huge paw on his brother's shoulder. "For once, I agree with my brother. No one has ever fought back against Scylla before and won. Today was a victory."

Sess rapped her knuckles against the table in agreement. "Indeed, you commanded well, Luke." Her reptilian eyes swivelled to me, and I saw a glint of respect in them, just for a moment. "And you, ssson of Possseidon, I take back what I ssssaid. Using one monster to kill another… Perhaps you're not as inept as I thought you were."

"Uh, thanks. I think."

Luke turned his attention towards Tyson. "What of the ship? Any damages?"

Tyson nodded and went on to explain that while nothing critical had been damaged, the ship's hull was scuffed up, and anything that hadn't previously been fixed to the floor had been tossed around due to the impact of the ship against the cliff wall. There was a lot to clean up. Not to mention the extensive damage to my room.

Luke ordered all able-bodied troops and crew members to assist in cleaning up the ship and sent us on our way.

I stuck with Chris at first, helping him and the other demigods deal with the aftermath of the fight. Most of the stuff on the decks had been bolted down, so there was little to do there. The holographic guests had resumed their leisurely cruise as if nothing had happened, some taking walks around the deck and shops and others lounging lazily by the pool.

The kitchens and common areas inside the ship, however, were a complete mess. It looked like a twister had run through the interior of the ship, leaving pots and pans and broken furniture scattered throughout. We worked well into the night until most of the debris had been put back or gotten rid of. Chris kept stealing glances in the direction of the infirmary, and I could tell he desperately wanted to be there, but Adri had insisted everyone stay out unless there was an emergency. She worked better alone.

Later, Tyson and I were able to patch the gaping hole in the wall of my room, but my bed was utterly destroyed, and all of the extra cots we had in storage were now set up in the infirmary. I ended up falling asleep on my couch that night, so exhausted I couldn't even tell the difference.

My dream opened up on a nighttime view of a familiar grassy hillside. Half-Blood Hill, only something was horribly wrong with it. Much of the grass had been burned away, and at the base of the hill were two metal carcasses in the shapes of bulls. It looked like someone had gotten them to charge into each if their caved-in metal heads were any indication.

My heart twisted when I saw the top of the hill, which wasn't much better. Thalia's tree, once standing strong and proud at the entrance to Camp Half-Blood, now drooped down on itself. The pine needles had turned a sickly shade of yellow and were falling like rain. Any moss or grass that had grown near the trunk had died, leaving behind a 10 foot radius of dry, cracked soil.

Standing vigilant beneath the tree was Annabeth. Leaning against a spear and wearing a blue horsehair-plumed helmet and bronze armor, she looked like she was about to begin a rousing game of capture-the-flag. But I knew that wasn't the case. The hill wasn't even part of the game's boundaries. No, she must've been guarding the camp from monsters.

Her eyes scanned the treeline for any signs of movement, but it was strangely quiet. Even the insects weren't as loud as they normally were. After a minute or so, Annabeth let out a bored sigh and turned her gaze to the tree. Slowly, she brought a hand up and placed it against the trunk. She frowned.

"Hang in there, Thalia. I'll… I'll think of something. Athena always has a plan."

Whether she was trying to soothe the spirit of her friend, or simply reassure herself, I didn't know. I wanted to reach out to her, to let her know we were going to fix this, and once we did, Thalia would have a new chance at life. But of course, I could never speak in my dreams.

A grin that didn't reach her eyes spread on her face, and she chuckled bitterly, shaking her head. "I'm so lonely, I'm talking to a tree," she said under her breath.

The sound of a twig snapping broke her out of her thoughts. She snapped back to attention, clutching her spear and searching for any sign of danger coming from the woods. She was so focused on the potential threat that she didn't notice the figure sneaking up behind her. I tried to shout, to warn her, but it was useless.

The figure brought a hand down on her shoulder, and in an instant she was moving, throwing her spear down and drawing her dagger as she spun. The newcomer let out a gruff laugh and doubled over, clutching at her sides.

"Oh Chase, you should've seen your face just now," Clarisse teased. "You were so lost in thought, the freaking Minotaur could've snuck up on you."

Having gone red in the face, Annabeth sputtered out a response. "It's—it's bad luck to say its name, you know!"

"Uh-huh," Clarisse said, wiping a tear from her eye.

"What are you even doing out here?" Annabeth demanded.

"It's midnight, dummy. My shift."

"...Oh. Already?"

Clarisse bent down and grabbed the spear Annabeth dropped. "Go get some sleep, Chase," she ordered, holding it out to her. "You look like you're about to pass out."

"Yeah… thanks, Clarisse," she said, taking the proffered weapon. For a moment, Clarisse studied her, and then her gaze darted to Thalia's tree.

"She was tough, wasn't she?"

"She was a force to be reckoned with," Annabeth answered earnestly. "I've never seen anyone fight like her."

Clarisse nodded in approval. "I wasn't here when you three came up that hill, but I've heard the story so many times I lost count." She strode over to the tree and knelt down, taking a closer look at the seeping wound. "Poison." She spat out the word like it was bitter in her mouth. "A coward's weapon. And boring, too. A warrior like her doesn't deserve an end like this."

I felt a stab of guilt run through me.

Annabeth nodded sadly. Clarisse put a clawed hand to her heart and pushed away, and I recognized it to be an ancient warding-off-evil gesture that Grover taught me a while ago. For a second, the tree seemed to perk up. Its branches straightened out, and the remaining pine needles rustled in the wind, bringing with it the scent of a temperate summer. But then it fell again, as if it had only been heaving a great sigh.

She stood and walked back over to Annabeth. "Don't give up yet," she told her. "If there's a chance we can save her, we will. You've heard the rumors, right?"

Annabeth looked at her curiously. "Rumors?"

"Talk around camp is there's a cure for the poison."

Eyes widening, she took a step towards the daughter of Ares, her interest evidently piqued. "A cure? How? We don't even know what the poison is."

Clarisse grinned. "Doesn't matter. They say it can heal anything. Poisons, lacerations, burns—some people even say it can regrow lost limbs."

I could see Annabeth's mind racing as she considered the possibilities of what this cure might entail. "Well, what is it?" she asked.

"The Golden Fleece," Clarisse replied, smirking.

At once, the hopeful expression that had been forming on her face shattered. She scoffed. "The Golden Fleece," she repeated. "You mean that blanket of sheep skin that no one has seen in thousands of years? That Golden Fleece?"

"That's the one."

"And how exactly are we supposed to find it?"

She shrugged. "Don't look at me. You're supposed to be the smart one," she said casually, which seemed to annoy Annabeth to no end. "Maybe asking the Oracle would be a good start."

Annabeth blinked, and then slapped a hand to her forehead. "Of course!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe I forgot about the Oracle. If anything can get us out of this mess, it's her!"

Clarisse nodded. "Times are changing," she said, turning her back to Annabeth and taking up her guard post. She planted the shaft of her spear in the ground and stood watch, her eyes scanning the hill below her. "First the master bolt was stolen, and now our camp's being targeted. An attack on the gods followed by an attack on their children. Not to mention, campers have been disappearing all year with no explanation from Chiron. Some say it's monsters, but I don't buy it. I may not be the smartest girl at camp, not by a longshot, but I can sense when a war is coming. Any true child of Ares can. I don't know who thinks they're so hot they can challenge the gods, but if thievery and poison is all they got up their sleeves, then I ain't scared of 'em. We should be bringing the fight to them, don't you think so?"

Annabeth stared at Clarisse's back contemplatively, as if she knew something and was debating telling her. After a moment, Clarisse swivelled her gaze back to Annabeth, raising her eyebrow.

"Hello? Chase? You with me?"

Realizing she'd been staring, Annabeth looked down at the dead grass, seemingly unable to meet Clarisse's gaze. "Oh, um… yeah…"

Clarisse shot her a funny look.

"Did Chiron say anything to you when you went to talk to him the other day? Anything that might shed some light on what's going on?" she asked.

"No," she said a little too quickly. "No, uh... he just told me to stay here and train and be a leader for my cabin."

Clarisse continued to stare at her, and I wondered if Annabeth knew more than she was letting on. From what we'd learned from Silena, the campers didn't yet know that Luke and I were renegades. At the very least, Clarisse didn't seem to suspect anything. But Chiron had always had a soft spot for Annabeth. Maybe he'd already informed her about our running away from camp.

After a moment, Clarisse snorted in disappointment and said, "Figures."

She returned her focus to the outskirts of the camp, giving off the message that she wasn't really up for talking anymore. Annabeth descended the hill in the direction of her cabin, but as she passed the Big House, she lingered a moment, staring up at the attic where the Oracle lived. A glint passed through her eyes, and as if making her mind up about something, she spun and began making her way back to her cabin, a determined cadence to her step.

I awoke to the sound of frantic knocking, but it wasn't on my door. Groggily, I stepped out into the hall of the VIP floor and saw Chris standing outside Luke's stateroom. He looked disheveled and worried as he glanced in my direction, but then Luke's door clicked and opened.

"Adri needs to see you," Chris said brusquely. "It's urgent."

Luke told Chris he'd be out in a minute and closed the door. The hispanic teen crossed his wiry arms and tapped his foot impatiently. I remembered with a growing sense of dread that two demigods had been in critical condition since the fight yesterday. I'd seen Adri bring both people and monsters back from the brink of death before, but I knew there were some injuries that just couldn't be healed. Hopefully, this wasn't one of those situations. "What's going on?" I asked, fearing the worst.

He stared at me, and I could see the trepidation in his eyes. "You'll see," he said.

I took that as an invitation to follow Luke and Chris back to the infirmary. When we got there, my eyes widened at the number of occupants. It was no wonder they needed to grab the rest of the cots from storage. Dozens of demigods and monsters lay prone, many wearing bandages and splints. A white curtain quarantined off the corner of the room, and it was there that Chris brought us.

A soft melody carried through from the other side, making my head feel light and chasing away the aches and soreness from my muscles. Chris parted the curtain to the side, and I inhaled sharply.

Two demigods were resting in medical beds, each sporting injuries far worse than any I'd seen before. A mix of vital monitoring equipment and archaic medicines that I might've found in Chiron's study were arrayed around the beds. One of the patients, the boy, was even younger than I was, and looked to be sleeping fitfully. His left arm was missing, bitten off at the shoulder, with blood stained bandages wrapped around his collarbone and torso.

I recognized the occupant of the other bed. It was the girl who had delivered the finishing blow to the monster that had gotten trapped in our defenses. Mary, I think Chris had called her. She wasn't wearing a helmet this time, and I could see her face was deathly pale. A large chunk of flesh had been bitten out of her side, and the bandages were beginning to soak through.

Adri herself looked like she might drop dead at any moment. There were purple splotchy bags under her eyes, and she swayed unsteadily as she sang her prayer (to whom I don't know). I realized she must not have slept the entire night.

The prayer didn't seem to be helping the two demigods much. From what I could see on the medical equipment, their vital signs were almost non-existent. Despite Adri's best efforts, these two were dying.

Adri's voice faded, and the healing aura around us tapered off. She turned to us for a moment, her eyes half-lidded, before her legs gave out from under her. Luke rushed forward as she folded and caught her before she hit the ground, and I scooted the closest chair I could find over for her to sit on.

"Adri, are you okay? Say something." Luke placed his hands on the sides of her head and tried to open her eyes. They shuddered open, but were unfocused.

Luke turned to me. "She needs nectar and ambrosia. And sleep. Lots of sleep. Go see if you can find anything in those cabinets."

"No more," Adri said weakly.

Luke's hands were still holding her head up as I began rifling through the medicine shelves. They were surprisingly empty. "Adri, you've overexerted yourself," I heard Luke say. "You need to rest now. That's an order."

Adri's eyebrows furrowed. She grabbed one of Luke's arms and pushed it away from her face. "There's no more ambrosia," she said a bit more forcefully. She stifled a yawn, and said, "We're out of supplies. We have to go back for more…"

Her eyes once again drifted shut as her head lolled back into the headrest. Luke scowled and fixed his gaze on the floor, and I could see his mind racing at a million miles per hour.

This was bad. We had two demigods on death's door, with dozens of other half-bloods and monsters needing medical attention as well, and we were out of supplies. We'd only just gotten into the Sea of Monsters, and already the ship looked like a warzone.

I stared down at the two demigods before us. If we didn't get more medical supplies soon… They likely wouldn't survive the trip.

With all of the medical beds in the infirmary occupied, there was nowhere for Adri to properly rest, so I volunteered to carry her to her cabin right across the hall. Her room was modestly sized with a floral wallpaper and several landscape paintings decorating the walls. A small library of textbooks and science fiction novels filled the shelves by the sofa, and a maple composite bow was displayed prominently above her bed.

As I settled her in, I noticed a photo frame sitting on her end table. It was a picture of her in a wedding dress, looking absolutely radiant and standing next to a man wearing a black tux and horn rimmed glasses, a warm smile resting on his face.

Feeling like I was intruding on her personal life, I took my leave and stepped out into the corridor, where two voices were locked in a heated discussion. Luke and Chris stood in front of the door to the infirmary, and they seemed to be in a standoff.

"We can't turn back now," Luke said. "We're already halfway there!"

"Did you even see Mary and Cam in there?" Chris asked incredulously. "They won't make it to Polyphemus's island, let alone survive the return trip, unless we get them medical attention right now!"

"Have you forgotten we're on a timer? Thalia's tree is dying. If we don't get the Fleece in time, she'll be lost forever, and—"

"Luke," Chris cut him off. He held out a hand placatingly. "Trust me, I understand how you're feeling right now. Don't take this the wrong way, but Thalia… well, she's a tree. The people in there," he said, pointing towards the infirmary, "they're still alive and breathing. We have to do everything we can to help them."

The scar on Luke's face turned a sickly shade of grey when he heard Chris's comment about Thalia. "We are helping them! The Golden Fleece is the most powerful magical healing item there is. We can use it on them. Sailing forward is the only way. Aren't you worried about what would become of the camp if Thalia's tree died and the borders failed?"

"Oh, so now you're concerned about the camp. I can't believe—"

I lost track of their argument when a flash of white in the corner of my vision caught my eye. Something had just flown past the corridor window. As Luke and Chris continued arguing, I walked over and peered through the glass.

A white seagull was riding the ship's draft, wings spread wide and wind ruffling its feathers. But that didn't make sense. The only way a bird could be soaring around this far out at sea was if there was land nearby. My eyes scanned the horizon until I saw it.

"Hey," I said, trying to get Chris and Luke's attention. The two continued arguing, each trying to talk over the other, and I began to feel like I was watching a Presidential debate. "Hey!" I shouted louder.

The two of them broke off to glare at me. "What?" Luke asked irritably.

"Maybe that island over there will have some medical supplies for us."

A brow raised on Luke's forehead. "Island? What are you talking about?" Gesturing to the window, I stepped back to allow Luke a view.

About a dozen miles away, a tropical island rose out of the water. There was a distinct unevenness to it, like some of the jungle had been cleared away, and dazzling white buildings constructed in its place. A cone shaped mountain dominated the center of the island.

"I don't believe it," Luke said.

We'd found civilization smack dab in the middle of the Sea of Monsters.

The lady waiting at the end of the gangplank greeted us with an uneasy smile.

"Welcome," she said halfheartedly, eyeing the two looming figures of the bear twins as they marched behind Luke, Chris, and I.

She looked like a flight attendant, dressed in a blue business suit with her hair tied back in a bun. She immediately began to scrawl notes on her clipboard.

I tried to take in my surroundings. The place looked like a tropical paradise. Beachgoers lounged underneath umbrellas further down the white sandy beach, and nearby a group of people looked like they were having a picnic in a small gazebo. A walkway stretched up the island, lined with palm trees and well trimmed shrubs. In the water where we anchored the ship, a strange assortment of aviation and sea vessels occupied the docks. There was a U.S. Navy submarine, a couple dugout canoes, and an old three-masted ship. A propeller plane sat on a small runway, and there was a helipad with a news helicopter on it. I figured these all must've been tourist attractions.

Luke glanced around warily. "Where are we?" he asked the clipboard lady.

"You've arrived at C.C.'s Spa and Resort." She glanced up at our towering ship, casting a shadow over the docks and part of the beach. "Will all of your passengers be expecting accommodations?"

Luke and I shared a glance. I knew what he was thinking. Usually, when things seemed too good to be true, it was usually a trap. Chris stepped forward.

"Please, it's an emergency," he said. "We have several wounded on the ship, and they need medical attention. Is there a hospital on this island?"

"We can pay," Luke chimed in, untying a coin purse from his belt and tossing it to her. The clipboard lady caught it and blinked in surprise.

"Uh, yes, we do have a hospital. One moment, please."

She produced a black flip phone from her pocket and rapidly dialed a number, putting the phone to her ear.

"Miss C.C.? They have wounded… yes, the cruise ship… they're offering drachmae…" Her voice dropped low, and I didn't hear what she said next, but then she said, "...yes, of course, right away."

She hung up the phone and turned back to us. "A rescue team will be here momentarily," she said.

Sure enough, a team of EMTs arrived within minutes. They were all young women, with muscles big enough to rival Clarisse's, which I found a bit odd. One of them went to get the helicopter started while the others followed Chris up the gangplank and into the ship, each pair of them carrying gurneys.

The clipboard lady smiled at us. "Don't worry, we offer the best care in the whole Triangle. Your friends will be just fine. In the meantime, C.C. would like to speak with you two personally. But…" Her eyes drifted over Agrius and Oreius distastefully. "They'll have to stay behind."

Luke's eyes narrowed. "And why is that?"

"The resort has a strict no-monster policy. They disturb the guests."

Behind us Oreius growled, and Agrius chuckled. "Lady, do you even know what sea this island is in?" he asked.

Luke put a hand up to silence them, and then crossed his arms. "These are my bodyguards. They go wherever I go. You'll have to make an exception for them."

To her credit, the clipboard lady didn't back down. "These are the rules my boss has set for the resort."

"If that's the case, your boss will need to come to us if she wants to speak with us."

The clipboard lady's lips pressed into a line. "One moment, please," she said. After another brief call, she turned back to us and smiled thinly. "C.C. will make an exception for your bodyguards. Right this way."

We followed her down the cobblestone path that led up the island. Everywhere I looked, beautiful white marble buildings surrounded us. Multiple levels of terraces were carved out of the mountainside, with swimming pools on each level decked out with water slides and underwater tubes connecting them.

The resort guests, all young women as far I could tell, sat out by the poolsides in lounge chairs, receiving manicures while facemasks soaked into their skin. Tamed animals lazed around beside them. I saw a leopard soaking up some sun on a diving board, and an elephant giving itself a bath in one of the pools.

When we reached the highest building of the resort, we climbed up a marble spiral staircase. As we ascended, I began to hear a woman's voice singing. The words were in Ancient Greek; I recognized a lot of them from my lectures with Annabeth. What concerned me is that the closer to the singing we got, the warmer my amulet grew against my chest.

There was mist magic laced into the words, no doubt about it. I glanced at my companions. Agrius and Oreius didn't seem affected, but Luke's eyes were starting to become half-lidded, and a pleasant smile formed on his face. I poked my elbow into his side.

"Magic," I whispered. "Be careful."

Luke frowned, seemingly broken out of his trance, and nodded.

Clipboard lady opened the door to reveal a long room. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows let plenty of natural light in from the front wall, and a line of mirrors covered the back. Expensive white furniture was pressed up against the walls. The only thing that seemed out of place was a large wire cage sitting on a table in the corner. At the back of the room, a woman sat at a loom the size of a big screen TV, working on a weave so intricate and lifelike that it appeared to be moving. The cloth seemed to radiate in waves, depicting a cascading waterfall kicking up white mist at the bottom.

The woman turned, and she was even prettier than her weave. Threads of gold were braided into her dark hair. She had piercing green eyes and wore a silky black dress where shadows seemed to shift in the fabric.

C.C. smiled, revealing rows of perfect white teeth. "Thank you, Hylla. Please fetch our guests some refreshments while we talk business."

Hylla eyed the bear twins standing behind us before nodding and excusing herself.

The woman rose from her loom, her silk dress trailing behind her, and leaned against the bench. "Welcome to my resort," she said, and a burst of squeals erupted from the wire cage in the corner. She frowned. "Ignore them. They get quite antsy around strangers. Would you care to take a seat?" She gestured to the white couch in the center of the room.

"Love to!" Oreius bellowed, splaying himself out unceremoniously on the couch. A look of irritation flickered briefly over C.C.'s face, but it passed just as quickly. Luke and I took a seat on the other end of the couch, but Agrius remained standing behind us.

"Thank you for taking care of our wounded," Luke said politely, his voice sounding airy. "I don't know what we would've done if we hadn't found this place."

"It's no trouble at all, Luke," she said. "This island is the center of health and wellness within the Bermuda Triangle. I assure you, your friends could not be in better hands, but I feel as though I have to ask. What caused such extensive wounds?"

"We passed through the strait yesterday," Luke said. "We had a run in with Scylla."

C.C.'s lips curled back in distaste. "Oh, Scylla," she said, as if remembering an unpleasant memory. "Hideous creature, that one. I'd say it's a miracle that you made it through at all, given how bloodthirsty of a monster she is."

I thought back to the terrified girl atop the strait cliffs and felt saddened by how often misunderstood she must've been.

Luke leaned forward and placed the bag of drachmae on the coffee table. "Please, take this. I'm sure it'll more than cover our hospital bill."

C.C. eyed the bag in surprise before peering into it. Her eyes widened, but then she shook her head and smiled "This is quite generous of you, but I'm afraid I can't accept this. I provide hospitality for all of my guests free of charge."

Luke frowned. "But surely there must be something we can do to repay you."

I wanted to slap Luke upside the head, and I might've if Agrius hadn't been looming over me. Hadn't anyone ever taught him not to look a gift horse in the mouth? I wondered if it was this woman's magic that was bewitching him, or if he actually felt so strongly obligated to return the favor.

A light knock sounded at the door, and Hylla returned holding a pitcher of lemonade and a small veggie tray. C.C. tapped a finger against her chin, brow furrowed in concentration as Luke helped himself. I held myself back, still not quite trusting the strange woman or her employees. "Hmm," C.C. mused. "You know, I think there is something you could do for me."

"Name it," Luke said.

"A long time ago, my grandfather ruled a vast kingdom. He was a good king, but was eventually challenged by a younger, stronger usurper, who forced him to abdicate. Afterwards, he and his wife simply vanished, and no one's seen him since. I've been searching for him, and I'm almost certain he's somewhere within the Triangle, but I haven't been able to pinpoint his location. Perhaps you two will keep an eye out for him on your travels for me?"

Luke nodded. "We're on a tight schedule, but I'm sure we'll be able to manage that. What's your grandfather's name?"

C.C. smiled. "Oceanus, titan king of the sea."

I originally wrote out a whole chapter from Annabeth's POV about her arrival to camp, the fight with the bronze bulls, and her nighttime chat with Clarisse, but I decided I wanted to keep this story purely from Percy's POV, so I just took the last bit and put it in a dream. Demigod dreams are so convenient.

In the original Sea of Monsters, Percy and Annabeth wash up on C.C.'s island alone and fairly helpless, so she doesn't think twice about turning Percy into a guinea pig and trying to recruit Annabeth. Now though, there's an entire army of demigods and monsters outside, so she has no choice but to play a bit nicer here. I think she's smart enough to figure out just who exactly is running the show.