JAWBREAKER

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚

Typically when you think "monster island," you picture craggy rocks and bones scattered on the beach. Or in Warren's case, that island from the Scooby Doo movie.

The Cyclops's island was nothing like that.

Well, okay, it had a rope bridge across a chasm, which was not a good sign. Polyphemus might as well put up a billboard that said, WELCOME TO MY EVIL LAIR. But except for that, the place looked like a Caribbean postcard.

It had green fields and tropical fruit trees and white beaches. As they sailed toward the shore, Warren breathed in the sweet air.

"The Fleece," Annabeth said.

Warren nodded. She couldn't see the Fleece yet, but she could feel its power. Even from this distance it felt like it would heal anything, including Thalia's poisoned tree.

"If we take it away, will the island die?" Percy asked.

Warren shook her head. "It'll fade. Go back to what it would be normally, whatever that is."

In the meadow at the base of the ravine, several dozen sheep were milling around. They looked peaceful enough, but they were the size of Hummers. Just past them was a path that led up into the hills. At the top of the path, near the edge of the canyon, was a massive oak. Something gold glittered in its branches.

"That's too easy," Warren said. "What's stopping people from going up and taking it?"

Annabeth's eyes narrowed. "There's supposed be a guardian. A dragon or..."

That's when a deer emerged from the bushes. It trotted casually into the meadow, but the enormous sheep all bleated at once and attacked.

It happened so fast. The deer stumbled and was lost in a sea of wool and trampling hooves, it didn't even have time to cry out. Grass and tufts of fur flew into the air. A second later the sheep all moved away, back to their regular peaceful wanderings. Where the deer had been was a pile of clean white bones.

"That's brutal," Warren whispered.

"They're like piranhas," Percy said.

"Piranhas with wool. How did they move so—"

Then Annabeth gasped, "Warren!" She grabbed her arm, "Look."

The girl pointed down the beach, to just below the sheep meadow, where a small boat had been run aground. Warren felt a weight lift from her chest, like suddenly she could breathe a little easier. It was the other lifeboat from the CSS Birmingham.

They decided there was no way they could get past the man-eating sheep. Warren insisted that she could hack them down with Ravager, and Annabeth wanted to sneak up the path invisibly to grab the Fleece, but Percy refused, saying something could go wrong. The sheep would smell them. Another guardian would appear. Something. And if that happened, he would be too far away to help.