conqueror • percy jackson

9.

Percy and Annabeth, along with Tyson, were sentenced to kitchen duty. Percy was starting to see why Chiron told his mother to keep him away from camp.

It gave Percy a chance to convince Annabeth that Grover was in real trouble, and they needed to rescue him. The pair eventually made the decision to bring it up to Tantalus as soon as possible.

The next campfire, the Apollo cabin led everyone in songs. When their last song came to an end, Tantalus turned back toward everyone, smiling coldly. "Now then! Some announcements about tomorrow's schedule."

"Sir," Percy interrupted.

Tantalus's eye twitched. "Our kitchen boy has something to say?"

Some of the Ares campers snickered, but he wasn't going to let anybody embarrass him into silence. Percy stood and looked at Annabeth. He silently thanked the gods that she stood up with him.

Percy said, "We have an idea to save the camp."

Dead silence.

"Indeed," Tantalus said blandly. "Well, if it has anything to do with chariots—"

"The Golden Fleece," Percy declared. "We know where it is."

The flames burned orange as a hushed whispers broke out. Percy sought out Rosalyn amongst the crowd and saw that her eyes were blown wide.

He couldn't stop himself from blurting out the details of his dream about Grover. Annabeth stepped in to remind everyone what the fleece was used for and what it could do for Thalia's tree.

"The Fleece can save the camp," she concluded. "I'm certain of it."

"Nonsense," said Tantalus. "We don't need saving." Everybody stared at him until Tantalus started looking uncomfortable. "Besides, the Sea of Monsters? That's hardly an exact location. You wouldn't even know where to look."

"Yes, I would," Percy said. "30, 31, 75, 12."

"Ooo-kay," Tantalus chuckled. "Thank you for sharing those meaningless numbers."

"They're sailing coordinates," Percy corrected. "Latitude and longitude. I, uh, learned about it in social studies."

"30 degrees, 31 minutes north, 75 degrees, 12 minutes west. He's right! The Gray Sisters gave us those coordinates. That'd be somewhere in the Atlantic, off the coast of Florida. The Sea of Monsters. We need a quest!" Annabeth shouted excitedly.

"Wait just a minute," Tantalus tried, but the campers took up the chant.

"We need a quest! We need a quest!"

The flames rose higher.

"It isn't necessary!" Tantalus insisted.

"WE NEED A QUEST! WE NEED A QUEST!"

"Fine!" Tantalus shouted, his eyes blazing with anger. "You brats want me to assign a quest?"

"YES!"

"Very well," he agreed. "I shall authorize a champion to undertake this perilous journey, to retrieve the Golden Fleece and bring it back to camp. Or die trying."

Rosalyn watched silently from her place across the fire, her heart sinking to her stomach.

She'd told him to let her think about it, so he'd gone to Annabeth?

"I will allow our champion to consult the Oracle!" Tantalus announced. "And choose two companions for the journey. And I think the choice of champion is obvious."

Tantalus looked at Annabeth and Percy as if he wanted to flay them alive.

"The champion should be one who has earned the camp's respect, who has proven resourceful in the chariot races and courageous in the defense of the camp. You shall lead this quest...Clarisse!"

Rosalyn's stomach, heart still resting inside, roll with nausea.

The fire flickered a thousand different colors. The Ares cabin started stomping and cheering, "CLARISSE! CLARISSE!"

Clarisse stood up, looking stunned. Then she swallowed, and her chest swelled with pride. "I accept the quest!"

"Wait! Grover is my friend. The dream came to me!" Percy shouted.

"Sit down!" yelled one of the Ares campers. "You had your chance last summer!"

"Yeah, he just wants to be in the spotlight again!" another said.

Clarisse glared at the son of Poseidon. "I accept the quest!" she repeated. "I, Clarisse, daughter of Ares, will save the camp!"

No one noticed a small red-haired girl slipping away from the campfire except for one daughter of Ares and the son of Poseidon.

-

The very next morning, Rosalyn sat on the porch of Cabin 10 in the purple haze of the early morning. She'd sat awake in her bed for most of the night before finally giving up and moving outside.

The sound of stomping footsteps drew her attention to the right.

"Clarisse?"

The dark-haired girl said nothing, but she came to sit beside Rosalyn on the porch. She didn't even sneer at the frilly cushions on the porch chairs like she normally did.

"My siblings refuse to join me on my quest."

Rosalyn swallows tightly, but Clarisse continues to stare straight ahead.

"You can't go alone," Rosalyn speaks softly.

Clarisse grunted and looked down at her hands, muttering, "I have to."

It was no surprise to Rosie that her best friend hadn't asked her to go on the quest. The Sea of Monsters was a death trap. The quest was too dangerous for even the arrogant campers of Cabin 5 to volunteer for.

But Clarisse is her best friend.

"No, you don't," Rosalyn promised. "I won't let you. My bag is already packed."

Neither of the girls said anything else, just continued to watch the sunrise in silence.

Clarisse did not ask how Rosalyn knew she'd have to go on the suicide quest.

Rosalyn did not ask why Clarisse accepted the suicide quest.

And they especially did not ask each other if they were afraid. They didn't need to. They were.