THE BEAR TWINS HERDED THEM ABOARD THE PRINCESS ANDROMEDA. They threw them down on the aft deck in front of a swimming pool with sparkling fountains that sprayed into the air. A dozen of Luke's assorted goons-snake people, Laistrygonians, demigods in battle armor-had gathered to watch them get some "hospitality."
"And so, the Fleece," Luke mused. "Where is it?" He looked them over, prodding Percy's shirt with the tip of his sword, poking Grover's jeans.
"Hey!" Grover yelled. "That's real goat fur under there!"
"Sorry, old friend." Luke smiled. "Just give me the Fleece and I'll leave you to return to your, ah,little nature quest."
"Blaa-ha-ha!" Grover protested. "Some old friend!"
"Maybe you didn't hear me." Luke's voice was dangerously calm. "Where-is-the-Fleece?"
"Not here," Viviene said. She probably shouldn't have told him anything, but it felt good to throw the truth in his face. "We sent it on ahead of us. You messed up."
Luke's eyes narrowed. "You're lying. You couldn't have ..." His face reddened as a horriblepossibility occurred to him. "Clarisse?"
Viviene nodded.
"You trusted ... you gave ..."
"Yeah."
"Agrius!"
The bear giant flinched. "Y-yes?"
"Get below and prepare my steed. Bring it to the deck. I need to fly to the Miami Airport, fast.'"
"But, boss-"
"Do it!" Luke screamed. "Or I'll feed you to the drakon!"
The bear-man gulped and lumbered down the stairs. Luke paced in front of the swimming pool,cursing in Ancient Greek, gripping his sword so tight his knuckles turned white.
The rest of Luke's crew looked uneasy. Maybe they'd never seen their boss so unhinged before. Viviene started thinking ... If she could use Luke's anger, get him to talk so everybody could hear how crazy his plans were.
Viviene looked at the swimming pool, at the fountains spraying mist into the air, making a rainbow in the sunset. And suddenly she had an idea.
"You've been toying with us all along," she said. "You wanted us to bring you the Fleece and save you the trouble of getting it."
Luke scowled. "Of course, you idiot! And you've messed everything up!"
"Traitor!" Viviene dug out her last gold drachma out of her pocket and threw it at Luke. As she expected, he dodged it easily.
The coin sailed into the spray of rainbow-colored water.
Viviene hoped her prayer would be accepted in silence. She thought with all her heart:
O goddess, accept my offering.
"You tricked all of us!" She yelled at Luke. "Even DIONYSUS at CAMP HALF-BLOOD!"
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RED ¹ / Percy Jackson !
Fanfiction"I suggest you stop this nonsense." "No. No unless she does as I say, or I swear, I will murder Percy right here right now." "Don't you dare touch a single hair on Percy, do you hear me?" Viviene yelled, taking a step closer to her father. " I fucki...
