Annabeth Chase and the Sea of Monsters

Chapter 22 - We are "guests"

"You are in so much trouble," Clarisse said cheerfully.

I glared at her. We were in the captain's quarters, aka Clarisse's, having dinner after our tour of the ship, if you could call peanut butter and jelly sandwiches dinner. The ship, I had to admit, was pretty cool, running by boilers and containing old-fashioned cannons that were refitted to shoot celestial bronze cannon balls.

The dead Confederate soldiers liked me too, seeing as I was from Virginia, but they disapproved of Percy as he was from New York. I smirked at him as they hissed and muttered curses about Yankees louder than was necessary.

The one part I didn't like was how Tyson wouldn't let go of my hand. He was petrified by all the dead guys and held on my hand so tight I thought I was going to have to cut it off.

"Tantalus expelled you for life," Clarisse continued, reclining back in her chair with a smug look on her face. "Mr D said if any of you show your face at camp again, he'll turn you into squirrels and run you over with his SUV."

Well, that's original, I couldn't help but think.

"Did they give you this ship?" Percy asked, eyes narrowed at her.

"Course not. My father did."

"Ares?"

Clarisse sneered at him in disgust. "You think your daddy is the only one with sea power? The spirits on the losing side of every war owe a tribute to Ares. That's their curse for being defeated. I prayed to my father for a naval transport and here it is. These guys will do anything I tell them. Won't you, Captain?"

A dead Confederate stood behind her seat wearing a captains hat. His skeletal face looked as angry as a grinning skull could and he stood ramrod straight upright. I couldn't help but think he'd rather be strangling Clarisse than obeying her.

"If it means an end to this infernal war, ma'am," he said, staring at us, "peace at last, we'll do any thing. Destroy anyone."

Clarisse smiled, looking like a wolf. "Destroy anyone. I like that."

Tyson whimpered.

"Clarisse, Luke might be after the Fleece, too," I told her. "We saw him. He's got the coordinates and he's heading south. He has a cruise ship full of monsters -"

"Good! I'll blow him out of the water."

"You don't understand," I pressed. "We have to combine forces. Let us help you -"

"No!" Clarisse stood suddenly and slammed her fist on the table. "This is my quest, smart girl! Finally I get to be the hero, and you two will not steal my chance."

"Where are your cabin mates?" Percy asked. "You were allowed to take two friends with you, weren't you?"

Clarisse stiffened. "They didn't . . . I let them stay behind. To protect the camp."

"You mean even the people in your own cabin wouldn't help you?"

I couldn't help but feel sorry for Clarisse then. Sure, she was horrible to Percy and I, but at least we had each other. She had no one but a crew of dead soldiers who were forced to serve her.

"Shut up, Prissy!" she growled. "I don't need them! I don't need you!"

"Clarisse," Percy said, "Tantalus is using you. He doesn't care about the camp. He'd love to see it destroyed. He's setting you up to fail."

"No! I don't care what the Oracle -" She stopped herself short and clamped her mouth shut.

I had a horrible feeling about this quest now. Whatever the Oracle said couldn't be good. It never was.