RIPTIDE - Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus, Pirate AU fanfic

9 | The Arrowhead

Annabeth had run as fast as she could to get away from the Sheriff and The Savuso. There was just something about those bodies and the arrowhead that gave her a heart pounding fear.

She stopped and sat down against a wall to catch her breath. She unclenched her hand and peared down at the dead man's property. The arrowhead was large with symbols etched into the stone.

The moment she had laid eyes on it she knew it was important. Maybe there was some truth to Valdez's crazy rants. The markings on the stone matched the ones she had seen on an old scroll. One that apparently had been passed down from great grandfather to great grandson in the Valdez line.

Though her mind was trying to grasp the idea of a island full of imaginable treasure, her thoughts wandered back towards The Savuso. There was something unnerving about those bodies that she couldn't put her finger on.

She looked them over in her minds eye. The men were dead, obviously, but the way in which they laid so silent in the bottom of the boat was unnatural, almost alarming.

There was no blood splatter and no outward manner in which they could have died, yet she hadn't smelled any chemicals on them, like those that would commonly be used for poisoning victims.

She had to get a closer look at those bodies, but risking being caught by the Sheriff was something she didn't want to have to deal with. If she got caught even once, she wouldn't be getting out anytime soon.

She looked at the arrowhead once more and slipped it around her neck before sprinting off. She was halfway to the ship when she started to slow down. She didn't stop, but locked eyes with a man standing on a balcony over the marketplace. They met eyes only for a few seconds but Annabeth quickly turned away and sped back up.

She met Octavian standing watch on the docks. "About time. The Captain should put you in your place for being tardy."

Annabeth shot him a death look and he huffed, turning his head away. Octavian really needed to learn some manners, even if it meant straggling him into submission.

Annabeth bound up the ramp and stopped in front of the captain's quarters, knocking on the door.

"Octavian I swear, if I have to tell you- Annabeth." Leo's voice quickly turned to that of delight when he saw the lieutenant. "You're back. Why didn't you wake me up? I would have wanted to come."

Annabeth could still smell a hint of liquor on him. "You wouldn't have wanted to. I almost crossed paths with Thalia Grace."

Leo unconsciously reached for his gun which at the time, didn't happen to be holstered. Instead he tapped his hand in a rhythmic beat on his belt before saying anything. "Why was she there? She only pokes her nose in on things that she's thinks needs her wisdom."

Annabeth glanced at the crew behind her, they were listening intently, clinging to every word she said. She didn't want anyone, especially the one with the attitude, to go off exploring by themselves and cause The Sheriff to catch wind that they were here. She had to talk to him alone.

Annabeth grabbed his arm and swept him inside, plopping him down on the unmade bed. "I found something, an arrowhead, but-" She paused. "I'm getting ahead of myself." She proceeded to explain to him the conditions of The Savuso and her lingering thoughts about the bodies, everything leading up to the arrowhead.

Instead of trying to explain to him the details she just showed him. Annabeth was almost blown out of the water when she found the piece. Usually she could process things like that precisely and orderly, but having actually found something that connected with the Lost Island sparked a flood of emotions.

When Leo took the piece from her and held it in his hand his eyes got wide. He walked over to his desk and slid all the whisky and random junk aside with his arm. Annabeth was surprised, seeing him put aside the rum and abruptly take a serious interest in something.

For a brief second she thought he was just faking the whole drunk captain ordeal when with precision hands, started studying the arrowhead with a Ocular Device which had appeared out of nowhere.

"Bring me those papers. The maps, the books-" His voice trailed off as he searched his drawers for what he said was 'A vital peice of machinery'.

Annabeth looked almost stunned, watching his mind work at full capacity. She always thought the booze had dulled his senses, now she wasn't quite sure.

Suddenly she was torn away from her thoughts as yelling broke out on the deck. She growled and grabbed Valdez's pistol before storming out the door.

🔱

Late update, I apologize. Lol

Next chapter I think will be from Leo's perspective.