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chapter xxvi. ( sea of monsters ) ❝not all monsters are bad! ❞
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I WISH—I JUST WISH!—that for once this quest, we could travel on land. I feel like I've vomited twice already just this one day on Clarisse's ship. It was really embarrassing. I could just feel how much Clarisse wanted to punch me, but she didn't. Instead, she gave me a great big glare before making her confederate soldiers get me another sick bag.
That was another thing. Clarisse's ship was run by dead confederate soldiers. Their skin was pasty grey—almost like they were zombies. They would just stare at us. They liked Annabeth and I because we told them we were from the South. Virginia and Florida. They liked Percy at the start, because his last name was Jackson—like the Southern general—but he ruined it by saying he was from New York. They hissed and cursed him, muttering words about Yankees under their breaths.
At dinner, the atmosphere was tense. None of us liked eating with Clarisse in an old war ship with dead soldiers, our appetites were completely gone.
"You are in so much trouble," Clarisse finally said.
I shared a glance with Percy—yes, we most likely were in a lot of trouble.
"Tantalus expelled you for eternity," she went on, rather smugly. "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."
"Did they give you this ship?" asked Percy.
"Course not. My father did."
"Ares?"
Clarisse sneered. "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 the naval transport and here it is. These guys will do anything I tell them. Won't you, Captain?"
The captain behind her stood stiff and angry, his eyes were narrowed on Percy. "If it means an end to this infernal war, ma'am, peace at last, we'll do anything. Destroy anyone."
"Destroy anyone," Clarisse smirked. "I like that."
Tyson swallowed nervously.
"Clarisse," Annabeth said, "Luke might be after the Fleece, too. 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!"
"No!" I was quick to disagree. "Clarisse, you don't understand. We have to combine forces. Let us help you—"
