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Chapter no 20 – ANNABETH

The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus #3)

โ€ŒThey didnโ€™t make it to the ship.โ€Œ

Halfway across the dock, three giant eagles descended in front of them. Each deposited a Roman commando in purple and denim with glittering gold armor, sword, and shield. The eagles flew away, and the Roman in the middle, who was scrawnier than the others, raised his visor.

โ€œSurrender to Rome!โ€ Octavian shrieked.

Hazel drew her cavalry sword and grumbled, โ€œFat chance, Octavian.โ€

Annabeth cursed under her breath. By himself, the skinny augur wouldnโ€™t have bothered her, but the two other guys looked like seasoned warriorsโ€”a lot bigger and stronger than Annabeth wanted to deal with, especially since Piper and she were armed only with daggers.

Piper raised her hands in a placating gesture. โ€œOctavian, what happened at camp was a setup. We can explain.โ€

โ€œCanโ€™t hear you!โ€ Octavian yelled. โ€œWax in our earsโ€”standard procedure when battling evil sirens. Now, throw down your weapons and turn around slowly so I can bind your hands.โ€

โ€œLet me skewer him,โ€ Hazel muttered. โ€œPlease.โ€

The ship was only fifty feet away, but Annabeth saw no sign of Coach Hedge on deck. He was probably below, watching his stupid martial arts programs. Jasonโ€™s group wasnโ€™t due back until sunset, and Percy would be underwater, unaware of the invasion. If Annabeth could get on board, she

could use the ballistae; but there was no way to get around these three Romans.

She was running out of time. The eagles circled overhead, crying out as if to alert their brethren:ย Hey, some tasty Greek demigods over here!ย Annabeth couldnโ€™t see the flying chariot anymore, but she assumed it was close by. She had to figure out something before more Romans arrived.

She needed helpโ€ฆsome kind of distress signal to Coach Hedge, or even betterโ€”Percy.

โ€œWell?โ€ Octavian demanded. His two friends brandished their swords.

Very slowly, using only two fingers, Annabeth drew her dagger. Instead of dropping it, she tossed it as far as she could into the water.

Octavian made a squeaking sound. โ€œWhat was that for? I didnโ€™t sayย tossย it!

That couldโ€™ve been evidence. Or spoils of war!โ€

Annabeth tried for a dumb-blonde smile, like:ย Oh, silly me.ย Nobody who knew her would have been fooled. But Octavian seemed to buy it. He huffed in exasperation.

โ€œYou other twoโ€ฆโ€ He pointed his blade at Hazel and Piper. โ€œPut your weapons on the dock. No funny busโ€”โ€

All around the Romans, Charleston Harbor erupted like a Las Vegas fountain putting on a show. When the wall of seawater subsided, the three Romans were in the bay, spluttering and frantically trying to stay afloat in their armor. Percy stood on the dock, holding Annabethโ€™s dagger.

โ€œYou dropped this,โ€ he said, totally poker-faced. Annabeth threw her arms around him. โ€œI love you!โ€

โ€œGuys,โ€ Hazel interrupted. She had a little smile on her face. โ€œWe need to hurry.โ€

Down in the water, Octavian yelled, โ€œGet me out of here! Iโ€™ll kill you!โ€ โ€œTempting,โ€ Percy called down.

โ€œWhat?โ€ Octavian shouted. He was holding on to one of his guards, who was having trouble keeping them both afloat.

โ€œNothing!โ€ Percy shouted back. โ€œLetโ€™s go, guys.โ€ Hazel frowned. โ€œWe canโ€™t let them drown, can we?โ€

โ€œThey wonโ€™t,โ€ Percy promised. โ€œIโ€™ve got the water circulating around their feet. As soon as weโ€™re out of range, Iโ€™ll spit them ashore.โ€

Piper grinned. โ€œNice.โ€

They climbed aboard theย Argo II, and Annabeth ran to the helm. โ€œPiper, get below. Use the sink in the galley for an Iris-message. Warn Jason to get back here!โ€

Piper nodded and raced off.

โ€œHazel, go find Coach Hedge and tell him to get his furry hindquarters on deck!โ€

โ€œRight!โ€

โ€œAnd Percyโ€”you and I need to get this ship to Fort Sumter.โ€

Percy nodded and ran to the mast. Annabeth took the helm. Her hands flew across the controls. Sheโ€™d just have to hope she knew enough to operate them. Annabeth had seen Percy control full-sized sailing ships before with only his willpower. This time, he didnโ€™t disappoint. Ropes flew on their ownโ€” releasing the dock ties, weighing the anchor. The sails unfurled and caught the wind. Meanwhile Annabeth fired the engine. The oars extended with a sound like machine-gun fire, and theย Argo IIย turned from the dock, heading for the

island in the distance.

The three eagles still circled overhead, but they made no attempt to land on the ship, probably because Festus the figurehead blew fire whenever they got close. More eagles were flying in formation toward Fort Sumterโ€”at least a dozen. If each of them carried a Roman demigodโ€ฆthat was a lot of enemies.

Coach Hedge came pounding up the stairs with Hazel at his hooves. โ€œWhere are they?โ€ he demanded. โ€œWho do I kill?โ€

โ€œNo killing!โ€ Annabeth ordered. โ€œJust defend the ship!โ€ โ€œBut they interrupted a Chuck Norris movie!โ€

Piper emerged from below. โ€œGot a message through to Jason. Kind of fuzzy, but heโ€™s already on his way. He should beโ€”oh! There!โ€

Soaring over the city, heading in their direction, was a giant bald eagle, unlike the golden Roman birds.

โ€œFrank!โ€ Hazel said.

Leo was holding on to the eagleโ€™s feet, and even from the ship, Annabeth could hear him screaming and cursing.

Behind them flew Jason, riding the wind.

โ€œNever seen Jason fly before,โ€ Percy grumbled. โ€œHe looks like a blond

Superman.โ€

โ€œThis isnโ€™t the time!โ€ Piper scolded him. โ€œLook, theyโ€™re in trouble!โ€

Sure enough, the Roman flying chariot had descended from a cloud and was diving straight toward them. Jason and Frank veered out of the way, pulling up to avoid getting trampled by the pegasi. The charioteers fired their bows. Arrows whistled under Leoโ€™s feet, which led to more screaming and cursing. Jason and Frank were forced to overshoot theย Argo IIย and fly toward Fort Sumter.

โ€œIโ€™ll get โ€™em!โ€ yelled Coach Hedge.

He spun the port ballista. Before Annabeth could yell, โ€œDonโ€™t be stupid!โ€ Hedge fired. A flaming spear rocketed toward the chariot.

It exploded over the heads of the pegasi and threw them into a panic. Unfortunately it also singed Frankโ€™s wings and sent him spiraling out of control. Leo slipped from his grasp. The chariot shot toward Fort Sumter, slamming into Jason.

Annabeth watched in horror as Jasonโ€”obviously dazed and in painโ€” lunged for Leo, caught him, then struggled to gain altitude. He only managed to slow their fall. They disappeared behind the ramparts of the fort. Frank tumbled after them. Then the chariot dropped somewhere inside and hit with a bone-shatteringย CRACK!ย One broken wheel spun into the air.

โ€œCoach!โ€ Piper screamed.

โ€œWhat?โ€ Hedge demanded. โ€œThat was just a warning shot!โ€

Annabeth gunned the engines. The hull shuddered as they picked up speed. The docks of the island were only a hundred yards away now, but a dozen more eagles were soaring overhead, each carrying a Roman demigod in its claws.

Theย Argo IIโ€™s crew would be outnumbered at least three to one.

โ€œPercy,โ€ Annabeth said, โ€œweโ€™re going to come in hard. I need you to control the water so we donโ€™t smash into the docks. Once weโ€™re there, youโ€™re going to have to hold off the attackers. The rest of you help him guard the ship.โ€

โ€œButโ€”Jason!โ€ Piper said. โ€œFrank and Leo!โ€ Hazel added.

โ€œIโ€™ll find them,โ€ Annabeth promised. โ€œIโ€™ve got to figure out where the map

is. And Iโ€™m pretty sure Iโ€™m the only one who can do that.โ€

โ€œThe fort is crawling with Romans,โ€ Percy warned. โ€œYouโ€™ll have to fight your way through, find our friendsโ€”assuming theyโ€™re okayโ€”find this map, and get everybody back alive. All on your own?โ€

โ€œJust an average day.โ€ Annabeth kissed him. โ€œWhatever you do, donโ€™t let them take this ship!โ€

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