︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

DAYS IN THE SUN

chapter thirteen
❛ 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛. ❜

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

AMARA LEANED AGAINST a tree as she watched the children of Athena and Poseidon scramble to get their belongings together, preparing to go off onto the quest. She wordlessly followed them to the beach, where she only made her presence known by clearing her throat.

"So," she lowly spoke, causing the raven haired boy to jump as a knowing look appeared on the blonde. "Where are you two off to?"

"Three," the voice of the cyclops caught the brunette off guard as he made an appearance. Annabeth's eyes widened as she stared at Percy. "He's coming with us?"

He frowned. "Yes, but we can't argue over it now. Harpies are on the way and we need to catch up to Luke's boat."

"Nice to know I'm not the only not in the loop." A glare was shot her way from Percy as he turned back to Annabeth. "We can't leave him! He'll be punished by Tantalus for us three leaving him!"

"Hold up," Amara raised a hand. "Who's 'we three' last time I checked you two planned on going on this quest without telling me. Mind you," her tone turned harsh. "It's my sister."

"Okay, your highness," Percy spat, causing the Grace's eye to twitch as she felt anger began to stir within her. "Last time I checked, you were too busy being on your high horse to even talk to either one of us."

"My high horse?" She snapped, taking a step towards the boy. "Let me remind you, Jackson. I'm not the one with a monster brother!"

"No," he agreed. "Just a sister who got turned into a pine tree!"

"Enough!" Annabeth stepped in between the two and pushed them away from one another. "Let's focus on the task at hand. Percy, how do we get to Luke's ship?"

"Hermes said my father would help."

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

Taking a few steps into the water, he began awkwardly calling out to Poseidon. "Um . . . how's it going, dad?"

"We're kinda in a hurry, Jackson."

Sparring Amara a look, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "We need your help getting to that ship, before we get eaten by the Harpies. So . . ."

Electric blue and stormy grey eyes met as the girls shared a look. "We're dead."

"Absolutely."

Their attention was taken off one another by the noise of the surf bursting apart, three heads of white stallions rearing from the waves.

"Fish ponies!" Tyson cried out.

"Hippocampi," Annabeth breathed out. "They're beautiful."

The hippocampi glistened with bright silver scales, rainbow tail fins and a horse body for the front. "Let's admire them later," Percy called. "Come on!"

"There!" A voice screeched from behind them. "Bad children out of cabins! Snack time for lucky harpies!"

Harpies began fluttering over the top of the dunes, five ugly, plump hags with pinched faces and talons with feathery wings too small for their bodies.

"Grab a duffel bag, now!"

Rolling her eyes at the Jackson's boys order, she did as she was told regardless. Grabbing the last two bags, she snagged one for Annabeth and slung the other over her shoulder. Tyson and the blonde safety got onto the sea creatures, while Amara tossed the bag towards the daughter of Athena.

"We need to go, now Amara." Percy commanded from his seat on the hippocampi, but she shrugged him off. "I'll use the wind, I'm not getting on one of those thank you very much."

"You can't," Annabeth explained. "Luke and his army will see you coming. I understand you're mad, but we need to go. Just ride with me for now."

Without giving the older girl a response Amara climbed onto the sea creature, resting her hands on the Chase girl's shoulder as the hippocampi took off and towards Luke's boat.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

The first thing Amara thought of when the boat came into view was it reminded her more of a monster than a regular vacation boat. The white boat was topped with dozen levels of decks, brightly lit balconies and portholes. A three story woman in white Greek chiton was chained to the ship, she was beautiful with long black hair. But her expression showed absolute terror.

The hippocampi swam to the starboard, pausing near a service ladder. "How do we get aboard?" Annabeth questioned as she stared upwards.

"I don't know about you," Amara swung the duffel bag over her shoulder as she hopped onto the ladder. "But I'm climbing," and she began making her way upwards with the others following behind.

The ladder led to a maintenance deck filled with yellow lifeboats and a set of double locked doors. Annabeth unlocked the door with a spare knife and strings of ancient greek curses. The Grace scanned the ship which seemed to be practically deserted to the demigod. Nobody was up and walking around, and she could hear nothing behind the cabin doors.

"Is it a ghost ship?" Percy asked.

Tyson messed with his duffel bag strap as he smelled the air. "Bad smell, not alone."

"But," Annabeth frowned. "I don't smell anything."

"Cyclops can smell monsters like satyrs do?" Percy guessed earning a sarcastic look from Amara. "Maybe," she started. "He's smelling a ghost."

The raven haired boy shot her a glare as Tyson visibly shuddered at the thought. She sent him a smirk back until Annabeth spoke up, interrupting their mini war.

"So," the blonde questioned. "What exactly do you smell?"

"Something bad."

Gritting her teeth, Amara refrained from letting her frustration show. "That clears it up, so much."

"We need a hiding place, now. And somewhere safe to sleep."

Agreeing with the son of Poseidon, the demigods and cyclops explored corridors until they found an empty suit. A basket of chocolate laid on the table with an iced bottle of sparkling cider.

Shutting the door behind them, they began going through their duffel bags. "Wow," Percy sounded amazed as he went through his bag. "Hermes truly thought of everything."

In the Grace's bag, the god packed extra clothes, camp rations, bag full of cash, pouch full of golden drachmas, and her copy of Thalia's leather jacket she accidentally left behind. "Well," Annabeth zipped up her bag as she threw it over her shoulder. "We'll be next door."

Amara followed after the blonde next door, shutting it behind her as they wordlessly got comfortable in the room and avoided conversation with one another. Until, Annabeth couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Am," she spoke in a low voice. "I'm sorry, really. But we didn't have a choice, Tyson had to be invited in. It was the only way."

Slamming the bag on the bed, a huff breath escaped the younger girl as she spun around. "There is always, always, another way."

Annabeth shook her head. "Not this time, Percy could've died. No one could have made it in ti—"

"I could've!" Amara snapped. "I was almost there, I could've used the wind or anything!"

"You were on the verge of passing out! You had just taken down a Colchis Bull on your own, you never would've been able to help Percy in time."

"Jackson would've been fine, there was no need for that creature!"

"He would've died!"

"That wouldn't have happened!" Thunder roared over the boat as the brunette's anger grew.

"Amara," the daughter of Athena spoke gently. "I'm sorry, truly. But it was the only way."

"You know what wasn't the only way? Chariot races, not bothering to apologize beforehand or not bothering to attempt to team up. The camp fire? Finding out you and Percy were going to go off on your own to save my sister's tree!

"She's my sister Annabeth, the only person I had left! She was everything to me and all I had, she was my family, and you decided I didn't need to know your plan?"

"Amara—"

"No! I understand you had a bond with her, but I had a greater bond. And then to top it off, Luke, who was a brother to me and took care of me while we were runaways. He joined Kronos and abandoned the camp, he betrayed us, he betrayed me. Don't you think that's enough dirt thrown at me lately? I don't need you or Percy's help getting thrown more."

With that, she marched out of the suite and went to take a walk to calm herself down.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Amara had returned back to the suite not long before the sun came up. An announcement rang over the PA system, greeting the passengers with a good morning message and something for their special guests. When Annabeth got up, the two wordlessly got dressed without as much as looking at one another. The brunette wore black skinny jeans with small rips on her knees and upwards. She paired it with a dark blue loose short sleeve shirt as she wore the leather jacket and her converses.

Once the demigods and cyclops got dressed, they all adventured out into the ship where they were greeted by people. Seniors were heading to breakfast while a father and his kids enjoyed the pool for a morning swim. Crew members in white uniforms patrolled the deck, tipping their hats to the family's.

"Now this," Amara stuffed her hands into her jean pockets. "Is weird."

A crew member approached the demigods and cyclops. "We are all enjoying ourselves aboard the Princess Andromeda, have a nice day."

"They're in some kind of trance," Annabeth whispered to the Grace, but only received a shrug in return.

As they walked around, they passed a cafeteria and witnessed their first monster. A hellhound with its front paws up on the buffet line and it's muzzle buried in the scrambled eggs. "Not hungry anymore," Tyson murmured as they walked the hellhound.

A reptilian voice filled Amara's ears. "Ssssix more joined yesterday."

Without hesitating, the brunette quickly ducked inside the nearest room — which happened to be the women's restroom — as demigods and cyclops followed suit while the monsters slithered past the bathroom door.

"Yesss," a second reptilian spoke. "He drawssss them. Sssssoon we will be strong."

Then they slithered away with what sounded like a burst of cold hissing laughter.

Looking to the Jackson boy for the first time that day, they had a silent mutual agreement. "We need to get out of here."

Percy arched a brow. "Do you think I willingly want to be in this girl's restroom?"

"Smells bad." Tyson agreed. "And dogs eat all the eggs. Amara is right. We must leave the restroom and ship."

Then, a familiar voice reached Amara's ears that caused her to freeze. "Don't push me, Agrius! It's only a matter of time."

She shouldn't have been so happy to hear Luke's voice as she was. It had been almost an year since she's heard him, been close to him, and he was right outside those doors. The boy who was an older brother to her, was right out those doors.

"I'm not pushing you!" A guy the daughter of Zeus could only assume was Agrius spoke. His voice was deeper and angrier than Luke's. "If this gamble doesn't pay off—"

"They'll take the bait," the son of Hermes snapped. "It'll pay off, now, come. We've got to check on the casket."

A whimper escaped from the cyclops once they were no longer able to hear the demigod and monsters voices. "Leave now?" Tyson asked.

"We have to find out what Luke is up too," Annabeth explained. "If it's possible, we're going to bind him in chains and drag him to Mount Olympus."

After stopping by their suite and grabbing their duffel bags — in which Tyson ended up carrying everything — the demigods and cyclops snuck around following the signs in hopes of finding a admirable suite which Luke would most likely be staying in.

As they kept traveling down the corridor, Amara's gaze got caught on a glass wall. "Hey," she called out. "Might want to see this." She stared down into a canyon that ran through the middle of the ship. A group of monsters was assembled in front of a candy story, a dozen Laistrygonian giants, hellhounds, and humanoid females with twin serpent tails instead of legs.

"Scythian Dracenae." The brunette muttered. "Dragon women."

Monsters made a circle around a young boy in Greek armor who was slicing away at a straw dummy, wearing the Camp Half-Blood t-shirt. Once the demigod stabbed the dummy and thrusted upward resulting in straw to fly everywhere, the monsters roared and cheered.

"Come on," Annabeth muttered as she walking ahead. "Sooner we find Luke, the better."

Once they reached the end of the hallway, double oak doors came into view. "Voices inside," Tyson spoke as they neared thirty feet from the suite.

"You can hear that far?"

The monster closed his eyes as his voice changed, becoming husky and Amara instantly knew it was Luke's. "—The fools won't know which way to turn."

Before the brunette could tell the cyclops to knock it off, his voice changed once more. "Is the old horseman truly gone for good?"

Tyson mimicked Luke's laugh. "They can't trust him. Not with the skeletons in his closet. The poisoning of the tree was the final straw." Amara's fist clenched while Annabeth let out a visible shiver.

"Tyson, stop that!" The blonde exclaimed. "How do you do that? It's creepy?" Tyson's eye opened as he looked puzzled. "Just listening."

"Well, keep going," Percy urged. "What else are they saying?"

Closing his eye again, he let out a hiss in the gruffer voice. "Quiet!" Then, he spoke in Luke's voice in a low whisper. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," the gruff voice was back. "Outside."

The Jackson boy barely had the time to yell run before the doors to the suite swung open, revealing Luke flanked by two giants armed with javelins. "Well," Luke's head tilted to the side as a crooked smile twisted onto his lips. "If it isn't my favorite cousins. Please, come in, come in."

The suit was beautiful, and horrible at the same time. It had huge windows curved along a black wall which out looked the stern of the shop. Green sea and blue skies stretched over the horizon. A Persian rug covered the floor with two sofas occupying the middle of the room. A canopied bed rested in one corner with an mahogany dining table in the other. The table itself was loaded with food such as pizza boxes, bottles of soda, and stacks of roast beef sandwiches delivered on a silver platter. The horrible part was the ten foot long golden casket at the back of the room. It was engraved with Ancient Greek scenes of cities in flames and heroes dying grisly deaths.

Luke spread his arms proudly as the wicked smile grew. "Welcome! A little nicer than Cabin Eleven, eh?"

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Standing on the outside on Annabeth, Amara resisted the urge to turn Luke's guards javelins onto themselves. "Sit," the son of Hermes gestured towards the sofas, but none listened.

As if noticing the glares she was sending his guards, Luke spoke up. "Where are my manners?" He questioned, sparring the brunette a glance. "These are my assistants, Agrius and Oreius. Perhaps, you've head of them?"

"Assistants?" Amara scowled at the words. "More like pets to do your bidding."

A smile twitched slightly on the blond's lips as an amused chuckle escaped from him. "Still the same Ara I see, that's nice to know."

His focused returned back to the other three. "It seems you don't know Agrius and Oreius's story? Well, their mother . . . it's sad, really. Aphrodite ordered the young woman to fall in love. She refused and ran to Artemis for help. Artemis let her become one of her maiden huntresses, but Aphrodite got her revenge. She bewitched the young woman into falling in love with a bear. When Artemis found out, she abandoned the young girl in disgust. Typical of the gods, wouldn't you say? They fight with one another and the poor humans get caught in the middle. The girl's twin sons here, Agrius and Oreius, have no love for Olympus. They like half-bloods well enough though . . ."

Agrius let out a growl, "for lunch."

Oreius let out a laugh as he licked his fur lined lips, and continued his laughter until Agrius shouted for him to shut up. The younger brother whimpered at his brother's shouting, trudging over to the corner of the room and began banging his forehead against the dining table.

Luke propped his feet onto the coffee table as he continued the conversation. "We let you survive another year, Percy, hope you appreciated it. So, how's your mom? School?"

But Amara couldn't hold back her anger anymore, she was furious at the boy for betraying her, abandoning her, and most of all, making her sister die all over again. "You poisoned Thalia's tree," she spat, fingertips digging into her palms.

The blond let out a sigh, crossing his left leg over his right. "Straight to the point? Sure, I poisoned the tree, what about it?"

Thunder echoed across the sky as the room flashed from lightning. "She saved your life, our lives! How could you live with yourself by dishonoring her—"

"I didn't dishonor her!" The son of Hermes snapped as his legs dropped to the ground. "The gods dishonored her Ara, your father! If Thalia was still alive, she would be on my side!"

"She was my sister!" Amara shouted at the demigod as she took a step closer. "She sacrificed herself for you, me, Annabeth, and Grover! My sister! Mine!" Thunder roared as blue electricity lightly flickered around the younger demigods finger tips. "How could you do this to her," she took a breath as electric blue met bright blue irises. "How could you do this to me!"

"We were there, us, before any of this ever happened. Before Annabeth, Grover, Chiron, Camp, everything! It was us three against the world, you were like my brother. I trusted you!" She practically screamed the words as the winds got harsh outside the suite room. Monsters could be heard shouting alongside families as they each tried to hold on.

"If you knew what was to come, you would understand."

"The only thing I understand," she spat. "Is you want to destroy the camp."

The Castellan boy shook his head. "You've been blinded by the gods. Imagine a world without them, three thousand years of baggage! The west has become rotten to the core, it needs to be destroyed. We can start the world anew, so join me!"

It was quiet between the two as they had a silent stare off, the only sound being the rushing wind caused by Amara's outburst. "I can help you, Ara. I want to protect you . . . I promised to protect you. It's like you said before, I'm basically your older brother. I know you better than any of these fools, none of who know who you truly are underneath that mask you flaunt around. You deserve better than what you've received, you deserve to be on the winning team. Besides, do you truly want to be around company like that?" He pointed towards the cyclops.

"You try acting like I'm the one in the wrong here, but look at you. Here I thought I knew you better than anyone, and yet you stand by a cyclops. You disappoint me, Amara."

She remained quiet as the blond took a step forward. "Nothing makes him different from his kind, nothing. But we can bring Thalia back, together." She watched as Luke held out a hand for her to take. "It can be just like the good old days, the three of us against the world. And maybe, we can convince Annabeth to join too. But you need to join me in order to make all that happen, make the right choice Ara."

"Knock it off!" Percy snapped, bringing the brunette out of her mind. "Leave Tyson out of this." Finally taking her eyes off the older boy's hand, she looked at Percy.

Luke let out a humorless laugh. "Oh, I've heard your father claimed him."

The son of Hermes's smile widened as Percy's expression converted to one of surprise. "Yes, Percy. I know all about that, and the plans to find the Fleece. The coordinations were what again? Thirty . . . thirty-one, seventy-five, twelve? I still have friends at camp who keep me posted."

"Spies, you mean?"

He shrugged. "How many insults from your father can you take, Percy?" He questioned. "Think he's grateful to you? You think he cares for you anymore than that monster?"

The bright blue eyed boy chuckled. "Do you have any idea what's in store for you if you manage to reach your sixteenth birthday? Did Chiron even mention the prophecy?"

Percy hesitated. "I know what I need to know, like who my enemies are."

"Then you're a fool."

"Percy is not a fool!" Tyson cried as he threw the nearest dining chair against the wall, smashing it to pieces. He charged Luke, swinging his fist at the blond's head and that's when Amara snapped out of her daze.

The events of that night ran through her mind, cyclops swinging Thalia from its hand and what the result was. "Tyson!" She yelled, her eyes were wide with panic as she swung her arm in a pushing motion. A current smacked into the cyclops as he fell to the ground, giving the twins the perfect opportunity to grab each of his arms.

"Too bad cyclops," Luke smirked. "Seems like my grizzly friends are more than a match for your strength. Maybe I should—"

"Luke, listen to me," Percy spoke. "Your father sent us."

The blond's hand smacked the table. "Don't — ever — mention him."

"He told us to take this boat. I thought it was just for a ride, but he sent us here to find you. He told me he won't give up on you, no matter how angry you are."

"Angry?" Luke roared. "Give up on me? He abandoned me, Percy! Just like how Zeus abandoned Thalia and Amara! I want Olympus destroyed! You tell Hermes, it's gonna happen too. Each time a half-blood joins us, the Olympian's grow weaker and we grow stronger. He grows stronger." He pointed to the gold sarcophagus.

"So?" Percy demanded. "What's so special . . ." He trailed off. "Whoa, you don't mean—"

"He is re-forming." Luke offered a cruel smirk. "Little by little, we're calling his life force out of the pit. With every recruit who pledges our cause, another small piece appears—"

"That's disgusting!" Annabeth yelled.

The older boy sneered. "Your mother was born from Zeus's spilt skull, Annabeth. I wouldn't talk. Soon, there will be enough of the Titan Lord so that we can make him whole again. We will piece together a new body for him, a form worthy of the forges of Hephaestus."

"You're insane."

"Join us and you'll be rewarded. We have powerful friends, sponsors rich enough to buy this cruise ship and much more. Percy, your mother will never have to work again. You can buy her a mansion. You can have power, fame, whatever you want. Annabeth, you can realize your dream of being an architect. You can build a monument to last a thousand years. A temple to the lords of the next age! Amara, you can get your sister back—"

"Go to Tartarus." Annabeth spat.

"A shame."

Picking up something like resembled a TV remote, he pressed a red button. The action caused the suite door to open as uniformed crew members walked in armed with nightsticks.

"Good, security." An innocent look rested on the boy's face. "We have some stowaways."

"Yes, sir."

Luke turned to Oreius. "It's time to feed the Aethiopian drakon. Take these fools below and show them how's it done."

The younger twin grinned stupidly.

"Let me go too." Agrius grumbled. "My brother is worthless. That Cyclops—"

"Is no threat." The demigod interrupted. "Agrius, stay here. We have important matters to discuss."

"But—"

"Oreius, don't fail me. Stay in the hold to make sure the dragon is properly fed." The monster podded Amara with his javelin as he herded them out of the stateroom.

Oblivious to her surroundings, the brunette didn't realize Percy had even said a word until Tyson turned and smacked the monster ten meters backwards and in the pool. "Ah!" The kids yelled in unison as the wave overcame them. "We are not having a blast in the pool."

As Amara knocked a nightstick out the guard's hand, the other guard made a run for the alarm box. "Stop him!" Annabeth cried but it had been too late. Percy managed to hit him on the head with a deck chair as he hit the alarm.

"Let's go, the life boat!" The raven haired boy yelled as he led them to the closest one. Once they got the cover off, monsters and security swarmed the deck surrounding them. "How do you launch this thing!" Annabeth yelled as she tried to figure it out.

A hellhound launched itself at Percy's back, but Amara jumped in front of the boy and used a wind spirit to send the creature flying. The two Big Three children sent one another a nod as Percy hopped in. "Get in!" He ordered the girls and cyclops as he uncapped Riptide and slashed away the volley of arrows out of the air.

"Let's go!" Annabeth yelled at the brunette as she grabbed onto the younger girl's arm and pulled her with her. As the girls jumped in, the raven haired boy cut the ropes and they free-fell towards the ocean.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

The daughter of Zeus was done being in the ocean. When they managed to make it to land, they were forced to fight off monsters near an old hideout of their's while they were runaways. And to make matters worse, Clarisse showed up and rescued the demigods and cyclops.

"You are in so much trouble." The La Rue sneered at the group while Amara shared a look with Annabeth.

"Tantalus expelled each of you for eternity," she explained before sparing a look at the Grace. "Beckendorf's beyond angry, truth be told, I've never seen him that angry. He's been trying to convince Tantalus to change his mind, but was threatened to be expelled if he didn't stop."

A frown twisted onto the girl's lips at the trouble she was causing for the older dark skinned boy. "And," Clarisse continued. "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?" Percy asked.

"Course not. My father did."

"Ares?"

"You think your daddy is the only one with sea power?" Clarisse spat. "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 narrowed at the son of Poseidon. "If it's means an end to this infernal war, ma'am, peace at last, we'll do anything. Destroy anyone."

"Destroy anyone." The dirty blonde grinned manically. "I like that."

"Clarisse," Annabeth called. "Luke might be after the Fleece, too. We saw him. He's got the coordinates and he's heading south. He has a ship full of monsters—"

"Good! I'll bow him out of the water!"

"No!" The blonde argued. "Clarisse, you don't understand. We have to combine forces. Let us help you—"

"No!" Her fist slammed on the table. "This is my quest! Finally, I get to be the hero, and you three will not steal my chance."

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

"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?"

"Shut up, Prissy! I don't need them! Or you!"

"Clarisse," the Jackson boy continued. "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—" Amara arched a brow at the girl.

"What?" Annabeth frowned. "What did the Oracle tell you?"

"Nothing." Clarisse's ears turned pink. "All you need to know is that I'm finishing this quest and you're not helping. On the other hand, I can't let you go . . ."

"So we're prisoners?"

"Guests. For now." Propping her feet up on the white linen tablecloth, she opened another Dr. Pepper. "Captain take them below. Assign them hammocks on the berth deck. If they don't mind their manners, show them how we deal with enemy spies."

Amara got up and followed behind the Captain, Tyson right on her tail. "You made brother upset, why?" The cyclops spoke, resulting in the demigod to freeze in her tracks. "Why should I bother explaining it to you when you wouldn't even understand? Stay out of it, you don't need to be sticking your nose where you don't belong." She spat at the monster as she reached her quarters for the time being, prepared to take a long and well deserved break.

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6-08-23

hello hello !!! two updates in one week i'm on a roll ! anyway, i hope you liked this chapter, especially amara and luke sorta going out at it through a screaming match? anyway, i hope you enjoyed this chapter and i'll see you all next tuesday <3