TERRIFIED . . . annabeth chase

twenty six.

VAL DID, IN fact, spend most of the morning awake and dying.

She'd taken guard duty that night from midnight till now, so she was really just tired. But at least she'd changed into something comfortable and was drinking coffee. Coffee was very good for her health.

Val talked to Leo while they waited for Piper to finally wake up. Val really didn't want to look at where Percy and Annabeth were wrapped around each other, and Leo always understood, so they were deep in conversation about everything and nothing.

"I mean, my motto is basically to drink coffee and pretend like I know what I'm doing," Val shrugged, grinning at Leo over the rim of her cup.

Leo snorted at her. "I thought it would be something that sounds incredibly horny."

"Oh, hell yeah," Val pursed her lips. "Though I don't believe I can get any on here. There's no way I'd fuck anyone on this ship."

Except for Annabeth, but, like Val had observed earlier, her boyfriend was back in the picture, so that was that.

Apparently that hadn't stopped the daughter of Athena from kissing her last night, but Val was convinced that that hadn't happened. Nope.

Leo snickered, and then Annabeth said loudly, "So!" She plucked the bagel out of Piper's hand as she said it, taking a bite and staring up at Val. Whatever for, she didn't know. "Here we are. What's the plan?"

"I want to check out the highway," Piper said. "Find the sign that says Topeka 32."

Leo spun his Wii controller in a circle, and the sails lowered themselves. "We shouldn't be far," he said. "Festus and I calculated the landing as best we could. What do you expect to find at the mile marker?"

Piper explained what she'd seen in the knife — the man in purple with a goblet.

"Purple shirt?" Jason asked. "Vines on his hat? Sounds like Bacchus."

"Dionysus," Percy muttered. "If we came all the way to Kansas to see Mr. D—"

"Bacchus isn't so bad," Jason said. "I don't like his followers much, but the god himself is okay. I did him a favor once up in the wine country."

Percy looked appalled. "Whatever, man. Maybe he's better on the Roman side. But why would he be hanging around in Kansas? Didn't Zeus order the gods to cease all contact with mortals?"

Frank grunted. The big guy was wearing a blue tracksuit this morning, like he was ready to go for a jog in the sunflowers. Val liked that thought. She liked sunflowers enough. At least she wasn't throwing them up.

"The gods haven't been very good at following that order," he noted. "Besides, if the gods have gone schizophrenic like Hazel said—"

"And Leo said," added Leo.

Frank scowled at him. "Then who knows what's going on with the Olympians? Could be some pretty bad stuff out there."

"Sounds dangerous!" Leo agreed cheerfully. "Well . . . you guys have fun. I've got to finish repairs on the hull. Coach Hedge is gonna work on the broken crossbows. And, uh, Annabeth — I could really use your help. You're the only other person who even sort of understands engineering."

Annabeth looked apologetically at Percy. "He's right. I should stay and help."

"I'll come back to you." He kissed her on the cheek. "Promise."

Val turned and brought out her trash can, discreetly puking. She hated that she'd mastered the art of doing it quieter.

Frank slid his bow off his shoulder and propped it against the rail. "I think I should turn into a crow or something and fly around, keep an eye out for Roman eagles."