Annabeth had tried to give the Romans a heads-up. Two hundred feet long, with a bronze-plated hull, mounted repeating crossbows fore and aft, a flaming metal dragon for a figurehead, and two rotating ballistae amidships that could fire explosive bolts powerful enough to blast through concrete…well, it wasn’t the most appropriate ride for a meet-and-greet with the neighbors. The Argo II definitely did not look friendly. What if this was a bad idea? What if the Romans panicked and attacked them on sight? The warship descended through the clouds, but Annabeth couldn’t stop second-guessing herself.
Even that mysterious chill she’d been feeling since the ship launched had dissipated, at least for now. The last thing they needed as they flew a magical Greek trireme into a potentially hostile Roman camp was a middle-aged satyr in gym clothes waving a club and yelling “Die!” Everything seemed to be in order. Most important, she pulled aside their war-crazed chaperone, Coach Gleeson Hedge, and encouraged him to take the morning off in his cabin and watch reruns of mixed martial arts championships. She reviewed the plan with the rest of the crew-and the backup plan, and the backup plan for the backup plan. She confirmed that the white “We come in peace” flag was flying from the mast. She’d paced the deck of their flying warship, the Argo II, checking and double-checking the ballistae to make sure they were locked down. UNTIL SHE MET THE EXPLODING STATUE, Annabeth thought she was prepared for anything.
About the Author To Speedy Strays and wanderers are often sent by the gods.
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