Annabeth Tries To Swim Home

I pulled Annabeth back into the surf. I couldn't hear her, but I could tell she was screaming.
She kicked me in the face, but I held on.
I willed the currents to carry us out into the bay. Annabeth pummeled and kicked me, making it hard to con-centrate. She thrashed so much we almost collided with a floating mine. I didn't know what to do. I'd never get back to the ship alive if she kept fighting.
We went under and Annabeth stopped struggling. Her expression became confused. Then our heads broke the sur-face and she started to fight again.
The water! Sound didn't travel well underwater. If I could submerge her long enough, I could break the spell of the music. Of course, Annabeth wouldn't be able to breathe, but at the moment, that seemed like a minor problem.
I grabbed her around the waist and ordered the waves to push us down.
We shot into the depths—ten feet, twenty feet. I knew I had to be careful because I could withstand a lot more pressure than Annabeth. She fought and struggled for breath as bubbles rose around us.
Bubbles.
I was desperate. I had to keep Annabeth alive. I imag-ined all the bubbles in the sea—always churning, rising. I imagined them coming together, being pulled toward me.
The sea obeyed. There was a flurry of white, a tickling sensation all around me, and when my vision cleared, Annabeth and I had a huge bubble of air around us. Only our legs stuck into the water.
She gasped and coughed. Her whole body shuddered, but when she looked at me, I knew the spell had been broken.
She started to sob—I mean horrible, heartbroken sobbing. She put her head on my shoulder and I held her.
Fish gathered to look at us—a school of barracudas, some curious marlins.
Scram! I told them.
They swam off, but I could tell they went reluctantly. I swear I understood their intentions.
They were about to start rumors flying around the sea about the son of Poseidon and some girl at the bottom of Siren Bay.

Percy Jackson & The Sea Of Monsters © Rick Riordan
ART © Karen De la Garza / Tottiewoodstock