XXVI

The Argo II lurches as a colossal turtle surfaces, snapping oars and battering the hull. The crew scrambles: Jason strikes at its head, Frank fires arrows, Piper throws food and commands, Hedge leaps aboard the shell, and Leo struggles with controls while Nico warns of the monster’s size.

Leo ignites improvised jet propulsion, blasting fire to rocket the ship forward. The turtle pursues, so Hazel summons Arion and, with Piper riding behind, circles the monster. Hazel slashes to distract while Piper issues charmspeak commands and pelts it from the cornucopia, drawing its attention until the ship slips into a narrow channel the turtle cannot enter.

Safe for the moment, the crew assesses damage and options. Coach Hedge pushes to attack, but Jason notes the turtle’s near-impervious hide and the risk of blocking the channel with its carcass. Nico spots that the passage ends in a V-shaped dead end, revealing they are trapped.

An arrow thunks into the mainmast beside Piper, bearing a note from a cliff-top archer-robber who claims the turtle and demands all their valuables. The crew realizes this ambush is practiced and precise; catapults and bows are useless against his elevation and accuracy. Hazel senses Hecate’s orchestrated test, confirmed by Gale’s watchful presence.

Hazel volunteers to meet the robber, proposing to conjure valuables, and Jason insists on accompanying her to steady any fall with winds. Before they depart, Hazel astonishingly summons Jason’s lost Imperial gold sword from the sea, hinting at expanding power over precious metals. Resolved, Hazel and Jason prepare to climb and confront the robber.