A 1

concentrated until his ears popped, but the best he could do was blow the lid off the plastic treasure
chest.
Well, that’s it, he thought dejectedly. I’ll have to live in a plastic gingerbread house the rest of my
life, fighting my giant goldfish friend and waiting for feeding time.
Phorcys had promised they’d learn to love it. Percy thought about the dazed telkhines, the Nereids
and hippocampi, all swimming in bored, lazy circles. The thought of ending up like that didn’t help to
lower his anxiety level.
He wondered if Phorcys was right. Even if they managed to escape, how could they defeat the
giants if the gods were all incapacitated? Bacchus might be able to help. He had killed the twin giants
once before, but he would only join the fight if he got an impossible tribute, and the idea of giving
Bacchus any kind of tribute made Percy want to gag himself with a Monster Donut.
Look! Frank said.
Outside the glass, Keto was leading Coach Hedge through the amphitheater, lecturing him on
something while the coach nodded and admired the stadium seating.
Coach! Percy yelled. Then he realized it was hopeless. The coach couldn’t hear telepathic yelling.
Frank bumped his head against the glass.
Hedge didn’t seem to notice. Keto walked him briskly across the amphitheater. She didn’t even
look through the glass, probably because she assumed the tank was still empty. She pointed to the far
end of the room as if saying, Come on. More gruesome sea monsters this way.
Percy realized he had only a few seconds before the coach would be gone. He swam after them,
but the water didn’t help him move as it usually did. In fact, it seemed to be pushing him back. He
dropped Riptide and used both arms.
Coach Hedge and Keto were five feet from the exit.
In desperation, Percy scooped up a giant marble and hurled it underhanded like a bowling ball.