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Then There Were The Shabti, Magical Figurines That Were Supposed To Come To Life When Summoned. A Few Months Ago, I’d Fallen For A Girl Named Zia Rashid, Who’d Turned Out To Be A Shabti. Falling In Love For The First Time Had Been Hard Enough. But When The Girl You Like Turns Out To Be Ceramic And Cracks To Pieces Before Your Eyes—well, It Gives “breaking Your Heart” A New Meaning.

-Rick Riordan

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Then There Were The

Rick Riordan

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Then There Were The Shabti, Magical Figurines That Were Supposed To Come To Life When Summoned. A Few Months Ago, I’d Fallen For A Girl Named Zia Rashid, Who’d Turned Out To Be A Shabti. Falling In Love For The First Time Had Been Hard Enough. But When The Girl You Like Turns Out To Be Ceramic And Cracks To Pieces Before Your Eyes—well, It Gives “breaking Your Heart” A New Meaning.

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Falling In Love

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Frank Had Decided That Whatever His Fate Was, He Wouldn’t Worry About It. He Would Just Do The Best He Could To Help His Friends.

Dejardins Was So Stunned, He Momentarily Forgot How To Speak English. "ce N'est Pas Possible. On Ne Pourrait Pas-

I Concentrated Hard And Snapped My Fingers. "you Don't See The Sword," I Told The Girl. "it's Just A Ballpoint Pen." She Blinked. "um . . . No. It's A Sword, Weirdo.

You're A Stalker With Hooves." -percy Jackson

Frank: "i Wish I Was Adhd Or Dyslexic. All I Got Is Lactose Intolerance." Percy: "seriously?" Frank: "and I Love Ice Cream Too.

We Stepped Back And Looked At The King Of The Gods, Slumped In His Chair Snoring, And Cradling His Crook Like A Teddy Bear. I Placed The War Flail Across His Lap, Hoping It Might Make A Difference—maybe Complete His Powers Or Something. No Such Luck. "sick Weasels," Ra Muttered. "behold," Sadie Said Bitterly. "the Glorious Ra.

And It Was Pretty Much The Best Underwater Kiss Of All Time.

The Death Mist Is Not For Helping!" Akhlys Shrieked. "it Shrouds Mortals In Misery As Their Souls Pass Into The Underworld. It Is The Very Breath Of Tartarus, Of Death, Of Despair!" "awesome," Percy Said. "could We Get Two Orders Of That To Go?

The Wand Ricocheted Through The Swarm, Thumping Six, Seven, Eight Of The Little Monsters Before Returning To Carter’s Hand. “not Bad,” I Said. “keep It Up!

I'm Dylan. I'm So Cool. I Want To Date Myself, But I Don't Know How! You Want To Date Me Instead? You're So Lucky!

Leo Scratched His Head. “well I Dunno About Enchiladas-“ “enceladus,” Piper Corrected. “whatever. But Old Potty Face Mentioned Another Name. Porpoise Fear, Or Something?” “porphyrion?” Piper Asked. ”he Was The Giant King, I Think.

I Wanted To Keep Things As Normal As Possible For The Trainees, So I Led My Usual Morning Class. I Called It Magic Problem-solving 101. The Trainees Called It Whatever Works.

June Smiled. "so What Will It Be? Safety, Or A Future Of Pain And Possibility?"

What's Cabin Nine?" Leo Asked. "and I'm Not A Vulcan!" "come On, Mr. Spock, I'll Explain Everything.

Anubis Frowned. He Locked His Very Nice Eyes With Mine. “you’re Not Dead.” “no,” I Said. “though We’re Trying Awfully Hard.

Plus, Humor Ws A Good Way To Hide The Pain. And If That Didn't Work, There Was Always Plan B. Run Aaway. Over And Over.

You Spoke The Truth, Percy Jackson. You Are Nothing Like... Like Hercules. I Am Honored That You Carry This Sword.

Thank Ra!” She Exclaimed. “yeah, I’m Alive.” “no, I Almost Jumped In After You. I Hate The Water!

So You Can't Live In Manhattan?' She Asked. Amos's Brow Furrowed As He Looked Across At The Empire State Building. 'manhattan Has Other Problems. Other Gods. It's Best We Stay Separate.

He's Nuts" Bianca Said "we Need To Jump Off This Cliff" I Said "oh Nice Idea!! Your Nuts Too

If Possible, Try To Avoid Pushing Each Other Over The Edge, As That Would Cause Me Extra Paperwork.

Pushing Each Other

Heroes Like You Always Have A Weak Spot. We Just Have To Find It, And Then We Can Kill You. Won't That Be Lovely? Have A Cheese 'n' Wiener!

You Might As Well Ask An Artist To Explain His Art, Or Ask A Poet To Explain His Poem. It Defeats The Purpose. The Meaning Is Only Clear Thorough The Search.

I Got Ready For Bed And Crawled In. The Covers Were Comfortable And Warm, But The Pillow Was Just Too Weird. It Gave Me Neck Cramps, So I Put It On The Floor And Went To Sleep Without It. My First Big Mistake.

Hercules,huh? Percy Frowned. "that Guy Was Like The Starbucks Of Ancient Greece. Everywhere You Turn--there He Is.

Do You Think Me Cruel?” Neith Asked. “oh, Yes, I Collect The Pockets Of My Enemies.” “horrifying,” I Said. “i Didn’t Know Demons Had Pockets.” “oh, Yes.” Neith Glanced In Either Direction, Apparently To Be Sure No One Was Eavesdropping. “you Just Have To Know Where To Look.

I Remembered The Last Time Annabeth And I Had Parted Ways, When She'd Given Me A Kiss For Luck In Mount St. Helens. This Time, All I Got Was The Hat.

You Know How Teachers Tell You The Magic Word Is 'please'? That's Not True. The Magic Word Is 'puke'. It Will Get You Out Of Class Faster Than Anything Else.

I Tried To Think Of Something To Say. Excuse Me? Hello? Marry Me? Anything Would Have Done.

Silena Appeared Out Of The Woods, Her Sword Drawn. Her Aphrodite Armour Was Pink And Red, Colour Coordinated To Match Her Clothes And Makeup. She Looked Like Guerilla Warfare Barbie.

Piper!” Frank Yelled. “counter Those Empousai! We Need Some Chaos.” “thought You’d Never Ask.” She Started Catcalling At The Female Demons: “your Makeup Is Smeared! Your Friend Called You Ugly! That One Is Making A Face Behind Your Back!

Akmon Squealed With Delight. “i Knew You Were As Smart As Hercules! I Will Call You Black Bottom, The Sequel!

At The Feast Of Fortune, She'll Awaken, And The Demigods Will Be Cut Down Like-- Like---" "like Our Low Prices At Bargain Mart!" Stheno Suggested.

I Can See Hope Inside It." Rachel Ran Her Fingers Over The Ceramic Designs. "so Fragile.

The Vulture Nekhbet, Who'd One Possessed My Gran (long Story); The Crocodile Sobek, Who'd Tried To Kill My Cat (longer Story); And The Lion Goddess Sekhmet, Whom We'd Once Vanished In Hot Sauce ( Don't Even Ask) - Page 9

He Warned Me The Greediest Wishes Cause The Greatest Sorrows.

Oh, Dear Hazel.” Aphrodite Folded Her Fan. “such Optimism, Yet You Have Heartrending Days Ahead Of You. Of Course War Is Coming. Love And War Always Go Together. They Are The Peaks Of Human Emotion! Evil And Good, Beauty And Ugliness.

The Pinecone Is A Fearsome Tool Of Destruction! -bacchus

I Always Love It When I Hear Back From Kids Who Say They Discovered Percy Jackson And Now Wear Their Learning Difference As A Badge Of Honour.

I Am Praetor Of The Legion," Reyna Said. "i Judge This To Be In The Best Interest Of Rome." "to Get Yourself Killed? To Break Our Oldest Laws And Travel To The Ancient Lands? How Will You Even Find Their Ship, Assuming You Survive The Journey?" [octavian] "i Will Find Them," Reyna Said.

No!" Amy Said. "dan, You're Lucky It Was Only Concussive. You Could've Wiped Out The Whole Holt Family." "and That Would've Been Bad Because...?

It's Natural To Feel Fear. All Great Warriors Are Afraid. Only The Stupid And The Delusional Are Not.

Hello, Hazel Levesque.

Neither Torch Nor Dagger," Annabeth Said Firmly. "there Is A Third Test, Which I Will Pass." "a Third Test?" The Pater Demanded. "mithras Was Born From Rock," Annabeth Said, Hoping She Was Right. "he Emerged Fully Grown From The Stone, Holding His Dagger And Torch." The Screaming And Wailing Told Her She Had Guessed Correctly. "the Big Mother Knows All!" A Ghost Cried. "that Is Our Most Closely Guarded Secret!" Then Maybe You Shouldn't Put A Statue Of It On Your Altar, Annabeth Thought.

Oh, Obviously,” Reyna Said. “without You, I Doubt Percy Could Find His Way Out Of A Paper Bag.” “true,” Annabeth Agreed.

Blackjack," Percy Said, "this Is Piper And Jason. They're Friends." The Horse Nickered. "uh, Maybe Later," Percy Answered. Piper Had Heard That Percy Could Speak To Horses, Being The Son Of The Horse Lord Poseidon, But She'd Never Seen It In Action. "what Does Blackjack Want?" She Asked. "donuts," Percy Said. "always Donuts.

The End Of The World Started When A Pegasus Landed On The Hood Of My Car

Hestia Shook Her Head. "i Am Here Because When All Else Fails, When All The Other Mighty Gods Have Gone Off To War, I Am All That's Left. Home. Hearth. I Am The Last Olympian

A Long White Ribbon Shot Out Of The Crack In The Wall. The Ribbon Just Kept Coming, Weaving Itself Into Some Kind Of Shape Next To Anubis, And My First Thought Was, My God, He’s Got A Magic Roll Of Toilet Paper.

Grover Didn't Say Anything For Awhile. Then, When I Thought He Was Going To Give Me Some Deep Philosophical Comment To Make Me Feel Better, He Said, "can I Have Your Apple?

Eat Bitter, Taste Sweet," Frank Said. "i Hate That Proverb." "but It's True. What Do They Call It These Days---no Pain, No Gain? Same Concept. You Do The Easy Thing, The Appealing Thing, The Peaceful Thing, Mostly It Turns Out Sour In The End. But If You Take The Hard Path---ah, That's How You Reap The Sweet Rewards. Duty. Sacrifice. They Mean Something.

This Is Annabeth,” Jason Said. “uh, Normally She Doesn't Judo-flip People.

Wow," Thalia Muttered. "apollo Is Hot." "he's The Sun God," I Said. "that's Not What I Meant.

Good Fighting With You, Seaweed Brain." Ditto.

Hope Does Not Leave Without Being Given Permission.

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Don't Worry, Be Hapi.

It Was Almost Enough To Make Me Turn Vegetarian, Except For The Pesky Fact That I Loved Cheeseburgers.

Everyone Hates Clowns," Otis Said. "even Other Clowns Hate Clowns.

My Dear Children!" Nellie Whopped Him Upside The Head With Her Backpack. "ow!" Uncle Alistair Curled Over, Cupping His Hand Over His Good Eye. "nellie!" Amy Said. "sorry," Nellie Muttered. "i Thought He Was One Of The Bad Guys.

We'll Have To Work On Your Bunny Phobia Later.

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Before I Could Lose My Courage, I Said, "don't I Get A Kiss For Luck? It's Kind Of A Tradition, Right?" I Figured She Would Punch Me. Instead, She Drew Her Knife And Stared At The Army Marching Toward Us. "come Back Alive, Seaweed Brain. Then, We'll See.

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Agh-uhh!” The Baboon Grunted. He Turned And Waddled Up The Stairs. Unfortunately, The Lakers Jersey Didn’t Completely Cover His Multicolored Rear.

The Answer To Every Problem Involved Penguins

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The Truth Hit Him. Jason Wasn't Quite Roman Anymore. His Time At Camp Half-blood Had Changed Him. Reyna Had Recognized That. Apparently, So Did The Undead Legionnaires. If Jason No Longer Gave Off The Right Sort Of Vibe, Or Aura Of A Roman Leader.

Wait Just A Minute," Ares Growled. He Pointed At Thalia And Me. "these Two Are Dangerous. It'd Be Much Safer, While We've Got Them Here—" "ares," Poseidon Interrupted, "they Are Worthy Heroes. We Will Not Blast My Son To Bits." "nor My Daughter," Zeus Grumbled. "she Has Done Well.

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Oh, Don't Mind Me! Just The Queen Of The Heavens, Dying Over Here!

"you Are Okay?" He Asked. "not Eaten By Monsters?" "not Even A Little Bit." I Showed Him That I Still Had Both Arms And Both Legs, And Tyson Clapped Happily. "yay!" He Said. "now We Can Eat Peanut Butter Sandwiches And Ride Fish Ponies! We Can Fight Monsters And See Annabeth And Make Things Go Boom!" I Hoped He Didn't Mean All At The Same Time, But I Told Him Absolutely, We'd Have A Lot Of Fun This Summer.

I Should’ve Been Very Cross With Anubis. Kissing Me Without Permission—the Nerve!

Earthshaker, Stormbreaker, Father Of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son Of The Sea God

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He [nico] Regarded Jason, As If Waiting For An Attack. 'if The Others Found Out-' 'if The Others Found Out,' Jason Said, 'you'd Have That Many More People To Back You Up, And To Unleash The Fury Of The Gods On Anybody Who Gives You Trouble.

Why Are They So Sad?” I Asked. “well, They’re Dead,” Carter Speculated.

Cheers, Carter. At Least You Have The Sense To Hand Me The Microphone For Important Things. Honestly, He Drones On And On About His Plans For The Apocalypse, But He Makes No Plans At All For The School Dance. My Brother's Priorities Are Severely Skewed.

The Horse Seemed To Bend Time And Space As He Ran, Blurring The Landscape And Making Frank Feel Like He'd Just Drunk A Gallon Of Whole Milk Without His Lactose-intolerance Medicine: "seven Hundred And Fifty Miles Per Hour. Eight Hundred. Eight Hundred And Three. Fast. Very Fast.

I Had Weird Dreams Full Of Barnyard Animals. Most Of Them Wanted To Kill Me. The Rest Wanted Food.

I Was A Fight To The Death, And I Felt Great.

Sadie Got Up And Kissed Amos On The Forehead. “leave It To Us, Uncle. I’ve Got A Plan.” “that,” I Said, “sounds Like Very Bad News.

So Why Are We Practicing This, Anyway?" Percy Asked. "do You Guys Spend A Lot Of Time Laying Siege To Fortified Cities?

Luke Gazed At Annabeth. "you Knew. I Almost Killed You, But You Knew . . ." "shhh." Her Voice Trembled. "you Were A Hero At The End, Luke.

The Future For Commander Tool Belt Was Not Looking So Hot.

I Turned To Dionysus. "you Cured Him?" "madness Is My Specialty. It Was Quite Simple." "but...you Did Something Nice. Why?" He Raised And Eyebrow. "i Am Nice! I Simple Ooze Niceness, Perry Johansson. Haven't You Noticed?

You're Alive!" Percy Said To The Others. "the Giants Said You Were Captured. What Happened?" Leo Shrugged. "oh, Just Another Brilliant Plan By Leo Valdez. You'd Be Amazed What You Can Do With An Archimedes Sphere, A Girl Who Can Sense Stuff Underground, And A Weasel." "i Was The Weasel," Frank Said Glumly.

You Both Should Feel Honored.” “right, Very Honored,” I Said. “always Wanted To Be Possessed!

Back In Khufu's Day I Knew A Magician Who Parted The Nile Just So He Could Climb To The Bottom And Retrieve A Girl's Necklace. Then There Was That Israelite Fellow, Mickey." "moses?" "yeah, Him.

Percy, We're Going To Polyphemus' Island! Polyphemus Is An S-i-k...a C-y-k..." She Stamped Her Foot In Frustration. As Smart As She Was, Annabeth Was Dyslexic, Too. We Could've Been There All Night While She Tried To Spell Cyclops. "you Know What I Mean!

Well … Zeus Approves, Aeolus Muttered. ―he Says … He Says It Would Be Better If You Could Avoid Saving Her Until After The Weekend, Because He Has A Big Party Planned—ow! That‘s Aphrodite Yelling At Him, Reminding Him That The Solstice Starts At Dawn. She Says I Should Help You. And Hephaestus… Yes. Hmm. Very Rare They Agree On Anything. Hold On

Listen, Frank Zhang Has Moves. He's Probably Gonna Turn Into A Kangaroo And Do Some Marsupial Jujitsu On Their Ugly Faces.

Life Is Only Precious Because It Ends, Kid.

I Told You I Try Not To Live In The Past And Nothing Could Change The Fact That My Mum Was Gone. But I’m A Liar. The Truth Was, I’d Had One Dream Ever Since I Was Six: To See My Mum Again. To Actually Get To Know Her, Talk To Her, Go Shopping, Do Anything. Just Be With Her Once So I Could Have A Better Memory To Hold On To.

I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-algebra Teacher

Purple Light Passed Over The Paper, But Nothing Happened. "next!" Amy Said. She Was Sure The Man In Black Was Going To Burst In On Them Any Second. "whoa!" Dan Said. Amy Gripped His Arm. "you Found It?" "no, But Look! This Whole Essay - 'to The Royal Academy.' He Wrote A Whole Essay On Farts!" Dan Grinned With Delight. "he's Proposing A Scientific Study On Different Fart Smells. You're Right, Amy. This Guy Was A Genius!

I Looked At The Campers, All Of Them Grim And Determined. I Tried Not To Feel Like This Was The Last Time I'd Ever See Them All Together. 'you're The Greatest Heroes Of This Millennium,' I Told Them. 'it Doesn't Matter How Many Monsters Come At You. Fight Bravely, And We Will Win.' I Raised Riptide And Shouted, 'for Olympus!' They Shouted In Response, And Our Forty Voices Echoed Off The Buildings Of Midtown.

Sadie Kane Here. If You're Listening To This, Congratulations, You Survived Doomsday.

Congratulations

Die, Enemies Of Ra!" Sekhemet Yelled. "perish In Agony!" "she's Almost As Annoying As You," I Told Horus. "impossible," Horus Said. "no One Bests Horus.

The Baboon Is Driving,” I Noted. “should I Be Worried?

Am I A Troubled Kid? Yeah, You Could Say That.

My Mother Was Gone. The Whole World Should Be Black And Cold. Nothing Should Look Beautiful.

Leo Had Recently Discovered How To Change The Display, Like The Times Square Jumbotron,so Now The Banner Read: Merry Christmas! All Your Presents Belong To Leo!

Merry Christmas

So Beckendorf Was Pretty Popular?" Leo Asked. "i Mean-before He Blew Up?

Nice Creepy Reptile,” Frank Said, Very Aware Of The Driftwood In His Coat Pocket. “nice Poisonous, Fire-breathing Reptile.

Can We Just Call Them Storm Spirits?” Leo Asked. “venti Makes Them Sound Like Evil Espresso Drinks.

The Telkine Growled And Muttered As He Tapped On His Keyboard. Maybe He Was Messaging His Friends On Uglyface.com

I Whistled. "you Have Evil Thoughts For A Goat.

Hazel Squinted. "how Far?" "just Over The River And Through The Woods." Percy Raised An Eyebrow. "seriously? To Grandmother's House We Go?" Frank Cleared His Throat. "yeah, Anyway.

Oh, Did You Expect Me To Play Fair?" Cupid Laughed. "i Am The God Of Love. I Am Never Fair.

The Others Strapped Themselves Below - Except For Coach Hedge, Who Insisted On Clinging To The Forward Rail, Yelling, "yeah! Bring It On, Lake!

Beckendorf Closed Eyes Tight And Brought His Hand Up To His Watch. From That Distance, The Explosion Shook The World. Heat Seared The Back Of My Head. The Princess Andromeda Blew Up From Both Sides, A Massive Fireball Of Green Flame Roiling Into The Dark Sky, Consuming Everything....i Stared Out The Window Into Deep Blue Water. Beckendorf Was Supposed To Go To College In The Fall. He Had A Girlfriend, Lots Of Friends, His Whole Life Ahead Of Him. He Couldn't Be Gone.

All Invincible And Stuff

The Dead See What They Believe They Will See. So Do The Living. That Is The Secret.

All I Could Think To Say Was, "the Lakers Are My Home Team!

As He Fell Toward The Highway, A Horrible Scenario Flashed Through His Mind: His Body Smashing Against An Suv's Windshield, Some Annoyed Commuter Trying To Push Him Off With The Wipers. "stupid 16-year-old Kid Falling From The Sky! I'm Late!

Nico Strode Forward. The Enemy Army Fell Back Before Him Like He Radiated Death, Which Of Course He Did. Through The Face Guard Of His Skull-shaped Helmet, He Smiled. "got Your Message. Is It Too Late To Join The Party?" "son Of Hades." Kronos Spit On The Ground. "do You Love Death So Much You Wish To Experience It?" "your Death," Nico Said, "would Be Great For Me." "i'm Immortal, You Fool! I Have Escaped Tartarus. You Have No Business Here, And No Chance To Live." Nico Drew His Sword-three Feet Of Wicked Sharp Stygian Iron, Black As A Nightmare. "i Don't Agree.

Hercules Used Noise! Brass Bells! He Scared Them Away With The Most Horrible Sound He Could-" Said Percy "percy... Chiron's Collection!

He Looked Like Those Paintings Of Baby Angels - What Do You Call Them, Hubbubs? No Cherubs. That's It. He Looked Like A Cherub Who'd Turned Middle-aged In A Trailer Park.

She Said This In The Same Way You Might Say Fields Of Punishment Or Hades's Gym Shorts.

The Real Story Of The Fleece: There Were These Two Children Of Zeus, Cadmus And Europa, Okay? They Were About To Get Offered Up As Human Sacrifices, When They Prayed To Zeus To Save Them. So Zeus Sent This Magical Flying Ram With Golden Wool, Which Picked Them Up In Greece And Carried Them All The Way To Colchis In Asia Minor. Well, Actually It Carried Cadmus. Europa Fell Off And Died Along The Way, But That's Not Important." "it Was Probably Important To Her.

Knowing Too Much Of Your Future Is Never A Good Thing.

Liz Cleared Her Throat. "isn't There A More Polite Term We're Supposed To Use Nowadays? Like....little Person, Or Vertically Challenged,or-" "i'm Not Going To Call Myself The God Of Vertically Challenged People," Bes Grumbled. "i'm A Dwarf!

When I Got Across, I Looked Back And Saw Tyson Giving Grover A Piggyback Ride (or Was It A Goatyback Ride?).

Fish Ponies! I Put Them On The Ceiling!" -tyson

Sorry,no Thanks,if I Was Going To Die It Could Wait Until Tomorrow Morning.

Are You Crazy?" "probably

I Survive All Those Battles," She Growled, "and I Get Defeated By A Stupid Chunk Of Rock!

Leo Valdez Deserved A Special Punishment," She [khione] Said. "i Have Sent Him To A Place From Which He Can Never Return.

I Was Wishing I'd Bought Some Of That Camp Half Blood Orange Thermal Underwear..." ?!?!

Hermes Rolled His Eyes. "surely You've Seen Network Tv Lately. It's Clear They Don't Know Whether They're Coming Or Going. That's Because Janus Is In Charge Of Programming. He Loves Ordering New Shows And Cancelling Them After Two Episodes. God Of Beginnings And Endings, After All. Anyway, I Was Bringing Him Some Magic Doormats, And I Was Double-parked -" "you Have To Worry About Double-parking?" "will You Let Me Tell The Story?" "sorry."

Great," Percy Said. "seven Of Us Against Hercules." "and A Satyr!" Hedge Added. "we Can Take Him.

I Said Hello To The Poodle.

That Was Hera. Her Majesty, The Loose Cannon.

I Sat Up And The Blankets Fell Away.i Looked Down And Found I Was Wearing Pokemon Pajamas. "sadie,"i Said,"i'm Going To Kill You." She Batted Her Eyes Innocently."but The Street Merchant Gave Us A Very Good Deal On Those.walt Said They Would Fit You." Walt Raised His Hand."don't Blame Me,man.i Tried To Stick Up For You." Bes Snorted,then Did A Pretty Good Imitation Of Walt's Voice:"at Least Get The Extra-large Ones With Pikachu.

You Titans Are About As Bright As My Gym Socks.

Hermes Has Threatened Me With Slow Mail. Lousy Internet Service And A Horrible Stock Market If I Publish This Story. I Hope He Is Just Bluffing.

I Should Throw You Off This Building Minus The Flying Horse And See How Heroic You Sound On The Way Down.

Have You Ever Noticed How Parents Can Go From The Most Wonderful People In The World To Totally Embarrassing In Three Seconds?

He Was Beautiful The Way An Angel Is Beautiful - Timeless, Perfect, Remote.

You Began Your Journey Here As A Pup. Now You Must Find Your Way Back. A New Quest, A New Start.

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May The Gods Be With You

God Is With You

So, Destroy?" Cal Asked. Clearly, The Conversation Was Giving His Two Brain Cells A Serious Workout.

[percy] Kept Hoping Things Would Get Better For Annabeth And Him, But Their Lives Just Got More Dangerous, As If The Three Fates Were Up There Spinning Their Futures With Barbed Wire Instead Of Thread Just To See How Much Two Demigods Could Tolerate.

After All The Dangerous Adventures I'd Had, I Couldn't Die Like This. Sadie Would Be Devastated. Then, Once She Got Over Her Grief, She'd Track Down My Soul In The Egyptian Afterlife And Tease Me Mercilessly For How Stupid I'd Been.

Don't Decide Yet," Hephaestus Advised. "wait Until Daybreak. Daybreak Is A Good Time For Decisions.

We Passed Hieroglyphic Scrolls, Gold Jewelry, Sarcophagi, Statues Of Pharaohs, And Huge Chunks Of Limestone. Why Would Someone Display A Rock? Aren't There Enough Of Those In The World?

I Remembered The Myth About Andromeda And How She Had Been Chained To A Rock By Her Own Parents As A Sacrifice To A Sea Monster. Maybe She'd Gotten Too Many F's On Her Report Card Or Something.

Six Minus Six Is Zero. Spears Are Good For Subtraction Ella Said

If Anyone Asks You If You’re Taken,” I Said, “the Answer Is Yes.” “i Think I Can Live With That,” He Promised. “good,” I Said. “because You Don’t Want To See Me Be Cross.” “too Late.” “shut Up And Dance, Walt.” “shut Up And Dance, Walt.” We Did—with The Music Of A Psychotic Griffin Screaming Behind Us, And The Sirens And Horns Of Brooklyn Wailing Below. It Was Quite Romantic.

Caught In A Bad Romance. Whoaaa-oh-ooooh!" Nellie Wailed Along To The Xm Radio Blaring From The Enormous Speakers. "can I Uncover My Ears Now?" Dan Called From The Back, Where He Was Reclined Across The Leather Seat. "has Nellie Stopped Her Lady Gag Me Impression?

Briefly, The Nymphaeum Glowed With A Softer Light, Like A Full Moon. Piper Smelled Exotic Spices And Blooming Roses. She Heard Distant Music And Happy Voices Talking And Laughing. She Guessed She Was Hearing Hundreds Of Years Of Parties And Celebrations That Had Been Held At This Shrine In Ancient Times, As If The Memories Had Been Freed Along With The Spirits. 'what Is That?' Jason Asked Nervously. Piper Slipped Her Hand Into His. 'the Ghosts Are Dancing.

No Hero Is Above Fear.

I Couldn’t Miss Percy’s Fifteenth Birthday,” Poseidon Said. “why, If This Were Sparta, Percy Would Be A Man Today!” "that’s True,” Paul Said. “i Used To Teach Ancient History.” Poseidon’s Eyes Twinkled. “that’s Me. Ancient History.

She'd Also Called Me Brave...unless She Was Talking To The Catfish.

Before I Could Figure Out How To Apologize For Being Such An Idiot, She Tackled Me With A Hug, Then Pulled Away Just As Quickly. "i'm Glad You're Not A Guinea Pig." "me, Too." I Hoped My Face Wasn't As Red As It Felt.

Narcissus Turned And Scowled At Leo. “who Are You?” “i’m The Super-sized Mcshizzle, Man!” Leo Said. “i’m Leo Valdez, Bad Boy Supreme. And The Ladies Love A Bad Boy.

Aphrodite,” [annabeth] Said. “venus?” Hazel Asked In Amazement. “mom,” Piper Said With No Enthusiasm. “girls!” The Goddess Spread Her Arms Like She Wanted A Group Hug. The Three Demigods Did Not Oblige. Hazel Backed Into A Palmetto Tree.

It Was A Crazy Idea. But, As Usual, That’s All Percy Had.

In A Way, It's Nice To Know That There Are Greek Gods Out There, Because You Have Somebody To Blame When Things Go Wrong. For Instance, When You're Walking Away From A Bus That's Just Been Attacked By Monster Hags And Blown Up By Lightning, And It's Raining On Top Of Everything Else, Most People Might Think That's Just Really Bad Luck; When You're A Half-blood, You Understand That Some Devine Force Is Really Trying To Mess Up Your Day.

Wisdom's Daughter Walks Alone. That Didn't Just Mean Without Other People, Annabeth Realized. It Meant Without Any Special Powers.

Percy Was Not Feeling The Love.

Whoa," Said Nico As He Climbed Off The Bus. "is That A Climbing Wall?" "yeah," I (percy) Said. "why Is There Lava Pouring Down It?" "little Extra Challenge..." - Percy

You Teach Combat, I Guess.” Aphros Threw Up His Hands In Exasperation. “why Does Everyone Assume That?” Leo Glanced At The Massive Sword On The Fish-guy’s Back. “uh, I Don’t Know.

Frank Imitated The Voice Of Vitellius: 'they're Wimps! Back In My Day, We Died All The Time, And We Liked It!

I Frowned. “you Mean Set’s Got, Like, Other Evil Gods On Speed Dial?

A Vampire!" I Stammered. Then I Noticed Her Legs. Below The Cheerleader Skirt, Her Left Leg Was Brown And Shaggy With A Donkey's Hoof. Her Right Leg Was Shaped Like A Human Leg Was It Was Made Of Bronze. "uhh, A Vampire With-" "don't Mention The Legs!" Tammi Snapped. "it's Rude To Make Fun.

Does Truth Have A Moral?

Her Name Badge Read: Hello! My Name Is Die, Demigod Scum!

We Wandered The Halls Of An Infinite Magic Nursing Home, Led By A Hippo Nurse With A Torch. Really, Just An Ordinary Night For The Kanes.

Before I Could Do Anything Rash, A Familiar Voice Behind Me Said, "hello, Sadie." The Other Girls Let Out A Collective Gasp. My Pulse Quickened From "slow Walk" To "fifty-meter-dash." I Turned And Found That-yes, Indeed-the God Anubis Had Crashed Our Dance.

I Can't Summon Anymore Gas!" Leo Warned. The His Faced Turned Red. 'wow, That Came Out Wrong. I Mean The Burning Kind.

Percy Glanced Over. He Saw The Fallen Giant And Seemed To Understand What Was Happening. He Yelled Something That Was Lost In The Wind, Probably: Go! Then He Slammed Riptide Into The Ice At His Feet. The Entire Glacier Shuddered. Ghosts Fell To Their Knees. Behind Percy, A Wave Surged Up From The Bay-a Wall Of Gray Water Even Taller Than The Glacier. Water Shot From The Chasms And Crevices In The Ice. As The Wave Hit, The Back Half Of The Camp Crumbled. The Entire Edge Of The Glacier Peeled Away, Cascading Into The Void-carrying Buildings, Ghosts, And Percy Jackson Over The Edge.

When In Doubt, Start From The Top. -jason Grace

I Smiled At The Giant. “actually, Cacus, I Have Another Secret Weapon.” The Giant’s Eyes Lit Up With Greed. “another Weapon? I Will Steal It! I Will Copy It And Sell The Knockoffs For A Profit! What Is This Secret Weapon?” “her Name Is Annabeth,” I Said. “and She’s One Of A Kind.

A Guy In Greek Armor Drew His Sword And Charged, But Slipped In A Puddle Of Pina Colada.

Looking Up In The Sky, I Saw The Stars Were Brighter Now. They Made A Pattern I Had Never Noticed Before- A Gleaming Constellation That Looked A Lot Like A Girls Figure- A Girl With A Bow, Running Across The Sky. "let The World Honor You, My Huntress. Live Forever In The Stars.

I Have A Great Deal Of Sympathy For Reluctant Readers Because I Was One. I Would Do Anything To Avoid Reading. In My Case, It Wasn't Until I Was 13 And Discovered The 'lord Of The Rings' That I Learned To Love Reading.

Nothing Lasts Forever. But The Thing Is, You Can Reuse Some. Use Your Mind. - Leo's Mother, The Lost Hero

Back From When They Watched Black And White Tv And Hunted Dinosaurs.

Black And White

Spontaneous Combustion Is A Form Of Harm, Mr. D," Chiron Put In.

I Disobeyed Ra's Wishes, And So He Ordered My Onw Father, Shu-" "hang On," I Said. "shoe?" "s-h-u," She Said. "the God Of The Wind." "on." I Wished These Gods Had Names That Wearn't Common Household Objects. "go On, Please.

Sorry We’re Late,” Jason Said. “is This The Guy Who Needs Killing?

If You've Seen A Crab's Mouth, All Foamy And Gross With Whiskers And Snapping Bits, You Can Imagine This One Didn't Look Any Better Blown Up To Billboard Size.

Teach You To Try Marrying Me, You Idiot!

No Doubt Carter Would Describe The Underground City In Excruciating Detail, With Exact Measurements Of Each Room, Boring History On Every Statue And Hieroglyph, And Background Notes On The Construction Of The Magical Headquarters Of The House Of Life. I Will Spare You That Pain. It's Big. It's Full Of Magic. It's Underground. There. Sorted.

And You, Percy, Are My Favorite Son.

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

My Mother Says Looking Is The Nature Of Wisdom.

Makes Us Appreciate Blessing, Not Be Greedy And Mean And Fat Like Polyphemus.

The Giant Raised His Fist, And A Voice Cut Through The Dream. "leo!" Jason Was Shaking His Shoulder. "hey, Man, Why Are You Hugging Nike?" Leo's Eyes Fluttered Open. His Arms Were Wrapped Around The Human-sized Statue In Athena's Hand. He Must Have Been Thrashing In His Sleep. He Clung To The Victory Goddess Like He Used To Cling To His Pillow When He Had Nightmares As A Kid. (man, That Had Been So Embarrassing In The Foster Homes.) He Disentangled Himself And Sat Up, Rubbing His Face. "nothing," He Muttered. "we Were Just Cuddling. Um, What's Going On?

We’re Staying Together,” He Promised. “you’re Not Getting Away From Me. Never Again.” Only Then Did She Understand What Would Happen. A One-way Trip. A Very Hard Fall. ”as Long As We’re Together,” She Said. She Heard Nico And Hazel Still Screaming For Help. She Saw Sunlight Far, Far Above- Maybe The Last Sunlight She Would Ever See. Then Percy Let Go Of His Ledge, And Together, Holding Hands, He And Annabeth Fell Into The Endless Darkness.

He Told Me He Wouldn't Hurt... Charlie. He Lied To Me.

[tyson] Looked Him Over With That Massive Baby-brown Eye. “you Are Not Dead. I Like It When You Are Not Dead.” Ella Fluttered To The Ground And Began Preening Her Feathers. “ella Found A Dog,” She Announced. “a Large Dog. And A Cyclops.” Was She Blushing? Before Percy Could Decide, His Black Mastiff Pounced On Him, Knocking Percy To The Ground And Barking So Loudly That Even Arion Backed Up. “hey, Mrs. O'leary,” Percy Said. “yeah, I Love You, Too, Girl. Good Dog.” Hazel Squeaked. “you Have A Hellhound Named Mrs. O'leary?” “long Story.

I Looked Into His Eyes, And I Realized He Was The Same Man I'd Seen In My Dreams. His Face Might Be Totally Different, But The Same Soul Was In There, The Same Intelligence And All The Sadness.

We Need Music," Nico Said. "how's Your Singing?" "um, No. Can't You Just, Like, Tell It To Open? You're The Son Of Hades And All." "it's Not So Easy. We Need Music." I Was Pretty Sure If I Tried To Sing, All I Would Cause Was An Avalanche.

Set’s Storm Is Gathering,” Amos Said With A Twinkle In His Eyes. “shall We Drive Into Is?

Poseidon Raised His Eyebrows As They Shook Hands. “blowfish, Did You Say?” "ah, No. Blofis, Actually.” "oh, I See,” Poseidon Said. “a Shame. I Quite Like Blowfish. I Am Poseidon.” "poseidon? That’s An Interesting Name.” "yes, I Like It. I’ve Gone By Other Names, But I Do Prefer Poseidon.” "like The God Of The Sea.” "very Much Like That, Yes.

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