Think Long And Hard About How You Proceed, Nico Di Angelo. You Cannot Lie To Cupid. If You Let Your Anger Rule You... Well, Your Fate Will Be Even Sadder Then Mine.

-Rick Riordan

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Think Long And Hard

Rick Riordan

Think Long And Hard About How You Proceed, Nico Di Angelo. You Cannot Lie To Cupid. If You Let Your Anger Rule You... Well, Your Fate Will Be Even Sadder Then Mine.

Topic

Lying

Fate

Thinking

More From Rick Riordan

I Suppose With So Many Things Suddenly Getting Better, The Things That Were Still Missing Hurt Even Worse.

Hurt

Missing

Get Better

If I'm Going To Burn, It Might As Well Be Bright.

Might

Wells

Ifs

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.

Thinking

Enemy

Pockets

You Set Us Up!” “no! I Swear—” Her Face Fell. “mel. Mel Must’ve Told Him.” “right,” I Grumbled. “blame Mel.

Faces

Blame

Swear

Can’t This Thing Go Any Faster?” Thalia Demanded. Zoe Glared At Her. “i Cannot Control Traffic.” You Both Sound Like My Mother,” I Said. Shut Up!” They Both Said In Union.

Mother

Sound

Unions

What Are These Guys?" He Whispered "canadians," Percy Said. Frank Leaned Away From Him. "excuse Me?" "uh, No Offense," Percy Said. "that's What Annabeth Called Them When I Fought Them Before. She Said They Live In The North, In Canada." "yeah, Well," Frank Grumbled, "we're In Canada. I'm Canadian. But I've Never Seen Those Things Before.

Guy

Annabeth

Canada

Maybe Love Was No Match For Ice...but Piper Had Used It To Wake A Metal Dragon. Mortals Did Superhuman Feats In The Name Of Love All The Time. Mothers Lifted Cars To Save Their Children. And Piper Was More Than Just A Mortal. She Was A Demigod. A Hero. The Ice Melted On Her Blade. Her Arm Steamed Under Khione's Grip. 'still Underestimating Me,' Piper Told The Goddess. 'you Really Need To Work On That.

Mother

Children

Hero

The Way To Beat Luke," He Said. "if I'm Right, It's The Only Way You'll Stand A Chance." I Took A Deep Breath. "okay. I'm Listening." Nico Glanced Inside My Room. His Eyebrows Furrowed. "is That...is That Blue Birthday Cake?" He Sounded Hungry, Maybe A Little Wistful. I Wondered If The Poor Kid Had Ever Had A Birthday Party, Or If He'd Ever Even Been Invited To One. :come Inside For Cake And Ice Cream," I Said. "it Sounds Like We've Got A Lot To Talk About.

Party

Kids

Ice Cream

Just Curious How Much I'm Going For These Days," Leo Said. "i Mean, I Can Understand Not Being As Pricey As Percy Or Jason, Maybe...but Am I Worth, Like, Two Franks, Or Three Franks?

Mean

Two

Jason

Now The Tattoos," Zia Announced. "brilliant!" I Said. "on Your Tongue," She Added. "excuse Me?

Tattoo

Tongue

Brilliant

After Our Mom Died, Her Parents (our Grandparents) Had This Big Court Battle With Dad. After Six Lawyers, Two Fistfights, And A Near Fatal Attack With A Spatula (don't Ask), They Won The Right To Keep Sadie With Them In England.

Mom

Dad

Two

Now, Come Over Here So I Can Pat You Down." "but You Don't Have-" Percy Stopped. "uh, Sure." He Stood Next To The Armless Statue. Terminus Conducted A Rigorous Mental Pat Down. "you Seem To Be Clean," Terminus Decided. "do You Have Anything To Declare?" "yes," Percy Said. "i Declare That This Is Stupid.

Stupid

Clean

Thanks For Everything.” “as You Wish,” The Captain Said. If Axes Could Frown, I’m Sure He Would Have. “stay Sharp,” Carter Told Him.

Axes

Wish

Captains

Don't Underestimate Camp Half-blood.

Blood

Half

Underestimate

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

Grace

Doubt

Jason

The Demigods Have Left For Alaska," Stheno Said. "they Fly Straight To Their Death. Ah, Small "d" Death, I Mean. Not Our Prisoner Death. Although, I Suppose They're Flying To Him Too.

Mean

Alaska

Flying

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

Bunnies

Phobia

Olympian

I Don’t Define Myself By The Boys Who May Or May Not Like Me.

Boys

May

Like Me

Leo Drummed His Fingers. “great. I Should Have Installed A Smoke Screen That Makes The Ship Smell Like A Giant Chicken Nugget. Remind Me To Invent That, Next Time.” Hazel Frowned. “what Is A Chicken Nugget?” “oh, Man…” Leo Shook His Head In Amazement. “that's Right. You’ve Missed The Last, Like, Seventy Years. Well, My Apprentice, A Chicken Nugget—” “doesn’t Matter,” Annabeth Interrupted.

Men

Should Have

Years

Happy The Dragon Was Not So Happy.

Dragons

I've Always Found The Second Book In A Series Is The Hardest To Write.

Book

Writing

Found

I Sailed On The Cold Air Currents Above The Rooftops Of Paris. I Could See The River, The Louvre Museum, The Gardens And Palaces. And A Mouse-yum. Hang On, Carter, I Thought. Not Hunting Mice.

Garden

Hunting

Museums

Ptah? Son Of Ptooey? What Is He God Of Spitting? I Asked

Son

Hope Does Not Leave Without Being Given Permission.

Inspirational

Life

Doe

How Do You Have Five Children In A Row, Each On A Different Say?” “they’re Gods,” Carter Said. “they Can Do Stuff Like That.

Children

Different

Stuff

I Tell Aspiring Writers That You Have To Find What You Must Write. When You Find It, You Will Know, Because The Subject Matter Won’t Let You Go. It’s Not Enough To Write Simply Because You Think It Would Be Neat To Be Published. You Have To Be Compelled To Write. If You’re Not, Nothing Else That You Do Matters.

Writing

Thinking

Would Be

He'd Changed Since The Last Summer. Instead Of Bermuda Shorts And A T-shirt, He Wore A Button-down Shirt, Khaki Pants, And Leather Loafers. His Sandy Hair, Which Used To Be So Unruly, Was Now Clipped Short. He Look Like An Evil Male Model, Showing Off What The Fashionable College-age Villain Was Wearing To Harvard This Year.

Summer

College

Hair

Her Perfume Was A Mixture Of Roses And Tear Gas.

Rose

Tears

Mixtures

Who's The Other Kid In The Photo?' He Asked. 'the Sandy-haired Guy.' Annabeth's Expression Tightened. Touchy Subject. 'that's Luke,' She Said. 'he's Dead Now.

Kids

Expression

Guy

He Had No Idea Where The Stereotype Of Dumb Giggly Blondes Came From. Ever Since He'd Met Annabeth At The Grand Canyon Last Winter,when She'd Marched Toward Him With That Give Me Percy Jackson Or I’ll Kill You Expression, Leo Had Thought Of Blondes As Much Too Smart And Much Too Dangerous.

Smart

Winter

Expression

Blowfish, Did You Say?" "ah, No. Blofis, Actually." "oh, I See," Poseidon Said. "a Shame. I Quite Like Blowfish.

Shame

Poseidon

Said

Zeus Looked Like A Really Buff, Really Angry Hippie.

Hippie

Zeus

Angry

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

Stupid

Rocks

Battle

This Is The Wilderness School. 'where The Kids Are Animals

School

Kids

Animal

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

Names

Scum

Hello

I Stepped Forward. Call Me Old-fashioned, But I Wanted To Keep His Focus On Me And Not Annabeth. I Think It’s Polite For A Guy To Protect His Girlfriend From Instant Incineration.

Girlfriend

Thinking

Focus

A Tinkerer,” Snapped Pasiphaë. “even Worse. I Knew Daedalus. His Inventions Brought Me Nothing But Trouble.” Leo Blinked. “daedalus…like, The Daedalus? Well, Then, You Should Know All About Us Tinkerers. We’re More Into Fixing, Building, Occasionally Sticking Wads Of Oilcloth In The Mouths Of Rude Ladies—

Rude

Mouths

Daedalus

I Remembered What She'd Told Me In New York, About Building Something Permanent, And I Thought - Just Maybe - We Were Off To A Good Start.

New York

Building Something

Remembered

Do Yourself A Favor,' I Said. "forget It. Forget You Ever Saw Me." "forget That You Tried To Kill Me Too?" "yeah. That, Too." "but Who Are You?" "percy-" I Started To Say. Then The Skeletons Turned Around. "gotta Go!" "what Kind Of Name Is Percy Gotta-go?" I Bolted For The Exit.

Skeletons

Names

Favors

After My Bad Experience As A Kite, I Simply Refused To Go About As A Glowing Sadie-headed Chicken. That’s Fine For Carter, But I Have Standards.

Glowing

Kites

Chickens

It Is," I Said. "and It's Not Even Difficult. But I Need Your Promise On The River Styx." "what?" Dionysus Cried. "you Don't Trust Us?" "someone Once Told Me," I Said, Looking At Hades, "you Should Always Get A Solemn Oath." Hades Shrugged. "guilty.

Rivers

Promise

Needs

Mussolini?” Leo Frowned. “wasn’t He Like Bffs With Hitler?

Bff

Leo Valdez

I Come To Writing The Same Way I Come To Teaching, Which Is That My Goal Is Always To Create Life-long Readers.

Teaching

Writing

Long

Nico, You Can Do This," Jason Said. "it Might Be Embarrassing, But It's For The Scepter." Nico Didn't Look Convinced. In Fact He Looked Like He Was Going To Be Sick. But He Squared His Shoulders And Nodded. "you're Right. I- I'm Not Afraid Of A Love God." Favonius Beamed. "excellent! Would You Like A Snack Before You Go?

Snacks

Sick

Jason

She Had To Go On This Quest. The Fate Of The World Might Depend On It. But Part Of Him Wanted To Say: Forget The World. He Didn’t Want To Be Without Her.

Fate

Goes On

World

Hold Up." Leo Stepped Forward, Wagging His Wii Controller. "did You Just Call My A Ship A Monstrosity? I Know You Didn't That.

Wii

Ships

Monstrosity

I Can’t Believe How Much This Place Has Grown,” Hazel Muttered. The Taxi Driver Grinned In The Rearview Mirror. “been A Long Time Since You Visited, Miss?” “about Seventy Years,” Hazel Said. The Driver Slid The Glass Partition Closed And Drove On In Silence.

Believe

Glasses

Mirrors

Sometimes You Have To Lose A Piece To Win A Game.

Winning

Games

Pieces

'you're Dionysus,' I Said. 'the God Of Wine.' Mr. D Rolled His Eyes. 'what Do They Say These Days, Grover? Do The Children Say "well Duh!"?' 'y-yes, Mr. D.' 'then, "well, Duh!" Percy Jackson. Did You Think I Was Aphrodite, Perhaps?' 'you're A God.' 'yes, Child.' 'a God. You.'

Children

Wine

Eye

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

Nice

Nuts

Ideas

Forget The Chicken-nugget Smoke Screen. Percy Wanted Leo To Invent An Anti-dream Hat.

Dream

Hats

Nuggets

I Was Flying Right Toward Him (the Pig) At The Speed Of Demigod-smashing.

Pigs

Flying

Speed

I Will Deny I Ever Said This, Of Course, But The Gods Need Heroes. They Always Have. Otherwise We Would Not Keep You Annoying Little Brats Around." I Feel So Wanted. Thanks.

Hero

Needs

Littles

You Have To Be Compelled To Write. If You’re Not, Nothing Else That You Do Matters.

Writing

Matter

Letting You Go

Any Moment Now..." The Girl [calypso] Stared Out At The Water. No Magical Raft Appeared. "maybe It Got Stuck In A Traffic," Leo Said.

Girl

Water

Calypso

That Perseus Always Won. That's Why My Momhad Named Me After Him, Even If He Was Son Of Zeus Ann I Was Son Of Posidon. The Original Perseus Was One Of The Only Heros In The Greek Myths Who Got A Happy Ending. The Others Died-betrayed, Mauled, Mutilated, Poisoned, Or Cursed By The Gods. My Mom Hoped I Would Inherit Perseus's Luck. Judging By How My Life Was Going So Far, I Wasn't Too Optimistic.

Mom

Hero

Optimistic

Why Can't You Place A Blessing Like That On Us?" I Asked. "it Only Works On Wild Animals." "so It Would Only Affect Percy," Annabeth Reasoned. "hey!" I Protested.

Animal

Blessing

Annabeth

And I Was Holding Someone Who Was Destined To Be My Best Friend, Or Possibly My Worst Enemy.

Worst Enemy

My Best Friend

Destined

What I Did Next Was So Impulsive And Dangerous I Should've Been Named Adhd Poster Child Of The Year.

Children

Years

[piper] Rushed To Get Dressed. By The Time She Got Up On Deck, The Others Had Already Gathered—all Hastily Dressed Except For Coach Hedge, Who Had Pulled The Night Watch. Frank’s Vancouver Winter Olympics Shirt Was Inside Out. Percy Wore Pajama Pants And A Bronze Breastplate, Which Was An Interesting Fashion Statement. Hazel’s Hair Was All Blown To One Side As Though She’d Walked Through A Cyclone; And Leo Had Accidentally Set Himself On Fire. His T-shirt Was In Charred Tatters. His Arms Were Smoking.

Fashion

Winter

Night

Zia Turned Toward Us, Her Expression Grim. “i Will Show You To Your Quarters. In The Morning, Your Testing Begins. We Will See What Magic You Know, And How You Know It.” I Wasn’t Sure What She Meant By That, But I Exchanged An Uneasy Look With Sadie. “sounds Fun,” Sadie Ventured. “and It We Fail This Test?” Zia Regarded Her Coldly. “this Is Not The Sort Of Test You Fail, Sadie Kane. You Pass Or You Die.

Morning

Fun

Expression

Wonderful, Annabeth Thought. Her Own Mother, The Most Levelheaded Olympian, Was Reduced To A Raving, Vicious Scatterbrain In A Subway Station. And, Of All The Gods Who Might Help Them, The Only Ones Not Affected By The Greek-roman Schism Seemed To Be Aphrodite, Nemesis And Dionysus. Love, Revenge, Wine. Very Helpful.

Mother

Revenge

Wine

Behold!" Percy Shouted. "the God's Chosen Beverage. Tremble Before The Horror Of Diet Coke!

Coke

Beverages

Horror

Most Of Set’s Forces Were Running Towards Our Boat, Screaming And Throwing Rocks (which Tended To Fall Down And Hit Them, But No One Says Demons Are Bright).

Running

Fall

Rocks

I Can't Promise That Every Child With Learning Differences Will Become A Novelist, But I Do Think All Children Can Become Lifelong Readers.

Children

Thinking

Differences

All Of My Characters Tend To Be Montages Of Different People I've Met: Little Bits And Pieces Of Their Personalities Put Together.

Character

People

Personality

For Thousands Of Years, You Humans Have Been Throwing In Everything As You Come Across--hopes, Dreams, Wishes That Never Came True. Irresponsible Waste Management, If You Ask Me.

Dream

Years

Wish

"yeah, Flattering." Percy Raised Riptide. "but Actually I'm The Son Of Poseidon. I'm From Camp Half-blood."

Son

Blood

Half

Back When I Taught Middle School And Wrote Adult Mysteries, My Students Often Asked Me Why I Wasn't Writing For Kids. I Never Had A Good Answer For Them. It Took Me A Long Time To Realize They Were Right.

Writing

School

Kids

I'd Like To Say I Took The News Well. The Truth Was, I Wanted To Strangle The Hunters Of Artemis One Eternal Maiden At A Time. --percy Jackson

Hunters

News

Maidens

As For Me, I Did The Stupidest Thing In My Life, Which Is Saying A Lot. I Attacked The Titan Lord Atlas.

Atlas

Lord

Stupidest

Athena Always, Always Has A Plan.

Athena

Plans

Writing 'book 1: The Maze Of Bones' Didn't Feel Much Different Than Writing One Of My Other Novels, But I Thought It Was Very Innovative To Offer The Website And Trading Card Components As Well For Those Readers Who Wanted To Go More In Depth With The Cahill Experience.

Book

Writing

Mazes

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.

Looks

Mouths

Size

Hmm…” Jason Snapped His Fingers. “i Can Call A Friend For A Ride.” Percy Raised His Eyebrows. “oh, Yeah? Me Too. Let's See Whose Friend Gets Here First.

Eyebrows

Jason

Firsts

The Waiter Brought Fresh-baked Bread And Cheese, A Bottle Of Sparkling Water For Annabeth, And A Coke With Ice For Me (because I’m A Barbarian).

Ice

Water

Annabeth

Wow. When He Started Looking Back On The War With Kronos As The Good Old Days--that Was Sad.

War

Wow

Old Days

And Now, Anubis, I Find You In This Den Of Iniquity, This Morass Of Questionable Behavior, This...this--' 'school?

School

Anubis

Behavior

Now, Leave." All Three Boys Slumped Forward. Percy Fell Face-first Into His Pizza. "percy!" Annabeth Grabbed Him.

Boys

Three

Annabeth

I Try To Craft Books That Are Fun, That Are Sort Of Subversively Educational So Kids Learn But They Don't Really Feel Like They're Being Lectured To, And I Want Kids To Always Finish One Of My Books And Think, "that Was Great, Where's The Next One?"

Fun

Educational

Book

I Found That Things Weren't Going Well Upstairs. Carter Was A Crumpled Heap Of Chicken Warrior On The Slope Of The Pyramid.

Warrior

Pyramids

Chickens

It's Not Easy. I Got Lots Of Rejections When I First Started Out. If You Want To Write, You Have To Believe In Yourself And Not Give Up. You Have To Do Your Best To Practice And Get Better.

Giving Up

Believe

Writing

The Set Animal’s Jaws Were Pried Open So Fast That It Yelped And Let Go Of My Arm. I Stood, Now Encased In A Magical Barrier Twice My Normal Size, And Kicked Leroy Into A Wall. Good! Said Horus. Now Dispatch The Beast To The Netherworld! Quiet Man. I’m Doing All The Work.

Letting Go

Wall

Animal

I Figure The World Is Basically A Machine. I Don't Know Who Made It, If It Was The Fates, Or The Gods, Or The Capital-g God Or Whatever. But It Chugs Along The Way It's Supposed To Most Of The Time. Sure, Little Pieces Break Off And Stuff Goes Haywire Once In A While, But Mostly... Things Happen For A Reason.

Fate

Break Off

Littles

Monsters Don't Die. They Just Dissipate Into Smoke And Dust, Which Saves Heroes A Lot Of Trouble Cleaning Up After A Fight.

Hero

Fighting

Dust

Getting Something And Having The Wits To Use It...those Are Two Different Things.

Two

Different

Use

Far, Far Below, Red Liquid Bubbled. Blood? Lava? Evil Ketchup? None Of The Posibilities Were Good.

Blood

Evil

Red

Is Tyson Okay?' I Asked. The Question Seemed To Take My Dad By Surprise. 'he's Fine. Doing Much Better Than I Expected. Though 'peanut Butter' Is A Strange Battle Cry.

Dad

Battle

Peanut Butter

Annabeth Frowned. "that Doesn't Make Sense. But Why Were You Visiting --" Her Eyes Widened. "hermes Said You Bear The Curse Of Achilles. Hestia Said The Same Thing. Did You . . . Did You Bathe In The River Styx?" "don't Change The Subject." "percy! Did You Or Not?" "um . . .maybe A Little.

Eye

Rivers

Bears

I Looked Down At My Clothes. They Were Slashed To Pieces And Full Of Bullet Holes, But I Was Fine. Not A Mark On Me. Nico's Mouth Hung Open. "you Just . . . With A Sword . . . You Just—" "i Think The River Thing Worked," I Said. "oh Gee," He Said Sarcastically. "you Think?

Thinking

Rivers

Clothes

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.

Manhattan

Empires

Problem

I Hadn't Seen My Dad Get Violent Since The Great Spatula Incident, And I Wasn't Anxious To See A Repeat Of That.

Dad

Violent

Spatulas

The Princess Andromeda?" "went Ka-boom.

Princess

Andromeda

I Am Persephone" She Said, Her Voice Thin And Papery. "welcome, Demigods. Nico Squashed A Pomegranate Under His Boot. "welcome? After Last Time, You've Got The Nerve To Welcome Me?" I Shifted Uneasily, Because Talking That Way To A God Can Get You Blasted Into Dust Bunnies. "um, Nico-" "it's All Right," Persephone Said Coldly. "we Had A Little Family Spat." "family Spat?" Nico Cried. "you Turned Me Into A Dandelion!

Dust

Talking

Voice

Why Do You Need To Gallop While You Fly?" "why Do Humans Have To Sway Their Arms While They Walk? I Dunno Boss, But It Just Feels Right.

Boss

Needs

Arms

You, Sir, Are A Ray Of Sunshine. -percy Jackson

Sunshine

Rays

Ray Of Sunshine

Keep It Simple (frank Zhang)

Simple

Frank

Keep It Simple

Grover And Nico Came Back From Their Walk, And Grover Helped Me Fix Up My Wounded Arm. "it's Green!" Nico Said With Delight.

Delight

Green

Arms

"cool" Leo Said. "i Always Wanted A Sister Who Could Beat Me Up."

Beats

Said

Wanted

It's Not Bad Enough I Am Exiled? It's Not Bad Enough You Take Away The Few Good Heroes I'm Allowed To Meet? You Think It's Funny To Send Me This This ― This Charbroiled Runt Of A Boy To Ruin My Tranquility? This Is Not Funny! Take Him Back!

Hero

Boys

Thinking

'are You Guys Busy?' Juniper Asked. 'well,' I Said, 'we're In The Middle Of This Game Against A Bunch Of Monsters And We're Trying Not To Die.' 'we're Not Busy,' Annabeth Said.

Games

Guy

Trying

The Right Choice Is Hardly Ever The Easy Choice.

Choices

Easy

Right Choices

Think About Isis,” Jaz Repeated. “and Sadie…there Is A Purpose. You Taught Us That. We Choose To Believe In Ma'at. We Create Order Out Of Chaos, Beauty And Meaning Out Of Ugly Randomness. That's What Egypt Is All About. That's Why Its Name, Its Ren, Has Endured For Millennia. Don't Despair. Otherwise Chaos Wins.

Believe

Winning

Thinking

I Don't Think About Being Famous, Really. Being An Author, I Don't Generally Get Stopped As I Walk Down The Street. It's Not Like Being A Movie Star.

Stars

Thinking

Movie Star

Cacus.” I’d Had Years Of Practice Looking Dumb When People Threw Out Greek Names I Didn’t Know. It’s A Skill Of Mine. Annabeth Keeps Telling Me To Read A Book Of Greek Myths, But I Don’t See The Need. It’s Easier Just To Have Folks Explain Stuff.

Book

Years

Practice

I Try Not To Think. It Interferes With Being Nuts" - Leo Valdez

Thinking

Nuts

Trying

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

Sorry

Guy

Jason

Percy Looked At His Friends. “i’m Getting Tired Of This Guy’s Shirt.

Tired

Guy

Shirts

You Do Know How To Play Pinochle?" Mr. D Eyed Me Suspiciously. "i'm Afraid Not," I Said. "i'm Afraid Not, Sir," He Said. "well," He Told Me, "it Is, Along With Gladiator Fighting And Pac-man, One Of The Greatest Games Ever Invented By Humans. I Would Expect All Civilized Young Men To Know The Rules.

Fighting

Men

Games

They [percy And Annabeth] Held The Doors Shut As The Elevator Shuddered And The Music Played, While Somewhere Below Them, A Titan And A Giant Sacrificed Their Lives For Their Escape.

Doors

Giants

Annabeth

[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.

Fate

Two

Get Better

Hazel!” He Yelled. “that Box! Open It!” She Hesitated, Then Saw The Box He Meant. Te Label Read Warning. Do Not Open. “open It!” Leo Yelled Again.

Labels

Warning

Saws

Well . . . Sure Good To Be Together Again. Arguing. Almost Dying. Abject Terror. Oh, Look. It's Our Floor.

Together Again

Dying

Looks

But Grover’s Voice Was Already Growing Fainter. ‘sweet Dreams. Don’t Let Me Die!

Dream

Sweet

Voice

We Were Alone In A Strange Mansion With A Baboon, A Crocodile, And A Weird Cat. And Apparently, The Entire World Was In Danger. I Looked At Sadie. “what Do We Do Now?

Cat

World

Strange

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

Cities

Guy

Siege

Annabeth Came Up To Me. She Was Dressed In Black Camouflage With Her Celestial Bronze Knife Strapped To Her Arm And Her Laptop Bag Slung Over Her Shoulder—ready For Stabbing Or Surfing The Internet, Whichever Came First.

Knives

Surfing

Black

I Pressed Play And Started Up Chiron's Favorite--the All-time Greatest Hits Of Dean Martin. Suddenly The Air Was Filled With Violins And A Bunch Of Guys Moaning In Italian. The Demon Pigeons Went Nuts. They Started Flying In Circles, Running Into Each Other Like They Wanted To Bash Their Own Brains Out.

Running

Italian

Air

Love Is Powerful. It Can Bring The Gods To Their Knees.

Powerful

Love Is

Knees

I Must Admit I’m Impressed, Sadie. You Controlled Your Magic And Controlled Isis. And You, Carter, Did Well Turning Into A Lizard.

Isis

Magic

Lizards

Nut Shrugged. "set Had Always Been Set, For Better Or Worse. But He Is Still Part Of Our Family. It Is Difficult To Lose Any Member Of Your Family . . . Is It Not?

Nuts

Members

Difficult

The Dead Aren't Scary. They Are Just Sad.

Scary

The Feast Of Fortuna Had Nothing To Do With Tuna, Which Was Fine With Percy.

Tuna

Fine

Fortuna

Why Won't You Drown?" He Wailed, Pummeling Me With His Fists. "i'm Poseidon's Son," I Said. "curse That Upstart! I Was Here First!

Son

Fists

Firsts

A Battle Can Be Won Before It's Ever Fought By Choosing The Right Ground.

Battle

If There Were Ever Any Half-bloods Who Needed To Worry About That, It Was Thalia And Me. I Wondered If Maybe I Should've Sent Poseidon That Seashell Pattern Tie For Father's Day After All. --percy Jackson

Father

Blood

Ties

Dude! Said A Party Pony As He Unloaded His Gear. Did You See That Bear Guy? He Was All Like: 'whoa, I Have An Arrow In My Mouth!

Party

Arrows

Guy

I Was Glad To Be With Her, But It Also Kind Of Hurt, And It Hurt When I Wasn't With Her, Too.

Hurt

Kind

It Hurts

Just His Luck He Was Related To This Grubby Old Dude. He Hoped All Sons Of Neptune Didn't Share The Same Fate. First, You Start Carrying A Man Satchel. Next Thing You Know, You're Running Around In A Bathrobe And Pink Bunny Slippers, Chasing Chickens With A Weed Whacker.

Running

Weed

Fate

Could I Just Use The Loo?” I Asked The Nice Officer. “no.” She Closed The Door In My Face, As If I Might Rig An Explosion In The Toilet. Honestly.

Nice

Doors

Use

Annabeth Didn’t Want To Sleep, But Her Body Betrayed Her. Her Eyelids Turned To Lead. “percy, Wake Me For Second Watch. Don’t Be A Hero.” He Gave Her That Smirk She’d Come To Love. “who, Me?” He Kissed Her, His Lips Parched And Feverishly Warm. “sleep.

Hero

Sleep

Watches

I Want To Build Some Thing Permanent.

Want

Permanent

Um," Grover Said. "percy?" "yeah?" "i Thought You'd Want To Know." "yeah?" "cerberus? He's Saying We've Got Ten Seconds To Pray To The God Of Our Choice.after That...well...he's Hungry.

Choices

Cerberus

Want

Just My Luck, On Top Of Everything Else I Had To Take Baboon Medicine.

Medicine

Luck

Baboons

It's Like I Was Connected To The Plumping System.

Connected

I've Never Been A Collector - Just A Consumer - And These Days Unless A Book Is Signed To Me By Another Author, I Don't Normally Have Any Qualms About Passing It To A Friend Or Donating It To The Library.

Book

Qualms About

Library

I'm Not Usually An Eavesdropper,but I Dare You To Try Not Listening If You Hear Your Best Friend Talking About You To An Adult.

Talking

Listening

Trying

You Said Your Mom Is The Goddess Of Balance," I Reminded Him. "the Minor Gods Deserve Better, Ethan, But Total Destruction Isn't Balance. Kronos Doesn't Build. He Only Destroys.

Mom

Deserve Better

Balance

He Was Slumped Over, Blood Trickling From The Side Of His Mouth. I Shook His Furry Hip, Thinking, No! Even If You Are Half Barnyard Animal, You're My Best Friend And I Don't Want You To Die!

Animal

Thinking

Blood

His Lion And Hippo Legs Twitched. I Wondered If Netherworld Monsters Dreamed Of Chasing Rabbits.

Monsters

Rabbits

Lions

Is Tyson Okay?" I Asked. The Question Seemed To Take My Dad By Surprise. He's Fine. Doing Much Better Than I Expected. Though "peanut Butter" Is A Strange Battle Cry. "you Let Him Fight?" Stop Changing The Subject! You Realize What You Are Asking Me To Do? My Palace Will Be Destroyed. "and Olympus Might Be Saved." Do You Have Any Idea How Long I've Worked On Remodeling This Palace? The Game Room Alone Took Six Hundred Years. "dad—" Very Well! It Shall Be As You Say. But My Son, Pray This Works. "i Am Praying. I'm Talking To You, Right?" Oh . . . Yes. Good Point.

Dad

Fighting

Son

Coach Hedge Shouted, 'let The Movie Star Go, You Big Ugly Cupcake! Or I'm Gonna Plant My Hoof Right Up Your...

Stars

Cupcakes

Ugly

Their Goal Was In Sight. They Had A Titan With A Very Loud Kitten On Their Side. That Had To Count For Something.

Sight

Goal

Sides

Race You To The Road?" I Said. "you Are So Going To Lose." She (annabeth) Took Off Down Half-blood Hill And I Sprinted After Her. For Once, I Didn't Look Back.

Race

Blood

Annabeth

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.

Uncles

Sound

News

Amy Gritted Her Teeth. "king Louis Xvi Even Put Franklin's Picture On A Chamber Pot!" Jonah Looked At His Dad. "do We Have Souvenir Chamber Pots?" "no." His Dad Whipped Out His Phone. "i'll Make The Call.

Kings

Dad

Phones

P.s. You'll Have To Meet With Dan's Principal When You Get Back. He Got In Trouble For Doing Ninja Moves In Class. Don't Worry. This Happens All The Time.

Moving

Class

Worry

Percy," My Father Said, "what Exactly Do You Mean?" "kronos Couldn't Have Risen If It Hadn't Been For A Lot Of Demigods Who Felt Abandoned By Their Parents," I Said. "they Felt Angry, Resentful, And Unloved, And They Had A Good Reason.

Father

Mean

Parent

Of Course, Annabeth Wouldn't Be Able To Breathe, But At The Moment, That Seemed Like A Minor Problem.

Annabeth

Able

Problem

The World May Need Fixing, But It's Worth Preserving.

May

Fixing

Needs

Don’t Judge Someone Until You’ve Stood At His Forge And Worked With His Hammer, Eh?

Judging

Hammers

Hephaestus

On The Bright Side," Percy Said, "both Jason And I Outrank You, Octavian. So We Can Both Tell You To Shut Up.

Jason

Sides

Shut Up

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.

Eye

Names

Greed

You're A Demigod Percy, Half God And Half Mortal!

Half

Demigods

Mortals

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.

Stupid

Grief

Adventure

I Saw 'the 39 Clues' As A Potential Vehicle For Doing Some Education In A Fun Way - To Take Some Of These Amazing Stories From History, Dust Them Off And Make Them Alive.

Fun

Dust

Stories

They Both (thalia And Hera) Glared At Her, And For Three Long Seconds, Piper Wasn’t Sure Which One Of Them Was Going To Kill Her First.

Long

Three

Firsts

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.

Daughter

Hero

Son

Erre Es Korakas, Blinky!" Dionysus Cursed. "i Will Have Your Soul!

Soul

Dionysus

Cursed

The Most Dangerous Flaws Are Those Which Are Good In Moderation," She Said. "evil Is Easy To Fight. Lack Of Wisdom… That Is Very Hard Indeed.

Fighting

Evil

Flaws

"boys," Annabeth Interrupted, "i'm Sure You Both Would've Been Wonderful At Killing Each Other. But Right Now You Need Some Rest."

Boys

Needs

Annabeth

The Friday Before Winter Break, My Mom Packed Me An Overnight Bag And A Few Deadly Weapons And Took Me To A New Boarding School.

Mom

Friday

School

Die,human! Die, Silly Polluting Nasty Person!

Silly

Nasty

Humans

Piper, You’re The Strongest, Most Powerful Beauty Queen I’ve Ever Met. You Can Trust Yourself. For What It’s Worth, You Can Trust Me Too.

Queens

Powerful

Trust Me

It Was Beautiful In A Harsh I'm-going-to-gut-you-like-a-fish Kind Of Way.

Beautiful

Way

Kind

Nico Started To Crawl Away, Groaning. Percy Wanted Him To Move Faster And Groan Less. He Considered Throwing His Wonder Bread At Him.

Moving

Bread

Wonder

He [percy] Pleaded With Those Sea-green Eyes, Like A Cute Baby Seal That Needed Help. Piper Wondered How Annabeth Ever Won An Argument With This Guy.

Cute

Baby

Eye

There's Another Problem," Percy Said. "i'm Not Good With Air Travel. It's Dangerous For A Son Of Neptune." "you'll Have To Risk It...and So Will I," Frank Said. "by The Way, We're Related." Percy Almost Stumbled Off The Roof. "what?

Son

Air

Risk

Eternity With Artemis?" He Heaved A Big Sigh. Thalia Rolled Her Eyes. "you Satyrs. You're All In Love With Artemis. Don't You Get That She'll Never Love You Back?" "but She's So…into Nature," Grover Swooned. "you're Nuts," Said Thalia. "nuts And Berries," Grover Said Dreamily. "yeah.

Love You

Eye

Nuts

For An Absurd Moment, I Wondered If Ammit Devoured The Hearts Of Wicked Cows, And If He Liked The Beefy Taste. - Carter Kane

Heart

Wicked

Cows

I Need To Talk To Clarisse," Annabeth Said. I Stared At Her As If She'd Just Said "i Need To Eat A Large, Smelly Boot." "what For?

Needs

Annabeth

Boots

Somewhere Behind Me, Zia Yelled, "hippo!" Which I Thought Was A Little Late. ~carter Kane

Littles

Late

Hippo

"he Mentioned It!" One Of The Ghosts Whimpered.

Rome

Ghost

Brother Dear,” I Said, “did Your Soul Leave Your Body While Amos Was Talking, Or Did You Actually Hear Him? Egyptian Gods Real. Red Lord Bad. Red Lord’s Birthday: Very Soon, Very Bad. House Of Life: Fussy Magicians Who Hate Our Family Because Dad Was A Bit Of A Rebel, Whom You Could Take A Lesson From. Which Leaves Us—just Us—with Dad Missing, An Evil God About To Destroy The World, And An Uncle Who Just Jumped Off The Building—and I Can’t Actually Blame Him.” I Took A Breath. [yes, Carter, I Do Have To Breathe Occasionally.]

Brother

Uncles

Dad

I'm So Glad You're Here," Aphrodite Said. "war Is Coming. Bloodshed Is Inevitable. So There's Really Only One Thing To Do." "uh... And That Is?" Annabeth Ventured. "why, Have Tea And Chat, Obviously

War

Tea

Annabeth

What Are You?” She Demanded. “my Dad? Osiris? Are You Even Alive?” Dad Looked At Anubis. “what Did I Tell You About Her? Fiercer Than Ammit, I Said.” “you Didn’t Need To Tell Me That.” Anubis’s Face Was Grave. “i’ve Learned To Fear That Sharp Tongue.” Sadie Looked Outraged. “excuse Me?

Dad

Osiris

Anubis

It Blew My Mind That This Stuff Had Survived For Two Thousand, Three Thousand Years.

Years

Two

Mind

Percy Tried To Remember. He Really Did. For Some Reason, Annabeth And He Had Visited A Spa And Decided To Destroy It. He Couldn't Imagine Why. Maybe They Hadn't Like The Deep-tissue Massage? Maybe They'd Gotten Bad Manicures?

Annabeth

Tissues

Massage

Hey! Guy With Scary Eyes?" Madison Called Out. "you Know What A Moose Does When Someone Insults Her Family?" Ivan Raised His Eyebrows. "she Does This." Madison Crouched Down And Charged Ivan. Her Head Hit Him In The Stomach.

Eye

Guy

Scary

Deadlines Just Aren't Real To Me Until I'm Staring One In The Face.

Real

Humorous

Faces

Artemis Smiled. "you Have Done Well, My Lieutenant. You Have Made Me Proud, And All Those Hunters Who Perished In My Service Will Never Be Forgotten. They Will Achieve Elysium, I Am Sure." She Glared Pointedly At Hades. He Shrugged. "probably." Artemis Glared At Him Some More. Okay," Hades Grumbled. "i'll Streamline Their Application Process.

Elysium

Hunters

Done

Sometimes She Teased Me That She’d Eventually Catch Up To Me In Age And Be My Older Sibling. Looking At Her Now, With That Determined Glint In Her Eyes And The Confidence In Her Voice, I Could Almost Believe Her

Sibling

Believe

Eye

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.

Hands

Guy

Doe

Dealing With Any Man Means Dealing With Multiple Personalities.

Mean

Men

Personality

George Unhinged His Jaw And Coughed Up A Little Plastic Bottle Filled With Chewable Vitamins. "you're Kidding," I Said. "are Those Minotaur-shaped?" Hermes Picked Up The Bottle And Rattled It. "the Lemon Ones, Yes. The Grape Ones Are Furies, I Think. Or Are They Hydras? At Any Rate, These Are Potent."

Thinking

Bottles

Hydra

At Least He Had Annabeth. They Would Find A Way Out Of Tartarus. They Had To. He Didn't Think Much Of Fates And Prophecies, But He Did Believe In One Thing: Annabeth And He Were Supposed To Be Together. They Hadn't Survived So Much Just To Get Killed Now.

Believe

Fate

Thinking

Marvelous,” She Said. “tell Me About This Tapestry.” Arachne’s Lips Curled Over Her Mandibles. “why Do You Care? You're About To Die.” “well, Yes,” Annabeth Said. “but The Way You Captured The Light Is Amazing. Did You Use Real Gold Thread For The Sunbeams?

Real

Light

Gold

You Wrote This Right?” He Said. “it Tells How To Defeat Set.” Thoth Unfolded The Papyrus Pages. “oh, Dear. I Hate Reading My Old Work. Look At This Sentence. I’d Never Write It That Way Now.” He Patted His Lab Coat Pockets. “red Pen—does Anyone Have One?” Isis Chafed Against My Willpower, Insisting That We Blast Some Sense Into Thoth. One Fireball, She Pleaded. Just One Enormous Magical Fireball? I Couldn’t Say I Was Tempted, But I Kept Her Under Control. “since When Does Drool Make You Powerful?

Powerful

Hate

Reading

Something Inside Me Clicked, Like An Engine Shifting Into Higher Gear. My Thinking Suddenly Became Faster And Clearer. The Anger And Fear Didn't Go Away, But I Realized They Weren't Important. They Weren't Going To Help Me.

Thinking

Important

Going Away

It'll Be Dangerous," Nyssa Warned Him. "hardship, Monsters, Terrible Suffering. Possibly None Of You Will Come Back Alive." "oh." Suddenly Leo Didn't Look So Excited. Then He Remembered Everyone Was Watching. "i Mean... Oh, Cool! Suffering? I Love Suffering! Let's Do This.

Mean

Suffering

Monsters

Rachel: They Asked Me A Lot Of Questions About You. I Played Dumb. Annabeth: Was It Hard?

Dumb

Annabeth

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

Even From Far Away, I Could See People Being Chased By Hellhounds, Burned At The Stake, Forced To Run Naked Through Cactus Patches Or Listen To Opera Music.

Running

People

Naked

Many Of The Best Traps Are Simple. You Just Have To Think About It, And Hope Your Victim Doesn't.

Simple

Thinking

Victim

That's What Happens When It Snows In Texas Lady. It. Freaking. Melts.

Texas

Snow

Happens

I Racked My Brain Trying To Remember The Names Of All Of Nut’s Five Children. Bit Difficult Without My Brother, The Human Wikipedia, Around To Keep Track Of Such Trivia For Me.

Brother

Children

Nuts

That Sounded About As Likely As Apophis And Ra Becoming Facebook Buddies, But I Decided Not To Say Anything.

Say Anything

Becoming

Decided

He Offered To Stop The Tide For Me Once. He Offered To Build Me A Palace At The Bottom Of The Sea.

Sea

Tides

Palaces

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

Mean

Evil

Speed

I Left Him In His Wheelchair, Staring Sadly Into The Fireplace. I Wondered How Many Times He’d Sat Here, Waiting For Heroes That Never Came Back.

Hero

Waiting

Fireplaces

I'm Calm," Rachel Insisted. "every Time I'm Around You, Some Monsters Attack Us. What's To Be Nervous About?" "look," I Said. "i'm Sorry About The Band Room. I Hope They Didn't Kick You Our Or Anything." "nah. They Asked Me A Lot Of Questions About You. I Played Dumb." "was It Hard?" Annabeth Asked.

Sorry

Dumb

Monsters

Understanding Quotes: Their Essence and Application

Quotes, or quotations, are powerful tools in communication, encapsulating ideas, emotions, and wisdom in concise expressions. They serve various purposes across different contexts, from academic writing to everyday conversation.

1. Defining Quotes

A quote is a repetition of someone else's statement or thoughts. It can be a direct replication of words spoken or written by another individual, often used to support arguments, provide evidence, or convey profound insights.

2. The Importance of Quotes

2.1. Enhancing Credibility

Incorporating quotes from authoritative sources can bolster the credibility of your work. By referencing experts or primary sources, you demonstrate thorough research and a solid foundation for your arguments.

2.2. Providing Evidence

Quotes serve as concrete evidence to support claims. In academic and professional writing, they validate points made, offering readers a basis to trust the information presented.

2.3. Conveying Emotions and Perspectives

Quotes can encapsulate emotions and perspectives succinctly. They allow writers to express complex feelings or viewpoints through the words of others, often more eloquently than paraphrasing.

3. Types of Quotes

3.1. Direct Quotes

Direct quotes involve copying the exact words from a source, enclosed in quotation marks. They are used when the original wording is significant or particularly well-expressed.

3.2. Indirect Quotes (Paraphrasing)

Indirect quotes restate the original message in your own words. While not enclosed in quotation marks, they still require proper attribution to the original source.

3.3. Block Quotes

Block quotes are lengthy direct quotations, formatted as a separate block of text. They are typically used for quotes exceeding a certain length, varying by citation style. For instance, in APA style, quotes longer than 40 words are formatted as block quotes.

4. Proper Usage of Quotes

4.1. Contextual Relevance

Ensure that the quote you choose is relevant to the topic and adds value to your content. Avoid inserting quotes solely for decorative purposes.

4.2. Integration into Your Writing

Seamlessly integrate quotes into your writing. Introduce them appropriately and follow up with analysis or commentary to connect them to your main points.

4.3. Attribution and Citation

Always attribute quotes to their original authors and provide proper citations according to the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

5.1. Overusing Quotes

Relying too heavily on quotes can overshadow your voice. Use them sparingly to support your arguments, not replace them.

5.2. Lack of Analysis

Presenting a quote without analysis or explanation can leave readers questioning its relevance. Always follow up with your interpretation or discussion.

5.3. Misquoting or Taking Out of Context

Ensure that quotes are accurate and not taken out of context, as this can mislead readers and undermine your credibility.

6. Quotes in Different Contexts

6.1. Academic Writing

In academic writing, quotes are used to support arguments, provide evidence, and engage with existing literature. Proper citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.

6.2. Journalism

Journalists use quotes to provide firsthand accounts, add authenticity, and present multiple perspectives within a story.

6.3. Literature and Creative Writing

In literature, quotes can be used to convey character voices, themes, and stylistic elements. They enrich narratives and provide depth to storytelling.

7. Punctuation and Formatting

Understanding the correct punctuation and formatting of quotes is essential:

Quotation Marks: Always enclose direct quotes within quotation marks.

Punctuation Placement: In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks, while colons and semicolons are placed outside.

Block Quotes: For longer quotes, format them as block quotes without quotation marks, and indent the entire block.

8. Ethical Considerations

Ethical use of quotes involves accurate representation, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property. Misuse can lead to plagiarism, which carries serious academic and professional consequences.

9. Tools for Managing Quotes

Utilize tools like citation generators and plagiarism checkers to manage quotes effectively. These tools help ensure proper formatting and originality in your writing.

Conclusion

Quotes are invaluable in enriching content, providing evidence, and conveying complex ideas succinctly. When used appropriately, they enhance the quality and credibility of your writing. Always ensure relevance, proper integration, and ethical usage to maximize their impact.

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William Throsby Bridges