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...

Sometimes the hardest power to master is the power of yielding. -Hestia

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.

For what it’s worth: trust your feelings. I can’t promise that you’ll never get hurt again, but I can promise you the risk is worth it.

Oh, no, not the birds!

Wow,” Thalia muttered. “Apollo is hot.” “He’s the sun god,” I said.”That’s not what I meant.

Poseidon’s underpants! You can’t be serious.

Braccas meas vescimini!”I wasn’t sure where the Latin came from. I think it meant ‘Eat my pants!

You speak horse?” Hazel asked.”Speaking to horses is a Poseidon thing,” Percy said. “Uh, I mean a Neptune thing.””Then you and Arion should get along fine,” Hazel said. “He’s a son of Neptune too.”Percy turned...

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...

Grover Underwood of the satyrs!” Dionysus called.Grover came forward nervously.”Oh, stop chewing your shirt,” Dionysus chided. “Honestly, I’m not going to blast you. For your bravery and sacrifice, blah, blah, blah, and since we have...

But how did you know where we were?” Annabeth asked.Advanced planning, my dear. I figured you would wash up near Miami if you made it out of the Sea of Monsters alive. Almost everything strange...

Um, uh, gah.

Tyson was still staring at Chiron in amazement. He whimpered like he wanted to pat Chiron’s flank but was afraid to come closer. “Pony?

If my mom told one more story about how cute I looked in the bathtub when I was three years old I was going to burrow into the snow and freeze myself to death.

Nothing says ‘Hi, neighbor!’ like killing a guy’s flying reptile.

Nico’s voice was like broken glass. “I- I wasn’t in love with Annabeth.””You were jealous of her,” Jason said. “That’s why you didn’t want to be around her. Especially why you don’t want to be...

The good thing is Jason and I both outrank you so we can both tell you to shut up.

Don’t worry, goat boy. The milkman is dead.

Bellona has answered my prayer. She doesn’t fight my battles for me. She doesn’t guarantee me easy victory. She grants me opportunities to prove myself. She gives me strong enemies and potential allies.

It seemed weird calling a teenager ‘sir’ but I’d learned to be careful with immortals. They tended to get offended easily. Then, they blew stuff up.

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...

Hermes smiled. “I knew a boy once … oh, younger than you by far. A mere baby, really.”Here we go again, George said. Always talking about himself.Quiet! Martha snapped. Do you want to get set...

He understood how dangerous oaths could be. But Leo didn’t care. “I’m coming back for you, Calypso,” he said to the night wind. “I swear it on the River Styx.

Food!” It was terrifying, man.

Twelve minutes. I can give you that.

My dear young cousin, if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the eons, it’s that you can’t give up on your family, no matter how tempting they make it.

That wasn’t my future I destroyed,’ she assured herself. ‘I make my own future.

Why would you come to Italy to see Spanish steps? That’s like going to China for Mexican food, isn’t it?

Oh, come on!’ Percy complained. ‘I get a little nosebleed and I wake up the entire earth? That’s not fair!

Psst”he called.The Cyclops lowered his hammer. He turned towards Zeus, but his one big eye had been staring into the flames so long that he couldn’t see who was talking.”I am not Psst”The Cyclops said...

As for my brothers,’ Zeus said, ‘we are thankful -‘ he cleared his throat, like the words were hard to get out – ‘erm, thankful for the aid of Hades.’ The Lord of the Dead...

You say that as if it’s a bad thing, Percy. But you don’t realize how important you are.

You weren’t able to talk sense into him?”Well, we kind of tried to kill each other in a duel to the death.”I see. You tried the diplomatic approach.

Part of their problem was Percy. He fought like a demon, whirling through the defender’s ranks in a completely unorthodox style, rolling under their feet, slashing with his sword instead of stabbing like a Roman...

Little sister!” Apollo called. If his teeth were any whiter he could’ve blinded us without the sun car. “What’s up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!”Artemis sighed. “I’m fine, Apollo. And...

The wind blowing through my ripped clothes was so cold that I felt like a Percysicle.

Just for you non-sea-god types out there, don’t go swimming in New York Harbor. It may not be as filthy as it was in my mom’s day, but that water will still probably make you...

The thing about plummetting downhill at fifty miles an hour on a snack platter – if you realize it’s a bad idea when you’re halfway down, it’s too late.

Question (from a reader) : Will the Wise Goddess Athena overthrow Zeus and become the ruler of Olympus?Athena’s answer : What an interesting idea . . . No, just kidding, Dad. Put away the lightning...

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.

Yeah, you bet Romani.’ Percy bared his forearm and showed them the brand he’d got at Camp Jupiter- the SPQR mark, with the trident of Neptune. ‘You mix Greek and Roman, and you know what...

I (Percy) set Nico on guard duty with Beckendorf and the Stoll brothers, figuring he’d be safely out of the way….”What’s happening?” Nico demanded, trying to climb up next to me.

According to Festus, our flying table, Buford, made it back safely while we were in Charleston, so those eagles didn’t get him. Unfortunately, he lost the laundry bag with your pants.””Dang it!” Frank Barked, which...

Leo grabbed the neasrest thing he could find- a Porta-Potty seat- and threw it at the face. Leve me alone!

My point is that love is the most powerful motivator in the world. It spurs mortals to greatness. Their noblest, bravest acts are done for love.

I said hello to the poodle.

Five syllables,” Apollo said, counting them on his fingers. “That would be real bad.

I past another telkhine, who was so startled he dropped his Lil’ Demons lunch box. I left him alive – partly because he had a cool lunch box…

But remember, boy, that a kind act can sometimes be as powerful as a sword.