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...

Uh, normally she doesn’t judo-flip people.

Frank heard a laugh behind him. He glanced back and couldn’t believe what he saw. Nico di Angelo was actually smiling.”That’s more like it,” Nico said. “Let’s turn this tide!

Oh, he’s not like that,” said Favonius.Jason flinched. “You can read my mind?””I don’t need to.” Favonius tossed his bronze hoop in the air. “Everyone has the wrong impression of Cupid… until they meet him.

Because I’m not kissing you until you do. And brush your hair while you’re at it.

Really? That would be a first. I’m the son of Hades, Jason. I might as well be covered in blood or sewage, the way people treat me. I don’t belong anywhere. I’m not even from...

You trained Bill? Impressive.

Jason hated being an old man.

All aboard for one last trip.

Very good, Jason Grace,” Notus said. “You are a son of Jupiter, yet you have chosen your own path- as all the greatest demigods have done before you. You cannot control your parentage, but you...

The story of Psyche finally made sense to him- why a mortal girl would be so afraid. Why would she risk breaking the rules to look the god of love in the face, because she...

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...

Jason’s fingers itched to draw his sword. He’d met plenty of scary demigods, but he was starting to realize that Nico di Angelo–as pale and gaunt as he looked–might be more than he could handle.

People lie. Promises are broken.

I don’t feel that way anymore,” Nico muttered. “I mean… I gave up on Percy. I was young and impressionable, and I- I don’t…”His voice cracked, and Jason could tell the guy was about to...

This was a few weeks ago,” Annabeth said. “Percy told me a crazy story about meeting a boy our near Moriches Bay. Apparently this kid used hieroglyphs to cast spells. He helped Percy battle a...

Piper had a new entry in her top-ten list of Times Piper Felt Useless. Fighting Shrimpzilla with a dagger and a pretty voice? Not so effective.

Please tell me your master isn’t Aeolus.””That airhead?” Favonius snorted. “No, of course not.””He means Eros.” Nico’s voice turned edgy. “Cupid, in Latin.”Favonius smiled. “Very good, Nico di Angelo. I’m glad to see you again,...

Oh, yeah? Me too. Let’s see whose friend gets here first.

The rivalry ends here,” Percy said. “I love you, Wise Girl.

The plan had three phases: dangerous, really dangerous and insanely dangerous.

Always happens with men. They promise friendship. They promise to treat you as an equal. In the end, all they want is to possess you.

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.

No,” Frank said. “I’m only a centurion.”Jason cursed in Latin. “He means he can’t control a whole legion. He’s not of high enough rank.”Nico swung back his black sword at another gryphon. “Well, then, promote...

Frank, how did you do that?” Jason yelled.Frank’s head swam with pain. He forced himself not to pass out. “I’m the ranking Roman officer,” he said. “They- uh, they don’t recognize you. Sorry.”Jason grimaced, but...

Once the others were below, Hazel and Leo faced each other awkwardly. They were alone except for Coach Hedge, who was back on the quarterdeck singing the Pokémon theme song. The coach had changed the...

Is this guy Love or Death?” Jason growled.Ask your friends, Cupid said. Frank, Hazel, and Percy met my counterpart, Thanatos. We are not so different. Except Death is sometimes kinder.

Nico drank from the chalice, then offered it to Jason. “You asked me about trust, and taking a risk? Well, here you go, son of Jupiter. How much do you trust me?”Frank wasn’t sure what...

Nico drew his sword. His smile was even more unsettling than his scowl.”Underground,” he said. “My favorite place.”Underground was not Jason’s favorite place.

My point,” Jason said, “is that blaming each other isn’t going to solve anything. That’s how the Romans and the Greeks got divided in the first place.

So now I get the scepter?” Jason asked.Cupid laughed. Unfortunately, you could not wield it. Only a child of the Underworld can summon the dead legions. And only an officer of Rome can lead them.

Tempting,” Percy called down.

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...

Yeah, okay. But, Nico, you do choose how to live your life. You want to trust somebody? Maybe take a risk that I’m really your friend and I’ll accept you. It’s better than hiding.

Poor Nico di Angelo. The god’s voice was tinged with disappointment. Do you know what you want, much less what I want? My beloved Psyche risked everything in the name of Love. It was the...

Percy smiled. He knew the stakes were high. He knew this day could go horribly wrong. But he also knew that Annabeth was on that ship.If things went right, this would be the best day...

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.

Please, Percy…change your clothes. You smell like you’ve been run over by an electric horse.

Love is on every side, Cupid said. And no one’s side. Don’t ask what Love can do for you.”Great,” Jason said. “Now he’s spouting greeting card messages.

Forget the chicken-nugget smoke screen. Percy wanted Leo to invent an anti-dream hat.

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...

We’re together.” He didn’t say you’re okay, or we’re alive. After all they’d been through over the last year, he knew that the most important thing was that they were together. She loved him for...

I am turning into a crazy dolphin.”He began to change, his nose elongating into a snout, his skin becoming sleek and gray. He fell to the deck as a dolphin, his tail thumping against the...

Percy?” Annabeth gripped his arm.”Oh, bad,” he muttered. “Bad. Bad.” He looked across the table at Frank and Hazel. “You guys remember Polybotes?””The giant who invaded Camp Jupiter,” Hazel said. “The anti-Poseidon you whacked in...

The meeting was like a war council with donuts. Then again, back at Camp Half-Blood they used to have their most serious discussions around the Ping-Pong table in the rec room with crackers and Cheez...

But in his heart, he wanted to be at Camp Half-Blood. The months he’d spent there with Piper and Leo had felt more satisfying, more right than all his years at Camp Jupiter. Besides, at...

About five meters ahead, Nico was swinging his black sword with one hand, holding the scepter of Diocletian aloft with the other. He kept shouting orders at the legionnaires, but they paid him no attention.Of...

Images flashed through his mind. He saw Nico and his sister on a snowy cliff in Maine, Percy Jackson protecting them from a manticore. Percy’s sword gleamed in the dark. He’d been the first demigod...

I still don’t understand what a sea god would be doing in Atlanta.”Leo snorted. “What’s a wine god doing in Kansas? Gods are weird.

Come on.