“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.”

“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.”

“Jason muttered "And I saw something...Really terrible.""That was Hera," Thalia grumbled, "Her Majesty, the Loose Cannon.""That's it, Thalia Grace," Said the goddess. "I will turn you into and aardvark, so help me-" "Stop it, you two," Piper said. Amazingly, they both shut up.”

“Both of you know that one of you will get hurt if you keep this up.”“I can’t stay away from her,” I said, curling my fist.”

“I believe that an author who cannot control her characters is, like a mother who cannot control her children, not really fit to look after them.”

“I'm sorry I never really believed," I said. "Not the way Jack did.""It doesn't make any difference," my mother replied. Her eyes focused on the beanstalk for a moment, then returned to mine. "You believe now. Be safe and smart up there, my Gen. Be yourself."Before I could answer, my mother turned away and walked quickly toward the house. I turned to face the beanstalk.There is no going back now, I thought.For better or worse, there was only going forward. There was only going up. Seizing the trunk of the beanstalk with both hands, I pushed off from the World Below and began to climb.”