“Hi,” Piper said, as casually as she could. “We’re back.”

“Piper and Hazel were ready to go, but first Annabeth turned to Percy, who was leaning on the starboard rail, gazing over the bay. Annabeth took his hand. “What are you going to do while we’re gone?”“Jump in the harbor,” he said casually, like another kid might say, I’m going to get a snack.”

“Aphrodite," she said."Venus?" Hazel asked in amazement."Mom," Piper said, with no enthusiasm.”

“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.”

“Hi," she said, in a whispery voice, and nodded as if to confirm that she really meant it.”

“Until there was Piper McCloud.The probability of a flier is so rare, so completely out of the ordinary, and it was the very thing that Conrad needed to make an escape plan work. The minute he saw that Piper could fly, he knew hope. He carefully plotted and prepared for every eventuality except one---Piper's refusal to leave without the other's.How can she be so colosally stupid??!! Didn't she understand?”