“I'd love to tell you I had some deep revelation on my way down, that I came to terms with my own mortality, laughed in the face of death, et cetera.The truth? My only thought was: Aaaaggghhhhh!”

“Now i'd like to tell u i did something heroic like stand up against a raging team of fire-breathing horses with only my sword the truth is i ran.”

“I tried not to feel hurt. Here was my own dad,telling me he was sorry i'd been born.”

“Just tell me, Percy, do you still have the birthday gift I gave you last summer?" I nodded and pulled out my camp necklace. It had a bead for every summer I'd been at Camp Half-Blood, but since last year I'd also kept a sand dollar on the cord. My father had given it to me for my fifteenth birthday. He'd told me I would know when to "spend it," but so far I hadn't figured out what he meant. All I knew that it didn't fit the vending machines in the school cafeteria.”

“One false step, and you’ll fall all the way to Tartarus—and believe me, unlike the Doors of Death, this would be a one-way trip, a very hard fall! I will not have you dying before you tell me your plan for my artwork.”

“She raised an eyebrow. "You got something to say to me, Seaweed Brain?"You'd probably kick my butt."You know I'd kick your butt."I brushed the cake off my hands. "When I was at the River Styx, turning invulnerable . . . Nico said I had to concentrate on one thing that kept me anchored to the world, that made me want to stay mortal."Annabeth kept her eyes on the horizon. "Yeah?"Then up on Olympus," I said, "when they wanted to make me a god and stuff, I kept thinking-"Oh, you so wanted to."Well, maybe a little. But I didn't, because I thought-I didn't want things to stay the same for eternity, because things could always get better. And I was thinking . . ." My throat felt really dry.Anyone in particular?" Annabeth asked, her voice soft.I looked over and saw that she was trying not to smile.You're laughing at me," I complained.I am not!"You are so not making this easy."Then she laughed for real, and she put her hands around my neck. "I am never, ever going to make things easy for you, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it.”

“Calm down, Horus said."Don't tell me to calm down!"Bast frowned. "I didn't.""Talking to him!" I pointed at my forehead.”