“Kinzie smiled smugly. “You admire our base of operations? Yes, our distribution system is worldwide. It took many years and most of our fortune to build. Now, finally, we’re turning a profit. The mortals don’t realize they are funding the Amazon kingdom. Soon, we’ll be richer than any mortal nation. Then—when the weak mortals depend on us for everything—the revolution will begin!”“What are you going to do?” Frank grumbled. “Cancel free shipping?”

“It will make you powerful. But it will also make you weak. Your prowess in combat will be beyond any mortal's, but your weaknesses, your failings will increase as well."You mean I'll have a bad heel?" I said. "Couldn't I just, like, wear something besides sandals? No offense.”

“Of course, most mortals can't see magic clearly, so I'm not sure what they thought they saw as we passed overhead. No doubt it caused many of them to adjust their medication.”

“Sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters.”

“That's because we keep weapons int the attic, silly boy. Do you think this is the first time monsters have attacked our family?""Weapons," Frank grumbled. "Right. I've never handled weapons before."Grandmother's nostrils flared. "Was that sarcasm, Fai Zhang?""Yes, Grandmother.""Good. There may be hope for you yet.”

“That's because we keep weapons in the attic, silly boy. Do you think this is the first time monsters have attacked our family?""Weapons," Frank grumbled. "Right. I've never handled weapons before."Grandmother's nostrils flared. "Was that sarcasm, Fai Zhang?""Yes, Grandmother.""Good. There may be hope for you yet.”

“Percy looked at Coach Hedge and Frank. “A trap?”“Probably,” Frank said. “She’s not mortal,” Hedge said, sniffing the air. “Probably some kind of goat-eating, demigod-destroying fiend from Tartarus.”“No doubt,” Percy agreed. “Awesome.” Hedge grinned. “Let’s go.”