“Not knowing is half the fun," Aphrodite said, "Exquisitely painful isn't it? Not being sure who you love and who loves you? Oh, you kids! It's so cute I'm going to cry!”

“Exquisitely painful, isn't it? Not being sure who you love and loves you? -Aphrodite”

“Oh, dear Hazel.” Aphrodite folded her fan. “Such optimism, yet you have heartrending days ahead of you. Of course war is coming. Love and war always go together. They are the peaks of human emotion! Evil and good, beauty and ugliness.”

“Kids are baby goats. They're cute and they have redeeming social value. You are definitely not kids.”

“Annabeth,” he said hesitantly, “in New Rome, demigods can live their whole lives in peace.” Her expression turned guarded. “Reyna explained it to me. But, Percy, you belong at Camp Half-Blood. That other life—”“I know,” Percy said. “But while I was there, I saw so many demigods living without fear: kids going to college, couples getting married and raising families. There’s nothing like that at Camp Half-Blood. I kept thinking about you and me…and maybe someday when this war with the giants is over…”It was hard to tell in the golden light, but he thought Annabeth was blushing. “Oh,” she said…“I’m sorry,” he said. “I just…I had to think of that to keep going. To give me hope. Forget I mentioned—”“No!” she said. “Gods, Percy, that’s so sweet.”

“Oh, and Drew, honey?” The former counselor looked back reluctantly.“In case you think I’m not a true daughter of Aphrodite,” Piper said, “don’t even look at Jason Grace. He may not know it yet, but he’s mine. If you even try to make a move, I will load you into a catapult and shoot you across Long Island Sound.”Drew turned around so fast, she ran into the doorframe. Then she was gone.”

“We should go straight west. The prophecy said west.""Oh, like your tracking skills are better?" Thalia growled.Zoe stepped toward her. "You challenge my skills, you scullion? You know nothing of being a Hunter!""Oh, scullion. You're calling me a scullion? What the heck is a scullion?”