“So Beckendorf was pretty popular?" Leo asked. "I mean-before he blew up?”

“He blew himself up.”“Get out! You mean like guts all over the place?”“Not all over the place,” I said. “He was pretty well contained, all things considered.”

“You stood up to the dragon so Beckendorf would have his chance to jump - now that was brave.""Or pretty stupid.""Percy, you're a brave guy," she said. "Just take the compliment. I swear, is it so hard?”

“Beckendorf closed eyes tight and brought his hand up to his watch.from that distance, the explosion shook the world. Heat seared the back of my head. The Princess Andromeda blew up from both sides, a massive fireball ofgreen flame roiling into the dark sky, consuming everything....I stared out the window into deep blue water. Beckendorf was supposed to go to college in the fall. He had a girlfriend, lots of friends, his whole life ahead of him. He couldn't be gone.”

“Oh my god, I am so awesome!" Leo bellowed."So awesome!" Echo yelled back."He is funny," a nymph ventured."And cute, in a scrawny way," another said."Scrawny?" Leo asked. "Baby I invented scrawny. Scrawny is the new sizzling hot.”

“Let's boogie,' he (Leo) said. 'Before I come to my senses”