“What are you?” She demanded. “My dad? Osiris? Are you even alive?”Dad looked at Anubis. “What did I tell you about her? Fiercer than Ammit, I said.”“You didn’t need to tell me that.” Anubis’s face was grave. “I’ve learned to fear that sharp tongue.”Sadie looked outraged. “Excuse me?”

“Hang on," Sadie said. She stomped right up to the throne. Ammit growled at her, but Sadie growled back, which confused the monster into silence. "What are you?" she demanded. "My dad? Osiris? Are you even alive?" Dad looked at Anubis. "What did I tell you about her? Fiercer than Ammit, I said." "You didn't need to tell me." Anubis's face was grave."I've learned to fear that sharp tongue." Sadie looked outraged. "excuse me?”

“There’s my baby!” I cried, quite carried away. “There’s my Poochiekins!”Ammit ran at me and leaped into my arms, nuzzling me with his rough snout.“My lord Osiris!” Disturber lost the bottom of his scroll again, which unraveled around his legs. “This is an outrage!”“Sadie,” Dad said firmly, “please do not refer to the Devourer of Souls as Poochiekins.”

“She blinked. "Hmm? Oh, don't care. What did Anubis look like to you?""What did... he looked like a guy. So?""A good-looking guy, or a slobbering dog-headed guy?""I guess... Not the dog-headed guy.""I knew it!" Sadie pointed at me as if she'd won an argument."Good-looking. I knew it!"And with a ridiculous grin, she spun around and skipped into the house. My sister, as I may have mentioned, is a little strange.”

“Why didn’t you sleep with the headrest?”I shrugged. “It was uncomfortable.” I looked at Sadie for support. “You didn’t use it, did you?”Sadie rolled her eyes. “Well, of course I did. It was obviously there for a reason.”

“Amos sipped his coffee. The faraway look on his face reminded me of my dad. “I don’t want to scare you.”“Too late.”

“My faithful companion, Zoe Nightshade, has passed into the stars. I must have a new lieutenant. And I intend to choose one. But first, Father Zeus, I must speak to you privately."Zeus beckoned Artemis forward. He leaned down and listened as she spoke in his ear.A feeling of panic seized me. "Annabeth," I said under my breath. "Don't."She frowned at me. "What?"Look, I need to tell you something," I continued. The words came stumbling out of me. "I couldn't stand it if… I don't want you to—"Percy?" she said. "You look like you're going to be sick."And that's how I felt. I wanted to say more, but my tongue betrayed me. It wouldn't move because of the fear in my stomach”