The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus, #3)

by Rick Riordan

He could turn the ship by pulling on the throttle, fire weapons by sampling an album, or raise sails by shaking his Wii controllers really fast. Even by demigod standards, Leo was seriously ADHD.

Percy smiled at her—that sarcastic, troublemaker smile that had annoyed her for years but eventually had become endearing. His sea-green eyes were as gorgeous as she remembered. His dark hair was swept to one side, like he’d just come from a walk on the beach. He looked even better than he had six months ago—tanner and taller, leaner and more muscular.

She’d secretly had a crush on him since they were twelve years old.

It was a secret to literally no one but him, but go off

Percy pulled away and studied her face. “Gods, I never thought—” Annabeth grabbed his wrist and flipped him over her shoulder. He slammed into the stone pavement.

Octavian snorted. “Which means we now have three praetors! The rules clearly state we can only have two!” “On the bright side,” Percy said, “both Jason and I out rank you, Octavian. So we can both tell you to shut up.”

Piper twisted the feather in her hair. “Like water leaking through a dam,” she suggested. “Yeah.” Percy smiled. “We’ve got a dam hole.”

Iykyk

“Then we’re good!” Leo grinned over the top of his pinwheel. “Because we’re all crazy, right?

“The Mark of Athena burns through Rome,” Ella continued, cupping her hands over her ears and raising her voice. “Twins snuff out the angel’s breath, Who holds the key to endless death. Giants’ bane stands gold and pale, Won through pain from a woven jail.”

“This whole thing smells of treachery,” Octavian grumbled. “That trireme is not a ship of peace!” “Come aboard, man,” Leo offered. “I’ll give you a tour. You can steer the boat, and if you’re really good I’ll give you a little paper captain’s hat to wear.”

Other demigods could understand Latin and Greek. Leo could speak Creak and Squeak.

“Kiss me, you fool.” “You fool.” “Hey!” “Hey!”

“I try not to think,” Leo admitted. “It interferes with being nuts.

Piper hadn’t studied him up close before. After hearing so much at Camp Half-Blood about Percy Jackson this and Percy Jackson that, she thought he looked…well, unimpressive, especially next to Jason. Percy was more slender, about an inch shorter, with slightly longer, much darker hair.

He wasn’t really Piper’s type.

man is no one's type i guess

Bacchus scratched his stubbly chin. “Ah…yes. John Green.”

I love that this transcends location

The god’s nostrils flared. One of the grape leaves on his hat burst into flame. “If we know each other from that other camp, it’s a wonder I haven’t already turned you into a dolphin.” “It was discussed,” Percy assured him. “I think you were just too lazy to do it.”

He grabbed a Diet Pepsi from nowhere and popped the top of the can. “You drink Diet Coke,” Percy said. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Bacchus snapped.

“Yeah, but…I could have killed you.” “Or I could have killed you,” Percy said. Jason shrugged. “If there’d been an ocean in Kansas, maybe.” “I don’t need an ocean—”

Oh just whip it out and measure already

“Boys,” Annabeth interrupted, “I’m sure you both would’ve been wonderful at killing each other. But right now, you need some rest.”

Percy pointed his pizza slice at Jason. “You, sir, are a ray of sunshine.”

And from the way Hazel and Frank tried to help during the exorcism, she could tell they were brave, good people.

I'M SORRY HOW DID FRANK HELP

“No ballerinas!” Ephialtes snapped. “And this thing.” He waved at the bronze jar in disgust. “What does it do? It’s not exciting.” “But that’s the whole point of the show. He dies unless the others rescue him. And if they arrive on schedule—”

NICO BABY

The air in the jar smelled of stale breath and tarnished metal. The only light came from the dim purple glow of a dark sword, its Stygian iron blade set against one side of the container. Huddled next to it was a dejected-looking boy in tattered jeans, a black shirt, and an old aviator jacket. On his right hand, a silver skull ring glittered.

MY BOY

It didn’t seem possible he could have survived so long without suffocating. Even in a dream, Percy was already starting to feel panicky, struggling to get enough oxygen. Then he noticed something between Nico’s feet—a small collection of glistening objects no bigger than baby teeth.

OH YOU SMART BOY

Percy wanted to tell her the same thing, but it seemed too small a comment. While he had been on the Roman side, he’d kept himself alive almost solely by thinking of Annabeth. I missed you didn’t really cover that.

Ugh i'm gay

Percy stared at his jelly donut. He had a rocky history with Nico di Angelo. The guy had once tricked him into visiting Hades’s palace, and Percy had ended up in a cell. But most of the time, Nico sided with the good guys. He certainly didn’t deserve slow suffocation in a bronze jar, and Percy couldn’t stand seeing Hazel in pain.

I'll fight you percy i swear to god

“Hazel,” Jason said. “Leo is raising a fair point. I remember Nico from Camp Jupiter. Now I find out he also visited Camp Half-Blood. That does strike me as…well, a little shady. Do we really know where his loyalties lie? We just have to be careful.”

I'll fight you too Jason don't try me

Everyone turned to Percy. Jason raised an eyebrow. “You’re Captain Salt Water. Any ideas from the expert?”

“Well done, Frank Zhang,” Leo said dryly, doing his impression of Chiron the centaur. “That is exactly how people beat Chinese handcuffs. They turn into iguanas.”

“I must return home,” Athena murmured, studying the map. “The way is complex. I wish Odysseus were here. He would understand.”

Remembering your roots

She’d always had mixed feelings about Nico di Angelo. She suspected that he’d had a crush on her ever since they rescued him and his big sister Bianca from that military academy in Maine; but Annabeth had never felt any attraction to Nico.

THIS AIN'T ABOUT YOU

“Aphrodite,” she said. “Venus?” Hazel asked in amazement. “Mom,” Piper said, with no enthusiasm. “Girls!” The goddess spread her arms like she wanted a group hug.

Very slowly, using only two fingers, Annabeth drew her dagger. Instead of dropping it, she tossed it as far as she could into the water.

All around the Romans, Charleston Harbor erupted like a Las Vegas fountain putting on a show. When the wall of seawater subsided, the three Romans were in the bay, spluttering and frantically trying to stay afloat in their armor. Percy stood on the dock, holding Annabeth’s dagger. “You dropped this,” he said, totally poker-faced.

“Valdez,” said Coach Hedge, with surprising gentleness. “Let me take the wheel. You’ve been steering for two hours.” “Two hours?” “Yeah. Give me the wheel.” “Coach?” “Yeah, kid?” “I can’t unclench my hands.”

He deserves a better life. Why did no one else check on him

Leo had seen a lot of crazy stuff, but he had always thought merpeople were silly fictional creatures, like Smurfs or Muppets.

“Incredible,” Jason said. “These are really good brownies.” “That’s your only comment?” Piper demanded. He looked surprised. “What? I heard the story. Fish-centaurs. Merpeople. Letter of intro to the Tiber River god. Got it. But these brownies—”

Piper tried to imagine what Nico di Angelo was feeling, stuck in a jar with only two pomegranate seeds left to sustain him, and no idea whether he would be rescued.

Don't. I'll cry.

“Hercules, huh?” Percy frowned. “That guy was like the Starbucks of Ancient Greece. Everywhere you turn—there he is.”

The Romans said the pillars were inscribed with a Latin warning—” “Non plus ultra,” Percy said. Annabeth looked stunned. “Yeah. Nothing Further Beyond. How did you know?” Percy pointed. “Because I’m looking at it.”

“I’ll go,” Jason said. “He’s a son of Zeus. I’m the son of Jupiter. Maybe he’ll be friendly to me.” “Or maybe he’ll hate you,” Percy suggested. “Half brothers don’t always get along.” Jason scowled. “Thank you, Mr. Optimism.”

Jason shifted his feet. “Couldn’t we just sing a funny song?” “I’d get going,” Hercules said coldly. “Sundown. Or your friends are dead.”

She had to go on this quest. The fate of the world might depend on it. But part of him wanted to say: Forget the world. He didn’t want to be without her.

Percy blinked. “So your brother is a winged horse. But you’re also my half brother, which means all the flying horses in the world are my…You know what? Let’s forget it.”

Intelligence…like Athena’s favorite hero, Odysseus. He’d won the Trojan War with cleverness, not strength. He had overcome all sorts of monsters and hardships with his quick wits.

Annabeth wondered if that burning mark was based on a real sacred owl. If so, when she survived, she was going to find that owl and punch it in the face.

Once he’d even reprogrammed the electronic billboards in Times Square to read: ALL DA LADIES LUV LEO…accidentally, of course.

The number goes on forever, but the sphere has only five rings, so that should be enough, if I’m right.” “And if you’re not?” Frank asked. “Well, then, Leo fall down, go boom. Let’s find out!”

Leo beamed at his friends. “That, good people, is how we do things in Leo World. Come on in!” “I hate Leo World,” Frank muttered.

LEO UNFURLED THE LITTLE STRIP OF PAPER. IT READ: THAT’S YOUR REQUEST? SERIOUSLY? (OVER) On the back, the paper said: YOUR LUCKY NUMBERS ARE: TWELVE, JUPITER, ORION, DELTA, THREE, THETA, OMEGA. (WREAK VENGEANCE UPON GAEA, LEO VALDEZ.)