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

by Rick Riordan

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. Romans cried out. Some surged forward, but Reyna shouted, “Hold! Stand down!” Annabeth put her knee on Percy’s chest. She pushed her forearm against his throat. She didn’t care what the Romans thought. A white-hot lump of anger expanded in her chest—a tumor of worry and bitterness that she’d been carrying around since last autumn. “If you ever leave me again,” she said, her eyes stinging, “I swear to all the gods—”

Annabeth kissed him. “Good luck, Seaweed Brain. Just come back to me, okay?”

“You dropped this,” he said, totally poker-faced. Annabeth threw her arms around him. “I love you!”

“Just an average day.” Annabeth kissed him.

Annabeth kissed Percy.