The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5)

by Rick Riordan

Hestia shook her head. “I am here because when all else fails, when all the other mighty gods have gone off to war, I am all that’s left. Home. Hearth. I am the last Olympian. You must remember me when you face your final decision.”

“With great power…comes great need to take a nap. Wake me up later.”

Nico’s mouth hung open. “You just…with a sword…you just—” “I think the river thing worked,” I said. “Oh gee,” he said sarcastically. “You think?”

I love New York. You can pop out of the Underworld in Central Park, hail a taxi, head down Fifth Avenue with a giant hellhound loping along behind you, and nobody even looks at you funny.

“Last thing.” Hermes looked at me. “She said to tell Percy: ‘Remember the rivers.’ And, um, something about staying away from her daughter.”

Before I could lose my courage, I said, “Don’t I get a kiss for luck? It’s kind of a tradition, right?” I figured she would punch me. Instead, she drew her knife and stared at the army marching toward us. “Come back alive, Seaweed Brain. Then we’ll see.”

“You’re cute when you’re worried,” she muttered. “Your eyebrows get all scrunched together.”

If you’re heading downtown from Central Park, my advice is to take the subway. Flying pigs are faster, but way more dangerous.

It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. The entire Titan army turned and fled, pushed back by a flood of paintballs, arrows, swords, and NERF baseball bats. The centaurs trampled everything in their path.

The world will fall, the gods will die, and I will never achieve a perfect score on this stupid machine.”

“Well…sure good to be together again. Arguing. Almost dying. Abject terror. Oh, look. It’s our floor.”

I pulled her up and we lay trembling on the pavement. I didn’t realize we had our arms around each other until she suddenly tensed. “Um, thanks,” she muttered. I tried to say Don’t mention it, but it came out as, “Uh duh.”

“All hail, Perseus Jackson,” Tyson said. “Hero of Olympus…and my big brother!”

“Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire, the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath, And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.”

I looked over and saw that she was trying not to smile. “You’re laughing at me,” I complained. “I am not!” “You are so not making this easy.” Then she laughed for real, and she put her hands around my neck. “I am never, ever going to make things easy for you, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it.” When she kissed me, I had the feeling my brain was melting right through my body.

“You’ll do great.” Annabeth hugged her. Funny, she seemed to get along fine with Rachel these days.