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“Poseidon,” said Chiron. “Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God.”
I didn’t have to share with anybody. I had plenty of room for all my stuff: the Minotaur’s horn, one set of spare clothes, and a toiletry bag. I got to sit at my own dinner table, pick all my own activities, call “lights out” whenever I felt like it, and not listen to anybody else. And I was absolutely miserable.
I woke up, sure I was falling.
“Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D,” Chiron put in.
Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a plastic rectangle. A credit card? No. A security pass.
The usual nonsense: ‘Mother Rhea always liked you best,’ ‘Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,’ et cetera.
I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam.…” He looked at me as if he actually expected me to remember question thirty-eight.
The plaque read, HYDRA HEAD #1, WOODSTOCK, N.Y., 1969.
“What is my destiny?”
“I mean, couldn’t the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine’s very nice this time of year.”
Whoa, boy, said the small part of my brain that was still sane.
Gods cannot cross each other’s territories except by invitation.
Grover was the only friend I’d ever had for longer than a few months.
“Gee,” I said, feigning surprise. “Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?”
Annabeth blushed, the way she always did when Luke was around.
“Maia!”
“You let him capture the flag instead of you, didn’t you?” “Oh…why do I want to go anywhere with you, Percy?”
“The sword has a long and tragic history that we need not go into,” Chiron told me. “Its name is Anaklusmos.” “‘Riptide,’” I translated, surprised the Ancient Greek came so easily. “Use it only for emergencies,”
not?” “The sword is celestial bronze. Forged by the Cyclopes, tempered in the heart of Mount Etna, cooled in the River Lethe.
They simply are not important enough for the blade to kill.
All we can do, child, is follow our destiny.” “Our destiny…assuming we know what that is.”
“Relax,” Chiron told me. “Keep a clear head. And remember, you may be about to prevent the biggest war in human history.”
“So far so good,” I told Annabeth. “Ten miles and not a single monster.” She gave me an irritated look. “It’s bad luck to talk that way, seaweed brain.” “Remind me again—why do you hate me so much?” “I don’t
Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift.
Wrong
If you hadn’t lived with him every summer, you probably would’ve been found by monsters a long time ago.
“I said if you’re lucky,” Annabeth said. “You’re obviously not.”
“You’re a son of one of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering.” “I can’t just leave you.” “Don’t worry about us,” Grover said. “Go!”
What I did next was so impulsive and dangerous I should’ve been named ADHD poster child of the year.
I was free to go, but I couldn’t leave my friends. I took off the invisible cap. “Hey!”
“Braccas meas vescimini!” I yelled. I wasn’t sure where the Latin came from. I think it meant “Eat my pants!”
In a way, it’s nice to know there are Greek gods out there, because you have somebody to blame when things go wrong. For instance, when you’re walking away from a bus that’s just been attacked by monster hags and blown up by lightning, and it’s raining on top of everything else, most people might think that’s just really bad luck; when you’re a half-blood, you understand that some divine force really is trying to mess up your day.
“It’s just that if you died…aside from the fact that it would really suck for you, it would mean the quest was over. This may be my only chance to see the real world.”
And that’s all cool and everything, but the real world is where the monsters are. That’s where you learn whether you’re any good or not.” If I didn’t know better, I could’ve sworn I
“Snack bar,” I said wistfully. “Snack bar,” she agreed.
“Meat!” he said scornfully. “I’m a vegetarian.” “You eat cheese enchiladas and aluminum cans,” I reminded him. “Those are vegetables.
“Your head is full of kelp.”
“Oh, yes. Once upon a time, I had two sisters to help me in the business, but they have passed on,
They shared my bad fortune as long as they could, but eventually they passed on. They faded away. I alone have survived, but at a price. Such a price.”
Do not be a pawn of the Olympians, my dear. You would be better off as a statue.
“I am impertinent,” I said.
She didn’t. She seemed resigned to the fact that I had a major talent for ticking off the gods. “Come on,” she muttered. “We need a new plan.”
and we only have nine days to find the master bolt.…”
I’m not as brave as you. But
“I’m not saying hello to a pink poodle,” I said. “Forget it.” “Percy,” Annabeth said. “I said hello to the poodle. You say hello to the poodle.” The poodle growled. I said hello to the poodle.
I PLUNGE TO MY DEATH
I could’ve sworn it was a lion, except that lions don’t live wild in America, and this thing was the size of a Hummer. Its fur glinted gold in the evening light. Then it leaped through the trees and was gone.
When I was five he got married and totally forgot about Athena. He got a ‘regular’ mortal wife, and had two ‘regular’ mortal kids, and tried to pretend I didn’t exist.”
I glanced at the park ranger and the family. The little boy was hiding behind his father’s legs. I had to protect these people. I couldn’t just…die. I tried to think, but my whole body was on fire. My head felt dizzy. I had no sword. I was facing a massive, fire-breathing monster and its mother. And I was scared.
Why had Poseidon saved me? The more I thought about it, the more ashamed I felt. So I’d gotten lucky a few times before. Against a thing like the Chimera, I had never stood a chance. Those poor people in the Arch were probably toast. I couldn’t protect them. I was no hero. Maybe I should just stay down here with the catfish, join the bottom feeders.
Your father believes in you.
