Thalia blushed. "Hi, Lord Apollo." Zeus's girl, yes? Makes you my half sister. Used to be a tree, didn't you? Glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time—

We tend to think of divorced or complicated families as a modern invention, and that is not at all true. You only have to read the Greek myths to see broken homes, widows, divorce, stepchildren, children trying to get along with new parents.

For a moment, Percy actually remembered what it was like to be happy. He had an amazing girlfriend. They could have a future together.

I gave her my deluxe I'll-Kill-You-Later stare.

The Temple of Dendur," Zia said. "Actually it was built by the Romans - " "When they occupied Egypt," Carter said, like this was delightful information. "Augustus commissioned it." "Yes," Zia said. "Fascinating," I murmured. "Would you two like to be left alone with a history textbook?

Wisdom's daughter walks alone. That didn't just mean without other people, Annabeth realized. It meant without any special powers.

Um, Dues ex machina anyone?