Until she met the exploding statue, Annabeth thought she was prepared for anything.

Yes, Horus said. I remember this place. It’s El Paso, I told him. Unless you went out for Mexican Food, you’ve never been here.

Thalia had been turned into a pine tree when she was 12. Me... well, i was doing my best not to follow her example. I had nightmares about what Poseidon might turn me into if i were ever in the verge of death—plankton, maybe. Or a floating patch of kelp.

back from when they watched black and white TV and hunted dinosaurs.

I should’ve been very cross with Anubis. Kissing me without permission—the nerve!

Two hundred Romans, and no one’s got a pen? Never mind!" He slung his M16 onto his back and pulled out a hand grenade. There were many screaming Romans. Then the hand grenade morphed into a ballpoint pen, and Mars began to write. Frank looked at Percy with wide eyes. He mouthed: Can your sword do grenade form? Percy mouthed back, No. Shut up.

Far, far below, red liquid bubbled. Blood? Lava? Evil ketchup? None of the posibilities were good.