I survive all those battles," she growled, "and I get defeated by a stupid chunk of rock!

I'm a teacher still, but with a much larger classroom.

And yes,Percy,of course they are now in our United States. Look at your symbol,the eagle of Zeus. Look at the statue of Prometheus in Rockefeller Center,the Greek facades of our government builidings in Washington. I defy you to find any American city where the Olympians are not proeminently displayed, in multiple places. Like it or not-and believe me,plenty of people weren't very found of Rome,either-America is now the heart of the flame. It is the great power of the West.And so Olympus is here.And we are here.

I remembered what she'd told me in New York, about building something permanent, and I thought - just maybe - we were off to a good start.

Don't get starry-eyed about somebody you can't have, especially if it blinds you to somebody who's really important.

George unhinged his jaw and coughed up a little plastic bottle filled with chewable vitamins. "You're kidding," I said. "Are those Minotaur-shaped?" Hermes picked up the bottle and rattled it. "The lemon ones, yes. The grape ones are Furies, I think. Or are they hydras? At any rate, these are potent."

Zoë threw up her hands in exasperation. "I hate this language. It changes too often!