It isn’t easy being a brilliant inventor, always alone. Always misunderstood. Easy to turn bitter, make horrible mistakes. People are more difficult to work with than machines. And when you break a person, he can’t be fixed. -Hephaestus

It wasn't exactly like talking, but it went something like this: Could you give us a ride north, Percy asked, like as close to Portland as possible? Eat seals, the whale responded. Are you seals? No, Percy admitted. I've got a man satchel full of macrobiotic beef jerky, though. The whale shuddered. Promise not to feed me this, and I will take you north. Deal.

We need a shroud. A shroud for the son of Hermes.

Thanks for not freaking out," I said. "Oh, I'm freaking out," Paul promised, his eyes wide. "I just think it's awesome!

Egyptians believe in the power of the sunrise. They believe each morning begins not just a new day, but a new world.

I past another telkhine, who was so startled he dropped his Lil' Demons lunch box. I left him alive - partly because he had a cool lunch box.

People of Earth, I come in peace!