Rick Riordan: Right," Sadie said. "And Set will just stand there calml...

If I've got the powers of a god, then why am I so..." "Lame?" Sadie suggested. "Shut up," I said.

Rick Riordan

lame sadie shut-up

Leo: I'm almost out of gas! Woah, that came out wrong. I meant the burning kind!

Rick Riordan

gas burning kind

You mean a bad heel?" I said. "Couldn't I just, like, wear something besides sandals? No offense." -Percy

Rick Riordan

sandals said mean

Imagine jumping into a pit of boiling acid. Now multiply that pain times fifty." -Percy

Rick Riordan

pits pain jumping

Just sit tight. Reinforcements should be here soon. Hopefully nothing happens before-" Lightning crackled overhead. The wind picked up with a vengeance. Worksheets flew into the Grand Canyon, and the entire bridge shuddered. Kids screamed, stumbling and grabbing the rails. "I had to say something," Hedge grumbled. He bellowed into his megaphone: "Everyone inside! The cow says moo! Off the skywalk!" "I thought you said this thing was stable!" Jason shouted over the wind. "Under normal circumstances," Hedge agreed, "which these aren't.

Rick Riordan

bridges wind kids

He had a note excusing him from PE for the rest of his life because he had some kind of muscular disease in his legs. He walked funny, like every step hurt him, but don't let that fool you. You should've seen him run when it was enchilada day in the cafeteria.

Rick Riordan

legs hurt running

The whole campfire idea freaked Piper out. It made her think of that huge purple bonfire in the dreams, and her father tied to a stake. What she got instead was almost as terrifying: a sing-along.

Rick Riordan

dream father thinking

If possible, try to avoid pushing each other over the edge, as that would cause me extra paperwork.

Rick Riordan

pushing-each-other causes trying

Beautiful,' Jason exclaimed. 'Piper, you... you're a knockout.

Rick Riordan

pipers jason beautiful

All right, cupcakes. You are about to see the Grand Canyon. Try not to break it. The skywalk can hold the weight of seventy jumbo jets, to you featherweights should be safe out there. If possible, try to avoid pushing each other over the edge, as that would cause me extra paperwork.

Rick Riordan

pushing-each-other cupcakes trying

I tried to think of something to say. Excuse me? Hello? Marry me? Anything would have done.

Rick Riordan

hello done thinking

Holy mother!" "Hmph. More like holy father. I'd think you'd know the difference." -Hephaetus

Rick Riordan

mother father thinking

I left him in his wheelchair, staring sadly into the fireplace. I wondered how many times he’d sat here, waiting for heroes that never came back.

Rick Riordan

fireplaces hero waiting

Then there were the shabti, magical figurines that were supposed to come to life when summoned. A few months ago, I’d fallen for a girl named Zia Rashid, who’d turned out to be a shabti. Falling in love for the first time had been hard enough. But when the girl you like turns out to be ceramic and cracks to pieces before your eyes—well, it gives “breaking your heart” a new meaning.

Rick Riordan

falling-in-love girl heart

I picked up Pandora's jar. The spirit of Hope fluttered inside, trying to warm the cold container. "Hestia," I said, "I give this to you as an offering." The goddess tilted her head. "I am the least of the gods. Why would you trust me with this?" "You're the last Olympian," I said. "And the most important." "And why is that, Percy Jackson?" "Because Hope survives best at the hearth," I said. "Guard it for me, and I won't be tempted to give up again."

Rick Riordan

giving-up important offering

He pinched the name tag and ran his fingers under the letters. "Can you read this, mate? It says C-H-A-R-O-N. Say it with me: CARE-ON." "Charon." "Amazing! Now: Mr. Charon." "Mr. Charon." "Well done.

Rick Riordan

care done names

So, yeah. Our cat was a goddess. What else is new?

Rick Riordan

goddess yeah cat

Charlie …" Silena’s eyes were a million miles away. "See Charlie.

Rick Riordan

percy-jackson-and-the-olympians miles eye

Then she did something that really surprised me. She blinked back tears and put out her arms. I stepped forward and hugged her. Butterflies started turning my stomach into a mosh pit. "Hey, it's... it's okay." I patted her back. I was aware of everything in the room. I felt like I could read the tiniest print on any book on the shelves. Annabeth's hair smelled like lemon soap. She was shivering.

Rick Riordan

butterfly hair book

You're a stalker with hooves." -Percy Jackson

Rick Riordan

Right," Sadie said. "And Set will just stand there calmly while I read him to death.