Humans See What They Want To See.

If I'm Dead," He Murmured. "why Does It Hurt So Much?

We Got An Expression Ride Back To The Palace Of Hades. Nico Sent Word Ahead, Thanks To Some Ghost He Summoned Out Of The Ground, And Within A Few Minutes The Three Furies Themselves Arrived To Ferry Us Back. They Weren't Thrilled About Lugging Bob The Titan, Too, But I Didn't Have The Heart To Leave Him Behind, Especially After He Noticed My Shoulder Wound, Said, "owie", And Healed It With A Touch.

Percy Jackson," Hermes Said, "because You Have Taken On The Curse Of Achilles, I Must Spare You. You Are In The Hands Of The Fates Now. But You Will Never Speak To Me Like That Again. You Have No Idea How Much I Have Sacrificed, How Much—" His Voice Broke, And He Shrank Back To Human Size. "my Son, My Greatest Pride . . . My Poor May . . ." He Sounded So Devastated I Didn't Know What To Say. One Minute He Was Ready To Vaporize Us. Now He Looked Like He Needed A Hug.

When Luke Had Descended Into The River Styx, He Would've Had To Focus On Something Important That Would Hold Him To His Mortal Life. Otherwise He Would've Dissolved. I Had Seen Annabeth, And I Had A Feeling He Had Too. He Had Pictured That Scene Hestia Showed Me—of Himself In The Good Old Days With Thalia And Annabeth, When He Promised They Would Be A Family. Hurting Annabeth In Battle Had Shocked Him Into Remembering That Promise. It Had Allowed His Mortal Conscience To Take Over Again, And Defeat Kronos. His Weak Spot—his Achilles Heel—had Saved Us All

Back When I Taught Middle School And Wrote Adult Mysteries, My Students Often Asked Me Why I Wasn't Writing For Kids. I Never Had A Good Answer For Them. It Took Me A Long Time To Realize They Were Right.