The House of Hades

She pressed her face into his shirt and kept her eyes closed tight. She was trembling, but not just from fear. Percy’s embrace was so warm and comforting she wanted to stay there forever, safe and protected…but that wasn’t reality. She couldn’t afford to relax. She couldn’t lean on Percy any more than she had to. He needed her, too.

Don’t look,” she told Percy.
“Wasn’t planning on it,” he said. “You can feel that, right? We’re still in the Mansion of Night. I do not want to see it.”
Smart boy, Annabeth thought. She used to tease Percy for being dumb, but in truth his instincts were usually right on target.

I’m coming back for you, Calypso,” he said to the night wind. “I swear it on the River Styx.”

That didn’t happen, he told himself. I can’t be in love with an immortal girl. She definitely can’t be in love with me. Not possible.

She grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss, which effectively shut him up.
For all his joking and flirting, Leo had never kissed a girl be

The raft finally got here,” he said.
Calypso snorted. Her eyes might have been red, but it was hard to tell in the moonlight. “You just noticed?”
“But if it only shows up for guys you like—”
“Don’t push your luck, Leo Valdez,” she said. “I still hate you.”
“Okay.”
“And you are not coming back here,” she insisted. “So don’t give me any empty promises.”
“How about a full promise?”

Nah, we could start our own shop,” Leo said, surprising himself. Starting a machine shop had always been one of his dreams, but he’d never told anyone about it. “Leo and Calypso’s Garage: Auto Repair and Mechanical Monsters.”
“Fresh fruits and vegetables,” Calypso offered.
“Cider and stew,” Leo added. “We could even provide entertainment. You could sing and I could, like, randomly burst into flames.”
Calypso laughed—a clear, happy sound that made Leo’s heart go ka-bump

“Well…how bad can it be?”
The question was so ridiculous Percy laughed, even though it hurt his lungs. “Yeah. Next date, though—dinner in New Rome.”

I’d settle for New Rome,” she offered. “As long as you’re there with me.”
Man, Annabeth was awesome. For a moment, Percy actually remembered what it was like to feel happy. He had an amazing girlfriend. They could have a future together.

Yeah,” he agreed. “Piece of cake.”
“But next time,” she said, “I want to go somewhere different on a date.”
“Paris was nice,” he recalled.