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Percy wasn’t sure that he’d be able to sleep with the boat rocking through the clouds as it was shaken by angry wind spirits, but Jason’s idea made sense He went belowdecks and crashed on his bunk

His night but restful

He dreamed he was in a dark cavern He could only see a few feet in front of him, but the space must have been vast Water dripped from somewhere nearby, and the sound echoed off distant walls The way the airwas far, far above

He heard heavy footsteps, and the twin giants Ephialtes and Otis shuffled out of the gloouish thereen locks braided with silver and gold coins; Otis had the purple ponytail braided ere those firecrackers?

Otherwise they were dressed identically, and their outfits definitely belonged in a nightold buccaneer shirts with V-necks that shoay too ers lined their rhinestone belts Their shoes were open-toed sandals, proving that--yes, indeed--they had snakes for feet The straps wrapped around the serpents’ necks Their heads curled up where the toes should be The snakes flicked their tongues excitedly and turned their gold eyes in every direction, like dogs looking out theof a car Maybe it had been a long tiiants stood in front of Percy, but they paid hiazed up into the darkness

"We’re here," Ephialtes announced Despite his boo until they sounded s answered, "Yes I can see that Those outfits are hard to miss"

The voice uely fearbled hiss in multiple tones, as if a swarlish in unison

It wasn’t Gaea Percy was sure of that But whatever it was, the twin giants became nervous They shifted on their snakes and bobbed their heads respectfully

"Of course, Your Ladyship," Ephialtes said "We bring news of--"

"Why are you dressed like that?" asked the thing in the dark She didn’t see any closer, which was fine with Percy

Ephialtes shot his brother an irritated look "My brother was supposed to wear so different Unfortunately--"

"You said I was the knife thrower today," Otis protested

"I said I was the knife thrower! You were supposed to be the iveWe ca you news The ship is approaching"

Her Ladyship, whatever she was,slashed repeatedly With a shudder, Percy realized she was laughing

"How long?" she asked

"They should land in Rome shortly after daybreak, I think," Ephialtes said "Of course, they’ll have to get past the golden boy"

He sneered, as if the golden boy was not his favorite person

"I hope they arrive safely," Her Ladyship said "It would spoil our fun to have them captured too soon Are your preparations made?"

"Yes, Your Ladyship" Otis stepped forward, and the cavern trembled A crack appeared under Otis’s left snake

"Careful, you dolt!" Her Ladyship snarled "Do you want to return to Tartarus the hard way?"

Otis scrambled back, his face slack with terror Percy realized that the floor, which looked like solid stone, was lacier he’d walked on in Alaska--in solad he weighed nothing in his dreaether," Her Ladyship cautioned "Except, of course, e can only be contained so well, and the great Earth Mother churns below us in her sleep Between those two forces, well…my nest has quite eroded We must hope this child of Athena proves to be a worthy victiulped He kept his eyes on the crack in the floor "Soon it will not matter, Your Ladyship Gaea will rise, and we all will be rewarded You will no longer have to guard this place, or keep your works hidden"

"Perhaps," said the voice in the dark "But I will ether over the centuries, have we not?"

The twins bowed The coins glittered in Ephialtes’s hair, and Percy realized with nauseating certainty that some of theotten froeneration, a few children of Athena were sent on the quest to recover theParthenon statue None had ever succeeded

We have worked well together over the centuries…

The giant Ephialtes had centuries’ worth of coins in his braids--hundreds of trophies Percy pictured Annabeth standing in this dark place alone He i it to his collection Percy wanted to draw his sword and give the giant a haircut starting at the neck, but he was powerless to act He could only watch