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Percy stue of the hill

It was the smiley one—Beano

Okay, her naure, he was dyslexic, because words got twisted around when he tried to read The first tireeter with a big green button that read: Welcoht it said BEANO

She was still wearing her green Bargain Mart employee vest over a flower-print dress If you looked just at her body, you randmother—until you looked down and realized she had rooster feet Or you looked up and saw bronze boar tusks sticking out of the corners of hernest of bright green snakes

Thesilver platter of free samples: Crispy Cheese ’n’ Wieners Her platter was dented from all the times Percyhad killed her, but those little sa them across California so she could offer Percy a snack before she killed hi that, but if he ever needed a suit of ar to make it out of Crispy Cheese ’n’ Wieners They were indestructible

“Try one?” Stheno offered

Percy fended her off with his sword “Where’s your sister?”

“Oh, put the sword away,” Stheno chided “You know by now that even Celestial bronze can’t kill us for long Have a Cheese ’n’ Wiener! They’re on sale this week, and I’d hate to kill you on an empty stomach ”

“Stheno!” The second gorgon appeared on Percy’s right so fast, he didn’t have ti at her sister to pay him much attention “I told you to sneak up on him and kill him!”

Stheno’s smile wavered “But, Euryale…” She said the naive him a sample first?”

“No, you is

Except for her hair, which was a nest of coral snakes instead of green vipers, she looked exactly li

ke her sister Her Bargain Mart vest, her flowery dress, even her tusks were decorated with 50 off stickers Her nae read: Hello! My name is DIE, DEMIGOD SCUM!

“You’ve led us on quite a chase, Percy Jackson,” Euryale said “But now you’re trapped, and we’ll have our revenge!”

“The Cheese ’n’ Wieners are only 2 99,” Stheno added helpfully “Grocery departain Mart was a front!

You’re going native! Now, put down that ridiculous tray and help otten that he’s the one who vaporized Medusa?”

Percy stepped back Six h thin air “Look, ladies, we’ve been over this I don’t even re! Can’t we just call a truce and talk about your weekly specials?”

Stheno gave her sister a pouty look, which was hard to do with giant bronze tusks “Can we?”

“No!” Euryale’s red eyes bored into Percy “I don’t care what you reod I can smell Medusa’s blood on you It’s faint, yes, several years old, but you were the last one to defeat her She still has not returned from Tartarus It’s your fault!”

Percy didn’t really get that The whole “dying then returning froave him a headache Of course, so did the idea that a ballpoint pen could turn into a sword, or thatcalled the Mist, or that Percy was the son of a barnacle-encrusted god froh his od the same way he knew his name was Percy Jackson From his very first conversation with Lupa the wolf, he’d accepted that this crazy ods and monsters was his reality Which pretty much sucked

“How about we call it a draw?” he said “I can’t kill you You can’t kill me If you’re Medusa’s sisters—like the Medusa who turned people to stone—shouldn’t I be petrified by now?”

“Heroes!” Euryale said with disgust “They always bring that up, just like our mother! ‘Why can’t you turn people to stone? Your sister can turn people to stone ’ Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, boy! That was Medusa’s curse alone She was the ot all the luck!”

Stheno looked hurt “Mother said I was the most hideous ”

“Quiet!” Euryale snapped “As for you, Percy Jackson, it’s true you bear the her to kill But don’t worry We’ll find a way ”

“The mark of what?”

“Achilles,” Stheno said cheerfully “Oh, he was gorgeous! Dipped in the River Styx as a child, you know, so he was invulnerable except for a tiny spot on his ankle That’s what happened to you, dear Someone must’ve dumped you in the Styx and made your skin like iron But not to worry Heroes like you always have a weak spot We just have to find it, and then we can kill you Won’t that be lovely? Have a Cheese ’n’ Wiener!”

Percy tried to think He didn’t reain, he didn’t re His skin didn’t feel like iron, but it would explain how he’d held out so long against the gorgons