the_blood_of_olympus_-_rick_riordan

xxvi
Jason
JASON SAW TWO OPTIONS: FIGHT OR TALK.
Usually, when faced with a creepy twenty-foot-tall lady with jellyfish hair, he would’ve gone with
fight.
But since she called Percy brother – that made him hesitate.
‘Percy, do you know this … individual?’
Percy shook his head. ‘Doesn’t look like my mom, so I’m gonna guess we’re related on the godly
side. You a daughter of Poseidon, Miss … uh … ?’
The pale lady raked her fingernails against the metal disc, making a screeching sound like a
tortured whale. ‘No one knows me,’ she sighed. ‘Why would I assume my own brother would
recognize me? I am Kymopoleia!’
Percy and Jason exchanged looks.
‘So …’ Percy said. ‘We’re going to call you Kym. And you’d be a, hmm, Nereid, then? Minor
goddess?’
‘Minor?’
‘By which,’ Jason said quickly, ‘he means under the drinking age! Because obviously you’re so
young and beautiful.’
Percy flashed him a look: Nice save.
The goddess turned her full attention to Jason. She pointed her index finger and traced his outline in
the water. Jason could feel his captured air spirit rippling around him, as if it were being tickled.
‘Jason Grace,’ said the goddess. ‘Son of Jupiter.’
‘Yeah. I’m a friend of Percy’s.’
Kym’s narrowed. ‘So it’s true … these times make for strange friends and unexpected enemies.
The Romans never worshipped me. To them, I was a nameless fear – a sign of Neptune’s greatest
wrath. They never worshipped Kymopoleia, the goddess of violent sea storms!’
She spun her disc. Another beam of green light flashed upward, churning the water and making the
ruins rumble.
‘Uh, yeah,’ Percy said. ‘The Romans aren’t big on navies. They had, like, one rowboat. Which I
sank. Speaking of violent storms, you’re doing a first-rate job upstairs.’
‘Thank you,’ said Kym.
‘Thing is, our ship is caught in it, and it’s kind of being ripped apart. I’m sure you didn’t mean to –’
‘Oh, yes, I did.’
‘You did.’ Percy grimaced. ‘Well … that sucks. I don’t suppose you’d cut it out, then, if we asked