Thalia pounded her fist on the table. "I serve Artemis. The Hunters will fight

to our last breath. Percy, you're not seriously going to listen to this

slimeball, are you?"

 

I figured Prometheus was going to blast her, but he just smiled. "Your courage

does you credit, Thalia Grace."

 

Thalia stiffened. "That's my mother's surname. I don't use it."

 

"As you wish," Prometheus said casually, but I could tell he'd gotten under her

skin. I'd never even heard Thalia's last name before. Somehow it made her seem

almost normal. Less mysterious and powerful.

 

"At any rate," the Titan said, "you need not be my enemy. I have always been a

helper of mankind."

 

"That's a load of Minotaur dung," Thalia said. "When mankind first sacrificed to

the gods, you tricked them into giving you the best portion. You gave us fire to

annoy the gods, not because you cared about us."

 

Prometheus shook his head. "You don't understand. I helped shape your nature."

 

A wiggling lump of clay appeared in his hands. He fashioned it into a little

doll with legs and arms.