8
" Can't stay long, Mother," he said. " I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves-" " Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. " You should have said something, we had no idea." " Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. " Once-" " Or twice-" " A minute-" " All summer-" " Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect. "
13
" The Council agrees," Zeus said. " Percy Jackson, you will have one gift from the gods." I hesitated. " Any gift?" Zeus nodded grimly. " I know what you will ask. The greatest gift of all. Yes, if you want it, it shall be yours. The gods have not bestowed this gift on a mortal hero in many centuries, but, Perseus Jackson-if you wish it-you shall be made a god. Immortal. Undying. You shall serve as your father's lieutenant for all time." I stared at him, stunned. " Um...a god?" Zeus rolled his eyes. " A dimwitted god, apparently. But yes. With the consensus of the entire Council, I can make you immortal. Then I will have to put up with you forever." " Hmm," Ares mused. " That means I can smash him to a pulp as often as I want, and he'll just keep coming back for more. I like this idea. "