...when I was in Tartarus with Annabeth. [A pause.] I told you about the Arai, right? I don't know if I ever explained what they are. Curse demons, pretty much. You kill one, they inflict a curse someone put upon you. I've...killed a lot of monsters, Natalie. I just never thought about the fact that they probably felt something, too, not until I was bleeding everywhere and dying from gorgon poisoning. I still fought them all to get them away from Annabeth. I'm going to fight here, too, to make sure all of us get out of here alive. But I don't have to do it the way I did back there. Maybe I'll tell everyone else. Maybe I won't. It might...not be a bad idea? Especially since Hal confirmed I'll never be a Bandit this way. I'm going to ask why.

[He knows she's right, but he lowers his gaze again.] I know it's not. And I'll figure something out, I'm just...tired. That night off was kind of nice. [It's a joke. It's a shitty, shitty joke about how he took time for himself right after Annabeth's trial.]

Sorry, anyway. [Brushing that aside.] So now you know, and now you know why I'm going to talk to Hal and see what other information I can get from him before Thursday. Do you think we should tell the others about Dr. Lecter yet or wait to see what else we can find out?