'He was dimly aware of Annabeth shouting, throwing random pieces of drakon jerky at the goddess. The white-green poison kept pooling, little streams trickling from the plants as the venomous lake around him got wider and wider.'

'He glared at the poison flood encroaching from all sides. He concentrated so hard that something inside him cracked – as if a crystal ball had shattered in his stomach.'

'"Percy, please …" Annabeth’s face was still pale and corpse-like, but her eyes were the same as always. The anguish in them made Percy’s anger fade. He turned to the goddess. He willed the poison to recede, creating a small path of retreat along the edge of the cliff. "Leave!" he bellowed.'

'Annabeth stumbled towards him. She looked like a corpse wreathed in smoke, but she felt solid enough when she gripped his arms. "Percy, please don’t ever …" Her voice broke in a sob. "Some things aren’t meant to be controlled. Please." His whole body tingled with power, but the anger was subsiding. The broken glass inside him was beginning to smooth at the edges.'