Theartimeandemigod

“This young woman,” said Diana, “was responsible for the destruction of the Triumvirate’s fleet.”
“Well, I had a lot of help,” Lavinia said.
“I don’t understand,” I said, turning to Lavinia. “You made all those mortars malfunction?”
Lavinia looked offended. “Well, yeah. Somebody had to stop the fleet. I did pay attention during siege-weapon class and ship-boarding class. It wasn’t that hard. All it took was a little fancy footwork.”
Hazel finally managed to pick her jaw off the pavement. “Wasn’t that hard?”
“We were motivated! The fauns and dryads did great.” She paused, her expression momentarily clouding, as if she remembered something unpleasant. “Um…besides, the Nereids helped a lot. There was only a skeleton crew aboard each yacht. Not, like, actual skeletons, but—you know what I mean. Also, look!”
She pointed proudly at her feet, which were now adorned with the shoes of Terpsichore from Caligula’s private collection.
“You mounted an amphibious assault on an enemy fleet,” I said, “for a pair of shoes.”
Lavinia huffed. “Not just for the shoes, obviously.” She tap-danced a routine that would’ve made Savion Glover proud. “Also to save the camp, and the nature spirits, and Michael Kahale’s commandos.”
Hazel held up her hands to stop the overflow of information. “Wait. Not to be a killjoy—I mean, you did an amazing thing!—but you still deserted your post, Lavinia. I certainly didn’t give you permission —”
“I was acting on praetor’s orders,” Lavinia said haughtily. “In fact, Reyna helped. She was knocked out for a while, healing, but she woke up in time to instill us with the power of Bellona, right before we boarded those ships. Made us all strong and stealthy and stuff.”
Hazel asked, “Is it true about Lavinia acting on your orders?”
Reyna glanced at our pink-haired friend. The praetor’s pained expression said something like, I respect you a lot, but I also hate you for being right.
“Yes,” Reyna managed to say. “Plan L was my idea. Lavinia and her friends acted on my orders. They performed heroically.”
Lavinia beamed. “See? I told you.”
The assembled crowd murmured in amazement, as if, after a day full of wonders, they had finally witnessed something that could not be explained.”
― Rick Riordan, The Tyrant’s Tomb

“I told them all in brief what had happened, with Meg occasionally adding helpful comments like, "He was stupid," and, "He was more stupid," and "He did good; then he got stupid again.”
― Rick Riordan, The Tyrant’s Tomb

“Sky hummed a few bars, remembering the lilting, mournful notes. She hesitated, then haltingly began to sing:
This song is from the crushed part of my heart.

Sky`s voice, permantly scarred by the thornament she`d been forced to wear on warbler island as a child, was husky and pleasant, though it faltered with emotion now. She continued, half in a whisper as she trudged to the beat.

The part that thrums reminders that you`re gone.
I don't regret a moment of our days.
But i won`t fall. I`ll be okay, you know.
I`ve always been that way.

As much as I wish you back with me,
I`m still the same. My dreams remain.
I don`t need a soul to know my name.
And I`ll get on just fine- I always do.
Alone and away.
Alone and away.”
― Lisa McMann, Dragon Ghosts

“In the shadows, Sean and Carina were swaying together and kissing, to Seth's obvious dismay, and Samheed and Lani were kissing too. Henry rested his head on Thatcher's chest as Thatcher held him close, and Crow and Scarlet slipped away and started walking along the shore holding hands.”
― Lisa McMann, Dragon Curse