“Thalia blushed. "Hi, Lord Apollo."

Zeus's girl, yes? Makes you my half sister. Used to be a tree, didn't you? Glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time—”

“Thalia's shoulders relaxed. "I owe you one."
"Two."
"One and a half," Thalia said.
She smiled, and for a second, I remembered that I actually liked her when she wasn't yelling at me.”

“BLUE CROSS: Lord, great are my woes, / greater are your deeds, / do not think of me, / remember the unbaptised! // The Lord heard the bright one's cry, / he gave a sign, changed the girl / to a blue cross-tree …”

“My Cherie Amour, pretty little one that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine.”

“a tree is never just a tree, it is bigger and deeper and wiser than a girl like you will ever be.”

“When I gathered flowers
For my girl
From the top of the plum tree
The lower branches
Drenched me with dew.”

“No one ever told me I was pretty when I was a little girl. All little girls should be told they're pretty, even if they aren't.”

“I'm no expert on girls, but when one tries to pinch you four times, I'm pretty sure that's flirting.”

“Slutkiss girls, won't you promise her smack?
Is she pretty on the inside?
Is she pretty from the back?
Slutkiss girls, won't you water her rack?
Is she pretty on the inside?
Is she pretty from the back?
Slutkiss girl, molasses, rot blackstrap
Is she rotten on the inside
Is she ugly, ugly from the back?”

“I pull you close but when we kiss I can feel a doubt.
I remember back when we started,
My kisses used to turn you inside out.
I used to drive you to work in the morning;
Friday night I'd drive you all around.
You used to love to drive me wild,
But lately girl you get your kicks from just driving me down.”