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Small Bob meowed, then darted down the hill towards the boat.

‘What’s he doing?’ asked Will.

‘I don’t know. I don’t speak cat.’

‘Ha-ha. You know that isn’t what I meant.’

Small Bob stopped just past a couple of craters left behind by exploded regeneration pods. He let loose a long meow, then trotted away again.

‘I can’t believe I’m going to say this,’ said Will, ‘but does he want us to follow him?’

‘I’ve seen stranger things in Tartarus,’ said Nico. ‘Let’s go.’

Nico took Will’s hand and led the way as they chased Small Bob. Every so often the calico would pause and look back at the two of them, which pretty much confirmed Will’s theory. At the same time, Nico resisted the urge to celebrate. It was possible that Small Bob knew where his companion was, but it was just as possible that the cat was leading them somewhere else. However, it wasn’t like Nico and Will had a ton of information to go on.

Moments later, they arrived at Gorgyra’s boat. Small Bob stood on his rear legs to try to look inside it, meowed, then sat and whipped his tail back and forth.

‘Okay, we made it to the boat,’ said Will, who was slightly out of breath. ‘Now what?’

‘Well, what did Menoetes say about Damasen’s hut?’ said Nico. ‘He told us to follow the troglodytes’ shortcut to the swamp.’

Will raised an eyebrow. ‘Maybe he meant thatliterally.’

‘Huh?’

‘Like, the troglodytes’ shortcut was the Acheron, right? So, what if we’re supposed to literally follow it to the swamp?’

‘Oh!’ Nico widened his eyes. ‘Because it might take us to the exact swamp he was talking about.’

Will nodded enthusiastically. ‘I think that’s our best option right now.’

‘Meow!’

Small Bob pawed at the air.

‘I think Small Bob just voted yes,’ said Will.

‘Let’s do this, then,’ said Nico, and he lifted the cat into the white canoe. ‘We’ll need to push it into the water together. You up for that?’

Will nodded, but he still looked a little sick.

‘Keeping an eye on you,’ said Nico.

Will swung his knapsack around and took a swig of nectar, which was the last bit left in the first of two bottles. He screwed the lid back on and put it away. Within a few seconds, the colour returned to his face, and he took a deep breath.

‘I really don’t want to go back in that river,’ he said, ‘but it’s now or never.’

Nico smiled. ‘I’ll be right there with you.’

That seemed to be enough for Will. He closed the distance between them and planted a kiss on Nico’s lips.

‘Together,’ he said.

‘Together,’ Nico whispered.

With Will’s help, Nico dragged the boat over to the bank of the Acheron, and the agonized, pain-stricken voices called out to him once more, like he’d tuned in to the universe’s worst talk radio show. He ignored them as they both shoved the canoe into the water. Nico gripped the stern as hard as he could, and Will took a deep breath before hopping in.

His boyfriend gasped. Grimaced. Shook his head.