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‘Save it,’ said Will. ‘In case something happens.’

Nico didn’t have the heart to tell Will that somethingwashappening, right now.

They walked. The mist dissipated as if Tartarus himself had sighed and blown it away. They were in a clearing in a field, and bumps rose over Nico’s flesh.

He knew this place.

Where had he seen it before?

Nico froze as they approached the centre of the clearing. The name came to him immediately.

‘Akhlys,’ he whispered.

‘Gesundheit,’ Will said drowsily.

‘No, it’s a name. Akhlys, the protogenos I saw a while ago,’ he said. ‘We’ve talked about her before, remember? She appeared to me in a dream …?’

‘You mean like Nyx?’

‘Exactly like her. Nyx is her mother.’

Will groaned. ‘How many children does Nyx have?’

‘Quite a few,’ said Nico, trying not to lose patience with Will’s memory lapse. ‘But this one … she doesn’t seem to be here.’

‘Is that good?’

‘She’s the protogenos of misery and poison.’

‘Sounds like a yes,’ said Will. ‘Well, let’s not hang around and wait for her to show up.’

Nico looked behind them. He sensed it again – someone was watching them. Still, it was hard for him to locate a source. They were travelling over the body of a protogenos, so they werealwaysbeing watched. What was this, then? Why couldn’t he escape it?

Small Bob led them out of the clearing, and the decaying field gave way to a large, dusty flatland. Will started coughing, and afew times, they had to stop while he spat up dirt. But they trudged along, and Nico’s whole body seemed to be throbbing in pain. Soon, he’d slowed down to Will’s pace, which made Small Bob impatient. He kept darting ahead, meowing, then rushing back to the two of them.

‘We’re trying!’ said Nico after the third time the calico cat yowled at his feet. ‘I can’t really see anything, so we have to move slowly.’

‘Are you arguing with a cat?’ joked Will.

‘Maybe,’ snapped Nico. ‘What’s it to you?’

‘Nico …’ Will said his name softly, a gentle admonishment.

‘Sorry. It’s getting to me. This place, I mean.’

‘I know,’ said Will. ‘It’s like … like Tartarus is reaching inside my brain. I can feel something rooting around there, pulling my memories out.’

‘We can’t have much further to go. We have to be close.’

‘Do youknowthat?’

Nico didn’t answer. Of course he didn’t know. But Menoetes had said that Bob was being held near Damasen’s hut.

Will stumbled, grabbing Nico’s arm to keep himself upright. Nico swayed for a few seconds, then used his free hand to wrench Will up.

‘How much further?’ Will asked.

‘Let me ask the cat,’ slurred Nico. ‘Hey, cat! Where is Bob? Are we there yet?’