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Nico stared at him, but the god didn’t seem to be joking. ‘Look at you, learning new things.’

‘I may be older than this entire country, but I’ve still got a few tricks up my sleeves.’

‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear anything thathadsleeves.’

Mr D winked. ‘Exactly.’

‘Anyway,’ Will broke in, ‘before I change my mind, are we good here?’ He turned to Chiron. ‘Is this quest official?’

The centaur took a deep breath. ‘Nico di Angelo.’

‘That’s me,’ Nico said.

‘Do you accept this quest that’s been laid before you?’

Nico hesitated. So much for bravado. He wasn’t sure what it would be like to return to his father’s realm or to visit the terrifying, draining reality of Tartarus. Also, between the recurring prophecy, the relentless dreams and the voice of Bob crying out from Tartarus, it didn’t feel like he had much of a choice. This was all inevitable, wasn’t it?

On the other hand, hewassure he couldn’t leave Bob down there any longer. Bob deserved help after everything he’d done and everything he’d had to endure.

‘I accept,’ Nico said.

Mr D clapped. ‘Bravo! Nico, you have yourself a quest. More importantly, you’ve given me the most entertaining night I’ve had in Camp Half-Blood inmonths.’

Chiron looked much less excited. Will squeezed Nico’s hand, but Nico could feel the way his boyfriend’s fingers trembled.

Rachel hugged herself. ‘I hope this works. For your sake, of course. But also because I’m supposed to leave for Paris next week.I’d love to be able to make it there without prophecy smoke billowing out of me on the plane ride over.’

‘It’ll work,’ said Nico. ‘I know it will.’

But a small pit of dread settled at the bottom of Nico’s stomach.

He hoped he hadn’t made the wrong decision.

‘The two ofus?’ Nico turned to Will, who still wore a haunted look on his face. ‘What do you want to know about us?’

‘Anything,’ Gorgyra said. ‘Tell me a story in exchange for a boat. That is all I will ask of you.’

‘There are so many stories we could tell,’ said Nico. ‘How do I narrow it down to just one?’

The nymph smiled. ‘Would you tell me how you two first came into each other’s lives?’

‘And if we do that,’ said Will sluggishly, ‘you’ll help us?’

She nodded. ‘If it is satisfactory to me, yes.’

Nico gazed at Will and shrugged.

Then he took a deep breath and began.

Nico was doing his best not to get annoyed at how much preparation was swirling around him at the current moment.

He had accepted that Will was coming with him on this journey. The prospect still left Nico’s nerves tingling around the edges, but he was also excited to show Will … well, his other home. Even if he didn’t have the closest relationship with Hades, and despite the many difficult moments he’d had in the Underworld, Nico still had a fondness for the place. He wanted to get going.

But Will and Chiron were rummaging around Apollo’s cabin in a state of high anxiety. The two were treating this like Will and Nico were about to go to war with every Titan, all the Roman emperorsanda reconstituted Gaia.

‘Do you think I’ll need warmer clothes, too?’ Will asked Chiron. ‘I mean, it’s cold in the Underworld, isn’t it?’

‘I don’t really know,’ said Chiron.