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Will laughed softly. ‘I remember that, too. I think I scolded you pretty hard.’

‘You did,’ confirmed Nico. ‘But it was thewayyou did it. You made it clear that you wanted me around. You said you wanted me to come to the infirmary and help, because … because you could use a “friendly face”.’

‘It was true. And you did help.’

‘You brought me closer instead of rejecting me,’ Nico said, his voice cracking. ‘I’d never been called a friendly face. Ever. You made me rethink everything – my place in camp, my crush on Percy, my future. It took you scolding me like you were the camp director to make me realize that I was … wanted.’

Gorgyra sniffled, then wiped her eyes. ‘You’ll have to excuse me,’ she said. ‘It is hard not to react to something like that.’

Will swayed, and Nico steadied him.

‘You okay?’ asked Nico.

‘This place,’ he said. ‘I’m so tired.’

‘I know,’ Nico said, watching apprehensively as the blood seeped across the gauze bindings on Will’s leg. He turned to Gorgyra. ‘We need to go if we’re going to reach Tartarus.’

‘Wait,’ said Will. ‘I remember something else. I know we need to go, but … you remember what Percy and Annabeth said, about how important it is to remind each other of the world above?’

Nico frowned. ‘But we’re not even in Tartarus yet.’

‘It feels like we are,’ said Will. ‘And I know you’re worried. But just … give me this. Itdoesmake me feel better.’

Nico gazed at Gorgyra and the whispers in his mind returned: voices telling him what he already knew about himself, all his worst fears and failures.

‘All right,’ he said to Will. ‘If it helps.’

That brought a bit of colour back into Will’s face. ‘I remember when I realized … when Iknewthat this was more than a friendship.’

That made Nico smile despite himself. ‘I remember my moment, too.’

Will’s eyes filled with tears. ‘I think mine is different than yours.’

‘But Iknowmine happened first,’ Nico said.

‘Tell me,’ Gorgyra said, moving closer to Nico and Will. ‘Tell me one more story.’

And Nico felt another string start to unravel.

Nico rushed to Will and pulled him to his feet. ‘Are you okay? What happened?’

Will dusted himself off. ‘I suddenly feltsleepy… like I hadn’t slept in a million years.’ Then he looked around. ‘Uh, Nico … why are we back in Central Park?’

‘I don’t know,’ he admitted. ‘It shouldn’t be possible.’

And yet he could hear leaves rustling in the wind and the distant sound of traffic.

‘But … we went down all those steps!’ said Will. ‘Like,twice.’

‘Maybe you were right,’ Nico said. ‘Maybe my fatherispreventing us from going into the Underworld somehow.’

He walked up to the massive rocks that made up the Door of Orpheus. He placed his hand on them. They felt very real: rough, solid and cool to the touch. ‘Can you try to open this again?’

Will shook himself like a wet dog. ‘Just trying to wake up.’

He approached the door and began humming the same melody as before. Slowly, the schist rumbled and split apart, revealing the dank, dark steps again. Will plugged his nose. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that smell.’

Nico held his purple-glowing sword in front of him as he led the way down the steps. As before, the door closed behind them, filling the space with terrible silence.