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Still, he sympathized with Kayla and Austin. As Chiron worked to open the trunk, both demigods looked more frightened than they ever had in the last year.

‘You sure you don’t want me to shadow-travel you to Manhattan?’ Nico offered.

Will sighed. ‘Nico, you can’t use shadow-travel like public transportation. It’ll drain you dry.’

‘It’s okay, Nico,’ Kayla said, sounding like she was trying hard to believe it. ‘We’ll be fine.’

‘Plus, we’re going to different places,’ said Austin. ‘My mom’s meeting me uptown. I actually got into an academy up in Harlem, and she found an apartment for us close by!’

‘Sounds like a good place to end up,’ said Will. ‘Not too far from here.’

‘And there’s so much history in Harlem to explore,’ added Austin. ‘Apparently, one of the clubs where Miles Davis used to play has reopened!’

Nico nodded halfheartedly. He had no idea who that was. It was one of the downsides of not being in the ‘human’ world for very long.

‘What about you, Kayla?’ asked Chiron, loading her archery gear into the trunk.

‘Back to Toronto,’ she said. ‘Dad wanted me to come home, and it’s actually been a while. I’m pretty excited, to be honest.’ Her eyes glinted. ‘Especially to prove that I’m now better than him at archery!’

Austin turned to Nico and Will. ‘So … you two are really staying here?’

Nico hoped Will would answer first. The sun falling behind the western hills made Will’s curly blond hair look like it was aflame. For a moment, Nico wondered if Will was using his glow-in-the-dark power.

Either way, it made Nico a little annoyed. Why did Will have to be so beautiful all the time?

‘I think we are,’ said Will, taking Nico’s hand. ‘Mom’s touring for her new album this autumn, and I don’t know if I want to bounce around the country in the back of a van.’

‘Could be fun,’ said Austin. ‘I hope I get to travel because of my music one day.’

Kayla nodded. ‘I wonder what it would be like to see other places without worrying whether some murderous statue is going to kill you.’

‘Oh, come on,’ said Nico. ‘Where’s the fun in that?’

‘Are you going to get in the car?’ Tempest growled. ‘Or are you paying us to listen to your boring conversation?’

She was hanging out of the window with an open palm extended towards them. Austin paid her with three drachmas, tipping her heavily as Chiron had suggested. Tempest examined the coins for a moment – Nico didn’t know how, as she had no eyes behind that thick grey curtain of hair – then grunted. She pulled herself back into the car.

‘Get in,’ she said.

There were quick hugs and cheek kisses, and then Austin andKayla climbed into the back seat of the Grey Sisters’ taxi. All the while, the sisters continued to argue.

Kayla looked around the cab. ‘We’ve been on worse adventures,’ she said to those outside the car.

‘Havewe?’ asked Austin.

‘Anyway, hope to see you soon,’ said Kayla. ‘And don’t get into any trouble, you two.’

Austin leaned across Kayla to poke his head out of the window, a mischievous excitement on his face. ‘But if thereistrouble …’

Will waved at them. ‘You’ll know. Promise.’

‘Be safe yourselves!’ Chiron called out.

‘Drive, Anger! Drive!’ screamed Wasp. ‘Isn’t that what youdo? Honestly, why do you even sit in that seat if you don’t –’

Her words were lost as the taxi jerked forward and disappeared in a blur of grey.

Yep. Nico loved the sisters.