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Chiron/Epiales scratched their chin, apparently unfazed by the Stygian iron blade in their face. ‘Wait, can we go back to you claiming I’ve been sending you dreamsfor months? I certainly wish I had been. That would have been so fun! But, no, Mother only required that I intercept you and Will Solace once you passed through the Door of Orpheus. Also … who is Bob?’

Nico’s sword hand wavered. Around him, the images of his fellow demigods flickered like faulty lightbulbs.

‘You know exactly who I’m talking about,’ he said, though he couldn’t muster much conviction. ‘Who is Mother?’

Epiales smiled through Chiron’s face. ‘Oh, some questions you don’t want answered, Nico di Angelo …’

Then the floor split, and Nico fell into the void.

Will’s eyes fluttered open.

It was dark, which didn’t tell him much; all the Underworld was dark. But, as his vision adjusted to the shadows, he realized he was lying on a thin stretch of brickwork at the edge of a sewer trench.

‘Jump the cow?’ said a voice to his right. ‘Thatwas your plan?’

Will turned his head, and there she was: Meg McCaffrey, her dark hair unkempt and her face sweaty. Her rhinestone-studded cat-eye glasses sparkled in the gloom.

‘Meg?’ he said. ‘How did you get here?’

She scowled at him. ‘Same way asyou, Sun Boy. Your boyfriend helped us.’

Will’s heart dropped when he looked where Meg was pointing. Nico was curled up asleep in the tight space they were sharing. Will crawled over to him.

‘Nico!’ He cupped his hands around his boyfriend’s face. ‘Nico, are you okay?’

‘He’ll be fine, assuming you can heal him.’

Will looked up at a bedraggled teen boy with acne and ill-fitting clothes.

Lester Papadopoulos. Aka the Ex-God Formerly Known as Apollo.

AKADad.

But how was he back? Apollo had been returned to godhood at the end of the summer, and Will had expected that it would be years before he saw his father again, if ever.

Will’s head was full of a terrible fog, something thick and soupy that made it difficult to sort between the present and his memories. He had lived through this moment before, hadn’t he? So why was he living it again?

He vaguely remembered being in another place … a dark smoky figure towering over him –

‘Help him.’ A third voice broke through Will’s thoughts. Rachel Elizabeth Dare was staring at him expectantly. ‘I thought you were a healer.’

‘AndIthought you were one of my children,’ said Lester, crossing his arms. ‘My children are supposed to be thebestdoctors.’

‘What useareyou,’ Meg asked, her voice sharper than before, ‘if you can’t even fix your own boyfriend?’

No, Will thought. This isn’t right. There was a prophecy … His mind grasped for it. Was he … Was he supposed to leave something behind? But his companions were all staring at him, waiting for him to do his job.

Will dug in his pockets furiously. Where was his supply of Kit Kats?

He pulled his pockets inside out.

They were empty.

When he looked down at Nico again, he seemed even paler than usual.

‘Nico, wake up,’ Will pleaded. ‘Youhaveto be okay.’

‘Does he?’ jeered Rachel, her red hair falling over her face. ‘Come on, Will Solace. Heal him.’