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K ai could barely pull enough air into his lungs as he climbed higher and higher toward the mouth of the volcano.

The sulfurous smell of rotten eggs filled the air, and he struggled to pull in each breath.

His legs burned with each stride, but he didn’t slow down and he didn’t stop for a moment’s rest.

Could he really do this? Could he climb in from the top down? What if there weren’t any paths to her from here? He knew that he’d do anything for Hollyn, but right now, he felt like he was following the stupidest plan he could have come up with. However, he had to get to Hollyn somehow.

Another tremor rocked the volcano, and Kai, not for the first time, grew concerned that the thing was actually about to blow. He steadied himself once more and waited for the shaking to stop. Thankfully it did, but there was a lingering noise.

A distant hum began to sound. The closer it got, the choppier it became until he recognized the rotary rhythm of helicopter blades. He looked up and saw the gray body of the aircraft in the distance. What if Grigori had noticed him and sent a battalion to keep him occupied and away from Hollyn?

Yet, as the chopper got near enough that he could feel the wind of the downdraft, he saw some familiar faces.

Alek and Natalia, Willow’s parents, were being lowered on a ladder.

Behind them, Coral, Hollyn’s mother’s sister began to climb down as well.

The helicopter hovered until all three were on the ground and then flew it away.

As the noise lessened, Kai called out, “What are you doing here?”

Alek said, “Once she found you and Willow, Bertie gave us the coordinates.”

Kai asked, “Is Willow safe?”

Natalia reached out a hand to grab Kai’s. “Thanks to you!”

Relief filled Kai, and he looked toward Coral, whose face showed her concern in every ticking muscle. “My plan is shit! I thought I could go in through the top, but I think this volcano is about to blow its top.”

Alek nodded and smiled. “Don’t worry! I know this volcano. My brother has used it for his lair for a number of years. There’s a second entrance just on the other side.”

Kai wiped his brow. “Lead the way!”

Coral fell in step behind Kai, with Alek and Natalia bringing up the rear.

Her voice was appealing and soft as she said, “By the way, you have ground forces, too.”

“Grigori’s guards? Yeah, Willow warned me about them.”

“No. They’re here to help you. I was surprised to see Poseidon, Triton, and Polyphemus on the beach, but they’re kicking ass down there with a few other faces I didn’t recognize.”

Kai couldn’t hide his surprise. “They’re actually here?”

She nodded. “I thought it was unusual, but I suspected you were a Son of Poseidon the moment I met you.”

“It’s a complicated situation.”

“Family relationships always are.”

They walked on for another ten minutes before Alek shouted for everyone to stop.

He approached an odd formation of rocks on the side of the volcano and tapped on the stone a few times until he seemed to find what he was looking for.

He pulled a small, flat tool from out of his back pocket and began to wedge it into a seam in the rocks.

Once it was fully embedded, he began to push it toward the right with all his strength.

“I could use some help here.” Kai came up beside him, and together, they shoved the tool into the rock face as a chunk of rock shaped like a door popped out from the cliffside.

Once a space was formed, the two men pushed their fingers into the opening and yanked the door until there was enough of an opening for all four of them to fit through.

By the time they had made it to the hidden entrance, the sun had already started going down, and once they were inside, the loss of any light was immediate. Everything was bathed in darkness. Fortunately, Kai could see everything clearly.

“There’s a long passage to our left. It looks like our only option.”

Alek clapped Kai on the back and said, “Since you’re the only one with vision in the dark, lead the way. Ask questions if you need my guidance.”

Yet, the passage seemed to have a clear path. They continued down several sets of stairs and a few more hallways, traveling at a slow pace to accommodate everyone except Kai. He was growing impatient at the snail’s pace.

“Can we move any quicker?”

Natalia said, “We’re moving blindly here. Cut us some slack.”

Yet, Kai knew they were getting closer because the smell of sulfur and the blistering heat were both growing stronger. He was so close to finding Hollyn, and the pace was killing him.

He just hoped she was okay. She was such a badass, but he knew, sometimes, Grigori had a way of making her doubt herself. When this was all over, he was going to tell her every day how strong and smart and beautiful she was. He’d never let her forget it.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and Coral’s soft voice said, “Listen!”

They all stopped, and Kai heard muffled voices nearby. One sounded so familiar. Hollyn!

He bounded down the remaining stairs and slipped quietly into a thickly hot, giant cave of a room with lava pools dotting the floor. Grigori and Hollyn were trading volleying shots back and forth at each other, both hiding behind rocky outcroppings scattered between the lava.

Alek, Natalia, and Coral finally caught up to him and took in the sight of the ongoing battle.

Coral whisper-shouted, “We have to help her!”

Kai said, “I’m open to ideas.”

In that moment, Alek stepped away from the others and slid around the room, along the outer wall, avoiding pools of lava as he went. Natalia gave a nervous squeak, but Alek waved her off.

Once he was well away from the others, he stepped along a small rocky bridge between two lava pools. He paused and raised his arms.

“Grigori! This has to end!”