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None of them hurried. It was obvious to Nico that Kayla and Austin weren’t in a rush to leave camp. Almost everyone else had already returned to their ‘normal’ lives, except … well, what was normal for someone like Nico?
Epic battles.
Constantly facing the threat of defeat and death.
The dead talking to him.
Prophecies.
The voice from his dreams bubbled up inside him again now, calling out for help.
Rachel Dare’s words haunted him, too. Only he and Will had heard what the Oracle had prophesied a few weeks ago, and Nico hadn’t shared it with anyone else yet, not even the other counsellors. Why should he? It hadn’t warned of any doomsday threats to Camp Half-Blood. The world was – as far as he knew – safe for now from angry gods or rebellious Titans. Resurrected maniacal Roman emperors were no longer a thing to worry about.
The prophecy merely concerned that lone voice in his dreams, begging for help.
SpecificallyNico’shelp.
‘Some of the satyrs collected your things,’ said Chiron as the four demigods joined him at the road. ‘They wish you well on your journey.’
‘We might need it,’ Kayla grumbled. ‘Chiron, just tell us the truth. The Grey Sisters aren’t going to kill us, are they?’
‘What? No!’ He looked aghast. ‘At least, they haven’t killed anyone so far.’
‘You and Nico!’ cried Austin, throwing up his hands. ‘Both of you think that’s an acceptable thing to tell us?’
Chiron’s smile lines crinkled around his eyes. ‘Now, now, you’re demigods. You’ll be fine. Try tipping them a few extra drachmas at the start of the trip, though. I’ve heard that helps make the experience less … intense?’
He fished in the pocket of his archery vest, pulled out a golden coin and threw it into the road. ‘Stop, O Chariot of Damnation!’
No sooner had Chiron finished speaking than the taxi arrived.
It did not putter or cruise up to the group. Itappeared. The coinsank into the road, tendrils of dark smoke curled upward, the tarmac twisted, and the Grey Sisters’ taxi erupted into being. Itlookedlike a taxi all right, but its edges swirled and wafted if you stared at it too long. Nico had heard all about Percy’s, Meg’s and Apollo’s experiences with this particular mode of transportation. They’d repeatedly told him that they even preferred his shadow-travel to the bumpy, vomit-inducing nightmare that was riding in that car. The Grey Sisters had a long history of detesting heroes, and at this point they viewedeveryinhabitant of Camp Half-Blood as a potential hero to be detested.
Nico didn’t want to admit it to the others, but he had met the sisters several times on his own, and he kind of liked them. They were thorny. Difficult. Stuck in their ways. Chaotic, yet weirdly dependable. They wore their darkness on their sleeves. For Styx’s sake, they all shared a singleeye. How could Niconotappreciate them?
The sisters were in the midst of an argument as one of the rear doors swung open.
‘I know exactly what I’m doing, Wasp,’ said the old lady sitting shotgun, her stringy grey hair swaying over her face. ‘When have I evernotknown what I’m doing?’
‘Oh,oh!’ screeched Wasp, who sat up front in the middle. ‘That’s lush. That’s a reallushopinion, Tempest!’
‘Do you even know whatlushmeans?’ Tempest shot back.
The driver groaned dramatically. ‘Are you twochildren? Will you please stop talking?’
Tempest threw her hands up and put on her best imitation of the driver (which confused Nico, since they all sounded identical). ‘Oh, my name is Anger, and I’msooooomature.’
‘I will eat the eye,’ warned Anger. ‘I’ll do it.’
‘Youwouldn’t,’ said Wasp.
‘With salt and pepper and a little paprika!’ Anger threatened. ‘I’ll do it.’
‘Hi,’ said Austin, hoisting his saxophone case. ‘Is there any way you could pop the trunk? We have some luggage.’
All three Grey Sisters spun towards Austin and spoke in unison: ‘NO!’
They fell back into arguing. Nico decided right then and there that these were his favourite people in the whole world.
