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‘Detained him … how?’ asked Will.
Menoetes stared into Nico’s eyes. ‘Do you remember your time in Tartarus?’
Nico winced. ‘Unfortunately.’
‘Do you remember the regeneration blisters?’
‘I always thought of them as zits.’
Menoetes snorted. ‘That is appropriate. Being inside one is rather like drowning in a boiling whitehead.’
Will clutched his stomach. ‘Thanks for that.’
‘It is an experience most monsters and demons have had,’ the bull-man continued grimly. ‘At any rate, a few weeks ago, a demon who works with me got trampled to death by the cattle. This in itself was not a big deal. He just regenerated in Tartarus and clawed his way back here. But while he was down there … he saw Nyx standing over a very large regeneration blister, berating the entity inside who was trying to be reborn, telling him he would never break free until he relented. It was Bob.’
The two trogs yelped in horror and hugged each other.
Nico had to clutch Will’s shoulder to keep himself steady. ‘No. That’s too cruel, even for Nyx.’
‘I’m afraid it is true,’ said Menoetes. ‘Nyx is holding Bob in apermanentregeneration cycle until he chooses to become Iapetus again.’
Nico’s fury rose again, but Will – blessed, illuminating Will – squeezed his hand. A radiant calmness passed up Nico’s arm and spread into his chest.
The kind act warmed Nico, both in the literal and the figurative sense, but then he began to worry. ‘Will, you need to conserve your energy.’
‘I just thought you might need the reminder.’
‘Of what?’
‘That I’m here. That I know you’re upset.’
Nico pulled Will close, still vibrating with residual anger. ‘I didn’t mean to raise the dead. I’m just … so, so mad.’
‘You should feel what you need to feel,’ said Will. ‘I don’t want to diminish that. I don’t even know Bob, andI’mfurious, too.’
Nico stared at Will. Wow, where hadthatcome from?
Screech-Bling clicked and hissed in outrage. ‘What is happening to Bob is wrong. No one should be treated like that. And for –SCREEK– what? Having the courage to change?’
Hiss-Majesty nodded. ‘We troglodytes love to adapt. We are always changing! For example, who knew that I would love herding cows?’ They glanced at Will, clearly hoping for approval, and were rewarded with a beaming smile.
‘I doubt there’s ever been a finer cowherd with a finer cheese hat,’ Will said. Then he turned to Menoetes, and his expression hardened again. ‘So where do we find Bob?’
‘Yes, that is the information I wanted to give you,’ said the bull-man. ‘Deep in Tartarus, there is a hut that belonged to a reformed giant.’
Will frowned. ‘You mean … like Geryon?’
Menoetes seemed to consider that. ‘Yes, I suppose so. This giant is well respected here in the Underworld, for he opposed the Maeonian drakon and helped the demigods close the Doors of Death.’
‘Percy mentioned him,’ said Nico. ‘Damasen?’
‘Yes! That is the giant. When you emerge in Tartarus from the troglodytes’ shortcut, follow the trail to the left until you reach the swamp. There you will find Damasen’s hut. And, once you do, Bob should not be far away.’ Menoetes gave Nico a sombre look. ‘I hope Damasen has regenerated. He was killed fighting the drakon, but if he has been reborn, I am sure he would love to help you.’
‘We’ll do our best to find him,’ said Will.
Screech-Bling adjusted his powdered wig. ‘We should leave soon, demigods. The shortcut is not far.’
‘Make sure to refill your nectar before you go,’ added Menoetes. ‘You will find no more of it where you’re going.’
