𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐒──𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯

[ V. hades' trap ]

The stairs went on forever—narrow, steep, and slippery. It was completely dark except for the light of Percy's sword. Zehra tried to go slow, but Mrs. O'Leary had other ideas. She bounded ahead, barking happily. The sound echoed through the tunnel like cannon shots, and Zehra figured they would not be catching anybody by surprise once they reached the bottom.

Nico lagged behind, which Zehra thought was strange.

"You okay?" She asked him.

"Fine." What was that expression on his face . . . doubt? "Just keep moving," he said.

Zehra didn't have much choice. She followed Mrs. O'Leary into the depths. After another hour, she started to hear the roar of a river.

They emerged at the base of a cliff, on a plain of black volcanic sand. To their right, the River Styx gushed from the rocks and roared off in a cascade of rapids. To their left, far away in the gloom, fires burned on the ramparts of Erebos, the great black walls of Hades's kingdom.

Zehra shuddered. She had first been here when she was twelve, and only Annabeth's company had given her the courage to keep going. Considering she could barely even look at Percy right now, she knew he wasn't going to be quite as helpful with the courage thing.

Percy stared at the dark waters as if he was trying to get up the nerve. "So, Nico . . . how do we do this?"

"We have to go inside the gates first," he said.

"But the river's right here."

"I have to get something," he said. "It's the only way."

He marched off without waiting. Zehra looked after him, confused. Nico hadn't mentioned anything about going inside the gates. But now that they were here, she didn't know what else to do. Reluctantly, she and Percy followed him down the beach toward the big black gates.

"You think this is a good idea?" Percy whispered to the dark-haired girl.

Zehra furiously shook her head. "Of course not, but when have you ever listened to anything I have to say?"

Lines of the dead stood outside waiting to get in. It must've been a heavy day for funerals because even the EZ-DEATH line was backed up.

"Woof!" Mrs. O'Leary said. Before anyone could stop her she bounded toward the security checkpoint. Cerberus, the guard dog of Hades, appeared out of the gloom—a three-headed rottweiler so big he made Mrs. O'Leary look like a toy poodle. Cerberus was half-transparent, so he's really hard to see until he's close enough to kill you, but he acted like he didn't care about the heroes.

He was too busy saying hello to Mrs. O'Leary.

Nico smiled. Then he looked at Percy and his expression turned all serious again like he'd remembered something unpleasant. "Come on. They won't give us any trouble in the line. You're with me."

Zehra didn't like it, but they slipped through the security ghouls and into the Fields of Asphodel. They hiked over black fields of grass dotted with black poplar trees. If Zehra died in battle, she might end up here forever, but she tried hard not to think about that.

Nico trudged ahead, bringing them closer and closer to the palace of Hades. "Hey," Percy said, "we're inside the gates already. Where are we—"

A shadow appeared overhead—something dark, cold, and stinking of death. It swooped down and landed on top of a poplar tree. Unfortunately, Zehra recognized her. She had a shriveled face, a horrible blue knit hat, and a crumpled velvet dress. Leathery bat wings sprang from her back. Her feet had sharp talons, and in her brass-clawed hands, she held a flaming whip and a paisley handbag.