𝐈𝐈𝐈. 𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐀 | 𝐏𝐉𝐎 𝐗 𝐇𝐏

𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫, 𝗮 𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿

"Nico, you could come with us," Percy blurted out.

He shook his head. He was wrapped in a black robe that must've belonged to Geryon, because it was three sizes too big even for a grown man.

"I need time to think." His eyes wouldn't meet Percy, but he could tell from his tone he was still angry. The fact that his sister had come out of the Underworld for Percy and not for him didn't seem to sit well with him.

"Nico," Annabeth said. "Bianca just wants you to be okay."

She put her hand on his shoulder, but he pulled away and trudged up the road toward the ranch house.

"I'm worried about him," Annabeth told Percy and Lilith. "If he starts talking to Minos's ghost again—"

"He'll be al right," Eurytion promised. The cowherd had cleaned up nicely. He was wearing new jeans and a clean Western shirt and he'd even trimmed his beard. He'd put on Geryon's boots.

"The boy can stay here and gather his thoughts as long as he wants. He'll be safe, I promise."

"What about you?" Lilith asked.Eurytion scratched Orthus behind one chin, then the other. "Things are going to be run a little different on this ranch from now on. No more sacred cattle meat. I'm thinking about soybean patties. And I'm going to befriend those flesh-eating horses. Might just sign up for the next rodeo."

"Well, good luck."

"Yep." Eurytion spit into the grass. "I reckon you'll be looking for Daedalus's workshop now?"

Annabeth's eyes lit up. "Can you help us?"

Eurytion studied the cattle guard, and they got the feeling the subject of Daedalus's workshop made him uncomfortable. "Don't know where it is. But Hephaestus probably would."

"That's what Hera said," Annabeth agreed. "But how do we find Hephaestus?"

Eurytion pulled something from under the collar of his shirt. It was a necklace—a smooth silver disk on a silver chain. The disk had a depression on the middle, like a thumbprint. He handed it to Annabeth.

"Hephaestus comes here from time to time," Eurytion said. "Studies the animals and such so he can make bronze automaton copies. Last time, I— uh—did him a favor. A little trick he wanted to play on my dad, Ares, and Aphrodite. He gave me that chain in gratitude. Said if I ever needed to find him, the disk would lead me to his forges. But only once."

"And you're giving it to me?" Lilith asked.

Eurytion blushed. "I don't need to see the forges, miss. Got enough to do here. Just press the button and you'll be on your way."

Lilith pressed the button and the disk sprang to life. It grew eight metallic legs. Annabeth shrieked and jumped away, much to Eurytion's confusion.

"Spider!" she screamed.

"She's, um, a little scared of spiders," Grover explained. "That old grudge between Athena and Arachne."

"Oh." Eurytion looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry, miss."

The spider scrambled to the cattle guard and disappeared between the bars.

"Hurry," Percy said. "That thing's not going to wait for us."

Annabeth wasn't anxious to follow, but they didn't have much choice. Lilith hesitated for a moment, looking at Nico.