𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲.

Well that took a dark turn

They emerged in Central Park, just north of the pond. Mrs. O'Leary limped tiredly to a cluster of rocks and began sniffing.

"She's not going to pee is she?" Percy said in disgust.

"No, it's okay." Nico said. "She just smells the way home."

"That's a pile of rocks." Lilia frowned.

The underworld has two major entrances." Nico said.

"The one in LA, Charon's Ferry." Percy said.

Nico nodded. "Most souls go that way, but there's a smaller path, harder to find. The door of Orpheus."

"The dude with the harp." Percy said.

"Dude with the Lyre." Lilia corrected.

"Yeah, that's him. He used his music to charm the earth and open a new path into the Underworld. He sang his way right into Hades's palace and almost got away with his wife's soul."

"So this is the Door of Orpheus." Lilia titled her head trying to look impressed at the big rock pile. "How does it open?"

"We need music," Nico said. "How's your singing?"

"Um, no. Can't you just, like, tell it to open? You're the son of Hades and all."

"It's not so easy. We need music."

"Lilia you can play piano." Percy said.

"Does it look like I carry a piano round with me?" She said with a raised eyebrow.

"Right..I have a better idea." He turned and called, "GROVER!"

They waited for a long time. Mrs. O'Leary curled up and took a nap. They could hear the crickets in the woods and an owl hooting. Traffic hummed along Central Park West. Horse hooves clopped down a nearby path, maybe a mounted police patrol. She was sure they'd love to find three kids hanging out in the park at one in the morning.

"It's no good," Nico said at last.

Percy didn't reply, he closed his eyes really tight and concentrated.

Lilia frowned at him. "You look constipated."

"Shut up." He hissed still trying to concentrate.

She huffed, twisting her necklace round on the chain.

Suddenly Percy jumped, almost falling over.

"What happened?"

"Did Grover answer?"

"I got through. He's...yeah, he's on the way."

A minute later the tree next to them shivered, Grover fell out of a branch, right onto his head.

"Grover!" Lilia called. "Are you okay?"

"Woof!" Mrs. O'Leary looked up, probably wondering if they were going to play fetch with the satyr.

"Blah-haa-haa!" Grover bleated.

"You okay, man?" Percy asked helping him to his feet.

"Oh, I'm fine." He rubbed his head. His horns had grown so much they poked an inch above his curly hair. "I was at the other end of the park. The dryads had this great idea of passing me through the trees to get me here. They don't understand height very well."