Page 32 of The Sun and the Star

And in the distance … the Underworld.

Fires guttered on the ramparts of Erebos, the kingdom of death. Masses of ghosts converged on the great iron gates like a fog bank, clamouring to get in. Beyond those walls, Nico knew, lay the ghosts’ final destinies: Elysium for the lucky few who had been virtuous in life, the Fields of Punishment for the wicked, and the bleak Fields of Asphodel for the indifferent and the neutral, which was most of humanity. Beyond those fields would be Hades’s palace, all sharp angles and shadows. Nico was glad they were too far away to be able to make out any of those details. Will didn’t need to see the fates of the dead. He was already nervous enough.

Nico’s head spun with exhaustion. For a moment, he thought he saw a dark shape in his peripheral vision, something strange and menacing, but, when he turned, there was only Will.

‘Welcome to the Underworld,’ Nico said.

Will frowned, then put a hand behind his head. He was still breathing heavily. ‘Is this a joke?’

‘Ajoke?’ Nico was stunned. ‘Why would you call my father’s home ajoke?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘What areyoutalking about?’

‘You said we were here,’ said Will.

‘We are!’ Nico spread his arms wide.

Will fixed his eyes on the distance. ‘Um, no, we’re not.’

Nico turned to look again and –

What?!

They were back in the stairwell. The cavernous vista of Ereboswas gone. The steps before them seemed to continue endlessly down into darkness.

‘No!’ screamed Nico. ‘What is happening? We just made it and –’

‘Can you hear that?’ asked Will, cutting him off. ‘The river? Because I can.’

They fell silent again. Sure enough, the distant rush of the River Styx echoed up through the tunnel.

‘I don’t understand,’ said Nico. ‘Isawthe Underworld. I saw the River Styx and … and …’

Will sat down on the steps. ‘There wasn’t anything, Nico. It was just … more stairs.’

‘That’s impossible. That’s not how this is supposed to work.’

‘Regardless, we’re still not there. Do you think your father is trying to prevent us from entering the Underworld?’

‘No!’ said Nico. Then: ‘I don’tthinkso. He shouldn’t even know that we’re here.’

‘You sure about that?’ said Will.

Nico hesitated. ‘Let’s keep going. If I see the end of the tunnel again, I’ll ask if you see it, too.’

He helped Will up, and then they pushed on. Nico wasn’t positive, but it seemed like another hour passed before the sound of the Styx finally got louder and the tunnel filled with grey light once more. Nico reached back for Will, and his boyfriend’s hand slipped into his.

‘There,’ said Nico. ‘Do you see that brightness ahead?’

After a short pause, Will said, ‘Actually … yeah, I do.’

‘Okay!’ said Nico. ‘Good. Let’s keep moving.’

Moments later, as the darkness receded, Nico spotted the base of the steps.

‘Can you seethat?’ said Nico, pointing.

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