Page 82 of The Sun and the Star

‘Wow,fourpeople who can help me?’ Menoetes clapped his beefy hands. ‘This is the best day of my life.’

‘I’m so lost,’ said Will. ‘Who are you?’

Menoetes flared his bovine nostrils. ‘Menoetes? No? Has Nico told younothingof me?’

‘I’ve been … kind of busy?’ said Nico sheepishly. ‘You know, between finding my half-sister down here, and falling into Tartarus, and then all those pesky Roman emperors? You know, all that.’

‘Yes, yes, Ididhear such rumblings from Hades,’ Menoetes said. ‘But surely you told your friend here about me atsomepoint!’

Will grimaced and shook his head.

‘Well, I will try not to be mortally offended,’ said Menoetes. Then he offered his hand to Will. ‘I work for Nico’s father. I tend to his cattle and oversee the farm.’

‘Tell me,’ said Will, taking Menoetes’s hand, ‘what is the farmfor?’

Menoetes laughed. ‘Oh, you’resilly. Surely you know –’

Will shook his head again.

Menoetes glared at Nico. ‘Do you not tell himanything?’

‘Sometimes!’ Nico said. And then he thought, Sometimes I’m afraid to tell him more.

Menoetes grunted. ‘Well, let me make it easy for you … uh … What’s your name?’

‘Will. Will Solace.’

Menoetes narrowed his eyes. ‘Child of Apollo?’

‘Yep.’

‘Hmph. Don’t know whatyouare doing down here, Night Light.’

‘Hey!’ said Will, scowling.

Menoetes swept his hand to indicate the landscape behind him. ‘All that you see exists so the Underworld can nourish its helpers and keep the machinery moving. There are many living beings who work for Hades, either in the fields, or in the palace, or in Elysium. They must be fed. Did you think ambrosia and nectar come fromnothing?’

‘Of course not,’ said Will. ‘I help manage the infirmary at Camp Half-Blood.’

‘It doesn’t justexist,’ said Menoetes. ‘It isgrown. I’m sure your satyrs or dryads up in Camp Half-Blood manage your fields and orchards.’

‘Menoetes has been working for my father since … well, for a very, very long time,’ said Nico. ‘He’s really good with the cattle.’

The bull-man waved off the comment. ‘Oh,stahp,’ he said, and then, in a lower voice, ‘But it’s true. I can show you around if you’d like.’

Nico squirmed. ‘Menoetes, it’s good to see you, but we’re on a quest, so –’

‘Not aquest! How exciting! Well then, let me lay down the red carpet for you!’

Nico watched in discomfort as Menoetes sprawled on the ground.

‘Go ahead, O great demigods!’ he said.

‘Please don’t do that,’ said Nico.

‘Do you get it? I’m a red carpet.’

‘I got that.’

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