Page 64 of The Sun and the Star

Her last word was a blast of darkness, and Nico could feel his soul breaking into dust, his identity being shorn away and pulled into Nyx’s gravity. He couldn’t breathe; hopelessness radiated through every part of his body; he believed this was the end.

Which was precisely when the giants arrived.

‘Excuse me!’ a voice called out. ‘Is there any way we could borrow that demigod?’

Nico forced himself not to pass out, even though he wanted to chase after unconsciousness. He tried to twist around to see who was speaking, but he didn’t need to. Nyx promptly dropped him, and his back hit the ground, knocking the air clean out of him.

He turned his head to see two nearly identical giants – both four metres tall and with snakes where their feet should be, but otherwise much more like humans than he expected. They were dressed in identical tie-dyed overalls – who made overalls for giants?! – on top of white T-shirts. Both of them had their hair tied back in thick braids that glittered with coins, though the giant on the left had green hair and the one on the right had purple. Nico thought they looked like Tartarus versions of Pokémon trainers.

Nyx hissed. ‘Who do you think you are, barging in here? I am Nyx, the goddess of night!’

‘Oh, we know who you are,’ said the giant with purple hair. He pointed at his twin. ‘That’s Otis, and I’m the Big F.’

Otis made a face. ‘Dude, I don’t know about that stage name.’

‘The Big F?’ said Hypnos. ‘What does theFstand for?’

The purple-haired giant put his hands on his hips and raised his chin proudly. ‘Ephialtes.’

Hypnos looked up at his mother, whose supernova eyes flickered as if she were short-circuiting.

‘Does it not make sense?’ said Ephialtes. ‘You know, because the way you say my name is –’

‘No, no, we understand,’ said Nyx.

‘Yeah,’ Hypnos said, ‘there’s certainly a logic to it, but …’

The giant looked down at Nico.

The demigod shrugged. ‘It could use some more thought.’

‘I told you to workshop it more,’ said Otis. ‘How are we supposed to get our big break if everyone thinks your name is ridiculous?’

‘Dude –’

‘Dude!’

‘Pardon me for interrupting this clown show,’ said Nyx, ‘but what are you two doing here?’

‘Right!’ said Ephialtes. ‘We’re here for the demigod.’

The air around Nyx turned several degrees colder. ‘Not now,’ she said. ‘He’s … occupied.’

‘Gaia wants him,’ said Otis.

Hypnos frowned at his mother, as if to saySee, I told you she was trouble.

‘Gaia,’ Nyx repeated.

‘Yep,’ said Ephialtes.

‘For what possible reason?’

Ephialtes smiled from ear to ear. ‘Oh, we’re trying to trap the seven demigods from the prophecy.’

Nico pushed himself up on his elbows. ‘What?’

‘We’re gonna kidnap you and use you as bait,’ said Otis. ‘Then,when your friends come to rescue you, we’ll just wipe out everyone at once.’

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