Marcus should have expected the uncomfortable heat. This was, after all, Greece's hell. But as the four demigods trekked across the barren land, their shoes rolling over lumps of coal, he couldn't stop squirming. He tried to fan himself with his hands, but the exertion only made him more tired and sweaty. He peeled off his black-and-grey hoodie—he wore a bright red Metallica undershirt beneath it—and wrapped it around his waist. But now his hips and thighs were hot under the extra layer, so he bundled up the hoodie in his hands.

Lilian held out xyr hand to take the sweater for him. He gave it to xem gratefully, and xe stuffed it into xyr backpack.

Marcus froze. "Isn't that the backpack you use for your plants and shit?"

"Swine feces, to be precise. It's excellent fertilizer, and the lavender keeps the stench at bay."

"Just burn my hoodie."

Even wearing as few layers as possible now, Marcus still sweated bucketloads. He wanted to collapse and let the others drag him. Where were all the monsters that Nico had promised would be at his beck and call?

Marcus hadn't spoken out loud for several steps, but Nico turned and glared at him. "Keep the negative energy to a minimum, Hassan. We're passing by the Ruby Forest, where monsters can sense anger and fear."

"I'm not afraid."

In an ominous voice, Will said, "You should be." He winced. "Sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm not the one the Ooze is acting up against 'cause he found out he was a demigod at sixteen. I'm not even sixteen! But seriously, how did you not realize sooner?"

"As it turns out, Solace, if a kid likes fights, he thinks he's just like any other kid. You don't think, 'Maybe I'm the son of a literal Greek god!' What the hell, man."

Lilian did xyr job as mediator and stepped between them without breaking stride as they continued walking. "Please, everyone, relax. Like Nico said, we can't afford to be angry so close to the Ruby Forest."

The Ruby Forest's pine trees had tall trunks. Rubies hung on the branches like apples, though they smelled like blood instead. When some of them blinked, Marcus realized they were eyes.

Marcus waved a hand dismissively. "We have Hades powers on our side. Bring them to their knees, di Angelo."

Nico cleared his throat. "Those are Grimm. They're outside my father's domain, so I can't control them. This particular species are wolves, so as long as we're calm and quiet—"

Marcus panicked. He grabbed Nico and started shaking him. "Of all the monsters—"

Nico drew his sword so that the hilt struck Marcus's jaw, causing him to stumble back. In a swift motion, he threw his sword, which spun hilt over blade like an axe before lodging into the blood-red eye of the nearest wolf. He ran after his sword and leaped, kicking the hilt deeper into the wolf's skull. The monster disintegrated, covering Nico and his sword in black powder.

A pair of celestial bronze butterfly swords materialized in Lilian's dark brown hands. Xe spun around as xe wielded them against the monsters, turning two blades into four in Marcus's eyes. The wolves went down fast, too. Ashes dusted Lilian's auburn hair and dark orange cardigan, creating a volcano aesthetic. As the remaining wolves began to back away from xem, xe created a chain of flowers and thorns to connect the hilts of the two shortswords, expanding their reach.

Will tried to back away from the wolves. Most monsters, including Grimm, were impervious to sickness. The Acalica had been a fortunate exception. Before Alicante, Marcus hadn't known monsters could get sick—but Nico must have known, because he'd made no move to climb the Santa Bárbara Castle to fight alongside Will.

Marcus had practiced drawing out his narwhal tusk, and ease led to a fluid motion. He darted in front of Will and impaled three wolves at once.

Will's mouth fell open, but he closed it quickly to prevent monster dust from entering. "Thanks."

"You have a bow and arrows?" When Will nodded, Marcus said, "Head to higher ground. I'll cover you."

Will met his gaze for an instant. His eyes were the same shade of blue as Jason's, Marcus realized, but the two were almost polar opposites. Where Jason was calm and precise, Will burned with the sun's fiery passion. Marcus didn't understand how Nico could love someone so vibrant.

Will ran uphill, putting more distance between himself and the wolves so he could shoot with better accuracy. Marcus didn't know much about archery – he'd always preferred sword-fighting – but he knew that a closer target was hardly ever easier to hit. If a sword could reach it, then a sword was better against it.

Soon, all the Grimm had vanished. Will slid down the hill and examined his used arrows to see which ones were salvageable. Nico and Lilian put away their weapons and high fived each other. "We make a good team, Lil."

Lilian's bushy eyebrows lifted in surprise, but xyr mouth quirked up in a shy smile. "Ah... yeah. I think so, too."

Marcus fumbled in sheathing his tusk sword as he piped up, "What about me?"

Will clapped his shoulder. "Not bad, Hassan."

Lilian grinned. "What he said."

"Hmph."

Marcus didn't know why he wanted the approval of the younger teenagers, but this was the first time that he felt truly part of a group. It hadn't escaped his notice that Leona Valdez had put his Glorious bunk as far from the others as possible without falling off the boat.

His momentary anger must have summoned one last Grimm creature, because a colossal raptor flew over them. Lilian shrieked and ducked. Marcus batted at the monster's wings, which only made it angrier. The sharp feathers cut his knuckles as it swooped down.

Nico threw himself over Will so they fell next to Lilian. The raptor raked its talons across his back before a man's voice barked, "Here, Theo!"

Will fussed over Nico, who assured him it was just a scratch—and then teased him about wanting to check it so badly. Marcus helped Lilian up and watched as Theo flew to land on the arm of a pine-tree-tall man in a black cloak.

The wind from Theo's feathers blew the mysterious man's hood back, revealing a snow-white face with black pits for eyes. He was at once both hideous and handsome, like the Devil Himself.

Nico scrambled to stand up. "Dad."