He closed his eyes and fixed an image of Josie in his mind, recalling her cartwheeling next to him in the fields. He could hear her laugh, feel her loving touch as she collapsed in a fit of giggles, pulling him into the long grass beside her and hugging him silly. He took a step closer to the flames. He could feel their heat still, but his body wasn’t hurting. He felt strong. He felt ready. He raised his arms and tucked his toes over the bank of the river, preparing himself to dive in after one, last, long—

‘ELLIOT!’

The voice snapped him out of his reverie. The moment his concentration lapsed, the flames licked around his toes, burning his feet.

‘Ow!’ he screamed, hopping around on his scorched toes. ‘What – why . . . ?’

‘Who goes there?’ Thanatos commanded through the smoky gloom. ‘Come no closer.’

‘Elliot – stop!’ cried Virgo, running breathlessly towards him.

‘How did you—’

‘You can’t take another step!’ she yelled, pushing past Hypnos.

‘I can’t now,’ said Elliot, sitting down to nurse his scalded foot. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Saving you,’ sighed Virgo. ‘Again.’

‘Get out of here,’ said Elliot, pushing her away. ‘Now.’

‘I’m not going anywhere,’ she huffed, crossing her arms. ‘Not without you.’

‘Go,’ Elliot whispered. ‘You don’t know what you’re getting into.’

‘Neither do you,’Virgo retorted. ‘This is wrong. There will be another way . . .’

‘To get my mum back?’ Elliot snapped. ‘No, there isn’t.’

Virgo knelt down and looked straight into Elliot’s red eyes.

‘Josie-Mum has gone,’ she whispered. ‘She can’t come back.’

‘Yes, she can!’ Elliot snarled. ‘I saw her! I just have to do this one thing. Then, then, then . . .’

‘Then every mortal on the Earth will be under threat of extinction,’ said Virgo softly. ‘Can you live with that?’

Elliot’s heart hammered in his chest.

‘I can’t live without her,’ he whispered. He could feel the dam straining.

Virgo gently took his hand in hers.

‘But you already are,’ she said quietly.

Elliot looked into Virgo’s concerned eyes. She was so sincere. So pleading. So caring. Was she . . . did she . . . should he . . . ?

‘Well, isn’t this quite the reunion?’ said Thanatos, snatching Virgo up by her hair. ‘Here we are again. Anyone else getting that funny sense of déjà vu?’

Virgo screamed as he dangled her off her feet, just as he had done in the cave beneath Stonehenge all those months ago.

‘Put her down!’ Elliot shouted. ‘She’s only trying to help!’

‘What a good idea,’ said Thanatos. ‘I think she’s going to be an excellent help.’

With a jerk of his arm, he yanked Virgo towards the Phlegethon and swung her precariously near the flames.

‘Argh!’ she screamed as the fire danced around her.