A beam of red light shot from the Water Stone and pierced the dark air of Tartarus. A vast black cloud formed above the burning river and, with a distant rumble of thunder, rain started to pour down on the river of fire.

Elliot stood back and waited for the blaze to die down.

‘Why isn’t it working?’ he said after a few moments.

‘Wrong sort of rain,’ drawled Thanatos, walking up behind him.

Elliot shuddered involuntarily – the Daemon of Death’s voice never failed to chill him to the core.

‘What do you mean?’ he growled impatiently, watching the raindrops fizzle out as they fell on the raging flames.

‘Mortal rain, immortal flame,’ said Thanatos plainly. ‘It’s simply not strong enough. You may as well try blowing the Phlegethon out like a birthday candle.’

‘So how is it going to free your Daemon army?’ Elliot snapped, gesturing towards the stone prison that held the Daemon prisoners on an island in the far distance.

‘Because it has been prophesized,’ shrugged Thanatos. ‘I don’t make the rules. When the Gods imprisoned my Daemons, it was prophesized that only the Chaos Stones could free them. My idiotic brother, on the other hand . . .’

‘Don’t mind me,’ Hypnos sulked.

‘Sorry,’ said Thanatos, with an apologetic bow, ‘my incredibly idiotic brother just carelessly tossed the Fire Stone in the River Phlegethon as if he were discarding underwear in the laundry basket. The Chaos Stones won’t help you.’

Elliot lowered his arm and the red beam snapped back into the watch.

‘Of course, I could always have a go . . .’ whispered Thanatos, reaching for the watch containing the stones. But the instant he came near Elliot, his arm was violently repelled by the invisible force that forbade him from touching this mortal boy, who had freed him from Stonehenge.

‘Worth a try,’ he smirked.

‘Why don’t you just jump in and get it?’ Elliot grumbled. ‘You can’t die. Kind of an advantage over me.’

‘True,’ said Thanatos. ‘But I can still be burnt horribly by the attempt and live out my endless days in agony. Honestly, you have the better end of the deal.’

‘Thanks,’ scowled Elliot. How was he ever going to do this?

He followed Thanatos and Hypnos back into the office and shut the balcony doors on his fate.

‘Where’s Mumsy?’ pouted Hypnos, slumping into a stone chair. ‘She promised she’d give me my baby back today. Where is she?’

‘Who cares?’ muttered Elliot, dropping into a second chair. He hated Nyx, Goddess of the Night, for what she’d done to his friend Hermes. His heart beat a little harder at the thought of the Messenger God still lying unconscious from the poisoned arrow Nyx had shot at him. Would he ever see Hermes again? He was the only God who ever really cared about him. The others had only been using him to get their stupid Chaos Stones. He knew that now.