It was after midnight by the time I crossed the River Styx. I galloped straight to the Cyclopes Village, jumped out of my chariot, and ran to the forge. A sign on the door read CLOSED, so I hurried over to my uncle Shiner’s condo and pounded on the door. No answer. I knocked on Lightninger’s door. And on Thunderer’s. Nobody was home. My Cyclopes uncles had a more active social life than I’d realized.

I’d have to wait until the next morning to get my helmet fixed. Who knew what sort of trouble Perseus could get into by then?

I drove to Villa Pluto. When I walked into the den, I found Cerbie asleep on the couch. “Hello, pooch,” I said.

At the sound of my voice, the dog lifted his heads, but he didn’t run to greet me. It seemed his noses were still out of joint because I’d gone off to help Perseus.

Hanging out with Perseus had taken its toll. I was weak from lack of proper godly food. The Furies had just flown home from a night of avenging, so I ordered two extra-ambrosia pizzas and a VI-pack of Necta-Colas from di Minos Pizza and invited them to dine with me. Over pizza, I filled them in on what was going on with Perseus and Medusa.

After we ate, I stood up and stretched. “Time for me to hit the hay, ladies,” I said. “I have to get up extra early to see Shiner about my helmet.”

“Probably just needs a new battery, Hades,” said Tisi. “Come on, sisters. Let’s go get our beauty rest, too.”

I went to my bedroom, took the Helmet of Darkness out of my wallet, and watched it grow to its full size. I laid it on my dresser next to my wallet. I brushed my teeth, put on my pajamas, and climbed into bed. A minute later, Cerbie came in and curled up at my feet, and I knew I was forgiven.

I had strange dreams all night long. Cerbie, growling and whining. Shadows, coming and going. When I opened my eyes the next morning, I was exhausted.

Right away, I knew something was wrong. Cerbie wasn’t on the bed. And an odd damp smell hung in the air. I sat up and looked around. My helmet! It was gone!

I jumped up. “Cerbie!” I called. “Come!”

But the dog didn’t come. I called and called, but Cerbie seemed to be missing, too. I ran into the kitchen. The Furies were having their morning ambrosia java.

“Tisi? Meg? Alec?” I said. “Did you take my helmet over to the Cyclopes to get fixed?”

“Hades, you know we never run your errands,” Tisi said. “What’s wrong?”

I sank into my chair. “My dog is gone, and my helmet is missing!”

“Let’s check your room, Hades,” suggested Meg. “Maybe Cerbie’s asleep under the bed. Maybe your helmet rolled onto the floor.”

“Maybe,” I said, hoping it was true. I ran after them to my room, calling, “Cerbie! Cerbie!”

At the doorway, I stopped. I thought I heard the faint sound of three dogs whimpering. The Furies went on into my room, but I continued down the hallway. The whimpering grew louder. I stopped at Persephone’s out-of-season sandals closet and threw open the door. Cerbie sprang out.

“Cerbie!” I cried. “Who shut you in there?”

Cerberus sniffed. He threw his shoulder back, put all his heads up, and walked ahead of me back to my room.

“I found Cerbie,” I told the Furies. “Someone shut him in a closet!”

“Poor pup, pup, pup,” said Tisi, bending down to give him a pat. “Did we have an intruder, Cerbie?”

Cerbie gave a triple sneeze and ignored the question.

“Hades!” Meg called. She stood in front of my dresser. “Look, puddles!”

“Is anything besides your helmet missing, Hades?” asked Tisi.

I made a quick survey of the room. “Nothing that I can—” I stared at the top of my dresser. “My wallet!” I cried. “My K.H.R.O.T.U. wallet! It was here, next to my helmet.”

“I see footprints,” Alec called suddenly. “Wet, webbed footprints.”

Tisi had the best nose of the three. She extended her head so that her nose was directly over the footprints and sniffed. “I smell naiad.”

“That’s the scent,” exclaimed Meg. “The Stygian Naiads!”

“I’ll fetch them now!” cried Alec, and off she raced.

The Stygian Naiads were the water nymphs Athena had zapped with her dog-head spell. Several of them lived in a little pool beside the River Styx, but I hardly ever saw them. They were so ashamed of their looks that they almost never left their pool.

Cerberus began growling, and seconds later, Alec brought in two Naiads. “Naiad Fida and Naiad Rova.” She folded her arms across her chest and added, “They have already confessed.”

“You took my helmet and wallet?” I asked.

“Yes!” cried Fida. Tears streamed down her muzzle. “We’re sorry!”

“But why?” I asked.

“We did it for Perseus!” cried Rova. She was crying, too, and drooling up a storm.

“Perseus?” I cried, not wanting to believe my ears. “What’s he got to do with this?”

“He came to see us at our pool,” said Rova.

That sneaky Hermes! He must have told Perseus about the shortcut to the Underworld.

“He told us we were beautiful,” said Fida. “He scratched us under our chins.”

“He promised to come back, bringing friends for all of us,” said Rova. “He said he and his friends would take us dancing up in Athens!”

Fat chance! Ohhh, Perseus was exactly like his scheming, myth-o-maniac father!

“But he said all this would happen only if you stole my helmet and my wallet for him?” I asked. “Am I right?”

Fida and Rova nodded, still weeping pitifully.

“We led Perseus here,” said Rova. “We tiptoed, very quietly. You were sound asleep.”

“What about Cerberus?” I asked. “Why didn’t he bark and wake me?”

“We know Cerberus loves Cheese Yummies,” said Fida. “We used them to lure Cerberus out of the room. And then, before he could make a racket—”

“Perseus shut him up in the closet,” I finished for her.

Fida nodded sorrowfully.

Cerberus was lying by the window, his back end toward us. He pretended not to hear this tale of his seduction by Cheese Yummies.

“Then we stole your helmet and wallet and gave them to Perseus,” said Rova.

At least now I knew what the last two items on Athena and Hermes’s list were!

“Are you going to punish us?” asked Fida nervously.

“We take care of that end of things,” said Alec.

“Did Perseus say where he was going?” I asked the Naiads.

“To Mount Atlas,” Rova said. “To see the Gray Sisters.”

“Oh, no!” I cried. How did Athena and Hermes know about the Gorgon’s older sisters? Then I remembered—Medusa had told everyone in her family about her big sisters. Well, word had spread. I had to beat Perseus to those Gray Sisters!

“You’ve been helpful,” I told the Naiads. “So we won’t punish you. Goodbye!”

“Thank you, King Hades!” said Fida. “We won’t betray you again.”

“Until the next handsome young mortal invites you out dancing,” said Alec.

“Is another one coming?” asked Rova, her eyes lightening up.

“Let’s go tell the others!” said Fida.

Alec opened the door, and the Naiads scampered out.

“Alec, that wasn’t nice,” I said.

“Sorry, Hades,” she said. “But it wasn’t right that they should go completely unpunished.”

“I guess a little hopeful primping won’t do them any harm,” I said. “Tell me, Furies, do you know where the Gray Sisters live?

“Of course we do,” Tisi said.

“We sometimes stop and have tea with them,” said Meg.

“And sandwiches,” said Alec.

“Good!” I said. “And now, I have another task for you.”

“Just ask, Hades,” said Tisi.

“We’ll help you,” said Meg.

“Tell us what you want now!” said Alec.

“Pack your overnight bags, ladies!” I said. “Quickly! I need you to fly me to Mount Atlas!”