“Don’t drosis it, Furies,” I said. “We’ll just astro-travel. We’ll be in the Land of the Hyperborians in no time.”

“You’re forgetting, Hades,” said Tisi. “Only gods can astro-travel. We’re immortals, but we’re not gods. And if you think you’re going to leave us behind, you’re sadly mistaken.”

“Start warming up your engines,” I told the Furies. “I’ll be right back.”

I dashed over to the Gray Sisters. They were crawling around pitifully, feeling for their eyeball. I picked it up and placed it in front of Enyo.

“I’ve got it!” she cried, and she quickly popped it in. As I stood up to go, she turned and looked at me in surprise. On her, the eye was green.

An instant later, I was aboard the Air Furies shuttle, heading north.

“Admit it, Hades,” Tisi called over her shoulder as we gained altitude. “I was right about waiting and listening to the Gray Sisters.”

“Aren’t you always?” I answered. Tisi’s advice had been good, and I was a secure enough god to admit it. I wasn’t too worried about Perseus beating us to the Land of the Hyperborians. It was a long way off, behind the back of the North Wind, which is about as far north as north gets. Perseus’s puny little flapping sandals couldn’t compete with the power of the Furies’ great black wings.

“Do you Furies ever visit the land of the Hyperborians?” I asked.

“No,” said Tisi. “It’s a land of happy beings who dance and feast all day.”

“Hyperborians aren’t mean to their mothers,” said Meg.

“Ever!” said Alec.

It was a smooth flight except for a bit of turbulence above Mount Olympus. We soared over vast stretches of ice and snow. After a while, the snow gave way to green fields again. On we flew, and the green fields were replaced by sandy beaches. At last Tisi called, “Land of the Hyperborians ahead!”

We landed on a point of land lined with palm trees. A large sand dune rose behind the beach.

“This is what’s at the back of the North Wind?” I said. “I was expecting mounds of snow!”

“Don’t ask me why,” said Tisi. “But if you fly north long enough, you end up heading south.”

The Furies sat down on the side of the dune to rest from their long flight. I passed around the ambrosia-cheese crackers. Meg had wisely packed a few Necta-Colas.

“Remember telling me about the young mortal in Thebes?” I said as we ate. “The one who wouldn’t help his mother bring in the goats from pasture?”

The Furies nodded.

“We gave him the Red Eye,” said Meg.

“We made him think he was a goat,” added Alec.

“Exactly,” I said. “Could you give Perseus the Red Eye and make him think he’s already beheaded Medusa? And then fly him far, far away from the Gorgons?”

“Sure,” said Tisi. “Why not?”

“I knew I could count on you, Furies,” I said.

A young Hyperborian mortal with tanned skin and sun-bleached hair came down the beach toward us. He carried a surfboard under one arm. Po had invented these wave-riding devices, and I was glad to see that they’d caught on.

“Hello!” I called to him. “I’m Hades, King of the Underworld.”

“Awesome!” said the mortal. “I’m Troy of Hyperboria. Are you here to surf the point?”

“No, we’re looking for some friends of ours,” I told him.

“They have lovely snakes for hair,” said Tisi.

“Oh, you mean the Gorg chicks?” Troy said. “Yeah, I know them. They live down the beach that way.” He pointed. “Not far.”

“Thanks, Troy,” I said.

“Don’t mention it, King,” Troy said. “Catch you later!”

“Ready?” I asked the Furies.

“Not yet, Hades,” said Meg. “It was a hard flight. We need more rest.”

“I’ll go scope things out,” I told them. I borrowed Tisi’s makeup mirror so I could look at Medusa and started down the beach. I passed a few huts before I came to a high wall. There wasn’t any gate. I pulled myself to the top of the wall and looked over. Cows, goats, and a magnificent white winged stallion were grazing in a field. At the far end of the field stood a large stone house. And beyond it lay what looked like a garden filled with statues. Stone statues.

I’d found Medusa.

I vaulted over the wall and made my way to the house. I rang the bell. When I heard someone coming, I turned around and looked into the mirror. The door opened. In the mirror I saw the reflection of a face with bulging eyes and big tusks, topped by a head full of squirming snakes.

“Riley?” I said. “Is that you?”

“Hades?” Riley gasped. “Come in, come in!” She turned away from the door. “Eno, Medusa, you won’t believe this! We have company!”

I stepped into the Gorgon’s house. Eno and Medusa ran to greet me. Medusa wore a silky sea-blue bag over her head. Her snakes wriggled freely out of holes in the top.

“Oh, Hades!” Medusa said, overjoyed at seeing me. “How in the world did you find us?”

“Troy told me where you lived,” I said.

“You met Troy?” Riley smiled. I noticed that she and Eno had figured out some way to control the drool problem. “He’s my favorite model.”

“And the statues in your garden were a clue,” I added.

“They were all accidents,” said Medusa. “I’ve never purposely turned anyone to stone. Although I have a nice spot picked out for a statue of a certain goddess. No, I meant, how did you know we lived in the Land of the Hyperborians?”

“It’s a long story,” I said. “But the short answer is, the Gray Sisters.”

“They squealed on us?” Medusa shook her head. “They wouldn’t!”

“Don’t be too hard on them,” I told her. “Their eyeball was held hostage until they told where you were.”

Eno held up a kamara. “I have to take a picture of you with my sisters, Hades,” she said. “We don’t get much company. Okay, make that no company. And I want to remember this moment. Smile, Riley! You, too, Hades! Say cheese, Medusa!”

“I’m smiling already,” said Medusa from beneath her bag. “Just take the picture!”

CLICK!

“Come out to my sculpture studio, Hades,” Riley said. “I have so much to show you!”

“Another time,” I said. “This isn’t a social visit.” And I quickly filled the Gorgons in on King Polydectes’s plan. How he wanted to use Medusa’s head for a weapon. How Perseus had sworn to bring him her head. And how Athena and Hermes were helping Perseus. By the time I finished my tale, Eno and Riley looked worried. I figured that under the bag, Medusa did, too.

But she surprised me by saying, “Athena is on her way here? Good. The timing is perfect.”

“Perfect?” I said. “But Athena wants to give you a tail or help Perseus decapitate you!”

“I have something she’ll want more than either of those things,” said Medusa. “I’ve learned a lot about Athena over the years. You may not know this, Hades, but Po arranged for me to join the Sea Nymph Intelligence Team.”

Now I realized that the small white stitches near the top of her head bag spelled SNIT.

“Moon goddesses and sea nymphs are cousins,” Medusa was saying. “So it wasn’t much of a stretch. Over the years the other agents and I have kept a close eye on Athena. I know now why she cursed us, Hades. And I’m ready to meet her, head on. Good and ready!”

A loud knock sounded on the door.

I froze. What if Troy had given directions to Perseus? Or to Hermes and Athena?

“Another visitor?” said Eno. “I’ll have to get more film!”

“Who’s there?” called Riley.

There was no answer.

“Let’s find out,” said Medusa. She strode to the door and yanked it open.

On the stoop stood a trio of winged creatures with bulging eyes, boars’ tusks, and snaky hair. I blinked. Had Athena gorgonized other moon goddesses? What was going on?

“Hades!” said one of the creatures. “It’s us, the Furies.”

“We had our makeup kits!” said Meg.

“We found some shells,” said Alec, pulling what I’d thought was a tusk from under her lip. “We thought we’d have a little fun with Perseus before we gave him the Red Eye.”

“Great idea,” said Medusa. I could tell she was smiling beneath her bag.

“Let’s go to the point,” said Riley. “Most everyone who flies in lands there.”

Eno grabbed her kamara, and we all set off down the beach. When we reached the point, the Gorgons and I hid ourselves behind the dune. The Furies lay down on the sand, pretending to sleep. Even if Perseus was invisible, the Furies would know when he landed. They could smell a mortal dekameters away.

While we waited, Medusa told me all about being a SNIT agent. She’d risen through the ranks quickly and had drawn some good assignments. But mainly she’d spied on Athena.

Without warning, the Furies rose suddenly into the air, screaming, flapping their wings, and rattling their scourges.

“Perseus has arrived,” I whispered.

We peered over the top of the dune, watching the Furies fly around what looked like empty air. Then Tisi drew back her scourge and whipped it forward. Suddenly, Perseus appeared. Tisi had knocked my helmet off his head. It fell to the sand.

Perseus kept his eyes lowered as he tried to unclip the sickle from his girdle, all the while holding his big mirrored shield steady. But the shield was heavy, and it wobbled like crazy. Suddenly it barked out, “Surrender immediately! Surrender immediately!”

Perseus hit the ground. “All right!” he cried. “I surrender!”

The dope had forgotten about the shield’s optional voice mechanism.

Alec snuck up behind him and snatched the shield way.

“Give that back!” Perseus cried. “No fair!”

“Hey, Perseus!” said Meg. “Look here! Quick!”

“Huh?” Perseus turned.

In front of him stood three hideously ugly winged monsters.

“I’m Medusa!” said Tisi.

“Noooo!” cried Perseus, squeezing his eyes shut.

“You’ve been stonified, Perseus,” said Alec.

Perseus wiggled his fingers. He waved his arms. “But I didn’t turn to stone!” he cried.

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said Tisi. “Hardening into stone takes time.”

“I see,” said Perseus. “Does it hurt?”

“It’s awful!” said Alec.

“First your head feels heavy,” said Tisi.

Perseus nodded slowly. “It does,” he said.

“Then your feet feel like rocks,” said Meg. “They get so heavy you can hardly walk.”

Perseus took a few plodding steps. “Hardly walk,” he murmured.

The Furies were giving Perseus a super Red Eye.

“Now is a good time for you to consider your pose,” said Tisi.

“My pose?” Perseus sounded groggy.

“Yes,” said Tisi. “The position you’ll want to be in when you turn to stone for eternity.”

“We recommend a heroic pose,” said Meg.

“Something dramatic,” said Alec.

“All right,” said Perseus. “How’s this?” He took a wide stance and put his hands on his hips. He stuck out his chin.

“Not bad,” said Tisi. “How about showing your heroic spirit by raising one fist in the air?”

“Like so?” Perseus raised his right fist.

“Nice!” said Meg.

Behind the dune, the Gorgons and I were cracking up but trying not to make any noise.

“What about raising a foot in the air?” Tisi said. “As if you were going to stomp on your enemies?”

Perseus nodded and lifted up his left foot.

“Now the chin a little higher?” said Alec.

“I’m laughing so hard I’m crying,” Medusa whispered. “Turn your head, Hades. I have to take off this bag for a second to wipe my eyes.”

My god-son threw his head back and thrust out his chin.

“Perfect!” said all three Furies together.

This heroic posture proved too much for Eno. She rose slowly from behind the dune and pointed her kamara at Perseus.

CLICK!

Startled, Perseus turned his head.

His eyes met those of the real Medusa.

ZAP! Perseus turned instantly to stone.

“Ooops!” said Medusa.