"Oh, she's alive." The way he said it made me wonder what was wrong with her.

What kind of horrible person could she be?

 

"Okay ..." I said. "So how do we get to Connecticut? I can call Blackjack — "

 

"No." Nico scowled. "Pegasi don't like me, and the feeling is mutual. But

there's no need for flying." He whistled, and Mrs. O'Leary came loping out of

the woods.

 

"Your friend here can help." Nico patted her head. "You haven't tried shadow

travel yet?"

 

"Shadow travel?"

 

Nico whispered in Mrs. O'Leary's ear. She tilted her head, suddenly alert.

 

"Hop on board," Nico told me.

 

I'd never considered riding a dog before, bur Mrs. O'Leary was certainly big

enough. I climbed onto her back and held her collar.

 

"This will make her very tired," Nico warned, "so you can't do it often. And it

works best at night. But all shadows are part of the same substance. There is

only one darkness, and creatures of the Underworld can use it as a road, or a

door."