Hermes left Skye at the edge of the vast river next to Camaina camp, a rustic collection of tourist accommodation on the fringes of lush jungle. He wrapped her in a tight hug before he vanished, leaving her in no doubt how much he hoped she would succeed. She carefully shouldered her bag, the constricting weight of the crystal container in its box shifting as she did so. Skye had packed the contents very carefully, doing everything she could to keep them from harm.

The jungle sounds were louder than she had expected. There was a continuous hum of wildlife, from the chirrup of insects to the calls of exotic birds. It wasn’t as hot and steamy as she’d expected but the humidity was still a shock after the winter chill of Greece. The verdant, emerald green blanketing the hills and mountains took her breath away. She couldn’t quite see the Angel Falls from where she currently stood; she had to admit that, despite the very odd circumstances, she was excited to visit them.

Spotting a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye, Skye turned to see an athletic-looking woman piling up several bright orange lifejackets.

‘Hey!’ she called out. ‘When’s the next trip to the Falls?’

The woman straightened up, surprised, and looked her over. ‘You’re one of the new tourists?’ she asked, in heavily accented English. ‘You arrived on the bus last night?’

Skye nodded, hoping her cheeks wouldn’t betray her. She could hardly explain she’d just been magically transported here by a Greek god.

‘I, um, wasn’t feeling well before,’ she said. Perhaps that would curtail further questioning on the woman’s part. Skye needn’t have worried, however, as the woman obviously had little interest in who she was and how she’d got there.

‘The boats are leaving now.’

Skye blinked. ‘What?Where are they?’

The woman pointed at a path leading away from the huts. ‘That way. Next to the restaurant. You’ll miss them if you don’t hurry. There’s not another trip until tomorrow.’

Alarmed at the thought that she might have to hang around and twiddle her thumbs for twenty-four hours, Skye immediately took off, speeding down the path. Her heavy bag slammed rhythmically against her back and she cursed, reaching back to attempt to steady it. When she caught sight of a long canoe up ahead, pushing away from the shore, and other boats already moving away down the river, she sprinted harder and yelled, ‘Wait!’

No-one seemed to hear her above the jungle cacophony and the roar of the water. Skye forced her legs to continue pumping and tried to ignore the lingering pain in her calf then, when she finally reached the shore, she sprang forward. Water splashed in all directions as her body slammed into the large canoe and it rocked dramatically. Finally hands were pulling her into the vessel, gripping her limbs and yanking her into place.

Skye twisted round, attempting to avoid squashing the precious contents of her backpack, and sat upright. There were three tourists staring at her open mouthed while a man in the front, whom she presumed was the guide, was giving her a disapproving look.

‘What did you think you were doing?’ he snapped. ‘The river is dangerous. It’s easy to be pulled under by the current, even when it’s not deep.’

‘I’m sorry,’ she gasped. ‘I didn’t want to miss the boat.’

He muttered something inaudible under his breath and threw a spare lifejacket onto her lap.

‘Thanks.’

‘Are you staying at the cabins?’ asked one of the men behind her, suspiciously.

‘Er, sure,’ she dissembled, turning to give him what she hoped was a dazzling smile.

‘I’ve not seen you.’

‘I hurt my leg,’ Skye said, as if that answered everything.

A woman leaned forward and punched him on the arm. ‘Scott, don’t be so rude!’

‘We’ve paid a lot of money for this trip,’ he grumbled. ‘The last thing we need is any freeloaders.’

Skye forced a laugh. She didn’t have a single cent on her. The last thing she needed was to be dumped off the boat into the dangerous current because she’d not paid her dues.

‘Ignore him,’ the woman said, with the obvious twang of an Australian accent. ‘He’s just in a bad mood.’

The third man, seated at the very rear of the canoe, didn’t say anything. He was paying Skye scant attention, his eyes focused on the other couple. ‘Yeah, give it a break, Scott,’ he drawled. Then he flicked his gaze quickly to the woman, as if seeking her approval. She didn’t notice.

Unsure how to respond, Skye smiled at them all then focused on the scenery. She wondered idly whether Coop took requests. It seemed apparent that grumpy Scott and the woman were an item – and that the other man wished things were different. Then she scolded herself for even considering the idea. She was starting to realise why Coop had become so cynical about his day job. It was far too easy to manipulate people into falling in love. And far too easy to make snap judgments about people based on fleeting conversations. This sudden flicker of understanding about his feelings made her feel closer to him, despite them being thousands of miles apart.

The long canoe wended its way down the river, with the guide expertly manoeuvring it through rocks and rapids. There were three other boats ahead, filled with people chattering excitedly and pointing out flora and fauna. The closer they got to the roaring Angel Falls, however, the more nervous dread trickled through Skye’s veins. She was fairly certain her plan would work –but she’d been fairly certain it would be easy to gather an armful of shining golden fleece. The last thing she needed was to be overconfident.

The valley walls on either side of the river were getting steeper and higher. Even though it was a sunny day, the further the canoe travelled, the darker the surroundings seemed to get. The forest became increasingly impenetrable, except for the luminous flashes of colour afforded by the occasional flap of tropical birds’ wings.

Just as Skye was thinking about the brooding desolation of the jungle, and feeling like she was travelling into the South American version of the heart of darkness, the canoe twisted round a river bend and the waterfall came into view, thundering its way down the cliff. Clouds of spray caught in the sunlight and hues of orange and red formed at the base of the towering force of nature. Skye’s eyes travelled upwards; she was awestruck at what she was seeing. It seemed that everyone around her was feeling the same. The Angel Falls stretched up towards the heavens as if they were a mile high.

‘By Olympus,’ she whispered to herself, her words swallowed up in the deafening tumble of water. The waterfall next to Olympus had been pretty, but it was nothing compared to the scale of these falls. She curled her fingers tightly into her palms. If only Coop were here with her now so they could experience this together.

She glanced back at her temporary companions. The woman was reaching forward, her hands on her boyfriend’s shoulders while he was extending his own arms backwards for her. Despite her previous – and possibly very wrong – judgment about their relationship, Skye shot them a happy smile before turning back.

Using his paddle, the guide pushed the boat towards the shore where the ground was scuffed and bare from hundreds of other recent tourists. The other canoes were already emptying, people pulling out cameras and phones to take pictures which would never do justice to the imposing waterfall. Skye closed her eyes momentarily, enjoying the cool spray on her skin, then she carefully stepped back onto dry land.

The guide secured the canoe and gestured them forward to a well-beaten path leading through the jungle and up closer to the base of the falls. Skye allowed the others to go ahead of her then fell in behind them. She’d have to hope that she could sneak off unnoticed as soon as possible.

Her chance came sooner than she’d expected. Once the group came out into another clearing closer to the water’s edge, they all began stripping off to their swimwear, keen to take a dip in the cool waters in such amagnificent setting. The four guides clustered together, sharing food and chatting. Fortunately, none of them had decided to quiz her about her sudden appearance. Skye figured that the last thing they were expecting was for her to abruptly vanish into thin air.

Giving one last glance to double check they weren’t watching her, she swung her backpack onto her shoulders and took off, her slight figure almost immediately swallowed up by the jungle. This time there was no path, so she simply had to hope she was heading in the right direction. Clearly, finding the bloody source of the Styx was going to be the most challenging part of this quest. Skye could imagine herself getting lost in the thick undergrowth and heading deep into the jungle instead of towards the wall of water. She paused several times to listen for the direction where the water was loudest to make sure she was moving towards the right place.

Soonshe was dripping in sweat. Her skin itched painfully where she’d been bitten. She had no idea how the insects managed to crawl so quickly underneath her clothes to find the choicest bits of flesh to nibble on.

Finally the trees began to thin out and the cliff wall next to Angel Falls became visible. Thanks to the continuous spray, the ground underfoot was slimy and slippery. Skye reached out, palms flat against the smooth rock surface, and began to sidle along carefully. The closer she got to the waterfall, the more nervous she felt. The force of the water was getting stronger and even though all she was feeling was residue spray, it stung her skin. At least there was enough of it to conceal her should anyone below decide to look up.

Once or twice she almost lost her footing and only just managed to cling on against the side of the rock wall. Despite the large pool at the base of the falls where the tourists were frolicking, Skye had no doubt that were she to fall, she would hit the jutting rocks long before she hit the water.

Spotting a suitable foothold, she carefully raised up one leg and forced her toe into the space. Then she reached upwards, her fingers seeking purchase in the cracks along the cliff’s surface. She didn’t have enough upper body strength to hang on this way for long;she had to find the entrance and find it quickly. Pulling her body upwards, she raised up her other leg, moving her foot around to find another crack. As soon as she did so, however, she shifted her weight slightly and almost lost her balance, one arm flailing around in mid-air.

With her fingers already losing their grip, she pushed all thought out of her mind and swung back towards the cliff face, finally managing to grip tightly with both hands and both feet. She remained there for a heartbeat, gratefully acknowledging the fact she was still alive, and then tried to reach higher up.

‘“Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,’’’ she gasped, as her fingers scrabbled against the wet rock. ‘“For I would ride with you upon the wind, run on to the top of the dishevelled tide, and dance upon the mountains like a flame.’’’

Her heart pounding, she found a space big enough to squeeze in her right hand and grip on. The trouble was, it was at least a foot above her head and in order to grasp it properly, she had to jump upwards.

‘Come on then, faeries,’ she muttered to herself. ‘Where are you when I need you?’

Her arms were already aching and, between the spray from the falls and the sweat that kept sliding off her brow and into her stinging eyes, it was difficult to see. Gritting her teeth, she heaved her body to the right and tried to feel upwards with her fingertips on her left. She waved them around in the air but somehow, no matter how far forward against the cliff wall she leaned, she couldn’t connect her hand with its surface. Skye frowned and tried a bit lower down. And that was when she felt the ledge. Her fingers curled over its edge and her eyes widened. Praise the gods. With one heave, she stretched herself up, managing to pull her elbow over the lip of the ledge so she was more secure. Then she used the toe of her trainers to bounce off the sheer cliff and launch herself upwards, finally yanking her body over the edge and rolling away from the dangerous abyss below her, her breath coming in short, heavy bursts.

After a few moments, she pulled herself up to sitting position and glanced out. A large overhanging rock concealed the cave’s surface from outside view. Few people, if any, would be brave enough to climb up the waterfall’s length without first knowing for sure that this cave existed. If she looked over to her left, it appeared she’d barely clambered up any distance at all. The small clearing where she’d begun her secretive ascent seemed little more than a few metres away. Butif she twisted her head to the right and looked down, her stomach lurched with dizzying vertigo. The drop down to the pool on that side was perilously far away.

Without wasting any more time, Skye backed inside and turned around. There was just enough room for her to squeeze through the claustrophobic tunnel, although she had to take off her backpack and push it ahead of her. Fortunately, the tunnel was short, soon opening out into a cavernous space that stretched up through the roof of the mountain almost as far as the Angel Falls themselves. There had to be a gap somewhere above, because a cascade of white water was falling down in the centre as if it were nothing more than a shower, glimmering flecks catching the remaining dull light that was seeping in from outside. What was it with these bloody gods and waterfalls?

Clambering to her feet, Skye searched for signs of the Styx. She knew from what little Hermes had told her that she would immediately recognise the source because of its thick brackish blackness. She moved deeper into the cave, avoiding the shower of water from the falls and skirting round the edges. She hadn’t gone far when a stale musky odour filled the air. Skye straightened her back. This had to be it.

‘Hello?’ she called out nervously. Her voice was drowned out by the sound of the waterfalls, both inside and out.

She tried again, louder this time. ‘Hello?’

Skye took a few more steps forward. There, bubbling up against a collection of small stones, was a liquid black ooze. She knelt down and peered cautiously at it, then nodded to herself and opened her backpack, taking out the heavy velvet box and opening it carefully. Nestled inside was a crystal decanter with a corked stopper. Skye squeezed out the cork and laid it gently to the side then placed the crystal next to the rocks.

‘What do you want?’ The voice was so sudden, and so cracked and dry, that even though she’d been expecting it, Skye almost fell over in surprise.

Recovering quickly, she stood up and directed her voice down. ‘I’d like some water, please.’ She was amazed at how calm she sounded.

‘There’s water everywhere. You didn’t need to call me to get some. Take a bloody look outside.’Styx sounded bored and weary.

‘It’s your water I’d like, sir,’ Skye said quickly, before the River God decided she wasn’t worth his time.

‘So take some then. What do I care?’

She licked her lips. ‘Well, I have a funny feeling that if I try to take some, something bad will happen.’

‘Something bad?Do you know the last human who touched me became virtually invincible. Don’t you want that kind of power?’

Skye had thought this through already. Sure, Achilles may have initially done well from his contact with the Styx. Things hadn’t worked too well for him in the end, though. She may not know many of the old Greek myths but she was certainly aware of that one. It wasn’t worth the risk.

‘Actually,’ she said, ‘I was rather hoping you’d help me and fill my container for me.’She jerked her head down at the crystal.

A dry laugh emanated from the black water, echoing around the chamber and drowning out the sounds of the waterfalls.

‘You’re not as vapid as you look.’

Skye stuttered out a smile. ‘Thank you.’

‘Now piss off.’

‘Wait!’ she cried out. ‘I can give you something in return.’

There was a moment of scary silence. Then Styx spoke again. ‘What do you have that I could possibly want?’

Exhaling audibly, Skye reached into her backpack again and pulled out a brown paper bag. ‘This,’ she said triumphantly.

Styx was unimpressed. ‘A bag?’

‘Cupcakes!’She reached in and pulled one out. Her exertions in getting to the canoe in time, along with her other travels, hadn’t done the confectionery much good. The mound of icing was smeared on the inside of the bag and now looked like red sludge on top of a very misshapen dark sponge.

‘What do you get served at birthday parties in heaven?’ Skye asked.

Styx didn’t respond.

‘Angel cake!’ she answered for him, then laughed nervously.

‘Is that supposed to be funny?’

Skye blushed. ‘Clearly not.’

‘Why, in Olympus’s name, would I want cake?’

She took a deep breath. ‘You don’t want cake?’

‘I know I don’t want cake.’

‘But Lethe wants cake.’The bubbling water at her feet seemed to grow in stature. Skye swallowed. ‘She has a sweet tooth. Asterion told me.’

‘Asterion is crazy.’

She wasn’t going to argue with that. ‘Give her some cake. She might be willing to patch things up with you if you give her a present.’Skye glanced down at the forlorn-looking cupcake. ‘And because it’s obviously homemade, she’ll appreciate it all the more.’

‘Have you been speaking to Aphrodite?’ Styx growled.

Skye started. ‘Er…’

‘Bloody woman is always trying to matchmake.’

Nonplussed, she took a step back. Matchmake?That hadn’t been her intention. She wasn’t Coop. Something in the River God’s tone had made her pause, however.

‘I’m friends with her son,’ she said softly. She flushed more deeply. ‘Actually we’re not friends. We’re,’ Skye took a deep breath, ‘in love.’

‘Cupid?And you?’ The River God seemed to be mulling it over. ‘Fine,’ he finally snapped. ‘Put the bag down. I’ll take the cakes.’

Skye clutched the bag in her fingertips. ‘Give me some water first.’

Styx sighed in annoyance. Then a single plume of thick black water shot up in the air. Skye jumped back, alarmed, but she needn’t have worried. The water curved up through the air in a perfect arc before pouring through the neck of the crystal decanter. She hastily scooped the decanter up, rammed the stopper in as tightly as it would go and placed it back inside the box.

‘The cakes,’ Styx grumbled.

‘Oh, yes.’Skye put the cupcake in its bag and placed it next to the dark spring. ‘Mr Styx?’

‘What now?’

‘When you talk to her, you should be nice. You know, tell her she’s looking good.’Skye glanced down. Did these river gods even have corporeal forms? ‘Or that you’ve really missed her. Tell her the truth and she’ll come round.’She chewed her bottom lip. ‘You have missed her, haven’t you?’

‘I’ll tell her,’ he returned gruffly. ‘Thank you.’

‘You’re welcome,’ Skye said softly, then left the way she’d come.