Hound of Hades 2 [Paperback]

Beasts of Olympus is a series of 144-page illustrated chapter books set in a magical Ancient Greece where strange things still walk the Earth. In this second book, young Demon is summoned by the great god Hades to the Underworld. His most-hated hero, Heracles, has just returned Cerberus—the three-headed dog Guardian of the Underworld—to his god master, but something is wrong with the beast . . . and only Demon can help.Lucy Coats studied English and Ancient History at Edinburgh University, then worked in children's publishing and now writes full-time. She is a gifted children's poet and has also written several picture book texts. She is widely respected for her lively retellings of myths. Her 12-book series, Greek Beasts and Heroes, was published by Orion in the U.K. Beasts of Olympus will be her first U.S. publication. Lucy's website is at www.lucycoats.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @lucycoats.

Chapter 1: Official Stable Boy to the Gods

Demon, son of the god Pan, and brand-new Official Stable Boy to the gods, had a bellyache.

It was a bellyache of monumental proportions. Even Atlas, the giant Titan, had never had a bellyache as big as this one, Demon decided.

He lay under his blanket in the loft above the Stables and wished he hadn’t eaten those final ten honey cakes that the goddess Hestia had offered him as “a going-home snack.” He was still so full after the gods’ celebration feast that he hadn’t slept a wink all night. The prospect of his usual early-morning task of shoveling barrowsful of poo down to the hundred-armed monsters in Tartarus was making him feel greener than moldy spinach. He groaned and turned over on his straw mattress, closing his eyes and wishing that Eos, the dawn goddess, would hold off on opening up the day.

“Hey! Demon! I’m hungry! Where’s my breakfast?” came a loud shout from belowl!