Apollo knelt on the floor, leaning on the mattress near the foot of the bed to give Will some space to work. At Will's question, Apollo shook his head with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, kiddo. No takebacks with this one."

He could see the worry in Will's eyes, and wished he could give a better explanation for how the cursing of Plague Arrows work, but... well, it was simply something he did, much like breathing or walking. It was hard to break it down and explain how. Apollo couldn't let that deter him, though — What kind of poet would he be if he couldn't put something into words?

"Maybe you'd feel more comfortable if you used a syringe or something," he suggested. "Like drawing a vaccine. Perhaps that would feel more natural?"