Pegasus and the New Olympians (4 page)

As the sun started to rise, the meeting was called to a halt by Pluto. They agreed to meet at the Temple the following evening to prepare for departure.

The next day, Emily, Joel and Paelen packed up their new clothing and a good supply of ambrosia and nectar for the trip. Emily barely got to see her father as he spent most of the day with Jupiter, Diana and Apollo, presenting their report. She ached to speak with him, to talk about her fears for their world if Jupiter ever found out.

Until now, everything Emily had done was to protect and defend Olympus; first from the Nirads and then from the gorgons. But now, as she checked and rechecked her backpack, she realized that she, the Flame of Olympus, may be forced to protect Earth from the Olympians.

As night arrived and Emily’s father returned from a long day with Jupiter, they waited for Olympus to go to sleep before heading out to the Temple of the Flame.

For the short journey, Emily’s father rode with her on the back of Pegasus. She felt his reassuring arms around her and silently wished he was coming with them. But Pegasus was right. He had to stay to keep suspicion away from Jupiter.

Diana and Pluto were waiting at the Temple. As they climbed down from Pegasus, Emily noticed that Pluto was holding a package in his hands.

Diana came forward. ‘I have told my father that you are all going to the Nirad world to visit the queen. He has no cause to question it. But you must be swift. My father understands your need for independence and freedom, but he does not like it when the Flame of Olympus is away from here.’

‘I understand,’ Emily said grimly. ‘We’ll be as quick as we can.’

While they spoke, Pluto opened the sack he was carrying, pulled out an ornate leather helmet and held it up.

Paelen sucked in his breath. ‘That is your helmet of invisibility! Are you coming with us?’

Pluto shook his head. ‘No, I must remain here to ensure my brother does not become suspicious. However, my helmet will be joining you on your quest.’

‘May I wear it?’ Paelen asked.

‘It is not for you,’ Pluto said.

‘For me?’ Joel asked hopefully. ‘I’ve read all about that helmet. It’s amazing.’

Again, Pluto shook his head and said no.

Finally Emily said, ‘It’s for Pegasus, isn’t it? So he can travel with us and not be seen.’

‘I am sorry, no. I wish I could give you something to keep Pegasus hidden, but I have only the one helmet to offer.’

‘If not us, who is going to wear it?’ Paelen asked.

‘I am.’ A voice came from behind them.

Emily turned and her eyes flew wide at the sight of the Sphinx landing silently on the ground. She folded her eagle’s wings neatly and padded forward. As she walked past Joel, she brushed against him like a cat brushing against the legs of its owner at feeding time.

‘No way!’ Emily cried, feeling her temper rising. ‘You aren’t coming with us!’

‘Yes, she is,’ Diana said sternly. ‘This is the price you will pay for our cooperation in this. If you insist on returning to your world to see Tornado Warning, then Alexis is coming with you. She has great skills that will keep you safe.’

‘But she’s a … a …’ Emily struggled for the right word.

‘Careful, child,’ Alexis warned. She approached Emily and rose up on her lion’s hind legs. Her serpent’s tail swished in the air in annoyance as she rested her paws on Emily’s shoulder. Her claws were drawn. ‘We are not playing now, Emily. This is very serious. I have been told what is happening. Diana has asked me to accompany you to keep you safe. This is what I intend to do.’

‘You’re just going to spy on us,’ Emily challenged, forcing herself not to look at the Sphinx’s claws so close to her face.

Diana moved forward. ‘Alexis, get down.’ She concentrated on Emily. ‘Alexis is not a spy. It is her job to keep you safe. You are the Flame of Olympus. You must be protected at all times.’

‘I can take care of myself,’ Emily challenged. ‘I beat the gorgons. You know I can control the Flame now.’

Emily’s father stood with her. ‘Em, we all know you can control the Flame. But our world is a dangerous place – not just from the CRU.’ He looked over to Pegasus. ‘And I know you’ll do everything you can to keep her safe. But Alexis has special skills that you don’t. Diana tells me she can sense danger before it comes. She can move silently and swiftly and can read a person’s intentions. She will be an asset you can’t turn down.’

Alexis held up a paw. ‘Thank you, Steve, but perhaps there is another way to settle this.’ She approached Emily. ‘I will ask you a riddle. If you answer correctly, I will not go. However, if your answer is wrong, I will go and you will say no more about it.’

‘You want to play a game?’ Emily demanded. ‘Now? Right before we leave?’

‘This is no game,’ Alexis answered seriously. ‘Either you will answer my riddle, or I will join you without your permission.’

‘Be careful, Em,’ Joel warned. ‘Alexis is the Sphinx.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Emily said.

Alexis looked at Joel. ‘Say no more, Joel. This is between Emily and me.’ She concentrated on Emily. ‘Riddle me this …

My shallow hills are the faces of kings
My horizon is always near
My music sends men to the grave
My absence sends men to work.
What am I?’

Emily frowned as she tried to work out the simple riddle. Since Alexis was from Olympus, she figured the answer would have to be something Olympian. What shallow hills were in Olympus with a close horizon? None, so it is not a place. The next line was about music. But what kind of music sends men to the grave but absence sends them to work? The Muses sang beautifully, but they never killed with their songs. Who did?

Emily smiled. ‘I know.’

‘Tell me,’ the Sphinx demanded.

‘The answer is: the Sirens.’

Alexis laughed. ‘You are wrong.’

Emily’s temper flared. ‘No I’m not. The Sirens send men to their graves in the water, but when they leave, the sailors can get back to work. So it’s got to be the Sirens.’

‘You are wrong,’ Alexis repeated.

‘So what is the answer?’

‘That is for me to know and you to figure out.’

‘What?’ Emily cried. ‘You’re cheating. I got the answer right and you don’t want to admit it!’

The fur on the hackles of Alexis’s lion’s back rose as the Sphinx narrowed her green eyes. ‘Cheat? You accuse me of cheating!’ She advanced on Emily.

Emily took a step back and raised her hands. She felt the tingling of power flowing down her arms to her hands. The Flame was just a breath away.

‘Alexis, enough,’ Pluto said. ‘Control yourself. Emily, you too!’

The Sphinx’s furious green eyes lingered on Emily a moment longer before she turned back to Pluto. ‘As you command.’

Emily lowered her hands, but refused to take her wary eyes off the Sphinx.

Pegasus nickered softly and nodded his head. He stepped closer to Emily and nudged her in the back gently.

‘He says Alexis never lies,’ Paelen translated. ‘If you had said the correct answer, she is bound by honour and the laws of Olympus to tell you. Your answer was wrong.’

Emily started to protest further until Pluto raised his voice. ‘This is not open for discussion. The riddle was asked, the answer given. Alexis will go with you.’

‘But—’ Emily cried.

Pluto shook his head. ‘You are the Flame of Olympus and too precious to risk. Either you will take Alexis with you, or you will not go at all.’

Joel leaned over to her. ‘It’ll be all right, Em. With Pluto’s helmet, you’ll never even see her. We’ll just go, see Tornado Warning and come right back.’

Emily looked at Joel, then Paelen, who was nodding his head enthusiastically. It was obvious how much they both liked the Sphinx. Finally her eyes trailed over to Alexis, who was still eyeing her up dangerously. She shook her head. ‘I have a very bad feeling about this.’

The group entered the bright, powerful light of the Solar Stream. This was the passage the Olympians used to travel between worlds. It was loud and filled with white energy that caused the hair on Emily’s arms to stand on end. Riding on Pegasus, she recalled her father’s fearful face as he watched her go. She prayed she would be returning to him in Olympus soon with good news.

Behind Emily and Pegasus was Joel on Chrysaor, while Paelen flew beside them using his winged sandals. Emily looked back and saw Alexis at the very rear. The Sphinx’s face was grim as her large wings beat in rhythm with Pegasus’s.

When they burst free of the Solar Stream, Emily was alarmed to feel the sunny warmth of a summer day. What her father said was true. The time between the worlds was completely different. While it was night on Olympus, it was full daylight in the skies over New York City. They had also discovered that when a day passed in Olympus, weeks had sometimes passed in her world.

They had decided to return to the New York area where the Belmont Stakes, the last race in the Triple Crown, was run. It was the final place Tornado Warning had been seen. When they emerged from the Solar Stream, Emily looked down to see the tall antennae of the Empire State Building pass directly beneath them. She could see tourists on the observation deck. They all seemed to be looking down on the world and failed to notice them. ‘Pegs, we’re too low! Take us higher in the sky!’

Pegasus manoeuvred his wings and led the group higher in the sky as he flew uptown over the city. Emily looked back at Joel. He was shaking his head. ‘That was too close!’ he called. ‘Do you think anyone saw us?’

‘I hope not!’ Emily called back.

Joel shouted over to Paelen. ‘Take the lead! Ask your sandals to find Tornado Warning. Let’s just take a look at him and get the heck out of here!’

Paelen directed his sandals forward. When he was a length ahead of Pegasus, he called down to his sandals, ‘Take us to Tornado Warning.’

Emily gripped Pegasus’s mane tighter and prepared to change direction in the sky. But when she looked at Paelen and then down to his winged sandals, nothing happened. Normally when he gave a command to the sandals, the wings fluttered to let him know they had heard and were obeying.

‘Tornado Warning,’ Paelen repeated. ‘Find Tornado Warning.’

Paelen repeated the command several more times, but the sandals remained unchanged. He looked back at Emily and shrugged. ‘They do not know where he is.’

By now they were moving uptown. On their right, Emily saw the George Washington Bridge. She reached forward and pointed. ‘Pegasus, do you see that tall bridge over there? Please follow it. It will take us to where we can land.’ She called forward to Paelen, ‘Follow us!’

Pegasus veered in the sky. Beneath them, the tall suspension bridge crossed over the Hudson River and led them deeper into New Jersey. As they passed over Fort Lee, Emily saw a large area of dense trees rising to the far right. ‘Take us down, Pegs. We need to talk!’

After a few minutes of searching, Pegasus found a clearing in the trees. When the stallion neatly touched down, Emily slid off his back. She approached her friends.

‘What happened?’ she asked Paelen. ‘Why can’t your sandals find Tornado?’

Paelen shrugged. ‘I do not know. They have never failed me before.’

‘Are they still working?’ Joel asked. ‘Test them. Ask them to take you to Governors Island.’

Paelen nodded and looked down at his winged sandals. ‘Take me to Governors Island.’ Immediately the tiny wings flapped in acknowledgement and lifted Paelen off the ground and moved in the direction of the small island off southern Manhattan. ‘Stop!’ Paelen ordered. ‘Take me back to Emily.’

‘So they are still working,’ Joel muttered.

‘Perhaps they do not recognize the command,’ Alexis added as she folded her wings and padded up to them. ‘If it is thus that Tornado Warning comes from both Pegasus and this world, it may be confusing them.’

‘That’s dumb,’ Emily said.

Alexis narrowed her green eyes. ‘Do you have a better suggestion?’

Emily didn’t. But she didn’t want the Sphinx to know that. She still resented Alexis being forced on them. ‘If the sandals can’t find Tornado, what are we supposed to do? That was the plan.’

Joel rubbed his chin. ‘Well, we can’t go back until we’ve seen that horse. We just have to find him another way. Let’s search the internet to find out where he’s racing next.’

‘How?’ Emily asked. ‘It’s not like we can just walk into an internet café – we don’t exactly blend in!’

‘I wasn’t suggesting that,’ Joel shot back. ‘We need someone with a home computer. Who do we know?’

‘My aunt,’ Emily suggested. ‘But she’s being watched by the CRU.’

‘I didn’t have any school friends,’ Joel muttered. ‘And my foster family didn’t own a computer, so no point going back there.’

‘I know,’ Paelen offered excitedly. ‘What about Earl? Perhaps he can help us.’

Emily thought back to Earl, the owner of their old hide-out, the Red Apple. He had helped them last time they were in this world. Even after he’d been badly hurt – when the Nirads attacked – he’d done all he could to help.

She looked at Paelen and nodded. ‘That’s not a bad idea. Do you think your sandals could find him?’

Paelen looked down at his sandals. ‘Take me to Earl.’

The tiny wings flapped and lifted Paelen off the ground. There was no hesitation as they carried him over the trees and higher in the sky.

‘Paelen, stop!’ Joel cried. ‘Get back here!’

Paelen returned and Joel looked at the group. ‘We can’t go now in daylight, we’ll be seen. Lord only knows who’s seen us already. We arrived too low in the sky over the city. I think we should wait here till dark. It will be safer to fly then.’

Chrysaor nudged Joel’s hand. He grunted several times. Pegasus also whinnied softly.

‘They both agree, Joel,’ Paelen translated. ‘It is too big a risk to go now.’

‘Then it’s settled,’ Emily said. ‘We wait till tonight, then we find Earl.’

The day passed slowly as they sat in the trees waiting for sunset. Emily jumped at every crack and sound from the woods around them. She felt exposed and vulnerable, as though a CRU agent was hiding behind every tree and waiting to burst out at them at any moment.