‘You’re using too much power. Please stop!’
Emily tried everything to make Riza hear. She pounded on the walls of her mind. She screamed louder than she ever had in her life. But nothing was reaching the Xan.
More power surged.
Emily was spinning uncontrolled in the tight confines of her mind. She could no longer see or hear anything. But still she felt the draw of power increasing. As she started to fade into darkness, she felt, more than heard, a great tearing deep within her. Unable to cry out, Emily swooned.
2
‘Emily?’ a deep, concerned voice called. ‘Emily, are you all right?’
Emily’s head pounded as she struggled back to consciousness. A wet tongue licked her cheek and she didn’t need to open her eyes to know it was Pegasus. The stallion was whinnying and nudging her to wake up.
‘Emily, please,’ the man’s voice repeated.
Her eyes fluttered open. At first she saw the stars shining above her. Then Pegasus’s face, but that was soon replaced by the face of someone she hadn’t seen since Area 51.
‘Agent T?’
Tom’s eyes sparkled as he leaned closer to her. ‘My name is Tom, remember? You know me as Tom. Agent T is gone.’
‘Wha-what happened?’
‘A miracle,’ he announced. ‘You and Riza have made me the happiest man alive!’
‘Riza . . . ? RIZA!’ Emily cried. She sat up quickly and checked herself over. Arms, legs – she was still all there. ‘I remember. She was drawing too much power.’ Emily closed her eyes and reached inside. ‘Riza – are you there? Talk to me!’
She called again, but Riza didn’t answer. Emily recalled how much power the ancient Xan had drawn from them to restore Tom. The last time they had used too much power, Riza had gone silent too. But she came back. Emily prayed she would come back this time as well.
‘Are you all right?’ Tom asked. ‘Even in this poor light, you look really pale. How are you feeling?’
Emily frowned and rubbed her temples. ‘Really weak, and I’ve got a killer headache. I might be sick to my stomach.’
‘It’s no wonder,’ Tom said gratefully. ‘Not after what you two just did for me.’
Emily’s head cleared and her gaze rested on the ex-CRU agent. She inhaled sharply. His face hadn’t changed at all! The same angular features and pale-blue eyes were framed with long, dark hair. But from there, everything was different. His chest was bare and ended in a full, powerful lion’s torso. Instead of arms, Tom had lion’s paws with sharp, tearing claws. On his back was a large set of wings.
‘It worked!’ Emily cried. ‘Tom, you’re a Sphinx!’
‘I sure am!’ Tom’s rough paws pulled Emily up into a powerful embrace. ‘I thought I was content to remain a tree, but now I can see again! I can smell the sweet fresh air and feel the wind on my face. I can taste salt on my lips and I can touch you! You have given me more than I ever deserved. Thank you!’
Emily laughed as she hugged him back.
‘Just look at my wings! Can I really fly? I always dreamed of flying when I was a kid. But now, is it really possible?’
‘I don’t know,’ Emily chuckled. She had never seen him behave like this. Tom was right. Agent T of the CRU was long gone. This was a man who finally understood happiness. ‘You’ll have to ask Alexis.’
‘Alexis!’ Tom rose and started to hop around the area like an overexcited dog. His four large lion’s legs and paws were gangly and unruly as he tried to learn how to use them together. ‘Get up! We must find Alexis!’
Alexis was still alone in the maze when Pegasus flew over it. Emily pointed down. ‘There she is – she hasn’t moved.’
Tom’s large paws were wrapped tightly around her waist as he sat like a dog, behind her on the stallion’s rump. His wings were open and causing a drag behind them. He’d nearly fallen off twice on the way to Jupiter’s palace. Yet despite that, his spirits were higher than she’d ever seen them as he whooped and laughed all the way back.
‘Don’t say anything,’ Tom whispered to Emily. ‘Let me surprise her.’
Pegasus touched down on the ground beside the giant maze. Tom leaped off and crashed to the ground in an awkward heap. He laughed in embarrassment. ‘I think Alexis has a lot to teach me. I never realized how difficult it is to walk with four legs.’
When he righted himself, he said, ‘Will you wait here for us? I’m sure Alexis will want to thank you.’
Emily nodded. She closed her sore eyes and rubbed her aching shoulders. She still felt nauseous and as if she might be sick at any moment.
Each beat of her heart seemed to cause her head to pound harder. ‘I need some aspirins,’ she said softly to Pegasus. She closed her eyes, leaned forward and lay down on the stallion’s neck to wait for Tom.
Emily woke and rolled on to her back. A gentle breeze was blowing her bedroom curtains and the bright sunshine of an Olympian day greeted her.
She sat up and yawned.
Pegasus was standing at the window. He turned, nickered excitedly and trotted over to her bed.
Emily rubbed her tired eyes. ‘You won’t believe the dream I just had. Alexis was in it. She was miserable because she was separated from Tom. So you and I went to Tom and, with Riza’s help, we turned him into a Sphinx. But something went wrong and I got sick . . .’
Pausing, Emily became aware of the dull, throbbing pain in the centre of her head. It wasn’t as bad as the one from her dream, but it was there. ‘Actually, I really do have a headache. I guess that’s what started the dream.’
Emily climbed out of bed and reached for her clothes. She frowned. ‘The funny thing is I don’t remember going to bed. We were swimming and then . . .’
The stallion walked to her side and nodded his head. His eyes sparkled and she could feel his excitement. She had barely tied her braided gold belt around her waist when he leaned down, caught her hand in his teeth and drew her towards the door.
‘What’s got you so excited this morning?’
Pegasus led her into the main living area of the apartment. Her father was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. He was wearing his Olympian tunic, but had a very Earth-like apron tied around his waist.
‘You’re up!’ he cried. He put down the dish he was carrying and greeted her with a hug. ‘I am so proud of you. That was the kindest thing you could have done for those two. Everyone is thrilled.’
Emily frowned. ‘What are you talking about? Thrilled about what?’
Her father stopped and stared at her. ‘Don’t you remember?’
‘Remember what?’ Emily looked at Pegasus, puzzled. ‘Dad, why do you and Pegasus look so excited? What’s going on?’
‘Tom and Alexis,’ he said. ‘Last night? Emily, you and Riza turned Tom into a Sphinx.’
Emily was stunned. ‘That was real? It wasn’t a dream?’
‘That was no dream. Alexis woke everyone in the palace with her shrieks the moment she saw him.’ His grin pulled in the dimples in his cheeks. ‘I have never seen her so excited. I thought she was terrifying when she was angry. You should see her happy – it’s even worse!’
Emily laughed. ‘Tom was jumping around like an electrocuted cat. He doesn’t know how to walk on four legs.’
‘I’m sure Alexis will teach him.’ He went back to preparing breakfast. ‘How you managed to sleep through the racket is beyond me. I’m sure they could be heard on Earth.’
‘Was it you who put me to bed?’
He nodded. ‘Me and Diana. We found you sleeping on Pegasus and brought you back here.’ He turned to her. ‘Really, Em, I am so proud of you. You have made those two very happy.’
‘It wasn’t me,’ Emily admitted. ‘It was Riza.’
Emily started to help her father prepare breakfast when an urgent banging
on their door stopped her. Pegasus sniffed the air and then nickered softly and headed towards the door.
‘We’ll get it,’ Emily called to her father.
The moment she turned the door knob, the door sprang open and Alexis leaped at Emily. She was knocked to the ground as the powerful Sphinx pinned her down and started to kiss her all over.
‘Thank you, thank you, thank you . . .’ Alexis cried. Her eyes were wild and her hair a tousled mess. But Emily had never seen the Sphinx looking so radiant.
‘Alexis, please, let the poor girl breathe!’ came Tom’s voice.
Tom helped Emily sit up, just as Alexis pounced on her again. She threw her paws around Emily and held her tight. ‘How can I ever thank you for this? Tell me, what can I do? I will be your slave forever.’
Emily laughed as Alexis offered a list of things she would do for her. ‘Please, just let me up!’
She climbed to her feet and was able to get a full look at the two Sphinxes together. Tom was taller than Alexis and his wings were much larger. But they made a handsome couple.
‘Go on, tell her,’ Tom said, nudging Alexis.
Alexis blushed. ‘We can never thank you enough for the joy you have brought us. Juno has just given me and Tom larger quarters here, near the palace. We can stay together and still serve Juno and Jupiter. And in time, Juno said she and Jupiter will preside over our Union Ceremony.’
‘Union Ceremony?’ Emily asked.
Tom grinned. ‘It’s kind of like a wedding. Alexis and I are engaged.’ His blue eyes sparkled as he looked at Emily. ‘And you made this possible for us.’
Pegasus whinnied in celebration as Emily embraced Alexis again. ‘I’m just so glad Riza and I could help.’
By the time Joel and Paelen joined them for breakfast, the Sphinxes had left so that Alexis could start to teach Tom how to fly.
Joel sat down beside Emily and elbowed her lightly. ‘I never knew you were such a romantic.’
Emily blushed. ‘I’m not. I just hated to see Alexis and Tom apart.’
‘Yeah, right, I believe you. Millions wouldn’t, but I do.’
Emily grinned and shoved him back. Her headache was still with her and was a reminder of what had happened the previous night. She realized that ever since she first entered the Temple of the Flame and stepped up on to the plinth to relight the Flame, she hadn’t been sick or had any physical illness at all.
The pounding in her head stayed with her throughout the long day and into the evening. Normally she would stay up late with Pegasus and take a night flight over Olympus. She was still exploring new areas of this wondrous world and the winged stallion was her favourite guide.
But tonight she excused herself early and retired to her bedroom. She couldn’t stop yawning as she dressed for bed. From the moment she put her head down, Emily slipped into a deep, restful sleep.
3
Dripping water. Shouts and cries . . . arguments. It was like a tidal wave of sounds assaulting her ears. Damp and musty odours mixed in with the foul stench of the unwashed.
Eyes open slowly. It was dim, with only the flickering of torches casting their shadows on the stone walls. Movement – someone was drawing near.
‘Can it be true? Are you waking, after all this time?’
A voice. Close. Familiar. Excited.
‘Lorin? Wake up, child.’
‘M- M-Mother?’
‘No, not Mother. It is me, Phoebe – do you remember me? I have been caring for you.’
Lorin turned slowly towards the face drawing near. Her eyes tried to focus, but they were dry and sore and, in the dim light, she could not make out details. Phoebe. A spark of memory. Phoebe was the name of her mother’s best friend.
She attempted to rise, but couldn’t. Nothing worked as it should.
‘Do not try to move,’ Phoebe said. ‘You have slept a very, very long time and your muscles are unused to movement.’
Lorin’s eyes looked past the pale, drawn face of Phoebe. A dark stone wall rose behind her and all around. She weakly lifted her head and saw thick bars blocking the only way out of the small room.
She frowned. ‘Where . . . ?’
‘We are in Tartarus.’
‘Not home?’
‘No, my child. We are not on Titus. We were imprisoned here after the war. I do not know how long we have been here, but it feels an eternity. It no longer matters though, now that you are back with me.’
Flashes of memories came to Lorin. Sunshine, a happy home with her parents. Her baby brother and her friends. Her pet owl and dog. She licked her parched, dry lips.
‘Here, drink this. It will make you stronger.’
A cup was pressed to her lips and she tasted the sweet flavour of nectar. With the first swallow, she felt better. She looked past Phoebe again and frowned. ‘Where are Mother and Father?’
‘They are gone.’
‘Where?’
‘I am so sorry, my precious. They are not here. They have gone ahead . . .’
Lorin didn’t understand. ‘They – left – me?’
‘It was not their choice.’
Lorin raised her arm and inspected a hand she did not recognize. It was different than she remembered. Lifting her head, she looked down the length of her body. Two thick plaits of long, blonde hair lay on her chest. Fear rose from the centre of her being. This wasn’t her body, it was too big, and her hair wasn’t long and it was never put in plaits. Her voice was different too. It was much deeper – everything about her was different.
Panic started to take over. ‘I do not understand,’ she cried. ‘I want Mother and Father! Please, let me see them.’
Phoebe sat on the edge of the bed and took Lorin’s hands. ‘Calm down. You are still too weak.’
‘But I need them.’
‘I know you do, my sweet. But it is impossible.’
‘Why . . . ?’ Her voice became a small, weak whine. Tears rose in her eyes.
Phoebe gently stroked her cheek. ‘If I could give them back to you, I would. But they are long gone.’
‘No, Mother was just with me. She sang our special song and rubbed my back until I was asleep. She kissed me right here.’ Lorin pointed to the spot on her forehead where her mother kissed her each night.
‘That was a very long time ago.’
Lorin frowned, ‘No, it was last night.’
Phoebe sighed heavily. ‘This will be hard for you to understand. But you must try. A very, very long time ago, a bright flame flashed across the night sky. We thought it was just a fragment from a dying star, a meteor passing close to Titus. It continued to burn brightly until it fell from the sky and crashed into your home. You and your family were sleeping when it struck. Everyone and everything in the area was destroyed. We believed we had lost you too, until, somehow, you were pulled from the wreckage – alive and unharmed.’
Lorin shook her head. ‘Stop lying to me!’
‘I wish I were lying. That cursed meteor changed everything for all of us.’
It had to be a lie, thought Lorin. Her family couldn’t be gone. They were just with her.
As though reading her mind, Phoebe stroked her head again. ‘We were all so grateful when you were pulled from the devastation. But you were in a very deep sleep. Nothing could rouse you, not matter what we tried. Then the war started and I kept you safe in the hopes that one day you would wake.’
Phoebe smiled, but with sadness. ‘And now, at last, you have. But you have changed so much. You are not the little girl I used to cradle on my lap. Over the ages of your sleep you have grown into a beautiful young woman. I have cared for you every minute since the disaster and loved you like my own daughter.’
More memories returned to Lorin. She remembered Phoebe. She was like a second mother to he
r. But as she gazed up into Phoebe’s face, Lorin noticed she looked different. Her eyes were drawn and tired. Her skin was pale and sallow, as though it had never been kissed by the sun. Her hair was still light, but it had lost its lustre and was unkempt. Her clothes looked like rags and her skin was filthy.
When she had the strength to sit up, Lorin looked around her. She wasn’t in a bedroom; it was a small stone prison cell with two narrow beds and no windows. Outside the bars, she could see the cell opposite and hear the occupants talking. She could sense many other people all around her, locked in their own cells. As she focused, she could sense even more on the many levels above and below them.
‘This is Tartarus?’ She remembered that name. Her parents used to speak of it. Saying it was a bad place for very bad people, and not somewhere they would want to go.
Phoebe nodded.
‘Why are we here? Did I do something bad?’
Phoebe smiled and it lit her face. ‘No, my child, you could never do anything bad. It was the war. We were defeated. They gathered together everyone who fought for Saturn and locked us down here. They feed us and give us what we need to survive. But we will never be free. Titus is gone for us. Now, there is only Tartarus and an eternity in prison.’
‘I do not understand. What is war?’
Phoebe tried her best to explain it in simple terms for Lorin’s young, undeveloped mind. Lorin frowned.
‘Who put us down here?’
Phoebe’s expression darkened. ‘That traitor, Jupiter, and his Olympians!’
4
Emily was confused. She was seeing things that seemed so much more real than a dream. Hearing through ears not her own. All around were the sounds of screaming, arguing and crying. She could feel things, but didn’t recognize what they were.
Then there was a woman’s voice – soft, welcoming and joyful. Was someone touching her hand? Her face? She couldn’t be certain.
‘Riza?’ Emily called. But within her dream state, the Xan was not with her.
Hiding behind the louder sounds she could hear dripping water, as though she was deep underground . . .