by Eliza Raine
Miss Alma was tight-lipped and wide-eyed when we got back to the tower.
‘Give her space! And someone get Fantasma and Agrius,’ she said, as we crowded around Kiko. I didn’t need to look at her to know her eyes were solid black. Nausea surged inside me.
‘Are you alright?’ gasped Icarus, stepping up beside me and Peto.
‘Yes, of course,’ I said, focusing on him. ‘Icarus you were amazing. You saved her life.’
He said nothing, breathing heavily and leaning his hands on his knees.
‘I didn’t know you could fly that fast.’
‘Nor did I. Guess it’s all about motivation,’ he muttered through panted breaths. That’s what Dasko had said in the pool, I realized.
‘We have to get into the advanced tower as soon as possible,’ I said quietly. ‘And find out more about the fire rafe.’
Icarus nodded at me.
‘We’ll go tonight.’
8
When the hauler reached the bottom of the tower Hermes voice rang out across the school and the feverish, scared hum of voices around me fell silent immediately.
‘All students to the main temple. Now.’
I looked at Icarus and he reached for my hand as we followed the group towards the main temple. It was lined with bench seats, like it had been for the end of semester ceremony, and we all filed in to sit down. I looked around for Zali and eventually spotted her with Tak, Gida and Roz, three rows in front of us.
‘Icarus,’ a female voice said. We both turned and saw Arketa behind us, eyes rimmed with red. ‘They told me what you did,’ she said quietly. ‘Thank you.’
‘Um, yeah, sure,’ he answered her awkwardly.
‘It’ll be OK, Arketa,’ I told her, as reassuringly as I could manage.
‘Don’t even speak to me, witch,’ she hissed, her eyes filling with tears and pure hatred as she glared at me. I took an involuntary step backwards, her viciousness shocking me. ‘I heard everything that happened up there. Alexsis was going to beat you at archery and Kiko was going to beat you at flying and now look at them both.’ A tear spilled down her cheek.
‘No, no, Arketa, I…’ I wanted to tell her it wasn’t me, but I knew, deep-down that really it was. It was my fault.
‘Icarus, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from her. She’s dangerous.’ More tears spilled from her eyes and she turned and stamped past the other students behind us. Guilt and fear wrenched at my stomach.
‘Nobody believes you’re doing it, Dora. Don’t worry,’ said Icarus, squeezing my hand.
‘But… what if I am dangerous?’ I whispered. Icarus looked around pointedly at the students surrounding us.
‘You’re not. We’ll talk later.’
I said nothing as we sat down, and within a minute Hermes was striding out onto the stage. In the presence of an Olympian, it was impossible to focus on anything else. The red-haired man had an almost visible glow around him, and it was as though the room was suddenly too small. He was wearing an ancient style toga and tiny shining gold wings fluttered at his ankles.
‘A rogue death demon appears to be loose in the academy.’ Gasps filled the hall at the god’s blunt words. ‘Athena and I have petitioned Zeus, but he insists that we do not intervene. He believes it is a prime test of the school’s ability.’ I gaped at Icarus as outraged and appalled shouts echoed through the room. Hermes held up his hand and the students fell quiet instantly. ‘I do not agree with Zeus’s decision, but I can’t change it,’ he said gravely. ‘I will help wherever I can. All students will now be armed at all times. Your classes will be altered slightly to teach you more about demons and fighting, particularly the younger students. Potions that ward off spirits will be served at breakfast - make sure that you drink them.’ Hermes ran a hand through his beard and looked around at us all. ‘This academy is not popular with all of the gods. Let us prove that we are worthy. Kill the demon. Show Zeus what you can do.’ Renewed mutters, lively and hopeful, rippled across the temple. ‘And don’t forget to drink the breakfast potions.’ There was a flash of white light, and the god vanished. The mutters erupted into loud chatter and I listened speechless to the students around me.
‘Hermes wants us to kill the demon?’
‘If the potions work then we don’t need to worry about anyone else being taken!’
‘Does that mean we’re all safe again now?’
‘How do you kill a demon?’
‘I can’t wait for the new classes, demons aren’t supposed to be until second year!’
‘I wonder what weapons we’ll get?’
I looked at Icarus, still gripping my hand.
‘This is really good, Dora. Potions to keep us all safe,’ he said, with a smile.
‘Yes,’ I nodded.
‘Do you think we still need to make the luring potion?’
‘If Neos says that’s the best way to lure the demon then… yeah. I guess so.’
‘Your attention please!’ We all looked up at Chiron, now standing where Hermes had been. The centaur looked tight-lipped and angry. ‘On your way out of the temple, please collect a potion and weapon from Agrius and Miss Alma. Then make your way to your next class as usual.’ Everyone stood up at once, eager to get their hands on things that would make them safe. ‘And please remember, all the teachers here can help you. If you are in trouble, or see anything suspicious, come and find us.’ Chiron’s eyes were beseeching, but most of the students ignored him, pushing their way towards Miss Alma and Agrius at the exit.
The potion Miss Alma gave me was bitter and sharp, but there wasn’t much of it in the little glass vial so I gulped it down in one. I tucked the tiny, glinting dagger I’d chosen from selection of knives and slingshots into the side of my backpack. I couldn’t see how a dagger would help fight an invisible demon that snatched souls. Hopefully the safety potion would leave the knife redundant. At lunchtime though, everyone was comparing weapons and talking animatedly about how they would catch and kill the demon.
‘I mean, the problem is finding it, isn’t it,’ Tak said.
‘Um, I don’t think that’s the only problem,’ frowned Zali. ‘What would you do with it once you found it?’
‘Stab it, obviously,’ he replied, levitating his dagger off the table and waving it in front of her. She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. The tense fear from the last few days had lifted, and the confidence of the safety potion and the challenge set for the school was buoying everybody's spirits. I knew I should feel pleased that the secret was out, that Icarus and I were no longer carrying the burden alone, but instead I only felt a sick, hollow feeling in my stomach. Kiko, Alexsis, Dimitra… They were all lying lifeless in the front temple, their souls stolen. And now everybody was acting like killing the demon was a game. When I wasn’t thinking about the soul snatcher, Arketa’s hatred dominated my thoughts. She truly hated me. Why?
I kept my head down in fire class, practicing making little fireballs at the back of the room. I considered trying what Neos had shown me, letting the heat meld with my skin and flow through me, but I resisted the temptation. I didn’t want to lose control of fire in a room full of students.
‘Pandora, I heard the head boy gave you extended detentions after your attack on that poor girl last week,’ said Neos, coming over to me.
I glared at him.
‘That’s right,’ I said, through gritted teeth.
‘Well, I’ve spoken to him, and your detentions will be spent with me instead.’
‘What?’
‘You could do with the practice,’ he said, raising his eyebrows at my little fireball. It disintegrated under his withering look. ‘Fire classroom, after dinner. Every night this week.’ The red flashed in his eyes for a split-second before he strolled away again.
When I told Icarus at dinner that night, his green eyes were dark and angry.
‘I don’t like this, Dora. I don’t trust him,’ he ground out.
‘Nor do I. But there’s not
hing I can do about it. We need him. Plus he’s a professor. I can’t say no to detention.’
After dinner I left Icarus looking for more books about Scorpio in the library and stomped back to the fire classroom. Neos was leaning casually against a column outside the five elemental doors.
‘Pandora,’ he said as I approached. I scowled at him.
‘This is stupid. I have to go and get the stuff you told me to find, and save the souls that have been taken,’ I snapped at him.
‘There’s no hurry, little Titan. You’ve all got your magic potions to protect you from her now, and those souls aren’t going anywhere,’ he smiled. I knew I should feel annoyed at him calling me little Titan, but part of me kind of liked it. It was better than ‘Titan scum’.
‘Whatever,’ I grumbled.
‘Tell me, Pandora. Which of these doors are you most drawn to?’
I started to answer straight away but he held his hand up.
‘Wait. Feel it. Try to really feel it. Which door is the strongest?’
I sighed, and stared at each door in turn. The air door, with the white gust carefully carved on it, felt cool and distant and out of reach. The electricity door, with it’s massive yellow lightning bolt, felt like nothing at all. It was just stone to me as I stared. The earth door, the elaborate root pattern leading up to a tree decorating it, gave me a slightly warm buzz when I focused on it, but little more. The water door though… Heaving, swelling, barely contained energy thrummed from the stone, the ground, the dome above me, filling my muscles with strength. I opened my mouth to speak but Neos cut me off again.
‘Nuhuh, you have one more door,’ he said, quietly. I looked at the fire door, concentrating. Heat, real and sharp and searing shot through my body, from head to foot. My skin tingled and fizzed and an elation began to take over my mind. It wasn’t a feeling of strong, solid life-giving freedom like the water gave me. It was less immense, less overwhelming, less constant. But it was stronger. It was fierce and powerful and desperate and… I wanted it. I wanted the power from that door.
‘You feel it just as strongly as the water, Pandora,’ Neos said from behind me.
‘No,’ I said, still staring at the door, letting the heat sear through me. ‘No, the water is stronger.’ I wanted the words to be true but I didn’t know if they were. Water was safer somehow than fire. Fire was… dangerous and passionate, and I was descended from Oceanus. I needed to be one with water. With an effort, I remembered what it had felt like when I became the ocean when I had fought the sea demon. The bliss, the strength, the control. I wrenched my focus from the fire door. I felt cold suddenly, goosebumps raising across my skin.
‘Fighting it will not help, little Titan. Very few could be so powerful with opposing elements. You are special, Pandora.’ His voice had that seductive quality again, and I found myself stepping towards him, hope filling me. I needed to be exceptionally powerful. I needed to be able to get back to my family in the mortal world.
‘Can you-’ I started to ask him, but broke off the words before I finished them. I couldn’t ask a fire demon for help with my powers. Surely that was a bad idea.
He regarded me a long moment, his eyes burning red and a half amused smile on his lips. I kept my mouth clamped shut. I shouldn’t be wanting to learn fire magic to make myself more powerful. I should be helping the people whose lives I’d ruined, whose souls I’d caused to be stolen.
‘I guess I could let you off your detention today, little Titan. Go and find your ingredients.’ I turned and ran towards the library before he could say another word.
‘Same time tomorrow, Pandora!’ I heard him shout behind me.
9
I jogged straight passed the couches and dove into the shelves of books, moving up and down the bookcases until I spotted Icarus sitting on the floor with a large hardback.
‘Hey, you alright?’ He jumped to his feet when he saw me, his wings shaking out behind him.
‘Yeah,’ I panted. ‘Neos let me off detention today, to find ingredients.’
Icarus frowned.
‘Why would he do that?’
I looked down at my feet, reluctant to answer him.
‘I think he knows he scared me a little,’ I admitted.
‘What? How did he scare you?’ Icarus dropped the book as he stepped towards me.
‘He didn’t do anything bad,’ I said quickly. ‘It’s just… when I’m with him my fire magic is strong. Really strong. The feeling frightened me a bit, that’s all.’
‘Neos is dangerous,’ growled Icarus.
‘He’s not going to hurt me,’ I said, and knew it was true.
‘Hmm,’ grunted Icarus.
‘Did you find anything?’ I asked him, changing the subject.
‘No,’ he shook his head.
I sighed.
‘Let’s go and get the rust tonight instead,’ I said.
‘Break into the advanced tower?’
I nodded.
‘Yeah. We know it’s likely to be in there, and I’m fed up of making no progress at all.’
‘OK. Midnight?’
‘Midnight,’ I agreed.
Icarus was waiting in the shadows as I padded silently to the advanced tower later that night. I had been worried that the teachers would be performing night patrols or being extra vigilant, but the grounds were as empty as they always were at night. I guessed they had faith in the safety potion or were working on their own solution to the demon problem.
There was a padlock on the heavy iron door to the tower and Icarus immediately called a tiny whirlwind of air to his palm. He angled the whirlwind at the lock and closed his eyes as the air entered the lock.
‘What are you doing?’ I whispered.
‘Shhh,’ he hissed back. Then there was a click and the padlock fell open. He smiled as he opened his eyes. ‘I read about using air to pick locks, if you can solidify it enough,’ he grinned.
‘Nice trick,’ I grinned back.
We pushed open the door with a small creak and slipped inside. I created a little fireball for us to see by, hovering it above our heads. We were in a round entry foyer with the same checkered floor tiles that the front temple had, and a spiral staircase running all the way up and around the stone wall. Doors were set every ten feet or so, spiraling up the tower.
‘Wow,’ I muttered. ‘Which door? There’s got to be a hundred in here.’
‘They have labels,’ said Icarus, squinting at the nearest one. I hurried over, my fireball bringing enough light to read the words above the first door.
‘Fangs and Teeth,’ read the sign. I ignored my longing to find out what was inside a room named like that, and started up the stairs. Eventually we came to a room labeled ‘Wars and the Wounded.’
‘This sounds promising,’ I said, pausing.
‘It sounds morbid,’ Icarus muttered back, but carefully pushed open the door. I sent the little fireball in first, slowly, then stepped into the room. A cold uneasiness immediately settled over me, my instincts trying to drag me back out of the room. I ignored them, taking another step inside.
My heart leapt into my throat as I saw movement, but quickly realized that the flickering light was casting eerie shadows over rows and rows of battle armor lining the far wall, making them look as though they were alive. I let out a long breath and tried to steady my nerves.
‘Over here,’ whispered Icarus. I turned, and saw that he was by a tall cabinet, his own fireball just inches from his face as he peered through the glass. I tip-toed over to him and he pointed to a series of vials containing powders and liquids in a narrow wooden holder. ‘It could be one of them?’
‘Let’s have a look,’ I said, and eased the latch on the cabinet door open. I lifted the tiny labels around the neck of each vial and tried to read the swirly handwriting, but the text made no sense to me.
‘Can you read that?’ I whispered to Icarus. He leaned forward.
‘It’s in ancient Greek,’ he said.
‘
What does it say?’
‘Doxa.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘Glory.’
‘Huh. So this vial gives you glory?’ I looked at the dirty looking blue liquid inside. Icarus shrugged.
‘Or it came from somebody or something glorious. Either way, it’s not what we came here for.’
‘These two vials are a reddy-color, they could be rust?’ I said, pointing at the two on the right.
‘Hang on, I’ll look,’ he said, and bent over the tiny labels. A slight creaking sound drew my attention back to the door we had come though. We had closed it behind us, and it was still dark and silent and shut. I cast my little fireball over in that direction, adrenaline pumping through me, my eyes roaming the darkness for the source of the creak. The flames flickered off something reflective and I jumped slightly as I saw my own reflection in a suit of armor. It was so highly polished that it looked brand new. I paused my fireball, tilting my head as I watched my reflection. It was changing. I was growing taller, and a plumed helmet in rich red was appearing over my head. Leather armor was growing around my body, half covered in an intricate wave pattern, the other half in swirling flames.
‘It’s this one,’ Icarus said behind me, but I barely registered his words.
‘Look…’ I breathed, my eyes fixed on the warrior version of myself I could see in the breastplate. I stepped towards it.
‘Dora, come back,’ Icarus hissed, but his words meant nothing to me. The eyes of my reflection were clear now, tiny flames inside my irises, burning fiercely. Power radiated from the figure in the armor, and I gasped as a huge wave roared up behind me in the image. With a tiny smile, reflection me held both palms out. I froze, dimly aware that I hadn’t moved my hands, and then the wave rose over the reflections head and burst from the armor.
