by Joan Holub
Athena turned her back on Poseidon and looked at Cassandra. “Your last fortune in the prophecy contest said that when Odysseus got to Ithaca, he would discover that everyone believed he’d lived through the war.”
“And that his enemies were not after his riches or his wife, Penelope,” added Aphrodite.
Athena must have read the dismay on Cassandra’s face, because she said, “Or did we mis-remember that?”
“Big-time,” said Cassandra, nodding. It had been twenty-four hours since they’d heard her predictions, so of course they’d gotten them all wrong by now. “His enemies think he’s dead,” she explained. “And they’re still after his riches and his wife.”
“Believe her,” Apollo urged. Athena and Aphrodite looked over at him and then back at Cassandra.
“Okay, we’ll roll with it,” said Athena. “So, any idea what’ll happen next?”
Cassandra started to admit that she didn’t know, but then suddenly she smelled peppermints. “You will disguise Odysseus as an old beggar so he can check how things stand with his wife and kingdom,” she told Athena.
The goddessgirl drew in a sharp breath, apparently caught off guard by Cassandra’s near-instant prediction.
“Quick! Do it before we mis-remember what she said,” Aphrodite advised.
Athena nodded, and did as Cassandra had predicted.
“Penelope doesn’t want to marry anyone. She still loves Odysseus,” Cassandra went on as more prophetic information filled her head.
At this she heard Aphrodite sigh happily and say, “I knew it!”
“But the suitors are putting on pressure,” Cassandra went on. “So Penelope will declare that whoever can string Odysseus’s powerful bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe handles can marry her and become the new king of Ithaca.”
As Cassandra continued to predict events, Homer hastily jotted them down in his notescroll. Meanwhile Athena made moves on the game board to reflect the prophecies.
“What next?” Homer asked breathlessly when Cassandra paused for a few seconds.
“Odysseus will string the bow and shoot the arrow through the axes!” Cassandra crowed. “He will win Penelope and his kingdom back! And all of his enemies will be driven off.”
As her words died away, there was dead silence for a few seconds. At last, when everyone realized that Odysseus’s long troubled trip was finally at an end, a whoop of excitement went up. Everyone cheered and clapped for Athena’s success.
Even Poseidon smiled gamely and shrugged. “My grade will still likely be an A. Who needs a plus, anyway?”
Athena gave Cassandra a huge hug. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” she said.
“Awesome!” said Homer as he rolled his notescroll tight. “After today’s sold-out Iliad book event, my publisher is clamoring for my second book. And now that Odysseus is home safe and sound, I’ve got a complete draft! Of course I won’t have time to edit what I’ve written. People are dying to read The Odyssey, and I want to give them what they want.”
Athena looked really nervous to hear this. “But careful editing can help prevent mistakes,” she began.
However, Homer was so wrapped up in his own excitement that he didn’t seem to hear. Or maybe he did, because he looked at her and said, “And this time I’ll mention you and your Trojan horse. Sorry about that omission in my first book.”
Athena glanced at Cassandra. “You okay with that?” she asked.
Cassandra nodded. “It’s history. I’m over it.” And she was, mostly. It would always be a painful memory, as would the entire war, but she was tired of looking back and feeling unhappy. From now on she would look to the future! A future filled with new MOA and IM friends as well as her old friends from Troy, like Andromache.
“Well, I’m off,” said Homer. “Don’t want to miss my ride back to the IM with Hermes.” He glanced at Cassandra. “See you in a few weeks?”
“Huh?” said Cassandra.
“Like I said, my publisher will want to bring The Odyssey out right way. And your mom has agreed to hold another event as soon as The Odyssey scrollbooks are in print. I’ll want you at my side helping out. You’re my good luck charm!”
“Really? Sure!” said Cassandra. How nice to be called lucky for a change!
Noticing how late it was getting, she looked at Athena. “Speaking of my mom, I’d better get home. It’ll be dark soon, and I don’t want her to worry.”
“I’ll take you in my chariot,” Artemis volunteered.
“Want some company?” Apollo asked both girls.
Artemis shook her head, saying quickly, “No. My deer are kind of tired. I don’t want too many riders weighing down the chariot.”
The sun was setting as Cassandra and Artemis went out to the courtyard. Athena and Apollo followed them down the front steps of MOA to see them off. Artemis whistled, and two white golden-horned deer dashed from the forest nearby to hitch themselves to her chariot.
“I’m really sorry I couldn’t reverse that curse,” Apollo told Cassandra as they stood waiting for the chariot to be ready.
“You did your best,” Athena reassured him.
Cassandra knew she was right. He’d made a real effort to undo the problem he’d caused her, and she didn’t want him to feel bad.
“It’s okay. I’m used to everyone thinking I’m a liar,” she joked lamely. And indeed, only minutes after she’d made all those predictions back in the Hero-ology classroom, she’d heard others beginning to make comments that showed that no one credited her with being correct.
At least Apollo believed her, though. And maybe Athena. The goddessgirl seemed to be making a concerted effort to dismiss her doubts, anyway.
“No, it’s not okay,” said Apollo. He stuck both hands into the pockets of his tunic, looking frustrated. “You’re really nice, and you don’t deserve to have people thinking bad things about you. Hey, maybe I could bespell everyone to believe your prophecies no matter what.”
“Put a spell on every single mortal and immortal?” Athena shook her head. “No, that wouldn’t work.”
“Well, I’m not giving up. I’m determined to reverse the cookie—I mean the curse,” said Apollo.
Hearing this, Cassandra and Athena looked at each other, excitement slowly growing in their eyes.
“Reverse the cookies!” said Cassandra.
“The cookie fortunes, that is!” added Athena.
“That’s it!” they said at the same time.
“What’s it?” Apollo asked blankly.
“I don’t get it either,” Artemis told him.
As Artemis and Apollo looked on, the two girls outlined the brilliant plan they’d both come up with at the exact same moment.
“Cassandra can write fortunes that are the opposite of her true prophecies from now on—” Athena began, her blue-gray eyes sparkling.
“You’re going to write predictions that are lies? On purpose?” Artemis asked.
Cassandra nodded. “But since people think I’m a liar, they’ll believe the opposite of what I write. They’ll believe the truth!” She looked at Apollo. “Think it’ll work?”
He looked a little dizzy from their backward logic, but then he nodded. “It just might!”
Cassandra eyes went wide as she suddenly smelled peppermints again. A vision of a big white box appeared to her. Fancy writing on the label read:
Cassandra’s Opposite Oracle-Os
“And we’ll call my new cookies Opposite Oracle-Os!” she exclaimed.
“Mega-cool! How’d you think of that name so fast?” asked Apollo. “It’s perfect.” He high-fived her. Then they just stood there staring at each other. He really had amazing eyes, thought Cassandra. She kind of wished . . .
“Ahem!” Artemis cleared her throat. “Time to go. My deer are getting restless.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry,” said Cassandra. She stepped back from Apollo so she could climb inside the chariot with Artemis. Then she waved farewell to Athena and Apollo as the cha
riot lifted off. The two girls were silent as they whooshed upward, breaking through the clouds that were turning orange and pink from the setting sun.
When Artemis spoke at last, her words came as a total shock to Cassandra. “Don’t play with my brother’s feelings, okay? I mean, I can tell he likes you, and I just don’t want you to pretend to like him too. In the end that’ll only hurt him.”
Apollo liked her? Cassandra’s eyes bugged out. Did Artemis know what she was talking about? She was his sister, so maybe.
“He’s been unlucky in love, or in like anyway,” Artemis went on. “There was this girl, Daphne, who turned herself into a tree rather than hang out with him. And that’s only the beginning. So I’m just saying—don’t toy with his affections.”
“I won’t,” Cassandra promised sincerely. At one time she might have, just to get back at him for the curse, but no longer.
After what Artemis had told her about Apollo being unlucky in love—er, like—Cassandra’s heart went out to him. What was wrong with those other dumb girls who didn’t like him? He seemed pretty cool to her. But then they had something big in common—telling fortunes!
She didn’t like it when Agamemnon teased her, because his teasing seemed mean-spirited. But when Apollo joked with her, she could tell he meant it in fun. She did like him. But was Artemis right that he liked her back?
Once Artemis dropped her off in front of the Immortal Marketplace, Cassandra dashed into the bakery, feeling lighter than air from the excitement of visiting MOA. It was dark inside now that the IM was closed, but she saw a light in the back office and found her mom in there working on bookkeeping.
Cassandra perched on the edge of her mom’s desk. Her dark eyes sparkled as she briefly explained what had happened and asked permission to try making the Opposite Oracle-Os. “And I promise I’ll keep up with the rest of my bakery duties,” she finished up. “So, pretty please with chocolate sprinkles on top?” Would her mom just tell her she wasn’t allowed to make predictions, as usual? Cassandra held her breath, hoping for the best.
Hecuba thought for a moment, then a smile flashed across her face. “I think it’s a terrific idea,” she said. And since her mom had a pretty good feel for what would work and what wouldn’t where sales were concerned, Cassandra took heart.
“Really? Squee!” Cassandra jumped up and did a little impromptu happy dance around the office. Then she went over to her mom’s chair and gave her a hug.
“I predict that the new cookies are going to be a big success,” said her mom.
“I predict you’re right!” said Cassandra, which made them both laugh.
“And as far as your duties in the bakery,” Hecuba said, “Andromache has asked to work here part-time.”
Andromache! Cassandra could hardly wait to tell her all about what had happened at the Academy and about the Oracle-O’s! She was glad she’d made friends with the kids at MOA, and that she’d see them again when they came to the Marketplace. But Andromache was someone who knew her past. Someone who really understood her. And she understood Andromache as well. She needed to tell her she wasn’t mad at her for what had happened.
“I’m going to go find her,” said Cassandra. “Back later!” She dashed to the door of the little office again, but then she paused in the doorway to look back at her mom.
“Know what? I think I’ve decided it’s not so bad here,” Cassandra admitted. “When we lived in Troy, I was a princess. I mean, I still am, but now I don’t have to act like one. It was actually sort of tiresome to always have to be so proper about everything, you know? To go to fancy dinners and waste tons of time getting dressed for them. And back there, I had friends, but couldn’t hang out with whoever I wanted to. Now I can choose my friends. It’s cool.”
“So are you saying you like living here in the IM? You want to stay?” her mom asked, a big smile filling her face.
“Yeah! I guess I am! And with Andromache working part-time in the bakery, I can work in the scrollbook shop mostly, right? I mean, except for when I’m doing fortunes for the new opposite cookie line or in school?”
“Sounds perfect!” said Hecuba. “I know Homer was very impressed with you as his assistant. And we’ll invite other authors to hold events here soon too. You made me proud today, sweetie.”
Cassandra grinned at her. Then came the sudden sharp, sweet smell of peppermints again.
As always, a vision followed. In it she saw Andromache and her, and a glossy white box. They were designing special packaging for the new line of Opposite Oracle-O cookies with her fortunes inside. Then she saw people lining up in the store to buy them. Tons of them. Awesome! She could hardly wait for this prophecy to come true!
“Well, I’m off to see Andromache,” she told her mom. With a quick wave she dashed out the front door of the bakery and headed for Magical Wagical, happier than she’d been in a long while. Halfway down the Marketplace she did a lighthearted little skip and a twirl.
Just think! A godboy liked her, Homer and her mom thought she’d done well at the book signing, and she had a new job she liked in the bookshop. Not to mention a new line of fortune cookies coming up.
She was the luckiest girl in the whole Immortal Marketplace!
Epilogue
Athena
A FEW DAYS LATER HERMES’ delivery service dropped off a fancy white box at the Mount Olympus Academy cafeteria during breakfast. The box was labeled:
Cassandra’s Opposite Oracle-Os
Oracle-O Bakery and Scrollbooks
Immortal Marketplace
Athena and her three goddessgirl friends were among the first to pick cookies out of the box. Or, rather, the cookies chose them. The right ones practically jumped into their hands.
“They’re the newest thing and are flying off the shelves at the Oracle-O Bakery. The fortunes are all the opposite of what will actually happen,” Pheme was saying to some girls as Athena and her friends went to their usual table.
“Wow! How mega-awesome is that?” Pandora responded to Pheme.
Soon MOA students were all buzzing with excitement about the new cookies. Each one contained a spoken fortune as usual, not written ones like the last Cassandra had sent.
“You will make an F minus today,” Athena’s cookie told her when she unwrapped it.
“Yay! An F minus is the opposite of an A plus,” she said happily. And as it turned out, Mr. Cyclops did give her an A plus on her Odysseus project first period. They’d been scored on three skills: manipulation, disasters, and quick saves. Apparently, she’d aced all three!
Aphrodite’s cookie told her: “Your heart will get broken.” And after school that day her crush, Ares, gave her a sweet gift of an unbroken heart charm on a necklace, just because.
Artemis’s cookie announced: “You will miss every target you shoot at today.” Which of course meant she didn’t.
Persephone’s said: “Your thumb will always be redder than any other student’s at MOA.” Since red was the color opposite to green on the color wheel, it meant her thumb would be green, as in she would always have the talent to grow the most beautiful flowers and plants of any student at the Academy.
Apollo was standing near their table when he opened his cookie. So all four goddessgirls heard it tell him: “You will not visit Cassandra at the IM.”
“Well, I am going to the IM after school today so I can tell her how everyone likes the new cookies,” he began. Then he glanced at Aphrodite, puzzled. “But is there some deeper meaning to this fortune that I’m not getting?” he asked her.
Since Aphrodite was the goddess of love, he must’ve figured she would know, Athena assumed.
Before Aphrodite could reply, Artemis rolled her eyes, and then sent him a teasing grin. “It means Cassandra likes you, dumbro. And she wants to hang out.”
Apollo’s eyes slowly widened with pleasure. “Really? Awesome!” he shouted, punching a fist in the air. “This is my lucky day!”
Don’t miss the next adventure in the
Goddess Girls series!
Coming Spring 2014
JOAN HOLUB is the award-winning author of more than one hundred and thirty books for young readers, including Zero the Hero, Vincent van Gogh: Sunflowers and Swirly Stars, and Shampoodle. Of the four goddessgirls, she’s probably most like Athena because she loves to think up new ideas for books. But she’s very glad her dad was never the principal of her school! She lives in North Carolina. Visit her at joanholub.com.
SUZANNE WILLIAMS is the award-winning author of more than thirty-five books for young readers, including Library Lil, Ten Naughty Little Monkeys, and the Princess Power and Fairy Blossoms series. Her husband says she’s the Goddess of Annoying Questions. (Most having to do with why her computer misbehaves.) That makes her kind of like Pandora, except that Pandora never had to deal with computers. Suzanne lives near Seattle in Washington State. Visit her at suzanne-williams.com.
Aladdin
SIMON & SCHUSTER, NEW YORK
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READ ALL THE BOOKS IN THE GODDESS GIRLS SERIES
ATHENA THE BRAIN
PERSEPHONE THE PHONY
APHRODITE THE BEAUTY
ARTEMIS THE BRAVE
ATHENA THE WISE
APHRODITE THE DIVA
ARTEMIS THE LOYAL
MEDUSA THE MEAN
GODDESS GIRLS SUPER SPECIAL:
THE GIRL GAMES
PANDORA THE CURIOUS
PHEME THE GOSSIP
PERSEPHONE THE DARING
CASSANDRA THE LUCKY
COMING SOON:
ATHENA THE PROUD
IRIS THE COLORFUL
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
