by Kate O'Hearn
Paelen ignored the order. ‘Are you ready?’ he shouted above the sirens.
‘Go!’ Emily shouted.
She clutched Pegasus’s bridle and wrapped her arms tightly around Paelen as he shouted a string of strange words. Suddenly they were jerked up into the air.
‘Get me to Diana as quickly as possible!’ Paelen ordered.
When Paelen said the sandals could move faster than he could run, Emily had no idea just how fast that could be. She held on for dear life as the sandals darted them forward through the crowds of soldiers in the corridor. When they approached the stairwell, Paelen barely had time to hold out an arm to push the door open before the sandals drove them through.
They flew down the stairs at a terrifying pace, knocking soldiers out of the way as they went. When they reached Diana’s level, the terrifying grunts and roars of Nirads could be heard from above.
‘They’re in the stairwell!’ Emily called into Paelen’s ear.
Paelen cursed. ‘Hold on tighter, I am going to order the sandals to move faster.’
‘Faster?’ Emily shrieked.
In the time it would have taken for Emily to scream in terror, the sandals tore through the stairwell doors on Diana’s level and flew down the corridor, coming to an abrupt stop outside a locked door.
As the area emptied of soldiers heading towards the stairwell, Paelen lowered Emily to the floor. ‘Stay well back, I am going to break it down.’
Standing on her good leg, Emily watched Paelen approach the door. ‘Diana, it is I, Paelen!’ he shouted through the door over the alarms. ‘Get out of your chains if you can. The Nirads are here. We must go!’
He stood away from the door and looked down at the sandals. ‘Lift me up,’ he cried, ‘and break down the door!’
Obeying the order, the sandals lifted Paelen in the air. Then as their tiny wings flapped at a speed too fast to see, Paelen let out a short cry. Emily wasn’t sure whether it was a battle cry, or the sheer terror of flying feet first into a heavily secured door. Whatever it was, it rose well above the screaming alarms as he was carried forward and used as a battering ram to smash down the door like it was made of popsicle sticks.
The door exploded under the impact of Paelen’s body. Emily hopped over to the threshold and peered in. Paelen was lying in an unconscious heap in the corner.
‘Emily!’ Diana cried, tearing away the last of the chains restraining her. ‘I am so pleased to see you!’ She knelt and checked Paelen for serious wounds. ‘Foolish little thief,’ she said gently. ‘There must have been a better way for you to open the door without knocking yourself silly.’
‘There wasn’t time,’ Emily said. ‘The Nirads are in the stairwell. Soldiers are fighting them, but it won’t take them long to get to Pegasus.’
‘Then we must get there first,’ Diana said.
She pulled Paelen into a sitting position and started to lightly slap him across the face. ‘Come Paelen, wake up. Our journey is just beginning.’
Paelen let out a soft moan and slowly opened his eyes. When he saw who was supporting him, he eyes opened wider. ‘Diana!’ he cried in alarm.
‘Do not fear me, little thief,’ Diana said. ‘You have earned my respect. Are you well enough to rise?’
Paelen nodded and shakily climbed to his feet. ‘Nirads!’ he cried. ‘They are here.’
‘Emily has told me,’ Diana nodded. ‘We must get to Pegasus.’
‘And Joel,’ Emily said. ‘We can’t forget about Joel.’
‘Of course not,’ Diana agreed. ‘We will collect Joel first and then get to Pegasus.’ Diana noticed Emily carrying the golden bridle. ‘You have the bridle!’
Emily offered it to Diana, but she shook her head. ‘No, child, you keep hold of it. You may need it if the Nirads reach us.’
Finally recovered, Paelen stepped to the doorway. ‘Joel is being held on this level as well. He is not far from here.’
Diana helped Emily climb back on to Paelen’s back. ‘How is your leg?’ she asked.
‘Not great,’ Emily admitted. ‘But I won’t let it slow us down.’
In a move that surprised Emily, Diana leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek. ‘That is my brave girl. Come now, we must go.’
Breaking down Joel’s door was not quite as dramatic. With both Olympians using their superior strength, the lock could not hold, and before long it shattered and swung open.
Emily was grateful to see that Joel hadn’t been chained. He was standing in the centre of the room waiting for them.
‘You took your time getting back here,’ he complained to Paelen. Then his eyes settled on Emily and he embraced her tightly. ‘I’ve been so worried about you!’
‘Me too!’ Emily agreed, hugging him back. ‘Joel, the Nirads are here. We’ve got to get to Pegs!’
Joel looked at the small group. ‘Where’s your dad?’
Emily fought down the emotions that threatened to bring tears to her eyes. ‘He’s not here. They’ve taken him somewhere else. But I don’t know where.’
Joel hugged her again. ‘Don’t worry, Em, we’ll find him.’
‘We will not be finding anyone if the Nirads get us,’ Paelen warned. ‘We must get to Pegasus and get out of here!’
Emily was once again lifted on to Paelen’s back and they made their way to the stairwell.
‘They are holding Pegasus on the lowest level,’ Paelen said ‘Though I do not like the thought of going in the stairway again. The Nirads are coming down from above.’
‘We have no choice.’ Diana pushed through the doors and led the way forward. Several levels above them, everyone heard the ferocious sounds of Nirads mixed with the sound of gunfire and screaming men.
‘They are getting closer,’ Diana warned. ‘We must move swiftly.’
They turned a corner – and came face to face with Agents J and O.
‘Don’t move!’ Agent J ordered, drawing his weapon.
‘Do not be a fool,’ said Diana dismissively. ‘The Nirads are here. They will kill you and everyone else in this place. They want Pegasus. If we move him, they will follow us. Your men need not die.’
‘You aren’t taking that horse anywhere!’ Agent J said.
‘Horse?’ Diana roared in a fury. ‘You called him a horse?’
In a move as fast as lightning, Diana charged forward. ‘How dare you!’ she cried as she shoved both agents against the wall with the force of a freight train. ‘He is PEGASUS!’
The men didn’t stand a chance against the enraged Olympian. The wind was driven from their chests with such force that they were instantly knocked out and crumpled to the ground.
Diana stepped over them. ‘Consider yourselves fortunate,’ she told their unconscious forms. ‘Had I the time, I would show you how furious I really am for what you have done to Emily and Pegasus.’
Instead she pushed through the stairwell doors with enough pressure to wrench them off their hinges.
Emily looked over to Joel. He shrugged fearfully.
They entered Pegasus’s corridor where the few soldiers they met gave them a wide birth. They had seen the stairwell doors come flying off their hinges and didn’t wish to engage the angry Olympian.
‘Pegasus is there at the end,’ Emily said, pointing at the large door she’d been taken to. When they reached it, Paelen put Emily down and prepared to force the door open with Diana.
‘Wait,’ Emily said. ‘I know the code. You don’t have to break it down.’
Joel supported her as she hopped over to the keypad and punched in the code she’d seen Agent J use. Immediately a tiny green light flashed and the door opened.
Even before she entered, Emily heard the best sound of her life: a whinny from Pegasus. As she crossed the threshold, her heart swelled at the sight of the stallion standing.
‘Pegs!’ She threw her arms around his thick neck, feeling his strength. ‘Oh Pegs,’ she cried. ‘I thought you were going to die!’
‘He still might
unless we get out of here,’ Joel warned. ‘Have we forgotten the Nirads? You know, four arms, long teeth, smelly. They’re in the stairs. If we don’t move now, they’ll trap us down here!’
‘He is right,’ Diana said. She stepped up to Emily. ‘May I have the bridle?’
When Emily handed it over, Diana used her amazing strength to tear the gleaming gold bridle into several large pieces. ‘I am sorry we do not have time to forge better weapons,’ she said as she handed everyone a piece. ‘But for the moment these will have to do. If the Nirads come near you, stab them with it. The gold will kill them. Keep hold of it. It is our only defence.’
Diana handed the largest, sharpest piece to Emily.
‘No, you should keep it,’ Emily protested. ‘You’re a better fighter than me.’
‘But you are more important,’ Diana said.
‘What?’ Emily said in confusion. ‘No I’m not. You and Pegasus are. You should keep it …’ Emily saw something resting deep in Diana’s eyes.
‘Oh,’ she said softly.
Pegasus whinnied with impatience, his ears forward and his eyes wild.
‘They draw near,’ Diana said. She turned to Paelen. ‘Help me get Emily on Pegasus. He will take charge of her now. The rest of us will fight if we need to.’
Emily tried her best to stay quiet as they lifted her on to the stallion’s back, but cried out as her wounded leg was manoeuvered into position.
‘I am sorry child,’ Diana said gently. ‘When this is over, we shall take care of your leg.’
Tears from the pain rose in Emily’s eyes, but she said nothing as the fighters fell into position. Diana took the lead. Paelen stood a pace behind her. Then Joel. Emily could see the fear in her friend’s bright eyes, but there was determination in his stance. He was prepared to fight and die with the Olympians.
‘All right,’ Diana said. ‘When we move forward, we must make for that big metal box that will transport us to the surface.’
‘It’s called an elevator,’ Emily said. ‘There’s one at the other end of the corridor.’ She caught hold of the stallion’s mane. ‘We’re almost there, Pegs,’ she said softly.
Pegasus stole a quick glance back to her and nickered softly.
Diana led the group forward. As they ran past the stairwell entrance, Emily noticed that Agents J and O had disappeared. The loud guttural sounds of the Nirads were getting closer. It wouldn’t be long before they reached this level.
‘Run!’ Diana shouted. ‘Get to the elevator before they reach us!’
Everyone charged forward. As they reached the freight elevator, Joel pushed the button. He bounced on his feet impatiently. ‘I hope this thing is still working!’
‘If it is not, we are all in trouble,’ Paelen finished.
Moments before they heard the ping of the elevator’s arrival, the first of the Nirads reached the bottom level. They charged into the corridor and faced the group. With recognition burning in their black eyes, they charged forward furiously.
‘Hurry!’ Joel cried. ‘Please hurry!’
When the freight elevator doors opened, Emily ducked down and Pegasus entered. Joel was right behind them. But when they turned, Diana and Paelen did not follow.
‘Diana, Paelen, come on!’ Emily cried. ‘Hurry before they get here!’
Diana shook her head. ‘No child, I must stay to keep the Nirads from you.’ She looked at Pegasus. ‘You know what is at stake. Do not worry about me. Get the Flame to Olympus!’
Pegasus quivered. He whinnied loudly and pounded the floor with a golden hoof.
‘No, I must stay,’ Diana repeated. ‘Tell my father what has happened. Free Olympus, Pegasus. It is up to you now.’
‘Paelen, Diana, please,’ Emily begged.
Just as the door started to close, Emily saw Paelen give Diana a brutal shove. She lost her balance and fell into the elevator at Pegasus’s feet. As the doors closed, Emily heard Paelen cry: ‘Forgive me!’
31
‘Paelen!’ Emily shouted. Quickly, she turned to Joel. ‘Open the doors! We can’t let the Nirads get him!’
‘No!’ Diana rose to her feet and blocked Joel’s path. ‘Paelen sacrificed himself for us. We must not dishonour him by failing.’
‘But they’ll kill him!’ Emily cried.
‘Yes, they will,’ Diana said grimly. ‘But while they do, he has given us time to escape.’
Emily felt her heart breaking at the thought of those terrible creatures tearing gentle Paelen to pieces. ‘Paelen …’ she whimpered softly as the elevator rose slowly.
When the doors opened, they were met by a terrible sight. Dead and wounded soldiers littered the floor. The sounds of moaning and crying from the injured men added to the horrible sense of loss. Emily couldn’t work out where they were.
It looked like a house; a beautiful, Southern-style house. They emerged in a large lounge. Antique furniture lined the walls and rich, deep carpet covered the floor. Surely this couldn’t still be in the facility?
‘Where are we?’ Joel asked in equal confusion as his eyes scanned the room.
‘Governors Island,’ Emily said. ‘But I didn’t know they had houses like this here.’
‘Come, we must move,’ Diana warned.
They entered a grand entranceway. To the right, an elegant stairway let upwards, while around them, other halls fed into the main area. Everywhere they looked, dead soldiers lay on the fine wooden floors. A huge crystal chandelier hung from the tall ceiling. As Emily looked up at it, she shivered. There was blood splattered on the crystal teardrops.
‘How many Nirads are there?’ Joel asked.
‘Too many,’ Diana said.
Suddenly Agents J and O staggered into the entrance hall.
‘I told you, you aren’t going anywhere,’ Agent J yelled as he raised his weapon. He glared at Diana furiously. ‘Bullets may not stop you, but Emily and the boy are human. Unless you surrender right now, I swear I will kill one of them.’
Emily felt Pegasus tense beneath her. His ears sprang forward as he threw back his head and let out a loud, ferocious shriek. The stallion rose on his hind legs and lunged forward. One golden hoof struck Agent O, leaving a deep horseshoe impression on his chest. The other hoof hit Agent J in the head with a lethal impact.
As both men fell to the ground, Pegasus turned and moved towards the front doors of the house. He reared up and kicked out at the beautiful inlaid wood of the antique doors. They both shattered under the impact of the angry stallion.
Emily was stunned to see they were now on the front porch of a large pillared house. Across the tree-lined street, by the light of the gaslights, she saw other large yellow houses. Their lights on and looking very welcoming.
‘My family went to Atlanta years ago,’ Joel said in hushed surprise. ‘Some of the homes looked just like this. Are you sure we’re on Governors?’
Emily leaned forward on Pegasus and saw the blazing lights of Manhattan rising in the distance. ‘There’s the City. This is Governors.’
‘Where we are no longer matters,’ Diana said sharply, helping to lead the stallion down the steep wooden steps. ‘It is where we are going that counts. It won’t take long for the Nirads to reach the surface again. We must be gone before they do.’
She looked at the stallion. ‘Pegasus, are you recovered enough to carry all of us, or should I stay?’
Pegasus gently nudged his cousin and let out a soft nicker.
‘Of course,’ Diana said. She turned to Joel. ‘Climb on, he can carry all of us.’
‘What about the Daughter of Vesta?’ Joel asked, as Diana helped to hoist him on to the stallion’s back behind Emily. ‘Will there be room for her too?’
Diana leaped up on to Pegasus, behind him. ‘She is already with us,’ she said softly.
‘What?’ Joel cried.
Emily turned in her seat. She looked at Diana. ‘It is me, isn’t it? I’m the Daughter of Vesta and the Flame of Olympus.’
Saying nothing,
Diana nodded.
‘Emily, no!’ Joel hushed. ‘It can’t be you.’
‘It’s all right, Joel,’ Emily said softly. ‘I’ve suspected for a while now.’
‘When did you know for certain, child?’ Diana asked.
Emily patted the stallion’s neck. ‘It was a few things really. Back on the bridge I started to wonder. You and Pegs should have escaped. If the Daughter of Vesta was really out there somewhere, Pegasus would have left me and gone to her. But he didn’t, he fought the soldiers to protect me. Then when I heard he was dying, I knew I had to get to him. That I could somehow help. And when I touched him, I felt him react. After a few hours with me, Pegasus grew much stronger. I finally knew for sure when you said I was more important. You wouldn’t have said that if it wasn’t me.’
‘That is correct,’ Diana confirmed. ‘You are more important than all of us. The Flame is burning brightly inside you now. That is why Pegasus heals so quickly when he is with you; first on your roof and then here in this place. As your feelings for him grew, so did your power to heal him. Emily, you saved Pegasus.’
‘And with luck, maybe I can save Olympus too,’ Emily said gravely.
‘No,’ Joel insisted. ‘I won’t let you sacrifice yourself,’ he choked, staring at Emily. ‘You can’t die.’
Emily reached back to touch Joel’s hand. ‘It’s all right, Joel. Believe me, it is. If I do this, Olympus will be restored and you, my dad and this whole world will be safe. I want to do it. Please, let me.’
‘But Emily—’ Joel dropped his head, unable to form words. He squeezed her hand and looked away. The awful sounds of Nirads filled the air. They were on the main floor of the house and heading towards the front doors.
‘They’re coming,’ Emily said. ‘Pegs, take us to Olympus.’
32
Seated right behind his wings, Emily felt the stallion’s growing strength as he trotted away from the house. When they reached an open area, he turned his head towards her and whinnied.
‘He says hold on,’ Diana explained. ‘His wing is newly healed, but untried. It may be a rough flight.’
‘You can do it, Pegs,’ Emily said patting his neck. ‘I know you can.’
