Hailey was gobsmacked. Venus was actually going to punch her after she’d just been slammed into a tree and hit with a fireball. I don’t think so. Hailey kicked back her leg.
‘Hailey Woods! Venus Montgomery! Don’t you dare!’ Madam Grayson, the second year overseer, stood at the palace’s entrance. ‘I can’t believe what I’m seeing.’
Hailey followed her overseer’s fiery gaze. Demi had a hand raised at a tree, where two boys hung wrapped in its seaweed branches. Her other hand was aimed at the ground, where the twins squirmed, trying to escape from the sea-anemones’ stinging tentacles wrapped around their arms and legs like rope.
‘Return everything to normal and come straight to my classroom!’ Madam Grayson marched back into the palace, her long dark plait swishing behind her.
2
An Unfair Punishment
Venus turned on Hailey with venomous eyes. ‘If I have to wear a neutralising bracelet, you’re dead.’
‘You started this.’
‘No, you did when you punched me,’ she snarled and shoved Hailey, sending her slipping on the wet ground and crashing against the diamond floor.
She balled her hands into fists, biting down her rage as Venus stomped towards the palace with Brennan. The twins joined them, along with the boys they’d intoxicated. If the sky had been above her instead of water, Hailey would have blown the evil trio away on a gust of wind so strong it would have sent them to the other side of the world.
‘Come on, we better go see Madam Grayson before she gets even angrier,’ Jayden said, reaching a hand down to help her up.
Demi and Alec waited for them by the palace doors. Ugly red welts covered Alec’s hands and face from where the sea-anemones had stung him, and Demi was hugging her arms, shivering,
Jayden cringed. ‘Ooh, Alec, that doesn’t look good.’
‘Are you okay, Dems?’ Hailey asked.
‘Yeah, that s-s-stupid wave knocked me thr-r-rough the force fi-ield with a couple of t-t-the other boys. The water-r-r was free-e-ezing.’ Her teeth chattered. ‘On the plus-s side, it knocked the b-b-boys out of the s-sirens’ s-spell—once we were b-b-back in the grounds-s, they b-bolted into the pal-lace.’
Jayden wrapped an arm around her. ‘We’ll have to remember that for the future.’
Alec frowned. ‘Where’s Aaron? I thought he would have been back from wherever Brennan took him by now.’
Hailey glanced around the grounds again, making sure she hadn’t missed him. But he was nowhere. ‘I don’t know.’
‘Guess we’ll have to ask Brennan,’ Jayden said. ‘Come on, time to face the Fates.’
Reluctantly, they entered the palace and trudged up to the second floor, leaving a trail of water behind them. Hailey didn’t know what Madam Grayson would do. Technically, Hailey and her friends had been defending themselves, but she doubted Madam Grayson would let them off, especially since she’d seen Hailey about to kick Venus. Ugh, why does Venus have to ruin everything?
‘Don’t say anything stupid,’ Jayden muttered to Demi before they piled into Madam Grayson’s classroom.
Drawings and photos of ferocious monsters like the griffin, with its half-eagle-half-lion body, and docile creatures like the golden hind, with its gleaming gold fur and antlers, covered the jewel and seashell-encrusted walls. Madam Grayson sat behind her long polished-coral desk, her usual kind face radiating scorn.
This won’t be fun, Hailey thought with dread, dragging a chair to the front and sitting next to Venus and the twins. Hailey’s friends joined her a second later.
Madam Grayson tapped her fingers against her desk. ‘Where’s Aaron?’
‘We’d like to know the answer to that too.’ Demi shot Venus a glare. ‘Venus got Brennan to take him somewhere.’
‘Where is he, Venus?’ Madam Grayson demanded.
‘Brennan put him in a locked room—he’s fine. And I only asked Brennan to do it because Aaron used his force field against me and the twins. We were defending ourselves, Madam Grayson.’ Her voice was all innocence.
‘Liar!’ Demi cried out. ‘You attacked us, and you almost drowned me with that wave.’
‘You wrapped us up in sea-anemones,’ Nerissa snapped back.
‘And they stung—a lot,’ Cleo added.
‘I know.’ Alec trailed his fingers over a welt on his face and winced.
‘Enough.’ Madam Grayson slammed her hand on the desk, making everyone jump. ‘I warned you last year that if you didn’t start getting along, I would take measures to ensure you did. Now, I’m sure you’re aware the biennial obstacle course race is on this weekend.’
They nodded.
‘Well, you’ll be participating—as a team.’
‘No,’ Venus gaped, horror-struck. ‘I hate sports. My nails will get ruined.’ She showed Madam Grayson her sparkling ice pink nails as if she thought their pristine state would warrant her overseer’s sympathy.
‘You can either participate in the obstacle course as a team, or you can wear neutralising bracelets for a month—’
‘We’ll take the obstacle course,’ Demi said before Madam Grayson even finished her sentence.
Venus stared at her nails and sighed. ‘Fine, the obstacle course it is.’
‘Good. You might just learn to get along. You’re also getting a week’s worth of detention.’
‘But—’
Jayden kicked Demi’s chair, cutting her off.
‘If I hear of any more fighting between you, you’ll be completing the obstacle course with neutralising bracelets.’
So unfair, Hailey thought, pressing her lips together. Why should she and her friends get punished when they hadn’t done anything wrong? She’d rather wear the neutralising bracelet than be forced to team-up with Venus. But she didn’t argue, because for once the evil trio was being punished too.
‘I’d like you four to stay.’ Madam Grayson pointed to Hailey, Demi, Jayden, and Alec. ‘Venus, find Aaron.’
Venus nodded and slithered off with the twins.
‘It was really all Venus,’ Demi grumbled.
‘I didn’t ask you to stay because of that. I asked you to stay because I wanted to check in and see how you’re coping being back, considering what happened last year.’
Hailey’s heart skipped a beat as her mind flashed back to the Underworld… being trapped in the dark hatch with water to her waist… watching her dad die over and over again. She had no intention of admitting to her lingering fears—unless her friends did.
‘We’re fine.’ Demi’s voice was nonchalant, as if she were referring to an incident as simple as them being locked in a room overnight, rather than them fighting for their lives in the most terrifying place in existence.
‘Yeah, that potion Madam Norwood gave us worked,’ Jayden added. ‘I don’t feel anything when I think about what happened to us in the Underworld.’
‘I’m kind of glad it happened,’ Alec said. ‘We got to see the Elysian Fields.’ He was acting like it had been the greatest excursion of his life.
I guess I’m the only weak one.
‘If you ever start feeling differently, you can always talk to me,’ Madam Grayson said, her warm smile returning. ‘Okay, you can go now. And I know Venus instigated what happened today, but I can’t let you get away with fighting back. I realise you don’t get along, but at least try to be civilised. Please.’
‘Well, that was totally unfair,’ Demi declared the second they were out of the classroom and walking back down the hallway, towards the stairs. ‘She knows Venus was responsible for everything and she’s still punishing us. I had no intention of doing the stupid obstacle course before, and now we have to do it with Venus and the twins. Worst. Punishment. Ever!’
‘Technically, we shouldn’t have been fighting. We should have found a way to get a teacher,’ Alec said as they passed by their Creative Arts classroom, the beautiful melody of a violin drifting out from behind the closed door.
Demi rolled her eyes. ‘You’re a
s bad as Jayden.’
‘Aaron!’ Hailey said in relief, spotting him coming up the stairs a few yards ahead of them.
‘Thank the Tyches you’re okay,’ Aaron said, striding towards them. ‘Brennan trapped me in a locked room. So what happened? Your face looks awful by the way, Alec—you should probably get Madam Mendem to heal you.’
‘I—’ Alec began.
‘I basically took everyone down with my powers,’ Demi said, cutting Alec off. ‘But then Madam Grayson spoiled everything. And now we have to compete in that stupid obstacle course with Venus and the twins.’
‘Oh.’ Aaron frowned. ‘That seems like a weird punishment.’
‘She’s hoping it’ll make us best friends or something,’ Demi said with a wave of her hand. ‘But it’ll only make me hate them more.’
Hailey had to agree it was a pretty stupid plan that would most likely end with them killing each other.
***
Hailey stood back in Tartarus, in the vast pit where she had watched a fireball consume Persephone. Rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and countless other jewels glittered in the rock walls, and the stench of rotten eggs hung in the air, so strong Hailey gagged. She had hoped never to return to the Underworld again; the place where she’d learned the gods were still alive and waiting for someone to wake them up so they could re-enslave the human race.
Her fingertips tingled in warning of approaching danger, and her eyes shot to the twenty tunnels carved into the walls.
‘They’re coming, Hailey!’ Demi sprinted from one of the tunnels with Jayden, Alec, and Aaron, their faces white with terror.
‘Who’s coming?’
A woman’s voice echoed around the pit, reciting the prophecy Hailey had spent her life running from. ‘The gods will one day return to claim back their thrones. Only the one born with the powers of Zeus, who can shoot lightning from their hands, will be able to defeat them.’
Lightning struck the ground near Hailey’s feet, Zeus materialising in the bright flashes of light. The other Olympians blinked into existence around him, their steely eyes locking on to Hailey and her friends.
‘You have to stop them, Hailey. You have to save the world!’ Aaron shouted.
Hailey stumbled back from the Olympians, shaking her head. ‘No. I can’t shoot lightning from my hands. I’m not the one the prophecy speaks of.’
‘You have to, Hailey,’ Jayden begged. ‘They’ll destroy the world.’
Hailey stared at her hands, willing them to fill with electricity, and then at the Olympians, who stood silently watching. She extended her fingers towards Zeus and concentrated on pushing her powers through her fingertips.
Nothing happened.
Zeus’s hand shot out, lightning streaking from his fingers like an explosion of light.
Hailey smothered a scream as her eyes flew open and she shot up in bed. Just a dream, she told herself, pressing a hand to her racing heart. The gods aren’t back. The prophecy isn’t coming true.
She blew out a long breath and laid back down, her sea-sponge mattress moulding around her body. It was the third time she’d had that nightmare. The first time had been a month ago—around the same time the potion’s anti-anxiety effects had worn off.
The nightmare always left her stomach in knots. She hated being reminded of the prophecy. She used to ignore those stupid words about a Zeus having to defend the world against the gods, believing the gods were dead, but that wasn’t true anymore. The Olympians were alive somewhere, in some sort of stasis, waiting to be awakened.
Hailey still believed the prophecy wasn’t about her, though, since, like every Zeus before her, she couldn’t shoot lightning from her hands. But she doubted that would stop people from throwing her in front of the Olympians and demanding she destroy them. She’d only defeated Hades because he’d been distracted by grief over accidentally killing his wife. There was no way she’d be able to face twelve gods and live longer than a few seconds.
Stop it. They’re not awake, and if Hailey could help it, she’d make sure they stayed dead during her lifetime.
She clutched the gold heart pendant hanging on a chain around her neck. Engraved on the heart, in elegant cursive, was her name. Her dad had used his Hephaestus powers to make it for her when she was eight. The memory of him dying during a storm she couldn’t stop flashed into her mind, and she pushed it away, searching her room for a distraction.
Her eyes passed over her floating clamshell side table, her mother-of-pearl chest of drawers, and to her white polished-coral desk. She focused on the space above it where a painting of herself hung. She stood on a shoreline, dark waves caressing her feet. Her eyes were her favourite shade, azure blue—the colour of a cloudless sky—and she gazed up at the twinkling night sky, reaching an arm towards a cloud that had parted to reveal a full moon. Its beam fell on her face, making her pale skin glow and her auburn hair glimmer.
Her mum had painted it for her after Poseidon’s Academy had sent her an acceptance letter. She wondered what she was doing now. She imagined her standing in her art studio, her skin and overalls smeared in ten different paint colours. Hailey smiled. I miss you.
Something that sounded like a horn bellowed outside.
‘Ugh,’ Demi groaned, pulling her pillow over her head. ‘I forgot about the conch shell wake-up calls.’
‘Come on,’ Hailey said, rolling out of bed. ‘Let’s get ready.’
‘No,’ Demi whined, her voice muffled by the pillow. ‘It’s too early.’
Hailey pulled on her knee-high socks and shoes before moving to the door, where her uniform hung on a hook beside Demi’s. ‘We’ve got Powers first up.’ She put on her button-down light blue shirt and tied her midnight blue and gold tie. ‘You love Powers.’ She stepped into her midnight blue skirt.
Demi’s pillow flew to the ground, and she leapt out of bed. ‘I can’t wait to practise in the forest again.’ She bounded towards her uniform, almost knocking Hailey out of the way.
Hailey shrugged on her midnight blue blazer, running a hand over the patch near her shoulder where the fireball thrower had singed the material. Thanks to an Athena with amazing seamstress skills, it looked good as new.
She turned to look in the seashell-encrusted mirror hanging above her chest of drawers, tracing a finger over the school’s emblem stitched on her breast pocket—a gold trident with the letters P and A encircled by a swirl of water. She remembered back to last year when she’d first dressed in her uniform. She’d thought she was about to have the most amazing year of her life. That all of her problems—mainly the burden of being a Zeus—would go away…
But then she’d met Nemertes and found out about the gods still being alive. What she’d expected to be an amazing first year had quickly turned into a year of fighting for her life and trying to stop Hades from awakening the Olympians. While she’d managed to get everything back under control with the help of her friends, she still worried that the nereids would find another way to resurrect the gods.
Hailey entered the Powers classroom with her friends on the second floor. It was one of the more fascinating classrooms. Half the room was scattered with desks and chairs, and the other half was empty space with over thirty archways carved into the walls. Each archway led into a room designed specifically for a power. From here Hailey could see the Hephaestus room, where three enormous tables were crowded with boxes overflowing with gold, platinum, jade, obsidian, and every other metal and mineral imaginable.
Hailey could also see the Demeter room. Inside it grew a rainforest bursting with trees and ferns, and a few chirping birds.
‘I’ve missed that place.’ Demi closed her eyes and inhaled as if she could smell the forest’s rich earthy scent.
‘Take your seats everyone, it’s 8:30,’ Madam Norwood instructed, making her way to the front of the classroom. Like all the other female teachers at the Academy—not including Amathia—she wore a white Grecian dress that reminded Hailey of something a priestess would have worn bac
k in ancient times.
She picked up the reading glasses hanging from a chain around her neck and pushed them up the bridge of her nose. ‘Turn to page 452 in your textbook. Today we’ll be focusing on Asclepius’s children. Let’s start with my favourite, Hygeia, the goddess of health and hygiene,’ she began, rattling on and on about the goddess’s powers and how they worked.
Hailey hated the theory part of this class, and so did everyone else, except for Alec, whose pen never stopped taking notes—notes Hailey would borrow later.
In the row in front of her, Lexa reached a long arm out to take the note Tanzy was nudging towards the edge of her desk.
‘Tanzy, are you passing notes?’ Madam Norwood’s clipped voice snapped.
Tanzy clicked her fingers, and the note in Lexa’s hand vanished, as though it had never existed in the first place. ‘No, Madam Norwood,’ she squeaked in an American accent, straightening the purple ribbon in her dark hair.
‘I do not appreciate lying.’
Tanzy blushed, dropping her gaze. ‘Sorry, Madam Norwood.’
Madam Norwood pursed her lips together before glancing around and noticing the yawns of the other students. ‘I suppose we can spend the rest of class practising powers in the grounds.’
Those words dragged everyone from their stupor, and the second years hurried to pack their book bags before darting from the room, afraid Madam Norwood would change her mind and continue her lecture on how Hygeia used her powers to promote good hygiene.
‘I prefer practising in the classroom,’ Demi whined as they followed the other students down the hallway of classrooms. ‘I love hanging out in the rainforest.’
‘Then Hailey wouldn’t be able to practise,’ Jayden pointed out, leading them onto the staircase and descending towards the entryway.
Originally, there’d never been any sky for Hailey to practise her powers with, because the palace had always been submerged. But when Hailey had joined Poseidon’s Academy, Amathia had decided to raise the palace for three days a week. She’d told students it was because she thought they’d enjoy the sunshine, but in truth it was so Hailey could use her powers. Hailey thought it a little ironic, since she’d come here to escape her powers.
Poseidon's Academy Box Set Page 30
