Alec took a step in Amathia’s direction—or more like the direction of the five students, who Hailey assumed were Hecates. Aaron grabbed his arm. ‘She didn’t mean now.’
‘Best you head back to your dorms. I’ll see you tomorrow.’
Alec’s gaze lingered on the five students, curiosity glistening in his eyes. ‘Can’t we watch?’
Madam Grayson shook her head.
‘Come on, Alec.’ Aaron steered him towards the doors.
Alec glanced over his shoulder, back towards the students, and sighed. ‘Okay.’
‘I thought we were finally rid of those stupid nereids,’ Demi muttered as her and Hailey wandered from the library.
‘I don’t think we’ll ever really be rid of them,’ Hailey said, dreading to think what other little traps they’d left scattered throughout the palace.
The following day Madam Grayson took them back to the library for after-class detention.
Alec hovered by the doors, one foot pointed towards the hallway, ready to sprint at the first sign of anything ominous. ‘Is it safe to go back in there?’
‘Yes, the other teachers and I have scoured every inch, and a few Hecates have been over it too. There are no more booby traps.’
‘Do we get to ride the bubbles again?’ Demi asked, gazing expectantly at the engraved sea-serpents on the walls.
Madam Grayson shook her head. ‘No. I think you and your friends made it very clear yesterday that you can’t be trusted to use the bubbles responsibly. They were designed to reach the highest shelves, not to play bumper bubbles with.’
‘But—’
‘It’s fine, we won’t use them,’ Hailey said, shooting Demi a silencing look. The last thing she wanted was more detentions added to their sentence.
‘Good. I’ll be checking back here to make sure you keep that promise.’ Madam Grayson turned on her heels and left.
‘She’s not even supervising us. I’ll just take a quick ride.’
‘No, Demi,’ Alec said when Demi took a step towards a serpent.
‘Why? She won’t know I used it. And maybe I want to get a book from a high shelf.’
‘Because she or another teacher might come back at any minute,’ Alec countered. ‘Plus, I’m scared of another sea-urchin bomb.’ He shuddered, his eyes snapping to the serpent to the right of the doors, the one that had spat out the bomb yesterday.
‘I’ll do a sweep of the library to double check,’ Aaron told Alec, wandering towards the sea-serpent engravings.
‘Demi,’ Hailey called when her best friend snuck another step towards the serpent by the doors. ‘If Madam Grayson catches you in the air, you’ll probably get an extra month of detentions, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she slapped a neutralising bracelet on you too.’
Demi gasped and clutched her wrist protectively. ‘Okay, okay. I won’t go on a bubble.’
‘Let’s get to work before Madam Grayson comes back,’ Alec said. ‘I hope there aren’t any traps in the books.’ He scurried off to sit at a table, while Aaron walked from sea-serpent to sea-serpent, sticking his hand into their mouths.
‘Come on, Dems.’ Hailey led her friend towards a table, making sure she sat down and didn’t sneak off to the serpents. She’d been happy to ride the bubbles yesterday, but Madam Grayson looked like she was on the verge of giving them detention for the rest of the year if they broke one more rule.
Hailey picked up a random book from the scattered pile in front of her and Demi, glimpsing the title: A Collection of Tales from Survivors of Monster Attacks. I could have a few entries in that, Hailey thought and put it to the side, starting a Monsters and Creatures of the World subject pile.
She’d only sorted a few more books before Master Anderson ushered in another group of students. ‘Don’t use the bubbles or you’ll be in detention until you graduate,’ he warned before marching away, his footsteps echoing down the hallway.
Riley and Charlie emerged from the new detention group and bounded towards the sea-serpents. Hailey shook her head, watching the pair each squeeze a bubble from a serpent’s mouth. They leapt onto the bubbles, cackling as they zoomed into the air with four other students from the newly arrived group.
‘Demi!’
Hailey whipped her head back to look at Demi. She was standing up, staring back at Alec, who was shooting her a disapproving glare that could have rivalled one of Madam Grayson’s. ‘Come on, Alec. They’re doing it.’ She raised an arm to the ceiling, where six students were playing tag.
‘I’ll get Madam Grayson myself if you go on one of those bubbles—I’m not risking you getting us more detentions. I’ve already lost enough study time.’
Demi huffed and dropped back into her seat.
A minute later someone yelled, ‘What is this? Get down here right now!’
Hailey’s eyes shot to the doors. Madam Grayson’s arms were crossed. Hailey’s jaw clenched a little when she spotted Venus and the twins beside her. They hadn’t been in class today. Hailey figured they’d probably convinced Madam Grayson that they were too traumatised to leave their dorms—at least they weren’t getting out of detention.
‘We were getting some books from the higher shelves,’ Riley said, coming in for a landing with Charlie and the other students. Their bubbles popped out of existence the second their feet hit the ground.
‘If I can’t trust you in the library, then you’ll have to complete your detention somewhere else—like the bathrooms. I hope you enjoy cleaning toilets.’
Charlie gaped. ‘What?! No, I’m not cleaning toilets.’
‘We won’t use the bubbles again,’ Riley promised.
‘We won’t even look at them,’ one of the other students added.
‘Not good enough,’ Madam Grayson said. ‘Let’s go.’
Riley, Charlie, and the other four students wore masks of horror as Madam Grayson marched them from the library, looking as if she’d told them she was taking them to meet a gorgon.
‘You can thank me whenever you want,’ Alec called to Demi, a tone of smugness in his voice. ‘That would have been you.’
‘Nah, I would have sensed Madam Grayson coming and hopped down before she busted me,’ Demi retorted.
Venus and the twins lingered by the doors, staring warily at the sea-serpents and hugging their arms.
‘Are you just going to stand there again?’ Demi asked them, adding a book to one of her growing subject piles. ‘I’m sure Madam Grayson wouldn’t mind adding three extras to her bathroom cleaning crew.’
‘I can do whatever I want,’ Venus snapped back.
‘Oh, I get it. You’re scared.’ Demi added another book to a pile. ‘You think another sea-urchin bomb will explode and shoot holes in your face again.’
‘I’m not scared!’
Demi shrugged. ‘Whatever. You look pretty scared to me.’
Venus marched into the library, throwing a hand out and knocking over one of Demi’s book piles as she stormed past her table.
‘Hey!’ Demi called as the books scattered to the floor.
Venus and the twins ignored her, planting themselves at a table.
Demi moved to get up. ‘Don’t,’ Hailey said, ‘or you’ll end up cleaning toilets too.’
Demi ground her teeth. ‘Fine.’
‘I’ll help you.’ She crouched down with Demi to collect the scattered books. She reached to close one that had fallen open and froze, her eyes locking on to an entry that was titled “The Olympian Mysteries”.
‘Whatchya lookin’ at?’ Demi asked, neatening up the last of the books.
‘There’s something here about the Olympian Mysteries,’ she said, sitting back down at the table and starting to read.
While most humans revelled in the fall of the gods, there was a small minority that lamented the loss and believed the gods belonged in power, as they were the creators of humankind. Seven years after the gods’ demise, a prophecy was foretold of their return: “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”. This prophecy prompted that small minority to form a group dedicated to realising the prophecy. They recognised the Olympian gods as their supreme rulers and believed if any gods were able to return from the afterlife, it would be these twelve, so the group named themselves the Olympian Mysteries.
Not much is known about the group, but they are believed to have been involved in several robberies of ancient artefacts over the years, including the Golden Fleece. The Golden Fleece was eventually recovered, and those found with it admitted they had been planning to use it to fly to Olympus, they just hadn’t been able to get the Fleece to work. The Olympian Mysteries were also involved in the kidnappings of several families. The families were later rescued and informed authorities that they had been forced to worship statues of the gods. Authorities rationalised that the Olympian Mysteries were attempting to resurrect the gods through worship.
At this current time, the Olympian Mysteries are thought to be more of a nuisance than a threat, but authorities are still working towards dismantling the organisation.
‘When was this written?’ Hailey flipped to the front of the book, dragging her finger down the copyright page until she found a date: This edition of Cults Throughout Time was first published in 1973.
‘Hey, I hadn’t finished reading yet.’ Demi snatched the book away.
Hailey was too distracted with her thoughts to even hear Demi. Almost fifty years had passed since that book was written, and the Olympian Mysteries were still operating.
How much stronger are they now? What if they try to steal the Golden Fleece again? They might figure out how it works and fly to Olympus. Hailey’s mind flashed back to first year, of Nemertes’s memory about Poseidon telling her to go to Olympus when humans are weak enough to be ruled again, and that she’d know what to do when she got there.
What had that meant? Is there something up there that can bring back the gods—like a spell, or a potion?
‘Okay, done.’
Hailey grabbed the book from Demi and turned to the table behind her. She slammed the book in front of Alec. ‘They’re more dangerous than you think.’
Alec frowned and began reading the entry, with Aaron standing up to peer over his shoulder at it.
‘Why are you so upset?’ Demi asked. ‘We already knew about the Olympian Mysteries.’
‘I didn’t know how long they’d been around for.’ Hailey fiddled with her necklace. ‘They were formed right after the gods died, and by the time this book was written they were already powerful enough to be kidnapping people and stealing artefacts. And this was written fifty years ago. What if they’ve figured out how to resurrect the gods? What if Perseus’s sword has something to do with it? Poseidon told Nemertes in that memory I saw back in first year that she had to go to Olympus, and that she’d know what to do when she got there. There could be something up there that can resurrect the gods.’
‘I remember my dad telling me about this.’ Alec pointed to the entry. ‘About them stealing the Golden Fleece.’ He lowered his voice to a whisper. ‘That’s why the TripleAS replaced the artefacts in museums—most museums—with fakes.’
‘You knew about them stealing the Golden Fleece and didn’t say anything?’
‘Shh, Hailey,’ Alec hissed, gazing around nervously.
‘It’s in the book, anyone can read it,’ Demi pointed out.
‘Yeah, but they might wonder why you think I would know that,’ he whispered. ‘The Olympian Mysteries couldn’t get the Fleece to work,’ Alec continued in an even quieter voice. ‘And as for Perseus’s sword… it’s powerful, but it’s not magical, so it can’t resurrect the gods.’
‘Why are you so worried?’ Demi asked. ‘Just because their goal is to bring back the Olympians doesn’t mean they know how to do it. I think they steal things to make themselves feel like they’re doing something.’
Hailey took up pacing in front of the table. ‘I don’t understand why they tried to steal the sword. How did they even know where it was? Maybe it was a distraction. Maybe they’re trying to get the Golden Fleece again.’ She kept her voice low. ‘Maybe they’re working with the nereids, and when the Mysteries get to Olympus they’ll be instructions on exactly how to bring the gods back.’
‘Hailey, you don’t have to worry,’ Aaron said. ‘There are people searching for them. The Government has spies for these types of situations—they would have moles in the organisation that keep them from doing anything that could bring about the prophecy. I bet they tried to steal the sword because they’ve been idle for so long and needed to do something, just like Demi said. And there’s no way the nereids would work with humans.’
‘And the TripleAS have added more security.’ Alec’s voice was barely a whisper. ‘It’s impossible to break in.’
It’s easy for them to say not to worry—they’re not “the Zeus” everyone will turn to to defeat the gods. ‘That girl they caught isn’t talking, right?’ Hailey pressed.
Alec shook his head. ‘I haven’t heard anything.’
‘Maybe we could get her to talk. We’re the ones who stopped her after all,’ Demi said.
Aaron stepped in front of Hailey, halting her pacing. ‘What exactly do you think you can do about the Mysteries that the Government can’t?’
Hailey rubbed her thumb over the engraving on her heart pendant. What could she do if her friends suddenly agreed that the Mysteries were a threat and needed to be stopped? They were stuck in school; they couldn’t spy on them like they had with the nereids. And Hailey had absolutely no idea where the Mysteries were hiding.
She blew out a breath. ‘I don’t know. Nothing, I guess.’
‘Are you actually going to do any work?’
The four of them glared at Venus and the twins, who were sitting ten tables away.
‘You’re not even working,’ Aaron pointed out. Their table was bare—they hadn’t sorted a single book from the pile on the floor.
‘At least we’re not standing around gossiping. Madam Grayson will believe me when I say you haven’t done anything but talk. She’ll probably even believe me if I tell her you used the bubbles too.’ Venus smirked.
‘Go to Tartarus, Venus,’ Demi bit back.
‘Um, I don’t want Madam Grayson catching us talking instead of working,’ Alec said, casting a nervous look to the doors. ‘I’m going back to sorting books.’
‘Are you okay, Hailey?’ Aaron asked as Alec picked up a book from the pile in front of him.
No. I want the Olympian Mysteries stopped. ‘Yeah. I’m fine.’ She grabbed the book and shuffled back to her table with Demi.
She didn’t see the point in continuing to argue. Her friends clearly weren’t worried. And Aaron was right about them not being able to do anything anyway. Please Tyches let the police and Government put an end to this cult before they do anything.
8
Attack
A month had finally passed, and with it came the last day of Hailey’s detentions. They’d finished organising the library a couple of days ago, and now Madam Grayson had them working in the grounds.
‘I want every jewel, shell, and pearl collected,’ Madam Grayson instructed. ‘You can put them in there.’ She pointed to four wooden boxes shaped like treasure chests that sat by her feet, next to a coral garden. ‘I’ll be back in two hours.’ She vanished through the palace’s doors.
‘Stay out of our way,’ Venus hissed, stalking to the left side of the grounds with the twins. They settled under a blue opal true, not bothering to pick up a single jewel.
‘Thank the Tyches this is our last day of detention.’ Alec grabbed a box, along with Aaron. ‘I’ll finally have more time to study again.’
‘And I’ll finally have more time to relax,’ Demi said as her and Hailey followed the boys towards an aquamarine tree.
‘I’ll just be glad not having to spend time with Venus every day,’ Hai
ley said, scooping up a handful of aquamarines the same colour as the sea around her.
‘I don’t know what Madam Grayson expects from us,’ Aaron said as he and Alec dropped their boxes on the diamond ground. ‘Did she really think shoving us together for a month would make us best friends?’
‘Never. Gonna. Happen,’ Demi declared, shooting a glare towards the evil trio.
‘Maybe…’ Alec’s jaw dropped, all colour draining from his face as his eyes bulged.
Hailey’s fingertips tingled in warning, and she whirled around to see what he was staring at. Her breath caught as her legs wavered, threatening to give out. On the other side of the force field, not ten yards from them, a sea-serpent the length of a ship was charging towards them, its spiked tail flicking through the water. A memory flashed into Hailey’s mind from last year when a monster exactly like this one had smashed the dungeon Hailey and her friends had been imprisoned in. She’d almost drowned. It can’t get in here… right?
Screaming ripped Hailey’s gaze from the sea-serpent as she whipped around. A giant octopus double the height of the coral trees grappled its way through the force field, its barbed tentacles dragging it across the diamond ground as students screamed and fled towards the palace for cover.
‘Watch out!’ Aaron shouted.
The ground shook as if an earthquake were tearing through it. Jewels and pearls rained from the trees, chinking against the floor. Hailey grabbed the aquamarine tree beside her to steady herself, just as something wet and slimy slammed into her back and sent her flying.
The air in Hailey’s lungs fled in a painful burst as she slammed onto the diamond floor. She blinked, the sea above her spinning as a school of rainbow fish swam above the palace. And then pain sliced into her ankle like razor blades, and she cried out.
One of the octopus-monster’s tentacles was wrapped around her ankle, its barbs digging into her flesh. No! No! No! This can’t be happening! My nightmare from first year can’t be coming true! Hailey flipped onto her stomach, biting down as the barbs dug deeper, and tried to find something to hold on to before the octopus could drag her into the sea.
Poseidon's Academy Box Set Page 70
