‘I’d like to come with you as backup,’ Aaron volunteered. ‘I’m assuming you’re on your way to confront the nereids.’
‘We have to go after Brennan,’ Hailey added.
‘No. That is our job,’ Madam Grayson corrected. ‘As well as confronting the nereids.’
‘I suppose that means you don’t know how to take control back of the palace,’ Hailey said, remembering she was meant to ask Madam Grayson about whether she’d found anything in the books she’d been studying.
‘I’m afraid not. Now go back to the common room and let us handle everything else.’
‘Okay,’ Hailey agreed, accepting that nothing she said would change Madam Grayson’s mind. Standing around arguing would only waste time—time that was allowing what had taken Brennan to get further and further away.
‘Meet us at the nereids’ chamber, Lila,’ Madam Grayson said before her, the other teachers, and the fifth years proceeded down the left hallway, marching away like they were heading into battle.
‘Come on.’ Lila held out her hands.
‘Don’t suppose you’d be willing to take us to the nereids’ room too?’ Demi asked. ‘I’d love to see them get their butts kicked.’
‘No,’ Lila replied flatly. ‘Now let’s go. I’ve got more important things to do than ferry around third years.’
The world spun around them as they joined hands, colours mixing together like swirling paint. They were in the third year common room a heartbeat later, standing by the staircase.
‘Don’t leave again,’ Lila warned before disappearing.
Cold wrapped itself around Hailey like a blanket of snow. It was about twenty degrees colder up here than it had been downstairs.
‘I hope it doesn’t take Madam Grayson long to beat the nereids into reversing what they did.’ Demi’s teeth chattered.
‘And find Brennan and Stetho,’ Aaron added. ‘They really should have let us come for backup.’
Please, Tyches, let this all be over.
Hailey reached her hand through the common room’s open window, the icy air drilling into her bones like icicles. She flicked her hand at the snow clouds smothering the sun, sending them speeding out of sight. ‘I don’t know how much that will help,’ she said, closing the window’s crystal doors.
Demi jigged about beside her to keep warm. ‘It’s better than nothing.’
‘I wish we still had our blankets at least,’ Alec said, his lips tinged blue.
‘Or at least a fire.’ Aaron gazed towards the empty fireplace, where pieces of glass glinted among the ashes. Someone had used a potion to destroy the wood. Students sat around it, shivering as they stared longingly at the crumbs of charred wood, as if trying to wish a fire into existence.
‘If we had a conjurer we could fix the blanket and wood problem.’ Demi blew into her cupped hands. ‘Whoever wants us dead thought of everything.’
All the conjurers at the school were either missing or had been knocked out with a sleeping potion and woken to find a neutralising bracelet on their wrist, like Kallie had—someone definitely wanted them all freezing to death. But who? Who would help the nereids kill everyone? The Mysteries? Maybe the nereids were desperate enough to go to humans for help. Maybe someone here has a parent in the cult, and the Mysteries asked them to help the nereids kill everyone off.
The only person she could think of who was evil enough to help the nereids kill students was Venus. But, aside from Hailey and her friends, Venus was only interested in torturing Uniques, and most of the missing students had god powers, so it couldn’t be her.
‘It’s been an hour,’ Hailey said as they settled on the ground, the pearls as cold as ice cubes against the back of her legs. She wished she’d been wearing fleece tights and a woolly jumper when her clothes had been destroyed, instead of her school uniform. ‘Shouldn’t we have heard something by now?’
‘Not if the nereids aren’t giving anything up.’ Aaron leaned his back against a sofa. ‘I really wish they’d taken me as backup. My dad trained me for these types of situations,’ he mumbled to himself.
Hailey sighed. She was used to being involved in the action, not sitting around waiting. ‘I wish we could do something.’ Like march into the nereids’ room and hurl a tornado at them. They’ve been behind everything this entire time, but Pandora said they hadn’t been anywhere near the palace. Hailey gasped. ‘Pandora! We forgot about Pandora.’ She kept her voice low so no students around her would hear. ‘She’s trapped on the island without Amathia coming for visits. She’ll have no idea what’s happening.’
Aaron leapt up. ‘We need to get her.’
‘We should tell Madam Grayson,’ Alec suggested, reluctantly standing up with Hailey and Demi. ‘She just gave us a big lecture about not getting involved in things that should be the teachers’ responsibility.’
‘Madam Grayson is a little busy right now,’ Demi pointed out.
‘What are we supposed to do?’ Alec asked.
‘Take the sea-horses,’ Hailey said simply.
‘Visiting the stable is forbidden, let alone riding the horses. I’ll have to tell Madam Grayson about this.’
Hailey whirled around to face Venus and the twins. Why do they always show up at the worst time? ‘It’s none of your business, Venus.’
‘I don’t really care. I’m more interested in making you pay for this.’ Venus held up her wrist; the gold neutralising bracelet was still latched around it. ‘There aren’t any teachers around to protect you.’
‘You don’t have your powers, what can you possibly do to us?’ Demi scoffed. ‘And if you’re planning to attack us, then you’re going to get your nose broken again—this time by me.’
Venus smirked. ‘Oh, you’re going to attack yourselves.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Hailey was two seconds away from shoving Venus into the twins and making a run for the staircase.
Venus’s smirk widened. ‘Do it now.’
‘Your dad ruined everything!’ Alec blurted out, whipping around to Aaron.
Hailey opened her mouth to ask Alec what was going on and then closed it. Rage that burned as hot as the sun bubbled in her, burning away everything except one thing: her hate for Demi. She shoved her best friend, sending Demi thumping beside an armchair. ‘This is your fault. If you hadn’t been so obsessed with Brax, maybe we would have worked out what was happening.’
Demi sprang up, her green eyes so hate-filled they reminded Hailey of Nemertes’s. ‘My fault? You’re the Zeus. You’re meant to be amazing or whatever. You should have worked out what’s been happening by now. You never should have let the nereids come back here. Your job is to protect us. The prophecy—’
‘DON’T MENTION THE PROPHECY!’ Hailey lunged at Demi, her nails clawing out like talons.
Students gasped and scattered as Hailey and Demi landed on the ground, yanking hair and clawing at arms.
‘Stop it!’ A hand gripped the back of Hailey’s shirt and hauled her to her feet. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ Jayden demanded, gripping Hailey’s shirt tighter as she thrashed around like a wild animal trying to get free.
‘Thanks. That makes it easier for me.’ Demi drew her fist back, her arm blasting forward as Hailey kicked her leg out.
‘Oomph,’ Demi groaned as Hailey’s foot collided with her stomach, sending her stumbling to her knees.
‘Demi.’ Jayden dropped beside her, rubbing a hand on her back as she gasped in tiny breaths of air.
Thud.
The burning rage pulsing through Hailey sizzled into smoke. Disgust at herself replaced it. ‘Oh no.’ She fell to her knees in front of Demi. ‘I’m so sorry. Are you okay?’
She nodded and pressed a hand to her chest as her tiny gasps of air turned into deep inhales. ‘I’m okay. I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean what I said. You being a Zeus doesn’t mean you’re responsible for saving everyone.’
‘I didn’t mean what I said either. None of this is your fault.’
‘What happened to you two?’ Jayden asked, helping Demi up. ‘Or should I say four.’ Alec and Aaron were on the ground, buttons torn from their shirts as if they’d been wrestling.
‘Him,’ Tahlia’s voice said.
Hailey stared over her shoulder. An unconscious boy lay at Tahlia’s feet, gold flecks of sleep dust sprinkled over his face. It took her a second to realise it was Bryce—the first-year Eris who had used his powers to get Demi to shove Cady.
‘You really know how to spoil all the fun.’ Venus glared at Tahlia.
Aaron lunged towards Venus so fast Hailey thought he’d bowl her over. But he stopped inches from her face, his fists opening and closing. ‘You better leave. Now.’
Venus was smart enough to look scared, and backed up a few steps into the twins.
‘Wait.’ Aaron grabbed her wrist. ‘You’re warm.’
‘Get off me!’ Venus snarled, trying to rip her hand free, but Aaron only gripped her tighter.
‘What?’ Demi strode towards them with Hailey and Jayden. She touched Venus’s arm, which didn’t have a single goosebump on it. ‘You are warm. How is that possible when the rest of us are freezing?’
Venus snatched her hand back, rubbing her wrist. ‘None of your business.’
‘You used a potion, didn’t you?’ Hailey demanded. The twins didn’t look as though they were cold either—their cheeks were practically glowing with warmth. ‘You stole warming potions from the Hecate room.’
Venus shrugged. ‘And what if we did?’
‘We’re freezing to death.’ Aaron’s voice was barely controlled rage. ‘Give us those potions. Now!’
‘Oh my. What is happening here? Break it up, ladies and gentlemen.’ Sir Bliss drifted into the common room from the door in the centre wall. He pointed to Bryce’s sleeping form beside Tahlia. ‘Is that Bryce?’
‘Yes.’ Tahlia’s cheeks flushed. ‘I had to use my powers on him because he was using his to get them’—she pointed to Hailey and her friends—‘to attack each other.’
‘It’s true. I saw it. And so did everyone else in the common room,’ Jayden said.
‘My, this is quite a pickle.’ Sir Bliss ran a hand through his blond curls, looking like he had no idea what to do. ‘I… um… I think perhaps you should wake him up, Tahlia, and send him back to his dorm. I will speak with him later. Now, what is happening here?’ Sir Bliss pointed between the evil trio and Hailey and her friends.
‘Sir Bliss, we were trying to help,’ Venus pleaded.
‘They got him to use his powers on us,’ Demi countered.
‘And they stole warming potions from the Hecate room,’ Hailey added. ‘They’ve been drinking them to stay warm while the rest of us freeze.’
‘Is that true?’ Sir Bliss asked Venus and the twins.
Venus pursed her lips. ‘Yes, but the potions are all gone now. There wasn’t enough for everyone.’
‘You need to conduct a search of their dormitories right now,’ Aaron told Sir Bliss. ‘They’ll have more stashed away.’
‘I understand now what Madam Grayson meant about the eight of you driving her to madness.’ Sir Bliss focussed his attention on Venus. ‘Do you swear on the River Styx you don’t have any more potions?’
‘I swear.’
‘We swear too,’ Nerissa said.
‘They’re all gone,’ Cleo agreed.
Liars. Although Hailey wouldn’t put it past them to have guzzled them all down in one go. How selfish can someone be to hoard warming potions while everyone else freezes to death? I should have let Cady hit them with a wart potion.
‘All right, well that’s that. Please go and sit down, girls.’ Sir Bliss motioned for Venus and the twins to walk away.
‘Is everything okay?’ Hailey asked, noticing the dark circles under Sir Bliss’s eyes. ‘Have you heard something back from Madam Grayson?’
‘That’s why I’m here… Could everyone please listen,’ he said, turning his gaze to the rest of the common room. ‘I have some very upsetting news. Madam Grayson, along with several other teachers and fifth years, left to visit the nereids just over an hour ago. Unfortunately, they have not been seen since. And on top of that, it seems all of the fifth years have also disappeared… Oh, and considering everyone’s clothes have been burned to cinders, it’s possible a student or two are involved in this mess. So if you know of anyone acting a bit odd or smelling of smoke, do let me know.’
27
Dorm Arrest
Hailey’s head was spinning, and the floor felt as if it would fall out from under her at any moment. No. Not again.
‘Please do not panic,’ Sir Bliss said. ‘I am taking over as your overseer. As you know, I am also overseer to the first years, so if you need me for anything, you will find me next door.’
‘What do you mean all the fifth years are missing?’ Alec asked, his voice scratchy, like he’d swallowed a spoonful of cinnamon. ‘They’re the most powerful students here. Are we all about to disappear too?’ His eyes shot around the common room, and he pointed one foot towards the sofa, ready to dive for cover if anything came charging in.
‘I don’t really know,’ Sir Bliss said, the circles under his eyes darkening. ‘Perhaps they all popped out for a swim?’
‘What about Madam Grayson and the others? Did you check with the nereids?’ Hailey gripped her heart pendant. ‘They’re dangerous. They probably did something to them.’
‘I did go to the nereids. Madam Grayson and the others never made it there.’
‘No.’ Hailey’s heart was racing as fast as a galloping centaur. ‘They’re lying. They did something to them.’
Sir Bliss shook his head. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘We have to see them. I know they’re lying.’ Hailey stepped towards the staircase.
‘Hailey, stop.’
The serious tone in Sir Bliss’s voice halted her in her tracks. She’d never heard him sound serious before. She looked back at her Creative Arts teacher.
‘I and the other teachers left are handling things. I think it best you go to your dorm until you calm down.’
‘We have to do something,’ Hailey argued.
‘The teachers are doing something. Now please go to your dorm.’
Sir Bliss crossed his arms, making it clear he was going to stay there until she did what he’d asked.
‘Fine,’ she huffed, and marched towards the girls’ dormitories. ‘This is ridiculous,’ she declared, slamming the dorm door.
Demi dropped onto her bed, cupped her hands to her face, and burst into tears.
Hailey froze. She didn’t remember Demi crying once when they’d been trapped in Tartarus, or when she’d been dying from Poseidon’s Plague. She sank down next to her and wrapped an arm around her best friend’s shaking shoulders. ‘Demi, it’s okay.’
Demi sniffed. ‘No, it’s not. Amathia, Madam Norwood, Madam Grayson are all gone. They were the only teachers who could have stopped what’s happening. But they didn’t. They got caught too. And now an entire year has disappeared—a hundred power-equipped students have just poofed out of existence. The nereids are back. They’re freezing us to death, and there’s no one to stop them.’ She wiped her eyes. ‘I don’t think we’re going to win this time, Hails.’
‘I’m scared too,’ Hailey admitted. The Tyches of the world appeared to have abandoned them. But that’s exactly how Hailey had felt over the past two years every time she’d been thrown into a situation that looked hopeless. ‘And yeah, it doesn’t look like we have much of a chance of winning anything. But we’ve been in worse situations… We were imprisoned in Tartarus and had to take down two gods and the Erinyes before they could resurrect the Olympians. And last year the entire school almost got wiped out by a plague. Things looked hopeless then too. But we figured everything out, and we’ll do it again this time.’
Demi grabbed a tissue from her floating clamshell nightstand and blew her nose. ‘At least then we weren’t alone. Amathia was always there as our backup. But
she’s gone now. And I like Sir Bliss, but I really don’t think he’s smart enough to work out what’s happening.’
‘Then we’ll have to. We’ll confront the nereids.’
Demi sniffed. ‘I thought the last time you did that they ended up chasing you through a killer maze.’
‘Yeah, they did, but there was only three of us then. Now we’ve got you. And Aaron can hold them back with his force field—maybe he can slam them against the wall until they at least put the palace’s force field back up.’
Demi forced a laugh. ‘I guess that could work, and I wouldn’t mind wrapping some seaweed around their throats.’
‘So let’s go.’ Hailey jumped up.
‘Now? Sir Bliss sounded pretty serious when he told you to stay in your dorm—and Sir Bliss is never serious.’
‘It’s been about ten minutes,’ Hailey countered. ‘He wouldn’t still be standing in the common room. And who cares if someone tells him we left. We’re trying to save everyone’s lives.’
Demi swatted away her tears, her face transforming into a mask of determination as she stood up. ‘Okay.’
Hailey opened the door and almost ran into the back of a girl. ‘Excuse me,’ Hailey said, tapping her foot impatiently.
The girl whirled around. Hailey frowned; she looked old enough to be a fourth year. ‘You’re not allowed to leave.’
‘Um, we can do whatever we want,’ Demi contradicted. ‘We’re not prisoners.’
‘Not exactly,’ the fourth year agreed. ‘But Sir Bliss doesn’t want you leaving your dorm. He asked me to make sure you don’t go anywhere and do something stupid.’
‘Are you kidding me?’ Hailey gaped. ‘He can’t keep us here.’
‘For now he can.’
‘There’s two of us and one of you,’ Demi pointed out. ‘You can’t stop us from leaving.’
‘I didn’t want to do this,’ the fourth year said when Demi tried to push past her. She sucked in a breath and exhaled, gold dust spraying from her mouth like a birthday card exploding glitter.
Poseidon's Academy Box Set Page 85
