Pegasus and the Rise of the Titans (Pegasus #5) (22 page)

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Emily’s eyes fluttered open. She was lying on a soft bed in the Chamber of Arious. The living computer hummed softly beside her and called, ‘Riza, she is awake.’

Emily remembered the events right up to the moment she passed out. She sat up quickly and felt instantly dizzy.

‘Take it easy, Emily,’ Riza said. ‘Let yourself adjust for a moment before you try to move. You need to get used to your new body.’

The voice sounded so strange. It was soft and gentle, but filled with emotion. Most of all, it wasn’t in her head any more. Emily looked around and saw a very tall Xan standing behind her bed. She was bald, with beautiful, delicate features. Her wide almond-shaped eyes were as pale as pearls and her iridescent skin changed colour with the light. She laughed at Emily’s stunned reaction.

The Xan came forward and pirouetted, and her light, silky robes flew around her. ‘So, what do you think? Father used a piece of the black glass to give me back my body. This is exactly how I used to look.’

Emily frowned. ‘Riza, that’s really you?’

‘Of course it’s me, silly! Who else would it be?’

Emily had seen Riza when she had been linked up to Arious, but there was something different, something more defined about this Riza.

Emily rose and embraced the tall Xan. Riza had to be four metres tall and reed thin, but immensely strong. ‘I can’t believe it’s you!’

Riza laughed with the same, easy sound Emily had heard in her head a thousand times before. ‘If you think I’ve changed, you should see yourself!’

Riza led Emily over to one of the polished steel walls of the Arious computer. Looking at the reflections, Emily saw Riza towering above her, but she herself was completely unrecognizable. She was much taller than Emily had been. Her eyes were the deepest blue, but as Emily looked closer, she saw pearly white flecks in their depth. Her face was now more angular and her lips fuller. Emily’s dimples were gone, but her skin was alabaster smooth. She also marvelled at the change in her hair. Instead of brown, it was now much longer and raven black, just like Diana’s.

Emily raised her hand and the reflection did the same. ‘Is that really me?’

Riza nodded. ‘You do have your father in you, but Olympian DNA is infinitely stronger so you look a lot more like Diana . . .’ Riza paused and chuckled. ‘Oh, and you might have noticed those white flecks in your eyes. I slipped some of my own DNA in there for fun when my father wasn’t looking.’

Emily inhaled. ‘You didn’t!’

‘Of course I did,’ Riza said. ‘Now we are truly sisters and you are still part of the Xan. Besides, we are not so different, you and me. I don’t care for following the rules either. This is why I was always in trouble.’

Emily laughed and embraced her new ‘sister’ again. She turned back to her reflection. ‘So my real mother is gone from me?’ Emily asked with a trace of sadness.

Riza shook her head and tapped Emily’s heart. ‘She still lives right here, just as she always has. Now, though, you have two mothers.’

‘Are my powers gone?’

‘Most, but not all of them,’ Riza said. ‘My father realized you’d had them too long and would not do well without them. Plus, with my DNA in you, you should have other powers. I’m just not sure what they are.’

‘You’re not sure?’ Emily asked. ‘But you’re a Xan. You’re supposed to know everything!’

Riza laughed again. ‘That’s the price I pay for living with humans too long!’

Before Riza opened the chamber door, she explained the changes that had occurred while Emily was growing in her new body. The Xan were gone, back on their infinite journey across the universe. And though she was saddened by their loss, Riza said she had a new family that she loved dearly.

She also explained that her father hadn’t completely closed the Solar Stream to the Olympians. There were arches set up that could get them to Earth, the Nirad world and Xanadu. All other travel was forbidden to everyone but Riza.

‘What happened to Lorin?’ Emily asked.

‘My father removed most of my powers from her, but he couldn’t get them all without destroying her. Lorin has been welcomed into Olympus and will be taught by you, me and Vesta.’ Riza paused and grinned. ‘Oh, and I should warn you. Paelen seems quite taken by her.’

‘What?’ Emily cried. ‘After everything she did?’

‘She did save his life,’ Riza said. ‘And she is beautiful and adores him. She may have a child’s inexperience, but she’s a teen, just like you. They actually seem quite suited to each other.’

Emily wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She hadn’t wanted the Xan to destroy Lorin, but she hadn’t expected to have to see much of the Titan.

Riza started to laugh. ‘You’re jealous! You always liked that both Paelen and Joel fell for you. Now you’ve got some competition.’

‘No way!’ Emily said. ‘I just don’t want her to hurt him.’

Riza laughed harder. It seemed so strange to see the beautiful, normally calm Xan belly-laughing.

Riza reached for the button that opened the door. Behind it stood Pegasus and her family. Pegasus whinnied and rushed forward.

‘Pegs!’ Emily cried. ‘I’m so glad to see you!’ She threw her arms around the stallion’s neck. ‘Look, I have a real body!’

Emily inhaled the sweet warm aroma of the stallion. Only now did she realize that she hadn’t been able to smell him since she entered the Temple of the Flame. It was wonderful.

‘Em?’ Joel gasped from behind Pegasus. He looked her up and down. ‘Is that really you?’

Emily released Pegasus and looked at Joel shyly. ‘Yes? I’m a little changed.’

‘You’re a lot changed!’ Joel cried. ‘You don’t look like you any more. You look just like . . . Diana.’

‘And what is wrong with that?’ Diana challenged. She was standing with Emily’s father and smiling.

‘Nothing,’ Joel said. ‘It’s just that . . .’

‘I’m still me, here inside,’ Emily said cautiously.

Joel nodded hesitantly. ‘I know, but it’s going to take some time to get used to.’ He dropped his head and stepped back.

Emily wanted to rush into his arms, but his uncertainty stopped her. ‘Joel, it is me—’

‘Forget him! I like the new you just fine. Not that I did not like you before,’ Paelen corrected. ‘It is just good to have you back in any form!’ He embraced her tightly and whispered in her ear, ‘Do not worry about Joel. He still feels the same. But he is only human. It will take him time to get to know you again.’

Emily hugged him back and whispered, ‘Thank you.’

‘Hey, what about me?’ her father said. He pulled her away from Paelen and put his arms around her and kissed her cheek. ‘No matter how tall you are now, you’re still my little girl!’

The old-model Emily barely came up to his shoulder and he always kissed her on the top of her head. Now, she was as tall as him and he couldn’t reach.

‘Whoa,’ he cried. ‘Em, Em, stop – you’re squeezing too tightly – can’t breathe!’

Emily released him and saw his face was bright red.

‘That is my fault,’ Diana said. ‘I forgot to warn him that you now have an Olympian body. You are as strong as me.’ She gave Emily a light peck on the cheek, but her eyes shone with pride and warmth. ‘I will have to change your training to address this. You now have to learn to control your strength.’

Emily looked back at Riza and smiled. ‘I’ve got to learn to do a lot of things again – like living without you in my head or the fact that I have a body that can get hurt.’

Pegasus nickered.

‘And getting used to your reduced powers,’ Paelen translated for him. ‘Pegasus says he will help you with everything. Plus, you now need to eat ambrosia to stay healthy and strong.’

Emily gazed at the stunning stallion and smiled. ‘Thanks, Pegs, I need you now more than ever.’ Her eyes trailed to everyone around her and she felt – complete.

The Xan may have removed most of her powers, but as Emily stood among those she cared for best, she felt the familiar stirrings of power rising from her core. Riza was truly the last Xan. But deep inside, Emily knew she would always be the Flame of Olympus.

Acknowledgements

You, the reader will never know just how many people have touched the book that is now resting in your gentle hands. From my agents, Veronique Baxter and Laura West, to my wonderful editors, Naomi Greenwood and Fiona Simpson, right down to the proof readers, designers and everyone else that works their magic to bring you this book.

So, I think it’s only fair that I should also thank some very special people who helped me make this the best book it could be.

First, I would like to give a very special thanks to Baird Fleming of the Honolulu Zoo. This wonderful man, filled with passion for the conservation of the environment and all the species that live in it, took time from his busy schedule to give me a private tour of the zoo so that when I wrote about it in the book, you would see what I saw there – including the elephant squeeze! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Baird, and all the staff of the Honolulu Zoo.

I would like to also thank Stanley and the staff of the Outrigger Reef on the Beach Hotel, for letting me explore the super private rooftop suites – so that our beloved Pegs would have somewhere to land and a safe place for the gang to stay.

In fact, during my visit to Hawaii (for research purposes only, I promise I didn’t have any fun while I was there or visit the beaches . . . OK, I did have fun!) I met so many wonderful people who helped bring this book to life. Including Yara Lamadrid-Rose, who gave me loads of information on Diamond Head – the amazing, ancient volcano. And Dave, you know who you are, who introduced me to Pele!

And then, my dear reader, I thank YOU. Thank you for reading this, and going on another wild adventure with me, Pegasus, Emily and all the Olympians.

Finally, you know it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t make a special plea to you, the future caretakers of this wonderful world we call Earth . . .

Please, do a better job protecting the environment and the different species of this world than we, the current generation have done – though some are trying very hard to make a difference.

While I have been trying to write this book, I have been suffering with grief over what is happening right now in the ‘Cove’ Japan and in the Faroe Islands – where people are senselessly slaughtering intelligent and sensitive whales and dolphins. It really hurts me to read about this each day. It would be easier if I didn’t read about it, but I can’t turn away. None of us should.

We’ve got to stop it so that you, my beloved readers, will have the opportunity to enjoy these amazing animals in the wild where they belong, and not on dinner plates or in a museum once they are extinct.

I will leave you with some lines from ‘Whales Weep Not!’ by D. H. Lawrence, which is one of my favourite poems about whales . . .

They say the sea is cold, but the sea contains

the hottest blood of all, and the wildest, the most urgent.

All the whales in the wider deeps, hot are they, as they urge

on and on, and dive beneath the icebergs.

There they blow, there they blow, hot wild white breath out of the sea!

And they rock, and they rock, through the sensual ageless ages

on the depths of the seven seas,

and through the salt they reel with drunk delight

and in the tropics tremble they with love

and roll with massive, strong desire, like gods.

If you enjoyed PEGASUS, you'll love Kate O’Hearn’s VALKYRIE books. Read on for an extract . . .

CHAPTER ONE

The first rays of dawn swept over the distant horizon and drove away the long night. But Freya did not welcome the rising sun. It was her mortal enemy, that would bring only sorrow. She tilted her wings and flew headlong into the fading darkness, hoping to follow the night, praying day would not find her.

But darkness betrayed her and allowed in the light. She had been flying all night, soaring high above Asgard, dreading her upcoming First Day Ceremony.

Orus, her raven companion, flew at her side and tried his best to keep up. But his wings were much smaller than hers, and despite his best efforts he lagged behind. After the long flight, he was too tired to beg her to go back. All he could do was try to stay with her and help guide her through First Day.

‘Freya!’ a voice called from behind her.

Freya looked back and saw her older sister Maya soaring confidently behind them. Her own raven was flying closely at her side.

‘Freya, stop!’ Maya called. ‘Please land; we must speak.’

Orus forced more speed and caught up with Freya.
‘Stop!’
he gasped.
‘I can’t fly much longer, and your sister is calling.’

Freya looked over to her raven and saw how exhausted he was. She hadn’t been fair, forcing him to fly all night. Pulling in her wings, she descended and gracefully touched down in a field of golden grain. As she folded and settled her midnight-black wings on her back, Orus landed on her shoulder.
‘Don’t lose your temper with your sister,’
he panted softly.

‘Thank Odin I found you!’ Maya cried as she also landed and charged towards Freya. ‘Mother’s in a state. Everyone is searching for you. Where have you been all night?’

Freya used her sleeve to wipe away the beads of sweat from her brow. Now that she had stopped, she felt exhausted from the long flight. The muscles in her wings warned of the stiffness to come. ‘I needed a bit of fresh air.’

‘I can see that,’ Maya cried. ‘But why didn’t you tell anyone you were going? You could have at least told me!’

‘I saw you dancing at Valhalla with some of the warriors. I didn’t want to disturb you.’

‘You know I would much rather spend time with you than dance.’ Maya softened her tone. ‘Especially on the eve of your First Day.’

‘I don’t want to do this.’

Her sister’s pale brows knitted together in a frown. ‘Do what?’

‘This! Today!’ Freya shot back. ‘My First Day Ceremony and then going to the battlefield.’

‘What do you mean? You’ve been to the battlefields thousands of times. You have spent all of your life there. Only today you will reap your first dying warrior.’

Freya sighed heavily. ‘But I hate it. I hate the warriors and I hate all the killing and wounding. Humans are bloodthirsty monsters. I don’t want to touch them or be part of bringing more of them here. Asgard would be much better off without Valhalla and its dead warriors.’

Maya looked shocked. ‘How can you say that? Valhalla is a wondrous place and a home to all the valiant warriors who have fallen in battle since the dawn of time! Those men have earned the right to be here. It is a great honour that we are the ones chosen to escort them. You should celebrate them and what they have achieved.’

‘All they have achieved is being good killers!’ Freya challenged. ‘And what does that make us when we reap them? We’re even better killers!’

‘We do not kill!’ her sister said indignantly. ‘We are Valkyries. We bring an end to their suffering and escort them home.’

‘It’s still killing,’ Freya insisted, and her wings fluttered in annoyance. ‘If we didn’t touch them, they would live.’

‘No they wouldn’t. It is their time to die, whether we touch them or not,’ Maya insisted.

‘But I don’t want to do it,’ Freya responded as she turned and walked away from her sister. ‘I don’t want to touch a human or even talk to them. I have seen the warriors at Valhalla. All they want to do is kill and destroy.’

Her sister started to preen the black feathers on Freya’s folded wings. ‘Freya, how can I make you see that you’re wrong? The soldiers of today are nothing like the warriors of the past. Most do not remain in Asgard and choose to ascend to be with their families. You’ll see today when you reap your first. Talk to them. You will soon find they are nothing like the others you have seen.’

‘But what if I don’t want to?’

‘You are a Valkyrie. Reaping is what we are born to do. You have no choice – it is your destiny.’

Freya looked at her sister and sighed. Maya was beautiful. All four of her sisters were, but Maya was the most enchanting. She was tall and lean with long flaxen hair. The skin on her sculpted face was unblemished and she had the palest pearl-grey eyes in all of Asgard. Her wings were fine-boned with elegant white feathers lying neatly over each other. She was everything a Valkyrie should be, which was why most of the reaped warriors fell instantly in love with her.

Compared to Maya, Freya, the youngest of the five sisters, felt like a plough horse. She wasn’t as tall, beautiful or graceful. Her wings were large and stocky. Their raven-black feathers always looked as if they could use a good grooming. Instead of pearl-grey eyes, Freya’s were dark blue. And although she was the fastest flyer in Asgard, it was always Maya who attracted attention.

But for all their differences, Freya adored her older sister. Many times Freya had watched Maya with envy as she confidently approached the battlefields. Without a trace of hesitation, she reaped the warriors she was assigned to and escorted them back to Valhalla.

‘Don’t you ever question what we do?’

Maya shook her head. ‘We do as we are intended to do. As Odin tells us to.’

‘And if we don’t want to do it?’

Maya put her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side. ‘Sometimes I wonder if you are even my sister. How can you not want to be a Valkyrie?’

Sitting on her shoulder, Orus whispered in her ear.
‘Stop arguing. Maya cannot understand. Don’t condemn her for that.’

Freya looked into the dark eyes of the raven on her shoulder. Orus was right. No one in Asgard could understand how she felt. At times
she
didn’t even understand it.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said finally. ‘I guess I’m nervous for today.’

Maya nodded and combed her fine fingers through Freya’s wild, unkempt hair. ‘I understand. Now come, let’s get you prepared for the ceremony – before Odin sends out a Dark Searcher to find us.’

Freya and Orus followed Maya and her raven back to Valhalla. Beneath them, the Great Heavenly Hall was being prepared for her First Day Ceremony. This was to be the final ceremony for some time as there were no Valkyries younger than Freya. Everyone in Asgard wanted this ceremony to be the best ever – everyone except Freya.

In the fields surrounding Valhalla, the reaped warriors who had chosen to remain in Asgard did what they were always doing. Fighting. The clanging sounds of sword upon sword rose up in the air as fighters spent all day battling against each other until night fell. Then they would enter Valhalla and drink and sing – preparing for the next day’s battle.

To Freya, it all seemed so pointless. There were so many other things to see and do. Why these warriors should choose to fight, day in, day out, was something she couldn’t comprehend.

They veered away from Valhalla and flew over the beautiful buildings that made up the main city of Asgard and back to their home. It was a magnificent mansion standing alone on a hill, surrounded by gardens that turned into dense forests.

The Valkyries lived in the most extravagant palaces, and as Freya’s mother was Senior Valkyrie, she had the biggest, most opulent – second only in size and beauty to Odin’s palace.

Landing on the main balcony, they found their mother pacing the large reception room. Shields and weapons of battles throughout the ages adorned the walls and the floor was lined with sheepskin rugs.

Their mother was dressed in her shining silver armour. The feathers on her wings were groomed and bejewelled and her ceremonial dagger was at her waist. Her winged helmet was cast on a chair.

‘Freya!’ she shouted as she charged over. Her ice-blue eyes blazed and her white wings were half open in fury. ‘Where have you been? Do you realize the time? You will be late for your own First Day Ceremony! Odin will be in a rage.’

‘Mother, it’s all right,’ Maya said calmly. ‘Freya and Orus went out for a quick flight and lost track of time. Odin need never know. If you tell him we’re on our way, we’ll be there shortly.’

‘It will take an age to get her prepared,’ her mother ranted. ‘Just look at the state of her, she’s filthy!’ She snatched up a comb and tried to drag it through Freya’s tangled blonde hair. Just look at the state of your feathers! I’m amazed you can even fly . . .’

‘Mother, please,’ Freya begged. She caught the comb as her mother pulled it through a large knot. ‘I can do this. Just give me a bit of time.’

‘Of all my children, you have always given me the most trouble. Your sisters were dressed and ready to leave at sun-up. They’ve already gone to Valhalla to join the honour guard. Don’t you realize how important this is? You are my youngest child and the last Valkyrie. Today, finally, you will join us in the reaping. It is a great honour.’

Freya opened her mouth to protest, but her sister cut in. ‘Of course Freya understands how important it is. We all do. Just give us a moment to prepare and we’ll meet you at the entrance to Valhalla.’

Her mother seemed unconvinced, but nodded as she reached for her winged helmet. ‘Just don’t keep Odin waiting long. You know how impatient he can be.’ Without a backward glance she crossed to the balcony, opened her wings and leaped off.

‘Remember to bow when you approach Odin,’
Orus warned. Well preened, he sat on Freya’s shoulder as they prepared to leave for Valhalla.

Freya nodded her head nervously. ‘I’ll remember.’

Maya put the finishing touches to Freya’s gold and white gown as she flitted around her. ‘And try not to yawn when he gives his speech.’

‘I’ll try. But why does he always have to talk for so long?’

Orus leaned closer to her ear.
‘To hear himself speak!’
The raven started to laugh and caw at his insult to the leader of Asgard.

‘Don’t let Odin hear you say that,’ Maya warned, swatting at him. ‘Orus, you should show more respect – like my Grul.’ Maya reached up and stroked the raven at her shoulder.

‘Don’t try to educate Orus, Maya,’
Grul teased.
‘He’s too thick to learn anything.’

‘Who are you calling thick?’
Orus challenged, cawing loudly and flapping his wings.

‘You,’
Grul answered.

As the two ravens cawed at each other, Maya held up her hand. ‘Enough! When will you two finally get along?’

‘Never!’
the ravens said as one.

Freya reached up and stroked Orus’s smooth black chest. ‘Calm down. He’s just trying to upset you before the ceremony.’

‘He’s doing a fine job of it,’
Orus muttered.
‘One of these days, Freya, I’m going to show that Grul just how clever I really am . . .’

Ignoring the bickering birds, Maya finished fastening a plain gold chain at her sister’s neck. ‘Oh, and try to look interested when Odin tells the story of Frigha.’

‘Oh no, not again,’ Freya moaned. ‘Why does he keep telling us the same old story every time there is a First Day Ceremony? Surely, by now, we all know it.’

‘He tells the story as a warning to all of us,’ Maya said. ‘So no one forgets what happened to the one Valkyrie who defied him and ran away from her duties in Asgard. You remember what happened to her?’

‘How could I forget? Odin had to summon a Dark Searcher to find her. Then he let loose the Midgard Serpent to punish those who helped hide her from him. Half the Earth was destroyed in his rage.’

‘Yes,’ Maya said. ‘And then he cut off her wings and took out her eyes before he banished the Valkyrie from Asgard for all time. She was left to wander the World of Man – blind, alone and flightless. To lose our wings is a fate worse than death.’

‘I know the story,’ Freya said tiredly. ‘You don’t have to remind me.’

‘I’m just saying that Odin will repeat it. You must show him respect and try not to look too bored.’

‘I’ll try.’ Freya inhaled deeply. ‘So how do I look?’

Maya took a step back and surveyed her work. ‘You look beautiful. Not even Mother could find fault.’

Freya grinned and opened her dark wings. Her sister had applied fragrant oils to the feathers that had them shining brightly. In the full sunlight, the black feathers shone with rainbow iridescence.

Freya looked to Orus. ‘Well, what do you think?’

‘You’ll do,’
the raven said casually. He gave her a playful nip on the ear with his polished long beak.
‘Just as long as they don’t look too closely at your fingernails.’
He cawed in laughter and flew off her shoulder towards the balcony.
‘Now, hurry up before they start the ceremony without us!’

Valhalla had been dressed for the ceremony in the most beautiful flowers that grew in Asgard. The high walls had been scrubbed, the spires that rose high into the air all flew the flag of the Valkyries and the weapons adorning the doors had been cleaned and polished. All the grounds surrounding the hall had been groomed. There wasn’t a thing out of place.

Outside the Great Hall, the slain warriors stopped fighting and gathered together along either side of the entrance to greet Freya. As she approached, they all bowed their heads.

‘See, they’re not so bad,’ Maya whispered as she smiled radiantly at the gathered warriors.

Freya wasn’t convinced. ‘Just you wait. The moment we’re inside, they’ll go back to slaughtering each other in the name of amusement.’

Maya sighed. ‘That is the afterlife they have chosen. Why must you condemn them for that?’

‘Because it’s foolish.’

‘It is their choice,’ Maya insisted.

Their mother appeared at the entrance. ‘You’re late,’ she chastised. ‘Everyone is waiting.’