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

7

There was nothing. No light, no sound, no touch. But at least there was no pain. Emily was barely aware of anything as she rose to a kind of dark consciousness.

The last thing she recalled was a searing pain cutting through her head as she tried to protect the night dwellers. Then something bad had happened. ‘Am I dead? Is this all there is for me now?’ she groaned, aloud.

And then she started to hear sounds. Fragmented and confused. Voices raised in anger. Laughter mixed with the sounds of sobs.

‘
It is not fair! We have done nothing wrong!
’ A girl’s voice rose loud and shrill. It was almost familiar, but it was filled with anger. It came into her mind like Riza’s voice did, but it sounded different. Riza was calm and she could always feel her kind nature. This new voice was enraged. ‘
You cannot keep us locked in here forever. We have committed no crime – why do you imprison us? Do not walk away from me! Listen, you must let us out!
’

The anger in the voice was rising, and from deep within, Emily could sense a great power simmering, growing and waiting to be freed. She instantly recognized the power signature of the Flame, but it was rising within another. Had she done something so terrible, something so final, that all her powers had been transferred into someone else?

Had Riza abandoned her?

She could also sense the girl – whoever she was – did not yet know how to release them, just as Emily had felt in the early days with her own powers. The knowledge would come. And when it did, nothing would stop this girl from getting out from wherever she was being held.

The angry voice faded away, just like a radio station does when you drive out of range. Emily tried to tune the sounds back in. But the harder she tried, the more the sounds faded, until they were gone completely.

‘Riza?’ Emily called into the darkness. ‘Can you hear me? Please, I need you. Where are you?’

After an age, or perhaps an instant, Emily heard a sound. It was a single sound, repeating over and over. But it was so faint, so weak, that she could barely understand it. Then she realized it was a name.

Over and over again the name kept repeating. There was a desperate urgency to it as it called. ‘
Arious
.’

One by one, Emily’s senses returned. She could smell the sweet fragrance in the warm breeze and felt its welcome touch across her fevered skin. The sound of barking was the first to cut through the haze. Her dog, Mike, jumped up on the bed and started to whine above her.

‘Dad?’

‘I’m – I’m here, baby, I’m right here . . .’ His voice broke.

She felt her father’s hand slipping into hers. Emily opened her eyes. They felt dry and itchy and filled with sand. Her father’s face was red and puffy, his eyes swollen as though he’d been crying.

‘Are you all right?’ she asked.

He laughed with a strange, choked sound as he sat on the edge of her bed. ‘I’m fine now. We’re all fine now.’

Pegasus was on the other side of her bed and nickered loudly. He pressed his head close and licked her with his soft, pink tongue. Not an inch of her face went untouched. Emily hadn’t seen the stallion this excited in ages.

‘What is it, Pegs . . . ? What’s wrong?’ Emily lifted her hand to stroke the stallion’s muzzle but her arm felt like lead. ‘I feel so strange.’

Pegasus left her bed and trotted over to the open window. Poking his head out, he whinnied loudly and his wings fluttered.

Suddenly a roar of cheers rose up from below her window. It sounded as though there were thousands of people outside.

‘Dad, what’s happening?’

Her father pulled her hand up to his lips and closed his eyes. ‘They’re here for you, Em. They haven’t left the palace in days.’

‘Me? Why? I don’t understand.’

From outside her room Emily heard the pounding of footsteps on marble floors. Her door burst open and Joel and Paelen charged in. They looked as though they hadn’t slept in days. Paelen’s hair was even messier than usual, as though it hadn’t been combed in weeks.

‘Em!’ Joel raced to her side and threw his arms around her.

She felt smothered in his tight embrace. ‘It’s all right, Joel, I’m fine.’

As soon as Joel released her, Paelen took his place and nearly squeezed the life out of her. ‘You must never do that to us again!’ he chastised. ‘Do you hear me? I nearly went insane with worry.’

‘Do what? Will someone please tell me what’s happening?’

Jupiter entered her room, followed by Pluto and Neptune. Before long, it seemed like half of Olympus was crowded around her bed. Diana gave Emily a kiss and then hugged her father in relief.

In fact, the relief from everyone in the room was palpable.

All eyes rested on her and their expressions were the same. Fear mixed with hope.

‘Please,’ she begged. ‘Tell me what’s happened?’

Her father returned to the side of her bed and took her hand. Joel was crowded in close and Paelen glued to her other side. He would only make room for Pegasus to stand by her.

‘Pegasus told us you were trying to save some night dwellers by shearing off a piece of mountain to block the sun. He said it was working, but he could feel you were in pain. Then you started to heat up. So much so, you burned him. Not long after that, lightning exploded from your head and you crumpled to the ground. You’ve been unconscious for weeks.’ His voice dropped. ‘You were barely breathing. We really thought we were going to lose you.’

Emily frowned. Heating up and lightning? She looked at Pegasus. ‘I burned you?’

‘He has recovered,’ Neptune said. ‘It is you we worry about.’

‘I’m fine.’ Emily tried to reassure them. ‘Even my headache is gone. Yes, I’m tired, but other than that, I feel normal.’

‘But you were not fine,’ Jupiter said grimly. ‘And I am still unconvinced that you are recovered. Emily, you were very close to death.’

Pluto, leader of the underworld, stepped forward. ‘Not even my powers could halt death’s approach. The Flame at the Temple all but went out. All that remained was a tiny ember that Vesta guarded with her life. There was nothing we could do to support it.’

‘I have just sent Cupid to the temple to see what is happening with the Flame,’ Diana added. ‘Now that you are awake, we are hopeful that it has been fully restored.’

None of this made any sense to her. All she could recall was seeing the night dwellers starting to burn. Then she cut the slice off the mountain to shade them, but doing that made her headache worse. Anything after that was blank, except . . .

‘Wait,’ Emily said. ‘I remember.’ She looked at her father. ‘I have to go to Xanadu right away.’

‘What?’ he cried. ‘Em, you’ve only just woken up. What you need to do now is rest.’

‘No!’ Emily insisted. ‘You don’t understand. I didn’t pass out, not really. I went to this strange place. It was dark – like the Energy Void Saturn trapped me in. But very different.’

‘It was a dream,’ Diana offered.

Emily shook her head. ‘No, it wasn’t. I know the difference. I went somewhere. And while I was there, I heard voices. But more than that, there was a girl. She was angry and demanding to be released.’

‘Em, you didn’t go anywhere,’ Joel said. ‘You were right here. We’ve been here all this time watching you, waiting for you to wake up.’

‘It wasn’t a dream!’ Emily insisted. She turned to Jupiter. ‘This girl, she has powers like mine. I could feel them. It was just like me when my powers were first awakened. She was starting to get angry, and then her powers started to rumble. It was the Flame, I know it was. Whoever this girl is, I think she might have taken my powers from me. She is the Flame now.’

‘That’s impossible,’ Joel said. ‘You’re the only Flame of Olympus.’

‘He is right, child,’ Jupiter said. ‘If there were another, I am sure we would have discovered her by now.’

Emily shook her head. ‘No, you’re wrong. There is another and she is very angry.’

‘All right.’ Joel took her hand in his. ‘Let’s say it wasn’t a dream. Who is this girl? Where is she?’

‘I don’t know,’ Emily said. ‘I couldn’t see her. I could just hear and feel her. But this wasn’t the first time I felt her. It was as if she was waking up from a deep sleep. There was a woman with her. I almost caught her name, but then everything faded before I could get it. But this time the girl was much clearer – maybe because she was so angry.’

‘What does that have to do with going to Xanadu?’ her father asked.

‘I don’t know,’ Emily said. ‘The last thing I heard before I woke up was the name Arious, and Arious is the super-computer on Xanadu. I think it was Riza trying to warn me. But I can’t be sure. I won’t know until I get there.’

‘Em, we still don’t understand what that computer is. It might be dangerous for you to go,’ her father argued.

‘Arious will not hurt me. As long as I go in alone and you all stay away from me.’ She looked at Joel. ‘Especially you.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Joel looked hurt.

Emily had never told Joel or the others about her experience with Arious from the other time-line. Because of the reset button, they didn’t remember, and there didn’t seem to be any point explaining that Joel had almost been killed by the super-computer. ‘It doesn’t matter. Just know that no one must touch me while I’m in there.’

‘I’m sorry, Em,’ her father said sternly. ‘Until we understand what’s happening to you, I don’t want you going anywhere.’

‘But, Dad—’

‘No, Em. I’m sorry. And there will be no sneaking away either. You will stay here, if I have to tie you down myself.’

Something inside Emily told her that her life depended on going to Arious. But when her father was like this, it was impossible to change his mind.

Just as she was about to argue back, Cupid flew through the window. He folded his wings and landed on the floor. ‘We have a big problem.’ His face was pale as he reported back. ‘The Flame is there, but it is sputtering and weak. Whatever is wrong with Emily is still happening. Vesta fears the Flame may go out at any moment.’

There was a collective intake of breath in the room.

‘Now do you understand?’ Emily said to her father. ‘I don’t
want
to go to Xanadu, I
need
to.’

8

With the decision made to return to Xanadu, Jupiter called a meeting of those closest to Emily to be held at the top of the Temple of the Flame. Emily was still weak and had to hold on extra tight to Pegasus’s mane to keep from falling off. Joel, Paelen and Chrysaor flew close beside her for support.

They landed at the top of the temple and Pegasus trotted over to the plinth. Vesta stood beside it, wringing her hands. ‘Oh, Emily,’ she cried as she ran over to help her down from Pegasus. ‘How are you feeling?’

Emily shrugged. ‘Fine, I guess. But I’m really tired. I can barely keep my eyes open.’

‘She keeps falling asleep,’ Joel said. ‘This morning, she actually dozed off in the middle of breakfast. Her head landed in her bowl of ambrosia and she was covered in it.’

‘It’s not that bad,’ Emily said.

‘Um, yeah, Em, it is. You fell asleep in your ambrosia, admit it.’

‘You did,’ Paelen agreed. ‘I saw it too.’

Pegasus nodded beside her and neighed.

Emily looked sheepishly at her teacher. ‘Well, maybe I did. But it’s not my fault. I just can’t seem to stay awake.’

‘Of course it is not your fault.’ Vesta wrapped her arm around Emily and led her over to the plinth that held the Flame. Cupid was right. The Flame was there, but it was floundering. It would flash brightly, then shrink down to a very small ember, and then sputter to life again.

‘It has not stopped doing that since your collapse. I just do not know what I can do to support it.’

Seeing the Flame so weak struck a chord of fear in Emily because, deep down inside, she felt even weaker. She held her hand out over the fire. In the past, it would tickle, and never cause her any pain. But when her hand entered the Flame, she felt nothing. No heat, no power, no tickle. Nothing.

‘Well?’ Joel asked.

Emily shook her head and turned to her teacher. ‘Why can’t I feel anything?’

‘I do not know. Something is happening within you and whatever it is – it is reflected here in the Flame.’

‘But what could it be?’ Paelen asked. ‘You are Vesta, you know all about the Flame.’

‘I thought I did, but this is beyond me.’ She looked at Emily. ‘What has Riza told you?’

‘Nothing,’ Emily said. ‘She’s gone silent. She’s done this once before. I just hope she comes back soon.’

The rest of the Olympians arrived, including Chiron, the Centaur. He welcomed Emily warmly. ‘I am pleased to see you up and about again.’

Emily had a particular soft spot for the Centaur. She had fought beside him when she time-travelled back to the ancient war with the Titans. They shared many memories that had created a special bond.

‘I am pleased that it has been decided that I will escort you to Xanadu,’ Chiron said.

‘I’m going too,’ Joel said quickly. Before Emily could say anything, he held up his hand. ‘Don’t try to stop me, Em, because I’m going. Don’t worry, I won’t touch you while we’re there. I’m not sure why I can’t, but I promise I won’t.’

‘Neither will I,’ Paelen agreed. ‘I too am going, whether you want me to or not.’

Emily looked at the concerned faces of her two best friends, and knew there was no one she would rather have with her. ‘We’re like the Three Musketeers, right? Of course we’re going together.’

Pegasus nickered loudly in protest and nudged her.

‘Sorry, Pegs. I meant to say we’re the Four Musketeers.’

Immediately Chrysaor squealed.

‘OK, Five Musketeers.’

When everyone had gathered around the plinth, Jupiter cleared his throat. ‘You all know I hate duplicity and have done my very best never to lie or even mislead our people. It seems the only time I have been forced into deception is when dealing with issues concerning the Flame and, though it pains me to do so again, I must.’

He approached Emily and took her hand. ‘We will let everyone think you are recovered. There is no point alarming them until we know the cause of your weakness.’

Neptune took over. ‘This means that even though we wish to journey with you, we must not.’ His eyes found Emily’s father. ‘This includes you.’

Steve shook his head. ‘Now, wait a minute. If you think I’m going to stay here, you’re crazy. You want things to look normal – me going with her would be normal.’

‘It’s OK, Dad,’ Emily said to reassure him. ‘Everyone is used to us disappearing. We’ll just go there and come right back. I promise not to do anything stupid or go anywhere without telling you. I’ve just got to know what’s happening with me.’

Despite her father’s protests, it was agreed that only Emily and her friends would journey to the ancient world of Xanadu. The only exception was Chiron. But with their shared past, his presence would not raise any eyebrows among the Olympians.

With plans to leave set for early the next morning, Emily, Pegasus and her friends returned to Jupiter’s palace. Fatigue was pressing down on Emily and she wanted nothing more than to return to her room to sleep. Instead she spent the day cheering at the sidelines as her friends played soccer.

Pegasus refused to leave Emily as she rested on a lounge chair, watching the game. Often she would catch the stallion staring at her, and not the events on the large field.

‘I’m OK, Pegs,’ Emily would say. But deep down, she knew it was a lie. He did too. But with everyone already stressed about her, she couldn’t let them know just how much trouble she was really in.

With the warm sun shining brightly overhead and feeling the security of Pegasus close at her side, Emily shut her eyes for just a moment, but then fell into a deep sleep.

Almost immediately she heard the sounds of dripping water, loud, unsettled voices and crying. She was blasted with the acrid smell of filth that nearly made her retch.

Emily was aware of herself and that she was still Emily. But somehow, she was also someone else. It was much clearer this time. She could feel a body moving, that wasn’t her own. See through eyes that weren’t hers and hear a voice speaking – a voice that was familiar to her now.

‘
They cannot keep us here
,’ the voice raged as it paced a small area.

‘
Calm down, my child. You will do yourself harm if you continue to rant like this. We have no choice and must accept our fate. We are trapped here until that foul monster, Jupiter, decides to release us
.’

‘
When will that be?
’

‘
I do not know, my sweet
.’

‘
Perhaps you are prepared to accept your life here, Phoebe, but I am not. I have done nothing wrong and insist they let me out of here
.’

Emily felt fury grow within the girl. The Flame was starting to rumble from her core. The girl charged forward and started to pound on hard steel bars and scream.

As her shrill voice hurt Emily’s head, she became aware that the girl had stopped and was now becoming aware of her.

‘
Who are you?
’ the girl demanded. ‘
You cannot hide from me – I can feel you in me. Tell me, who are you?
’

Something warned Emily to stay silent. There was too much rage in this girl and the Flame within her rumbled violently.

And as Emily was somehow inside her, suddenly she could feel the girl entering her.

‘
I know you are there
,’ she called. ‘
Who are you? Why are you here?
’

Emily tried to drive the girl out of her head, but wasn’t strong enough. Had she been up to full power, it would have been easy. Instead she was helpless to stop the girl from probing deeper into her mind.

‘
You!
’ the girl gasped, as her powers surged forth. ‘
You are Emily. You stole part of me. I want it back!
’

‘Stop,’ Emily cried, breaking her silence. ‘You’re hurting me.’

‘
Give it back. Give back what you took
.’

The girl’s rage was terrible; the Flame rose from her core and burned Emily’s mind.

‘Please stop!’ Emily begged. ‘Who are you? Why are you so angry?’

‘
I am Lorin
,’ the voice shouted as her Flame rose. ‘
Now, give it back!
’

‘What?’ Emily shouted. ‘I have taken nothing from you. I don’t even know you!’

‘
You have it! I can feel it in you!
’

Lorin reached deeper inside her mind and Emily was helpless to stop her. She felt Lorin find the part of her mind that controlled the Flame and all her powers.

There was a sharp intake of breath. ‘
There it is. Give it back!
’

‘Lorin, stop, please, you’re hurting me. Stop!’ Emily started to scream.

Pain across her face broke the connection. Emily opened her eyes and saw her father and Joel hovering over her.

‘I’m so sorry, Em, I had to do it,’ her father apologized for slapping her. ‘You were screaming and your nose was bleeding. We had to wake you up.’

Emily sat up, feeling dizzy and disorientated. The soccer game had stopped and all the players were gathered around her. Pegasus was pressing in close and Paelen took her hand.

‘That was awful,’ Emily said, regaining her breath.

‘What happened?’ Paelen asked. ‘Your temperature shot up and your clothes started to smoulder. We thought you were about to burst into flames.’

Emily looked down at her tunic and saw scorch marks and tendrils of smoke curling in the air. ‘I’ve – I’ve got to see Jupiter immediately.’

‘I think you should go lie down and get some rest,’ her dad said.

‘No!’ Emily cried. ‘I can’t go to sleep again. She’ll get back in me. Promise me you won’t let me sleep. Hit me, kick me and bite me if you must, but I can’t sleep.’

‘Emily, you are not making sense. Who will get back in?’ Paelen asked.

She rose to her feet and started to run towards the palace. ‘Lorin!’

Emily’s headache was back and much worse than before, as she ran to the palace to see Jupiter.

‘We have a big problem,’ Emily said breathlessly as she burst into Jupiter’s meeting chamber. He was in a session with his main advisors.

Jupiter nodded to his guests respectfully and asked for them to leave – but requested his brothers and Chiron remain.

‘What is it, child?’ he asked. ‘What has happened?’

‘I’m not sure how to explain it.’ Emily looked to all the ancient Olympians in the room. ‘Does anyone here remember someone called Phoebe? She’s about my height; has blondish hair. Her eyes are bright blue and she speaks very calmly. She seems to know Jupiter and calls him a foul monster.’

‘Phoebe?’ Jupiter repeated. ‘I seem to recall that name . . .’

‘You should,’ Chiron said. ‘Phoebe was the chief advisor to Saturn before the war. You sentenced her to Tartarus with the others.’

Jupiter looked alarmed. ‘Do you mean
that
Phoebe?’

‘I don’t know – maybe,’ Emily said. ‘There is a girl with her, Lorin. She’s the other Flame I told you about.’

‘How do you know these people?’ Jupiter asked.

‘I don’t know them,’ Emily insisted. ‘But they know you.’

‘Tell them about your dream,’ Joel prodded. He faced the Big Three. ‘It gave her a nosebleed and nearly set her on fire.’

Emily told them what she had experienced. ‘But these aren’t dreams, I’m certain of that now. Somehow, I am linked to this girl, Lorin. When I sleep, I seem to enter her mind. Only now, she can enter mine. She insists I’ve stolen something from her.’

‘What’s that?’ Joel asked.

Emily shrugged. ‘I’m not sure. But when she was in me, she said she’d found it and was trying to take it back. It really hurt.’

Jupiter rubbed his chin thoughtfully and looked at his brothers. ‘I wonder if Phoebe has a young daughter.’

Neptune shook his head. ‘If it is the same Phoebe I am thinking of, she has two daughters – Leto and Asteria. There was no Lorin.’

‘Phoebe’s not the problem,’ Emily insisted. ‘Lorin is. She has a lot of power. I think the powers she possesses were mine, but she’s the one accusing
me
of stealing. She is so angry; I know she’s dangerous.’

Jupiter frowned at his brothers. ‘Who is this Lorin?’

They shrugged.

Chiron said, ‘I do not know. But if she is with Phoebe, she must be important.’ The Centaur approached Emily. ‘You told us about the other things you saw and heard. Do you think Lorin is in Tartarus?’

Emily nodded. ‘I’m certain that’s where she is.’ She looked once more at Jupiter. ‘Lorin has powers. Maybe they are mine, maybe they are her own, I don’t know. But I could feel them growing. She is easily strong enough to burn her way out of Tartarus.’