Persephone the Phony (Goddess Girls) (3 page)

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my sandals and brings them back can skip the next two homework assignments."

Persephone's interest perked up. She wouldn't mind getting out of a couple of assignments. And looking for the sandals would give her an excuse to return to Earth. Maybe she'd see Hades again! She didn't need to tell her mom first either. Persephone had only promised not to go off
on her ow
n. She'd convince Aphrodite, Athena, and Artemis to go with her. If they did find the sandals, it would take all four of them to carry them back, anyway.

Ping! Ping! Ping
! The lunch lyrebell sounded, and she headed for the cafeteria. The octopus-like lunch lady handed orange clay bowls decorated with black silhouetted figures to her and the next seven students in line. Persephone sniffed the contents appreciatively.
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Mmmm. Yambrosia. She grabbed a carton of nectar from a tray and headed for the lunch table where she and her friends always sat together.

"Mr. Cyclops's sandals are missing," she said as she sat down. "Whoever finds them gets to--"

"--skip the next two homework assignments," finished Athena. As usual, a bag of scrolls lay on the bench beside her. She pushed a straw into her carton of nectar. "He's been asking about his sandals in all his classes, making the same offer to everyone. Aphrodite and I heard about it first period."

"And I found out during second period," said Artemis. She was still wearing her quiver of arrows, but she'd leaned her bow against the wall behind the table. At her feet lay her three dogs: a bloodhound, a greyhound, and a beagle. They followed her everywhere, even to

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class. She must have seen Persephone looking at them, because she said, "You don't mind, do you?"

The dogs
were
kind of smelly, but Persephone knew how much her friend adored them. "No, of course not."

Persephone quickly shared what Pheme had told her class about the sandals. "Of course, it's only a rumor."

"Most things she says are," said Artemis. "But it
migh
t be true." She set her half-empty bowl of yambrosia on the floor for her hounds to finish off. As usual, Amby, the beagle, beat the two older, bigger dogs to the bowl, gobbling down far more than his fair share. Running a hand through her short black hair, she said, "I think we should check it out at least. Missing two homework assignments would give me extra time to practice

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archery. There's a big contest coming up, and I want to be ready."

Athena's nose popped out of the plum-colored scroll she was reading. "I could use the time too. I'm swamped."

No surprise there, thought Persephone. Athena loved studying and had signed up for more than a full load of classes, plus some extracurriculars.

Aphrodite tossed back her beautiful golden hair. "Let's do it! Off to the river, then?"

Persephone smiled. Convincing her friends to join in the search had been easier than she'd expected. In fact, they'd convinced
themselve
s. Now she just had to hope she'd see Hades!

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The Search

THAT AFTERNOON, BEFORE HEADING TO Earth, the four friends made a quick stop at Aphrodite's dorm room so she could change into her "search party" outfit. Persephone wasn't sure why a different outfit was necessary, but the navy chiton, patterned with little white sailing ships, certainly looked good

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on Aphrodite.
Everythin
g did, of course.

On their way out of the dorm, the four friends grabbed winged sandals, then raced toward the River Styx. Its source was a spring that plunged down a rocky cliff high above them.

Unfortunately, Pheme's rumor had spread faster than fire on a windy day.
Al
l the godboys and goddessgirls from Mr. Cyclops's classes were out searching for the giant sandals along the river, the boundary between Earth and the Underworld.

A large eagle soared over Persephone's head to land at the river's edge. When the huge bird morphed into Ares, the goddessgirls nearby squealed with delight at the handsome godboy's arrival. Most gods and goddesses could shape-shift. Taking on the forms of animals at

42

will was easy. Persephone herself often took the form of a dove when she flew places.

As the four goddessgirls skidded to a stop near the river, a golden-haired godboy with pale turquoise eyes and skin emerged from underwater with a triumphant grin on his face. Thrusting his three-pronged spear in the air, Poseidon exclaimed, "Found one! Someone's pinned it down to the riverbed with a boulder so it won't float!"

Persephone and all the other godboys and goddessgirls glanced suspiciously at Atlas. The academy's bulky champion weight lifter, he was likely the only godboy in the whole school capable of moving such a boulder.

Atlas shrugged.
Pheme was righ
t, thought Persephone. And Atlas must have been one of the godboys who had taken the sandals. Now he and Ares waded into

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the water to help Poseidon bring up the one under the rock.

"Where's the second one?" Aphrodite shouted from shore.

Atlas raised both hands, palms up. "Don't know."

"It could have washed up near the riverbank," said Athena. "Why don't we spread out and search?"

Persephone moved toward some tall clumps of grass. Suddenly she heard a loud
crac
k behind her. She whirled around.
Hades
! A blush stole across her cheeks as he emerged from the ground atop his stallion.

"Hi," he said, leaping down. "What's everyone looking for?"

"Haven't you heard?"

Hades' dark ringlets swung from side to side as he shook his head.

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Then Persephone remembered that she hadn't seen him in school all day. Pointing to the sandal that Poseidon, Ares, and Atlas were now dragging toward shore, she explained about the reward Mr. Cyclops had offered.

Hades gave her a half smile. "Those things usually come in pairs, right?"

"Right," said Persephone. "Have you seen the other one?"

"Maybe," Hades teased.

"Show me," said Persephone.

Hades cocked his head. "What about your mom?"

Persephone sighed, feeling annoyed. "What about her?"

"I don't think she likes me." Hades' brow furrowed.

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"She probably wouldn't like you going off with me--even to rescue a teacher's sandal."

Persephone pursed her lips in exasperation. "Ugh, my mom is always so worried! She probably thinks you'd
kidna
p me, given half a chance."

Before Hades could respond, Artemis ran up with her hounds at her heels. "Oh,
there
you are!" she said to Persephone. "Is this godboy giving you trouble?" She glared at Hades while her dogs stood at attention, their teeth bared.

"No, why would you think that?" Persephone replied. Then she noticed how tightly Artemis was clutching her bow. Hades' hands were balled into fists at his sides, and his feet were planted wide as if he expected an attack.

"Godness!" Persephone exclaimed, stepping between them.

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"Relax, Hades. Artemis is my friend."

She turned toward Artemis. "I don't need protection. Hades is a friend too."

"If you say so," Artemis growled. Her grip on her bow relaxed, but she continued to glare at Hades. Her dogs growled and glared too.

Moments later Aphrodite and Athena also ran up. Sandwiching Persephone, they slipped their arms through hers. Aphrodite arched an eyebrow at Hades. In a frosty voice, she said, "So sorry, but Persephone has to go now."

Before Persephone could protest, the two goddessgirls practically dragged her away. Artemis followed with her dogs. When she overcame her shock, Persephone began to struggle, but Athena and Aphrodite held on. "Keep walking," Aphrodite said sternly.

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Persephone twisted her head to look over her shoulder, but Hades had already disappeared. She scowled at her so-called friends. "Why are you doing this?" Then her eyes narrowed with suspicion and she groaned. "Don't tell me. My mom put you up to this, didn't she?"

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The Second Sandal

Aphrodite and Athena loosened their hold on Persephone. "Your mom?" Aphrodite asked blankly.

Persephone frowned. "Yes, my mom. It's just the kind of thing she would do. She's as overprotective as a suit of armor. Hades and I are friends--at least, we were starting to be."

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Athena snorted. "Demeter has nothing to do with this."

"It was our idea," Artemis agreed. "You
canno
t be friends with Hades."

Persephone's eyes widened. "Why not?"

"Because," Aphrodite said, speaking slowly and clearly, "he's from the
Underworl
d."

"So?" said Persephone. "Just because someone comes from the wrong side of the world, it doesn't mean they aren't worth knowing."

Athena nodded. "True. But Hades is trouble with a capital
T
! Everyone says so."

"Well,
I
don't believe it," Persephone said stubbornly.

The goddessgirls climbed to the top of a hill overlooking the river. "Anyway," Persephone added, "he

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was about to show me where Mr. Cyclops's other sandal is hidden."

Just then shouts came from below. The four goddessgirls looked down. Pheme had found the second sandal. After an impromptu celebratory dance, she hoisted it over her spiky orange head with the help of two other goddessgirls.

Artemis eyed Persephone. "You were saying?" she said dryly.

Persephone blushed. "He must have shown Pheme where it was hidden instead." But though she scanned the faces near Pheme several times, she didn't see Hades.

Aphrodite shook her head. "We're your friends, Persephone. Take our advice. Stay away from Hades. He may be cute in a gloomy kind of way, but he's bad news."

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Persephone opened her mouth to defend him again, but then she closed it. What if her friends and her mom were right? What if Hades had lied about showing her where the other giant sandal was? How well did she
reall
y know him?

By the time the goddessgirls returned to Mount Olympus and Persephone arrived home, she'd decided her gut feelings about Hades must have been wrong. After all, how could she be right about him when everyone else thought differently? Still, she felt sad to have to end their budding friendship.

Arriving at school the next day, Persephone crossed the courtyard and began to climb the wide granite steps to the bronze doors of the academy. She was halfway up when Hades stepped from behind a tall pillar

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and came toward her. Persephone pretended not to see him and swerved to avoid him. Spotting Athena and her mortal roommate, Pandora, she raced to catch up with them.

"Where did you come from?" Pandora asked right away. Gold streaks in her blue hair glinted in the sunlight. And because she was mortal, she didn't have shimmery skin like Persephone and the other immortals. "You were down at the River Styx yesterday, weren't you? Do you think someone will take Mr. Cyclops's sandals again?"

Persephone didn't bother to reply, knowing it wasn't necessary. With Pandora, it was impossible to get a word in edgewise anyway. Sure enough, the girl quickly turned her questions back to Athena. As if a

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symbol of her constant curiosity, Pandora's bangs clung to her forehead in the shape of a question mark.

On her way to Mr. Cyclops's class, Persephone saw Hades again. He was skulking along the hallway wearing a scowl. When he glimpsed her, however, his face lit up.

Ducking her head, Persephone raced across the hall and escaped into Mr. Cyclops's classroom. Just inside the door, she tripped over one of his sandals. This time, though, his foot was actually in it. "
Someone'
s in a hurry," he said. He plucked her from the floor as if she were a flower and set her upright on her stems.

"Thanks," she said.

Mr. Cyclops's enormous eye winked at her. "I think it's

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great that you just couldn't wait to be in class." Persephone sighed as she took her seat. He obviously didn't have a clue about the problems she had to deal with!

Later, as she stood in line for lunch, she looked nervously around for Hades. Fortunately, she didn't see him. Come to think of it, though, she'd
never
seen him in the cafeteria. He must eat lunch somewhere else--probably by himself, since he didn't seem to have any friends. The thought made her feel a bit guilty for avoiding him, but what else could she do?

Persephone accepted her steaming bowl of nectaroni and cheese from the eight-armed lunch lady. Then she headed for her three friends at their usual table. They were talking animatedly until she drew near. Then they exchanged glances and fell silent. Her