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  ‘Welcome back.’ Amathia’s voice drew Hailey’s attention to the front, where she found an amused smile curving her teacher’s lips. ‘I do apologise for not explaining what a watwdaom nnavv was before activating it, but as I said at the beginning of class, I prefer to show rather than tell,’ Amathia said. ‘Watwdaom nnavv translates to memory ball.’ Amathia extended a hand to the crystal orb on her desk. ‘This is a memory ball. To make it work, you think of a memory and touch it. It will then mentally transport everyone in the room into that memory.’

  Hailey nodded in understanding, realising she’d been in Amathia’s body, unable to control it because it was Amathia’s memory. Her initial expectations of Ancient History being taught in a museum seemed dull and boring now. She’d witnessed the Great Battle. Watched her ancestors defeat the gods. And seen the gods’ powers rain from the sky. She was lost for words at how incredible that was. Yes, it had also been terrifying, but all she felt now was exhilaration at having travelled back in time, more or less.

  ‘I understand that memory would have been very disturbing for most of you, but the watwdaom nnavv dulls any distressing emotions once you’ve left the memory,’ Amathia explained. ‘Now it’s time to assess your extent of knowledge,’ Amathia said once the first years had had a chance to comprehend what had just happened. ‘Who can tell me what battle was being fought and why?’ Several students raised their hands. Amathia pointed to a girl with thick golden-brown hair. ‘Please say your name before answering.’

  ‘Kendra Adams.’ The girl straightened in her seat. ‘It was the Great Battle. It broke out when humans stopped worshipping the gods. The gods thought if they slaughtered enough humans they could intimidate the rest back into worshipping them. But our ancestors were smarter,’ she added with a hint of a smile.

  Amathia nodded. ‘Very good, Kendra. The gods couldn’t allow your ancestors to cease worshipping them, for Zeus had made a grave mistake centuries before. He had learned from his predecessors, the Titans, that being worshipped significantly increased a god’s powers. For this reason, he created the human race. What he didn’t realise was that the gods’ bodies would become dependent on being worshipped, and without it they would fall into non-existence. The gods hid this weakness from humans, but one did learn of it. How he did is unknown. What we do know is that he used the knowledge to end the gods. Who can tell me the name of this crusader and how he triumphed?’

  Alec raised his hand. ‘I’m Alec Parker,’ he said shyly. ‘His name was Nikolai,’ he continued, his voice turning confident as he answered the question. ‘He secretly recruited a small number of followers, and they spent the next year travelling the lands, informing everyone they met of the gods’ weakness and organising a mass rebellion. He knew that as soon as the gods found out about it, there’d be a battle. So, he informed the women and men unable to fight that when the battle broke out, they were to burn the gods’ sacred places, as this would accelerate their deaths.’

  ‘You know your history,’ Amathia said with a look of approval that made Alec blush. ‘By the time the gods discovered they had been fooled, it was too late. They retreated to Olympus, where they faded into oblivion. Their powers, however, remained intact and fell from the sky to your ancestors. And since then, they have been passed down through the generations. Of course, not all humans believe the gods to be dead,’ Amathia went on. ‘As I’m sure you all know, a prophecy was foretold after their demise…’

  Hailey froze. No. Please don’t say it. Please.

  ‘…The prophecy says, “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”.’

  Hailey sank down in her chair, focusing her eyes on her notebook, because one thing was always guaranteed whenever someone quoted the prophecy: people stared at her. She didn’t understand why, because as far as she was concerned, the prophecy had nothing to do with her, since Hailey—like every Zeus before her—could not shoot lightning from her hands.

  And even if she could and the gods did magically come back to life, it hardly seemed fair that she—a thirteen year old—should bear the sole responsibility of protecting the world from them.

  ‘But many do not believe in this prophecy,’ Amathia continued, ‘arguing that if the gods were alive, they would have re-emerged by now. And also that their powers would never have been passed down in the first place.’

  Hailey dared to look up, not being able to stand the building tension anymore. Her body un-tensed when she saw everyone scribbling down notes. Of course they weren’t staring at her; they didn’t know the truth—not yet anyway.

  Hailey had changed into her sportswear—a light blue polo shirt and midnight blue shorts—and was standing in what was supposed to be the gym. There were no hoops, painted lines, or equipment. It was simply a large empty space with a sea-sponge floor. She would have thought she was in the wrong place, except that everyone in group three was there, too, looking as confused by their surroundings as her.

  ‘How are we meant to play sports in an empty gym?’ Jayden asked, scratching his head.

  Demi crossed her arms with a huff. ‘He’ll probably make us run laps.’

  Aaron clapped his hands together. ‘Sounds like fun.’

  ‘No, it doesn’t,’ Alec grumbled, looking as unhappy about being there as Demi.

  Hailey wasn’t the biggest fan of PE either, but she wasn’t ready to join in Demi and Alec’s sulking yet. She couldn’t imagine a normal PE class being taught at Poseidon’s Academy, where everything from the plates to the trees was outlandish and magical.

  She imagined the empty gym transforming into something extraordinary—like a mini sea. Hailey scanned for drains in the walls that would allow water to flow into the room, as well as a few dolphins who would offer students a ride on their backs.

  The gym’s double doors swung open and Master Anderson, dressed in gold shorts and a white polo shirt again, marched in. ‘Welcome to Physical Education. My name is Master Anderson, and I’ll be your PE teacher for the next few years. You’re probably wondering where the sports equipment is. Well, there isn’t any, because we don’t play ball games at Poseidon’s Academy. Here, PE is about learning to defend yourselves against other people’s powers—in other words, self-defence.’ Master Anderson glanced at Jayden, who had raised his hand. ‘Yes?’

  So much for swimming with dolphins, Hailey thought with a sigh.

  ‘Isn’t powers meant to teach us how to use our abilities in a defensive situation?’

  ‘Yes, but in PE you won’t be learning to use your powers in defence. You’ll be learning to use physical prowess.’

  ‘Why do we need to learn to defend ourselves without our powers?’ Aaron asked.

  Master Anderson smirked in a way that said he got asked that question a lot. ‘Every power has a weakness, and if your opponent works out yours, you’ll be helpless—unless you know how to fight back physically.’

  The way Master Anderson was talking made it sound as if an attacker lurked around every corner. But Hailey had to admit his logic seemed smart, especially when she’d voluntarily repressed her powers. It’d be good for her to know how to fight back if someone decided to take advantage of that little fact.

  ‘First PE lessons are always a shock, but I promise you’ll learn to enjoy the classes,’ Master Anderson said, noting the gaping mouths and dumbfounded looks on the first years’ faces. ‘Today we’re going outside, so follow me.’

  ‘I’m glad I’ve read a book on martial arts,’ Alec remarked.

  ‘I think I’m going to enjoy PE,’ Demi said, her pout transforming into a smile.

  Master Anderson led them to the back of the palace, where a bizarre bluish-green grass coated the ground. It felt soft and squishy beneath Hailey’s shoes, like she was walking on spongy rubber.

  ‘I want everyone paired up. Nominate someone to be the villain, meaning you can use your powers, and someone
to be the hero, whose job is to subdue the villain without using their powers,’ Master Anderson instructed. ‘Today I’ll be assessing your defensive skills to see how much work is needed, so do your best and begin when ready.’

  ‘Do you want to be the hero or the villain?’ Demi asked Hailey.

  Hailey’s heart squeezed as she glanced up to find water instead of the sky. ‘I can’t use my powers, so I guess that makes me the hero.’

  Demi rubbed her hands together. ‘Sounds good to me.’

  ‘Let’s star—’ Hailey’s words fell away as a shadow swept over her, and a shower of pearls pelted her head. ‘Ouch,’ she yelped, diving free of the pearls while cursing herself for being stupid enough to stand near a tree when her opponent was a Demeter. She leapt back up and charged at her best friend.

  Demi smirked and raised her hands.

  The grass exploded up, growing as tall as the jewel trees, forcing Hailey to skid to a stop. She tried to peek through to see what Demi was up to on the other side, but it was too thick. With a shrug, she decided to take a chance and bolted forward.

  The grass’s squishy blades brushed against her skin, tickling her nose with the scent of salt, as she charged through the forest of aqua and smashed into Demi, tackling her to the ground.

  ‘Ow,’ Demi whined.

  Hailey jumped up and grinned down at her opponent. ‘I win.’

  ‘Beginner’s luck.’ Demi climbed back to her feet. ‘I demand a rematch.’

  ‘You’ll only lose again,’ Hailey teased.

  Demi poked out her tongue and got to work on shrinking the grass and pearl tree back to their normal sizes.

  Hailey gazed around to see how the other first years were doing. She spotted Jayden, Alec, and Aaron—their class must’ve been an odd number—sparring with each other a few pairs over.

  Jayden kicked his leg out to trip Alec, but it passed straight through him—it appeared Alec could do more than walk through walls. Jayden looked as surprised by this as Hailey. But he only faltered for a second, quickly jumping back into defensive mode and launching at Alec.

  Aaron leapt in front of him with raised palms, and Jayden realised too late what was happening. He bounced off Aaron’s invisible force field and landed with a thud, looking less than pleased. He swiped his hand at Alec and Aaron, who were too busy chuckling to notice the gesture, and a rogue wave roared through the grounds’ force field, crashing over the two boys, silencing their laughter.

  Hailey, however, was struggling to breathe she was laughing so hard. Self-defence wasn’t as fun as she imagined swimming in a miniature sea would be, but, from the looks of things, it definitely wasn’t going to be boring.

  6

  Wednesday’s Timetable

  Hailey felt like she was marching towards a fireball squad the next morning as she headed down the stairs with her friends to Powers: the class where everyone would learn she was a Zeus.

  Primary school had been the first place she’d had to tell a classroom about her powers. The other kids had only been six, but they’d known being a Zeus was a rarity as much as any thirteen year old. Her mind drifted back to what had happened during lunch break…

  Hailey stood eating a peanut butter sandwich by a vegetable garden—carrots, lettuce, and corn peeking from the composted soil—as she watched the other kids play on the playground, the squeak of swings and laughter filling the air.

  Two girls marched up to Hailey from the playground.

  ‘Make the sky pink,’ the one wearing pigtails demanded.

  ‘And the clouds purple,’ the one wearing plaits ordered.

  Hailey gulped down her bite of sandwich. ‘I… I don’t know how.’

  Pigtails shoved her, Hailey’s sandwich flying from her hand as she hit the pavement, her knees and hands stinging. ‘Do it!’

  ‘Or we’ll use our Ares powers on you,’ Plaits threatened, balling her hand into a fist.

  Tears burned Hailey’s throat, but she swallowed them down and got back to her feet. She extended her hands towards the blue sky and wispy white clouds, a trickle of warmth leaking down to her fingertips as she imagined the sky changing to pink and the clouds to purple. Pink sky. Purple clouds. Pink sky. Purple clouds, she repeated in her head over and over, her hands shaking as she poured everything into giving the girls what they wanted, afraid they’d break her bones if she failed.

  ‘Why isn’t it pink?’ Pigtails demanded, her hands on her hips.

  ‘The clouds are still boring white,’ Plaits huffed. ‘That’s it.’ She drew her leg back, and Hailey braced herself for pain.

  ‘Leave her alone!’ another girl shouted as Pigtails yelped and smacked to the ground, weeds from the garden having wrapped around her ankles.

  ‘You’re dead!’ Plaits shouted at the girl, just as the tap next to the vegetable garden spurted to life, shooting a jet of water right into Plaits’s face. She screamed, running away, her friend quickly chasing after her.

  ‘Hope I didn’t get any water on you,’ a boy said, shutting the tap off with a swipe of his hand.

  ‘Thanks,’ Hailey said to her rescuers, wiping at a tear leaking down her cheek. ‘I’m Hailey.’

  ‘I’m Demi,’ the girl who’d controlled the weeds said. ‘What’s your name?’ she asked the boy.

  He smiled. ‘Jayden.’

  The memory churned her stomach. Hailey was pretty sure no one would push her over for not being able to turn the sky pink, but it reminded her how people could react when they found out she was a Zeus. They can’t make me do anything, she reminded herself. How interesting can a Zeus be if they can’t use their powers?

  Hailey reached the second floor and trudged down the hallway their classroom was supposed to be in. She glanced at Alec and Aaron, instantly feeling guilty for being self-absorbed. Poor Alec looked so pale she thought he might vomit, while Aaron was clenching his fists, ready for a fight. ‘Don’t worry, once you show off your powers no one will care that you’re Uniques,’ Hailey said in an attempt to ease their nerves.

  Alec shook his head, halting outside their Powers classroom. ‘I don’t know if walking through walls is enough.’

  ‘Only one way to find out.’ Demi looped her arms through Alec and Aaron’s and escorted them into the classroom.

  Jayden offered his arm to Hailey with a grin. ‘Shall we?’

  Hailey hesitated. Once she entered the room, things would change. She’d no longer be a nobody. But she’d known from the start that was unavoidable. Goodbye anonymity. ‘Okay.’ She linked arms with Jayden, letting him lead her into the classroom, where she froze.

  Half of the room resembled a classroom, scattered with desks and chairs. The other half was empty space. But that wasn’t what Hailey was stunned by. Her gaze was locked on to the thirty plus archways in the walls, each of which led into a separate room.

  Through one archway, Hailey glimpsed three enormous tables crowded with labelled boxes. The few labels she could make out from the distance read gold, silver, onyx, moonstones, and malachite.

  Another archway revealed a room with a sea-sponge floor, just like the gym. Scattered along the walls was about every weapon imaginable: swords, daggers, axes, staffs, bows, and even throwing stars.

  ‘Over here,’ Demi called, waving Hailey and Jayden towards the front row of desks on the classroom side.

  Jayden sighed. ‘I hate the front row.’

  Hailey nudged him forward. ‘Well, you better get used to it, because I have a feeling it’s Demi’s new favourite row.’

  With another sigh, Jayden followed Hailey to the seats Demi had reserved for them.

  ‘Quiet down, first years,’ Madam Norwood snapped, entering the room. She paused in front of the class, surveying them with stern eyes before saying, ‘My name is Madam Norwood. I am here to teach you how to control your powers. If you work hard in my class, your powers will grow to their full potential. But I warn you, if you do not take this class seriously, I will not waste my time helping you.’ Madam Norwo
od picked up a clipboard from her desk. ‘Everyone to the other side of the room.’

  Reluctantly, Hailey stood up and joined the other first years, everyone crowding around the empty space between the archways.

  ‘Before this class can begin, I need to know your powers,’ Madam Norwood said. ‘So please form a line.’

  Demi sprinted to the front, clapping her hands together with glee when she secured her spot as the very first person in line. Meanwhile, Hailey trudged to the end of the line, hoping there wouldn’t be enough time to get through the whole class, and she’d have an extra day of being Hailey Woods—instead of The Zeus.

  It appeared Hailey’s idea was a popular one though. She was quickly pushed up from the back of the line by a large group of students she assumed were Uniques, leaving her a lot closer to the front than she wanted to be.

  ‘One at a time, you will step forward and tell me your name and power. You will then demonstrate it for me so I can assess what level you’re at. Don’t feel disheartened if someone with the same power as you is more advanced. Everyone’s powers develop in their own time.’ Madam Norwood picked up the reading glasses hanging from a chain around her neck and pushed them up the bridge of her nose. ‘All right, let’s begin.’

  Demi bounced forward. ‘My name’s Demi Evans. I’m a Demeter.’

  Madam Norwood jotted something down on her clipboard. ‘You may move into the Demeter room to demonstrate your powers.’

  Demi practically lunged through the archway Madam Norwood pointed to. It led into a rainforest, where the trees’ moss-covered branches formed a canopy, offering the birds Hailey could hear chirping a place to hide. Ferns, bushes, and flowers grew at the trees’ bases, their thickness almost concealing the dirt floor.