Titans

by Kate O'Hearn

  Jake looked at her miserably. “It already flew down the road.”

  “Please try it.” She pointed up at Tryn. “Look how much fun Tryn is having, and you know he doesn’t like to show his emotions.”

  Jake looked up as Tryn whooshed by with a huge grin on his face. “Come on up, Jake, it’s great!”

  Jake walked away from the group and put down the board. He climbed on and pushed off. It seemed to move as well as it had before.

  “Just tell it to fly!” Tryn called as he passed overhead again.

  Jake looked down at the board and repeated Tryn’s command. “Fly me to the end of the building.”

  Tiny wings appeared out of Jake’s rear wheels. They flapped just like the hummingbirds on Titus did, moving so quickly they could no longer be seen.

  Jake cried out as the board lifted him off the ground. He lost his balance and started to fall, but the board seemed to know it and readjusted itself beneath his feet.

  “It will not let you fall,” Vulcan called. “Be confident and it will work with you.”

  “Jake,” Tryn called as he flew up beside him and hovered. “It works the same way as it did on the ground, but this time it’s in the air. The balancing is the same.”

  After a couple of uncertain moments, Jake’s posture changed and he rebalanced himself on the flying board. It rose high above the heads of everyone and carried him smoothly down the length of the building.

  “See!” Tryn called.

  From her position on the floor, Astraea smiled as Jake’s confidence grew. Soon he and Tryn were flying together all around the building. She saw them duck into the stairwell and disappear upstairs.

  Several minutes later they returned. They touched down on the ground and pulled up in front of Astraea. Jake’s disappointment had vanished and been replaced by excitement.

  “This is awesome!” Jake beamed as he stepped off the skateboard and the wings vanished into the rear wheels. “It’s just like the hoverboard from Back to the Future! You just lean into where you want to go and the board takes you there!” He looked at Vulcan. “Thanks so much!”

  “No, thank you for getting me out of Tartarus.”

  “Hey, I helped,” Zephyr cried. “What do I get?”

  Vulcan laughed. “Would you like a flying board too?”

  Zephyr snorted. “I’ve got my own wings, thank you very much.”

  Astraea smiled at Jake. “I thought you were upset about your board being cut in half.”

  “I was,” Jake admitted. “But this is so much better. Maybe I can get this one autographed too!”

  “After we free Titus,” Tryn said.

  Jake’s smile vanished. “Yes, after we free Titus.”

  Vulcan nodded. “So they work for you?”

  “Yes, thank you, Vulcan,” Tryn said. “You are right, they will serve us well.”

  Vulcan mumbled a few words and then walked back toward the forge. Jupiter came forward. “I hate to say this, but it is time for you to go. Each moment we delay, you will be growing weaker, and disaster could be befalling Titus.”

  “You’re right,” Tryn said. “I’ll gather my things.”

  “Me too,” Jake said.

  Astraea and Zephyr stood with her parents. She hugged her mother tightly and then her father.

  “I wish we could come with you,” her father said.

  “We’ll be fine,” Astraea promised. “Nesso is so sweet, I’m sure the others will be too. You just stay here and get stronger.”

  “Be careful,” her mother said as tears filled her eyes. “Don’t take any unnecessary risks.” She kissed Astraea and then Zephyr. “I love you both very much.”

  “We love you, too,” Zephyr answered.

  Astraea hugged her mother again. “Don’t let anyone see you.”

  Her mother nodded.

  Tryn and Jake returned. Jake had his board in his backpack. “All set.”

  Cylus, Darek, and Render clopped up to them, holding their bows and quivers full of arrows. “We’re ready,” Cylus said. “Let’s go!”

  “But we’re only going to get some snakes. We won’t be long,” Astraea said.

  “And who’s going to protect you if you get into trouble?” Cylus challenged. “You? Tryn or that weak human? You saw what I did with that Shadow Titan. I can fight, you can’t. We are coming.”

  “Hey, I can fight just as well as anyone,” Astraea said.

  “Me too!” Zephyr added.

  The three centaurs started to laugh, stopping only when Jupiter approached. “Thank you, Cylus, Darek, and Render. I am sure you will be a great help to them.” He turned to Astraea. “They are excellent fighters, and this is too important to all of us.” He started to walk forward. “Come, it is time.”

  Jupiter’s word was law, and Astraea didn’t argue. She looked at Zephyr, sighed heavily, and followed him to one of the building’s big walls.

  “Where are we going?” Tryn said. “What is the world called?”

  Jupiter answered, “I am certain that we saw snakes like Nesso on Zomos. But it is an unknown world. When one of us was bitten and nearly died, we left it immediately and did not return. I remember it was a world much like Xanadu—wild with a lot of life, both plant and animal. I am sorry that I cannot tell you more because we did not linger.”

  Tryn nodded. “We’ll just have to find out for ourselves.” He looked at Astraea. “Are you ready?”

  Astraea nodded and held on to Zephyr. “Are you?”

  Zephyr snorted. “If I say no, can I stay?”

  “No,” Astraea said.

  Zephyr sighed. “Then yes, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Tryn looked back at the Titans and Olympians and nodded. “We will be back soon.” He held the ring up to the wall and called, “Zomos!” Instantly the Solar Stream opened as the wall was covered in blazing white light.

  “Stay safe!” Aurora called.

  Astraea nodded at her parents. “We will. You stay safe too!”

  Jake looked down at Nesso. “You’re going home, Nesso!”

  Astraea watched the snake lift her head and hiss something back to him. Jake smiled and blushed, but what Nesso said remained a mystery as they walked confidently into the Solar Stream.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  There are always so many people deserving thanks in the creation of any book. But in this case, I want to say an extra special and massive thanks to my darling editor, Fiona Simpson at Aladdin, who cares as much about the world of Olympus and Titus as I do. It was Fiona who invited me to follow the Pegasus series with Titans. You’re the absolute best, Fiona. I know I owe you big time for this—would T. H. be enough?

  As always I’d also like to thank my agent, Veronique Baxter, for her continued support.

  I would also like to add my heartfelt thanks to Jennifer Ollinger from the Detroit Visitors Bureau, for taking me on a long-distance tour of Detroit (she was there; I was still in England) so that I had somewhere for my Olympians and Titans to land. I would also like to thank Kim Rusinow from Destination Detroit and Police Lieutenant Mark Deluca for their assistance in finding places for my characters and finding what they might encounter there. You guys are the best!

  And, of course, I would like to thank my family for putting up with me pulling out all my mythology textbooks again and for wandering around the house muttering to myself about Jupiter. . . . You guys are awesome!

  Finally, I’d like to thank you, the reader, for taking these books into your heart. I write for you. . . . Just remember to be nice to each other and to care for the animals of the world. They are counting on you. . . .

  Keep reading for a preview of

  The Missing

  by

  Kate O'Hearn

  WITH A WEAKENED JUPITER, AND Tartarus prisoners hidden on Earth, Astraea, Zephyr, and their team head to Nesso’s jungle world to seek the help of the snakes in the struggle against the Mimics.

  But nothing goes to plan. The moment they arrive, t
hey encounter a world filled with dangers they never imagined possible—from massive hungry dinosaurs to a blisteringly hot sun. Soon Zephyr is critically wounded by a giant poisonous serpent, and Astraea suffers a broken leg. Without ambrosia or nectar to heal them, the group soon realize they are in serious trouble. But where can they go for help?

  With Zephyr’s life slipping away, Jake and Tryn use their new flying skateboards to try to make it to Xanadu, where they hope to find ambrosia for Zephyr and to enlist the help of the Xan, Riza, and Emily Jacobs to join the fight against the Mimics.

  When the teams split up, Astraea and the three centaurs Cylus, Darek, and Render must use all their cunning to keep Zephyr safe and alive. But danger comes in many forms, including the unexpected arrival of Mimics and Shadow Titans intent on destroying the snakes before they can be used against them.

  Things aren’t any easier for Jake and Tryn as they make it to Xanadu only to find that the Mimics have attacked first and taken everyone away. Everyone, that is, except for one lone Olympian that they left for dead—Pegasus.

  The hope Jake and Tryn desperately needed from Xanadu is no longer there; they soon discover that what they thought was a new enemy of Titus is in fact a very old enemy of the Xan—the Mimics, uncaring and unstoppable, with ambitious plans for conquering the universe.

  The young heroes are on their own. Somehow they must find a way to not only save Zephyr and Pegasus but also stop the Mimics before it’s too late.

  JOIN US ON THE NEXT EXCITING ADVENTURE.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  KATE O’HEARN was born in Canada, was raised in New York City, and has traveled all over the United States. She currently resides in England. Kate is the author of the Pegasus series, the Shadow of the Dragon series, and the Valkyrie series. Visit her at KateOHearn.com.

  ALADDIN

  SIMON & SCHUSTER, NEW YORK

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  Simonandschuster.com/Kids

  Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Kate-O’hearn

  ALSO BY KATE O’HEARN

  THE PEGASUS SERIES

  The Flame of Olympus

  Olympus at War

  The New Olympians

  Origins of Olympus

  Rise of the Titans

  The End of Olympus

  THE VALKYRIE SERIES

  Valkyrie

  The Runaway

  War of the Realms

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ALADDIN

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  First Aladdin hardcover edition July 2019

  Text copyright © 2019 by Kate O’Hearn

  Jacket illustration copyright © 2019 by Even Amundsen

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

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  Jacket designed by Karin Paprocki

  Interior designed by Mike Rosamilia

  Jacket illustration copyright © 2019 by Even Amundsen

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: O’Hearn, Kate, author.

  Title: Titans / by Kate O’Hearn.

  Description: First Aladdin hardcover edition. | New York : Aladdin, 2019. |

  Summary: “When Titans Astraea and Zephyr find a human boy on their world, they must figure out how he got there and why. What they uncover is a plot to take over Titus and ultimately the universe”— Provided by publisher.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018035204 (print) | LCCN 2018041330 (eBook) |

  ISBN 9781534417069 (eBook) | ISBN 9781534417045 (hc)

  Subjects: | CYAC: Titans (Mythology)—Fiction. |

  Animals, Mythical—Fiction. | Mythology, Greek—Fiction. | Fantasy.

  Classification: LCC PZ7.O4137 (eBook) | LCC PZ7.O4137 Ti 2019 (print) |

  DDC [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018035204