The Flame of Olympus
Page 22
‘We all can, child,’ Diana called.
Emily looked over and saw Diana standing at the entrance to the temple, dressed in a stunning white tunic. Another beautiful woman stood beside her. Emily felt she should know her, but she couldn’t think of her name.
Diana rushed forward and helped Emily to her feet. She handed her a set of Olympian robes and hugged her tightly. ‘We are all so proud of you.’
‘But I died,’ Emily said. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘You have been reborn,’ said the other woman. She came forward and embraced Emily. ‘My beautiful child, my Flame. I am Vesta.’
Emily’s eyes flew wide. ‘You’re Vesta? Really? And I’m alive?’
Both women smiled. Finally Diana nodded to Pegasus. ‘Ask him if you do not believe me. He never left your side. He has waited here all this time for you to return to us.’
Emily turned to Pegasus and the stallion pressed closer. She touched his glowing muzzle. ‘Pegs?’ she said, still hardly believing the truth. Finally she threw her arms around his neck. ‘Pegs, I’m alive!’
‘We all are,’ Diana said, ‘with grateful thanks to you. Because of what you did, your sacrifice, Olympus has been restored.’
‘How?’ Emily asked. ‘What did I do?’
‘Get dressed and come see for yourself.’
Emily pulled on the robe and tied it at the waist. She clung to Diana and Pegasus for support as they made their way to the entrance of the Temple. Behind her, the Flame continued to burn brightly on its plinth.
Emily’s eyes flew wide in disbelief. Standing at the base of the temple steps were thousands of people. When they saw her emerge from the temple with Diana, Pegasus and Vesta, they raised their voices in cheers and salute.
‘These are your people, Emily,’ Diana said, ‘All alive because of you. My brother is down there, waiting to thank you himself. Soon my father will join us and offer his gratitude.’
‘Jupiter?’ Emily gasped in shock.
Diana smiled and nodded.
It was almost too much to take in. But as Emily’s eyes scanned the huge and endless crowd, they came upon Joel and Paelen, standing side by side at the foot of the steps.
‘Joel!’ Emily cried as she started to wave frantically. ‘Paelen!’
Both started to race up the steps to greet her. Paelen arrived first and wrapped his arms around her and gave her a brutal embrace. Joel was right behind him. With a tight hug, he swung her around in the air.
‘I don’t know what the heck you did in there, or how you did it,’ Joel laughed as he swung Emily round again. ‘But it worked!’
Emily was left speechless. ‘I don’t know either,’ she laughed.
Pegasus nudged Emily playfully.
‘He wants you to get on his back,’ Diana explained. ‘He is going to carry you down the steps.’
Joel helped Emily climb on to Pegasus. When she was settled, the stallion neighed gently.
‘Pegasus, no,’ Vesta said sternly. ‘The Flame has only just emerged. She must meet her people.’
Emily looked at Diana, a thousand questions in her eyes.
Diana laughed. ‘Pegasus says hold on tightly. He is going to show you Olympus his way.’
Before Vesta could protest further, Pegasus opened his wings, reared on his hind legs and threw back his head in an excited whinny as he leaped confidently off the top of the temple and into the air.
Emily’s heart thrilled at the feeling of the powerful stallion beneath her. As she clung to Pegasus’s mane and felt the strong beating of his wings, she was part of him. They were one. Emily threw back her own head and whooped in pure joy.
Pegasus made a full circle of the top of the Temple. Then, with Emily still safely secured on his back, he flapped his massive wings and took her away over the heads of the cheering crowds. Emily waved at the people as she passed, still hardly believing what was happening. Beneath her, the scars of the war were being healed as workers rebuilt the beautiful buildings.
There was only one thing missing. Her father. He was still a prisoner of the CRU. But as she soared on the bare back of Pegasus, feeling a joy unmatched, Emily knew it wouldn’t be long before he was to be freed and they were reunited. Whatever came next, as long as Pegasus was with her, Emily knew everything would be all right.
The adventure continues in
Pegasus and the Fight for Olympus
coming soon in
July 2011
www.orchardbooks.co.uk
www.hodderchildrens.co.uk
www.hodderchildrens.co.uk
www.thelastdragonchronicles.co.uk
www.orchardbooks.co.uk