Poseidon's Academy and the Deadly Disease

by Sarah A Vogler

  ‘I won’t let you do that again,’ Aaron said.

  ‘We’ll see.’ Lexa touched back down on the ground and grabbed Tahlia’s hand. She lifted a few feet into the air, and Aaron moved his palms up, shifting his force field to block her. At the same time, Lexa and Tahlia landed and crouched down to rush under the gap Aaron had created.

  Wow, Hailey thought, that was pretty smart, and then she realised it was her turn to stop them. She threw her hands forward, warmth flowing through her fingers and shooting towards Alec, Tahlia, Tanzy, and Lexa. The four of them suddenly stopped, their hair whipping out as they stumbled back a few steps.

  Hailey grinned, the warmth surging from her fingers continuing to flow, as she watched the other team battle against her wind. Their cheeks flapped about, and their steps were so tiny that it looked as though they were moving in slow motion.

  ‘This isn’t working.’ Tanzy said, stumbling backwards from the wall of wind with Alec, Tahlia, and Lexa for the fifth time.

  Tahlia whispered in Lexa’s ear, and then Tanzy and Alec’s. Unease settled over Hailey. What are they up to?

  Alec and Tanzy bolted for the left and Lexa levitated into the air, her long layered hair fanning out around her. They’re attempting to divide and conquer. Well, they underestimated me, Hailey thought.

  She moved one of her hands up, the wind extending to block Lexa; although she wasn’t sure what levitating would achieve—only flying would get Lexa across. Hailey shifted her other hand towards Alec and Tanzy. A gale of wind blasted towards them, creating another wall of wind to keep them from circling around.

  ‘Um, Hailey,’ Aaron called to her.

  Hailey glanced over her shoulder and came face to face with Tahlia, realising too late that the other three had been a distraction.

  ‘Sorry,’ Tahlia said, and blew a puff of gold dust into Hailey’s face.

  Hailey swiped at it, but her eyes were already drooping, and she collapsed a second later, falling through darkness until she landed in a cavern that reeked of rotten eggs. Flaming torches lined the rock walls, casting a dim light on the iron bars in front of her. She was back in the Underworld’s dungeon.

  ‘No,’ she gasped, wrapping her hands around the warm metal and shaking the bars. ‘I don’t want to be here. Let me out!’ she screamed, her voice echoing down the passageway that stretched past the hundreds of other cells. They were all empty. Hailey was trapped down there completely alone. ‘Please, let me out!’ she shouted, shaking the bars again.

  ‘You always were a pathetic Zeus.’

  Hailey whipped around. ‘Hades?’ she choked out, staring wide-eyed at the man standing in the cell with her. She could never forget those cold black eyes.

  ‘My brother Zeus would be so ashamed to know his powers fell to someone as unworthy as you,’ Hades said, his skin looking especially sallow in the flickering torches’ light. ‘What does it feel like knowing how much weaker you are than everyone, and how much you disappoint others?’

  Hailey pressed her back against the bars, trying to create as much space between her and the god as possible. ‘I’m stronger than you think. I defeated you.’

  Hades tapped his lip, thoughtful. ‘Hmmm, from my memory it was more your friend who defeated me. My fireball ricocheted off his force field. All you did was point a wand while I was distracted with my dead wife. As I said, you’re pathetic, and weak.’ He clucked his tongue. ‘I don’t think my brother would even waste the energy in killing you… Right, Zeus?’

  Lightning struck the ground in front of Hailey, blinding white light filling her vision before her eyes opened and she sucked in a breath.

  ‘Whoa, Hails, are you okay?’ Demi asked.

  Hailey blinked, gazing around. She was lying on the spongy grass at the back of the palace, with Demi, Jayden, Alec, and Aaron staring down at her. She thought back to Tahlia blowing sleep dust at her and realised the whole thing had been another stupid nightmare.

  ‘I was dreaming I was bac—’ She pressed her lips together, remembering she was the only one struggling to get over the Underworld. ‘It was just a bad dream.’ She shook her head, trying to clear away the grogginess confusing her. ‘Where’s everyone else?’

  ‘Classes ended ten minutes ago,’ Jayden explained, extending his hand down to help Hailey stand up.

  ‘Yeah, and we lost,’ Demi said with a pout. ‘If we’d had Alec on our team instead of Aaron, then the others never would have been able to get past me.’

  ‘I did do a pretty good job of breaking your seaweed bindings, didn’t I?’ Alec said, puffing up with a proud smile. ‘How did it feel losing to me, Aaron?’

  Aaron didn’t answer. He was staring around the grounds as if searching for a threat. Hailey frowned, wondering what he was looking for.

  ‘Aaron.’ Jayden nudged him.

  He flinched. ‘What?’

  ‘Seriously, what is with you?’ Demi asked. ‘Is there a monster incoming that you’re not telling us about?’

  ‘Don’t be stupid. I’m just tired.’ He flicked his eyes around the grounds one more time before saying, ‘Let’s go inside.’

  ‘Yep, it’s homework time,’ Alec declared.

  ‘More like copying homework time for me,’ Demi said.

  ‘I’m not letting you copy my homework this year,’ Alec argued as the five of them headed towards the front of the palace. ‘You won’t learn anything.’

  Hailey tuned out Alec and Demi’s argument and lagged behind with Aaron. ‘Are you sure you’re all right?’ He’d been acting so weird lately—jumpy and quiet. She was beginning to wonder if the potion had worn off on him, too, and if he was remembering the horrors of the Underworld. Maybe she wasn’t so weak after all.

  ‘I told you, I’m just tired.’

  Hailey had a feeling he was lying, but she didn’t want to push him, not while the others were there. She’d bring it up again with him later and hope she wasn’t alone in her Underworld nightmares.

  ***

  Hailey lay in bed, staring up at the sea-silk canopy draping from the ceiling, her stomach twisted in knots. It was 6am. The obstacle course race would start in three hours. Thanks to the stupid race, her dreams had featured fire-breathing hydras and pits squirming with poison-spitting snakes. She doubted the obstacles would be that difficult—although she had heard a rumour that the very first obstacle course race had featured scorpions. The obstacles weren’t what Hailey was really afraid of though. It was the island.

  Her mind kept flashing back to last year when she’d been stranded on “Killer Island”, battling monster after monster. Amathia had assured everyone there weren’t any monsters on the island they’d be heading to today, but she still couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in her stomach. And the fact that she had to be on a team with Venus was only making things worse. If a monster did miraculously appear, she wouldn’t put it past Venus to shove Hailey in its path.

  Hailey sighed and climbed out of bed, dressing in her sportswear—midnight blue shorts and a light blue polo shirt. She shoved her feet into her runners and tiptoed past Demi, who was lightly snoring under her duvet. She slipped into the hallway, deciding it was time to visit the one place that always calmed her: the stable.

  She headed through the common room. The study half—with its clamshell chairs, polished-coral desks, and enormous bookcase—was empty. A few students were in the casual half of the common room, reading books in armchairs and on floor pillows—one student even sat on the sofa in front of the crackling fire, watching the blue-tinged flames.

  A couple of the students glanced at Hailey, but didn’t say anything as she snuck down the stairs. Technically, students weren’t allowed in the stable without a teacher’s permission, but Hailey liked to go there whenever she was stressed or needed space.

  She’d originally started hiding there last year when people had begun pestering her about her powers. Thankfully, everyone left her alone now, knowing that no matter how much they begged her, she wouldn’t enterta
in them with a shower of rainbow snowflakes, or whatever other weird weather concoction they wanted to see.

  She was also eager to see Rain: a pegacorn she and her friends had rescued last year.

  Hailey descended into the entryway and wandered through the left archway, weaving through a maze of hallways before coming to a set of double doors. She pushed them open, the salty air engulfing her. Inside the stable were twelve mother-of-pearl stalls, each with a polished-coral trough filled with sea-water.

  ‘Hello everyone,’ Hailey greeted the eight sea-horses who lived here. They were the same size as a normal horse, but that was where the similarities ended. These horses looked magical, each of them having a blue mane and tail, and skin covered in iridescent blue scales.

  ‘Hi, Hailey.’

  Hailey’s heart leapt into her throat when someone popped up from the end stall on the right. Her shoulders relaxed when she recognised the thick golden-brown hair belonged to Kendra, an Artemis who often came to the stable to talk to the horses.

  ‘I didn’t mean to scare you,’ Kendra apologised, coming out of the stall.

  ‘It’s all right. I came to visit Rain.’ Hailey peered past Kendra to Rain’s stall, where the pegacorn’s head was hanging over the gate. ‘She’s huge.’ The dried seaweed covering the floor crunched under Hailey’s shoes as she walked towards Rain, who was now the same size as the other horses. But no one could confuse her for a horse. A gold horn protruded from the middle of her head, and feathered wings hugged her sides.

  ‘Yeah, I couldn’t believe it myself. I think she’s done growing now though.’

  Rain whinnied and shook her gold mane. Hailey glanced at Kendra for a translation.

  ‘She says she missed you.’

  ‘I missed you too.’ Hailey ran a hand over the pegacorn’s snow white fur.

  ‘I was just leaving. I’ll see you later.’ Kendra waved goodbye to Hailey, the stable doors clicking closed behind her as she left.

  ‘It looks like we’re all alone,’ Hailey said, right before the sea-horses whinnied for some attention too. ‘Well, almost alone. Just let me say hi to the others and then I’ll come back,’ she told Rain, and quickly gave the sea-horses a pat before shuffling into Rain’s stall, where hay covered the floor. ‘Amathia finally got you some hay instead of dried seaweed, I bet you like that better.’

  Rain snorted and nodded as Hailey dropped into the corner. ‘Well, here’s the latest,’ Hailey began as the pegacorn lay down on all fours in front of her. She told Rain about how Madam Grayson was forcing her to compete in a stupid obstacle course today with three people she despised. Rain stared at her the entire time, her big gold eyes locked on to Hailey, like she was listening to her every word.

  Some of the anger and fear Hailey felt about the obstacle course race lifted by the time she finished, and she stroked the bridge of Rain’s nose. ‘I should probably go,’ she said. The obstacle race would be starting soon, and as much as Hailey wanted to stay in the stable and hide until the whole thing was over, she didn’t want to abandon her friends. Plus she imagined Madam Grayson would be beyond furious, and might make Hailey wear a neutralising bracelet for the rest of the year. ‘Thanks for listening.’

  Rain whinnied again, and Hailey liked to think it was her way of saying ‘any time’.

  Hailey climbed to her feet, swiping hay off the back of her legs, before exiting the stall. She latched the gate behind her and turned to leave, almost smacking heads with Nemertes.

  4

  The Conch Shell Sounds

  ‘Why are you here?’ Nemertes hissed. The five nereids behind her glared, their eyes radiating hate.

  Hailey’s fingertips tingled. Not that her powers could help her in here. ‘I was visiting Rain,’ she replied, keeping her voice steady, which wasn’t easy considering she was petrified. She wouldn’t put it past the nereids to kill her.

  ‘Get out,’ Nemertes snarled.

  Hailey wanted to run as fast and far away as possible. But she didn’t want to give Nemertes the satisfaction of seeing how terrified she was. Instead, she said in an even voice, ‘I was leaving anyway,’ and strode past Nemertes and her posse, feeling their eyes boring into her back as she left.

  As soon as she was free from their gaze, she sprinted through the maze of hallways, afraid Nemertes might change her mind and come after her.

  She stopped to catch her breath in the entryway before climbing up the left staircase. The nereids taking the horses out wasn’t a good sign; that’s what they’d done last year when they’d been plotting how to kill everyone, which was probably what they were planning to try again. And the worst part was Amathia couldn’t follow them because she had to watch the race.

  This is bad. Very bad.

  Hailey rushed down to her dorm, where Demi was looking into the mirror above her chest of drawers tying her hair into a ponytail. ‘There you are,’ she said, and then her eyes narrowed. ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘I was in – the stable – and the nereids – came in,’ Hailey puffed out.

  ‘Did they hurt you? If they did, I’ll kill them.’

  ‘No. They let me – go. But I’d bet my powers – they’re off plotting how to kill everyone again – and wake up the gods.’

  ‘I knew those psycho nereids wouldn’t give up so easily. Come on, we need to tell the boys.’

  Hailey followed Demi back to the common room, where students were flopped onto armchairs and sofas, yawning. Jayden, Alec, and Aaron were easy to spot in their sportswear, standing in the corner closest to the fireplace.

  ‘Hailey needs to tell you something,’ Demi said to the boys.

  ‘What?’ Jayden prompted.

  Hailey stared around nervously; she didn’t want anyone else to overhear. ‘I saw the nereids in the stable. I think they’re using the distraction of the obstacle course race to plan our deaths without Amathia following them.’

  ‘I thought Amathia spoke to them about not doing anything like this again,’ Alec said, seeming a little disappointed, showing off his naivety in thinking the nereids were capable of change.

  Aaron scoffed. ‘You really thought they’d listen? Amathia should have booted them into the sea. Letting them stay here was just stupid.’

  Hailey had to agree with him on that part. Amathia should have banished them last year when they’d tried waking up the gods—Tartarus, she should have banished them the first time they threatened to kill all of the students. Amathia seems to think that as long as they don’t actually kill a student, they should be allowed to stay. Ridiculous.

  ‘So what’s the plan?’ Demi asked. ‘Ditch the race and tail them?’

  ‘What’s this? Talking strategy without us?’

  Venus and the twins stood with hands on hips, their hair in matching pigtails.

  ‘Not now, Venus,’ Hailey snapped.

  ‘Go away.’ Demi waved a hand at them as if shooing away a fly.

  ‘No one tells me what to do,’ Venus replied. ‘I don’t want to do this stupid race either, but I do want that sapphire tiara.’

  Jayden frowned. ‘Sapphire tiara? What are you talking about?’

  Venus smiled slyly. ‘Oh, Madam Grayson told the twins and me that if we finished the race, we’d each get a sapphire tiara.’

  Alec scratched his head. ‘She never said anything to us about a prize.’

  Venus shrugged. ‘I guess she doesn’t think you deserve one since you started the fight.’

  Hailey gritted her teeth. ‘Go away, Venus. We’re doing something important here.’

  ‘Get to the grounds. The race starts soon,’ Venus growled before strutting away with the twins.

  ‘Well that’s unfair. I want a tiara,’ Demi whined.

  ‘Who cares about a tiara,’ Hailey said. ‘We need to sort out the nereids.’

  ‘I think we should go to the grounds.’ Alec bit his lip, gazing around nervously as if he thought Madam Grayson might suddenly appear and yell at them for even considering abandoning the
race. ‘I don’t want to get into more trouble.’

  ‘The nereids are more important,’ Hailey contradicted.

  ‘No, Alec’s right,’ Jayden said. ‘Dealing with the nereids will have to wait, since we can’t follow them into the water. I say we do the race, then work something out afterwards.’

  ‘But—’ Demi began.

  ‘Do you want to wear a neutralising bracelet?’ Jayden asked. ‘Because that’s what’ll happen if we don’t show up.’

  Demi shook her head and protectively clutched her wrists to her chest. ‘No.’

  Hailey looked at Aaron. ‘What do you think?’

  Aaron shrugged, as if he didn’t care either way, which made no sense to Hailey, since he was the one who’d made a big deal about spying on the nereids last year. ‘I think we should deal with this race first.’

  ‘Fine,’ Hailey gave in. She was clearly outvoted. ‘Let’s go.’

  She wasn’t thrilled about letting the nereids run off to plot the school’s demise, but Jayden was right about them not being able to actually do anything. Although they could wait by the stable and hope the nereids let something slip when they came back from the sea. But the chances of the nereids catching them was pretty high, and Hailey doubted Nemertes would let her go unharmed a second time. Besides, they were probably only making plans, which meant Hailey would have time to work them out later. It wasn’t like the nereids were heading off to retrieve a bomb—at least she hoped they weren’t.

  Hailey and her friends entered the grounds, fighting their way through the horde of students—it seemed the entire school was outside. She broke through the crowd and expected to find some elaborate obstacle, but the grounds appeared normal, except for sixteen trees near the edge of the grounds that each had two seaweed ropes tied around them. The ropes extended across the sea, towards an island that floated about sixty yards away. Hailey gulped. Please tell me we don’t have to climb across those.

  ‘Participants, gather here,’ Master Anderson bellowed, standing in front of an aquamarine tree with seaweed rope tied to it.

  Hailey and her friends joined the pack of competitors and grudgingly stood next to Venus and the twins. Sixteen groups were competing. From what Hailey could see, the smallest group had five people, and the largest fourteen. Most were older students, with the exception of a few second years, and even fewer first years.