Kate OHearn - Olympus at War

Also by Kate OHearn

The Flame of Olympus

KATE OHEARN was born in Canada and raised in New York City, and has traveled all over the United States. She currently resides in England. Kate is the author of the Shadow of the Dragon series in addition to her books about Pegasus and Emily. Visit her at KateOHearn.com.

Aladdin
SIMON & SCHUSTER, NEW YORK

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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 authors imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

An imprint of Simon & Schuster Childrens Publishing Division

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First Aladdin hardcover edition May 2013

Copyright 2011 by Kate OHearn

Originally published in Great Britain in 2011 as Pegasus and the Fight for Olympus Published by arrangement with Hachette UK

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

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Designed by Karin Paprocki

Jacket designed by Karin Paprocki

Jacket illustration copyright 2013 by Jason Chan

The text of this book was set in Adobe Garamond.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

OHearn, Kate.

[Olympus at war]

Pegasus / by Kate OHearn.First Aladdin hardcover ed.

p. cm.

Summary: Reborn as the Flame, thirteen-year-old Emily has saved Olympus from destruction, but when the gruesome Nirads begin a new invasion, Emily and her friends become entangled in the conflict as old grudges are unearthed and new enemies are discovered.

ISBN 978-1-4424-4412-6

[1. Pegasus (Greek mythology)Fiction. 2. Diana (Roman deity)Fiction. 3. MonstersFiction. 4. Mythology, RomanFiction. 5. Fantasy.] I. Title.

PZ7.O4137Peg 2012

[Fic]dc23
2011052026

ISBN 978-1-4424-4414-0 (eBook)

OLYMPUS WAS UNLIKE ANYWHERE EMILY had ever been before. It was a magical fantasyland filled with people and creatures beyond imagination. A place where rain didnt fall but the lush green gardens never wilted. Flowers bloomed constantly, filling the air with their intoxicating fragrances. The air itself seemed alive. It was honey sweet and warm and enveloped you in a blanket of peace; it was rich with the sounds of singing birds and filled with insects that never stung. If a bee landed on you, it was only because it wanted to be petted.

The buildings in Olympus were as beautiful and unique as the land itself. Most were made of smooth white marble with tall, intricately carved pillars reaching high into the clear blue sky. There were open theaters where the Muses danced and sang for the entertainment of all.

The wide cobbled streets were lined with statues of the strongest fighters and heroes. There were no cars or trucks pumping pollution into the air. The Olympians walked or flew wherever they needed to go. Occasionally they would ride in a chariot drawn by magnificent horses.

Then there were the libraries, more than Emily could count, containing the texts from the many worlds the Olympians visited and guarded. Some of her favorite books were in the library at Jupiters palace, brought in especially for her.

Emily could never have imagined a more perfect place.

But living in Olympus, amid all this splendor, Emily was miserable.

She missed her father. She spent every waking moment thinking and worrying about him. He was back in her world, a prisoner of the Central Research Unit. The CRU was a secret government agency obsessed with capturing aliens and anything out of the ordinary to use as weapons. She had been their prisoner for a short time and knew how single-minded and cruel they were. But they still had her father. What were they doing to him? Were they punishing him because of her escape? Had they killed him? So many fears and unanswered questions tore at her heart that she could never be completely happy or stop worrying about him.

Even spending time with Pegasus didnt ease the pain. Emily was desperate to get back to New York to find her father, but Jupiter wouldnt let her go. He insisted her place was here among the other Olympians. And with the invading warrior race of Nirads still posing a threat to Olympus, Jupiter couldnt risk sending any of his fighters to Emilys world on a rescue mission. No matter how much she pleaded with the god, he refused to allow her to leave.

Emily paused as she walked through the gardens of Jupiters palace. She raised her face to the sun and felt its warm rays streaming down on her. Was this the same sun that shone in her world? Was her father allowed to see it? From her own experience as a prisoner in the CRUs deep underground facility, she doubted it.

Emily felt even more determined. If Jupiter wouldnt let her go, she had no choice but to run away and rescue her father herself. Walking along the stream that coursed through Olympus, she saw a group of beautiful water nymphs splashing on the shore. They waved and called their strange greeting. Moments later they slipped beneath the surface, and the water calmed as if theyd never been there.

Lost in thought, Emily wasnt paying attention to where she was walking and tripped over a small rock. She cursed and righted herself. On top of everything else, she was still getting used to the new gold leg brace that Vulcan, the armorer of Olympus, had made for her. He had constructed it using the same gold as Pegasuss bridle. A very special gold that was lethal to Nirads. With one brief touch they were badly poisoned. Longer contact proved fatal to the ferocious warriors. With this brace Emily could not only defend herself against the invaders, she could walk and run once again.

But learning to get around with the strange device had taken time and effort. Now she could almost move as well as she had before her leg was permanently damaged by the Nirads in New York.

She walked toward Jupiters maze, a large labyrinth built in the middle of a garden and consisting of tall green bushes grown in complicated patterns. It took a lot of practice to navigate it, but Emily and her friends had discovered that the maze was the perfect place to hold private conversations.

Emily found her way through the labyrinth, where Pegasus was waiting for her beside the pedestal at the center. The magnificent winged stallion always stole her breath. Standing quietly in the dark of the trees, he glowed brilliant white. His head was high and proud, and his coat shiny and well groomed. There wasnt a feather out of place on his neatly folded wings.

When Pegasus saw her, he whinnied excitedly and nodded his head.

Beside the winged horse stood Emilys best friend from New York, Joel. Joels Roman features, black hair, and warm brown eyes always reminded her of the classic Italian paintings shed seen in the art museum. He was no longer the violent, angry boy she had first met. Spending time in Olympus had softened his outer shell of rage and hurt due to the loss of his family. Now he let others see that he had a deeply caring heart and a ready laugh. Joel spent his days working with Vulcan in the Olympus armory. He had even helped design the brace on Emilys leg.