Lies [Sequel to Secrets]

Part Thirty-Nine:

Part Thirty-Nine:

They had left the swamp far behind and were making their way across a flat, stone-like terrain before Zoe first felt the shivering coldness start to grow suddenly in her chest. It was as if it were hailing inside of her mind, and she was stuck in the middle of it, though she wasn't sure why.

And then, there was a sudden shout. "No!" Zoe's vision blurred. She watched a gigantic spider scuttle across the ground and leap on top of Sammy.

"Ah!" Sammy yelped.

"Demigods..." the gigantic spider hissed. The spider turned towards Zoe. "And you, demigod, hold the power of Athena!"

Zoe felt her body freeze. She was stuck, and couldn't move or speak.

"Zoe!" Charlie shouted, but Zoe could only watch him run at the spider...

•••

Alex panicked. She watched Sammy fall to the ground, and then Zoe freeze.

Charlie bellowed a war cry and dived at the spider-woman creature-thing with his dagger drawn, trying to stab her. But then he cried out in pain and Alex bit back a scream. His shoulder was coated in a fresh layer of blood and he had fallen unconscious.

Alex pulled the golden backpack off her shoulders. When they had set off from Hermes' shrine, it had turned into a backpack which was light and easy enough to carry. Alex flipped open a panel on the side of the metal and slammed her fist down on the button that had emerged.

Suddenly, the backpack expanded. It transformed into a gigantic golden creature; a dragon.

Alex whooped and climbed onto it's back. Engraved on the neck of the dragon was the words: 'Festus the Happy Dragon.'

"Alright, Festus." Alex yelled. "Lets see what you can do."

The dragon roared in response. Alex urged him forwards and Festus ran at the spider-woman. The spider looked at them and her expression turned to shock before Festus breathed a column of flames in her face.

"Yeah!" Alex cried. "Good job, buddy!"

The spider-woman melted into a pile of ashes at Festus' feet. Sammy groggily stood up and Zoe unfroze. They rushed over to where Charlie was laying with Michael who was trying to hurriedly wrap up the wound. Alex slid off Festus' back and kneeled down beside Charlie.

He was unconscious and barely breathing.

"Do we have any ambrosia or nectar left?" Alex asked, her voice wobbling.

"No." Zoe shook her head. "I used up the last of it earlier."

"So, there's nothing we can do?" Michael asked. His body was shaking.

"Except only to hope." Sammy replied.
Suddenly, there was the sound of running footsteps behind them. Alex whirled around, lighting her fists on fire to see who it was.

A girl slowed to a stop and stood a few metres away. She and Alex both sized the other one up, like they were cats getting ready to pull their claws out.

The girl was pretty - Alex would give her that. She had long blonde hair that was tied back in a ponytail and her eyes were like a kaleidoscope, changing different colours by the second. Her face was regal and elegant, yet also had a faded scar running across her left cheek. The girl was wearing muddy boots with snow pants tucked into them and a long-sleeved purple shirt.

"Hello." Alex greeted, unsure of what to say. She made up for it by slamming her fist down on the button on Festus, turning him into a again.

"Uh, hi." The girl replied. She looked slightly uncomfortable.

There was a gasp from behind Alex. Zoe stood up and came to stand beside her. "J - Jaz?" She whispered, almost unbelieving.

"Zo?" 'Jaz' asked. And then the two girls surged towards each other and hugged.

"Oh, my gods, I've missed you so much!" Zoe sobbed.

"I know, I'm sorry I couldn't stay, I got called back down here." Jaz replied, equally as emotional.

"So, this is your home?" Zoe asked after a moment, pulling away from Jaz.

"Yeah. I grew up on Olympus, but then the gods decided to send me down here. It was to do with a prophecy apparently I was the 'girl with the flames'."

Something snapped inside of Alex. Her flaming knuckles sputtered out and she stood, looking like an idiot, wishing that Sammy had never saved her.

"Hey, are you alright?" Sammy asked, standing up and leaving Michael to try and bandage Charlie.

"I don't know." Alex sighed, turning to gaze into his golden eyes. "You saved me and told me I was important. I was meant to be 'the girl with the flames'. But you were wrong. Flame-girl leader is her." Alex pointed to Jaz.

"Oh." Sammy was speechless.

"I don't know if I can go on with this quest much longer." Alex murmured. "Not after ... It's just, I'm not important."

"Alex, please don't say that." Sammy pleaded. He tried to take one of her hands in his but she shook it off.

"Don't tell me that you love me." Alex spat. "You've already done that. Now it's my turn to prove my love to you. Yet I don't know if I can do it." Alex turned on her heel and marched back over to Charlie.

"What's going on?" Michael asked.

"New girl." Alex rolled her eyes and scowled. Michael raised his eyebrows. "Zoe's friend. Apparently she's 'the girl with the flames' but I don't see her creating any flames anytime soon."

Michael turned to look at Jaz and he suddenly froze. His face went white.
"Michael, what is it?" Alex demanded.

"W - what's her n - name?" Michael whispered.

"Jaz." Alex replied.

Michael stood up and walked over to where Jaz and Zoe were standing, just as Sammy came back over to Alex and Charlie.

"Make sure Charlie doesn't die for a minute, will you?" Alex asked. She didn't wait for an answer before going over into hearing range of the conversation that was about to take place.

"Hi, my name's Michael." Michael greeted, false smile filling up his face.

"I'm Jasmine." Jaz replied, looking slightly wary. "But call me Jaz."

"What's your last name?" Michael asked.

Jaz looked at him like he was full-out crazy. "Uh, my full name is Jasmine Grace..."

"Grace." Michael repeated, his expression reflecting just how stunned he was. "Your last name is Grace."

"Yeah, why?" Jaz raised her eyebrows. And then suddenly she caught on.

"It just so happens that my last name is Grace." Michael replied.

"You mean..." Jaz glanced at Zoe.

"Yes." Michael said. "You're my twin sister."

DUN DUN DUN...