Artemis the Brave Paperback - 2010

Summary

Excerpt

The Hunting Game

ON SILVER-WINGED MAGIC SANDALS, Artemis zoomed through the Forest of the Beasts, her feet gliding just inches above the mossy forest floor. âÈêCome out, come out, wherever you are,âÈë she singsonged under her breath.

Dodging tree trunks and ducking under low-hanging vines, she listened carefully for any unusual sounds. Her keen dark eyes searched the dense woods. Her favorite bowâÈ'its limbs made of curved, polished olive woodâÈ'was at the ready. A tooled leather quiver of arrows was slung across her back. She could pull one out and have it nocked and aimed in a split
second, as soon as it was needed.

Behind her, Artemis heard Athena whizzing along in winged sandals as well. And following her were Aphrodite and Persephone. All four goddessgirls wore ankle-length flowing gowns called chitons, and their skirts whipped in the breeze as they zipped through the forest of olive, fig, and pomegranate trees, their feet never quite touching the ground.

They had come here this afternoon for one purpose: to duel with some of the slimiest, smelliest beasts ever to roam the Earth. Armed with magic-tipped arrows, the goddessgirls had already defeated a she-dragon called Echidna and bested a goat-headed Chimera. Now they had only ten minutes left to find the third beast they were tracking.

Winning this one final battle of good versus evil was critical. Something very important hung in the balance.

Their grades.

The first Friday of every month, all the goddessgirls and godboys in their Beast-ology class left Mount Olympus Academy and came down to Earth. Here in this forest, for an entire hour, they played games of skill that Professor Ladon had created to test them. How lucky that she and her best friends were in the same class and that theyâÈçd all been assigned to this section of the woods!

Defeating three beasts today would mean an A for each of the four girls. Getting only two was a B, one a C, and coming up empty meant having to repeat the test until they got it right. Artemis had never ever gotten less than an A in the Beast-ology games, and she didnâÈçt want this to be an exception. Today was her birthday, after all. Another A would be the perfect gift to herself.

As she entered a clearing, Artemis heard a snuffling sound. The gray-green leaves of a nearby grove of olive trees rustled, disturbing finches and warblers, which flew away in a great flutter of wings. She slowed, motioning silently to her friends to alert them that something was up.

âÈêItâÈçs lurking. Over there!âÈë Artemis called softly as the others drew up beside her. Just then the wind changed direction, and she got a whiff of the creature. Ugh. It smelled like swamp gas, wet dog, and cow patties all rolled into one.

Persephone groaned and fanned her hand in front of her naturally pale face, causing the bangs of her curly red hair to flutter. âÈêDoesnâÈçt exactly smell like flowers, does it?âÈë A skilled gardener, she could make anything bloom at the touch of a finger.

Athena wrinkled her nose. âÈêMaybe like skunkweed.âÈë

âÈêI hope it doesnâÈçt turn out to be something that slings slime this time,âÈë whispered Aphrodite. Flipping her long, shiny blond hair over one shoulder, she touched the gold braid edging the neckline of her chiton. âÈêThis outfit is new and I donâÈçt want it ruined.âÈë The goddessgirl of beauty, she liked to dress well. She had an outfit for every occasion. This one was a bright robinâÈçs egg blue that matched her eyes. Circling her slender waist was a belt made of woven grapevines. Since Aphrodite set most fashion trends at Mount Olympus Academy, every goddessgirl at school would probably be wearing a belt just like it before the week was out.

Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. The ground shook as the beast lumbered closer. Goose bumps rose on ArtemisâÈçs arms. SheâÈçd rather eat a scarab beetle than admit it aloud, but she was scared. Because she was goddess of the hunt and was skilled at archery, everyone at school assumed she was brave. Her friends depended on her to lead them in these hunts. Even now the others were waiting for her to tell them what kind of beast theyâÈçd found. And she had a hunch she knew what it was!

Raising her left hand overhead, she held up one finger. Then, after a momentâÈçs pause, two fingers. Another pause. Three fingers. And finally, four. Then, holding up her other hand she showed two more fingers to make six in all. This signaled to the others that theyâÈçd probably found a one-headed, two-armed, three-bodied, four-winged, six-legged beast. Just in case they hadnâÈçt gotten the message, she silently mouthed the beastâÈçs name: Geryon.

At the news, Athena got the determined look on her face that she always did just before taking a test she wanted to ace. Persephone pinched her nose closed, as if preparing for the worst smell ever to get even worse as their opponent came closer. And Aphrodite glanced down at her stylish blue chiton, looking more than a trifle concerned.

Seconds later a giant creature jumped out of the woods into the clearing. At the sight of it, goose bumps rose on top of the goose bumps Artemis already had. The Geryon was big. It was bad. It was beastly. It looked just like the one whose features sheâÈçd memorized from her Beast-ology textscroll.

Although she loved to hunt, she wished theyâÈçd shoot at regular targets. Sometimes the beasts Professor Ladon designed for these tests seemed so . . . so real. She had a hard time remembering they were fake.

âÈêYou called this one right as usual,âÈë confirmed Athena from behind her. âÈêWatch out, the class textscroll says they have particularly vicious talons and wily ways.âÈë

âÈêAnd bad breath,âÈë added Aphrodite, holding her nose now along with Persephone.

The Geryon licked its green lips, eyeing them each in turn. Then it turned and waggled its three rear ends so its trio of long tails swept back and forth in the leaves. âÈêNah nah nuh nah nah,âÈë it taunted softly. All the while, its blazing red eyes watched them over its shoulder to see if theyâÈçd take the bait and move closer. When they didnâÈçt, it held a hand toward them. It poked one foreclaw out and curled it over and over, beckoning them to follow it into the intricate maze of bushes beyond it known as the labyrinth. There was rumored to be some sort of fantastical beast-making machine in the center, which Professor Ladon had specially designed to spawn their opponents for these games.

âÈêYe gods,âÈë Athena whispered. âÈêDoes it really think weâÈçll fall for that?âÈë

âÈêNo way weâÈçre following it into that maze,âÈë Artemis agreed, her voice shaking. Then, worried that her words might have sounded cowardly, she added in a confident voice, âÈêLetâÈçs try to lure it closer. IâÈçd like to get a good shot at that big green patoot.âÈë

Persephone giggled, but with her nose pinched tight, it sounded more like a snore.

âÈêOkay, but not too close,âÈë said Aphrodite, glancing nervously down at her chiton again. The beasts couldnâÈçt harm the goddessgirls, who were immortal, after all. Still, these horrible creatures had ways of making students . . . uncomfortable. Artemis had had her hair singed once in third grade and had gotten a rash from a poisonous dart shot from a serpentine tail in fifth.

âÈêLet me try something,âÈë said Persephone. With that, she bent low to a bed of weeds, then blew across it. Seeds encased in fluffy puffs of white whooshed toward the beast. As if on cue, the creature began sneezing. And with each sneeze, it bounced a little closer to them.

Persephone grinned. âÈêDandelions. Geryons are allergic to them. Works every time.âÈë

Suddenly the beast stopped sneezing and let out a huge triple snort from its three giant, hairy nostrils. It planted both hands on its hips. Its eyes flashed red and beady on each of the goddessgirls in turn, as if it was trying to decide who to gobble up first.

âÈêUh-oh,âÈë said Athena. âÈêSomebody looks annoyed.âÈë

âÈêQuick! Fan out. As a group, weâÈçre too easy a target!âÈë Artemis told them, trying to keep the panic she felt out of her voice. Not seeming to notice how breathless she sounded, the others took her direction and fanned out around the beast in a semicircle.

Persephone, whoâÈçd probably seen far more fearsome varmints when she visited the Underworld with her friend Hades, kept her cool. âÈêGot this one?âÈë she called softly to Artemis.

Hovering just inches above the ground in her magic sandals, ArtemisâÈçs fingers trembled as she slipped an arrow from her quiver. âÈêYeah, under control,âÈë she murmured with her usual show of bravado. She nocked the single arrow in her bow but didnâÈçt pull back the string quite yet. She didnâÈçt want to shoot one of her friends by accident! âÈêCâÈçmon, just a little closer,âÈë she crooned, eyeing the beast.

The GeryonâÈçs eyebrows bunched together like angry caterpillars. It gnashed its five green teeth and pawed its clawed hooves in the grass. But because theyâÈçd spread out, it couldnâÈçt seem to decide who to attack first.

That is, until Aphrodite piped up. âÈêItâÈçs going to charge!âÈë Even when she was terrified and shouting, her voice as beautiful as she was. Drawn by its lovely sound, the GeryonâÈçs frightful gaze focused on her. Its lips curved in a gruesome grin. It gnashed and pawed a little more, but this time it was just for show. Clearly, it had chosen a victim. With a mighty lunge, it charged toward Aphrodite. She shrieked again, so scared that she dropped her bow. âÈêItâÈçs c-coming!âÈë

Artemis zipped toward her, moving sideways, always facing the Geryon head-on like Professor Ladon had taught them. Never turn your back on a beast. This was one of Mr. LadonâÈçs top ten rules. As the Geryon loomed closer, she pulled back her bowstring, aiming.

Oomph! Before she could shoot, she bumped into something. A tree? No, it was Aphrodite! In a tangle of arms and legs, they tumbled to the ground. Although their sandals would whisk them away to safety once they stood, their flight-magic could only flicker listlessly as long as the girls lay sprawled on the moss.

Beside her, Aphrodite whimpered, totally vulnerable to attack without her bow. Artemis had managed to hold on to hers, but in the confusion, her arrow had popped from it to land a few feet away. She heard Athena and Persephone calling to them to get up. But for the moment she was frozen, too scared to move. Her eyes locked with the GeryonâÈçs as it loomed closer. And closer. Its smell was even more horrific now, and she could feel the heat of its breath even from two dozen yards away. SheâÈçd once read somewhere about a mortal whoâÈçd died of fright. Even though she knew that couldnâÈçt happen to her, at the moment it seemed very possible. Her heart pounded. A fine sheen of perspiration prickled the back of her neck. She had to do something!

From then on things began to happen quickly, yet they seemed to her to move in slow motion. The Geryon was only three yards away now. It leaped in the air, preparing to ruin AphroditeâÈçs new chiton, lower the goddessgirlsâÈç grades, and generally wreak havoc.

Fighting down feelings of terror, Artemis sat up, nocked a new arrow, and squinched one eye shut to aim. She straightened her shaking fingers to release the bowstring.

Zzzzzing!

Poof! The second her arrow reached it, the monster disappeared into thin air.

âÈêYes!âÈë Artemis exclaimed, her confidence flooding back. âÈêRight between its four eyes!âÈë

Seconds later the Geryon sprang up again at the entrance to the labyrinth, an arrow sticking from its forehead. Grinning now, it calmly plucked out the arrow, tossed it away, and bowed to them. âÈêCongratulations, goddessgirls,âÈë it said in a tone that was almost friendly. âÈêYou have now achieved the eighth Level of the Arrow. Your excellent progress will be reported to Professor Ladon in your Beast-ology class at Mount Olympus Academy. Until next time . . .âÈë

As its last word died away, the fearsome Geryon disappeared in a puff of purple smoke that hung over the labyrinth for a few moments like wispy fog.

âÈêAnother save by Artemis the brave!âÈë Athena quipped, sounding relieved.

âÈêThank godness!âÈë Aphrodite added gratefully as Persephone and Athena helped her to stand.

Artemis didnâÈçt comment. She was thinking about their praise, quite sure she didnâÈçt deserve it. Her? Brave? Nuh-uh.

âÈêYou okay?âÈë Persephone asked.

âÈêOh, um, yeah, sure,âÈë said Artemis. As soon as she and Aphrodite regained their footing, their sandalsâÈç magic revived and they rose to hover a few inches from the ground like the other girls.

âÈêWell, IâÈçm not,âÈë said Aphrodite, examining her blue-lacquered fingernails with a tragic expression. âÈêI broke a nail. I knew there was a reason Beast-ology was my least favorite class.âÈë Pulling a magic nail file from the cosmetic bag in her quiver, she held out her hand and let the file whisk expertly around her fingertips, making repairs.

âÈêItâÈçs important, though,âÈë said Artemis. âÈêImmortals have to learn this kind of stuff.âÈë It was true. Even if her courage did sometimes desert her without warning, she was glad the class was required. Putting two fingers between her lips, she whistled for her dogs. A bloodhound, a beagle, and a greyhound came bounding toward her out of the forest.

âÈêGood boy, Suez!âÈë she told her bloodhound, who had retrieved one of her arrows. SheâÈçd named him for Principal ZeusâÈ'Suez was Zeus spelled backwardâÈ'because like Zeus, Suez was big and blue-eyed. She hover-knelt a couple of inches from the ground to roughhouse with her dogs, and they bounded around her happily, their tongues hanging out.

Persephone hunkered lower too and joined in the pooch-play. âÈêBeast-ology is exciting. IâÈçll say that for it,âÈë she said, as Amby, the beagle, gave her a slobbery kiss. âÈêEven though I know the mythical beasts arenâÈçt real, they look, smell, and act so much like real monsters that itâÈçs hard to remember this is a class and theyâÈçre only made of magic.âÈë

Athena held up both of her hands. âÈêYou got that right. Look at my hands. TheyâÈçre still shaking. I was terrified, even though I knew that Geryon was a fake.âÈë

âÈêBut thatâÈçs the whole the point of Mr. LadonâÈçs game! He created the beasts to challenge our skill and bravery,âÈë said Artemis. She longed to admit that her hands had trembled too. It would have been a relief to share her fears, but the others had such confidence in her fearlessness that she was too embarrassed to do so. âÈêItâÈçs great practice. You never know when a real beast will come along and need to be put in its place.âÈë

âÈêOh, come on. Have you ever seen even one real beast in your whole life?âÈë asked Aphrodite. Studying her nails in satisfaction, she tucked the file away in her quiver. Then she pulled out a hand mirror and began primping, smoothing her hair and touching up her makeup.

âÈêWell, no,âÈë Artemis admitted, standing again. In fact, she often wondered if sheâÈçd be up to the challenge of fighting a real beast, if she actually saw one. It was easy to appear brave and stay relatively cool when faced with fake beasts. But what if, when it really mattered, her bravery seriously failed her?

Just then a crooning sigh rippled over the forest, causing leaves to rustle and the moss that hung from the trees to sway. It was the gentle sound of the nymph girls who dwelled in the hawthorn, oak, and willows. One by one, the nymphs began to peek out from behind the tree trunks and between branches, their pale faces glowing like fairy lights.

âÈêThe godboys must be coming,âÈë said Artemis, rolling her eyes. Nymphs were notoriously boy crazyâÈ'the complete opposite of Artemis, whoâÈçd never crushed on a boy in her entire life.

A soft smile curved PersephoneâÈçs lips. âÈêYouâÈçre right. Here comes Hades.âÈë

Seconds later he appeared along with ArtemisâÈçs twin brother, Apollo. Both had bows and quivers slung across their shoulders, since they were in the girlsâÈç Beast-ology class.

âÈêHowâÈçd your hunt go?âÈë called Apollo. Cruising closer on his winged sandals, he leaned in, banked, and did a dramatic swish that landed him next to Artemis.

âÈêNailed it,âÈë she assured him.

âÈêYes! Us too,âÈë said Apollo. They grinned and bumped knuckles.

The other goddessgirls might not be as into sports as Artemis was, but her twin loved archery just as much as she did. Unlike some siblings sheâÈçd read about, like Medea and Absyrtus or Romulus and Remus, the two of them had always gotten along. Probably because Apollo thought of her like a brother instead of a sister. Ever since she could remember, theyâÈçd played on all kinds of MOA sports teams together. TheyâÈçd even trained for the Olympic games!

âÈêIs Daphne here?âÈë Apollo asked, eagerly looking around for the pretty nymph.

Artemis frowned at him. âÈêNot you, too.âÈë Lately it seemed like everyone at school was falling in love, or at least in like. She lifted a brow in AphroditeâÈçs direction. âÈêThis is all your fault.âÈë As the goddessgirl of love, as well as beauty, Aphrodite had a hand in just about every romance on Earth and on Mount Olympus.

Aphrodite flashed her a smile. âÈêWhat can I say? ItâÈçs spring! Love is in the air!âÈë She leaned closer, her bright blue eyes gazing straight into ArtemisâÈçs blue-black ones. âÈêOne of these days, youâÈçll meet a boy you like, and then youâÈçll see for yourself how wonderful romance can be.âÈë

âÈêHah! I may be the goddess of the hunt, forest, and moon, but I wouldnâÈçt be caught dead mooning over any godboy.âÈë Digging in her quiver, Artemis located a bag of dog treats and tossed them toward her hounds. All three scrambled to get them, managing to scarf the biscuits down in record time.

âÈêYouâÈçll never be caught dead doing anything,âÈë Persephone reminded her, laughing. âÈêWeâÈçre goddessgirls. WeâÈçre immortal!âÈë

Hades smiled down at the petite, pale Persephone, looking amused by her little joke. Earlier in the school year, heâÈçd been all frowns and troubles, but he seemed happier now that he and Persephone were such good friends. Maybe romance did work for some people, but Artemis just wasnâÈçt interested.

âÈêSee you back at school!âÈë called Persephone. Holding hands, she and Hades took off together, winging their way up the mountain toward Mount Olympus Academy.

Just then Artemis heard a soft ping! ping! ping! sound. From far away, the voice of MOAâÈçs herald floated to their ears. âÈêPeriod four at Mount Olympus Academy will commence in ten minutes.âÈë

âÈêOh no! I canâÈçt be late for Hero-ology class!âÈë said Athena. âÈêAnd I need time to fix my hair.âÈë

âÈêWe all do,âÈë Aphrodite added. Putting her mirror away, she pointedly looked Artemis up and down.

âÈêLetâÈçs take my chariot,âÈë said Artemis, oblivious to the hint. âÈêItâÈçs faster than our sandals.âÈë None of the other students kept chariots at school, but Zeus had made an exception for her after four deer had followed her back from a second-grade field trip to Mount Parnassus in southern Greece. TheyâÈçd become her pets and pulled her chariot ever since. Animals were always befriending her like that. Boars, goats, foxesâÈ'you name it. SheâÈçd even had a pet bear in fourth grade, but eventually Principal Zeus had put his giant gold-sandaled foot down. She could only keep three dogs and four deer as pets, and that was that.

At ArtemisâÈçs summons, four white deer with golden horns leaped from the forest, pulling her chariot behind them. âÈêCâÈçmon,âÈë she called to her companions. Jumping in, she took the reins. Everyone crowded in with her, including her hounds. The chariot lifted off, and together they whooshed from the forest and up the mountainside toward school.

Âû 2010 Joan Holub