“Do you run?” I ask.
Green eyes wide, she looks up at me and nods. Even though she’s only twelve—not fully developed physically or anything—I can tell she’s got the body of a runner. Long proportions, a little gawky. If she’s got the drive, she could be an excellent runner.
I smile big. “Then you’re a runner.”
As soon as I say that, she positively beams. “I want to be just like you.”
“No you don’t,” I reply. No one wants to be like me. Not on this island, anyway. At first it was because I wasn’t one of them. Now it’s because I am, but I’m still different. Higher up on the family tree. Closer to Olympus. Life was so much easier when I was nothing more exciting than a distance runner. “I’m not that great.”
“I think you are.”
Her voice is quiet and serious, like she just said the most important thing ever.
I study her, looking at me with a little hero worship in her eyes. It’s been so long since someone—anyone—looked up to me that I almost don’t know how to react. Back at Pacific Park, I’d been kind of a mentor to a couple of the younger girls on the team. They looked to me for advice and encouragement. That feels like a lifetime ago.
As I look into Tansy’s serious eyes, my long-lost big sister instinct kicks in.
“I’m kinda looking for a training partner,” I say as we head into the building. “You interested?”
“Really?” she says, her voice full of awe.
Since the position of my current training partner seems to be in question, then yeah, I wouldn’t mind having someone else to run with. She might keep my mind off all the times Griffin and I ran together.
“Yeah,” I say, trying to play it cool so she doesn’t think I’m desperate. “I’m training for the Pythian Games trials and could use a buddy.”
We head through the halls of the Academy, toward the courtyard, with her staring wide-eyed and mouth gaping. It’s a miracle she doesn’t walk into a trash can.
“Is that a yes?”
“Omigods, yes!” she squeals. “When do we start?”
“I’ve been training in the morning.” I push through the door leading to the courtyard. “Why don’t you meet me at eight tomorrow on the cross-country course.”
Tansy gasps. “Great!”
“Welcome, campers,” Adara calls across the courtyard. She spears me with a vicious glance. “We’ll be partnering for today’s first exercise. Phoebe, you’ll be pairing up with me.”
Yeah, great.
“You’re not even trying.”
I glare at Adara. “Of course I’m trying.”
I’m just not succeeding.
“I know how hard it is for you to accept that other people might know something more than you,” she snaps, and if I could see her face I know she’d be sneering. “But believe me when I tell you, you’re not trying.”
We’ve been standing back-to-back for the last half hour, with me trying to materialize a hazelnut latte into her hands. So far I’ve come up with a coconut, a jar of peanut butter, and—on my most successful attempt—a glass of milk.
I’ve trained my whole life. Physical training—running, weight lifting, nutritional planning—that’s all second nature to me. But this mental training is totally different. I’m not used to consciously exercising my mind and my emotions. Is it any wonder this isn’t going well?
“Maybe if you weren’t badgering me the whole time,” I snap back, pushing away from her and turning around, “I would be able to concentrate.”
She spins around, her vapid blue eyes narrowing.
“I don’t think this has anything to do with your concentration.”
“Oh yeah,” I say brilliantly. “What does it have to do with, then, your genuisness?”
Instead of answering, she crooks her finger at me before turning and stalking out of the courtyard. Like I’m going to follow her anywhere.
I cross my arms over my chest and stand my ground.
Suddenly, she shimmers—autoports—into place right in front of my nose.
“I have never been more mad at anyone in my life than I am at you right now,” she grinds out through clenched teeth. “Unless you want to spend the next three days on holiday in the underworld, I suggest you join me in the hall. Now.”
Then, just as quickly as she appeared, she disappears again.
I look helplessly around the courtyard, but all the ten-year-olds are focusing on the exercise, with Stella, Xander, and Miss Orivas closely supervising.
Okay, if Adara wants to have it out, I’ll have it out.