Free Pegasus and the New Olympians by Kate O'Hearn Page B

got this,’ Joel said as he held up his silver arm. ‘All I need to do is get it open. Paelen can do the rest by slipping in and getting the cash.’
    Agent T nodded. ‘Try it if you want, but be careful. Those things are heavily alarmed. If that doesn’t work, you’re going to have to go somewhere else. Try to find a pawn shop. They always have a lot of cash in them. But be warned. The owners are usually armed and there are going to be cameras everywhere.’
    ‘That’s why we’re taking this.’ Joel held up Pluto’s helmet. He looked over to Paelen. ‘The sun is down; let’s go.’

8
    When Joel and Paelen left, with little do to but wait, Emily took a bath. As she lay back in the tub, she was glad to finally take off her leg brace. Though it helped her to walk, it was heavy and rubbed her skin painfully.
    She dozed in the warm water until Alexis entered the bathroom. ‘Did your father not teach you to knock?’ Emily challenged, repeating the Sphinx’s words back to her.
    Alexis ignored the comment. She shut the door and approached the side of the tub. ‘Do you wish to tell me what happened out there?’
    Emily looked away and shook her head. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
    ‘You may fool the others, but you cannot fool a Sphinx. You were angry at me and you caused the lamp to explode.’
    Emily gasped. Alexis knew everything. ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’
    Alexis sat beside the tub and put her paws up on the side. ‘You may not wish to, but you are going to. I know you do not like me, and that is your choice. But I took an oath to protect you and this mission. If I see something wrong, I am going to act upon it. So you might just as well tell me because I am going to find out anyway.’
    ‘Aren’t you going to give me a choice?’ Emily asked. ‘Bargain with a riddle or something? If I get the riddle wrong I tell you, but if I get it right, you leave me alone?’
    ‘Not this time,’ Alexis said. ‘You must tell me what happened.’
    Emily dropped her head and sighed. She looked into the penetrating green eyes of the Sphinx. ‘I have more powers and I can’t control them,’ she admitted. ‘When Vesta first told me about the Flame, she said I’d learn to control it, and I have …’
    Emily lifted her hand out of the water. She summoned up the Flame and it burned brightly and painlessly in the palm of her wet hand. ‘I can do anything I want with the Flame now.’
    ‘But …’ the Sphinx prodded.
    ‘But these new powers are unpredictable and they really scare me. Sometimes I can move things. Sometimes items disappear and I can never find them again. And sometimes …’
    ‘Sometimes they explode,’ the Sphinx finished. ‘Why haven’t you told anyone? I am sure Vesta and Jupiter would be very interested to know.’
    ‘I was going to,’ Emily said.
    The Sphinx tilted her head to the side.
    ‘Eventually,’ Emily finished. ‘But then Dad came back with the papers, talking about Tornado Warning, and that became more important.’
    ‘More important than making things disappear or destroying them?’
    ‘I know,’ Emily said. ‘But if I told anyone, I couldn’t have come back here. And look what we’ve learned so far.’
    Alexis sat back and dropped her paws to the wet floor. ‘I do understand, Emily. Your dedication to Pegasus and this world is a credit to you. But you have endangered everyone you care for by not telling Vesta and letting her try to help you control these new powers.’
    Tears came to Emily’s eyes. Now used to the explosive danger they posed, she kept the sea-green handkerchief with the embroidered Pegasus that Neptune had given to her close. It alone had the power to contain her tears so they couldn’t do any harm. She reached for it and gently dabbed her eyes and watched the tears slipping into the secret pocket. ‘I’m just so scared. What am I supposed to do?’
    The Sphinx reached out with her large paw and stroked Emily’s head.