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hesitation as they carried him over the trees and higher in the sky.
    ‘Paelen, stop!’ Joel cried. ‘Get back here!’
    Paelen returned and Joel looked at the group. ‘We can’t go now in daylight, we’ll be seen. Lord only knows who’s seen us already. We arrived too low in the sky over the city. I think we should wait here till dark. It will be safer to fly then.’
    Chrysaor nudged Joel’s hand. He grunted several times. Pegasus also whinnied softly.
    ‘They both agree, Joel,’ Paelen translated. ‘It is too big a risk to go now.’
    ‘Then it’s settled,’ Emily said. ‘We wait till tonight, then we find Earl.’

    The day passed slowly as they sat in the trees waiting for sunset. Emily jumped at every crack and sound from the woods around them. She felt exposed and vulnerable, as though a CRU agent was hiding behind every tree and waiting to burst out at them at any moment.
    Every time Emily jumped, Alexis shook her head and tutted. ‘Did Diana not tell you I can sense danger? Is that not the reason I am here? There is no danger; we are alone in these trees. So just sit there and let me do my job.’
    Emily sat on the ground beside Pegasus. Joel moved to sit beside her, leaning against the resting stallion’s side.
    ‘Alexis is right, Em, just relax. Don’t you know who the Sphinx is?’
    ‘A giant cat from the Egyptian desert,’ Emily said flatly.
    Alexis bristled and hissed at the insult. ‘What did you say? Egyptian? That is not I!’
    Joel held up his hand to the Sphinx. ‘Alexis, calm down. Not everyone in this world knows the stories.’
    ‘Then educate her. I will not suffer such insults again!’ Without a second glance, the Sphinx wandered into the trees.
    ‘Watch yourself around her,’ Joel warned. ‘The Sphinx is very dangerous. The myths say she used to guard the trail to Thebes. Anyone who approached had to answer one of her riddles. If they got it wrong, she killed them. Some legends say she even ate them.’
    ‘Oh gross!’ Emily cried. She looked to where the Sphinx had entered the trees. ‘Wait, how could she eat them? OK, she does have a lion’s body and claws, but she has a woman’s head. How could she?’
    Paelen answered. ‘You have not seen her teeth.’
    ‘Yes I have,’ Emily said.
    Paelen shook his head. ‘No you have not. If you had, you would not be asking the question. Alexis has two sets of teeth: her talking teeth and her eating teeth. She has long sharp fangs that extend down. When she is finished eating, she can retract them like claws.’
    ‘Just like a vampire,’ Emily muttered.
    ‘But a lot more dangerous than vampires,’ Joel said. ‘If the myths are true, she was sent to Thebes by Juno, Jupiter’s wife. The Sphinx was only ever defeated once – when Oedipus guessed the right answer to her riddle. It’s said that she killed herself when he did.’
    Pegasus nickered softly. Paelen translated. ‘No, she did not kill herself. She simply returned to Olympus. But she is one of our best guards. Pegasus knows you do not like her and that she is not particularly fond of you. But he says we are very honoured to have her with us. We are in safe hands.’
    ‘That’s if Emily doesn’t do something stupid and drive Alexis to kill her!’ Joel added.
    Emily looked at Joel and felt a sting. ‘If she tries anything, I’ll burn her up!’
    Paelen’s eyes flew wide. ‘You must not say such a thing. The Sphinx is Juno’s favourite. There would be no stopping her rage if you destroyed Alexis, even if you are the Flame of Olympus. Please—’
    ‘Calm down,’ Emily said. ‘I wasn’t serious. I could never hurt Alexis, even if she does drive me crazy!’ She directed her attention to Pegasus. ‘You know that too, right, Pegs? I won’t use my powers to hurt anyone – ever!’
    ‘Except maybe the gorgons,’ Joel added as he nudged her playfully.
    Emily shoved him back. ‘That was different. They started it and turned you all to stone. I had no