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choice. Apart from them, I don’t want to use my powers against anyone, ever again.
    Paelen relaxed visibly. ‘That is a relief. I would hate to see a war start between you and Juno over Alexis.’
    Emily said nothing. There was already a huge weight on her shoulders knowing she may have to fight Jupiter to protect Earth. She wasn’t about to pick another fight. Sitting beside Pegasus, absently stroking the feathers on his wings, she worried about the future.
    As the summer sun moved steadily overhead and started to descend in the west, they changed into their ‘Earth’ clothes. Paelen beamed as he looked down at his jeans and T-shirt. ‘I do look human, do I not?’ he asked proudly.
    Emily smiled at her friend’s eagerness to blend in despite the fact that he was wearing jewelled sandals with wings instead of trainers. ‘You look great.’
    Emily struggled to get her jeans up over her silver leg brace. She hated that she still needed to wear it. But the damage the Nirads had done to her leg in New York left her unable to walk without it.
    Across the small clearing, Alexis was refusing to put on the T-shirt Emily had given her to cover up her naked front.
    ‘I will not do it,’ Alexis said. ‘I have never had to wear anything before – even when I was last in your world. I will look ridiculous.’
    Emily bit her tongue. A lion-woman with eagle’s wings and a serpent’s tail was worrying about looking ridiculous if she wore a T-shirt?
    ‘Things have changed,’ Emily grunted, struggling to fasten her waist buttons. She crossed to the Sphinx and then looked over at her friends. ‘Not to mention you are distracting Joel and Paelen and we need them to focus.’
    ‘No,’ Alexis said. ‘I will not wear this. Not unless you answer another riddle.’
    Emily groaned. ‘Not again.’
    ‘If you insist on me wearing clothing, I will only do it when you answer correctly.’
    The Sphinx moved closer to Emily and narrowed her green eyes.

    ‘ Riddle me, riddle me ranty ro
My father gave me seeds to sow
The seed was black and the ground was white
If you riddle me that
You’ll escape my bite .’

    Emily asked Alexis to repeat the riddle. Black seeds with white ground. After the last riddle, she knew the answer wouldn’t be clear or easy. One thing was sure, it would have nothing to do with planting at all. White ground and black seeds … What made the ground white? Snow! Finally she had a thought and snapped her fingers.
    ‘I know! It’s coal in a snowman’s eyes!’
    Alexis smiled and threw away the T-shirt. ‘Incorrect. I do not need to wear this.’
    ‘What is it then?’ Emily demanded.
    Alexis shook her head. ‘It is not my place to tell you the answer.’
    Emily threw up her arms in frustration and walked back to Pegasus. When she passed Joel, she shook her head. ‘Will you please talk to her?’
    Colour rose in Joel’s cheeks. ‘Um … well, I …’ He looked awkwardly over to the Sphinx. ‘I know you’ve got Pluto’s helmet and all, but it might be best if you put something on.’
    Alexis dropped her head and pouted. ‘You do not like me. You think I am ugly.’
    Joel jumped to his feet and approached the Sphinx. ‘Alexis, I think you’re amazing! But in our world, we tend to cover up. Please, for me?’
    Alexis held up the top dubiously. ‘Fine, but only for you.’
    Emily watched Joel fawning all over the Sphinx. With her raven-black hair and large green eyes, she was strikingly beautiful. But despite what everyone said, to Emily, Alexis was still just an overgrown, flying house cat!
    Emily felt the Flame within her stir. She knew she could control it and wouldn’t let it free. But at that moment she was tempted.
    Pegasus gently nudged her. Emily looked back into the stallion’s big brown eyes. ‘Thanks, Pegs,’ she said softly as she hugged his neck. ‘But why can’t he see it? She’s just toying with him.’
    When the sun had finally set, they packed up their things and prepared to