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them?”
    “The harmless ones still live among us, although they create illusions to hide their true forms,” Darius said. “They don’t want to risk humans killing them with technology or using them in experiments. Then there are some dangerous creatures who aren’t in Kerberos because they didn’t support the Titans in the Second Rebellion. They’re also aware that human technology is a threat, so they keep a low profile. The Elders take care of any problems they create.”
    I nodded, since I had a feeling that “taking care” of them meant killing them.
    “More present-day references to the Greek gods exist than you realize,” Darius continued. “Chris’s shoes are a prime example.”
    I glanced at Chris’s sneakers, which looked like they came straight from the eighties—white with the blue Nike swoosh mark on the side. I had a similar pair in pink.
    “Sneakers are from the Greek gods?” I asked. “I always thought the Greeks wore leather sandals.”
    “Not sneakers.” Darius chuckled. “I’m referring to the brand. Nike.”
    I frowned, because of course I’d heard of Nike. My town in Georgia might be small compared to Kinsley, but I wasn’t from another planet. “How does Nike relate to the gods?” I asked.
    “Nike is the Greek goddess of victory, speed, and strength.” He counted off each trait on his fingers. “Does the Nike swoosh remind you of anything else?”
    “Isn’t it a checkmark?”
    “Look closer,” he said. “What else do you see?”
    I squinted and tilted my head to view it from a different angle. “Nothing else,” I said. “Only the checkmark.”
    “As most people do.” He took off his glasses and cleaned the lenses with his sweater. “But the goddess Nike is also known as the Winged Goddess of Victory. The swoosh is the shape of a wing.”
    “Hmm.” I studied Chris’s shoes. “Now that you say it, I do kind of see it.”
    Darius smiled, then refocused on the class. “As I mentioned before break, we’re going to view the comet together tomorrow night.” He picked up a piece of chalk and wrote on the board. “This is my address, and I expect you all to be there by 9:00 PM. This event should be viewed as a mandatory ‘field trip.’ Anyone who doesn’t show up without a written excuse from a parent will have detention for a month.”
    The bell rang, and I wrote down the address.
    After all, the last thing I needed on my first week at a new school was detention.

CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    Darius lived on Odessa Road, the main street through town. Kate and I arrived at his house about five minutes before nine o’clock. Wind whipped through the air as we walked down the sidewalk, and I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to ignore the numbing cold.
    Darius’s log cabin didn’t fit in with the typical New England homes in the area. Trees surrounded it on all sides, and if I didn’t know any better, I would have thought it was the only house around for miles.
    Hearing chattering from outside, Kate and I followed the sidewalk to the backyard. It was big enough to fit everyone from our homeroom. No clouds blocked the stars, making it a perfect night to watch the comet.
    The only thing not perfect was the temperature. Even though Kate told me that it was warmer than a usual January night in Massachusetts, my blood still felt like it would turn to ice if I stood in one place for too long. Hopefully the leggings underneath my jeans, the black sheepskin boots that reached my knees, and puffy jacket would be enough protection from the biting cold.
    People were gathered on the deck, around a steel container for drinks, and I walked over to grab one. Hot chocolate came out of the small faucet. I blew on it to cool it down, enjoying the tingling warmth of steam on my cheeks.
    “Are you excited for the comet?” someone asked over my shoulder. I jumped, splattering a few drops of hot chocolate on the deck, and turned to find Chris. I hadn’t noticed his eyes before, but now,