Goddess Boot Camp

god, we have powers derived from all twelve Olympians-which you would know if you had read the study guide. The closer you are on the tree, the stronger allthe powers.'

And I assumed the powers were more of a vague, limitless thing. I never thought about there being different kinds. Or where they came from.

'So I can read minds?'

'Not likely.' She snickers. 'Only descendants of Hera can literally read minds. Most hematheos just sense basic emotions or general ideas.'

Good. The last thing I need is everyone reading my mind. It's badenough if Stella can. Especially when I'm thinking about how much she-

'Wait,' I say, remembering what caused the whole living-birthday-cake incident. 'Does that mean you-'

One word. She didn't even hear the question, but I know she knows.

'I'm sorry,' I say, meaning it. I may not like Stella all the time, but she is the closest thing to a sister that I have. Besides, I don't like being mean to anyone-except Adara, of course. It's bad karma or something. And 1 don't need to invite more bad luck than I already have.

'The bigger picture,' she prods. 'You can apologize profusely after you pass the test.'

'Oh, right.' I set aside my personal berating. 'I'm superpowerful. What docs that mean?'

'It means your powers are harder to control. They work with very little effort.' She flicks her highlight-heavy hair over her shoulder. 'You need to learn how to control them properly so they stop unintentionally going off.'

That makes my powers sound like a burglar alarm. Like if I accidentally open the door, I have three seconds to enter the code or the police will report to the scene. At least I don't have sirens blaring every time my powers mess up. Although that would at least let me know when it's happened.

'How exactly do I do that?' I ask. I've been training for months. and they're still out of control. 'It's not like I haven't been trying.'

'But you haven't had my undivided attention.' She smiles smugly. 'I can work miracles when I have full focus and a plan.'

I shiver at the thought of being Stella's full focus.

'What makes you think you know the magic formula? No one else does.'

'Because I've done it before.'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean, Daddy told you there was another student who had to pass the gods' test, right?'

I gasp. 'That was you?'

'No, of course not.' She scowls, like how could I be so stupid? 'Under my tutelage, that student passed the test.'

Tutelage? That sounds too much like torture.

But it's kind of reassuring to know that other student passed the test. With Stella's help. Plus, that means she can dish some more details on the test. Like what that test will be like and what might happen if I fail the test.

'With this other student., I begin. 'How did they-'

'I'm going to go through some of my old training lesson plans this afternoon.' She cuts off my question and checks her watch. 'Why don't we meet back home at six to discuss the plan?'

'Can't,' I say, stifling a growl. She always acts so superior. 'Griffin and I have a training run.'

Stella turns on her stern face. 'I really think this is more important-'

'No.' As if anything is more important to me than running. 'I'll do whatever it takes to learn to control my powers, but I am notgiving up running. The Pythian Games trials are less than two weeks away and I plan on qualifying. I can't do that if I don't train every day.'

She looks like she wants to argue. Or like she's reading my thoughts.

Read this: No, no. no. no. no.

'Fine,' she says, exasperated. 'How about after dinner? You will be home for dinner, won't you?'

'Sure,' I say, even though I wonder how dinner will go when it's just the two of us. We had plenty of dinner-table battles when our respective parents were there to intercede. Who knows what could happen when we're alone. Hesper might have to intervene.

'And if you're late,' she says with a wicked smile, 'I might reconsider my decision to not seek vengeance for my wedding hair color.'

An image flashes in my mind, an image of me with hot-pink streaks in my dark brown hair. At this point, I'm not sure if the image is a result of my overactive imagination or if there's some power that lets her plant it in my mind-I needto read that study guide-but either way it's not very appealing.

I give Stella my best glare. 'Oh, I'll be there.'

* * *

'Did you have your talk with Adara?' I ask Griffin as we start our run. I swallow my irritation, trying for innocuous. After dwelling on my reaction all afternoon. I finally decide I have to face it head-on.

I can't pretend it never happened, but I will give him a chance to explain.

'Yeah.'

That's it. No details.

'Was it something about school?' I probe. No response. 'Or summer?'

'No.'

We jog in silence for several long seconds. Just when I think he's not going to offer anything more, he says. 'It's a personal thing, Phoebes. Adara's going through some stuff and I'm helping her out. There's nothing to it.'

'Oh.' His sincerity makes me feel like a jerk. 'Okay.'

I never wanted to be one of those jealous girlfriends, so I'm just going to let this roll off my back like trash talk on the racecourse. That doesn't mean I like it any better than I did two hours ago. But maybe that's my problem, not his.

Besides, I don't doubt his commitment. He can withstand her advances.

This time, the silence is comfortable. We're training on the crosscountry course today, a course we've run so many times we could make it blindfolded.

My thoughts drift-like always-to this kind of Zen-like state where my mind disconnects from my body. Not really, of course. but there's a distance that lets me think about whatever-usually Dad-and then link back in to check on my body. It's hard to describe, but it's what gets me through the long races. Only this time, instead of thinking about Dad's smoting and whether he knowinglymade that choice, my thoughts jump ahead to my own situation. To my out-of-control super-superpowers, to the test I have no idea how to take, to the camp where I will be spending my days for the next two weeks, the camp full of ten-year-olds, (sometimes) evil stepsisters and archenemies, and enigmatic rebel boys who are supposedly there for my sake-whatever that means.

'What's the deal with Xander Katara?' I ask before I realize I'm going to.

'Katara?' Griffin gets that adorable scowl between his brows. 'Why do you want to know about him?'

'He's one of the counselors.' I remember him leaning back on his elbows, staring at the sky while everyone else did introductions. 'All he said about himself was, 'Xander Katara. Level 13.' Didn't even say who he descends from. Total enigma.'

'Sounds like him.'

Our arms brush as we squeeze through a narrow section of the cross-country course. Glancing