Changing Fate (Book 1: The God and The Titan)

5

SALLY JACKSON was a witch to rival Circe. She had transformed Meg from a street urchin into a shockingly pretty young girl. Meg's dark pageboy hair was glossy and brushed. Her round face was scrubbed clean of grime. Her cat-eye glasses had been polished so the rhinestones sparkled. She had evidently insisted on keeping her old red sneakers, but she wore new black leggings and a knee-length frock of shifting green hues.

Mrs. Jackson had figured out how to keep Meg's old look but tweak it to be more complementary. Meg now had an elfish springtime aura that reminded me very much of a dryad.

She was also able to transform Emma into a beautiful young woman that could make Aphrodite jealous. She was dressed in a sky blue long sleeve t-shirt, her silver ski jacket, blue jeans with her swords around her waist, her black boots. In fact....

A sudden wave of emotion overwhelmed me. I choked back a sob.

"What" Emma mumbled. "Do I look bad?"

"No, no," I managed. "It's just..."

I wanted to say: You remind me of someone. But I didn't dare open that line of conversation. Only two mortals ever had broken my heart. Even after so many centuries, I couldn't think of them, I couldn't say their names without falling into despair.

I felt a small attraction to Emma. I was sixteen (or four thousand plus, depending on how you looked at it) and she was eighteen, the way she appeared now, reminded me of both my former loves. It was too painful. I looked away. She walked up to me and fixed a flap on the jacket I was wearing. "What, if you're going to wear it, wear right,̈ Emma stated.

¨Well,̈ Sally Jackson said with forced cheerfulness, ¨How about I made some lunch while you four talk.¨

She gave Percy a worried glance, then headed to the kitchen, her hands protectively over her pregnant belly.

Meg sat on the edge of the sofa. ¨Percy, your mom is so normal.¨

̈ ̈Yeah ̈ Emma quietly mumbled, ̈At least you have a caring one,¨

I don't think I was supposed to do that. I felt bad for Emma, and curious about what she'd meant.

̈Thanks, I guess.¨ He picked up a stack of test preparation manuals from the coffee table and chucked them aside. ¨I see you like to study,¨ I said. ̈ ̈Well done.¨

Percy snorted. ¨I hate to study. I've been guaranteed admission with a full scholarship to New Rome University, but they ́re still requiring me to pass all my high school courses and score well on the SAT. Can you believe that? Not to mention I have to pass the DSTOMP."

"The what?" Meg asked.

"An exam for Roman Demigods," I told her. "The Demigod Standard--"

"Test of Mad Powers." Emma finished my sentence.

Percy frowned. "That's what it stands for?"

"I should know. I wrote the music and poetry analysis sections."

"I'll never forgive you for that." Percy said

"Apollo, you're a nerd." Emma remarked.

Meg swung her feet. "So you're really a demigod? Like me?"

"Afraid so." Percy sank into the armchair, leaving me to the sofa next to Meg and Emma. "My dad is the godly one--Poseidon. What about your parents, Meg? Emma?"

Meg legs went still. She studied her chewed cuticles, the matching crescent rings glinting on her middle fingers. "Never knew them...much."

Emma didn't answer Percy's question. I could tell she was more uncomfortable than Meg with the idea of who her parents were, as well.