Pegasus and the Origins of Olympus Read Online Free PDF Page B

asked.
    ‘It’s very easy,’ Jupiter said. ‘And you do not have to be Olympian to use it, Steve.’ The leader of Olympus waved his hand closer to the arch and the Solar Stream opened again, only now the light was contained within the marble ring.
    ‘All you need do is step close to it and it will open. This is a direct route to Xanadu only. It will not take you anywhere else.’
    ‘But what about from there to here? How do we get back?’ Joel asked.
    ‘A good question,’ Neptune said. ‘We will shortly go to Xanadu to build the same thing and link them together. It will be a permanent tunnel between the two worlds.’
    Jupiter clapped his hands together. ‘First, our builders will take their supplies through and build the arch at the other end.’ He pointed to his brothers. ‘Then we shall go to seal the Solar Stream in place.’
    He turned to Emily. ‘After that, my dear child, it will be time for us to take you home.’
    ‘But Olympus is my home,’ Emily cried.
    At her alarm, Pegasus nickered and came closer to her.
    ‘Of course it is,’ Jupiter corrected. ‘Nephew, calm down,’ he said to Pegasus. ‘I was speaking historically. Of course Olympus will always be Emily’s home, you know that. But if she is indeed Xan, that must be part of her home too. We cannot deny her her origins.’
    That calmed the stallion as he pressed his head to Emily.
    ‘Thanks, Pegs,’ she whispered gratefully, putting her arms around his neck. She turned to Jupiter. ‘When will it be ready for all of us to go?’
    ‘First thing tomorrow,’ Jupiter said. ‘We will summon you when we are ready.’
    As Emily, Pegasus and her friends filed out of the room, Emily looked back at the arch. That portal might hold the answers to the source of her powers. But as she looked at all the odd items in the room, a good part of her really didn’t want to know.

5
    It was late the next morning when Jupiter called everyone back to the artifact chamber. Pluto and Neptune were on Xanadu and were waiting for them.
    He also instructed everyone to bring extra clothing and bedding. The journey to Xanadu was a long one and they would be spending several nights there.
    They gathered before the arch in excitement. Jupiter stepped forward and raised his hand to the portal. When it burst to life, everyone filed into the Solar Stream.
    The journey was longer than Emily could have imagined. Travelling within the power of the Solar Stream, time could not be measured, but she was sure it had to be well over a full day.
    Pegasus was beating his wings as they moved, but it wasn’t really necessary. To her left, Diana, Apollo and her father travelled without the use of wings or any other flying method. She smiled as she watched her father with his arms outstretched, looking like Superman.
    Speaking and being heard within the roaring of the Solar Stream was next to impossible. With nothing to do, and unable to talk to anyone, Emily leaned forward on Pegasus’s strong neck and let the rhythmic beating of his wings lull her into a deep sleep.
    She emerged from the stone temple and dashed into the dense green jungle. She put on more speed as she moved along paths as old as time itself; rushing past the great statues of her people and dodging around the massive trees. This was her home. Her sanctuary. Her world. But they were all about to leave it. To go on.
    They said they would try to wait for her. But when the stars aligned, they would go with or without her.
    ‘Please don’t let me be too late …’ she begged. ‘Please!’
    Around her, the jungle was alive. All the creatures she knew and loved wished her well and offered their heartfelt farewells.
    ‘Not much further,’ she cried. ‘Please wait for me, I am almost there.’
    But even as she forced more speed she could feel the power of the others building. They had waited as long as they could. But the stars above were aligned. They could wait no longer.
    ‘No!’ she howled as she felt their