Persephone the Phony (Goddess Girls) Read Online Free PDF

"Do you know why they say that?"
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    She was surprised to realize that she didn't, and shook her head. "No, I never asked."
    Hades shrugged. "I don't know either." He paused. "I do spend a lot of time in Principal Zeus's office. Pheme saw me in there once, and I think she may have spread the word that I'm in trouble a lot."
    Persephone nodded. Pheme could well be the source of Hades' bad rap. "Why do you spend so much time in the office?" she asked.
    "Because Principal Zeus is cool."
    "Cool?"
    "Yeah. I mean, have you ever talked to the guy?"
    "No, he's kind of scary."
    "That's what I used to think too. I guess it would be hard no t to be intimidated by someone who's King of
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    the Gods and Ruler of the Heavens, on top of being principal of the academy. But I know what it's like to be judged unfairly, so I gave him a chance. Once I got past the fact that he's huge, speaks in a voice like thunder, and causes an electric shock every time he shakes my hand, I discovered he's a really great guy."
    "So you hang out in his office?" Persephone asked, fascinated.
    "I think he heard that some of the godboys give me a hard time." Hades paused, looking pained, and she wondered what awful experiences he was remembering. "So he invited me to eat lunch with him in his office every day," he went on. "Sometimes I study there too. Or we talk."
    He talke d to Principal Zeus? She hardly knew anyone
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    brave enough to go near him, much less talk to him. Except, of course, Athena. But then, Zeus was her da d. "So what do you talk about?"
    "Stuff." As if he were a little embarrassed he'd told her so much about himself, he seemed to suddenly close up tighter than a brand-new bud.
    Well, that explains the rumors, anywa y, thought Persephone. She was glad her gut feeling about Hades had been right after all. Still ... "Did you really know where Mr. Cyclops's other sandal was--the one Pheme found?"
    "Yep," said Hades, shooting her a look. "Didn't believe me, huh? I did, though. It washed up in the Underworld. I wanted to give it to you, but in the meantime Charon found it and towed it upriver."
    Persephone nodded. "I see." She knew about Charon. He was the old man who ferried the dead
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    across the River Styx to the Underworld. Glancing up at the sky, she noticed that the sun was getting low. She jumped up. "I'd better go. My mom will come looking for me again if I don't get home soon."
    Hades stood too. "I'd hate for you to get in trouble on my account," he said. "I don't usually talk so much, but--" He spread his hands, looking almost shy. "You're so easy to talk to."
    Persephone smiled. "You too. See you at school tomorrow." Quickly she changed into a dove and flew up the mountainside, darting through the clouds to the top of Mount Olympus.
    "Hi, Mom, I'm home!" she called out as she entered the house. There was no reply. She heard voices. Her mom must have guests.
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    Persephone wandered down the hallway to the courtyard. Then she stopped short. Her jaw dropped as her three friends and her mom whipped around to look at her. "How could you?" Demeter scolded. "I trusted you to keep your word!"
    Like a willow tree, Persephone stood rooted to the spot as her mom's words rained down on her. She couldn't believe it. Her friends must have tol d on her. But how had they known? Then she remembered the three hawks circling overhead--one with a black streak, one with golden tail feathers, and one brown ... the goddessgirls in disguise! They hadn't been hunting for birds or rabbits after all. They'd been hunting for he r.
    "You have no idea of the dangers in the world," Demeter ranted on. "Why, you could have gotten lost. You could've hurt yourself. You could've been abducted!"
    "How could I ? How could yo u?!" Persephone cried,
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    her shock turning to anger. She glanced at her friends, but none met her eye. Were they embarrassed for her? Suddenly the public humiliation was more than she could bear. Turning, she bolted down the hall to her room. Tears