"We are," he replies, hugging me back, but looking totally unhappy.

Then you just stopped by to see me?" He can be so sweet, especially for a descendant of Ares. Nothing warlike about Griffin. Ofcourse there's the Hercules side of him. too. I lace my fingers through his. "I missed you."

He smiles nervously.

I can't tell what's going on in his head. You would think that after going out for nearly nine months, I'd have a little better insight into what makes his mind tick. But no. Hematheos guys aren't any easier to figure out than the regular ones.

Still, I can tell there's something he's not saying.

Damian's ability to read minds would sure come in handy right now.

"Actually"-he squeezes my hand-"I'm here to-"

His gaze shifts. His blue eyes look over my shoulder and he smiles.

Before I turn around, I know what I'm going to see.

"Hey, Dara." he says with a little wave.

Adara is standing at the base of the steps, just a few feet away. and looking disgustingly vulnerable. Where is the haughty lift of her brows? The disdainful smirk on her lips?

I frown. This must be her tactic-playing the victim about something so Griffin feels compelled to help her. He swears no one but me and Damian knows he's half descended from Hercules, so I'm sure she's not knowingly exploiting the heroic compulsion. But she's up to something. The stench of Steal Back My Boyfriendis overwhelming, even from this distance.

I'm kinda disappointed Griffin would even fall for this.

Turning back to me. he says. "Look. Phoebes, I need to talk to her. I'll catch up with you at six. okay?"

Then, before I can answer-by saying. "Um, excuse me?"-he gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and then jogs over to Adara's side, leaving me in the dust. What is going on here? I feel like a total jealous witch, even though I knowthere is nothing romantic going on between them. I know that. Right? Not on his side, anyway. But Adara…?

Prepared to stake my claim, I start after them.

"Castro!" Stella's authoritative voice calls out, stopping me in my tracks with one foot hovering mid-stalk.

"Yes?" I squeak, twisting around to see her glaring down at me from the top of the steps.

With her fists on her hips and a determined look in her cool gray eyes, she looks like a girl on a mission. And I have a sinking feeling that Iam the mission.

"You and I need to chat." Clearly sensing I'm about to make some excuse, she adds, "Now."

With a glance at my boyfriend chatting with his ex I sigh. "Fine."

She stomps down the steps.

"Listen," she snaps. "I've been a Goddess Boot Camp counselor for three years, and I haven't failed a camper yet. I'm not about to start with you."

"So?" I ask. stealing a glance at Griffin and Adara. I nearly pounce when he puts his hand on her shoulder.

"So?"Stella repeats. "You pose a somewhat more"-she searches for the word-"challenging educational situation."

"Why is that?" I ask absently.

How can Griffin do that, knowing I'm right here watching them?

The ex-couple move down the path and 'round the corner of the building, disappearing from my sight. I can't believe this.

"Because-and it kills me to say this," Stella says, letting out a severely exasperated sigh, "you have the most natural power of any hematheos1 have ever known."

Griffin and Adara instantly forgotten, I turn on Stella.

"What?"

I can't have heard her right. That sounded like… a compliment.

"Most kids have trouble bringing their powers to the surface. Yours liveon the surface. They bubble out when you're not even trying."

Is that envy in her voice?

"That's highly unusual. Rare, even. Once you learn to harness them, you'll be at least as powerful as I am." She purses one side of her mouth, like she can't believe what she's about to say. "Maybe more."

"I'm sorry." I shake my head. That definitelysounded like a compliment. "What?"

"You heard me," she retorts. "I won't say it again."

"Wow," I say, in utter shock. Stella actually complimented me. I didn't think that was in her vocabulary. I'm surprised she didn't spontaneously combust at the effort.

"Earth to Phoebe," she says, snapping her fingers in front of my face. "Focus on the bigger picture here, please."

I scowl. "How do you know what I'm focusing on?"

She just cocks her eyebrows, as if to say, How do you think?

Then it hits me. Her dad has this uncanny ability to read minds- or emotion- or whatever he's admitting to at the time. She probably inherited that talent from him.

'What, is reading minds like a Hera thing?"

"Didn't you review the study guide?" She crosses her arms over her chest, daring me to try sarcasm again. '"Psycbospection,.the ability to see into the minds of others, is a power derived from the queen of the gods."

"Oh." And I thought I was kidding.

That would be apretty cool power to have. No more trying to guess what Griffin is thinking or what Adara's motives are. Too bad I'm not a descendant of Hera.

"All hematheoshave this power," Stella says, answering my thoughts, "To some degree, anyway. It's how the powers thing works. In addition to a primary ability from your specific ancestor 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?"