Curse of the Sphinx (4 page)

Hope discovered her bedroom empty except for her bag and the statue. The closet, bathroom cabinets, shower stall, dresser drawers—all empty. Just like her life. She shoved the marble statue into her backpack and grabbed her worn canvas suitcase. With a sigh, she closed the door to the apartment and trudged down the concrete stairs to where her mother waited.

“I’m sorry. Maybe we can stay longer at the next place.” Leto’s eyes pleaded for understanding.

“Okay, Mom.” Her lips pressed tight, and her heart shrank from the acknowledgment.

As they pulled away from the curb, Hope noticed a tall man in black sprinting up the stairs toward their apartment.

“I’M HOME!” SHE
dropped her bag on the floor.

“Oh good.” Leto’s voice floated down the short hall of the apartment. “How was school?”

Hope shrugged. It was late July, and she was taking two classes at the community college out of desperation. She had two weeks’ worth of work to catch up on. It was a relief to have something to do before her junior year started.

The trust fund from Hope’s grandparents was substantial, but her mom kept them in quiet obscurity, just one more attempt to keep them from drawing attention.

Her mom poked her head around the corner of a small bedroom. “I said, ‘How was school?’”

“Fine.” It was always fine. Fine. Fine. Fine.

“Good.” Leto came out of her bedroom. “Can I get you a snack?”

Hope rolled her eyes. “I’m not five. I can get my own snack.”

A muscle in her mom’s jaw clenched. “Priska said she’s coming by tonight.”

“Does this mean we’re going to move again?”

The moving boxes were still stacked around the apartment. It would be another day before they would be unpacked. Maybe two.

“Ha, ha!” Leto went back into her room. “Go get your homework done. Maybe we can talk Priska into staying for games.”

At least that was something. With all the moving, it had been close to a year since they’d played any board games. It just wasn’t fun to play with two; all her favorites needed at least three players.

They hadn’t stayed in Vancouver much longer than they’d stayed in Mount Vernon or Kent. Same for Pasco, Bellingham, and Aberdeen. And now they were in Bellevue—but for how long?

The two-bedroom apartment they rented was on the second floor of an old complex, the last remaining complex in Bellevue with only two floors. The older buildings had been torn down in the last few years, rebuilt more in sync with the very modern, high-rise city. For whatever reason, this one had been spared. It meant cheaper rent, but transient occupants. Which was perfect.

“All right.” Hope picked up the gray backpack and headed to her room. Her bed was pushed up against the wall, and the cream comforter promised to make everything better. She pushed the empty boxes to the side and fell onto her bed.

The edge of something heavy dug into her ribs, and she rolled to the side. Her hand grasped a thick book, and she tugged the leather-bound volume out and let it drop to the floor with a thud. She lifted her head just enough to verify that it was the
Book of the Fates
. Her mom had given it to her the day before, and she’d thumbed through the story of her grandmother, Phaidra, but slammed it shut after only minutes of reading. She didn’t want to know any more of her depressing history, even if it was the only accurate record. She buried her face into the soft bedding.

“I put away most of your clothes, but you’ll need to finish your toiletries.” Leto’s voice came from the doorway.

“Mfft.”

“Are the kids at school nice? How are your teachers?”

She rolled over. “They’re fine.”

“I’m so glad. I think we’re going to like it here.”

“I’m sure we will. For at least a week.”

Leto said nothing.

Bellevue was just across the lake from Seattle. It boasted a large mall, several movie theaters, and restaurants on almost every corner. It was a nondenominational city, one with temples for most of the Olympians and several Titans. Not that any of this mattered. She would be going exactly nowhere without her mom or, if she was lucky, Priska.

“Priska will be here in an hour.”

Hope rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. “Okey-dokey.” She heard her mom’s forced exhalation, followed by her retreat down the hall.

When Priska came, Hope vented to her for what felt like hours, until Leto finally tapped on the door. “Sorry to interrupt, but it’s time for bed.”

Priska stood up. “Sorry you’re having a rough go, sweet girl. I’m sure it will get better.” She stooped and retrieved the leather-bound book on the floor. “Have you started reading this?”

“Not yet.” Guilt nagged at her conscience, and Hope pushed it down.

“Hmm. Maybe you should.”

The door closed, but didn’t latch. Hope could hear them speaking in the hall. She slid from the bed and crept across the floor, then eased the door open.

“I think this is important for her.” Her aunt made the statement as if it were fact. “She’s never had any friends—”

There was a snort.

“All I’m saying is I think it’s important for her to have friends, and that’s impossible if you move every few months and keep her under lockdown.”

Leto sighed. “You know it is only for her safety.”

“Hey.” Priska placated. “I’m on your side. On all of this, okay? I’m all about keeping you safe. I just think maybe it’s time to do something different. For her.”

“You’re right,” her mom whispered. “You’re right.”

Wait! Was that agreement? Hope could hardly believe it. She sat back and the door hit the wall with a thud. Crap!

“Hope? I know you’re listening. Why don’t you come out here?”

Busted. She slunk into the living room and looked at her mom and aunt.

“What’s going to be different?” Her teeth worried her lower lip. She was afraid to hope, and just as terrified not to.

Leto frowned. “Priska and I are going to finish our talk without you eavesdropping.” She sucked air through clenched teeth. “That will be different.”

Her mother pointed down the hallway, and Hope stomped off to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Nineteen days since last move

TAP TAP.

“Do you want to go into Seattle for the day?” Leto stood just outside her room, her hand hovering at the door.

Hope’s plans to spend the day in bed came to a screeching halt. Her book slipped from her fingers, and she turned to her mom. “What?” She couldn’t have heard that right.

“I thought it would be nice to go to Pike Place Market, and then maybe walk down to the aquarium.”

“Sure.” She threw off the covers and climbed out of bed.

“Great. Priska has work this morning, but said she could meet us for lunch.”

Hope froze, her mouth agape.

“This is me trying to do something a little different,” Leto said as way of explanation.

A
little
different? This was a lot different. A spark of something warm and exciting tingled as it spread from her chest. A quick dance through her closet found clean jeans and a T-shirt. Hope brushed her teeth and pulled her hair back in a hurry. Her mother could change her mind.

Leto chatted aimlessly about books and movies as they drove across the 520 Bridge, but Hope sat dumbfounded, barely listening. Finally, the suspense made the words explode out of her.

“Why are we doing this?”

Stillness settled between the two of them.

Leto sighed. “I don’t want you to turn out weird. I mean . . . any weirder.”

Weird? Hope laughed. “So, does this mean we’re going to start doing
normal
things?”

“I . . . I think we should try it. See how it goes. Maybe turn over a new leaf.”

“You mean I can make friends, have study groups . . . go on dates?” Un—freaking—believable. It felt like she had just won the lottery. She didn’t even know what it would mean, but the possibilities stretched out in front of her.

“Don’t push it. Let’s start small and see how things go.”

They parked on the street just south of the market and followed the scent of donuts to a tented stall. Armed with a paper bag full of hot cinnamon-sugar sweets, mother and daughter walked down to watch the mongers throw seafood.

The pungent smell of fish permeated the air. Two men in orange rubber overalls and boots talked with shoppers; another one was filling outstretched hands with samples of salmon jerky.

“TWO RED SNAPPER!” One of the men yelled an order, and then—

“WATCH YOUR HEAD!”

“RED SNAPPER!” A large fish flew through the air.

Hope cringed and ducked.

“SNAPPER ONE!” A man behind the counter caught the fish and ripped a large piece of brown butcher paper. The monger deftly wrapped the large fish, his fingers reaching for a roll of tape.

“RED SNAPPER TWO!”

She turned in time to see another fish soar over her head.

Somehow, the monger caught the fish midair. “SNAPPER TWO!” He turned back and tore another piece of butcher paper.

Her eyes wandered the crowd. At least fifty people were gathered on the sidewalk watching the show. A little girl screamed and pointed at a large fish on an ice display whose jaws were moving up and down. A man’s head bobbed up from behind the counter, and the crowd laughed.

A cloud passed over the struggling summer sun, and a chill blew through the air. Two kids climbed on a large brass pig, and one shouted for her picture to be taken.

Out of the shadows of the stairwell, a man seemed to materialize. Dressed in black, his pallid skin looked almost ashy. With no shirt but a tank top, he should have been cold in the morning air, but he moved through the crowd, as if unaware of the temperature. And no one moved out of his way. He bumped through the throng, not stopping to apologize, and it was almost like the people couldn’t—no, that couldn’t be. It was like they couldn’t see him.

The man looked up at her, and her breath caught. His eyes!

“Mom!” She tugged at Leto’s coat.

Leto, laughing at the fish show, turned to her daughter. “What’s the matter?”

She pointed to the crowd where the apparition had been. Except . . . he was gone. Disappeared. She scanned the surrounding crowd looking for the otherworldly creature. He’d evaporated.

Hope swallowed. If she told her mom what she’d seen, would they ever go out again? “Nothing. I thought I saw something, but . . . it was nothing.”

“By the gods, don’t scare me like that.” Her hand relaxed and came out of her purse empty, but shaking.

Hope hung her head, but her heart was still pumping. “Sorry.”

“No worries.” Leto pulled her phone from her purse, and tapped at the screen. “I’m just telling Priska where we are so she can meet us for lunch. She said she’d be caught up in a couple hours.” She put the phone back and glanced around the square before her eyes settled on Hope. “Let’s go see what else is here.”

“Okay.” Her eyes flitted over the throng, but there was no sign of the dark figure.

They went through countless artisan’s stands, and then into the open-air stalls where piles of produce, herbs, and vegetation surrounded them. The temperature had risen with the climbing sun, and Hope asked when Priska would be there so they could get lunch.

“At least another hour. Oh, let’s get some flowers for her.” Leto surveyed the premade arrangements wrapped in white paper. “You know how she loves Gerbera daisies.” She pointed at a bunch with red and orange blooms.

Hope looked up from the bouquets to see the shadows at the back of the stall shift. A short man dressed in black advanced, his step both graceful and predatory.

This was not the same man she had seen by the Fish Market earlier, and yet his movements were eerily similar, as were his pale skin and dark eyes.

Her heart rate doubled, and instinctively, she stepped back. Her conversation with Priska came crashing back to her. She knew what this was.

“Leto! Hope!” Priska’s petite figure pushed through the crowd toward them. Time seemed to slow.

Leto took the change from the vendor and turned toward her best friend, her expression morphing from excitement to terror. The paper-wrapped bouquet slipped to the ground.

Hope’s eyes shifted from her mother to her aunt, and her muscles tensed even as her vision tunneled. Out of the corner of her eye, the dark figure was coming straight for them. She suppressed the cry that bubbled up her throat.

Priska crashed into them, grabbing at both of them with shaky limbs. Her head jerked side to side, her eyes bulging. “Holy Hades! WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THE GODS ARE YOU DOING
HERE
?”