Artemis the Brave by Suzanne Williams, Joan Holub Page B

reply.
    Artemis jumped, and even Orion seemed taken aback at the booming voice. He quickly recovered, though. “But it’s important.”
    Zeus shot him an irritated glance, only then seeming to notice exactly who had tapped him. “YOU? YOU’RE THAT EXCHANGE STUDENT—ORNIE SLAR, RIGHT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING BACK?”
    “It’s O now,” Orion informed him helpfully. “Short for Orion Starr.”
    “O?” Zeus demanded, raising a quizzical brow. “WELL, WHAT DO YOU WANT-O?”
    Cupping his hands around his mouth, Orion stood on tiptoe to whisper something in Zeus’s ear that he obviously didn’t want anyone else to hear.
    Whatever he said made Zeus’s bushy red brows ram together in a deep, angry V. “YOU’RE SORRY YOU LEFT US IN THE LURCH-O?” he said, his loud voice filling the theater. “YOU WANT TO KNOW IF I’LL GIVE YOU BACK THE LEAD ROLE?”
    Artemis’s jaw dropped. Of all the conniving, double-dealing, underhanded moves! This marked a new low, even for Orion. How dare he? She’d never have offered him a ride if she’d known what he planned to do! Orion winced and hunched his shoulders, looking embarrassed that everyone in the theater now knew what he’d asked. Served him right. They were both risk takers, she and Orion. But there was a big difference between them. The risk she’d taken in the labyrinth today was to save her friends. Orion took risks only to benefit himself.
    “NO CAN DO. THAT PART HAS BEEN FILLED—QUITE WELL-O, I MIGHT ADD—BY DIONYSUS,” Zeus informed him.
    “Oh,” said Orion, looking momentarily at a loss.
    Ignoring him, Zeus turned toward the performers and technicians clamoring for his attention. Each seemed to have a problem that required a solution before the play could begin. It must be hard being a principal, King of the Gods, and a director, thought Artemis. But Zeus was handling it, firing off suggestions and quick fixes with ease.
    Nectar rolled over and put his head in Artemis’s lap, and she absently petted him. Meanwhile, Orion recovered and began trying to snag Zeus’s attention again, jumping up and down and clutching at his sleeve. He just wouldn’t give up!
    But Zeus continued to ignore him in favor of students who actually did need his help. Artemis saw Hades and a lizard-tailed technician direct his attention upward, pointing at a cluster of seven overhead lights. As Artemis looked at them too, Persephone joined her. “Hades said some of the lights for the grand finale aren’t working,” she said, staring upward as well.
    “I never realized that putting on a play could be so complicated,” said Artemis.
    When she glanced back at Zeus again, Hades and the technician were speaking earnestly and seriously to him. But Zeus was staring at Orion now, who had turned to walk away in dejection, as if he had finally given up hope of regaining the principal’s attention.
    Zeus shifted the scrolls he was holding in the crook of one arm and clapped his free hand onto Orion’s shoulder. “Ow!” Orion squeaked, as a tiny bolt of electricity from Zeus’s meaty fingers zapped through him.
    “Hold on a minute,” said the principal. He grinned hugely, as if he and Orion were suddenly best friends.
    Orion brightened. “Did you change your mind? Can I have the lead back?”
    “No. But Hades gave me an idea. I think we can figure out something else—a special part, just for you.” Zeus turned and winked at Hades, who only looked confused.
    “Mega-tastic!” Orion exclaimed. “I’ve memorized the entire script and am prepared to play any part.”
    “Excellent!” Zeus clapped his arms around Orion’s and Hades’ backs.
    “Ouch!” they said in unison as he began to lead them both backstage. Seeing his master slip away, Sirius bounded from the chariot to follow.
    “I hope you’re not afraid of heights,” Artemis thought she heard Hades murmur to Orion. That didn’t make any sense. Maybe he’d said afraid of lights . But that made even less sense.
    “Come