The Secret Fire by Whitaker Ringwald

to Zeus,” Pandora said.
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œIt is forbidden for us to travel to your world. Pyrrha went without Zeus’s permission. If he findsout that she broke his law, he will require some sort of retribution.” Tears welled in the corners of her eyes. “He has long tormented my family. He must not discover that Pyrrha has broken his law.”
    â€œThat means we can’t ask for his help,” I said. This realization hit me like ice water.
    â€œYou came here to seek help from my father?” Hephaestus laughed, but it was not joyful. It was a tragic kind of laugh. “Foolishness.”
    â€œYou do not need Zeus’s help,” Pandora said. “Hephaestus is the one who forged the urns. He has the power to destroy them. That is why I summoned him.”
    Hephaestus took another swig of ambrosia, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I am far too busy to deal with matters of the mortal world,” he said gruffly.
    â€œListen to me!” Pandora cried. Anger flashed across her face. Her eyes turned fiery. “You will help these mortals!”
    Was she actually giving orders to a god? Was this going to get dangerous? Where was the nearest exit?
    Hephaestus rose to his feet. He began breathing very quickly and his face went red. Steam drifted from his ears and nose. The entire room turned hotall of a sudden. I wanted to run, but I sat glued to my chair. “You dare tell me what to do?” he bellowed.
    Pandora bravely stood her ground at the opposite end of the table. “I know you do not care if my husband lives or dies in the mortal world. But I speak the truth when I say that you bear some responsibility for the tragedy that has befallen my family. And now you have the opportunity to set things right.”
    His long greasy hair hung across his face, but I could see that he was staring at her with his one good eye. The steam disappeared, but he didn’t say anything.
    Pandora softened her voice. “Please, Hephaestus. Please make things right. You loved me once, long ago. If you won’t do it for me, do it for Pyrrha. She has always cared for you.”
    Tyler’s mouth was wide open. This was like watching a soap opera. Hephaestus had loved her. She’d rejected him. But now she needed him. We waited for his response. I had no idea what was about to happen.
    He grunted. Then he pushed the hair from his eyes. “You speak the truth,” he finally said. “I am partially responsible. I was distracted by drink when Prometheus stole fire from my forge. That stupid oaf.What a lot of trouble he has caused.”
    The sound of thunder rumbled again in the distance. Hephaestus looked out the window. “I will help these mortals.”
    I was sitting in a chair, at a table. And then, I wasn’t.
    In the span of a heartbeat, without warning, the room turned black and then I was standing on a ledge, looking down into a huge cave. Tyler was standing next to me. I wasn’t sure what had happened. Or where we were. But what I knew was that Tyler was squeezing my arm real hard. “Is that . . .” He gasped. “Is that a Cyclops?”

15
Jax
    P yrrha and I both bowed as two women walked past. They wore equally dazed expressions on their faces. Guess that’s what happens when you’ve had your brain erased. “The one purpose,” we all said. As soon as they’d turned a corner, Pyrrha opened a door and we stepped outside.
    Morning had arrived. The temperature was already warming. We were standing between two long buildings—more spokes on the wheel that was the design of this weird place. There was some noise in the distance. Some of the followers werecarrying flowers and balloons. “What’s going on?” I asked.
    â€œIt’s for the reopening ceremony.”
    â€œOh, right. Wait, why would he reopen this museum? Why would he want tourists walking around?”
    â€œHe is not going to