Greek and Norse mythology meet in this new adventure starring Demon, the half-god Beast Keeper of Mount Olympus! Mount Olympus is preparing for the arrival of some special guests: the mighty gods from Asgard in the North. And it seems that Odin, the ruler of the Asgardians, has an important mission for Demon. Goldbristle, the gods’ prized shining boar, is losing his light. Now Demon must travel north and search this cold, snowy land for anything that might cure him. The latest installment in this chapter book series by Lucy Coats blends elements of mythology, fantasy, animals, and adventure with plenty of humor and heart. Lucy Coats studied English and Ancient History at Edinburgh University, then worked in children's publishing and now writes full-time. She is a gifted children's poet and has also written several picture book texts. She is widely respected for her lively retellings of myths. Her 12-book series, Greek Beasts and Heroes, was published by Orion in the U.K. Beasts of Olympus is her first series published in the U.S. Chapter 1: Stranger! Demon secretly breathed out a sigh of relief as he waved farewell to his teacher. The centaur headed off down the steep slope of Mount Pelion. Chiron carried a large bundle in his arms that was cooing and gurgling. Baby Hygeia was all cured now, so he was taking her home to her parents at last. Demon could finally get on with a full day of quiet studying. Babysitting, he decided, was a very tiring job. He much preferred looking after his beasts. However, Chiron liked him to write up his notes on each case. First of all, Demon put on his pink-tinted opticles and got out the beautiful red-and-gold leather journal that the goddess Athena had given him for saving the phoenix. He sucked on the end of his quill for a moment and then began to form careful letters on the page as the pink light of dawn lit up the cave. Babies: How to Look After Them , he wrote. But before he could get down another word, there was a whooshing sound outside the cave. A wisp of multicolored light snaked in and tapped him on the shoulder. “That faun Bion is in trouble again,” said Iris, goddess of the rainbow. “Hop in. You’re needed back at the Stables.” This time, Demon’s sigh was loud and impatient. It was taking much longer than he’d expected to teach his brand-new assistant all the stuff he needed to know about the Stables of the Gods. With Demon needing to explain everything about a hundred times, it was all taking twice as long as it should have. “What’s he gone and done now?” he asked rather wearily as he climbed aboard. He wasn’t sure he was cut out for being a teacher. “I believe the griffin mentioned something about a bull fight and a pen on fire.” Demon closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. This was the third incident in as many days. The two brass bulls were becoming a pain in his neck. “You’d better hurry, Iris,” he said. “Hold on to your hair, then,” said the rainbow goddess as she whisked him up and away to Olympus. *** Demon pulled a neatly folded packet out of one of the rather messy drawers in the hospital shed and pointed to it with a stern finger. “This,” he said, waving it under the faun’s nose, “is the Patent Pyro-Protection Suit. Remember? The one you have to put on to keep yourself safe when the fiery beasts get going. How many times have I told you that?” Bion hung his head. Half the curly hair on his head was singed and smoking slightly, and one arm was red and burnt-looking. “Sorry, Demon,” he mumbled. “I forgot. Khalko and Kafto started fighting again, and then they got out and set the sun hay on fire, and I just panicked a bit. Some of it’s all burnt and wet now. Doris was rather enthusiastic with the water buckets.” “Right,” Demon said. “I’m fed up with those two bully boys. If they won’t stop fighting and flaming, we’ll have to separate them. Come on, you can help.” He looked at Bion. “But first we’d better put some soothing ointment on those burns. I think I’ve got some left from when I treated the big winged horse.” Just as they were persuading a reluctant Khalko to enter his new fireproof pen, there was an unusual uproar outside. “Hey, Pan’s scrawny kid,” said a familiar voice. “Come quick—something’s happening!” It was the griffin—and its orange eyes were blazing with excitement. Demon latched the pen firmly, and then ran out with Bion. Something was indeed happening. A chattering commotion came from a group of nymphs and cherubs hovering around a stranger who was clad in a long cloak of white furs and carrying a golden horn that twisted around his whole body like a giant snake. His hair was also white, and his white beard was plaited into three jutting forks. As Demon came closer, he saw that the man’s eyes were the pale white-blue of an early winter sky. “Who in the world is that?” he whispered to the griffin. “Dunno,” it said. “Never seen him before.” The stranger put the horn to his lips and blew. It made a sound like no othe