Emily and her companions, including the winged horse, Pegasus, must confront a legion of Olympic enemies in this third book of an action-packed series. When Emily’s father and the goddess Diana return from a visit to Earth, they bring with them disturbing news. There’s a horse called Tornado Warning that’s winning all the races, with times faster than anyone’s ever seen. What could this mean? Emily, Joel, Paelen, Pegasus, and the sphinx Alexis return to Earth to investigate—and discover a CRU plot to clone Olympians and Nirads using DNA retrieved from their previous time in the human realm. The CRU has already created dozens of Nirad warriors, Dianas, Paelens, Cupids, and Pegasuses. Now they want to create their own Emily clone—even if the original is killed in the process. Can Emily and her friends put a stop to the CRU’s plans before Jupiter finds out and carries through on his own threat to destroy the Earth? Kate O’Hearn was born in Canada, raised in New York City, and has traveled all over the United States. She currently resides in England. Kate is the author of the Pegasus series, the Shadow Dragon series, the Titans series, the Valkyrie series, and the Atlantis series. Visit her at KateOHearn.com. The New Olympians 1 THE ROAR OF THE CROWD was deafening. Olympians sprang to their feet cheering on the very first inter-Olympian soccer match. The Solar Streamers were playing Hercules’s Heroes, but this was no ordinary soccer match. The scene on the field was as impressive and extraordinary as you would expect on Olympus. When Joel first proposed the event, he was amazed by how many Olympians wanted to get involved. Now, with a full stadium of spectators cheering him on, Joel, captain of the Solar Streamers, expertly maneuvered the ball down the pitch and between the legs of a charging satyr. The half goat, half boy turned and charged after him as if his very life depended on it. Joel broke through the defense line and passed the black-and-white ball to his Olympian teammate and friend Paelen, who dashed forward to get into position. The winged boar, Chrysaor, caught up with Joel and drove away the Hercules’s Heroes defenders, Mercury and Minerva, while Pegasus flew across the field over a line of centaurs and giants and called to Paelen to pass the ball. With a quick kick, the ball was in the winged stallion’s possession. Emily sat on the sidelines beside Jupiter. She marveled at how adept Pegasus was at a sport he and the other Olympians had only just learned. Pegasus was able to keep moving forward while the ball remained in play between his four hooves. Suddenly a satyr ducked beneath Pegasus and stole the ball away. Moving swiftly on his goat legs, he kicked it back to his teammates. But no sooner did the opposing team have the ball than a young female centaur on Joel’s team made a move that caused the crowd to cheer even louder. Leaping gracefully into the air, she blocked a high kick with her brown equine body. As the ball touched down on the ground, she expertly kicked it forward to Joel. Running toward the goal line, Joel and Paelen kept the soccer ball moving between them. Finally Joel moved into position to shoot it at the goal. “Go for it, Joel!” Emily shouted from her seat. “Shoot!” The opposing side’s goalkeeper was a terrifying sight. The Sphinx reared on her lion’s haunches, spread her arms and eagle’s wings wide, and prepared to block Joel’s shot. With one quick dart away from a young Nirad defender, Joel kicked the ball. It flew in the air and then seemed to arch as if it had a life all its own. It caught the upper bar of the goalposts and flew into the net above the head of the Sphinx. When the goalkeeper saw the ball enter her goal, she roared in fury and sprang forward, tackling Joel to the ground. Emily’s heart nearly stopped. The Sphinx had Joel pinned down with her large lion paws. She threw back her head, roaring a second time, and raised a fearsome paw in the air, as if to tear into him with her sharpened claws. “Jupiter, stop her!” Emily cried to the leader of Olympus standing beside her. “The Sphinx will tear him apart!” But instead of moving to stop the attack, Jupiter cheered louder and started to applaud. He leaned closer to her. “My dear child, Alexis may be short-tempered, but she knows this is just a game. Joel is perfectly safe.” Jupiter paused and looked at all the men in the stands raising their hands and cheering. “I am certain that Joel is the subject of many Olympians’ envy.” Out on the field, the players on Joel’s team continued to celebrate the goal, unconcerned by the goalkeeper’s assault on their star player. Finally the Sphinx brushed back the hair from Joel’s eyes, leaned forward, and kissed him full and long on the lips. “Foul!” shouted Emily as she ran furiously onto the field. Pushing between the players, she shoved the goalkeeper. “Get off him!” As the Sphinx climbed slowly off Joel, her serpent’s tail swished playfully