Medea the Enchantress Read online

  When Medea felt ready, she slowly opened her eyes and looked down to view the image reflected in her mirror—that of the star-filled heavens high above her. Holding her wand in the most precise position, fifth, she carefully touched its gold tip to the surface of the mirror. Tap! With all her might she focused the power of her gaze and sent it hurtling into the mirror, where it was then bounced high overhead into the night sky. On the mirror’s surface, she watched pin dots of light magically rearrange themselves.

  After a few silent moments she lifted her eyes to gaze out at the judges. She smiled. “All finished,” she announced.

  The judges and students in the crowd glanced around curiously, not understanding. “But what did you do?” one of the judges finally asked.

  Medea raised one finger, pointing up and directing everyone’s attention toward the heavens. Amazed and delighted gasps rippled across the auditorium as everyone saw what she’d done. One by one, bright pinpoints of light were appearing overhead, forming a pattern of new stars among those already in the night sky.

  “In honor of Jason and the Argonauts, I have created a constellation in the shape of their ship, the Argo,” Medea explained once the stars had settled. “From now on it will be visible each night in the springtime sky. And as the Earth rotates, the star ship will appear to sail westward, skimming along the southern horizon of the Mediterranean Sea, just as Jason’s ship did. It will be known as Argo Navis, the biggest constellation in the sky.”

  There was a moment of stunned silence as all in the auditorium took in the enormity of the act she had just performed. Then applause broke out, loud and long. For her! And her talent!

  Even if she didn’t win, Medea felt happy. Exhilarated, in fact. And proud. Her constellation would forever and ever serve as a reminder to everyone of the Argo’s remarkable voyage. On clear nights, anyway.

  The judges put their heads together and swiftly reached a decision. “Your project has outshone all the rest. Welcome to the Magicasters Club, Medea!” Next, they announced two new members, neither of whom was Glauce.

  Out in the crowd Arete sent Medea an excited thumbs-up, but Glauce looked sour.

  Suddenly Medea realized something. That maybe Glauce had been jealous of her all along. Was that why she’d always stuck close, yet spent all her time putting Medea down? To keep Medea from rising . . . from shining? Medea knew how jealousy could eat away at a person—how it had eaten away at her for years!

  She felt kind of sorry for Glauce now that she understood, but she also felt free. Because she’d figured out what was what, so Glauce couldn’t hurt her ever again.

  12

  Enchantment Academy

  WE NEED TO TALK,” MEDEA’S dad told her when she got home from school that night. Though he didn’t sound mad at her, she held her breath. Had he not gotten her message saying she would be late? Was she about to be punished for breaking the rule about coming home from school right away?

  For a few moments he paced back and forth on the long, fancy carpet runner that led up to his throne. Finally he paused to stand before her. “I’ve been doing some thinking about your Argo adventure, Medea. You proved you can take care of yourself and make good decisions in difficult circumstances. So I’ve decided that you can board at Enchantment Academy during the school year from now on. I’ve talked it over with your aunt Circe, and she has agreed to keep an eye out for you. But you’ll come home every other weekend and during summers. Deal?”

  Medea could hardly believe it. “Deal!” Her dad smiled when she began hopping around with excitement. Then she did something she hadn’t done in a long time. She gave him the biggest hug ever. “Thanks, Dad!”

  “No prob,” he said, making her laugh. When she talked slang like that, he usually corrected her. Maybe he’d decided to relax some of his other rules too. Things between them were looking up. Hooray!

  The next morning, earlier than usual, Circe transported Medea, her book bag, and a large suitcase to EA so she could get settled in her new dorm room. She would be sharing, like all the other students at the school. Her roommate wasn’t in when she arrived. Which probably meant that she was at breakfast or taking a shower down the hall.

  There were two desks, so Medea set her stuff on top of the empty one. Then she peeked at her roommate’s desk curiously. Her heart leaped when she saw that the name Arete was written on a papyrus sheet of schoolwork. Woo-hoo! Medea did a happy dance on the rug in the center of the room. What luck to get Arete as her roommate! They’d be in Magicasters together and could practice magic stuff!

  She stopped dancing when something flew in through the open window and landed on her new bed. It was this week’s issue of Teen Scrollazine! With her name on it! There was a note attached to it:

  Dear Medea,

  As a new-dorm-room gift for you, I have gotten you a subscription to that ’zine you like. I miss you already and look forward to seeing you this weekend. I am so proud of the responsible, grown-up girl you are becoming.

  Love,

  Dad

  With a sigh of contentment, Medea hugged the scrollazine to her chest. Right away she flopped down on her bed to lie on her stomach. She flicked her wand’s gold tip at the ’zine, like she was conducting a band of musicians. Whoosh! The ’zine unrolled before her, atop her bedcovers.

  She sucked in her breath when she discovered that the lead article was the very first installment of Pheme’s story about the Argo’s adventures. Classes would begin in an hour, she still had stuff to put away, and there would be greetings to exchange with Arete. But all that could wait for a bit. Tuning out the world, she began to read.

  Wary at first, her feelings soon turned to delight when she saw that Pheme had done her research. Her article presented the true and actual facts of the voyage, not a made-up story colored to suit Glauce. Soon everyone would know the truth of Medea’s role in helping Jason to capture the fleece. Cool!

  There was a side story about Heracles, too. Apparently, he had found his way back to Mount Olympus Academy. He never did find Hylas, but Eros had managed to remove the crushing spell that made him adore that shield, so all was well.

  At the bottom of the sidebar was a message from Pheme to her readers saying that future articles would include interviews with other Hero-ology students about their actions during the quest and their views on what happened. Fun! Medea would love to learn what they had to say about the quest.

  Not only that, at the end of the main article there was a note that the musical based on Orpheus’s and Apollonius’s co-written story was already in rehearsals. It was scheduled to open at the end of the year at the Theatre of Dionysus, below the Acropolis in Greece. One way or another she would find a way to go see it, Medea thought excitedly. And since many of the MOA students she’d met would no doubt attend too, she’d get to see them again. She could hardly wait!

  Looking up from her ’zine, Medea glanced around her new room. A warm feeling spread through her as she took in her tiny wardrobe and desk and the drawing she’d made of the Argo, which she’d already tacked onto the wall beside her bed. She didn’t need a prophecy from Aunt Circe to predict that the months ahead were going to make this her . . . Best! Year! Ever!

  Don’t miss the next adventure in the Goddess Girls series!

  Coming Soon

  ABOUT THE AUTHORS

  JOAN HOLUB has authored and/or illustrated over 140 children’s books, including the New York Times bestselling picture book Mighty Dads (illustrated by James Dean) and Little Red Writing (illustrated by Melissa Sweet). She lives in North Carolina and at www.joanholub.com.

  SUZANNE WILLIAMS is the author of over fifty books for children, including the award-winning picture book Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg). She lives outside Seattle, Washington, and is online at www.suzanne-williams.com.

  Together, Joan and Suzanne write the Goddess Girls, Heroes in Training, and Grimmtastic Girls series.

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  READ ALL THE BOOKS IN THE GODDESS GIRLS SERIES

  ATHENA THE BRAIN

  PERSEPHONE THE PHONY

  APHRODITE THE BEAUTY

  ARTEMIS THE BRAVE

  ATHENA THE WISE

  APHRODITE THE DIVA

  ARTEMIS THE LOYAL

  MEDUSA THE MEAN

  GODDESS GIRLS SUPER SPECIAL:

  THE GIRL GAMES

  PANDORA THE CURIOUS

  PHEME THE GOSSIP

  PERSEPHONE THE DARING

  CASSANDRA THE LUCKY

  ATHENA THE PROUD

  IRIS THE COLORFUL

  APHRODITE THE FAIR

  MEDUSA THE RICH

  AMPHITRITE THE BUBBLY

  HESTIA THE INVISIBLE

  ECHO THE COPYCAT

  CALLIOPE THE MUSE

  PALLAS THE PAL

  NYX THE MYSTERIOUS

  COMING SOON:

  EOS THE LIGHTHEARTED

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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  First Aladdin paperback edition December 2017

  Text copyright © 2017 by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

  Cover illustration copyright © 2017 by Glen Hanson

  Also available in an Aladdin hardcover edition.

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  Book designed by Karin Paprocki

  Cover designed by Karin Paprocki

  The text of this book was set in Baskerville.

  Library of Congress Control Number 2017937867

  ISBN 978-1-4814-7018-6 (hc)

  ISBN 978-1-4814-7017-9 (pbk)

  ISBN 978-1-4814-7019-3 (eBook)