Joel hugged her again. ‘Don’t worry, Em, we’ll find him.’
‘We will not be finding anyone if the Nirads get us,’ Paelen warned. ‘We must get to Pegasus and get out of here!’
Emily was once again lifted on to Paelen’s back and they made their way to the stairwell.
‘They are holding Pegasus on the lowest level,’ Paelen said ‘Though I do not like the thought of going in the stairway again. The Nirads are coming down from above.’
‘We have no choice.’ Diana pushed through the doors and led the way forward. Several levels above them, everyone heard the ferocious sounds of Nirads mixed with the sound of gunfire and screaming men.
‘They are getting closer,’ Diana warned. ‘We must move swiftly.’
They turned a corner – and came face to face with Agents J and O.
‘Don’t move!’ Agent J ordered, drawing his weapon.
‘Do not be a fool,’ said Diana dismissively. ‘The Nirads are here. They will kill you and everyone else in this place. They want Pegasus. If we move him, they will follow us. Your men need not die.’
‘You aren’t taking that horse anywhere!’ Agent J said.
‘Horse?’ Diana roared in a fury. ‘You called him a horse?’
In a move as fast as lightning, Diana charged forward. ‘How dare you!’ she cried as she shoved both agents against the wall with the force of a freight train. ‘He is PEGASUS!’
The men didn’t stand a chance against the enraged Olympian. The wind was driven from their chests with such force that they were instantly knocked out and crumpled to the ground.
Diana stepped over them. ‘Consider yourselves fortunate,’ she told their unconscious forms. ‘Had I the time, I would show you how furious I really am for what you have done to Emily and Pegasus.’
Instead she pushed through the stairwell doors with enough pressure to wrench them off their hinges.
Emily looked over to Joel. He shrugged fearfully.
They entered Pegasus’s corridor where the few soldiers they met gave them a wide birth. They had seen the stairwell doors come flying off their hinges and didn’t wish to engage the angry Olympian.
‘Pegasus is there at the end,’ Emily said, pointing at the large door she’d been taken to. When they reached it, Paelen put Emily down and prepared to force the door open with Diana.
‘Wait,’ Emily said. ‘I know the code. You don’t have to break it down.’
Joel supported her as she hopped over to the keypad and punched in the code she’d seen Agent J use. Immediately a tiny green light flashed and the door opened.
Even before she entered, Emily heard the best sound of her life: a whinny from Pegasus. As she crossed the threshold, her heart swelled at the sight of the stallion standing.
‘Pegs!’ She threw her arms around his thick neck, feeling his strength. ‘Oh Pegs,’ she cried. ‘I thought you were going to die!’
‘He still might unless we get out of here,’ Joel warned. ‘Have we forgotten the Nirads? You know, four arms, long teeth, smelly. They’re in the stairs. If we don’t move now, they’ll trap us down here!’
‘He is right,’ Diana said. She stepped up to Emily. ‘May I have the bridle?’
When Emily handed it over, Diana used her amazing strength to tear the gleaming gold bridle into several large pieces. ‘I am sorry we do not have time to forge better weapons,’ she said as she handed everyone a piece. ‘But for the moment these will have to do. If the Nirads come near you, stab them with it. The gold will kill them. Keep hold of it. It is our only defence.’
Diana handed the largest, sharpest piece to Emily.
‘No, you should keep it,’ Emily protested. ‘You’re a better fighter than me.’
‘But you are more important,’ Diana said.
‘What?’ Emily said in confusion. ‘No I’m not. You and Pegasus are. You should keep it …’ Emily saw something resting deep in Diana’s eyes.
‘Oh,’ she said softly.
Pegasus whinnied with impatience, his ears forward and his eyes wild.
‘They draw near,’ Diana said. She turned to Paelen. ‘Help me get Emily on Pegasus. He will take charge of her now. The rest of us will fight if we need to.’
Emily tried her best to stay quiet as they lifted her on to the stallion’s back, but cried out as her wounded leg was manoeuvered into position.
‘I am sorry child,’ Diana said gently. ‘When this is over, we shall take care of your leg.’
Tears from the pain rose in Emily’s eyes, but she said nothing as the fighters fell into position. Diana took the lead. Paelen stood a pace behind her. Then Joel. Emily could see the fear in her friend’s bright eyes, but there was determination in his stance. He was prepared to fight and die with the Olympians.
‘All right,’ Diana said. ‘When we move forward, we must make for that big metal box that will transport us to the surface.’