4_In Training

" Here, try this on, ” Markos’ sister murmured. Julia took the chiton that the older girl held out. As soon as the kids had entered the house, Helene had taken Julia away. First she’d brought Julia into the kitchen and given her some figs to eat. Then she’d taken Julia to change clothes. “ Why can’t I wear my own clothes?” Julia glanced down at her jeans and T-shirt. “ Father says we’re supposed to help you and Brody blend in so Zeus doesn’t notice you, ” Helene said. “ If you insist on wearing such strange garments, you won’t be allowed out of the house. ”

Julia didn’t like the sound of that. She put on the chiton and a pair of leather sandals. When the girls returned to the courtyard, Brody and Markos were already there. Brody was dressed in a short chiton, like the one Markos wore. “ This is stupid, ” Brody was saying loudly. “ If any of the guys on the football team saw me wearing a dress—” “ How are they going to see you?” Julia snapped at him. “ In case you forgot, Brody, we’re in ancient Greece! ” Before Brody could respond, Hermes appeared in a blast of light.

“ Good, they’ve found you some proper clothing, ” he said. “ Let’s go. It’s time to start your training. ” “ I’ll come along, if you don’t mind. ” Markos bowed to Hermes. “ My father ordered me not to let your champion out of my sight. ” “ Good, good. Come along then, boy, ” Hermes said. Julia stepped forward. “ I’m coming too. ” Markos hesitated, but Hermes shrugged. “ If having your companion along makes you run faster, Brody, she may come. ”

“ I don’t care if she comes or not, ” Brody said. But Hermes was already striding toward the exit, the wings on his sandals fluttering with excitement. “ I’m coming, ” Julia whispered to Brody with a frown. “ We still need to figure out how to escape. And we can’t do that if I’m stuck in the house. ” “ Escape? Why would I want to escape?” Brody flexed his muscles. “ I’m going to be an Olympic champion! ” He hurried after Hermes. With a sigh Julia followed. Olympia’s gymnasium was a long, low building with a huge, grassy courtyard.

At least a dozen men and boys were exercising in the courtyard, tossing spears, stretching, or racing down a marked track. Several other gods were there too. “ Who’s that?” Julia asked, staring at a god with flaming red hair. Hermes followed her gaze. “ Ares, of course. Don’t let him hear that you don’t recognize him— he’s quite vain. ” “ Ares, the god of war?” Julia couldn’t help being impressed. After learning about the gods in school, it was actually pretty cool to see them in real life.

Hermes wasn’t paying attention to her anymore. He was focused on his new champion. “ Now, what is your best distance, my boy?” he asked Brody. “ Best distance for what?” Brody asked. “ Running, of course. ” Hermes sounded impatient. “ Every mortal athlete is better at some events than others. So, what’s your specialty? The stadion, the diaulos? Perhaps the dolichos?” Julia remembered that these were the names of different footraces, but Brody looked totally confused. “ Brody isn’t really a runner, ” she told Hermes.