Because it was rumored that Cassandra was cursed in a way that made her foretell the opposite of what was true. But then uncertainty flooded over her, like a bucket of cold water. She could tell from the girl’s sympathetic expression that it was going to be bad news.Ĭassandra hesitantly revealed her fortune. Did telling a fortune really take this long? It had been all of one minute already!Īh, Cassandra said at last. Rows and rows of columns separated the various shops, which sold everything from the newest Greek fashions to tridents. The IM was enormous, with a high-ceilinged crystal roof.

It was located in the Immortal Marketplace, which stood halfway between Mount Olympus and Earth. Maybe.ĭesperate to know if she would ever become a goddess, Melinoe had sought this girl out here, in her family’s shop. Maybe she’d buy something on her way out to celebrate the good news Cassandra was about to tell her. It was called Oracle-O Bakery and Scrollbooks and sold delicious treats as well as scrollbooks. To kill time, Melinoe gazed around the shop they were in. She guessed they were both about the same age-twelve. As Melinoe anxiously awaited her prophecy, she studied the fortune-teller’s fire-gold hair and brown almond-shaped eyes. Cassandra bent forward to study Melinoe’s palm. Still, she figured the powers she did have made her superior to this mortal girl, whose only talents were prophecy and cookie-baking. Daemons were immortal and had magic powers, though none as strong as those of a goddess. Melinoe raised her chin and nodded haughtily. Then she asked, Um, you’re a daemon, correct? I will tell you what I see, Cassandra replied. But will that King of the Gods ever make it happen? What can you tell me? She set her hand, palm upward, onto the table. It’s rumored that Zeus will one day name someone as the official goddessgirl of ghosts. Because not only was Melinoe’s skin pale and white-it glowed! And her long hair was black on one side of her head and white on the other. Cassandra stared at her in surprise, as many people did when they first met her. MELINOE PLOPPED HERSELF TO SIT in a chair across a small table from Cassandra the fortune-teller.

Hecate the Witch by Joan Holub