"Pin him, boy!" Hermes shouted. "That's the way to do it!"
"Settle down, Hermes." Athena sounded exasperated. "The mortals are only training.
Save your enthusiasm for the Games. Or at least try not to shout directly into my ear."
Brody stood up, brushed off his hands, and waited for Athena's champion, a dark-eyed youth named Leontis, to climb to his feet as well.
"Are you okay?" Brody asked. "I didn't twist your arm too hard, did I?"
"I'm fine." Leontis flexed his arm, checking it.
"But don't expect to pin me again so easily."
Brody grinned. "Oh, I do expect it!" he bragged.
The two of them started wrestling again.
Brody tried to stay focused on the match, but he was a lot stronger than Leontis, and his thoughts quickly wandered.
Last night Julia had told him what she'd heard Hermes and Caerus say about the rift.
What if it closed before they could return home?
"My family must already be worried about me," Brody thought.
"What will they think if I never come back?"
"Pay attention, boy!" Hermes' shout broke into Brody's thoughts. "He's beating you!"
Brody blinked and focused on the wrestling match again.
But it was too late. A few seconds later, Leontis pinned him.
"There." Leontis smirked as he let Brody go. "Now we're even."
Brody didn't answer. He'd just heard Zeus' booming voice.
The king of the gods swept past, cheerfully greeting Hermes and Athena.
Heracles and Iphicles were right behind Zeus.
As they passed, Heracles gave Brody a friendly nod. Brody nodded back.
Athena's champion noticed the two champions' interaction.
"Be careful that you don't seem too friendly with Zeus' champion, my friend," he said grimly.
"What do you mean?" Brody asked.
Leontis shrugged. "All the gods wish to defeat Zeus' hero," he replied.
"If they think you're his friend, they might decide to include you in their plans."
"I'm not scared of anybody," Brody declared.
"Perhaps you should be." Athena's champion flexed his hands as he prepared to grip Brody's shoulder.
"Hera appears to have stopped meddling with Heracles for now.
Everyone thinks she's waiting until the Games officially begin to return to her trickery."
"Why would she do that?" Brody asked.
"Her bet only counts if Heracles actually takes part in the Games," Leontis replied.
"If he's knocked out before the competition begins, the bet is off."
"Oh, I get it," Brody said. "Cool. Then we don't have anything to worry about, right? At least not for two more days."
"Not exactly," Leontis said. "The other gods might have different plans."
He cast a quick look around to make sure that Athena and Hermes weren't close enough to hear him.
"In fact, I heard that Ares was seen just this morning consulting with Hypnos."
"Hypnos?" Brody said. "Who's that?"
"The god of sleep," Leontis replied. "Everyone suspects Hypnos and Ares are plotting something against—"
He stopped talking abruptly. Brody saw that Athena had just stepped closer.
Leontis was watching her, and he seemed nervous.
Brody quickly decided to take advantage of the other champion's distraction.
"Yeaaaah!" he cried as he flipped Leontis onto his back and pinned him.
Hermes laughed. "Well done, my champion!" he exclaimed.
"Clearly this fellow is no match for you.
Why don't you take a break and drink some water?
I'll try to locate a more worthy opponent."
"Sure. Thanks, Hermes." Brody grinned and shook Leontis' hand. "See you later, dude."
Brody jogged over to join Markos and Julia. Markos handed him a jar of water.
"Did you see Heracles come in?" Markos asked.
"Yeah." Brody gulped some water. "Athena's champion was worried about him.
Leontis said he heard that Ares and some god called Hypnos might be plotting something against Heracles."
Julia looked alarmed. "Hypnos?" She turned to Markos.
"Is he the god with the wings sprouting out of his head?"
"Yes, that's Hypnos," Markos answered. "He's the god of sleep.
The other gods often cause mischief among us mortals with his help."
"Uh-oh," Julia said. "Leontis might be right.
I saw Hypnos and Ares talking when I came into the gymnasium."
"I hope Zeus is keeping a close eye on his champion," Markos said.
"Why?" Brody looked around. "Because at the moment Zeus isn't watching Heracles.
He's over there talking to Dionysus, and I don't even see Heracles right now." Suddenly Brody understood.
"Hey—do you think Ares is really trying to mess with Heracles?"
"Of course Ares is trying to mess with him!" Julia exclaimed.
"Let's go find Heracles and warn him."
Brody glanced at Hermes. The messenger god was halfway across the gymnasium talking with Artemis and Apollo.
"Okay," Brody said. "Hermes did say I could take a break."
He followed Julia and Markos as they rushed around the gymnasium looking for Heracles.
They didn't find him, but eventually they came across Iphicles.
He was lounging in the shade with a bored expression on his face, watching several athletes practicing the discus.
"Where's your brother?" Julia demanded.
Iphicles sat up straighter, looking startled. "Alcides? Uh, I mean Heracles. . . ." He made a face.
"I still can't get used to his new name.
Anyway, Zeus sent him to find a heavier discus. In there."
He pointed to a door leading into the gymnasium building.
"Come on," Julia said breathlessly.
"Wait, what's the matter?" Iphicles called as she, Brody, and Markos rushed off and shoved open the door.
Brody could hear Iphicles hurrying after them.
The door led into a medium-sized room with equipment stacked inside.
Brody had to squint to help his eyes adjust to the dimness after being outside in the bright sunlight.
When he could finally see clearly, he gasped.
Heracles was splayed out on the stone floor, sound asleep and snoring.
Slithering toward him from every direction were at least ten large snakes!