"Oh My Gods" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tera Lynn Childs)

IтАЩm about to ask what a Level 13 is and why theyтАЩre so special, when Stella says, тАЬIтАЩm a Level 13.тАЭ

Of course she is.

тАЬYes,тАЭ Damian says. тАЬBecause she plans to attend university in England, Stella must study for an additional year beyond your American twelve.тАЭ

Across the tableтАФa massive piece of dark wood furniture worn so smooth it must date back to the original AcademyтАФStella smirks.

тАЬYes,тАЭ she coos. тАЬBritish academic standards are much higher.тАЭ

тАЬYeah, well,тАЭ I say. It is on the tip of my tongue to say she must need remedial school only her dadтАЩs too nice to say so, but Mom kicks me under the table. Ouch! Clutching my throbbing shin, I cover by saying, тАЬIтАЩm going to USC, so I donтАЩt need another year.тАЭ

тАЬIf you need anything at all,тАЭ Damian says, тАЬplease let me know and we will make arrangements. There is very little we cannot get here on Serfopoula.тАЭ

Yeah, except TV.

The servant, an older woman with wrinkled leather skin and a loose cotton dress decorated with embroidered blue flowers, sets a plate in front of me. There is some kind of salad, with recognizable cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and stinky goat cheese that would be edible assuming I can pick around the onions. Next to the salad are two big slimy things that look like green sea slugs.

Damian must be able to guess what IтАЩm thinking because he says, тАЬThose are dolmades, traditional grape leaves stuffed with a rice mixture.тАЭ

38



Stella laughs at me and pops one in her mouth.

тАЬYia Yia Minta makes these,тАЭ I say, poking at one with my fork.

тАЬTheyтАЩre just not usually so . . . wet looking.тАЭ

тАЬAh,тАЭ Damian says, smiling at the old servant woman. тАЬThat is part of HesperтАЩs secret recipe. She drizzles them with olive oil before serving.тАЭ

тАЬShhh.тАЭ The old woman, Hesper, bats at him. тАЬYou talk too much.тАЭ

тАЬBut, Hesper,тАЭ he replies, тАЬthey are family now.тАЭ

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. At first I think itтАЩs because of DamianтАЩs mushy commentтАФI donтАЩt think one little City Hall marriage ceremony makes a whole new familyтАФbut then I catch StellaтАЩs eye and sheтАЩs staring at my plate and looking, well, constipated.

Light from somewhere reflects off my plate, shining up at me.

I look down andтАФ

тАЬAaaack!тАЭ

Jumping up, I knock over my chair, trip when my laces get caught on one of the legs, and wind up face-first on the floor.

тАЬPhoebe,тАЭ Mom cries. тАЬWhatтАЩs wrong?тАЭ

She rushes to my side, but by then IтАЩve twisted around and leaped to my feet. I point at my plateтАФnow looking like a completely normal dinner saladтАФand scream, тАЬM-m-my food!тАЭ I glare at Stella, who is looking way too proud of herself. тАЬIt was alive!тАЭ