We all hurried to the Great Hall. Everyone was a little bleary eyed, but what do you expect after Easter break? I smiled at other people I knew and hurried into line with the rest of my form. I nodded greeting to Miss Greenly, my form tutor and English teacher. She was my favourite teacher because she was by far the kindest and the only one who really seemed to enjoy her work – not to mention that she was Athena's daughter.

Everyone shut up when Mrs Jolinwood, the head stepped up to the microphone. She looked as cheerful as ever. No older than forty, she had pasty white skin and hollow brown eyes so dark they could be have been black. Her dark brown hair was tied back in a tight bun that sat on top of her hair. Her small, round glasses rested atop her hawk-like nose. She wore a forest green suite jacket with matching skirt, a white dress shirt underneath. The same stuck-up, up tight old hag she was last term.

"At least she's matching today, eh?" Laura said quietly, nudging me and winking.

I desperately tried to hide my laughter, but somehow Jolinwood still managed to send me evils. I could understand if she was, say, a monster and knew I was a demigod. I could understand if I were a bad student who was constantly being sent to her office. At least then she'd have a reason to hate me. But no: she just really didn't like me. Her gaze seemed colder this morning. Or maybe I was more venerable to it having not seen it in two weeks?

"Be seated everyone," she rasped, her voice far too old for her age. There was a loud clatter as thousands of girls sat on chairs. She waited patiently and then attempted a smile. Creepy. "I would like to take this opportunity to officially welcome you all back for a new school term. For the Year 13 students, this will be their last assembly with us at this time of year, as it is for some of the Year 11's. Take this as a time to reflect up your years here at Swiss Francis."

Her expression turned dangerously stern. Uh oh.

"As I'm sure you're all aware, there has been a very big announcement in global news yesterday." Ah. "Also, I am sure you learned about the existence of demigods. Every government has been informed as to whom the demigods are, and in turn the government has informed various schools, university and work places." Her gaze swept the hall. "We have three demigods in our midst today."

Hushed whispers filled the hall. I knew exactly who those three were: Miss Greenly, me and a girl in Year 5 called Rose, who was Hermes' daughter.

"I can't wait to find out who the freaks are," I heard Sandra, the leader of the girls who tried to make my life a living hell, say coldly.

"Definitely," one of her followers, Michaela said, trying to mimic her tone of voice.

"I agree," I heard Henry say to them. I was worried about this – she used to hang with those girls all the time and had a tendency to return to the 'dark side' every now and again. "I want to see who the freak is and ask them why the hell they're being part of some sort of conspiracy theorist cult group that is obviously off its rocker. I mean Greek gods? Really?"

Ouch. That hurt.

"I think it'd be cool to know a demigod," Laura said to me. "I mean, someone who actually knows gods? Awesome!"

I laughed at her. She'd obviously heard Sandra's conversation as well, and was saying it to spite her. However, I also think she meant it – Laura has always been a loving girl, no matter of anyone's situation.

I heard Sandra take a breath to no doubt say something horrible back when Mrs Jolinwood spoke again.

"Now girls," she said. "Settle down. Instead of making a sceptical of these three, I would ask for them to come forward. Know that you will be treated no different – no better, no worse – when you reveal yourselves. If no one comes forward, I will read out the list, which I have with me."

To illustrate her point she held up a small piece of paper.

I slid my eyes towards Miss Greenly, who seemed to be at war with herself. She probably knew that we would wait for her lead, but she probably didn't want to be the first to stand. I sure didn't.

"I bet the freaks are too scared to stand up," Sandra muttered darkly behind me. "Especially if they're in our year and know us. Maybe there's a god of fear, and they're the kids of it!"

She had no idea how wrong she was. Like I was scared of her? I'd had to put up with her for almost eight years now; I could handle her. And Phoebus doesn't even have any kids in England! (He has one in Indonesia and one who currently resides in some of shore African prison, but that's another story.).

That very comment changed my life forever.

I stood.

Gasps erupted around the room. Then whispers started. Mrs Jolinwood looked at me with an odd expression on her face. It was only odd because I'd never seen it on her face before. Ever. Was that… pride? I didn't get a chance to confirm my suspicions, however, as her face once again became a neutral mask.

"Please state to the student and teaching body your name, form and… heritage," she said, oddly polite for a woman who supposedly hated my guts for no apparent reason.

I took a deep breath.

"My name is Eden Llewellyn," I said, my voice easily carrying across the room. If I could shout over the Aphrodite cabin and still be heard, a silent school hall was no trouble. "I am in 12WG and my mother is Eos, goddess of the dawn."

She nodded and motioned for me to sit down. I did so gratefully, for my knees were suddenly very weak. Isn't strange how addressing gods, leading battles or fighting monsters wasn't nerve wracking at all, but saying my name in front of the whole school was? Weird.

Laura hit me hard on the shoulder. I sent her a 'what the hell' look.

"You never said anything to me!' she whispered back.

I let out a sigh and whispered "I'll explain later, okay? It's too complicated to even begin now."

She just nodded and sat back in her seat.

Rose stood up next. Her little voice rang across the room, clearly stating her name, form and that she was Hermes' daughter.

"And the final demigod?" Mrs Jolinwood asked, her tone kinder because she knew who the only one left was. Slowly, Miss Greenly stood and addressed the room.

"For those of you who I don't teach, I am Miss Greenly, an English teacher and the form tutor of 12WG. I am the daughter of Athena, goddess of wisdom." She nodded to the head and sat down once more.

Mrs Jolinwood spoke to us all again.

"Thank you to Eden, Rose and Miss Greenly. I hope that because of this knowledge no incidents will occur. If anything does, the perpetrator will be severely punished by me. Now for the rest of the morning announcements…"

I kind of zoned out then. None of the announcements ever concerned me, anyway. I didn't take part in any after school activities because I was usually training, keeping in shape or practicing my sword fighting. Well, seeing as I only went to camp for the last four weeks of summer, I rarely had time to learn something new or practice against another person.

"… and finally, we will be having a visitor from America to answer the questions you undoubtedly have on the topic of the Greek gods. He is a very powerful demigod, or so I hear, and has graciously agreed to come to our school, and that is only because we have demigods here already. Also, for first period, you will go back to your form room and watch an educational video on the Greek gods in the modern world. That will be all, dismissed."

With that, she turned and left the stage, leaving the teachers to take their pupils back to their form rooms. I followed Miss Greenly up to room 32, the room connecting to the library. We walked a little ahead of everyone else and spoke in hushed volumes.

"Are you okay?" she asked me, concern creasing her face.

I laughed slightly. "I was just about to ask you the same thing. You looked like you were going to faint when Mrs J asked for the demigods to stand!"

She smiled. "The head had said that she would make some mention of our being here during the assembly, but she never mentioned asking us to make ourselves known. At least she was kind about it." Her small hand grasped mine. "Thank you so much for standing up first. I know that I wouldn't have been able to do it, and little Rose was probably more scared than I was."

I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before releasing it. "No problem, Miss. It was really in spite of Sandra I stood."

Her grey eyes danced with amusement. "Why does that not surprise me?" she mock chastised.

We arrived at room 32, the door to which she proceeded to unlock. The whole form filed in, taking our usual seats – even if the ones who sat next to me were a few inches further away on the near by tables. Laura took her seat next to me on the front row and purposely moved her seat closer to mine. Gods, I loved her sometimes.

"Good morning class," Miss Greenly said, standing at the front of the class. "So, now I'm going to put on the educational video that Mrs Jolinwood told us about in assembly. One of the gods has created this – I wasn't told which one – and it's about the gods and their role currently in the world."

Miss Greenly turned on the computer, then the projector, and turned loaded up the video. Just as she was about to turn off the lights when someone – I think it was Liam – called from the back of the room:

"Why bother with a video when we have two freaks in the room with us?"