Neleus looked at her, and at me. “You’re not talking about something people can do. You’re talking about some kind of hero thing? Because I can also usually tell when people are telling the truth just by the way they talk, and where they look when they talk.”

“I can do that too,” Arete said. “But just recently I’ve started being sure.”

“Yes, that’s a power,” I said. “I can’t do that.”

“We’ve all been getting powers,” Kallikles said. “I don’t want to keep it from you, Nel. I don’t want to hurt you by making you feel different either, but keeping it secret is worse. Ever since we went to Delos, we’ve been able to do some things.”

“Like what?” he asked, looking at the three of them. “I knew there was something.”

“Healing,” Phaedrus said. “And heat.” He put his hand into the fire and left it there. “I don’t burn. And I can walk on air.”

“I can walk on air too. And I have lightning, just a little.” Kallikles held his hands a few inches apart and a tiny bolt of lightning jumped between them. “I found out in the storm. I can control weather. I think that’s why the storm was so bad. I was drawing it by mistake. I think I have it under control now, though.”

“And you?” Neleus asked Arete.

“The truth thing. And I can understand other languages. I can walk on air too, and I can also fly. And I think I could fly carrying somebody, if I had to. That’s all.” Fly? Simmea and I had imagined that she’d be a philosophical hero. There’s never any control over how children will come out. I thought again of the unknown boy Fabius.

“That seems like enough!” Neleus said. “Fly?”

“I’ve only tried it once, but yes,” she said. She looked along the beach. We were still in sight from the ship, if anyone was looking. “I don’t want anyone to see me, but I’ll show you when it gets darker, if you like.”

“It won’t get much darker. The afterglow is fading, but the moon’s close enough to full that when she’s up people would be able to see you.” There was already a silver glow behind the hill where the moon was about to rise.

“I’ll show you another time, then,” Arete said. “It’s not weird—it’s just like being able to do math in your head, or knowing how to swim.”

“Not weird? Being able to walk on air and heal people and fly?” Neleus’s voice rose. “It’s about as weird as things get!” He looked at me suddenly. “I’ve never seen you do anything like that.”

“I gave up my powers to become incarnate,” I said. “You know that. I can’t do anything like that now.”