The Sphinx's Secret

Maya's iPhone buzzed in her pocket like an angry hornet. Incoming text from Ryan: party @ Jake's tonight. You coming?

She stared at the screen, thumb hovering over the keyboard. Parties weren't exactly her scene. Last time she'd gone to one, she'd spent two hours in the bathroom hyperventilating.

But Ryan was different. Ryan, with his crooked smile and the way he actually listened when she talked about her weird obsession with ancient mythology.

Her golden retriever, Buster, nudged her hand with his wet nose, demanding attention. "Not now, boy," she muttered, but he persisted, licking her palm until she laughed.

That's when she saw it—the flyer for Jake's party fallen on the floor. THEME: DRESS AS YOUR SPIRIT ANIMAL.

A sphinx. That was it. She'd been obsessed with sphinxes since sixth grade, when she'd first learned about the riddles and the secrets and the way they guarded knowledge with their lion bodies and human heads. She even had a sphinx tattoo—temporary, okay, but still.

But how do you dress as a sphinx without looking like a complete weirdo?

Maya grabbed her phone again, typing: I'll think about it.

"Think about what?" Her mom appeared in the doorway, holding a bowl of something green and leafy. "Eat your spinach, honey. You need your strength."

"For what? Battle?"

"For whatever teenagers need strength for these days." Her mom set the bowl down with a knowing look. "Including parties."

Three hours later, Maya was running down the sidewalk, sphinx ears headband bouncing, her mom's old Egyptian scarf wrapped around her shoulders like wings. Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat.

She burst through Jake's door and immediately regretted everything. Everyone else was dressed as regular animals—cats, dogs, even someone in a bear costume. No sphinxes. No mythological creatures. Just normal, safe choices.

Then she saw Ryan across the room, dressed as... was that a jackal? Anubis?

He spotted her and his face lit up. He jogged over, nearly tripping on his costume tail. "You're a sphinx."

"The Great Sphinx of Giza," she said, trying to sound confident. "Riddle me this, Ryan."

"What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?"

"Man," she answered automatically. "It's always man."

His eyes widened. "You actually know that stuff. You're not just wearing the costume."

"I've been obsessed with mythology since I was eleven," she admitted, feeling heat crawl up her neck. "It's probably nerdy, right?"

"It's perfect." Ryan grinned, and Maya's chest did this weird fluttery thing. "Hey, want to help me figure out what Anubis was actually the god of? I got confused somewhere between mummification and the afterlife."

"Anubis was the god of embalming and the dead," she said, falling into step beside him as they moved toward the snack table. "He guided souls through the underworld."

"Of course you know that." He handed her a cup of something that smelled suspiciously like fruit punch and regret. "You're like, actually smart. Not fake smart."

Buster would have approved. Even the spinach seemed worth it now.