Dark Greek myth fantasy - children named Primus, Secundus, etc.[s]

[Avery]

I'm looking for the title of this book:
Young adult fantasy
Main character is a young girl
Has adult characters who are mythological gods
I read this book around 2004-2006, and I think it might have been published then, but it could be older.

There are a bunch of children living together who I think are siblings. They are named in order: Primus, Secundus, Tertius, etc. They are living in an isolated environment, and they're kind of cruel to each other - very competitive and unfriendly. Some adult characters become involved who are clearly mythological gods. I'm not actually sure if they used their Roman or Greek names, though.
I remember one scene where the young girl, the main character is spying on the adults and gives this description of Aphrodite as having the perfection of face that makeup is always attempting to achieve - the perfect blush, red lips, etc. And it is clear that she and Ares/Mars have a thing for each other.

I think the cover was a mossy green, but I'm not really sure. Sorry I don't remember more, but I really want to figure out what book this was!

[Kaion]

Could it be The Game by Diana Wynne Jones?

[Michele]

Was it a hardback or a paperback when you read it? Were the children all boys, all girls, or a mix? Do you recall how many kids there were -- five, ten, a dozen?

[Avery]

Hardback when I read it. A Mix of boys and girls - probably about seven kids in total.

Unfortunately, The Game does not seem to be the right book. Thanks, though!

[M. Lee]

Orphans of Chaos?

[Sophie]

Stardust has competitive siblings named Primus, etc., but the rest of the plot doesn't fit.

[Avery]

Neither of those, unfortunately. Thanks, though!

[Megan]

Sounds similar to the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan but a few details don't fit.

[Serena]

Pandora Gets Jealous? Or Athena the Brain?

[Avery]

Nope.This was a fairly serious, kind of dark book. I remember it creeped me out at some points, and it might have been more of an adult book that happened to be about children.

[Rachel]

Geraldine McCaughrean has written a lot of YA books based on mythology, maybe one of hers?

[Avery]

Not those either, but thanks!

[Cumbling Michael]

Bit of a long shot, this, but Neil Gaiman's Stardust has some similarities (children named Primus, Secundus, etc., fantasy setting, dark happenings).

Mike

[Tab]

Iris, Messenger fits a little

When you say they were kept in an isolated area, do you mean a secluded area on Earth or a mythical land?

What time period/location does the story take place?

Was this part of a series?

[Avery]

As far as as I know it's stand-alone. I think to occurs on Earth and is modern.

[M. Lee]

Are you absolutely sure it's not Orphans of Chaos? I never finished it, but everything in your post fits what I remember. There's an excerpt here: http://us.macmillan.com/excerpt?isbn=...

(The characters name themselves when they're about 12, and before that are named Primus, Secunda, etc.)

[Avery]

Thanks for recommending the excerpt. It didn't sound right from the description, which I read before, but I read the excerpt and think that's it! Woo hoo!!!!!!! I will switch this to Solved ;)