“I don’t know what you mean,” Thermiandra said.
Heliodas removed his cuirass and tugged aside his gray chiton, revealing his birthmark. “First you found me on a battlefield with thousands of fallen men. That was unusual enough, but now an amazing feat of power that is completely unexplainable. If either of these things had happened on their own, I could have believed that you knew nothing about them, but together, they suggest that you are something entirely other than what you claim.”
“I am exactly what I claim to be!” Thermiandra protested. “What are you accusing me of? Being a god? That’s absurd!”
“There is something you aren’t telling me,” Heliodas insisted.
“Yes,” she admitted. “I did not tell you because I thought you would think me insane.”
“At this point, I would be the insane one for not believing whatever it is you’re keeping from me.”
Pelephon cleared his throat, interrupting the conversation. “Heliodas, the woman just did something miraculous, and eliminated a deadly foe. Why do you feel the need to question our good fortune?” he asked.
“Because something here isn’t making sense,” Heliodas replied. “The only ones I’m aware of who wield magic are priests, yet Thermiandra, you’ve never mentioned being a priestess. Even the most powerful priests I’ve heard of lack the power to turn people to stone. Only the gods can do that. And yet, even the Persian who was trying to track you down could fly! I’ve never heard of a priest being able to take flight like that. Things stopped making sense from the moment I met you, Thermiandra!”
Pelephon sighed in resignation.
“Now please, tell us what you can,” Heliodas said.
The woman frowned, then began to offer her explanation. “I am the first daughter of Cyme, as I told you. Nothing of what I said was a lie. What I did not tell you is that I received a vision from Athena a few weeks ago. In it, I saw the Macedonian army, and I saw a bull. When I reached out to touch the bull, my hand came away bloody. The vision then turned to Athens, where it was apparent that some horrible fate was about to befall it. At the end of the dream, I believe that Athena spoke to me directly. She told me to seek out the son of Zeus. Fate led me to that battlefield. Fate helped me find you, wounded. Now the gods themselves intervened up there on that roof top.”
Heliodas frowned. “Why would the gods choose me, of all people, for any of their plans? I’ve spent my entire life trying to avoid them. Since they stopped speaking directly to mortals some time ago, it’s been an arrangement that has worked out well. I pretend they don’t exist and they leave me alone.”
“You should know that the gods grow angry when mortals refuse to give them proper deference,” Pelephon said. “In your case, Heliodas, everyone but you can plainly see that you are the son of Zeus. Your fate is destined to be far greater than that of a mere soldier.”
“If I were the son of Zeus, shouldn’t I possess great strength, or have some other divine gift? I’m just an ordinary soldier, like so many others.”
“You are resilient,” Thermiandra said.
“And you tend to think through situations to a greater degree than most soldiers I have known,” Pelephon added.
“You are something the world has not seen in a long time,” Thermiandra said. “You are a hero, like Achilles, Odysseus, and Theseus.”
Heliodas laughed. “You are both insane.”
“If I remember right, it was you who just said that it would be insane not to believe, given what we all have seen here today,” Pelephon reminded him.
Heliodas hid his birthmark under his chiton, then donned his bronze cuirass. “If Athens is in danger, and I am a hero as the two of you seem to believe, then Athens is where I need to go.” The thought of Athens facing an uncertain doom filled him with dread. While eliminating the Persian Empire was worth the sacrifice and the pain, it would be for nothing if his polis were destroyed. Desertion suddenly occurred to him as a viable option. Unfortunately, regardless of the situation, he was still depending entirely upon this girl for information… and she had found him and seemed determined to use him for her own purposes… or the gods’. At this point the distinction seemed to matter very little; either way, he had larger questions to consider than he did a few days ago and his fate seemed less in his hands than it had ever been before. “However, before Athens, I have a duty to attend to, which is to return to Alexander’s army. How far away are we from their last encampment?”
“On foot, I’m guessing that we’ll catch up with it in about a day and a half,” Pelephon replied.
“Then we should hurry. From there, it will be up to Alexander to decide whether I return to Athens with you,” he said to Thermiandra, “or whether I continue to fight at your side,” he said to Pelephon.
“We shall have to see what is decided once we return,” Pelephon agreed.
The three companions left the Persian soldiers to rot in the hot sun and began walking to the northeast. Pelephon led his horse, but walked and engaged the other two in conversation.
“There was one very strange thing, other than the Persian administrator flying onto the roof, and squeezing me without laying a hand on me,” Thermiandra said. “He demanded that I tell him where to find something called the Pearls of Atlantis.”
“Do you know what he was talking about?” Pelephon asked.
“No,” Thermiandra said. “No doubt we all know what happened to Atlantis, but I’ve never heard of any special pearls from that polis. Khejani claimed that he divined that they were near me.”
“Divined?” the blond Macedonian asked.
“Learned through the magic of the gods,” Heliodas said, “which is strange in itself since the gods stopped talking to us.”
“If Athena spoke to me, have the gods truly stopped talking to us?” Thermiandra asked.
“An interesting point,” Heliodas conceded. “Normally a person would go to an oracle or a priest in order to divine something.”
“Both of whom tend to speak in riddles and lead people to the wrong conclusions. Only the oracle at Delphi is reliable,” Pelephon said.
“I don’t think he was a priest,” Thermiandra said. “The Persians worship different gods. In fact, I overheard him say that he was a devout Zoroastrian, like most Persians, and that he was surprised by the power wielded by the priests of our gods.”
“What if he somehow managed to divine this through other means?” Heliodas asked.
“What other means?” Thermiandra asked. “I’ve been around Persians my entire life. Most of them believe in their god, which they claim is more powerful than any of ours. Nevertheless, when asked to test their faith, they always claim that you cannot directly witness his deeds. They can’t heal the sick or the injured like we can. They say that this is because nothing happens that is outside Ahura Mazda’s design, which is proof that he is more powerful than our gods. Regardless of the truth, his priests have no magic at all.”
“There is only one explanation,” Pelephon stated. “The powers he displayed are not gifted from Ahura Mazda, or from our gods. They are coming from somewhere else.”
A shiver ran down Heliodas’ spine. “The thought of anything more powerful than the gods worries me.”
“Emperor Artaxerxes is known to surround himself with strange wizards. Besides, I don’t think they’re more powerful,” Thermiandra reasoned. “Magic does not come from within us. It is directly gifted by the gods as a reward for faithful service. Power flows through mortals; it does not originate from them. If his source of power was greater, the gods could not have acted through me to turn him to stone.”
“A point,” Heliodas agreed. “Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll be able to solve this mystery today.”
The trio continued walking until sunset, at which time Pelephon took first watch. Heliodas took over in the middle of the night when the moon rose. In this arid climate, it appeared larger and redder than it had ever looked in Athens. As he relieved Pelephon, he realized for the first time tha
t he was not in his own lands. The lands surrounding Athens also tended to be hot and dry, but there were trees in the polis, and the harbor was also there. Here there was nothing but dust, weeds, and a few grasses.
The following day of travel was uneventful, and the conversation was subdued. Heliodas saw no point in rehashing the same questions again today, and there was little new worth discussing. It was hot, the sun beat down on their heads, and the landscape in front of them was bleak.
Three more days passed, and then that evening, just before sunset, they arrived at the perimeter of the army encampment. It was, as usual, bustling with activity as the cooks worked feverishly to produce enough food for the army. As the trio passed them and drew near Alexander and his generals, Heliodas noted that the soldiers looked rested. Many of them were bandaged up, but most appeared ready to fight once again.
As they approached Alexander’s tent, Heliodas briefly acknowledged the guards, then proceeded in. He projected confidence, but he could not deny the nervousness he felt. Suppose Alexander refused to release him from service…. Within, Alexander and Cleitus sat in chairs, drinking wine. Surprise registered on Alexander’s face immediately upon their entry. “You live!” he said, springing to his feet and clasping Heliodas’ forearms. “And you’ve brought someone with you,” he commented, regarding Thermiandra.
“Thermiandra, meet Alexander, king of Macedonia,” Heliodas said.
Thermiandra nodded her head and offered the king her hand, which Alexander accepted and kissed.
“I’m pleased to meet you,” she said.
“And I you,” Alexander replied. “Cleitus, allow me to speak with them alone.”
“Very well,” the dark-skinned man said, then strode out of the tent.
“I would have noticed a beautiful woman such as you in our midst,” Alexander said, flashing a smile at Thermiandra.
“She tells me that she’s made a vow of virginity to the gods,” Heliodas said, somewhat irritably. Truth be told, he would be more than a little angry if the Macedonian king managed to be intimate with Thermiandra while his attempts had been effortlessly brushed off.
“Why would the gods care?” Alexander asked, raising an eyebrow.
“It’s my family,” Thermiandra said, then leaned in close to the king and, with a coy grin, whispered,. “Men who love the women in my family tend not to live very long. I would not see that happen to any man I love.”
Alexander released her hand and took a couple steps back. “It is, of course, important that we value our oaths to the gods.”
“It is,” Thermiandra agreed coolly.
“Well, Heliodas, it is good to see that you survived the battle. I had heard that you suffered a fatal blow and we could only presume you dead, despite the lack of a body. Are you ready to resume your duties as one of my elite guards?”
“I would, but I must ask for your leave,” Heliodas said.
“Leave? You just returned.”
“Thermiandra is the favored daughter of Cyme, a polis that remains under Persian control,” Heliodas said. “She was sent by her father to contact Athens and petition them for inclusion in the Delian League after they have been liberated. After she left the king’s palace, the Persian administrator noticed her absence and tracked her for weeks. Following the battle at the Granicus, she found me on the battlefield and nursed me back to health from what should have been a fatal blow.”
“I’m sure she picked you because of your distinctive birthmark,” Alexander noted.
Heliodas continued without acknowledging what he had just said. “Three days ago, the Persian administrator, along with four immortals, finally caught up with us. I’m sure that they would have killed us if not for Pelephon’s arrival. We won the day, but I have been taking her in the wrong direction out of duty to you.”
“You have served me well,” Alexander said. “In your place, I may not have done the same. I suspect that you wish to now escort her to Athens, so she can make contact on behalf of her father.”
“I do,” Heliodas said somewhat unsteadily. “But there’s more. We’ve seen some unusual things. The Persian administrator used powerful magic during the fight that we have never witnessed before. It was beyond the healing magics used by our priests. Thermiandra also said that she was granted a vision from Athena to come find me. She also said that Athens is in trouble.”
“Is this true?” Alexander asked Thermiandra.
“It is,” she said simply.
“Pelephon, you have been in my army for a long time. Did you witness any of this?”
“I arrived after the battle had begun, but I saw the Persian holding Thermiandra in mid air. They were both atop an abandoned temple. The Persian must have leaped at least thirty feet to get there. The battle ended when she somehow turned him to stone.”
“The work of the gods,” Thermiandra added quickly.
Alexander paused in thought, studying the three of them with his dark eyes. Heliodas felt his stomach tighten. It wasn’t simply that he wished to help Thermiandra complete her duty, but he also believed that his fate was entwined with that of Athens. This was not the place for him anymore.
“Well, either you’re all lying and tempting me to execute the three of you, you’re all mad, or some very strange things are indeed happening,” Alexander said at last. “If you were lying, I think you would have simply deserted and made for Athens rather than returning here. I didn’t have to learn that you’re still alive. If you’re all mad, then I’m best being rid of you. If you’re telling the truth, then there are things happening that concern the gods. Even I am humbled before them. I should not think to obstruct whatever their plan is.”
“So you’re going to allow me to leave your army?” Heliodas asked.
Alexander lifted his chin and looked intently at them. “Heliodas, I have not sent word to Athens of our victory at the Granicus. I require one last duty of you. I will have a scroll prepared and you will deliver it to Demosthenes upon your return to the polis. I would also have you deliver a greeting to the fair polis of Ephesos, so that they’re aware of our victory at the Granicus, and are prepared for our arrival.”
Relief washed over Heliodas as he regarded the young Macedonian king. “I thank you for this duty.”
“Once you have done as I instructed, you are released from my service.” Alexander turned to Pelephon. “Your fortuitous arrival at the losing battle suggests that you may have become entangled in the affairs of these people and the gods. Further, I think that it would be a mistake to entrust our communications with Athens to one soldier who is escorting such an important emissary. Would you help see to the safe delivery of the scroll?”
A sudden wave of gratitude washed over Heliodas. The Macedonian king clearly understood his own need to leave, and he was allowing his friend to go with him. He had not expected Alexander to be so fair and generous in this matter, and he’d had no inkling that the king would send Pelephon with him.
“I would indeed,” Pelephon replied. “I have to say that I’m conflicted about my duty, though.”
“How do you mean?” Alexander asked.
“I have been part of this army for years. My heart remains Macedonian, not Greek. I’m not certain that I can leave this war behind,” Pelephon explained.
“Then you need not do so,” Alexander said. “Go help your friends. When these matters have been resolved, return to my army. I intend to keep pushing ahead until we have completely destroyed the Persians. I can spare a couple soldiers, for now, but I cannot say that this will be true months from now.”
“I’ll do that. Thank you!”
“Now, stay with my army for the evening,” Alexander said with a broad smile. “Drink my wine and enjoy yourselves. I have the feeling that this will be the last time that some of us lay eyes upon one another.”
Thermiandra fixed Heliodas with a warm glance as she brushed up against him and quickly ran her hand down his arm. “Thank you for doing this for me. I know you favor this war,
so I appreciate your sacrifice.”
“You’re welcome,” Heliodas replied. For a moment, he wondered if the contact she’d just made meant anything. She had said more than once that there was no chance that the two of them could be intimate. Perhaps this was simply her way of expressing gratitude. In any event, this was not the time to concern himself with this. Tonight was for celebrating with the foreign king he would no longer serve in the morning.
In the morning they said their goodbyes to their fellow soldiers as they departed the army encampment. Alexander met them outside of his tent and wordlessly handed them a scroll. The night before, within his tent, after enough wine had been consumed, standard decorum had been discarded and the four people had talked and laughed as friends. Now that they were before the soldiers, Heliodas and Pelephon were treated strictly as Alexander’s subordinates again.
Alexander provided them with three horses so they could make better time on their journey, and then bid them farewell. As they rode away from the encampment, a thought occurred to Heliodas. “We need to decide how we’re going to get to Athens.”
“Is the way we came not direct enough?” Pelephon asked.
“Not at all. Even without the army slowing us down, it would take weeks, if not months, to make the return trip. It would also cause us to trek through several territories that might be hostile to us. They feared such a large army when we passed through the first time, but they would not hesitate to engage us on our own,” Heliodas said.
“I don’t know Ionia well enough to say what path is best,” Pelephon admitted.
“Nor do I. I’ve seen maps, but many of them were over a century old. This land has been subject to Persian rule for too long,” Heliodas said.
Thermiandra cleared her throat loudly. “And that is why the two of you are lucky to have me for a guide. We must be careful not to stray close to Cyme. There will be people near there who will not understand what their favored daughter is doing in the company of foreign soldiers. Instead, we should be able to find a ship headed directly for Athens when we deliver Alexander’s message to Ephesos. The two cities stand on opposite sides of the Aegean, and there is a great deal of trade between them.”
Echoes of Olympus (The Atheniad Book 1) Page 14
