by Joshua Roots
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“Don’t want to talk about it” was all he said. I wanted to press him on the matter but was willing to let it pass for now. I’d certainly done enough damage for one day, so hopefully Makha’s gesture was a sign that things were going to turn around.
Sadly, the reality of the situation was painfully apparent. Europa’s grip on the euphors was weakening. And while she’d asked me to buddy up to her rival in an effort to cut him off at the knees, so far everything the guy had said sounded light-years better for both humans and Minotaurs.
Not that I believed his hands weren’t dirty. Hell, everyone involved in politics, no matter what species, had skeletons in their closet. But what was the lesser of two evils? The leader who resisted an alliance or the one who at least seemed willing?
I was diving deeper into the complex web of Minotaur politics, and unless I was very careful, I might not be able to find my way back out.
* * *
Sleep was hard and sound for the first time in days. My bedding, while a far cry from a memory-foam mattress, was soft and the room a drowsy-inducing warm thanks to the crackling fire. Unconsciousness claimed me the moment I sank into the pile of hay and furs.
Vivid dreams faded in and out randomly. Quinn was prominent in most of them, but images of Centaurs and Minotaurs popped up over the course of the night. Every time the creatures chased me, I tried to defend myself, but both my Skill and my Glock were useless.
I woke with a start to the sound of heavy boots on the floor.
“Breakfast, loser,” Steve said.
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and found Steve holding two enormous platters of food and a pair of steins filled with ale. The scents wafting from both caused my stomach to growl, so I gingerly scooted into a seated position. He set the plate and drink down in my lap, then flopped into his own bedding.
“Wow, breakfast in bed. So romantic.”
My buddy rolled his eyes. “Just eat, jerk.”
We munched in silence, mostly because we were both too focused on cramming chow into our faces as fast as possible. I devoured a pile of eggs and at least three types of meats, all of which disappeared into my stomach before my tongue could register the flavor. Eventually I set the platter aside, wishing I hadn’t shoveled the food down my gullet so quickly.
I rested a hand on my belly. “Ow.”
Steve was still hammering away at his plate. “Full already?”
“I think this is what pregnancy feels like.”
He chuckled. “That something you’re planning on?”
“Not me personally, no. But I would like to have kids someday.”
He paused. “With Quinn?”
“Of course with Quinn.”
“You asked her?”
“About kids? No. I’d want to get married first.”
“Because you’re old school.”
“Hey, the ladies love old school.”
He snorted with derision. “Got a ring?”
I shook my head.
“But you’re sure you want to marry her.” It wasn’t a question.
Initially I was being playful, but the serious tone in his voice gave me pause.
“I am,” I finally said. “I love her. Heck, it doesn’t even feel weird saying that. She’s—I dunno, magic. Makes everything better. I want to hold on to that for as long as I can.”
He was silent for a while, chewing his food slowly. “Wow.”
“Yeah. It’s kinda terrifying.”
“Bonding yourself to another person forever? I’d say so.” He picked at a piece of venison. “So when did you realize this?”
I gazed out the window. Early morning sunlight bathed the village, casting long shadows from the houses.
“A while ago, I suppose. We’ve been together over a year now, but recently I’ve been thinking about where she and I were headed. Quinn changed her life for me, for us. Funny thing, I’d have done the same if she’d asked me to. Might still if this Minotaur situation turns ugly.”
“You’d leave the Council behind to do what? Become a house-husband?”
I shrugged instinctively. It took me a second to realize my shoulder was only a little tight, but otherwise felt just fine. “I’d love to be a stay-at-home dad. Let her enjoy her new Huntress career while I drive the kids to soccer practice or Mage training.”
“Already planning on having a girl, are you?”
I smiled. “Wouldn’t mind a couple of each, actually.”
Just the thought of a bunch of kids running around our house filled me with joy. I’d been lucky enough to grow up under the umbrella of loving parents and I wanted to be able to provide that to my own family. A family I simply couldn’t picture without Quinn as their mother.
“Maybe you need to check with Quinn before you start picking out colors for the nursery.”
Reluctantly, I allowed myself to be pulled back to the present. “Yeah, I need to talk with her, tell her how I feel, but this isn’t a discussion to have over the phone. You can, however, bet your oversized butt it’s the first thing on my list when we get back home.”
Steve sipped his ale. “You guys are good together. You laugh a lot, but you also support one another during the tough times. That’ll be important if you want to build a life.” He raised an eyebrow. “Although I’m still not sure what she sees in you.”
“It’s my devilish good looks and my rapier wit.”
“Or maybe she ran out of options.”
“Ass.”
He smiled. “You know it. Well, mazel tov to you both.” He toasted me with his ale. “You’re a hell of a lucky guy if she says yes.”
“Thanks.” I frowned. “Wait, if?”
He shrugged. “Won’t know till you ask, will you?”
Dammit. Good point.
Further discussion about my future with Quinn was cut off by a knock on the door. Steve hauled himself out of bed and answered it.
“Apologies for disturbing you, Heir,” the Minotaur in red and brown armor said. “But I was instructed to give this to the human.”
I leaned forward but couldn’t see around Steve’s massive frame.
“Okay, thanks,” my buddy replied, then shut the door. He walked over and dropped a large book into my lap.
“The heck is this?” I asked, lifting the heavy object. There was no title or markings on the leather cover, just a series of intricate carvings.
“No clue.”
I carefully eased open the cover. The pages were brittle and yellow, their edges chipped and worn. The inset contained a drawing of a human woman with an arm around a Minotaur, feeding him wine. A small piece of parchment slid from between the pages and into my lap. I picked it up and opened it.
For your education. We can discuss later.—M
The writing was elegant and precise. I showed the paper to Steve.
“Homework from Makha?” he asked, handing it back.
“Apparently.”
My buddy huffed, then stood. “No offense, but sitting here watching you read all day is a living hell for me. I’m going to walk the town. See if I can get a feel for what’s happening among the clan. See you in a little bit.”
“Have fun.”
“Oh, I will. More than you’ll have with that dusty old tome.”
Then he was gone.
I shook my head at the door. As much as I loved my brother-from-another-mother, he never seemed to understand that I actually enjoyed conducting research. It was one of the few perks of being a freelancer. Granted, the Council had me hitting the books a ton over the past year, either with spell training or mind-numbing bylaws, but there was something freeing about doing it on your own. I could spend hours, even days, buried in a good book.
And the gift from Makha was all that and more. Although the writing was penned in Really Old Latin, my Warlock training helped me decipher the gist of most of the stories. I’d hated learning the language of our spells, but having put that ability to good use of late, I’d come to appreciate it.
I was especially grateful because it meant I was able to delve into what appeared to be Minotaur legends. Gently turning the pages, I lost myself to the words.
Chapter 11
Lost in a Good Book
“A ball of string she offered him. A way to navigate the Labyrinth. To return to her alive.”
—The Legend of Ariadne
The sky was a deep orange by the time Steve barreled through the door.
“How’s the clan?” I asked, looking up from the ancient pages. My eyes ached from the hours of constant reading.
“Complicated.” He kicked off his boots and dropped heavily into his bedding. “The vast majority is still in the Alpha’s camp and will toe the line no matter what she decides about the treaty.”
“But?”
He frowned. “There is an undercurrent of change. A fair number of clansmen were unusually hesitant to talk with me about life here.”
“Because you represent the Alpha.”
He laid a finger aside his snout. “Ten points to Gryffindor.”
“Were you able to get a sense of what was going on?”
He shook his head. “No, but you and I saw the pull Makha had just with the euphors. My guess is that his rhetoric is starting to trickle down to the commoners. That doesn’t pose as big a threat as losing her support base, but it’s very telling. Minotaurs who aren’t in leadership positions rarely question authority. If we’re starting to see that, then perhaps the situation is more cancerous than we initially thought.”
“Good thing we’re meeting with Makha later.”
“Speaking of which, I did chat with the Alpha and told her about our meeting.”
“And?”
“She approves but cautioned us once again about his silver tongue.”
“At least she’s on board with our plan.”
“I suppose.” He yawned. “Read anything interesting?”
I flipped to the first page. “I did, Mr. Asterion.”
He glanced at me. “Makha gave you a history book, eh?”
I was undeterred by his nonchalant tone. “So you are related to the original Minotaur.”
“That’s the rumor.”
“But why did your ancestors change from Asterion to Asterios?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Humans tweak their last names all the time. Why should we be any different?”
“Okay, fair point. But still, the Minotaur of legend. That’s huge, man.”
Steve waved a dismissive hand. “All history. What matters is today. More importantly, tomorrow. At least, it should be.”
I closed the book. “Is that the straw that broke your back?”
He grew serious. “You’ve talked with the Alpha, heard her interact with her euphors. She’s focused on our past and terrified of our future. For years I tried in vain to change her mind. Eventually it became apparent that our society was going nowhere, so I skipped town to blaze my own trail. Bought a bar and made a decent living until you burned it to the ground.”
“But you’re set to inherit the clan,” I countered, refusing to let him distract me with guilt over our first encounter. “You could set a new course for your people.”
“Now I don’t want to.”
“You can’t mean that.”
He frowned. “I sure as Cracker Jacks do. I like my life, Marcus. I like working for your folks, I like having a membership at a gym where the girls are hot and wear a lot of spandex, and I like being able to order Sinatra LPs online. Coming back to this backward pit means giving all that up. Plus, you’ve seen all the sniping and backstabbing. Why would I want to put myself into the middle of that crap?”
“Because your people will need a progressive leader someday.”
“Then a progressive leader is more than welcome to take the reins. Me? I’m through trying to better a society that has little-to-no interest in moving beyond the pages of their history books.”
I leaned back. “You can’t ignore your past. Trust me, I’ve tried. Heck, the Skilled are still learning how to fit into the modern world. We spent thousands of years hiding from Normals only to officially come out two decades ago. To say the growing pains have been difficult would be an understatement. It may take another generation or two, but we’ll get there.
“Your people are no different. Give them the right direction, the right leader, and you’ll be surprised what they can do. If you need proof, there are two younglings who are already more accepting of a human than most of your people. Imagine what happens if they became euphors. Imagine a world where my kids and yours could play together at the same school, maybe even get married.”
Steve was quiet for a long time. This was a sensitive topic, so I let him deal with the emotions that I could feel rolling around beneath the hardened surface of his face.
“I’d eat my child before I’d let them marry yours,” he finally said. “Anyway, how’s the shoulder?”
I sighed. Apparently the conversation was over. At least we’d made some progress.
I hoped.
“Better. Not fully healed, but whatever junk your people put in this bandage is working great. Most of the pain is gone and I almost have full range of motion.” I moved my arm, noting where the muscles were still tight.
“Just another reason why Minotaurs rule and humans drool, Monkey Boy.” He glanced out the window. “Sun’s starting to set. We should head out for Enneticia’s ceremony.”
I hauled myself upright, then followed Steve out the door.
* * *
Like the previous morning, the entire clan had turned out to hear what the Alpha had to say. They were packed around the stairs to her hut, grunting as they pressed against one another for a better view. The smell wasn’t as bad as it had been, which made me wonder if I was starting to get used to the stench.
Thanks to my friendship with the Heir, I was granted a primo spot at the front with the euphors and other high muckety-mucks. Makha and Pareia the Gray Lady both greeted me. The former smiled while the latter remained aloof.
In the middle of the pack of leaders was Enneticia. Bandaged and bruised, she glowered when she saw me
“You sure know how to make friends,” Steve said as he towered next to me.
Any snappy retort was cut off by the Alpha, who exited her home.
“Greetings, fellow clansmen.” The entire village went still. “We gather once again to celebrate the glory one of our own has brought to her kind. Although unusual, Enneticia’s run through the Labyrinth was unprecedented. Not only did she conquer every challenge quickly, but her reaction to the shifting of the maze based on new presences proved that she is more than capable to carry the banner of our clan into battle. Therefore, I call upon Enneticia, daughter of Deodelus, to come forth.”
The warrior woman nudged me aside, then vaulted the steps with head held high. She knelt as she approached the Alpha.
“Didn’t she do this yesterday?” I asked Steve.
“It’s tradition for the Alpha to usher a new soldier into our ranks,” he muttered.
“Gotcha.”
Europa gazed down at the Minotaur. “Young warrior, you faced more dangers than was necessary during your run, yet you defeated them all without hesitation. Your actions bring great honor to your family and this clan as a whole. It is therefore my privilege to welcome you into the official ranks of the Asterios clan, not as a member but as a leader. You, Enneticia, are hereby one of the accepted among our tribe. May you continue to forge new tales of glory for your
family and our people.”
The crowd stayed silent as one of Europa’s guards, the big guy named Lythos who we’d fought the other day, walked forward and offered the Alpha a sheathed sword. She accepted it, then held it to the sky and murmured several phrases in their bizarre Minotaur tongue.
“Another tradition,” Steve said in a low voice. “She’s asking the gods to bless the blade and to allow it to always find the enemy’s heart.”
When the Alpha finished, she presented it to Enneticia.
“Rise, child, and accept the gift of your Alpha and the adoration of your people, for you are now one of the anabasmatai.”
“The what?” I asked Steve.
“Anabasmatai. Loosely translated it means she is officially a member of the ‘ascended’ within our ranks. The word is plural and gender specific, so it ends with an ‘ai.’ If she was a dude, it would be ‘anabasmatoi.’”
“I appreciate the language lesson,” I lied, “but are you’re telling me she’s not considered part of the clan by birth?”
“She is, but now she is accepted. Graduated from her training. It’s the difference between being someone the clan has to take care of and someone who will take care of the clan.”
“Oh. Cool.”
He nodded slowly. “Yeah, it kinda is.”
Enneticia took the sheath, then stood and faced the crowd. She beamed as her kin exploded into roars of approval. The Alpha smiled as well, allowing the newest warrior of the clan to enjoy her moment of glory.
As the cheers swelled, Europa gave the Enneticia the three-finger salute, then signaled to Lythos. The Minotaur opened the door to her hut and ushered her forward. The applause dwindled. Many looked at me as they traded words in their strange tongue.
The Alpha smiled tightly at the crowd, then disappeared into her home to the confused murmurs of her clansmen. Even Enneticia seemed caught off guard by the sudden shift in adoration from her people. She stayed on the top step for several moments while the crowd slowly began dispersing, then reluctantly walked down the stairs. She sneered at me as she passed, disappearing into the throng a moment later.
