"You are far too young to make such a decision."
Zoe gazed sadly at Father Haralambos. "I was young and naive once. I’m not anymore."
"You are determined to do this?"
"Yes. I know am I am right." Zoe sat down and took a deep breath. For a long moment she didn’t say anything. "Are you with us or against us?"
"I’m doing God’s work. God is on our side, so yes, I am on your side."
"Good. Go and give that bastard the last rites so I can send him on his way to hell."
Father Haralambos pulled Zoe into his embrace and held her. Zoe shook her head trying not to let the tears overwhelm her but she lost the battle. She sobbed against his black covered shoulder.
***
Zoe sat alone in the cave, her eyes fixed on the ground. She could hear Father Haralambos’ voice from outside the cave talking to Vassili. Her heart beat loudly in her ears and the enormity of what she was about to do made her hands shake. She closed her eyes and tried to steady her nerves. She opened them again to see Apostolos had sat beside her.
"It’s time."
"Did you learn anything?"
"Nothing we didn’t already know."
"Has Father H finished?"
"He has."
"Right." Zoe stood. Her knees trembled under her pants but she stood still waiting for the fear to subside. "I’m ready."
"You don’t have to do this. Let me do this for you? Please." Apostolos put his arm around Zoe’s shoulders. "Allow me to take this burden from you."
"No. I know you care about me, but—"
"I don’t just care about you, Zo. I love you," Apostolos replied quietly. "I asked your father for your hand in marriage."
"I know." The corners of Zoe’s lips curled but she refrained from smiling. She had suspected Apostolos had asked her father. Nicholas Lambros was a very happy man after he came out of his barn with Apostolos a few days before their world exploded. Now she knew why—her father had given his blessing.
"You do?"
"Yes. Stav told me how sweet you were on me."
"Your father gave me his blessing. I know Theo would have given me his blessing as well. Is that a yes, you will?"
Zoe shook her head as she gazed up at Apostolos. "Tolis," she addressed him using a nickname she had for him when she was younger. "You are my friend and have been for a long time. I love you."
"But?"
"I love you as my brother." Zoe smiled sweetly and cupped his bearded cheek. "You and Theo were like brothers and that’s how I see you. I love you because you want to take this burden off me. It’s what a brother would do, but you can’t."
"I understand," Apostolos replied. He leaned down and kissed Zoe tenderly on the cheek. "I am going to be jealous of the man that wins your heart."
"Pity the poor man," Zoe replied with a quiet chuckle. She picked up her gun and held it in her hand. "Let’s do this." She took Apostolos’ hand and they walked through the cave and into brilliant sunshine.
The clearing was now surrounded by members of the Resistance. Father Haralambos stood to the right, his Bible clutched firmly to his chest. In the center of the clearing was Vassili, tied to a chair and with a black hood placed over his head.
Zoe took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Her legs felt like lead with each step she took. She was meters from Vassili. "Take the hood off."
"Zoe--" Apostolos stopped when Zoe glanced at him. He removed the hood.
Vassili Petrakis was a black haired man who resembled her cousin Stavros so much it made Zoe’s heart ache. His dark brown eyes met hers and he blinked.
Zoe gazed at Vassili for a long time before she took a step forward. "Why?"
Vassili turned his tear stained face away from Zoe, who wondered if he was ashamed or remorseful for what he had done.
"I did it to save my family."
"You did it to save your family," Zoe repeated. She knelt beside his chair and gazed into his eyes. "You did it to save your family?"
"Yes."
"We were your only family. Stavros was your first cousin. That was your family. I don’t believe you. How much money did they give you?"
"I’m sorry, Zoe." Vassili pleaded with Zoe. "Please, don’t do this."
"Why don’t you want me to do this?"
"You are my family."
"You are not my family. Do you see everyone here?" Zoe pointed to those gathered around. "Every one of them is my family. They were your family and you betrayed them. You are our Judas. You betrayed Stavros and you betrayed all us of us for thirty pieces of silver."
"I’m so sorry."
"I know you are." Zoe cupped Vassili’s cheek. "I know you are, because you were found out."
Zoe stood for a long moment. "Look at me." Vassili turned his head and gazed at her, tears running down his face. "An eye for an eye, a life for a life."
Zoe raised her gun, she blinked back the tears that threatened to become a river, and then she fired.
Chapter Fourteen
Eva entered the church. As usual at this time of the morning it was very quiet. She saw Sister Maria lighting a candle off to the far right of the room. Eva made her way across to the altar. She stopped for a moment, bowed her head, and then crossed herself before moving away and heading to Father Haralambos’ office. He looked up from his studies and smiled when he saw Eva through the open door.
"I have some news." Eva reached into her cloak and brought out two identity papers and handed them to Father Haralambos, who came around his desk.
"Ah, this is good. I’m glad you’re here. I want to introduce you to your new maid."
"I’m afraid my church visits are going to be very limited."
"Ah, did Nurse Edith convince your father—"
"Stepfather."
Father Haralambos smiled. "He is still your father. Now did Edith convince him?"
"Yes, as we feared."
Father Haralambos put his arm around Eva and led her away from the office towards the back. He opened a door which led into pitch darkness.
"You have a cellar?"
"Yes, Father Alamanios used to store his collection of wine down there before the war and now we just use it for storage."
"Where are we going?"
"To meet your maid," Father Haralambos replied as he lit the oil lamp. "Now do you want to stay up here? There are a lot of steps."
"How far down is it?"
"About twenty steps."
"I’ll come down with you," Eva replied taking Father Haralambos’ offered arm.
"Zoe, it’s just me," Father Haralambos called out as they descended.
"I’m in the wine room," Zoe’s muffled voice filtered back up.
"She sounds very young," Eva whispered.
"She’s fourteen but works hard and has a good heart. I’m quite sure she will like you and you will think she’s a little too chatty."
"I’m not chatty, Fath—" Zoe came out of the wine room holding an old bottle and stopped dead when she saw Eva’s tall form behind Father Haralambos. "What in God’s name is the cripple doing here?" She spat out, and then she turned and went back inside the wine room. Moments later she came back out with a gun and aimed it at Eva’s head.
She fired.
The gun jammed.
Zoe swore and glared at the gun and fired again at Eva. "For the love of Christ! This is the second time this stupid gun hasn’t worked on this bitch. She-demon," she muttered as she checked the barrel of the gun.
"Put the gun down, Zoe, and what have I told you about swearing in the house of God?" Father Haralambos shielded Eva from the enraged young woman.
"No! Get away from her, Father, or else."
Father Haralambos stood his ground. "Or else what? You will shoot me? Here? In the house of God?"
"The gun is cursed, so you’re safe."
"Zoe Lambros!" Father Haralambos exclaimed in outrage. "That is not what I expect from you!"
"Sorry, but the sight of this bitch makes my blood boil
!"
"The sound of your swearing is going to send me to an early grave! Haven’t there been too many deaths already today?"
"This will be a justified death. Now step away from her."
"Do you think I can’t call on my guards at this very moment?" Eva asked in Greek as she peered over Father Haralambos. She wasn’t sure why she wanted to goad Zoe but she couldn’t help herself.
Zoe shook with rage and leveled the gun at her.
"Your gun doesn’t work, little girl."
"I am cursed with a stupid f--," Zoe stopped herself from swearing and then glared at Eva. "What is the cripple doing here in the holy of holys!"
"Since when has the wine cellar been the holy of holys?" Father Haralambos asked shaking his head in astonishment.
"It’s in a church."
"My god, you are insufferable!" Eva exclaimed. "Father, I can’t work with this child!"
"I’m not a child, you Nazi cripple!" Zoe spat out, and before she could react Father Haralambos reached out and grabbed the gun from her hand. "Father!" Zoe protested.
"I told you, no swearing in church. Now sit down and listen." Father Haralambos pushed Zoe onto a crate. Eva chose to stand as far away from her as possible.
"You can’t expect me to be in the same room with this..." She was about to swear again but stopped herself. "With this...whore!" Zoe gave up and threw her hands up.
"Why not?"
Zoe looked at Father Haralambos as if he had grown another head. "Were you not at the hanging? Or did you forget giving the last rites to them?"
"I haven’t forgotten. It’s not what you think. You remember when I said it is best if our left hand does not know what our right hand is doing?"
"Yessss." Zoe let out a frustrated breath. "What does that have to do with...her?"
"Zoe, Zoe, Zoe. You need to cultivate patience."
"Father, Father, Father," Zoe mimicked Father Haralambos sarcastically. "I need to get out of here before I kill someone in this church." She tried to get up, but Eva had moved and was standing before her. She was pushed back down by the tall woman.
Zoe pushed her hands away in disgust. "Don’t touch me!" She yelled. "I don’t want your bloody hands on me."
"Stop behaving like a two year old and listen to Father Haralambos before you give yourself heart failure. At this point I vote for you to continue but I don’t think Father Haralambos would like it," Eva told her in Greek, but Zoe’s response was to bolt to her feet and spit at her. The spittle landed on Eva’s cheek and dribbled down her neck. She wiped it from her face with her hand.
"So you can speak Greek. I knew she was a spy! I knew it!"
"My god, you are an imbecile!" Eva retorted and wiped her hand against her cloak.
"Zoe!" Father Haralambos exclaimed and took out a handkerchief from his robe and handed it to Eva. "Need I remind you that you are in the house of God!"
"It’s okay, Father." Eva wiped the spittle from her face. "We are dealing with a child having a temper tantrum. I understand her hatred even though she can’t articulate it without sounding like a drunken whore."
"What would you know about hatred other than being the one doing the hating?" Zoe snarled and crossed her arms over her chest. "You’re a Nazi whore and a spy. You can fool the priest but you don’t fool me."
"Oh, no! You brilliant child, you have found me out. What am I going to do now! Oh, no, the game is up." Eva mocked Zoe and shook her head.
"Ladies!" Father Haralambos got in between Eva and Zoe and glared at both of them in turn. "Will you please treat the church as Switzerland and call a truce? Zoe, I think you owe Eva an apology."
"Like hell I do!"
"Zoe." Father Haralambos shook his head. "You need to calm down."
Zoe paced around in a circle trying to calm herself. "Father, if I didn’t know better, I would say you were a collaborator."
"We now go from imbecile to moron," Eva muttered.
"Eva! I want the both of you to stop talking," Father Haralambos pleaded and pointed to the upturned crates. "Both of you sit down."
Eva sighed deeply and took the largest upturned crate and sat on it. Zoe took a crate on the opposite site and continued to glare at Eva.
"Zoe, this is Eva Muller."
"I know who she is," Zoe spat out bitterly. "Fraulein Muller is the devil’s spawn."
"No, you don’t know who she is. And stop interrupting me!"
"Zoe, what Father Haralambos is trying to say is that I’m not the person you think I am."
"Oh, that’s even better. I don’t know who Father Haralambos is, you’re not who I think you are, and you expect me to sit here and believe it? By the way, I’m not who you think I am either. In fact I’m a German spy sent here to live a miserable life as—"
"Do you remember when Lucas had to warn the British airmen that the Germans were trying to find them?" Father Haralambos sat down and pulled Zoe down with him, clasping his hands over hers.
"Yes. We got them out in time but what—"
Father Haralambos pressed his fingers to Zoe’s mouth to quiet her. "How do you think we got that information?"
Zoe shrugged, pulling Father Haralambos’ fingers away from her mouth. "I don’t know. Maybe Fraulein Muller gave you the news," she said sarcastically. "This is worse than that drama Petrakis put on last summer. That stank too."
Father Haralambos looked at Eva, who nodded at him. Zoe looked between the two of them and sighed. "A few months ago I approached Father Haralambos and gave him the news about the airmen whose whereabouts were being sought by the Germans."
"Oh, how noble of you, Fraulein," Zoe mockingly responded. "Is that your good deed for the week?"
"Zoe!"
"What? Father, are you telling me that she gave you the information? Do you really want me to believe that?"
"Yes," Eva said simply.
"Oh, right, and I believe it because Fraulein Bitch tells me."
"Why is it so hard for you to believe?" Eva asked.
Zoe’s eyebrows hiked in surprise. "Oh, I don’t know, could it be that you’re the enemy!" She yelled at Eva.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Eva laughed, knowing it would probably make Zoe even more enraged. She didn’t know why she laughed, but she did. The sight of this fiery and fearless petite young girl made her want to applaud, which was a very odd reaction. She continued to smile when Zoe stood up and stepped over to her.
"I’m going to kill you," Zoe said very slowly. "It’s not a threat. I swear on my mama’s grave, I am going to shoot you."
"Not with that gun, you won’t," Eva responded with a sneer.
"You have a smart mouth for a cripple."
"You’re a feisty little thing, aren’t you?" Eva asked, which only earned her a growl. "Feisty and stupid. Almost as entertaining as a two year old."
"Someone should shut that smart mouth of yours," Zoe spat back.
"It won’t be you. You can’t reach it," Eva responded and then chuckled.
"Eva is my daughter," Father Haralambos announced. Zoe turned to him with a look of disbelief on her face.
Zoe blinked. "Your what? You have a daughter and it’s her?"
"See, I’m not Satan’s spawn, I’m his spawn," Eva said on seeing Zoe’s green eyes darken in anger. The vein in her neck pulsed to such a degree, she was certain Zoe was going to indeed have heart failure.
"Eva! You’re not helping." Father Haralambos admonished, and turned to Zoe, who was now completely outraged.
"You are a priest!"
"Yes, I know I am."
"Priests don’t have sex."
Father Haralambos smiled. "There are more things in heaven and earth."
"Huh?"
"That was William Shakespeare."
"Who?"
"An English poet..." Eva began to explain, but was silenced by the hate-filled look she was getting from Zoe.
Zoe let out a frustrated growl. Shaking her head, she bolted up the stairs and out of the chur
ch into a downpour.
***
"Oh, great!" Zoe looked up into the heavens, now soaked.
The rain fell steadily as Zoe thumped the ground in frustration. She was cold and angry. Angry with Father Haralambos for taking Eva’s side and angry with herself for not killing her when she had a chance. She splashed through the mud and sat on an old motorcycle that lacked a wheel. Muddy water had pooled in the sidecar and she watched the rain fall. The old motorcycle was a project she was helping Father Haralambos with.
Father Haralambos stood under the overhanging shingle and sighed. "Zoe, come back inside. Eva has left and we really need to talk." Please."
"No," Zoe mumbled and straddled the bike.
"Getting wet won’t help. You’re going to catch a cold."
"So what?" Zoe replied. "If I die from a cold or if I die from a German bullet, what would it matter?"
"It would matter to me." Father Haralambos held out his hand. "Come back inside. We have to talk."
"What’s left to be said?"
"You would be surprised." Father Haralambos smiled as Zoe got off the bike and made her way towards him.
Zoe accepted the towel from Father Haralambos and dried her hair. She followed him inside the small office. With the towel around her wet hair, she stood by the window, her head resting on the glass as she watched the rain falling lightly against the pane, making a kaleidoscope trail down the window. She sighed as she traced a droplet with her finger, disappointment weighing heavily on her shoulders. "You’ve complicated matters."
"Oh, how so?"
"I was going to kill her," Zoe said quietly. "I had it all planned out. I was going to avenge my mama’s murder. Now you tell me she’s your daughter. How can she be your daughter? You have never married. Priests don’t marry and they don’t commit fornication. That isn’t right."
"I have never lied to you about anything. Why am I going to start now?"
Zoe shook her head. "I don’t know. How can she be your daughter?"
"That answer is not for today. I want to talk to you about how you are a useful member of the Resistance."
"Yeah, right." Zoe continued to watch the rainfall. "Very useful, and I have the most useless gun ever made."
Father Haralambos got up and walked over to Zoe, gently placing his hands over hers. "You can be very useful."
In The Blood Of The Greeks (Intertwined Souls Series Book 1) Page 11
