by R. D. Brady
“Well?” she asked.
“I found Castor. He is gathering Pollux and Achilles.”
“Good. And the war?”
“The war continues. They have not breached the walls.”
Even though this meant many more men had been dying, Helen felt relief. If Samyaza were to breach the wall and regained his powers, the deaths from this war would pale in comparison to the deaths to come.
They continued together in silence to the prayer henge. As they drew near, another tingle ran over Helen’s skin—her brothers. She picked up her pace.
As she and Barnabus stepped from behind one of the stone pillars, Pollux ran over and hugged her tight. “We were worried.”
She returned the hug just as strongly. “There was nothing to worry about. Barnabus and I had everything well in hand.”
Pollux released her and extended his hand to Barnabus. “Good to see you. I see you still have all your body parts.”
Barnabus laughed. “Not for want of trying on your sister’s part.”
Castor, now taking his turn to hug Helen, looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. “I thought you said you had it well in hand?”
“We did,” she said. “We are here, no worse for wear. How is Clytemnestra? Have you heard anything?”
“She is all right. According to reports, she has grown close to King Priam and Queen Hecuba. Even to Hector’s family.”
“And the war effort?”
“Achilles stayed out of the fight as long as he could. But then Patroclus was killed by Hector. It was a good death. But Achilles did not see it that way.”
“What did he do?” Helen wasn’t sure she wanted to know.
“He killed Hector himself, then dragged his body by chariot. Only when King Priam intervened did Achilles agree to release Hector’s body.”
“Since then he has fought little,” Castor added, “but he has allowed the Myrmidons back into the fight.”
Helen remembered the gentleness Hector had shown to his children and wife. He had not wanted to be part of this war, but he had been duty bound to fight. And then she thought of Achilles and how devastated the death of his cousin must have left him. This war was nothing but devastation for the lives it touched. “Where is he?”
“He could not get away immediately. Agamemnon called a meeting of his leaders right before we left.”
“You were not asked to attend?” Barnabus asked.
Castor grimaced. “It seems we have fallen out of favor with Agamemnon. He keeps us as far from himself as possible.”
“And Paris?” Barnabus asked.
Pollux spat. “He lives. He was to fight Menelaus to end this war, but he chickened out.”
The mention of Menelaus hit Helen hard. She had not even asked about him yet. “How is Menelaus?”
“He is well. He misses you. We have not said anything of your escape.”
Helen sighed. “Thank you. I know it has been hard. But we think we know why all this has happened.”
Castor pointed to a satchel by the fire. “We brought food. How about we hear every detail while we eat?”
They sat together around the fire while Helen and Barnabus told the brothers about their travels. When they reached the part about the minotaur, Pollux cut in.
“Better not tell Theseus the minotaur is dead. He keeps bragging how he’s going to be the first one to kill the beast.”
Helen shook her head. “He was no monster. Just a man forced into a cruel life by a cruel father. Minos was the true monster. But that monster is also no longer.”
Pollux raised an eyebrow. “Had a little chat with him, sister?”
“You could call it a chat.” She continued her story, taking her brothers through the journey to the island of two gods, Ajeet’s message, and Agamemnon’s role.
“I should have killed the bastard the first time he touched Clytemnestra,” Castor spat.
“We all have that regret,” Helen said. “But now we need to deal with him, before this war is over.”
A tingle ran over Helen’s skin, stronger than any she felt when a nephilim or Fallen were near. A feeling of this intensity was reserved for only one man.
Achilles stepped out of the shadows. “Then you need to move quickly. Because Ulysses has come up with a way to end this war once and for all.”
Chapter 100
Throughout their voyages, Claudius had kept his ears open, listening to Barnabus and Helen when he could, and to the other sailors when he couldn’t. He hadn’t learned as much as he had hoped, but he had picked up on one very, very juicy tidbit.
Queen Helen was the ring bearer.
He’d also overheard enough to know what that meant—he knew the basics of the conflict with the ring bearer and the Fallen. And he also knew that Agamemnon was somehow connected to that ancient conflict. So he was confident this little piece of information would be well received—and well rewarded.
In addition, yesterday he’d overheard Helen and Barnabus talking about the need to find the symbol of two interlocking triangles. He didn’t know what that meant, but he could tell it was important. Claudius smiled. Two critical pieces. His instincts had served him well—again.
When they arrived at Troy, Helen and Barnabus departed the ship first. Claudius waited what he thought was an appropriate amount of time, then slipped over the side. He held a note in his hand—a note he had crafted just last night. He ran through the hills until he saw the small cave where one of Agamemnon’s men was supposed to wait for him each day. The man came to attention.
Claudius thrust the note at him. “Quickly, send the bird.”
The man tied the note to the falcon’s leg and sent him into the air.
Claudius hoped the bird reached Agamemnon in time. And if it did, well… He smiled. Agamemnon will pay well for this information.
Chapter 101
With all the armies of Greece at his command, Agamemnon had expected to defeat the Trojans easily. But those damn walls! And thanks to the childish behavior of Achilles and his refusal to fight, this war was stretching on for months. Agamemnon had been growing increasingly impatient.
But now Ulysses had crafted a plan to end the war once and for all. It was daring and creative, Agamemnon had to admit—but it could also just as easily fail as succeed. If he were King Priam, he would burn the damn horse where it stood. He’d be surprised if the Trojans didn’t do the same. And then what? He needed to get inside those damn walls. He needed to find the Omni.
He pulled the stone tablet from the chest where he stored it. Unwrapping the velvet, he looked at the engravings again. When Faenus had found the tablet, Agamemnon had begun to prepare for this moment.
Now he studied the tablet, looking for any clue that he might have missed even though over the years he had poured over it and knew ever mark and blemish on it. But there was nothing on the tablet to indicate where inside Troy the Omni was. Many times he had considered trying one of the other two locations, but both were now deeply buried. He’d be an old man before they uncovered even one of the sites. No, Troy was his best hope—his only hope. He needed to be whole again. Wasting all these years in a weak body, remembering who he had been and the power he had wielded as a youth—it was beyond torture.
And now, he was so very close. And still so damn far.
The tent flap opened, and Cergen stepped in, bowing deeply. “My lord, a message.”
Agamemnon waved him in. “Yes, yes.”
Cergen placed a note on Agamemnon’s open palm before stepping back and waiting by the exit.
Agamemnon unfurled the note and read it. Then he read it again. Helen? All this time it had been Helen! Anger roared through him as he imagined every slight, every insult, every looked of veiled contempt the woman had thrown at him. How had he not seen it?
Did Menelaus know? No—if Menelaus had known, he would have confided in him. Which meant Helen had kept it from him. But Castor and Pollux—yes, they must be the other two members of the triad.
/> They had all been within his reach this whole time.
He gripped the tablet, and barely managed to keep himself from smashing it to the ground. He carefully placed it out of his reach as his temper rose higher and higher. But he could not let it rule him. He swallowed it down. He grabbed a sheet of paper and sat at his table. Thinking carefully, he wrote:
Prince Paris,
You are so close to everything you have desired. Within days, if you are able to complete this one last task, you will have all the riches and power you deserve. Within the walls of Troy there is a symbol of two intertwined triangles. Find the symbol and report back to me. But do not touch it. That is for the hands of a god alone.
~Zeus
Agamemnon rolled up the paper and handed it to Cergen. “Send it to Troy.”
Cergen didn’t even blink. This was not the first time he had sent the falcon over the wall. “Yes, sir.” He bowed and hustled out of the tent.
Agamemnon sat back, his mind whirling. If Paris was able to find it, he would figure out a way into the walls. If the horse failed, he’d find another solution. Maybe I’ll even offer my personal surrender. Priam would be honor bound to welcome me.
Yes, one way or another, he was getting into Troy, and he was getting his powers back. And then he would repay Helen for all the trouble she had caused him.
But not too quickly. She needed to suffer. And the best way to make Helen suffer was by hurting the ones she loved.
Chapter 102
Helen drank in the sight of Achilles—and her heart broke at the sadness that clung to him. She clasped her hands behind her back to keep from running to him. “Achilles. I am sorry—for Patroclus. He was a good man.”
He tipped his head. “He was the best of men.”
“How much did you overhear?” Pollux asked.
“Enough. It sounds like you have been through quite a lot.” Achilles’s gaze roamed over Helen. “But you look to be in one piece.”
“I’ve gotten pretty good at taking of myself.”
“That I do not doubt,” he said.
Barnabus cleared his throat. “I am fine as well. In case you were worried.”
Achilles grinned, breaking the spell between Helen and himself. He turned to Barnabus. “It would take an act of the gods themselves to harm you.”
Barnabus clapped him on the shoulder. “You speak the truth, brother.”
“Join us,” Castor said, gesturing to the food and the fire.
Achilles’s gaze flicked back to Helen.
She nodded. “Yes, join us. And tell us what Ulysses has come up with.”
Achilles sat next to Castor, and Helen couldn’t help but appreciate the smoothness of his movements, the way the muscles in his arms and legs rippled in the firelight. She had to tear her gaze from his arms as he reached for some bread. Butterflies danced in her stomach. Only he had ever elicited this reaction from her. Damn him.
Achilles told them of Ulysses’s plan. They were to build a giant, wheeled, wooden horse and hide soldiers inside it. They would leave the wooden horse at the gates of Troy as a gift—and wait for the Trojans to take it inside their walls. Then, once the horse was safely inside, the soldiers would climb out of it and open the city’s gates from within, allowing the Greek armies into Troy itself.
Pollux scoffed. “The Trojans won’t fall for that.”
“Agamemnon will have all the ships leave, making it appear that we have departed. The horse will be seen by the Trojans as a parting testament to their skill in battle. There will be no reason not to trust it is what it appears.”
Helen’s mind raced. If the Greeks succeeded, the war would end. “How long will it take them to construct this horse?”
“It is already done. The first of the ships have set sail.”
Helen’s mouth dropped. She had not imagined the war would end so quickly. She turned to her brothers and Barnabus. “I need you three to set sail immediately for Sparta.”
“What?” Pollux shook his head. “No. We’re not done—”
“I need my children safe. When Troy is defeated, and the men watching my children learn of it, they will kill them. I need you to get them to safety. There are no other men I trust with this. Please, I beg you.”
Pollux looked away, but Castor took her hand. “We will get them to safety. No harm will come to them.”
Barnabus nodded. “You have my word. We will leave immediately.”
Helen felt some of her terror subside. “Thank you.”
“You do not want me to go protect your children?” Achilles asked.
His tone was light, but Helen heard the hurt behind his question. “Your absence would be questioned too much. You are too visible. And besides—I need your help with something else.”
Chapter 103
The creak of a door worked its way into Paris’s dream, and he saw the goddesses filing into his bedroom one by one. “My prince, we are awaiting you.”
Paris smiled. “My apologies. Let me make it up to you.”
Aphrodite placed her hand on his shoulder. “Wake up, Prince.”
He frowned. “What?”
She shook him. “Wake up.”
Paris’s eyes flew open, and he reached for his knife on the table next to his bed.
His manservant, Agaro, stepped back hastily.
Paris stood, his eyes flashing, even as the room spun around him. He had spent the day drinking with some of the soldiers, celebrating the departure of the Trojan ships. Early the day before, they had begun to leave. Now, there were very few left on the beach. They had toasted to their success and Paris had fallen asleep just after lunch. “How dare you intrude into my sleeping quarters. You have woken me from my sleep.”
Agaro dropped to his knees, his hands up. “Forgive me, Prince. But you instructed me to bring you any correspondence immediately.”
“What is it? It better be good, or you will spend the week in the stocks.”
Agaro pulled a crumpled note from his pocket. His eyes were downcast as he extended it above his head. “This—this came for you.”
Paris snatched it from the man’s hand with a growl. But when he read the note, his eyes went wide, his headache forgotten. “Who gave you this?”
“A falcon just arrived with it. I saw it had your mark on it.”
“You can read?”
“No, sir, no. But I know your mark, sir.”
Paris smiled slowly. “Very good. Tell the cook I said to give you and your family extra rations.”
Agaro’s jaw dropped, but he nodded. “Thank you, Prince. Thank you.”
Paris waved him away. “Yes, yes. And tell no one about this.”
The man got to his feet, still nodding. “Yes, Prince Paris. Of course.”
The prince eyed the man. “Actually, on second thought—” He grabbed the back of Agaro’s head and sliced the front of his throat. Blood sprayed on Paris’s face. He let the man’s body drop.
He set down the knife and washed off the blood in the basin. Then he strode to the door and yanked it open. “Guards! Guards!”
Two men in Trojan uniforms ran down the hall. “Yes, Prince Paris?”
Paris stepped back, sweeping his hand toward the body in his room. “The Greeks must have paid him to kill me. See to the body.”
“Yes, Prince Paris.”
The two guards picked up the body and carried him out. Paris shut the door behind them. And now, Zeus, let us see what it is you want so badly.
Chapter 104
Helen had to wait until it was dark to re-enter Troy. It was easier to escape Troy then to enter it, especially with the Fallen roaming throughout it. Achilles was to meet her when he had sent his Myrmidon to their hiding spots. Then they would go in when the festivities were under way and the Trojans guard was down. Until then, she would just have to wait.
Helen made her way to the back of the citadel. The cliffs behind it were supposed to be unassailable, but with the aid of her ring, she made her way to the botto
m of the hill that ran along the eastern part of the wall. Here there were small outlets that would allow her to hide. Achilles was to meet her here after he had sent his Myrmidons to their hiding spots. When the festivities were under way and the Trojans’ guard was down, they would enter.
As darkness fell, the horn of victory rang out. The last of the ships have left. They think they’ve won. Music and laughter filtered over the wall, along with cheers. Happy sounds, peaceful sounds, as if from another world.
She settled in to wait. She would allow the celebration to go on and then she would slip in when the Fallen were distracted. Her eyelids grew heavy. She kept yanking them back open, but after a time she gave up the fight. She had slept little on the voyage here, and she had taxed her powers to keep the wind blowing. Sleep would serve her well in the battle yet to come. Pulling her cloak close around her, she let her eyes close.
Chapter 105
Achilles blurred along the walls of Troy, keeping to the shadows. The sentries still stood along the parapet, but even they had joined the celebration, passing a bottle among themselves and paying more attention to what was happening inside the gates than what was happening outside.
He made his way around the side of the citadel. He felt the Fallen inside but he knew they could not sense him although he still did not why. He slowed as he approached the back wall. Where was she? He scanned the shadows and spotted her gray cloak in a hollow. He snuck quietly toward her, glancing up at the city walls, but no one looked out in this direction.
