by R. D. Brady
“Only I can create the Omni—which means I should not know where the boxes are hidden. I can avoid that temptation today, but one day, perhaps I will be unable to. You will keep me honest. Hide it well, Barnabus.”
His hands wrapped around the box. “Yes, my queen.”
Chapter 120
Helen lived well into old age. She saw her children grow and have children of their own. And she saw her share of sadness. Menelaus stood by her side, and she by his. He passed on years before she did, but her last few years were full of grandchildren and quiet walks. After a lifetime of adventure, she was content.
Hermione had watched her mother and father and knew they loved one another. But she also saw the look in her mother’s eye when she thought no one was watching—the look of loss. When Hermione grew old enough, her father had told her all her mother had done during the war to save not only her children, but the world itself. Hermione had been astounded. She had known her mother was strong, she had known she was a hero, but she couldn’t help but feel humbled by all her mother accomplished.
Finally her mother’s time was at an end. A procession of those she loved came to her to say goodbye, tears dripping down their cheeks. When the procession had passed, there was only Hermione to keep her company.
Hermione was amazed at how fragile her indomitable mother now seemed. Something was ravaging her body from the inside, and there was nothing anyone could do. Hermione gently squeezed her mother’s hand, noting the absence of her ring. Two years ago, as her mother’s health had begun to fail, Hermione had traveled with her to Egypt to hide the ring. When they arrived in Egypt, her mother had disappeared for four days before reappearing without it. Hermione did not know where it was. A long chapter of her mother’s life had closed at that point, and the closing had only hastened her mother’s decline.
Helen had now been in and out of consciousness for days, with pain her constant companion. The healer had given her medicine, but all it did was make her sleep. The queen of Sparta deserved more than this. She deserved peace.
Hermione adjusted the blanket over her mother, a tear sliding down her cheek. With a tremor in her voice, she said, “It’s all right to go, Mother. You have done enough. It’s time for you to rest.”
Helen let out a rattling breath. Hermione smoothed back her mother’s gray hair. “It’s okay. They’re all waiting for you—Father, Castor, Pollux, Clytemnestra, Barnabus. It’s time to go see them.”
Helen smiled, and Hermione knew that she had taken one step over to the other side. “I love you, Mother. Now go.”
Her mother whispered something that Hermione could not make out. She leaned closer. “Mother?”
Helen gripped Hermione’s hand and gave one last sigh. “Achilles.”
Chapter 121
Halfway between Prudhoe Bay and Barrow, Alaska
Present day
Laney opened her eyes and sucked in a breath. She still felt the ache of losing her brothers, the pain of losing Achilles, the heartache over the scope of Agamemnon’s destruction. But more than anything, she longed to see her children. She could still feel Hermione’s hand in hers. All the love, all the anguish of the world’s most famous and misunderstood queen—Laney saw it with perfect clarity.
And she knew why she had needed to remember Helen’s life. There’s a way to strip the Fallen of their powers. We could actually win.
But she wondered about the other lessons from Helen's life. The people she had cared about had been used as pawns to control her. Was there a warning there? A message telling her to keep those she loved far from this fight? And how if she wanted to could she even manage that? And who could want that—to live a life without love?
“You’re awake.”
Laney turned to the man slumped in a chair by the side of the bed, his blue eyes watching her intently. A beard had started to develop along his chiseled jaw, and from the condition of his clothes, she knew he had not left that spot in hours, if not days.
But it was the shock of recognition when she stared into his eyes that threatened to steal her sanity. She felt Achilles’s arms around her, saw his still form lying on the bed. Her stomach hollowed out, and tears sprang to her eyes. One rolled down her cheek. “Achilles.”
Drake leaned forward and gently wiped the tear away. Never pulling his gaze from hers, he spoke the word that sent her spiraling.
“Yes.”
Chapter 122
Achilles left to get her a drink of water. Laney shook her head. No, not Achilles—Drake. But that wasn’t true either. It wasn’t one or the other. It was both. He is both. Just like I’m Helen.
Laney sat back against the headboard, her knees pulled in to her chest. She thought of Hermione, Castor, Pollux, Barnabus, Menelaus. She ached at their absence. No. Keep it together.
Then Drake returned. His eyes were so familiar that it stole her breath. He sat down on the side of the bed and handed her a glass of water. “Are you all right?”
Laney took the glass with shaking hands. “Yes. I think so.”
She focused on nothing but the cold water sliding down her throat. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the headboard. “How?”
Drake didn’t need to ask what she meant. “I had spent thousands of years on earth—both as guardian of the tree and among man. Yet I had never truly lived as a human. I wanted to see and feel what you did. I was given one lifetime to do so.”
Laney wasn’t sure what to say. “Why as Achilles?”
“I don’t know. I was placed in that moment in time for a reason. I think because of you.”
Laney wasn’t ready to go there. “No, I can’t—” She flashed on their first meeting in Vegas. “You said we had never met before.”
“What should I have said? That in a past lifetime I lived for you? That you were my all? It seemed a bit much when you didn’t remember me at all.”
She felt the pain of that ignorance. How horrible to have loved someone so deeply—and have them not even remember you. “I’m sorry.”
Surprise crossed his face. “No need. It was a long time ago.”
Now a new pain joined the other. And she didn’t want to take too close a look at it. She took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. The modern furnishings of the room felt wrong. The snow outside the window felt foreign. She expected dry lands, olive trees, and the sea in the distance. Two worlds were colliding in her head, and the one from the past seemed so much more real than the one she now found herself in.
“It will be all right, Laney. Just give yourself a moment to adjust.”
Her heart lurched. “You sent me back there.”
“Not exactly. I just sent you into your own mind. I helped you remember who you used to be. What you’re capable of.”
“It felt real.”
“It was real—at one point in time. But that was a long time ago.”
She wondered if he was trying to tell her something more than the obvious. “You were there. You never mentioned being an archangel.”
“I didn’t know.”
“How is that possible?”
He gave her a small smile. “I had watched humanity from the sidelines for a long time. Yet I didn’t truly understand it. You all love and hate with equal passion. You take joy in small things, and yet some have everything and can find nothing to smile about. I wanted to understand. I wanted to experience being human.”
“So you were?”
“In a way. I was born. I died. I experienced childhood, adulthood, love. I didn’t know my true nature beyond what Pollux and the other Fallen knew. I thought I was like them.”
“And when you died?”
“I returned to being the archangel you see before you.”
Laney tried to wrap her head around an archangel playing at being human. “Was it worth it? Experiencing humanity?”
“It was the greatest joy and the greatest pain of my long life. The friendships, the sense of belonging, the love—I would trade i
t for nothing.”
The air between them was filled with tension, unasked questions, and unspoken words. Laney felt a tremor running through her. Achilles, her Achilles, sat before her. But his recklessness was gone. Even the arrogance of Drake was gone.
She wanted to ask him what he thought of their time together. What he thought of her. But she wasn’t sure she was ready for the answer. And besides, there were other matters that needed her attention.
“You remember how to defeat them, don’t you?” Drake asked quietly.
“Yes. They can be made mortal. I just need to find where the Omni was hidden.”
A shadow crossed Drake’s face.
“What is it?”
“Your friends. They’ve been under siege.”
Her present reality snapped to the forefront of her mind. “Are they are all right? What’s Samyaza done?”
“Quite a lot.”
Something outside the window caught her eye. It was… grass. Though the snow was still there, it had started to melt at the edges. How could that be? When she had fallen asleep, the winter’s snow had just begun.
She turned her gaze back to Drake. “Drake, how long have I been out?”
He met her gaze, unblinking. “Six months.”
Chapter 123
Six months? The words rang in Laney’s mind. She had been asleep for six months. Patrick, Henry, Jake, Dom, Danny, Jen—what had happened to them? Oh god, Cleo—what would she think about Laney being gone so long?
“Are they all right? What’s happened?”
“I think it would be easier to show you.” Drake stood and extended his hand to her.
She placed her hand in his and let him pull her up. He released her as soon as she was steady on her feet, and Laney tried to ignore the feeling of loss at the removal of the warmth of his skin against hers.
He walked into the living room, and Laney was once again shaken by the unfamiliar sights. The TV seemed so futuristic. The phone, the kitchen. She put a hand to her head and swayed.
“Laney?” Drake’s arm appeared at her waist, holding her steady.
“I’m okay. Just a little dizzy.”
Drake’s forehead furrowed in concern, then he swept her into his arms. She gasped, and he winked. “Don’t worry, I have that effect on all the girls.”
Laney laughed, preferring this old, familiar Drake persona. He was easier to deal with, easier to keep at an arm’s length.
He deposited her gently on the couch, but then his head whipped up. A tingle ran over Laney’s skin, and she jumped to her feet.
Drake put up his hands. “It’s okay. They don’t mean you any harm. In fact, I’m pretty sure you’ll be pretty happy to see them. He insisted you’d wake up today, so they went to stock up the kitchen.”
Laney frowned. “Who?”
But Drake just smiled.
The door opened, and a tall man with long dark hair, carrying two grocery bags, stepped through. But it was the boy that stepped out from behind him that made Laney’s heart nearly burst. “Max?”
“Laney!” Max sprinted across the room and flung his arms around her. Laney hugged him tight, tears running down her face. “Max, I’ve missed you so much.”
“I missed you too. So does Mommy.”
“Is she here?”
“No,” said Maddox, setting down the grocery bags. “If we need to move quickly, it’ll be easier if it’s just me and Max.”
“Is everything all right?” Laney asked. “Did something happen?”
“We’re fine,” Maddox assured her. “But Max insisted we come.”
Laney realized Max had grown a few inches since she’d last seen him. A lump appeared in her throat at the thought of how much of his life she was missing. But she pushed it aside. Because Max was no normal little boy. He could see beyond what most people could see.
“What’s going on, Max?”
The boyish enthusiasm on Max’s little face was replaced by a serious look, showing the old soul that lived beneath his skin. “You can’t go looking for the weapon. Not yet.”
Laney looked to Drake, who shook his head. “I didn’t tell him anything. They just showed up a few days ago and insisted they stay until you woke up. We’ll let you guys talk.”
Maddox and Drake walked into the kitchen and started unpacking the groceries.
Laney focused on Max. “Okay, so tell me what’s going on.”
“Life’s changing, Laney. You have two paths, and you need to take both of them. But you can’t. You have to choose.”
“Max, the weapon—it can help us defeat the Fallen once and for all. It can remove their powers.”
“I know. But it’s not important. Not right now.”
“Why not?”
“Because you need to help Victoria.”
Laney went still. “Honey, Victoria’s gone. She died.”
“She's never gone. You know that, Laney. She’s back, and she’s in trouble. And you need to help her—help all of them. Before it’s too late.”
FACT OR FICTION?
Thank you for reading The Belial Warrior. I hoped you enjoyed it. I enjoyed writing it. I first started thinking about writing Helen of Sparta's story back when I was first figuring out The Belial Library. But I wasn't sure how exactly to make it happen or when. I didn't want to just tell Helen's story. It had to somehow relate to the modern plight of Laney and her friends.
Once we put Laney through hell in The Belial Guard, I knew it was time. So I decided to get started and see where we ended up. And I have to admit it has been fun!
So what's fact and what's fiction in The Belial Warrior? That's a little tough. For this novel, it was more a matter of what is consistent with Homer and other individuals writing about the Trojan War. It must be kept in mind, of course, that, as Uncle Patrick explained, Homer wrote The Iliad at least five hundred years after the Trojan War allegedly took place. So that's what I had in mind when I was developing the story line—how stories tend to change over time depending on who's doing the telling. So here we go!
Geography. Most of the smaller Greek town names mentioned in The Belial Warrior are fictional. For the sake of understanding, the modern names of countries and some cities were used. This was done to allow the reader an easier time in understanding where scenes were taking place. But at the time of the Trojan War, there is debate amongst scholars as to whether there was any sort of country level identification.
The Trojan War. For hundreds of years, the Trojan War was believed to be a work of fiction. And then the city of Troy was found opening the door to the possibility that perhaps the war had indeed occurred. But it is still a matter of debate. Another matter of debate is when the Trojan War occurred. Most say the Bronze Age although that extends any where from 3000 BC to 700 BC. I chose to begin our story in 1450 BC in part due to a volcano that was said to have destroyed Crete in 1550 BC and would have therefore made it rather to difficult to have Helen and Barnabus visit Crete. But also because we know the ruins of Troy existed at that point.
Crete and the Minotaur. The minotaur was also written off as another fable from ancient times and then of course, a maze was found on the island of Crete. In fact, the symbol of the maze was found throughout the ancient world. King Minos of Crete was alleged to have sacrificed seven boys and seven girls to the minotaur every nine years. As to how the children were chosen, I do not know.
The Characters. Almost all of the characters were taken from The Iliad and are true to how Homer described them. A few characters such as Barnabus were added. Anyone who has read The Iliad knows that it is rather long with dozens of characters. Obviously, I could not include all of the characters. But many did make some cameos, although I changed the origin story of many. According to The Iliad, Orestes was the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. He would later go on to marry Hermione. Aegisthus was the lover of Clytemnestra who later helps her kill Agamemnon in his bathtub. And Theseus is the individual who was believed to have killed the minotaur.
&
nbsp; Clytemnestra and Iphigenia. I hated writing Iphigenia's death scene. I sobbed through it. Honestly every time I read it, I feel a catch at the back of my throat and I have to take some breaths. But it was in The Iliad and in The Belial Warrior it is the catalyst for getting Clytemnestra involved.
The idea of Helen being replaced by Clytemnestra was also taken from other works on Helen of Troy. According to the play by Euripides, Helen was replaced by Hera and Aphrodite by a lookalike while she spent the war in Egypt.
Two Sets of Twins. The siblings of Helen, Clytemnestra, Pollux and Castor are interesting to say the least. Depending upon whom you read, each was a set of twins, although they were also said to have had different fathers. Helen and Pollux were alleged by some to be the offspring of Zeus while Castor and Clytemnestra were said to be the children of Tyndareus. Some even suggest the four siblings were quadruplets. While the exact genetic nature of the siblings remains in doubt, Pollux's extraordinary skills do not. All agree he was gifted.
Dwarka. Dwarka is a city in India. But for centuries, the people of the area spoke of the legendary city of Dwarka which sank beneath the waters eons ago. Western historians wrote the tales off as the imaginings of a simple people. And then as is often the case it seems, remnants from the fabled city of Dwarka were found in the Bay of Cambay, exactly where the ancient tales said the incredible city had once existed.
Achilles and Helen. The idea of Achilles and Helen being romantically involved was not my original creation. Pausanias a Greek geographer from the second century AD maintained that Achilles and Helen were married in the afterlife.
Connections between the Main Characters. As mentioned in The Belial Warrior, Agamemnon and Menelaus did come to live for a short while in Sparta while Helen was younger. Tyndareus in turn helped Agamemnon regain his throne.
The Discovery of Troy. Troy was discovered by Heinrich Schliemann in 1870. But as explained by Father Patrick, Frank Calvert actually discovered Troy prior to Schliemann although Schliemann never gave him any credit.
