The Maze of Minos

by Tammie Painter

  "No! He will not go. He is from Helena. Helena has not been called yet."

  "I am of Athenos as well," Theseus says. "This monster needs to be stopped before every polis has to suffer. I could go. I could fight him."

  I have to bite my cheek to keep from cheering. The Wonder Boy didn’t even balk at going to Minoa. As a Helenian citizen he is not expected to be counted amongst the Athenian youths. But his willingness, his desire to deliver himself to the jaws of this monster. What luck! It’s obvious the minotaur can’t be beat. I’ll be rid of my problem without dirtying my hands. My child will then be Aegeus’s legitimate heir and his only heir. This is turning into a wonderful day.

  Aegeus clutches Theseus to him, then holds him at arm’s length. "I only just got you back after not having you with me for years. I forbid you to go."

  I can tell by the stern look on his face that Theseus has taken after his father in at least one respect: He does not like being told what to do.

  "Father," Theseus says, gently pushing away Aegeus’s hands and stepping back, "no disrespect, but I’m a grown man and you are not a king who can command people’s lives. I’m free to make my choice."

  "This is suicide," Aegeus blurts.

  "Theseus is a good fighter. You were just boasting of it yourself," I say in a way I hope sounds encouraging without revealing the eagerness bubbling inside me. "He wins every time in the arena, surely he can beat the minotaur."

  "I can beat him. I have Owl."

  "You can’t take swords into the minotaur’s lair," Aegeus says, his voice full of despair.

  "Fine, then I will fight with my hands. If I won against a bull blindfolded, why shouldn’t I be able to fight this creature in the dark?"

  "No, do not fight.” Aegeus takes his son’s hands in his. “Escape. Get to the exit and survive."

  "No. That’s the coward’s way out and you know it. For this to truly stop, for Osteria to avoid an all-out war, the minotaur must die."

  Theseus speaks so boldly, I almost believe for a moment he might make it out alive. But with no weapon, lost in the darkness, and a ravenous monster at your heels? What fools bravado makes of men.

  "We should make the announcement," I say softly, urging Theseus to stand with his father. Let the bastard enjoy his short time as heir and hero. I glance at my nails, wondering which of my maroon gowns I will pull out of storage for my dear stepson’s funeral.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Odysseus

  "IS IT HER?" Iolalus asks as we push our way through the crowd in the agora. As in Salemnos, the capital of my polis, Athenian leaders make their speeches from a raised platform in the central marketplace rather than requiring everyone to gather in the arena like they do in Portaceae City. But unlike the usual buzz of excitement over getting a tidbit of gossip, this crowd moves toward the rostrum as if dragging heavy weights, and the overall atmosphere is one of angst and despair.

  And who could blame them? Today is the day each leader of the twelve poli must announce which polis will be next to face the minotaur, which polis will be next to send twelve of its finest to be slaughtered in Minoa. Had we thought about it, Iolalus and I would have slowed our journey to avoid arriving on such a day, but the ordeal has brought out the ruling family and is providing us a good opportunity to view this wife of Aegeus as she climbs the rostrum to stand alongside her husband.

  I have to admit there is something familiar about her, but I often have trouble distinguishing one dark-haired woman from another. I tilt my head. Looking at her reminds me of looking at someone through a Bendrian heat haze. It’s as if she shimmers in one instant and blurs in the next; I wonder if this is some new cosmetic Osterian women are wearing. If so, I should pick some up for Penelope. She isn’t a woman to primp, but she does enjoy trying the latest products the beauticians devise if only to scorn the product for being a charlatan’s concoction. Still, I have no idea where I’d post such a gift to anyway.

  As if the mood of the Athenians is contagious, a sudden melancholy washes over me. Will I ever see Penelope again? It seems we are forever going in opposite directions or, if we do happen to be in the same location it’s on different days and we have only just missed each other. I had hoped our paths would cross on my way here. The latest word I received said that she was heading south from the Vancuse polis. Since Iolalus and I had been heading north and the Osterian Road doesn’t have many side branches along that stretch—

  An unusual stab of doubt cuts off the thought: Is my own wife avoiding me? What could I have done? Well, besides abandon her to do my duty only days after we had wed. Does she resent me for that? Has she found another man in my absence, one who will pay her all the attention she deserves?

  Iolalus nudges me out my self-pity. "Well?"

  "I’ll need to look at her more closely, but no, I don’t think it’s her."

  Aegeus steps forward before Iolalus can respond. I served in Athenos for a few months before my marriage to Penelope and remember Aegeus as being robust and in strong form for his age. Now he looks as if a grey cloud is weighing him down. I don’t need Iolalus’s intuitions to know he has already read the proclamation and that Athenos is where the minotaur’s next meal will come from. Theseus and Aegea stand a couple paces back from Aegeus. Theseus holds his head high, managing to look proud and regal without any arrogance. Aegea, one hand on the curve of her belly, stands angled away from her stepson and stares at the back of her husband’s head.

  "People of Athenos," he says in a strong, yet sad voice. "It is with a heavy heart that I must report Athenos will have to sacrifice her bravest and finest to Minoa. An Astorian nearly made it to the agora, but nearly makes no difference to a heartless beast such as the minotaur or to as cruel a man as Minos who is said to have watched through the bars and chortled as the girl, hardly older than a child, was devoured." During this speech the crowd lets out the expected gasps and cries of indignation, but they do so respectfully, never letting their voices overpower Aegeus’s.

  Iolalus whispers to me, "That is not the Minos I knew. He was kind, jovial, not a tyrant. He’s either gone mad or these rumors are lies."

  Once the crowd hushes, Aegeus continues. "Although this is wretched news for our polis, take heart that only eleven of you will have to go." At this Aegeus’s voice catches. The corners of Aegea’s lip twitch up, but her jaw clenches as she bites back the grin.

  "Theseus has volunteered," Iolalus mutters as Aegeus composes himself.

  "He wouldn’t," I say. "He’s not that stupid."

  "My son, Theseus, who you have come to know both in the streets and from his prowess in the arena has offered to go up against this monster. I would want to protect him, just as you want to protect your children from going, but I do think he is our best hope and I would not let my family be excluded from what we all must endure." At this Aegeus’s composure fails him and he weeps into his hands. His wife steps forward and offers consolation. I watch her face. The shimmering may make her beautiful, but it does not hide the delighted shine in her eyes as she wraps her arm around her husband. So, she is cruel. She does not care if Theseus dies. A woman who will sacrifice a son for her own gain. Even if this is not Medea, she has the same heart as the witch that ruined my cousin. Theseus steps forward.

  "My volunteering may pain my father, but it pains me more to think of our way of life, of our futures being dictated by some madman in the east who seems to think his way should be the only way in Osteria. I will go and I will fight this monster. And those who go with me will live. We will win in the maze and free Osteria."

  Although the older people in the crowd still moan, the younger people, those who will be amongst the ones who go with Theseus, roar with cheers at his bravado.

  "He’s not meek, is he?" Iolalus comments.

  "Nearly as bad as Perseus."

  "Confidence can bolster one’s followers. As you well know."

  "Confidence is one thing; ignorance of the facts is another. Besides, I’m nothing like th
is braggart."

  "No. Not at all," Iolalus says with a smirk. "Come, let’s go speak with Theseus about his new stepmother."

  As Aegeus stands tall again, Aegea steps back and looks up in my direction. I make eye contact with her. She stares at me. Iolalus and I are toward the back and it’s a fair distance to the rostrum, but I swear her eyes widen momentarily before she looks away feigning that she’s only glancing over the audience’s heads and has seen nothing of interest. I begin pushing my way through the people, ignoring the curses I earn for my rudeness. Iolalus takes advantage of my wake and follows behind me. By the time we get to the rostrum, Aegea has left. I look through the crowd and see her being ushered away by a cluster of women who must be her maids.

  "I had hoped to offer my congratulations to your wife," Iolalus says to Aegeus after Theseus makes introductions. I don’t know if this is true or if he too feels it’s odd for Aegea to have hurried off after seeing me. Either way, I appreciate his tact. "Too bad Odysseus has a habit of driving women away." I give Iolalus a scolding glare. I can take many jabs, both verbal and physical, but the notion of Penelope running from me hits too close to my own worries.

  "She tires easily. She will lie down for a spell and then return with more energy than all of us put together," Aegeus says as he wipes the back of his hand across his red-rimmed eyes. "I’m feeling like disappearing myself right now. Walk with me to my home."

  With the attention he earns from the Athenians—especially the young, female ones—it’s impossible to speak much with Theseus. As our group of four walks along a harborside pathway, members of the crowd—this time mostly matronly female ones—take Theseus’s hand and thank him. The optimists praise his bravery; the less hopeful ones acknowledge his sacrifice. He tells them the only sacrifice will be the minotaur, and possibly Minos if he gets the chance.

  Aegeus’s residence, Theseus has already whispered to me and Iolalus to never call it a palace unless we want to upset the natives, is a welcome relief to my eyes. Everything in Athenos is so rigidly symmetrical that I swear the polis’s groundskeepers must measure the length of each leaf before they make a single cut during pruning season. The building (villa, I’m told is the preferred term) is essentially symmetrical but there are subtle differences at either side and a curving aspect that keeps it from seeming as formal as everything else I’ve seen in Athenos.

  After entering the palace/villa Aegeus leads us to an enclosed courtyard where food and drink have been set out. Iolalus reaches for a dish to serve himself, but before he can take his first berry I ask, "Is there somewhere more private we can meet? Somewhere we won’t be heard?" Even though I still doubt Aegea is Medea, I will not have her eavesdropping on what I want to ask.

  Aegeus doesn’t question this request and offers his office. Iolalus catches up with us carrying a full plate.

  "This space is private. What’s on your mind?" Aegeus asks once we settle into his book-lined office. Despite the news he has just had to deliver, he speaks diplomatically with no tone of irritation at our intrusion into what must be a difficult time for him.

  "We came because we heard a woman matching the description of my cousin’s wife was here. Have you heard of a woman named Medea?"

  Aegeus’s face freezes and he glances down to his sandals before meeting my eyes once more. "I’ve heard awful rumors of her."

  "They’re not rumors. I’ve seen what she can do. She’s not one to trust."

  I say this slowly watching for any change in Aegeus’s face. I think he knows more than he’s letting on, but I cannot go around accusing Osteria’s leaders of lying. Perhaps it’s only the strain of the day since, after his first falter, he shows only interest and concern when I tell what happened between Jason and Medea. I want to give the man the benefit of the doubt; he is after all dealing with the potential death of his son at the hands of a monster.

  "And you say she has been seen here? Theseus would recognize her, wouldn’t he? She was on the Argoa with you, right?"

  Theseus starts to respond, but a light knock at the office door interrupts us. Without being asked, Aegea steps in and a sudden irritation flares in me that she can’t just mind her own business. I suppose the intrusion is a benefit though because it gives me a chance to observe her more closely. Now that she is nearer, I can tell this isn’t Medea, although she could pass for a distant relation. Looking at her strange shimmer-blur bothers my eyes and I have to look back to Aegeus. He’s fidgeting and his eyes dart to meet mine. When he sees my casual demeanor, he forces himself to settle back into his chair. Then, perhaps realizing his rudeness, gets up and pulls over a plush leather chair for his wife.

  "I’m sorry for my quick departure. It was all too much for me." She gives Theseus a doting look of affection.

  "Theseus, do you really intend to go to Minoa?" Iolalus asks. I watch the woman; it’s as if I can’t help it even though my eyes itch from whatever she is wearing on her face. I decide she’s not Medea, but there is a sense of familiarity that I can’t quite place, like searching for the correct word and having it refuse to move from your brain to your tongue. It’s on this scrutiny that I take in how far along her pregnancy is and I wonder if Aegeus has secured Theseus as heir.

  "I have to," Theseus says.

  "Darling," Aegea says with the tone of someone who has just been struck with an idea. "Odysseus has a reputation for being one of the best commanders in Osteria, and Iolalus is rumored to be quite wise. It would take some weight off my shoulders, if they went with our son."

  If I wasn’t staring this woman right in the face and seeing someone who is not Medea, I would swear this was the cruel and conniving witch who killed my cousin’s children. I will have to ask Hermes if mortals can inhabit the bodies of other mortals next time I speak with him.

  "We cannot make up part of the party. I am married and Iolalus is injured. If not, he would volunteer to fight for Portaceae when the time comes." This is true, and indeed, I worry that his injury may not stop him when Portaceae’s time comes, or if we have to call up the poli against Minoa.

  "But if Theseus wins—" She stops herself. "When he wins, do you just think he will walk out of Minoa without a fight? Minos is clearly mad. Theseus will need wise and strong men with him to help him out of Minoa when he succeeds."

  And to die with him so they are out of your hair, I think to myself.

  "I would feel better if you two went with him," Aegeus says.

  "What do you say, Theseus?" Iolalus asks. "Do you want a half-lame Solon and a smart-mouthed vigile trailing along with you?"

  "I would appreciate your companionship more than anything. And Iolalus, you’ve met Minos, you know his personality from before this began, maybe you can figure out what might have changed him. That could be helpful."

  My hopes of racing my horse back to Portaceae to join Penelope crumble away yet again. I wish I wasn’t traveling with Iolalus. As a Solon, he was able to write out unlimited travel passes for us when we left Portaceae. Had I been traveling with anyone else, I could have gotten out of going to Minoa with the excuse that my travel permit didn’t allow any journeys other than to Athenos. My longing for Penelope sends a grip of emotion into my throat and I know I cannot speak without embarrassing myself. Instead, I give a stiff nod of agreement and offer my hand for Theseus to shake.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Pasiphae

  "YOU'RE GOING TO have to go back to Minoa," Ares say as he lounges naked by my side. I prop myself up on one elbow and roll my eyes. I’ve been to Minoa four times over the past couple months. It’s become a dismal place and I don’t care to see it again.

  "Why should I? Minos has submitted to the Council’s order. He doesn’t even argue against it. He just turns a pitiful face when he sees a group arrive then slumps off to his room." I pause then add, "I thought this time I could stay with you."

  "No. It’s not enough. He needs to give in to us. You need to push Minos harder."

  "There are other things that could
be pushed harder," I say as I caress his inner thigh with my foot.

  He pushes my leg away and, with a huff of irritation, gets up from the bed. My stomach jolts. I shouldn’t have argued. What’s another few days in Minoa if it means a lifetime as a goddess by Ares’s side? I know I’m straddling a very thin rope right now with him. How can I be his partner; how can I hope to rule by his side if he’s bored with me? And this isn’t simply self-doubt creeping in. I know he’s bored with me. I heard him say so when he thought I wasn’t listening. My stomach goes cold every time I think about what I overheard yesterday afternoon.

  He had been in the private courtyard of the governor’s mansion in Aryana City. I had just returned from a meeting with the Osteria Council and wanted to tell him they were close to declaring war on Minos, that a declaration was being drawn up, that it would be delivered as soon as it was complete and acted on soon after. Not only was I elated that Ares would finally get his war, but also that my son would be freed from the maze without having been harmed. Just as I was turning a corner of one of the dark hallways that leads to the walled-in courtyard, I jerked to a stop. Ares was speaking with someone. A woman. And the more they spoke, the more I felt my hold on him slipping away.

  "Why are you here?" Ares was asking. His question delivered with a mix of annoyance and hopeful curiosity.

  "I just came to see how your plans were going. I thought you’d be ruler of us all by now." The woman’s tone of voice was smooth, assured, and bore a hint of seductive disinterest. I dared to inch closer to see who was there; although in my heart I knew who it had to be. My suspicions were confirmed when I caught sight of the flowing blonde hair and curvy body that was barely covered in a silver gown that would have been translucent in full sunlight. In this low light, however, it gave only a tantalizing peek of the shadows and outlines of her breasts and buttocks.

  "Matters are proceeding," Ares said, watching Aphrodite stride around the courtyard until she made a full circle and stood facing him.