A Tribute of Fire (The Eye of the Goddess #1)

CHAPTER ONE

I took the corner too sharply and nearly tripped over my own feet, slamming hard into the stone wall. Pain bloomed in my shoulder. I grit my teeth together and kept running, breathing hard, sweat pouring down my back and making my tunic cling to me.

That way! I heard a soldier call out behind me, and it gave me a burst of energy, propelling me forward even faster.

An arrow whizzed by my head, so close that it nearly nicked my ear. I gasped and fought the urge to freeze in place.

Stupid girl, remember that a moving target is nearly impossible to hit! My mentor s words echoed inside my head, reminding me that I needed to keep low to the ground and run as fast as I could.

There was an unfamiliar whirling sound one moment, and then in the next, my legs were suddenly swept out from under me. I tumbled to the ground, my armor clanking. I hit the earth so hard that my breath was knocked from me.

I was dazed for only a moment and then I looked down. They had thrown a bola around my ankles. I pushed the heavy helmet from my head and reached down to tug the rope loose from my legs.

The men s voices were getting closer.

With a silent groan I got to my feet and ran. I went left through the maze, then right. I had lost track of the course and didn t know where I was. Fear flooded my system, making it even harder to think, harder to focus on a way of getting out of this alive.

A spear whooshed past me, piercing the hem of my tunic before it slammed into the ground, wobbling in place. I ran by it and turned left again.

A few more turns and I would reach the temple. Sanctuary.

My breathing turned even more ragged as I dug deep, willing myself to fly the rest of the way. My limbs burned, my lungs protested, but I had to keep going.

Another arrow. This one went wide but I still felt the rush of hot air as it cut through the open space beside me.

We almost have her! a man s voice called out in triumph, and the panicky adrenaline coursing through me said he was right. Too close. They were too close.

I heard the sounds of swords being drawn from scabbards as the soldiers behind me closed the distance between us.

I came to a crossroads. Right or left? I couldn t remember.

With no time to think it through, I chose right.

And after two more turns, I realized that I had made a fatal mistake. That path came to a dead end. There was only a stone wall ahead of me. I banged my fists against it in frustration.

I was trapped.

A dozen soldiers crowded together behind me, their weapons pointed my way. I pulled out my dagger but knew that I wouldn t be able to fight my way clear. Maybe if there had been only a few I might have had a chance.

You are caught, the man in front announced with delight.

Not yet, I hissed back.

He stepped forward with his own dagger drawn and I grabbed his wrist, turning it so that he dropped the weapon. I elbowed him hard in the face and pushed him into the man behind him.

Someone lunged at me on my right, and I sidestepped the swing of his staff and used his momentum to shove him off-balance.

Arms went around me, grabbing me hard about my waist and lifting me. To the soldier s surprise, I went completely limp and fell to the ground. It was the worst possible defensive position to be in, but I d had no choice. I grabbed the back of the attacker s knee to propel him forward so that he tripped over me, and I kicked out at the two closest men, clearing a spot to leap to my feet.

I got back into a defensive crouch, holding my weapon out. My pursuers spread out in a line and my stomach sank. I knew it was over.

My only hope had been to fight them one at a time.

As I feared, they attacked all together and I had a dozen sets of hands on me, pulling me down. I struggled against them, pushing and kicking, but it was no use.

Demaratus was already yelling as he shoved his way through the crowd. Stupid girl! What did I tell you? Never, ever allow yourself to be cornered. And you never let yourself get flanked that way!

The regiment released me and I huffed out, I know. When my mentor was in this mood, which was essentially all the time, I was better served by being meek and agreeable. Arguing only made him worse.

Someone from my regiment offered me their hand to help me up and I accepted, brushing dust from my tunic.

Demaratus s face finally came into sight and I breathed deeply to fortify myself. I was very tall for a woman, but he was a head taller than me. He was nearly as old as my father but moved like a much younger man. He radiated anger and frustration. Even the patch over his missing right eye seemed angry with me.

You are not as strong as them, he yelled. Hide! Evade! Run! You don t try to fight your way clear. He gestured toward his soldiers, who had all been sworn to secrecy. They have more training and they are stronger than you. You will not win in hand-to-hand combat. You must stay out of arm s reach! Once they get their hands on you, it s over.

I know, I said again as my breathing returned to normal. I looked at my shoulder, which had already started to turn a darker color.

The bruises were getting harder and harder to explain.

Then Demaratus was directly in front of me, grabbing me by my breastplate the way he would any of his other soldiers and pulling me up to his face. His breath reeked of alcohol, as it normally did.

No quarter will be given! You will not be taken alive. If they catch you, corner you, you will die! He roared the words so loudly I wondered if everyone in the palace could hear him.

The former Daemonian general spent his time either not speaking at all or yelling at the top of his lungs. During our training, there had been no middle ground.

I didn t even know if he knew my name. He only ever called me stupid girl.

What happens if you get within reach of those Ilionian men? he demanded.

They will kill me. I understood this better than everyone else here, as I was the one it would soon happen to.

I had been training with Demaratus for the last year in preparation for the selection that would take place in two days time. The Seven Sisters constellation had appeared in the sky a week ago, letting us know that the time had arrived.

And the main thing that I had learned in practicing hand-to-hand combat was that no matter how many techniques I learned, no matter how agile or nimble I might be, if more than one soldier could get their hands on me, I was finished. Demaratus was right-they were stronger than I was.

My only hope was to keep my distance. I wouldn t be able to fight my way out. Getting cornered would mean certain death.

And you got cornered in a place that you re familiar with, that worried voice inside me pointed out.

When this happened for real, I would be in a city I d never stepped foot in before.

I stumbled a bit as he finally released me. Seeing that Demaratus had finished lecturing me, the other soldiers dispersed. I d wondered more than once what the general had threatened them with to get them not only to help me train, but to keep silent about our activities. Because they were the biggest bunch of gossips I d ever met. If I wanted to know what was happening in the palace, I only had to ask one of them.

At least when I go to Ilion, I won t have this much armor weighing me down, I said as I undid the buckles at my shoulders, letting the breastplate drop.

Demaratus watched as it hit the ground. Before he could yell I reached over and picked it up. I could already hear him in my head. Stupid girl! A warrior s armor deserves respect!

But to my surprise he spoke in a rational tone, one I normally only heard when I visited him in the evenings after he d become completely drunk. There used to be a racing event called the hoplitodromos. It was a footrace run with full armor on.

Was the point to torture the athletes?

He ignored my jest while I undid the bracers on my wrists. Centuries ago, there was a battle between the Sasanians and Daemonians. The Sasanian archers expected to pick the Daemonians off easily, given the superiority of their arrows. What they did not expect was a phalanx line of soldiers rushing them in full armor, plowing into their front defense. Training with armor made the Daemonians able to run long distances in it, unlike our enemies.

I m not going to battle with the Sasanians, I said, bending to remove my leg plates.

He grimaced, as if annoyed. You race with armor now so that when it matters, you will be accustomed to a heavier load and you will be faster when you run without it. And it strengthens you to train with it on. A warrior who sweats more in training bleeds less in war.

I had certainly sweat enough to ensure that I wouldn t bleed at all when the time came. I gathered my armor, holding it against my chest. One of those arrows almost hit me.

You have to learn to be unafraid of being shot at, and there s only one way to do that.

By shooting at me.

He grunted, and if he were the sort of man who ever smiled, I was sure he would have.

At least no one threw an axe at me this time, I said.

I didn t want to risk injuring you. Not so close to the end.

And despite the fact that I knew it was coming, that I was aware of the fact that the Ilionians would be landing on our shores in two days to collect their tribute, a bolt of fear struck my heart, shuddering in place the same way the spear had earlier.

I immediately suppressed the sensation. Demaratus had drilled into me the need to control my fear. Panicked warriors made mistakes.

I could not afford to make any mistakes.

He reached for the wineskin at his side, deftly undoing the ties with his right hand. Although I had never asked him about how he d lost his left hand, I d always been in awe of how easily he fought without it. There wasn t a soldier in the entire Locrian army who could defeat him now.

He must have been terrifyingly lethal when he d had both.

Demaratus surprised me by offering me the skin.

What s this? I asked.

Wine, he said.

I took a deep swig and then had to fight the urge to spit it out. This was what he drank all day, every day? That is not wine, I said with a grimace, passing the skin back to him. It tastes like vinegar.

His expression didn t change, but I heard the slight defensiveness in his voice. It s Daemonian wine.

Daemonians were renowned for their skill in battle-but their wine left much to be desired.

No wonder the Daemonians aren t afraid to die. I could have sworn that a ghost of a smile hovered over his lips. Why are you being so nice to me? Is it because you re worried I m about to die?

My mentor was the only one I could joke with about my situation. To be more accurate, I joked while he glared.

Much as he was doing now.

I would tell you to do better tomorrow, but this is our last training session. I will have to hope that you ve retained some small part of all that I ve taught you. If not, at least you will have an honorable death, which is all anyone can ask for.

This entire conversation felt surreal. He never spoke this much unless he was about to black out.

It made me think he really was worried that I would die.

Which I understood because that fear had kept me up many a night.

Put your gear away, he said, interrupting my thoughts. There was so much I wanted to say to him in that moment, to thank him for all his guidance, his teaching, the skills he had drilled into me.

For giving me a fighting chance.

But he walked away before I could speak.

I trudged back to the armory, glad that I would never have to wear this blasted armor again. It was ill-fitting and often made me chafe. When I entered the room, my regiment were stowing their equipment, teasing one another.

There s the thigh-flasher! I heard Linus say, and they all started laughing. I glanced down at my tunic. In Locris it was considered improperly short, showing my upper legs, but Demaratus had told me that it was what the Daemonian women wore when they exercised and trained. It was much easier to run without lengths of cloth wrapping around my ankles.

I wouldn t make it very far with a regular tunic.

And my daringly short hemline was the reason I kept a cloak in the armory. If I went into the palace dressed like this, there would be questions I wouldn t want to answer.

Why are you looking at my thighs? I retorted, which set off another round of laughter as the regiment mocked Linus for his remark.

I stood there and watched them, still holding my armor. I was hit with a wave of sadness as I realized that I would never train with them again. They had been my constant companions for this past year. I had spent hours with them every day.

And I never would again.

I put my armor up on my designated shelf, patting it one final time.

Maybe that s the reason Telamon grazed Lia with that arrow, Linus said. Because he was so distracted by her legs!

Or his aim is just as poor as yours, I responded, which set off another round of laughter, squeezing my heart so tightly it felt like it might break.

I wouldn t have almost hit you if you could manage to run faster than a wounded animal, Telamon told me.

Wounded is the only way Telamon catches any woman! Polymedes said with a loud laugh.

This group of men had always treated me as one of their own. From the first day, when Demaratus told them that I would be joining their ranks, not a single soldier had muttered a complaint or protested against having to train with a woman.

I knew there were many who would have.

My throat felt tight, like there was a large lump that I couldn t swallow. Thank you.

At my words, the men fell silent, all their faces turned toward me.

Thank you, I repeated. For all your help and for including me. And for not telling anyone.

Andronicus, their captain, got to his feet. He was twenty years old-a couple of years older than I was-and coming to the end of his mandatory service in the army.

You have earned our gratitude and loyalty, he said. He balled his hand into a fist and laid it across his chest, the gesture one soldier made to another. Every one of us would take your place if we could, and we respect the sacrifice that you are going to make for Locris. One for many.

Then every other member of the regiment stood and did the same. Tears filled my eyes, but I would not cry in front of them. They would never respect me again if I did.

I put my fist over my own chest, returning the honor they d given me. One for many, I repeated.

We all stayed there for a bit as I drank in their faces, committing them to memory.

Then they began to move, the moment over, making plans for their evening.

Telamon approached me, shyly. Do you want to join us at the tavern?

More than anything, but that wasn t the sort of place I could go without being discovered.

Not to mention that I understood what he was asking without saying the actual words. I d never had romantic feelings for Telamon. He had indicated possible interest in the past, but I hadn t seen the point.

I appreciate the offer, but I have a family dinner tonight.

He smiled and ducked his head, taking the merciless ribbing his compatriots now offered him.

Linus crowed, She turned him down! I told you she would. You owe me three drachmas.

You ruined your last chance, someone added, but they were all out of the building now and I wasn t sure which one of them had said it or how long Telamon had been planning to ask me to spend time with him before I left.

The armory was now completely silent, and I took one last look around the room. While I knew I should have returned to the palace, my feet took me in the opposite direction. I walked through the dilapidated maze. No one knew why it had been built. Polymedes had conjectured that it had been meant as a defensive measure to keep the temple safe. I knew he was correct but had kept that information to myself.

The doorway of the temple had broken during an earthquake a thousand years ago, crushing the wooden doors, but there was still enough of an opening for me to sneak inside. Water dripped slowly down one wall and the entire place smelled dirty and musty. I headed through the main room toward the staircase, making my way down to where the statue of the goddess lay in pieces.

Just before I reached the last step, I crouched down to raise the top of the stair and pulled out the ancient box within. I opened the box and took out the book it held, walking over to the statue.

I sat on the overturned column near the goddess s head and brushed some dust off her face.

Her large, empty eye sockets seemed to stare back at me, mocking my pathetically sparse plan.

This might be the last time I visited this temple. My grandmother had brought me here two years ago, just a few months before she died. She was the one who had shown me the false step with the box. The book was so old I had been afraid to touch it.

What is this? I had asked her.

It is a record of Locris, our home. Of stories that have been banned and forgotten. Words about the goddess, who we used to praise with songs and prayers. Until she cursed us and our land, destroying her own temple.

I took the book reverently and began to read. I remembered that rush as I turned the pages, learning so many new things. I had known about the temple, passed by it many times, but I d never gone inside. I hadn t realized that it was significant in any real way.

I was familiar with the yearly tribute we paid to Ilion, and the reasons why, but was shocked at the discovery that Locrians had abandoned their entire belief system when we were cursed.

Stories of the greatness and power of the earth goddess, how she had blessed our lands for millennia, before everything was destroyed by the actions of one man.

My ancestor.

Not even your father knows about this book, my grandmother had said.

Why did you give it to me? I asked, not understanding why she would take such a risk. My father would be forced to destroy the book and punish his own mother if he ever found out.

A chill ran down my back as I recalled the way her gaze had bored into mine-so clearly, so certainly. You will be the one to carry this legacy forward. You will keep the word. Someone in Locris must remember the old ways, how we worshipped the goddess, and find a way to regain her favor to restore our lands. Your older sister will marry and leave. Your brother will be beholden to the law and his people. But you? You will have a choice about your life s path. And you should choose to remember what was and what might be.

What if I don t want it? I wanted to ask but knew that I wouldn t. I understood that this was too important to reject. This legacy was now mine, regardless of how I felt about it.

You must always remember that all the answers you need are in the written word, she continued. In scrolls, in poems, in songs, in books. Find the right words and you will have your answer.

She had turned out to be right. A single line in the book had caught my attention and changed the entire course of my life.

Only the eye of the goddess can restore Locris.

The sound of rocks falling down the stairs had me on my feet, my blade drawn, heart pounding in my chest.

Because I knew I would be executed if anyone found me with this book.