CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
I braced, expecting an onslaught. Like what had happened in the flower garden-for Artemisia to attack immediately.
She didn t do that, though. She continued to twirl her staff in a circle, pacing back and forth. Was she waiting for me to strike first? I wasn t going to.
Quit toying with your prey! someone yelled from behind me, and it caused Artemisia s smirk to widen.
She feinted at me and I instinctually responded, bringing my staff up to meet where hers would have been if she d carried through with her jab.
She wasn t just delaying. She was going to test me. She wanted to see where my weaknesses were, my reaction time.
Hit her! another person yelled, and I wasn t sure which one of us they were talking to.
Although considering how they felt about Locrians, I assumed it was meant as encouragement for Artemisia.
Keep your hands up, Lia! That was definitely Zalira s voice, and it was nice to know that I had my sisters supporting me.
Artemisia swiped at me and I reacted, again bringing my own staff up to prevent her from making contact with my body. Her eyes narrowed, absorbing this information.
Was I accidentally betraying my previous training? I glanced at Antiope, but her face remained passive.
Yesterday in the garden I had felt groggy and slow, whatever remedies administered to me by Daphne and Io still in my system.
That was not the situation today. I felt extremely alert, and that earlier attack had only heightened my senses, preparing me for a fight. I was ready.
And I couldn t show that to anyone.
Artemisia stepped forward with her right foot and swung at me on my left side before quickly switching to my right.
I blocked her both times. I clenched my teeth. Demaratus had trained me too well.
She spun to her left and I could see the incoming blow, but I closed my eyes and held my own staff straight up while I waited, allowing her to land her strike.
Oof, I breathed out as her staff whacked me on my right shoulder. She hit really hard, much harder than I d anticipated. That was definitely going to bruise.
Point for Artemisia! Antiope called out.
Would they separate us, have us start over? Apparently not, considering that Artemisia was again swiping at me and I instinctively jerked to my right to avoid the hit.
Should I try to strike her? Would it seem too unrealistic if I didn t at least make the attempt?
I again heard my adelphia cheering for me and I was struck with a desire to not let them down.
But I didn t have that option. Glancing down, I deliberately stepped out of bounds while trying to make it seem accidental.
Point for Artemisia!
One more point to go and this would be over.
Artemisia lifted her staff over her head, indicating her next move, and I raised my staff to meet hers, wood smacking into wood. Then she dropped it low, intending to hit my exposed left side.
But I met her staff there, too.
Her eyes widened slightly, surprised.
It let me know that I had pushed things too far. It was time to let her win.
She again raised her staff, but her body told me that she was going low with her feet. And she did exactly what I thought she would, using her weapon as a distraction while she swept me to the ground. As I fell I turned slightly to my left so that my shoulder would take the brunt, lessening the impact on my chest. It made it so that the wind wasn t knocked from my lungs.
Artemisia could have easily tapped me with her staff and won the point, but instead she threw it to the side and was on top of me, a knife pressed up against my throat.
What are you playing at? she demanded, and I felt a drop of blood trailing down my neck. Her tunic slipped slightly and I saw the edges of a reddish-brown tattoo.
I don t know what you mean. Did I sound convincing? Or like I was tormenting her?
The tip of her knife dug deeper into my throat. I beat you, Locrian. I will always beat you.
We ll see . The words were on the edge of my tongue, but I didn t get a chance to say them as Antiope had grabbed Artemisia by the back of her practice tunic and was hauling her off me.
Enough! she yelled. You know better than to pull an unauthorized weapon on one of your sisters! If you do another stunt like that again, I will ban you from the gymnasium for an entire month. Go outside and run ten laps around the complex.
Artemisia gave Antiope a look of pure hatred but did as she was commanded. The battle master offered me her hand and helped me to my feet.
You did extremely well for a beginner, she said. You have excellent instincts, which we can easily build from. You have the potential to be one of the best fighters here.
I tried not to preen under her compliments but feared I was failing to stay humble.
She went over the mistakes I d made, outlining what I should have done instead. I already knew all of it, but I nodded and listened as we walked back to my adelphia. Another priestess took over the main matches in the center ring and some women watched, while others had returned to their own smaller rings to continue sparring.
Zalira and Suri were fighting again, resuming the battle that had been interrupted earlier. Antiope had a running commentary on what they were doing, pointing out their strengths and weaknesses and what she thought they should have done better.
I noticed that Zalira was stronger and technically more skilled, but that Suri was relentless. She didn t want to give up, even when she d lost a point.
I ve had to yell at that one more than once to get her to stop, Antiope said in an indulgent tone, like she enjoyed that part of Suri s personality.
Zalira won all three rounds but not for lack of Suri trying. Maia said that Io and Ahyana were up next.
It was easy to see how uncomfortable all of this made Io. Ahyana even went easy on her, despite Antiope barking at her to not do so.
Are you going to hold back when you face a real enemy? Antiope yelled. Hit her, Ahyana! And Io, defend yourself!
Io had tears in her eyes and it took everything in me not to interfere. While Io understood the techniques, there was no will or want to fight. She simply wasn t built for it.
Fortunately, Ahyana scored all three points quickly.
I was put into the ring with Zalira, and Antiope talked me through the battle, telling me how to stand, what to watch for. This all felt so comfortable and familiar but, at the same time, strange and different. She was teaching me offensive fighting and correcting my stance. It was easy to pick up as it was similar to the things I d already learned.
At the end of the training session, we had a quick lunch break in the dining hall. I felt completely energized and ravenous and Zalira teased me about the amount of food I was eating. I couldn t remember the last time I d felt so hungry.
After lunch we went to our afternoon class, along with the other acolytes who had been there for three years or less. It was in the same big room where I d met with Maia earlier that morning.
We have to sit up front because Io wants to be the favorite, Ahyana told me in a loud whisper that had Io mock glaring at her.
It s so we can hear better, she corrected.
What is this class for?
General religious education, Zalira said. There is a lot of repetition. We have to know everything inside and out. Apparently there is a test we have to pass in order to become a priestess, and recitation of certain stories and rules is part of that.
It didn t surprise me that they would have to study the same things over and over again. Not being able to write it down or read books about the topic must have made it more difficult to retain.
Maia was the instructor for the class and I was glad. She must have really loved teaching to be doing it so often. She had a pack with her and set it down on a podium. When she opened it, some cylindrical objects of various colors fell out and rolled away. Maia gathered them up, but apparently one was still missing.
My white chalk! Did anyone see where it went? She hunted around. I leaned forward but didn t see it. So many had fallen at once.
Suri got up and stuck her hand under the far corner of the dais and pulled out the chalk, handing it to Maia.
Thank you, Suri. Everyone take your seats and we ll begin! Maia glanced up at the doors. Hurry up, Artemisia.
Her run must have finally finished. She definitely looked sweaty and tired. She glared at me and I was the one who looked away first.
I knew she wasn t allowed to hurt me but that she would probably think of another way to pay me back.
Today we are talking about the different aspects of the goddess, Maia said, and she was immediately interrupted by Artemisia.
Why are we going over something so basic? We all know this. Is it because of the Locrian? The disdain in her voice was evident.
Antiope probably would have made her run more laps. I thought someone as sweet as Maia might wither under that kind of disrespect, but she said, It never hurts to review material. If you have a problem with the way I run my lectures, you are welcome to leave.
I half expected Artemisia to storm out, but she crossed her arms and leaned back.
As I was saying, the goddess has various aspects. Like faces that she shows her followers. Or different parts of her personality. Different things that she has control or dominion over.
Like plants, Io said.
Yes, we know the love the goddess has for all things that grow. She controls the crops, their fertility and abundance, the rain that ensures their survival. She oversees gifts and hidden treasures, the animals and insects that aid plants. She oversees the law, marriage, the birth of children, healing of the sick. She is mistress of the very earth itself. Here in the temple we learn to appreciate all of the aspects of the goddess and can devote ourselves to serving one particular aspect over the others.
I already knew what Io s choice would be. She grinned back at me, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking.
Was there an aspect of the goddess devoted to vengeance? I wouldn t mind dedicating myself to that.
Maia spent the rest of the hour talking about each area that the goddess had dominion over and then dismissed us to return to our rooms.
When we got there, Io took her satchel of scrolls and left while the rest of us washed up and changed our tunics.
I asked Zalira to show me the combination she d used to catch Suri unaware during their third round, and while she was walking me through it step-by-step, Io returned with a broad smile on her face and carrying something large that she set down on my bed.
There is a delivery for you, Lia. It s heavy.
For me? Who could have sent me something? I was thoroughly bewildered. Had my parents done this? I didn t think so. Not only had enough time not passed but they knew not to send me something as it would risk exposing my background.
I unwrapped the bundle and my breath caught when I realized that it was the pot of Locrian soil I d left on the Nikos . The one I d asked Jason to bring to the temple if I survived.
There was no note, but given the lack of education in Ilion, that wasn t too surprising. I did find myself wishing that he had included one, though. I d been thinking of him more than I wanted to-it would have been nice to know that he was suffering from the same affliction.
Although I supposed his delivering the pot here was an indication that he hadn t forgotten about me. I wondered why it had taken him so long-nearly a whole week. Maybe he d been traveling and couldn t until now?
Did that mean he was in Troas? My pulse beat a bit faster at the thought.
Is that dirt? Io asked, sticking her hand into the pot.
Yes. I wanted to have a piece of home with me, I said, putting the pot on the floor next to my bed.
And who sent it? Was it Good Kisser Jason? Ahyana teased with a mischievous glint in her eye.
He s not important to me. I didn t deny that he was the sender, though.
A fact they seemed to pick up on.
He is the one who sent it! That must be why you re blushing right now, Io declared.
I . . . never mind.
That made everyone break into peals of laughter and I couldn t help but smile, too. I could deny him all I wanted, but there had to be a reason I thought of him as often as I did.
You can t stop thinking about me, Jason murmured into my hair. My back was pressed against his chest and he held me against him tightly. He nuzzled my hair, then dropped a kiss on the top of my ear.
It s you who can t stop thinking about me, I countered, running my fingernails along the tops of his forearms.
I could hear the smile in his voice. In the light of day you can protest all you want, pretend like nothing is happening between us. Now we re here alone, under the cover of darkness, in my bed. Can we attempt to be honest with one another?
Then he lifted my hair, brushing it over my left shoulder. His other hand was splayed against my stomach, holding me in place. He began to kiss the back of my neck with hot, little, delicate brushes of his full lips and I collapsed against him, my entire body aching for him.
Lia, what is it you want? he asked, kissing along my shoulder. Tell me.
There was a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that I had to stop this, but I couldn t remember why. There was no room for rational thought-just pure need.
I want to touch you. To see you, I said.
He released me and I shifted away from him, turning around so that we faced one another. Jason got up on his knees and my stomach pulsated with want as he reached up to unpin the top of his tunic.
I sucked in a sharp breath when the top fell away, exposing his chest. Liquid heat gathered along my spine, spreading out to my limbs, and I got up on my knees and moved closer.
He was more beautiful than any statue I d ever seen. I reached out cautiously, almost afraid that my fingers might catch flame when I touched him. Now he was the one with stuttering breath as I put my palm flat against his broad chest.
There was such an addictive warmth in his skin, a strength and hardness to his muscles that were a sharp contrast to my own body.
I let my fingers drift down, tracing the outlines of the fascinating ridges and planes of his torso. I watched his stomach contract sharply when I made contact, heard how harsh his breathing had become, felt the way he shuddered from my touch.
Perfection, I said and leaned forward to kiss his pectoral muscles. His hand went to the back of my head, his fingers flexing against my scalp before he pulled me back.
My turn, he said, his eyes molten pools of desire.
Now I was the one shivering. This was new territory but I trusted him. I trusted Jason more than anyone else in the entire world.
His hands went to the belt at my tunic and my breathing became unstable. It was too loud and too fast but I didn t want him to stop.
May I? he asked.
I was struck by a giddy urge to laugh uncontrollably. He could do whatever he wanted to me and I would thank him for it.
But I saw that he wanted my assent. Yes.
He undid the belt that cinched my tunic in at the waist and held the fabric in place, letting the belt drop onto the bed. Without breaking eye contact he pulled the tunic up over my head and I felt the cold air hitting my skin.
With a loud gasp I sat up in my own bed. Dreaming again. I bit off a groan. I had wanted to see his face and reaction to my body, to feel my skin against his, and then I was embarrassed that I had been so amenable to something I knew I could never have.
And I had kicked my blanket off in the process. No wonder I was cold. How was it possible to feel chilled and overheated at the same time?
I had drifted off, and I had not intended to. I had planned to wait until my adelphia had fallen asleep and then sneak out to the docks to try and get a message to my parents.
There was a rustling sound and I looked at the window. Kunguru was on the windowsill, watching me.
I was worried he might call out, but he didn t. The nearly full moon outside made it easier to pack up my knapsack. I took one of the bags of salt and left the other behind.
For a moment I felt like I was being watched. I whirled around and could have sworn that I saw Suri s eyes open. I held still, waiting, as my heart thundered in my chest. But her breathing was steady and even, and I figured I was imagining things.
With my xiphos strapped to my thigh, I crept over to the door. I opened it slowly, cringing each time it softly squeaked. Was it this loud during the daytime?
At long last I got it open and hurried down the hallway and the stairs, then through the front door.
I got six feet from the dormitory before I heard a voice holler, Halt!