“Then we stay on the road,” Pelephon said.
The remainder of the day passed quickly for Isacles, though the need for scouting slowed them down and he estimated that their two day trip would now take three days. Menphon had forewarned him that the soldiers had been dispatched to interfere with Heliodas, but he hadn’t expected to encounter them before they reached Delphi.
He was willing to encourage the extra time that they were taking on the road, however, because it gave him time to form some sort of a plan. He would need to kill them soon. His instructions from Menphon had been to prevent them from fulfilling the task Athena set before them. Isacles was quickly finding that like Leotas, he liked Heliodas on a personal level, and he felt that it would be a shame to kill one who possessed Thermiandra’s beauty, even if she didn’t seem to take notice of him.
He had a difficult time deciding what his feelings were about Archetus since the man seemed to be self absorbed most of the time. He didn’t care that the Egyptian was a Titan cultist, but they had talked about his ability to throw lightning and fire, and that worried Isacles. He could prove difficult to kill because of the magic at his disposal. In fact, his abilities were the main thing that had stopped him from taking action already. Without a magic user of similar abilities on his side, he would be at a disadvantage against the cultist.
Isacles knew exactly how he felt about Pelephon, though. The large blond soldier had been watching him warily since he’d joined their group. Although the soldier had said nothing, he could tell that the man didn’t trust him. How long would it be before he alerted Heliodas to his suspicions?
Isacles doubted that Pelephon knew the full extent of the danger they faced, however. There was a great deal of difference between not trusting someone they were with and suspecting that their new companion was an assassin of some fame who wanted to kill them.
Isacles intentionally kept acting paranoid of what might lie on the horizon as they rode, however. He knew from experience that as long as he appeared to be focusing his nervousness on the outside world, most of the ones within the group would not suspect that the tension was actually directed inward.
By the end of their third day of riding, Mount Parnassus came into view. The mountain looked like a wide limestone mound with a base that was covered in bushes and light colored grasses. This leg of their journey was nearing an end.
Throughout the ride, the soldiers’ tracks remained visible. Because the roads in this region were so few and far between due to the ruggedness of the landscape, there was no longer any question in their minds that Delphi was their ultimate destination. The soldiers were likely lying in wait for them there.
Isacles had definitely not been hired to kill Spartan soldiers, but he was beginning to wonder how he could excuse himself from the fight without causing Pelephon’s suspicions to come to the surface. It took little time for a plan to come to mind.
They made camp in the shadow of a ridge, far enough out of view from Delphi that their camp could not be seen. They decided not to build a fire for fear of alerting the soldiers to their presence. Fortunately they all carried enough dried meats and fruits to get them through the night.
“Heliodas,” Isacles called out as he unfurled his bedroll on the rocky ground. “We should speak.”
“Yes, Telarchos?”
“Night is almost upon us, and we need to know what surprises lie in wait for us at Delphi.”
“Agreed, one of us needs to scout it out under the cover of darkness.”
“I’ll go,” said Isacles.
“No, it should be me,” Thermiandra said.
Heliodas looked at her, frowning. “Why you?”
“I’m smaller, I can stick to the shadows better, and since I’m not wearing any armor, I won’t make as much noise.”
“But would you be able to handle yourself in a fight with them?” Isacles asked.
“I have my bow,” she replied.
“And what happens when your enemies close to short range and come at you with a knife? Are you able to defend yourself?”
“Not well,” Thermiandra admitted.
“You’re best utilized by keeping you in the back where you’re safe so that you can fire arrows at our enemies. I might make more noise, but I can defend myself if caught.”
“He’s right,” Heliodas said. “Telarchos, you’ve proven your worth. You can go.”
“I won’t let you down,” Isacles said. “Delphi is still probably a couple miles away. I wouldn’t dare ride my horse in. If I leave now, it’ll be dark by the time I arrive.”
“I think that’s a good plan,” Heliodas said. “I’ll expect you back in no more than three hours, then. Best of luck!”
“And you as well,” Isacles said as he turned from them and began up the mountain toward Delphi.
The slope was already steep, and it quickly became even steeper. He had to admit that this was more of a hike than he would have liked. He began to sweat from the exertion, but he knew that this would soon be the least of his problems. With all the noise he was making, it would be a little too easy for the Spartan soldiers to hear him coming. He would have liked to have avoided immediate capture.
Roughly half an hour later, Isacles could see the tiny polis of Delphi, which had been built on terraces excavated from the mountainside. Barely larger than a village, Delphi boasted numerous well crafted buildings, most of which had originally been paid for by Apollo’s followers. Isacles knew that as a primarily religious settlement, it didn’t have many guards of its own, and those it did have were probably poorly trained and out of practice.
As he neared, a wall around the polis became visible against the dark of night. It was largely ornamental, lacking a gate to block the entrance. He could also see the scarlet cloaks of the four Spartans standing guard. It was clear that they were now in charge. Night had fallen, but the bright full moon bathed the entire landscape in a pale light. He knew that even if he circled around and approached from a different angle, there was no good cover to be had. But he wasn’t interested in completing the task he’d taken upon himself anyway. He wasn’t being paid to tangle with Spartans, and even if someone wanted him to do so, he wasn’t suicidal.
Isacles knew that he could turn around and offer up a report to Heliodas about Spartans holding the polis, but there was no advantage in doing so. Instead, he walked boldly and openly toward the soldiers.
“Who approaches?” a soldier asked.
Isacles continued walking. “I wouldn’t stand there like a bunch of lowly guards, were I you. If I were a Spartan soldier, I’d be well on my way to having my head on the end of a spear by now. I’m Isacles, the so-called Butcher of Thebes. Menphon sent me.”
“Why would Menphon send you here?” asked the Spartan.
Isacles shook his head in wonder. “I can see that they don’t bother training you to think while they’re training you to kill. Menphon hired me to infiltrate Heliodas’ confidence and then turn on him in order to ensure that he can’t complete the task set out for him by Athena.”
“So why aren’t you with him?” asked the soldier.
“Because I haven’t figured out my plan of attack yet. If I stayed with them right now, I’d have to help them overcome you tomorrow. Instead, I’d rather turn myself over to you. He can think I’m captured or killed. They’re still coming, and I don’t think the fact that Spartans are holding the temple is going to persuade him not to come here.”
The soldier looked at the other three, then nodded. “Come with me and we’ll find you a nice comfortable cell for the night.”
“Perfect,” Isacles said.
“He’s been gone too long,” Heliodas said for the fifth time.
“There’s a bright moon out, and he isn’t very good at sneaking around,” Pelephon said. “He’s probably captured or dead by now.”
“Is that what you’re hoping?” Heliodas asked.
“Why would you ask me that?”
“I get the feeling that
you don’t like him much.”
“I don’t dislike him. I do distrust him though.”
“Why?” Heliodas asked.
“He seemed too eager to join, and when he talks, he has a habit of not looking me in the eye. When he smiles, I can tell it’s fake. He’s hiding things.”
“That’s never been a problem with our little group in the past,” Heliodas said with a quick glance at Thermiandra, who was sleeping in her bedroll.
“I don’t know what he’s about. I just know that I wouldn’t trust him with my life. If he’s still alive, I wouldn’t be opposed to leaving him with whoever it is that has him.”
Heliodas said, “I could send him back to Athens.”
“You could, but will you?”
“Probably not,” Heliodas admitted. “I haven’t noticed any of the things you’ve described, and he proved to us both that he’s good in a fight.”
“Well, if he’s captured, we need to figure out a plan, and I think it might be a mistake to wait any longer to make our move.”
“Do you think he’ll reveal us if the soldiers catch him?” Heliodas asked.
“That’s the only safe bet. So if they’re torturing information about us out of him, we probably don’t have much time before they decide to bring the fight to us.”
“If they know we seek the Oracle, why wouldn’t they just hold their position and wait for us to arrive?”
Pelephon asked, “They could do that, but do you want to stake your life on it?”
“No.”
Then we should wake the other two up and do this tonight. Besides, if I’m right, the moon will be going down in another couple hours.”
Heliodas nudged Thermiandra and Archetus awake and explained to them the situation. Within a few minutes, they packed up their horses and were moving again. True to Pelephon’s prediction, the moon was indeed sinking below the horizon, which would make them more difficult to spot. When they drew closer, they tied their horses to one of the few large trees that grew in this area, and they set out to cover the remainder of the distance to the small polis on foot.
From a low ridge, Heliodas looked up to see the white buildings just up the hill. “I don’t see any sign of Telarchos, nor do I see any soldiers,” he said.
“I’d hope they’re smart enough to stay out of sight if they want to ambush us,” Pelephon commented.
“I can flush them out with fire,” Archetus offered.
“I’d rather not set the polis ablaze if I can avoid it,” Heliodas said. “People live there and if we destroy them, we’re no better than the ones who move against me.
Heliodas could now see that Delphi was built on a series of step-like plateaus. He could also see a circular temple sitting at the highest point. “We could go around and try to approach the temple directly,” he said.
“If they’re good soldiers, they’ll have all points of entry guarded,” Pelephon said.
Archetus snorted. “It’s a trap. The best way to deal with a trap is to spring it.”
“I don’t think there’s any alternative,” Heliodas said. He turned to Thermiandra. “This is going to get rough. I don’t know that this is going to go well, so if you want to stay behind, I understand.”
“Heliodas, I think I’m insulted,” she replied as she drew her bow and nocked an arrow. “You’re not leaving me behind while you go have all the fun. Besides, we don’t actually know who they are or why they’re there. There’s still the chance that their arrival here is a coincidence.”
“True,” Heliodas agreed. The fact was that he had not considered that the soldiers’ presence at Delphi might have nothing to do with him. Given the circumstances though, he found that possibility remote. “Very well, let’s see what’s waiting for us.”
The four companions walked under the dark star-filled sky toward the tiny polis. “Look sharp,” Heliodas said as they approached the break in the wall at the front entrance. They walked through, but nothing stirred. Regardless, Heliodas and Pelephon both had their hands on the hilts of their spathas.
Inside the walls, Heliodas heard a snap, and a whistle, and then felt an arrow glance off his bronze cuirass. He looked up the wall ahead to see a soldier with a bow nocking another arrow. He heard more snaps, and arrows flew at him from several directions, all missing him by mere inches.
“The trap is sprung!” Heliodas shouted. The short marble stairway leading to the next terrace of the city was about twenty feet away. He pointed to the soldier up top, drew his spatha, and then motioned for the others to follow as he started running. Upon reaching the stairway, he hurdled the steps three and four at a time. Several more arrows flew toward them, and Heliodas looked back just in time to see one arrow narrowly miss Thermiandra’s shoulder.
At the top of the stairs, Heliodas charged the soldier. As he neared, he caught a glimpse of the armor. It was not Athenian armor, nor was it one of the many types worn by mercenaries. No, the T-shaped opening at the front of the helmet, the red plume at the top, and the blood-red cloak, unmistakable even in the dark of night, gave the soldier away as a Spartan. Heliodas briefly wondered how a group of Spartan soldiers had left from Athens, but knew that the time to ponder such questions was after they were dead.
Heliodas was joined by Pelephon, as they rushed the soldier, while Thermiandra and Archetus ran as far from the edge of the terrace as they could to stay out of bow-shot from the archers below.
The Spartan Heliodas and Pelephon charged dropped his bow and grabbed his spear, preparing to impale one of his attackers with it. Before he could, two arrows fired from Thermiandra’s bow punched through his leather cuirass, taking the soldier in the chest. Heliodas’ stabbed his blade through into the heart while Pelephon stopped and looked behind them. Apparently this soldier was the only one in the immediate area.
Heliodas motioned for the other two to come closer to the edge of the terrace. The four of them together looked over the edge to see six Spartans armed with bows pointing arrows at them. They loosed the arrows as the companions backed away. Heliodas turned to Archetus. “Can you hit them with fire?”
“Yes!” Archetus said. He crept forward, the dark folds of his brown cloak hiding his movement enough for him to creep toward the edge. He held his arms out wide and a roiling ball of fire filled the space between them. He exhaled and the ball of fire flew from him and engulfed the soldiers below. Heliodas heard their screams below. He crept to the edge and saw the human torches flailing about below.
He turned to Thermiandra. “Put them out of their misery.”
Thermiandra shot her bow six times in rapid succession and the Spartans dropped to the street dead.
“That takes care of several of them. The others are most likely guarding the other entrances, but after that display, they’ll be here soon.” Heliodas turned to Archetus and could see the sweat dripping down his face. “Do you have the strength to give me one more like that?”
Archetus shook his head. “That was like the one I used to cook the deck of the ship. If I were to try another one like that, the exertion could kill me.”
“What about those lightning bolts you were throwing?”
Archetus nodded. “I can, but you might find that it will take more than one to drop a person. They were good against the Titanspawn, but not so good against others.”
“Alright, do what you can. Pelephon, be ready to get some blood on you,” Heliodas said. He looked to Thermiandra and Archetus. “You two stay against the terrace walls whenever possible. We know the terrace below is clear, so that will make it harder for archers above to target you.”
The two nodded and Heliodas led them to the next staircase and up another flight of stairs. They could hear the sound of sandaled feet approaching from nearby. Heliodas studied the layout of the terrace they had arrived at and he saw several buildings, small alleys running between them. “Take cover in there,” he said, pointing to the nearest alley. “Stay against the walls.”
Heliodas and Pelephon stood
at the ready as three more warriors appeared at the end of the alleyway, a few feet ahead. He heard the snap of a bow string behind him and an arrow flew past him and took one of the Spartans through the throat. As that soldier hit the ground, choking and clutching at the shaft protruding from his esophagus, Heliodas and Pelephon closed on the remaining two, both of whom were armed with spathas of their own.
Heliodas flew into a frenzy of attacks as Pelephon engaged his opponent in a more defensive strategy. The Spartan matched Heliodas’ attacks blow for blow, punctuating them with strikes of his own as he lashed out at the Athenian soldier.
Heliodas circled around, leaving the Spartan’s back exposed to the alleyway. He saw blue light lance out from down the alley, and suddenly a dumbfounded expression appeared on the Spartan’s face. Heliodas took that opportunity to sink his spatha into the soldier’s chest. The Spartan made a gurgling sound, and a gout of blood erupted from his mouth. Heliodas withdrew his spatha and carved a bloody line across the man’s neck with the tip of his blade.
As that Spartan fell, Heliodas saw the battle between Pelephon and the other soldier playing out. Heliodas threw himself at the blond Macedonian’s opponent and plunged his spatha into the man’s side. The soldier threw his head back in pain and Pelephon made a horizontal cut with his own spatha, decapitating the man in one swift blow. Warm blood sprayed the two soldiers as the head bounced onto the street; disconnected, the body slowly leaned to the right, and then fell.
“You were right,” Pelephon said as he wiped the Spartan’s blood from his face. “I did get bloody.”
“Come on,” Heliodas said, motioning his three companions to follow him. He ran to the next flight of stairs, looking up at the next terrace. Seeing no Spartans above, he led them up.
“Where are the rest of them?” Pelephon asked.
“I’d imagine that there are at least five at the temple,” Heliodas said. “The problem is that we have no idea how many we’re facing total.”
As if in answer to his statement, he saw four arrows flying toward them from above. “To the wall!” he yelled. They all moved away from the terrace edge and the arrows impacted with the street just a few feet away. Thermiandra turned and stepped closer to the Terrace edge, paused a moment, aimed up, and fired an arrow. Heliodas heard the whistle of the arrow and then a muffled cry somewhere above.
Echoes of Olympus (The Atheniad Book 1) Page 28