by Julia Mills
“General?” Achilles croaked, his parched mouth barely able to speak the words.
“Yes, my son, it is I, Romanus.”
Joy filled the archer’s heart, the spirit of his General, the man he looked up to like no other had come to lead his spirit to the Elysian Fields. A single tear slid down his cheek as he whispered, “I am ready. Lead on.”
Chuckling, something he had only heard the General do on rare occasions, Romanus replied, “Lead on, is it? And where exactly is it you think we are going?”
Confusion warred with extreme fatigue and excruciating pain as the archer contemplated his answer. Drawing what he knew without a doubt was one of his very last breaths, Achilles opened his mouth to speak at the precise moment another voice, one even longer in the grave than that of his beloved General, commanded, “Fear not, brave archer. We are here to give you relief from your injuries and life anew.”
Without further explanation or comment, Achilles felt the cross he hung upon lifting from the hole the Persian’s had dropped it into and being carefully laid upon the cold, desolate sand. Warm calloused hands pulled at the ropes embedded in the flesh of his wrists and ankles. Pain wracked his emaciated body as his mouth opened in silent screams. Images of Romanus and Viktoras swam in and out of focus as his General spoke soothing words of reassurance with promises of explanations to come.
Finally, free of the cypress cross, wrapped in a blanket, Achilles opened his mouth to speak only to find he no longer had the ability. He tried to focus on the face of his commander but soon found all he could do was float on the tone and cadence of Romanus’ voice as what he imagined to be the spirit of his General explained, “I know you have many questions and I had hoped to get here before you were so very close to death but that was not as Fate had intended so we shall do with what time we have left.”
The archer struggled to breathe, forcing himself to remain conscious as Romanus continued, “It is not your time to die. You have much more life to live, more battles to win and dare I say, many children to father.”
Unable to fathom what his General was saying, feeling the ever-slowing beat of his heart, Achilles used what little strength he had left to give a single shake of his head to which Romanus chuckled, “I understand your disbelief. I, like you, was on the brink of death, waiting to take my place alongside my loved ones on the Elysian Fields when I was delivered from the jaws of death and given the gift of immortality.”
Achilles blinked his blurry eyes as the General continued, “I could ask for no more faithful a soldier than you. My heart swells with pride at the man you have become. You have served both the mighty Empire of Greece and the gods with strength and integrity and because of this you are destined for things only the gods could imagine. I know you have seen Zeus’ mighty eagle in the sky and I bid you to follow.”
Romanus cleared his throat before going on, “Let your heart cease to beat. Let your lungs no longer draw breath. Let the sweet release of death wash over you. The life you knew will be forfeit. I will bury you with my own hands here in the sands of the very desert where you fought and avenged my death. Thirty days will come and go during which your body will heal and transform into a mighty warrior designed by Zeus to rid the world of evil.”
“You shall rise on the night of the thirty-first day immortal with a heart that beats and an eternity to serve Zeus himself as a King of the Blood. Your life will have a purpose unlike ever before. You will destroy those who threaten the world and smite the enemies the mortals do not even know exist. You will be a true warrior of the gods. Your worth will be beyond measure.”
“As the moment of your last heart beat draws near, I feel your questions and your confusion and assure you in death, the same as I did in life, that I have only your best interest at heart. Not only I, but also our Supreme Commander, will be awaiting your awakening. Everything we do is true and just and blessed by the gods.”
Gripping his hand, Romanus leaned down until Achilles could feel the General’s breath on his cheek and asked, “Do you, Achilles, wish to live the life of a King of the Blood? Do you accept the destiny written by the gods in your name for you and you alone?”
Needing to answer but unable to draw the breath necessary to force sound from his devastated throat, the archer summoned every last ounce of strength in his body and at the precise moment his mortal heart took its last beat breathed, “Yes.”
Floating on the wings of the mighty eagle, Achilles heard his General’s last command. “Go forth, brave archer. Die so that you might live another day. Your honor bound destiny awaits your awakening.”
And as the philosopher had prophesied on the day of his birth, the orphan would become a King and thus began the true life of Achilles Giannopoulous.
Chapter One
Present Day
“I am only here to keep you from getting us all reduced to ash,” Bain sighed, drinking his orange juice and staring at the clouds out the window.
Rolling his eyes for the umpteenth time, Lee grumbled, “I am well aware of why you are here and as I have said before, you didn’t have to come.”
Shaking his head and throwing another disapproving look at Lee, the tall, bald, normally silent one of their group, refused to respond, making the archer wonder why on earth he put up with any of his brothers.
“You put up with them because they are your brothers and you’d be lost without them.” He mumbled to himself, knowing full well that Bain had heard him and was once again choosing to be ambivalently silent.
Settling back into his seat, Achilles tried to relax and think of anything other than the fact that he had not been able to make contact with Juliette since leaving Roman’s mansion almost four hours ago. His only communication had been with the excavation crew he’d had his contacts on that side of the world round up and at last call they had just arrived at the site. With at least thirteen hours more in the air until they reached Mumbai and then another four over treacherous terrain by jeep to reach Juliette’s dig site, the archer was about to lose what little was left of his mind.
Listening to the whir of the engines of Viktor’s private jet, Lee let his mind wander, thinking about the first time he’d ever heard the term, fýlakas tis kardís mou and understood what it truly meant to him…
Achilles pushed through the earth and sand, unaware of his surroundings. The burn in his lungs unbearable as the need to take his first breath drove his every action. Bursting into the abrasive night air, his rear end hit the sand as he gulped in the beautifully fresh, clean air.
Looking at the night sky for several long minutes, the archer jumped to his feet as the true gravity of his present situation came bursting into his mind. Running first one way and then another, he stopped dead in his tracks as a chuckled, “Do you always run naked through the desert, Achilles? I thought I had taught you better than that?” Reached his ears.
“General?”
Stepping forward into the light of the crescent moon, Romanus nodded, “Yes, Achilles, it is I. Now, come, cover yourself. We have much to discuss.”
Covering himself with one hand while cautiously making his way towards what appeared to be his long-dead General, the archer snatched the tunic, pulled it over his head and took two quick steps backward. Watching Romanus, he asked, “I was not dreaming? You are not a mirage?”
His mentor stepped forward, stood with his feet shoulder width apart and put his hands behind his back just as Achilles had seen the General do so many times before then with his usual tone of authority stated, “I am as you always knew me, Romanus of Athens, General of the mighty Grecian army and the man who saved you from certain death.”
Looking for any sign of subterfuge, the archer asked, “If you are as you appear to be, how many arrows did I break on my first attempt at the bow?”
Smiling like a proud father, Romanus answered straight away, “None.”
“And when asked to shoot a dove and a raven what did I come back with?”
“Two ravens,”
the General shook his head. “You told me that doves were a sign of peace and your blessed mother’s favorite animal and that I could whip the skin from your hide but you would never willingly kill a dove.” Romanus took a step forward. “It was then I knew you had the makings of not only a great archer but also a leader of high esteem.” A sad look crossed the General’s face then he added, “I am only sorry I missed that part of your illustrious career.”
It was getting harder and harder to deny that the man, ghost, specter, whatever it was standing before him was not the man Achilles had thought of as his surrogate father since the first day they met. Needing one more bit of proof, the archer asked, “Where did we bury the bodies of my mother and my sisters after…” He took a deep breath, anger still raging through him at their cruel deaths even after the passage of so much time. “After the Persian scum brutally murdered them?”
Bowing his head, as he had always done when they discussed Achilles’ family, Romanus answered in a low, reverent tone, “We did not bury them. Your beloved family was burnt on a funeral pyre to prevent the final resting place of their mortal bodies from being disturbed by vagabonds.” The General raised his head, took a step forward and added, “You were the bravest child I had ever seen. Never shedding a tear, demanding to collect all the wood for the fire yourself and finally, taking the flame to the wood while offering a prayer to the gods for the safe delivery of their souls to the afterlife.”
Holding back the tears, Achilles gave a single nod and whispered, “It is good to see you again, my General.”
Many hours were spent explaining what Romanus and on very few occasions, Viktoras, called his ‘new life’. It was incredibly confusing and more than a little disturbing to think he would need another’s life essence to survive but his General had been very specific and did not falter as he explained the minute amount the archer would need to remain alive and that the donor was to be willing and unharmed. The longer he listened, the more honored Achilles felt. His General, the one man he truly held in high regard, had chosen him to be one of Zeus’ mighty warriors.
After his first taste of blood, Romanus had taken him out into the night. They had walked for miles, the General explaining that his renewed body needed to be exercised, his muscles stretched and his heart and lungs made to work to their full capacity. It wasn’t long before they reached a rare patch of desert grass with a tall petrified tree casting a shadow in the sand.
Motioning for Achilles to follow, Romanus took a seat on the stiff, brown lawn and began to speak. “In his infinite wisdom, the father of the gods knew that no man can live an eternity alone, especially one who must face the rigors of a life such as ours. So, for each King of the Blood, he created a mate, your fýlakas tis kardiás mou, the keeper of your heart. This woman, above all others, will captivate your soul from the moment of her birth. She, and she alone, will have the power to save your doomed soul and breathe life anew into your heart that until the moment she appeared on this earth, had felt cold and barren. Her light will brighten even the darkest corners of your soul. There will be nothing you can hide from her or her from you. Together, you will create one perfect being, the strength to one another’s weaknesses and the answer to one another’s unspoken prayers. She will be a blessing unlike any other you have ever received but you must heed my words, Achilles, follow them to the letter less you be struck down by Zeus’ lightning and your ashes strewn to the four corners of the Universe.”
The archer leaned closer, hanging on every word from his mentor’s mouth. His heart beat like the drum in the coliseum and sweat rolled down his spine like the great River Nile as he waited for what was to come. When Romanus finally continued, it was with conviction and power that can only come from absolute faith. “No matter how much your heart may pull you to her and your soul cry out for what only the keeper of your heart can give you, it is imperative that you wait for her to come to you, to recognize you as the other half of her soul, on this, the King of the Gods is unbending. Your fýlakas tis kardiás mou’s heart and soul will lead her to you when, and only when, the time is right. It will then be your responsibility to indoctrinate her in the ways of our kind and prepare her to become immortal, so that she may stand by your side throughout all time.”
The General smiled and patted the archer on the shoulder before adding, “The mating must be completed before nightfall of your three thousandth year or you will cease to exist. You will return to the ether from whence you came, ashes to ashes and dust to dust. You will enter the Elysian Fields and live a hero’s afterlife.”
Romanus stood, “But I have no doubt the keeper of your heart will come long before three millennia have passed and together you will leave a legacy blessed by the Pantheon.”
Jumping to his feet, emotion unlike any other he’d ever felt filled his soul to overflowing, Achilles, in an uncharacteristic gesture, hugged his General and whispered, “I shall live every day of my life to make you proud for choosing me to this blessed life. Thank you, sir.”
Pulling back, the General chuckled, “See that you do, Achilles. See that you do.”
A hand on his shoulder jerked Lee from his dreams and had him shouting, “What? What’s happened? Did they find her?”
Shaking his head, Bain rolled his eyes and shoved the jet’s phone into Lee’s hand. “Wake up. This damn thing has been ringing for the last five minutes. It’s Roman and he sounds pissed.”
Taking the phone, Lee took a deep breath, summoned all his strength and answered, “Hey, Roman. How’s the honeymoon?”
“Cut the crap, Achilles. Just tell me what is going on and make sure you leave nothing out.”
Lee knew he was in deep shit by the tone of Roman’s voice and the use of his given name. Unbuckling his seatbelt and pacing the aisle of the jet, the archer gave a detailed, unemotional account of what he knew so far. “I received Juliette’s distress call about six hours ago. She stated she was trapped in a landslide and needed my help. I called Carl to ready the jet, then called our contacts in India to get a crew to the Ghatkopar Hills where I knew her dig was taking place. As of,” he stopped and looked at his watch before continuing, “An hour ago they had just arrived to find the site completely washed out.”
He paused waiting for his mentor’s response and when none came, he added, “The foreman of the crew said it’s monsoon season and with them being only nine-hundred-and-ninety feet above sea level he wasn’t surprised the ground had shifted. He further said the wet earth would be harder for them to move, but on the plus side, would provide more oxygen for Juliette and her crew.”
Praying the foreman knew what he was talking about, Lee waited for Roman to respond. He could feel the General thinking and knew the silence did not bode well for the archer when he was once again on the same continent as his long-time mentor. Finally, Roman took a long, deep, audible breath and said, “How did she speak directly into your mind, Achilles? And do not lie to me. It will only make matters worse.”
Until that moment, Lee hadn’t even thought about Juliette’s form of communication. It had felt so natural and her panic had been so real that he had simply acted without contemplation. Now, facing a direct question, he only had one answer. “I have no idea.”
Quick to respond, Roman barked, “You have no idea?”
“No, sir, none at all.” He rubbed the palm of his hand over his face, scratching at the stubble he’d yet to remove. Sighing, he continued, “She sounded so scared. I could feel her fear.” His hand landed on his chest. “She was begging me to save her. I didn’t even realize how we were speaking, just that we were and she needed me. I acted on instinct.”
“You swear, on your very existence, that you have had no physical contact of any kind with her? That this is the first time this has ever happened and that you have in no way tampered with the bond between yourself and the keeper of your heart.”
“I swear on my life, General,” he quickly answered with vehemence.
Lee knew he’d bent the rules of
their kind by following Juliette all over the world. That on more than one occasion she had spotted him because of his carelessness and that he had roped his brothers into his flights of fantasy when his imagination had gotten the better of him and he’d thought his fýlakas tis kardiás mou needed him.
There was no doubt he was guilty of ignoring several warnings from not only Roman but also Viktor, the Unum of the Kings of the Blood. Juliette’s pull had been so powerful, so all-encompassing, that at times he’d simply been unable to ignore it. There was no doubt he had followed her against orders from his superiors but he had never nor would he ever make physical contact with his mate before she sought him out…and, the thought burst into his mind, she had. This time she truly had.
Unable to hold back, he shouted, “She called to me! She came to me! Do you understand, General? Can you grasp the gravity of the situation?”
Impatient for his mentor’s answer, Lee paced up and down the aisle of the jet, each step coming quicker than the last, as he listened to Roman speak to his own mate. When the archer was sure he might explode, the General’s calm, concise voice broke through his tension and relieved a bit of his ever-growing fear.
“Calm you heart and soul, Achilles. Your anxiety will not aide your mate. I, better than most, can understand what you are going through. You know what I did to keep Cynthia with me by snatching her from the jaws of death, but in all cases, outside our direct mandates from Zeus, we must proceed with caution.”
Lee could once again hear Cyn speaking to her mate and appreciated her input but wondered what she could add being so new to their world. To his utter surprise it was her voice he heard next. “Hey Lee. Sorry things are such a mess. I know what I’m about to say is gonna sound weird coming from a newbie like me, but if I had paid closer attention to the signs that Roman was my mate, I might’ve avoided all that nonsense with Valentina.” She snickered a little. “But then again, I always have been a little more hard-headed than most. You and I have that in common.”