When the herald calls my name, I walk up to the front and—with little enthusiasm—let them place the olive wreath for my first place in wrestling on my head.
As I walk toward my friends—and as Adrian walks up to the podium to get crowned with two wreaths—I angrily rip the sacred branches off my head. Adrian and I both violated an oath, we are both guilty of cheating, and now we both have to keep our mouths shut about it. If this ever comes to light, the disgrace for our families will be disastrous. We would lose all respect.
Don brings me back to the present with a rude shove. “I don’t know where that brain of yours is, but we have to go to the council house. It’s about damn time we hear about this special announcement.”
I stare at Adrian from my seat. The priest is telling us something, but I have zero interest in what he has to say. I keep wondering if Adrian has lost his interest in Laurel, if he really is going to keep his word, or if he will continue to torment me—and Laurel. I can’t wait to see Laurel again. Only then I will know if the urge to protect her has finally disappeared.
“… Phoibos Apollon had a vision.”
I turn my gaze from Adrian to the priest when I hear my father’s name.
“A vision of a mortal that will bestow upon us a child in the near future,” he continues. “A child of one of you. This young woman has been followed by us since birth and will soon become part of our world, alongside one of you.”
The males in our group shift uneasily. We all know that it is a great honor to gift our community with a child—a demigod or demigoddess. And not just that. Apart from never-ending fame and honor, one of us has to become immortal—a necessity if we want this child to be born. Personally, I am not really that excited to become immortal so soon, but I also don’t expect myself to be the father of this child, since I am forced to marry a demigoddess. Not to mention the fact that a mortal would die giving birth to a child of mine. Everyone here knows that.
“A child that we desperately need to tip the balance with the Titans in our favor. We will be able to eliminate them forever. After all, that’s the reason why you are all here—why Zeus has brought you into this world.”
“Holy smokes,” Don whispers, “I want that honor.”
“If we get to vote on it, you have mine,” I mumble.
“Shut your faces,” Bastian hisses. “I’m trying to listen here.”
“Why?” I ask him. “It’s not going to be you anyway. Way too unstable to knock up a mortal.”
“Remind me to kick your ass later,” he whispers back.
The priest has stopped talking and is looking our way. “May I continue?”
I cough. “Of course, Megaleiotate, I apologize.”
“As you probably understood,” he continues, “the vision did not reveal an image of the father of the demigod.”
“Demigod?” Alex asks horrified. “Another boy?”
“That’s right, it’s certain it will be a boy.”
The females in the congregation start to curse and the guys start laughing. Adrian attracts my attention.
He is sitting there as though he is already the proud father. The only thing missing is the cigar.
“Eighteen years ago, when this woman was born, the gods chose one of you. However, this choice was not unanimous. Therefore, Zeus decided to grant one of you the fatherhood with the addition that the chosen one had to prove himself during your first Games, make our community proud. And that’s exactly what he has done.”
The high priest pauses for a long time. A silence during which he looks at each one of us. He lets his eye rest on me slightly longer. I squint, but I can’t make anything of that look. As sure as I know that I am Apollon’s son, that’s how sure I am that Zeus did not pick me. Not with just one wreath and not with the risks involved in my procreating. Impossible.
“We are proud to announce that the honor of bringing forth a new hero goes to Adrian, son of Hades.”
Dead silence.
On the inside, I am laughing out loud. I can’t believe that all my problems were just solved. Adrian gets his own mortal. Now he has no choice but to let Laurel go.
Adrian accepts the congratulations of the priests. When the others have recovered from the initial shock of learning that another descendant of the dark will soon see the light, they get up to congratulate Adrian. I get up and join them.
With a smug look on his face, Adrian shakes my hand and I hit him on the back. “Congratulations, you deserve it.”
His grin gets even bigger. “Sampson, to hear you say that… I am deeply moved.”
I shrug. “If Zeus feels that honor should be yours, then who am I to disagree?” I bring my face closer to his. “It’s a good thing you decided to use those hard straps.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” he whispers back. “You better watch your back, Sampson, I’m stepping out of your shadow.”
I grin. “Good for you. Let’s hope it will make you better company.”
“I really feel like hitting you in your dominant face right now,” he says with a bright smile, “but saying that I’ll soon be the father of a demigod will do, too. I’ll be higher in the ranks than you are. As for all the rest…” He leans in. “Let’s just say that what happens on the battleground, stays on the battleground. You’re no better than me, Sampson.”
I give him a short nod and walk outside. I am fully aware that from now on Adrian will get all the honor and glory—three times over. The honor of winning two games, the honor of becoming immortal and the honor of producing a new demigod. Finally, he gets everything he’s been looking for and I’ll have to take a step back. It’s fine with me—the fewer eyes on me the better. And Laurel will be left alone. I couldn’t care less about the honor of a demigod.
Outside, a procession of athletes is just leaving to go to the next temple, where the victor’s banquet will be held. Adrian and I join the procession. En route, we are covered in flowers, fruit, and olive branches. Adrian is leading the group, proud and unapproachable, and he is beaming as he looks around at the crowd celebrating and praising him. I can no longer take Adrian’s—and my own—hypocrisy, and as we approach the hotel, I slip away.
As I button my jeans, I ask myself what I should do. Take off? Will my absence be noticed? Yes, by Phaedra, most likely. I sigh. There’s no chance in hell I’ll get away with bolting right now.
Lambs are roasting over open fires, and the distinctive smell of burning sage is pervasive everywhere. I enter the open-air temple, where, as usual, the elite are lying on their sides feasting on exotic fruits. On a silver tray, a roasted suckling pig with pomegranates is the center of attention. Servants are running in every direction.
After the obligatory small talk—and an angry look from Phaedra because of my shabby attire and the missing wreath—I make myself scarce at the food orgy and stroll aimlessly around the temple grounds. My euphoric mood from earlier has faded. The week has gone completely differently than I had first planned, and I realize that I have to do some serious soul-searching and think about how I am going to move forward from here. There is no way around my marriage to Philene, but that won’t stop me from protecting Laurel—I have already made that decision. She no longer needs to be protected from Adrian and I will personally see to it that he keeps his word, but until I find out what Alexsander wants from her, I am not letting her out of my sight. The only problem with that is the fact that we can’t go on like we are now. I can’t go on like I am now, treating her the way I have been—seeking contact, interfering in her life… That has to stop. And it has to stop immediately!
I pass a temple and I stop for a moment to consider that thought. With my hands stuffed in my pockets, I lean against a column. I can no longer just barge into Laurel’s life and demand a dance from her here or drag her into my treacherous group of friends there.
I bump my head against the column and I swe
ar under my breath. I also have to stop wondering what she’s doing all the time, or I’m going to make myself crazy. I am behaving like some pathetic, lovesick fool.
I hate to admit it, but Don was right. I have feelings for Laurel, but I have no right to keep exploring them. I rub my chest in the area that feels tight. I spot my friends on a nearby hill and stroll their way.
“I feel sorry for that girl. Not because the baby will become a hero, that’s a huge honor for her, but because Adrian will be the baby’s father,” I hear Alexandra say from a distance. The future hero will be dominating the conversations for a while.
“And let’s not forget that the baby will inherit all his diabolic traits,” Olivia notices.
“I hope this mortal doesn’t have fantasies of a white picket fence,” Pop giggles and everybody laughs. “By the way, do we know where she’s from? They didn’t mention that, did they?”
I join the party.
“Hey, Sam,” Olivia says, looking at my clothes disapprovingly, just like Phaedra did earlier. “Shredded denim? Not very festive.”
I shrug indifferently. “I’m not in a festive mood.”
“That makes two of us,” Kai sighs. “Right now, I’m not sure what bothers me more—the fact that I’m not wearing a kótinos or the fact that Zeus chose the son of the underworld over the son of fire. I’m even his direct grandson.”
“Well, I think it’s about time that he’s granted something as well,” Philene remarks.
“He will gain a lot of influence, so let’s hope he’ll finally be better company now that he feels appreciated,” Don remarks while consuming a large bowl of bull meat.
All of a sudden, a sharp, stabbing pain pierces my forehead and I sink to my knees. “Ah, damn…”
“Sam, what’s wrong?” Olivia yells.
I grab my head and listen to the distorted voices in my head. Moments later, the pain subsides, as do the images and the voices, but the vision was clear enough to understand.
Semi-dazed and nauseous about what I had just witnessed, I get back up.
“You’re scaring us, man, say something,” Bastian says.
“Oh, dear gods,” Olivia says, covering her mouth with both hands. “You saw something. What did you see, Sam? Tell us. Was it bad?”
I lift my hand to silence them and I rush down the hill.
Without announcing myself, I barge into the council chamber. Disturbed, the three old men look up from the conference table. They rise from their chairs.
“Sit down,” I growl.
“What is going on with you, Sampson?”
“It’s her, isn’t it?” I gasp furiously.
I am greeted by expressionless stares.
“Answer me,” I demand. “Apokrinesthe!”
“Let’s keep it civilized, Sampson. You are on hallowed ground.”
I have to contain myself to keep from dragging the man across the table. At this moment I really don’t care that he represents Zeus and has full power over me. “Civilized? Is that what you want to call this? Extraditing an innocent woman to the underworld?”
“Sampson, you know very well that it is not our call. Your own father predicted that this mortal woman will bear the world a hero. Laurel Harper is the chosen one.”
“It can’t have been his intention that she would end up with Adrian. He cares about mortals and he knows Adrian will take her soul from her.”
“That’s not Apollon’s call, Sampson. He merely had the vision and Zeus decided.”
“Then if Zeus doesn’t change his mind, I will stop the vision.”
The priest turns red, getting out of his chair. “Nothing is going to be stopped. This is Miss Harper’s fortune, her destiny.” His voice grows dark. “Zeus has spoken and we do not question his intentions, and neither should you as his loyal grandson.”
My lips tighten. “This is wrong and you know it.”
“It just went wrong, Sampson. It was never the intention that you would come into contact with this girl. Believe us, if you could have gifted the community a demigod, a child of the light, then Zeus would have decided differently. But we all know that a mortal could never carry out a full term pregnancy with your child. The risk of a miscarriage is too high and even you can understand the need of this child to take out the Titans.”
“This isn’t about me; I don’t give a shit about a child of mine or how we take out the Titans, but I care about Laurel’s life. We will destroy it for our own needs.”
“For the needs of humanity, and don’t forget this will be an honor for her. You are too involved with this woman, Sampson. We gave you several warnings to keep your distance and to keep to the precepts concerning relations with mortals. You refused to listen and so we arranged a marriage for you. This is our final warning. From now on, you will leave Miss Harper alone. Your fate is with Philene. Hers is with Adrian.”
“Forget about it!” I thump my hand onto the table. “Lathou!”
“Sampson!” another priest exclaims, startled. He tries to fix his eyes on mine, but I send him a warning look. His eyes widen. “The gods have spoken. If you continue to refuse to comply with their decision, we will be forced to take more stringent measures. Only this time they won’t be as pleasant as a marriage.”
“Nobody wants another descendant from the dark side,” I say furiously.
“Then let me tell you that everyone is looking forward to this child, this hero, and if you don’t immediately start using your intellect, you will suffer your grandfather’s wrath.”
I place my hands on the table and lean forward. The men are jittery and that’s exactly what I want to achieve. “I sat at this table and I told you about my need to protect her, that something was wrong. After all, it is our duty to protect mankind. It was dismissed as just a malfunction in the genes. And all that time, you knew she was the chosen one, you knew what fate awaits her. You played me.” Calmly, I look each man in the eye. “When?”
Silence.
“I asked when?” I holler.
The priests grow numb in fear. One starts to stammer.
“The p-pregnancy will take place when Miss Harper reaches the age of nineteen years. The process leading up to that has to elapse naturally, even though we know it’s going to happen. Adrian needs time to initiate her into our world and you will not bother him again. You stay away from the chosen one, Sampson. This is a direct order coming from Zeus.”
One last time, I let my eyes wander over the Keepers. Without wasting another word, I walk out of the room.
With my breathing agitated and my senses heightened, I search the grounds. “Where are you?” I mumble.
I run back to the hill, where my friends are still standing. Adrian has joined them and is boasting about his victories. Two olive wreaths lie on his head.
“Hey, there you are,” Don says. “Why are you snorting?”
I ignore Don and walk straight on. I grab Adrian by the tail of his cloak and smash him against an encrypted stele. “You knew all along that it was about her,” I hiss through my teeth.
“Ah, our seer finally put it together. Now get your fucking hands off me.”
“I should have broken your neck when I had the chance.”
“You’re a sore loser, Sampson.”
“And you’re a lousy victor,” I growl almost inaudibly. “You framed me. You threatened me with Laurel to win the Games. It was another one of your dirty tricks,” I say with my jaw clenched. “I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted, because it ends here.”
“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, Sampson, the fun has only just begun. My father never gained the respect he deserved, but you will all respect me. And that includes you!”
“Respect is earned, not given. You will never earn my respect,” I snarl. “Oupote!”
Adrian’s nostrils flare. “Clear. But do know tha
t Laurel will be mine soon. I have free rein now, and you stay the hell away from her.”
At the sound of Laurel’s name I black out, and I push Adrian even firmer against the stele.
“You can crush my windpipe all you want, Sampson, but it’s not going to change a thing. Give it up. This time you lose and even Apollon can’t help you anymore.”
“What’s he got to do with this?”
Adrian starts laughing. “All gods, you still don’t get it, do you? And they say you’re the one with all the brains.”
I yank at his cloak. “Speak!”
“Apollon would never tolerate a descendant from the dark side—that darkness someday will triumph over light. But everyone knows you can’t procreate with mortals, and therefore you would not get chosen. But Apollon went his own damned way, started to influence Laurel’s life even before she was born. What do you think about her name? You now know that it was no coincidence. He even made sure that she developed a weakness for shepherds, so that the others would see that she would be a good fit for you. But guess what? Hades gave her dog rabies. You scare her with that so-called dog of yours. Apollon even went so far as to make sure Laurel and her mother would leave the island. Yep, you heard that right, the divorce of your girlfriend’s parents is Apollon’s doing. Hades and Zeus got her to come back and even arranged a stepsister to distract you—a beautiful woman with a voice like a muse, but Don ran off with the loot.”
House of Guardians Page 27