LA01. The Crown of Zeus

by Christine Norris

Megan picked up the meat with her fingers and took a large bite. “Mmm.” Juice ran down her chin, but she made no effort to wipe it off. “This is the best meat I’ve ever tasted. It’s delicious.” She noticed that the woman wasn’t eating. That made Megan nervous—what if the food was poisoned? “Aren’t you going to have any?”

  The woman smiled again, and there was no malice in it. “I have already eaten. I am glad it pleases you. The gods have been generous to us today. We must remember to thank them for whatever bounty we receive.”

  “Thank you,” Harriet mumbled through a mouthful of meat. At least none of them seemed to labor under any indecision about taking what was offered, which made Megan feel better. Still, she watched them carefully for signs that something was wrong.

  “What is this stuff?” Rachel prodded the white grain with her spoon.

  “Semolina. Try it, it’s very good.”

  Rachel scooped some of the semolina onto the spoon and tasted it. “This is good. Like rice, but better.” She shoveled the rest of it into her mouth.

  The meal was over in less than ten minutes, washed down with clear, cool water the woman supplied in a gourd canteen.

  Satisfied, Megan laid on the ground. “Thank you again.” She burped loudly, and covered her hand with her mouth, embarrassed for being so unrefined. “Excuse me.”

  Claire giggled. “Yes, thank you. But I think we need to get down to business. You mentioned that there was a choice to make. What else can you tell us?”

  The woman took handfuls of dirt and threw them on the fire to smother it. When she finished, she stood up and dusted off her hands. “I can tell you what your choices are. Down the hill, in the valley, is a path that runs beside a stream. If you go to the left, you will come to a village, where the people will be more than happy to accommodate you for as long as you wish. There are soft beds and good food.”

  “Sounds wonderful,” Harriet said. “I could so go for a nap.”

  “Yes it does.” Megan was already suspicious. “What’s the catch?”

  The woman nodded slowly. “You are bright, young one. Stay too long and you will forget both your home and your quest.”

  “I knew it sounded too good to be true,” Megan said. “What happens if we go the other way?”

  “If you go to the right, you will face a great peril that may cost you your life. But you will be one step closer to your goal.”

  “Oh, good, something new,” Harriet said.

  Claire’s mouth dropped. “What kind of peril?”

  “That I cannot tell you, for as I said before, I am only a guide, I cannot choose for you. Each choice has its pitfalls and benefits. You must decide which way to go.”

  “The lady or the tiger,” Rachel muttered. “But with a twist.”

  “So that’s it?” Claire said. “No rhyming poem, no clue to figure out. Just ‘right or left’?”

  “That’s all.” The woman’s emerald eyes sparkled. “That, and a gift.” She reached into a small satchel that hung from her belt and brought out what looked like a ball of thin red yarn. She handed it to Megan.

  “Why do I need this?” Megan tossed the ball from one hand to the other.

  “It is silk,” the woman said. “A silken thread, like the bonds of friendship, is very strong. It will not break no matter how hard you pull.”

  Megan gazed at it, slid her fingers over the thread. She was amazed that something so thin could be as strong as the woman claimed. “Thank you.” Megan glanced down the hill and wondered what awaited them. “I guess we should be going.”

  “Take these as well.” The woman handed each girl a ripe, red apple. “And the water gourd. Good fortune be with you.”

  “Come on, Pegasus.” Megan and the others walked away from the fire and down the hill. But he was nowhere to be found.

  “Maybe he went to stretch his wings,” Claire suggested.

  “Or maybe his part of the story is finished.” Harriet shrugged. “And he went home.”

  Megan understood—it was the same reason that Homer’s farm had suddenly become deserted. “Like when you turn a page in a book. We’ve gone into the next chapter, left characters behind.” She held the ball of silk in one hand and the apple the woman had given her in the other. At least I finally understand something. She had so far been just going along, following the others’ plans. She hadn’t done a single thing on her own yet, and it was starting to give her a complex.

  “Oh, I just thought of something I wanted to ask that woman. I’ll be right back.” She turned to run back to the fire.

  The hillside was empty.

  Chapter Nine: King Minos’s Monster

  All traces of both the woman and the fire were gone, as if they had never been there at all.

  Megan scratched her head. “Where did she go?”

  “She was probably part of that last chapter, or whatever,” Rachel said. “Like you said. Maybe if we went back up the hill, she’d reappear, like when you turn pages back in a book and reread it.”

  Harriet took a step down the hill. “This place gives me the creeps. Let’s get out of here.” She ran from Megan, Claire and Rachel. The girls ran after her.

  “Harriet!” Rachel called. “Wait up!”

  Harriet continued to run and quickly put some distance between herself and her friends. A few dozen feet before the bottom she tripped, tumbling end over end down the steep slope.

  Harriet screamed, then there was a splash.

  “Harriet, are you all right?” Megan called.

  The three girls reached the bottom of the hill. The path and the stream were there, just as the woman had said they would be. Harriet sat in the middle of the stream.

  “I’m soaking wet!” She splashed the surface of the water with one hand. “Again!”

  Rachel and Claire clutched their stomachs and doubled over with laughter. Megan, relieved and wearing her own smirk, helped Harriet out of the water.

  “It’s not funny.” Harriet wiped her face with one hand. “I hate to be wet unless I’m taking a bath or swimming. And I really hate to get my hair wet.”

  She climbed on shore and pulled the clinging chiton away from her body. She marched over to Claire and Rachel, grabbed a handful of yellow material and wrung it out, soaking their feet. Claire and Rachel jumped back, no longer laughing.

  “How do you like that?” Harriet stuck her tongue out at them.

  “At least it’s a nice sunny day,” Megan said. It was warmer down here, away from the sea breeze, than on the cliff. “You can lie on the grass and dry out.”

  “Then we’ll go to the right,” Rachel said.

  “What?” Harriet wrung out the rest of her garment. “Why to the right? Who said you get to choose which way we go?”

  Megan couldn’t believe her ears. “I, uh, thought we all wanted to go that way. That woman said it’s the way to our goal, so it must lead to the crown. We have to go that way.” She didn’t want to start an argument, but she really thought all of them wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.

  Harriet harrumphed. “Well, thank you, but I for one don’t want to go walking right into—what did she call it? Oh yes, ‘great peril’.” She flopped on the grass. “I’ve had quite enough danger for one day, thank you. I thought we’d go to the village and spend some time there. Recoup our strength, calm our nerves.” She flicked drops of water off her fingertips. “They probably have dry clothes, too.”

  Rachel shook her head, her hands on her hips. “We don’t have time for that. And whether or not you’ve had enough danger, we’re still stuck here, in case you haven’t noticed. I, for one, want to get home as soon as possible. Besides, you heard the woman. If we go there, we’ll forget what we’re supposed to be doing and never leave. Do you want to be stuck inside a book forever?”

  “I’m sure we could stay for a little while,” Harriet said. “Just long enough to get a nap and maybe another meal.”

  Claire adjusted her glasses. “Let’s take a vote. It’s the
only democratic thing to do. All in favor of going left; raise your hand.” Harriet’s hand shot up in the air.

  “And all in favor of going right?” Megan and Rachel raised their hands. Claire nodded. “Then it’s decided. We go right.”

  “But you didn’t vote, Claire,” Rachel said. “Which way do you want to go?”

  “If I voted there would be an even number of votes. Since I abstained, there could be no chance for a tie. This way, we get on with whatever we’re going to do instead of standing here all day prattling on about it.”

  And with that, she turned to the right and walked away. Megan and Rachel looked at each other, shrugged, and followed her. Harriet, still dripping wet, trudged behind.

  The path was really a narrow foot track. It cut through the valley and followed the stream, which gurgled and sang its way along. Wildflowers bloomed here and there, adding a splash of bright color among the green and brown of the grass. Turtles sunned themselves on rocks in the middle of the stream; once in a while a fish poked its head above the surface.

  The shadows grew longer; the sun started to sink behind the hills. Megan wondered how much longer they would have light down here in the valley, and how much farther they would have to walk. The hills grew closer together, and the path and stream continued between them. Large rocks, perhaps pieces of the hill that had tumbled, sat beside the path.

  “Where does this thing end?” Rachel stopped and looked ahead. “I can’t see anything up ahead that looks remotely dangerous. Not even a sharp rock.”

  Harriet sat on a small rock beside the path. “Can we take a break, please? I still need to dry out a bit. Especially my feet.” She took off her soggy sandals and set them next to her.

  “Yeah, we might as well,” Megan said. “You’ll be cold when it gets dark down here if you don’t.” She shook the canteen and listened to the water slosh around inside. “I’ll go fill this up.” She walked down the small bank to the stream, and stuck the lip of the gourd into the water, watching it bubble as the air inside was displaced. She stood and put the stopper back in, turned to climb back up the bank, and froze. She heard something—voices, but not those of her friends. They came from behind them, and were pitched low.

  Megan bounded up the bank and ran to where Rachel, Claire and Harriet sat. They stopped talking when they saw the look on Megan’s face.

  “Do you hear that?”

  “Hear what?” Rachel said.

  “I don’t hear anything,” Harriet said. “I think you’re imagining—”

  “Shh.” Megan put a finger to her lips, and the girls sat very still. The voices were louder now, closer.

  “Quick, hide,” Rachel whispered.

  They jumped up and dove behind the rocks. The voices were very close now. Megan couldn’t help herself—she took a peek.

  A group of boys and girls, who looked to be older teenagers, walked in two columns along the path. They didn’t speak. The voices came from four guards dressed in short leather skirts, bronze breastplates and helmets. Each carried a long, razor-sharp spear and shield. Two guards led the group down the path, and two followed behind.

  “How much farther?” one said.

  “Not much. Just around that bend ahead. We should be there soon.”

  “Good. I want to get home in time for supper,” said one in the back.

  “Better than being supper,” laughed a third.

  The young people remained silent. Megan watched their faces. Their eyes were downcast, their faces ashen. Most looked terrified. Megan counted them; seven boys and seven girls—fourteen in all.

  The procession marched past the girls’ hiding place without slowing. The guards’ voices faded. “We should follow them,” Rachel said.

  “Of course we should.” Harriet rolled her eyes. “We can’t just go our own way, can we?”

  Rachel gave Harriet a hard stare. “Look, we were already headed that way. We might as well see where they’re taking those people. Did you see them? They looked like they were going to a funeral.”

  Megan had been thinking the same thing. Those kids were in trouble. Suddenly her own problems seemed less significant. “We’ll stay behind them, but close enough to make sure we don’t lose them.”

  They checked to see that it was safe, and crept from behind the rock. Single file, Megan in the lead, then Rachel, Harriet and Claire, they followed the group. The guards stayed focused on their charges, and never turned to look behind them. Megan could still see them, but she slowed down and let them get ahead until they were almost out of sight.

  “You’re going to lose them,” Harriet hissed.

  “Shh. Keep quiet,” Rachel said. “And no, she’s not. She’s got it under control.”

  They followed the group for another half mile before Megan put her hand up to stop her friends.

  “They’ve stopped. We’ll wait here and see what happens.”

  The girls looked for something to hide behind, but there was nothing. The hills crowded around them; there wasn’t a rock in sight. The stream had meandered from the path long ago, so they couldn’t hide along the bank.

  “Now what?” Harriet whispered. “If they come back, we’re done for.”

  Megan glanced around. “There.” She climbed a little way up the hill on their right and ducked beneath an overhanging rock. In the deeper shadows she hoped they wouldn’t be visible.

  “Brilliant.” Claire said. She clambered up, Rachel and Harriet squeezed in beside them. From this elevated vantage point Megan had a good view of what went on ahead.

  The guards shepherded the frightened young men and women into a cave cut out of the bottom of a hill, where the path ended. When all fourteen were inside, the guards stood shoulder to shoulder and blocked the entrance. They pointed their spears inside, probably to discourage any of the prisoners from running out.

  The soldiers stood that way for several minutes, ready to skewer anyone that dared to come out. Finally the guards turned away and headed back down the path.

  Megan pulled herself deeper into the shadows, and hoped that her hiding place was good enough. The soldiers appeared relaxed now that their job was done, and walked by without a second look. One said something Megan couldn’t hear; the others laughed and slapped each other on the back.

  The minutes that the girls waited seemed like hours. The guards didn’t come back. Rachel and Megan slid down the hill and checked to make sure they were really gone. Soon Rachel beckoned Claire and Harriet with a wave of her hand.

  “All clear. I think we’re safe.”

  “What do you think is in that cave?” Claire asked.

  “I don’t know,” Megan said. “But it looks like grave peril to me.”

  “So you think that’s where we have to go?” Harriet took a big bite out of her apple.

  “That’s where the path leads,” Claire said. “So I imagine it is.”

  The cave entrance was not merely a rough-edged cave opening, but a finely crafted doorway. The rock on either side of the entrance was carved into columns with strands of stone ivy wound around them. Across the top of the cave’s mouth was a flat slab of stone with single word carved into it. Minwtaur. Megan got a creepy feeling from it, like she should be afraid, but didn’t know why.

  “What does that say?” Harriet said to no one in particular.

  Claire studied the letters and shrugged. “It’s only one word. Could mean ‘Danger’, or it could mean ‘Jail’. Those people could be criminals for all we know.”

  “They were kids, though,” Megan said. “Our age—how could they be criminals?” She stared into the cave. Something about this situation felt familiar, but she couldn’t figure out why.

  “Should we follow them inside?” Harriet stood at the edge of the cave. “I mean, if they are criminals, they did something wrong, and they’re being punished.” She licked her lips. “Besides, it’s dark. I don’t suppose any of you have a flashlight?”

  “You know we don’t,” Rachel said. “We have to go
in. This is where the path ends, so our next clue is probably in there. We’ll have to face whatever’s in there to get it.”

  “I suppose we could just feel along the walls,” Megan said. “Those other people couldn’t have gotten far. If it’s just a cave, how far back could it go? We’ll find them and ask them why they’re in there. Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll know where the clue is.”

  “Why don’t Harriet and I go in first,” Rachel said. “That way, if it’s too dark or we get lost, we can call to you and Claire and follow your voices out.”

  “No!” Megan said. She wasn’t going to let them walk blind into something so obviously dangerous. If anyone was going to put themselves on the line, it was going to be her. “I’ll go. By myself.”

  “Absolutely not,” Rachel said. “No one should go in there alone. And you did brilliantly flying Pegasus, and you cut off Medusa’s head. Let us take a turn, okay?”

  Megan still had a nagging feeling that she should recognize the cave and they should stay out. But she didn’t see that they had a choice, and she couldn’t force Rachel to let her go alone. “All right, fine. Just be careful.”

  “Me,” Harriet protested. “Why me? You can go by yourself. I don’t do danger, remember? Take Claire.”

  Rachel tapped an impatient foot on the ground. “Harriet, you’re going. And we’ll be careful. I’ll keep one hand on the wall, and you can hold the other. That way we won’t lose each other, and we’ll be able to find our way out again.”

  Rachel and Harriet walked into the cave. Megan watched the darkness suck them in, as if it had been waiting for them. She sat on the ground and rolled the ball of string from one hand to the other, thinking about why this cave seemed so familiar to her, worried for her friends, feeling helpless again. Minutes crept by without sight or sound of Rachel and Harriet.

  “Do you think they’re okay?”

  Claire stared up at the word carved into the rock above the entrance. “I don’t know. I’m trying to figure out what this word means. Darn it all, I wish I knew Greek.”

  Megan stood next to her. “Let’s talk it out. Whatever is in there is something dangerous. The woman told us as much. We saw seven boys and seven girls being forced inside. And that—” she pointed to the first letter, “—is most definitely an M. I don’t know if it sounds the same in Greek as in English, but let’s assume it does. What do all those things together mean?”