by Juanita Kees
At least Craig’s cheating ways were no longer her problem, even though the trust issues remained. Her only regret was not leaving the bastard sooner, that she’d put up with his spoilt superstar behaviour and the lousy sex for as long as she had. And why the hell was she even thinking of that dirty stinking spineless rat on a beautiful day like today out on the Aegean Sea, living the dream with a man-god at her side?
Jax sat close, his thigh touching hers, his arm across the back of the padded seat behind her shoulders. She pushed aside her doubts to answer his questions about aerial photography and her degree in surveying — much safer ground. She asked about his job as a barrister, the club Odys owned back in Melbourne and what he liked to do for fun — everything except the mystery that shrouded Helen.
“Jax, can I ask you something?” she said, as a comfortable lull fell on their conversation.
“Of course, agape mou, anything you like.”
“What happened yesterday?” She felt him stiffen beside her, the knuckles on his hand around the wine glass turning white as he clenched it harder.
“What do you mean?”
“You ...”
Oh God, why had she started this? Why was it so damn important to her that he have a bloody good reason for not diving in head first into the sea to save Ermioni? Unlike her father, who’d been a champion swimmer and lifeguard with all the skills he’d needed to save Timmy’s life, and hadn’t been able to.
“You didn’t go in after Ermioni. Why?” There she’d said it, and the moment the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them.
He pulled his arm from around her and stood. Tossing the contents of his glass over the side of the boat, he picked up the empty bottle from the deck. “I lost my nerve. That’s the only excuse I have. A lousy one, nai? If you weren’t there … I am a coward.”
He shook his head, his back stiff and his shoulders pulled back. Arian felt the walls slam up around him and lock her out. “Jax, it’s okay. I shouldn’t have asked ...”
“No, you have every right to question me, Arian. I am not the man you think I am.” Odys shouted down from the helm for Jax to get ready to anchor. He turned away from her, but not before she saw the pain in his eyes and regretted putting it there. “Ready for a swim to shore?”
In the flurry of activity that followed, Arian pushed the moment and the mystery that surrounded the group of friends to the back of her mind. Helen and Ermioni rowed to shore in the little inflatable dinghy with the picnic basket and cooler filled with drinks while the rest of the group opted to swim. It turned into a contest between Odys and Jax as they thrashed out and powered through the water.
Boys would be boys no matter what age they were, everything was a competition, with or without a prize. It was all about one-upmanship and ego. That’s why they played sport — because they always had to win the battle. Isn’t that what made them warriors? Or in Craig’s case, arseholes.
Arian’s edginess grew with each stroke and kick of powerful arms and legs in their testosterone display. “Penny, there’s something very strange going on here.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. I can’t put my finger on it. Some things just aren’t adding up. First up, how the hell can they swim so fast?” She pointed to where Odys rose from the water a hair’s breadth ahead of Jax.
“Superhuman men of muscle?” Penny teased. “Maybe they trained for the Rottnest Challenge or to outswim the crocs in the Northern Territory for sport.”
“I’m serious.” She splashed water at Penny with a scoop of her hand. “The mind reading … seeing heaven in a kiss … the whole zapping thing?”
“I still think your ouzo was spiked. The bartender looked a little odd, a little devilish really, with that jet-black hair, black eyes and goatee.”
“Oi, what’s taking you girls so long?” Odys called across the water.
“Coming.” To Arian she said, “Hey, look. After this, we may never see them again. Does it matter that they have secrets? Do you like Jax?”
There was no need for hesitation. “Yes.”
“Then go for it, girlfriend. Don’t miss out on an opportunity because you like to overthink things.” With that sage advice, she struck out at her best competitive pace.
Arian sighed and followed. Perhaps Penny was right and she was thinking too much.
***
Jax watched the expressions flit across Arian’s face as they sat nibbling at the delights of the picnic basket. Whether he liked it or not, the easiest way to keep an eye on Arian was to play the role of an attentive admirer. As long as he could keep it light-hearted and at fling level, it would be fine. As long as he remembered it wasn’t real and kept up his levels of mistrust around her, he wouldn’t fall hard for her soft laugh and ethereal qualities.
So why was he so damned tuned in to her aura? And why had it felt like a sword through his heart when she’d questioned his actions on the beach? He could have told her the truth, but he doubted she’d believe him. He’d yet to convince her she was a queen. That would be hard enough. This whole task was spiralling out of control and he didn’t like it one bit.
He’d felt her retreat as she studied the group carefully when she thought no-one was looking. It was tempting to take a peek at her thoughts, to listen to what was going on behind those beautiful green eyes. He resisted, fairly sure he wouldn’t like what he’d hear.
“More wine,” he asked, touching her hand.
She shook her head. “Any more and I’ll go to sleep. It’s lovely here, Jax, the warm sun, the calm water, the company.”
He wrapped his fingers around hers and tugged her closer. Damned if it didn’t feel good having her there at his side. Maybe just for this one day, he could let his guard down a little and enjoy life. He hadn’t had a lot of fun in two thousand years, give or take. All he needed to do when they got back to Paradise Beach was remember to put the guard around his heart back in place.
***
Lulled by the wine and peacefulness of the cove, Arian let her head rest on his shoulder, enjoying the warmth of his skin under her cheek. She inhaled the smell of him, a mixture of coconut-scented sunscreen and man. It would be so easy to take what he offered, but what about after, when the Greek sunshine gave way to the changing moods of Melbourne’s weather? Would he still want her then? Would she still want him?
“Okay, c’mon, guys, I want to know more about you.” Penny’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “What’s with your names? All the Greek guys I know back in Melbourne have names like Tom and Andrew.”
Odys laughed, a deep belly laugh that echoed around the cove. “And you know so many, Penny?”
Penny picked a grape off the bunch he held in his hand. “Hundreds, yes. So, Odys, tell me.”
If Arian hadn’t turned her attention to Odys when he’d laughed, she would have missed the enquiring look he sent Jax. She shivered against him and felt his arm tighten around her. It did nothing to abate the nerves that whirled in her stomach. There were definitely secrets kept in this tight-knit group.
“Our parents were a little … old-fashioned … I guess would be the right word. They chose ancient Greek names for their sons. Legend has it we’re descendants of the gods for whom we’re named.”
Penny snorted her disbelief. “Sure you are.”
“It’s true. Now listen up,” he continued. “My name is Odysseus Laertiades. I am the descendant of Laertes, King of the Cephallenians.”
“A prince? Now that’s a fairytale if ever there was one.” Penny laughed.
Odys reached out and ruffled her hair. “Do you want to know the story or not?”
She sighed. “Yes, of course I do.”
“Then be quiet a moment, kopelis. Now, Laertes is the son of Arcesius, who is rumoured to be the son of Zeus. Things got a little messy in Greek mythology at times.”
“My head is spinning already. So Odys is a descendant of Zeus. That’s as much as I can handle right now,” Penny wrapped it up neatly
, although Arian could tell she was enthralled by the story. “Your turn, Jax.”
“Haven’t you had enough mythology for one day, Penny?” Jax groaned.
She snagged another grape from Odys’ bunch, wiggling closer. “It’s fascinating. We didn’t come to Greece just for the view. Spectacular as it is ...”
“Why don’t we have another drink instead?” suggested Jax.
Arian sat up. “Come on, Jax. I’d like to know too.”
Jax sighed, took his arm from around Arian’s shoulders and refilled their wine glasses. He settled back against a rock and stretched his long legs out in front of him. Little Ermioni crawled onto his lap and snuggled against the warmth of his chest, her eyelids drooping.
A pang of jealousy crept into her heart. Ridiculous … how could she be jealous of such a sweet little girl? Ermioni popped her thumb in her mouth and settled down against Jax to sleep. With a gentle hand, he stroked her curls. He’d make a perfect father, Arian thought.
“I am Ajax Polemistis —” He broke off as Penny giggled. “What?”
“Your mother named you after a detergent?”
Jax laughed. “Don’t be cheeky, Miss Penny. Zeus is pretty accurate at aiming his lightning bolts.”
Arian looked up at the clear blue sky and hoped he was wrong. She didn’t want anything to spoil the day. “Ajax?” she prompted.
He grinned. “I am related to Ajax the Great, son of Aeacus who is the grandson of Zeus, and cousin to Achilles.”
“Achilles, the greatest warrior of all time, hero of the Trojan War?” Penny’s interest sparked, her eyes wide.
“Yep, that’s the one. Ajax and Odysseus became the heroes who fought the Trojans to get Achilles’ body back for burial when he was killed in battle. Ajax drove off the Trojans with his great shield and spear while Odysseus loaded the body into his chariot, and rode away to safety.”
Enthralled by the story and the pure magic of his voice, Arian moved to sit next to Jax. He welcomed her with that sexy smile and cuddled her close, one arm around her, the other supporting a sleeping Ermioni. With a kiss on Arian’s temple, he continued.
“Achilles had a shield of magic forged for him on Mount Olympus by the god Hephaestus. After the burial, the Greek leaders decided to award the Shield of Achilles to the warrior who most deserved it. After days of debate over who had earned it more, Odysseus and Ajax tied for ownership of the magical armour. Ajax argued that he deserved the shield because of his strength and commitment in war to the Greeks, including saving their ships from destruction. Good old Odysseus though — the smooth talker he is — persuaded the council to give him the armour.”
“Greedy bugger.” Penny shot Odys a look.
“Hey!” He retaliated by tugging her long blonde ponytail. “Who wouldn’t want magic armour? Those spears the enemy wielded were bloody sharp, I tell you. Rip a hole right through you and push your insides out the other side.”
“Gross,” squealed Penny.
“Ignore her, Jax, carry on.”
“Penny’s right. It gets pretty gruesome after that.”
“It’s Greek mythology. I’d expect nothing less than all the gory details,” said Penny.
“The truth gets a little twisted here and the argument has left Greeks divided for centuries. Some say he committed suicide because he was ashamed at his loss to the lesser man, Odysseus.”
“Say what?” Odys boomed. “Who are you calling a lesser man?”
“Shh, you’ll wake Ermioni.” Helen, who until that moment had remained silent, slapped Odys on the foot with a tea towel. “Behave and let Jax finish.”
Jax grinned. “Anyway, after the armour was awarded to Odysseus, Ajax was furious. He’d fought so hard to hold back the Trojans so Achilles could have the hero’s funeral he deserved, rather than be left to the vultures on the battlefield.”
His eyes darkened with sadness and Arian wondered why he felt the pain of his ancestor so deeply. She watched his throat work as he paused for a moment, felt his body stiffen against hers.
“Drowning his loss in ambrosia, he decided to kill Odysseus and the Achaean leaders. That way the Shield of Achilles would be his. Greed made him ugly and jealousy made him angry. Athena visited him in the field that night. She tempted him with her body and cast a spell on his mind. He fell asleep and awoke delusional. Hallucinations made him think a flock of sheep were the Achaean leaders, and the ram he slaughtered was Odysseus. Later, when he came to his senses covered in blood, surrounded by dead sheep, he realised he’d diminished his honour and killed himself rather than live with the shame.”
“Oh my God, why would Athena do that to him?” Arian sat up and placed a hand on his arm, the horror of Ajax’s story far too vivid in her mind. His skin was cool beneath her palm as he answered.
“Athena was in love with Odysseus. She was his protector. She’d rather see Ajax dead than Odysseus murdered, so she diminished his honour in the worst possible way. She drove him insane, knowing that if the Greeks didn’t have him killed for what he intended to do, the gods would. Ajax had lost what he wanted most in life, the shield. Mortified by his actions, and that he’d plotted to kill his best friend, he decided there was nothing left for him to live for anyway.”
“There’s more to life than wealth and possessions, a lesson Ajax failed to learn,” Odys said, looking squarely at Jax.
“Like betrayal, war and hate?”
“No … like love, trust and friendship. Not everyone is like Athena, Jax. The Greeks would have understood if it was explained to them. Your … Ajax’s brother wanted to leave his body in that field for the vultures to pick at but it was Odysseus, the man he’d wanted to murder, who arranged for the respected warrior to have the burial he deserved. His death should never have happened. If Odysseus had had more patience that day and seen it for the ruse it was, he could have prevented Ajax’s suicide. Instead he was blinded by his own anger and greed, and couldn’t see the pain his friend was in.”
Arian looked from one man to the other. What the hell? Anger flared in Odys’s eyes and Jax narrowed his. Judging by the way their bodies tensed, the story had become almost … personal. The disquiet that had settled in the pit of Arian’s stomach during Jax’s storytelling resurfaced. The sands shifted beneath them and the sky above darkened with storm clouds.
Helen interrupted the moment with a low growl. “Boys, that’s enough. Come, Jax, finish the story. We should make our way back to shore soon. It’s getting late and there’s a storm coming.”
Jax relaxed a little. “He fell on his sword, preferring death to dishonour, that’s it.”
“Coward’s way out,” said Odys.
“Fuck you, Odys.”
Odys stood, brushed the sand from his bathers and shrugged. “So you tell me every time we revisit that story. There was an alternative.”
“What? Did you think Zeus would believe Athena was a manipulative little bitch?” Anger and bitterness coloured Jax’s tone, turning his sensuous lips into a sneer Arian wasn’t sure she liked.
Penny looked at Arian, her eyebrows raised. Arian sent her a silent message back. What is going on?
“I think he knew that well enough. Why do you think he —?”
Helen stood and placed a firm hand on Odys’ chest. “Time to go. Start packing up.”
For a moment, Arian thought he was going to move Helen aside and advance on Jax. He hesitated, obviously thinking better of it, and nodded. “Yes, before the tide changes.”
As he turned to pack up, Helen reached down to pick Ermioni up from Jax’s lap. “I’ll settle her in the dinghy while you clear the picnic away.” She turned her attention to Arian and Penny. “Please excuse us a moment? I need a little chat with these boys. Would you girls mind swimming back to the boat and waiting there for us? It won’t take long.”
Arian stood and looked uncertainly at Jax. He nodded. “It’s okay, Arian. Go ahead. Put the coffee machine on in the galley below deck and we’ll have something warm before w
e head back.”
Without a word, Penny and Arian headed for the water, happy to escape the sudden tension between the three.
“Well, that was awkward,” said Penny, towelling the sea water from her legs. “Either they take their Greek mythology very seriously or there was some subliminal message in that story.”
Arian shook her hair free from the rubber band and brushed the dark red length. She wound it in a coil and squeezed out the excess water. The vibes between the three bounced across the water and she wasn’t sure she liked the tone of them. Keeping secrets was one thing, but the retelling of a myth shouldn’t evoke such anger.
Looking back at the three people on the beach, she replied, “I think we’re in too deep here, Penny. Maybe we shouldn’t see them again.”
“Come on, Arian. It was a little dispute over something we don’t understand. It’s obvious they know each other well enough to share secrets. I doubt they’re going to turn into axe murderers or people traffickers.”
“I know, but right now there are too many questions in my mind. There’s something … I don’t know … odd that I can’t quite put my finger on. When Jax and Odys were arguing, did you feel the sand shifting?”
“Well, yeah … no … kinda.” Penny shrugged. “I thought I’d had too much sun and wine. Helen did say there was a storm brewing. Perhaps it’s that.”
“Maybe it was a coincidence. We’re surrounded by volcanic matter. It might have been a little rumble, I suppose. It was just kinda weird, that’s all.”
“Hold that thought and go put the coffee machine on. Helen’s getting into the dinghy.”
Arian made her way to the cabin and located the coffee machine in the tiny galley. Her thoughts ticked over at a million miles an hour as she replayed the conversation in her head. Helen, Odysseus and Ajax — she tried to remember her myths. If she believed in magic and fairy tales like her gran had, she might believe they were legends reincarnated but she didn’t, so it had to be the wine that made her feel like Jax and Odys had actually been at the Battle of Troy during the telling of that story.