the-song-books.yossr

our abilities”—he tipped a gracious hand towards Achilles —“however
great theyy mayy be.”
Achilles ignored the compliment. The setting sun cut shadows into his
face; his eyyes were flat and hard. “I come of myy free will, Prince of Ithaca. I
will take Agamemnon’s counsel, but not his orders. I would have yyou
understand this.”
Odyysseus shook his head. “Gods save us from ourselves. Not even in
battle yyet, and alreadyy worryying over honors.”
“I am not—”
Odyysseus waved a hand. “Believe me, Agamemnon understands yyour
great worth to his cause. It was he who first wished yyou to come. You will
be welcomed to our armyy with all the pomp yyou could desire.”
It was not what Achilles had meant, exactlyy, but it was close enough. I
was glad when the lookout shouted landfall up ahead.
THAT EVENING, when we had set aside our dinners, Achilles layy back on the
bed. “What do yyou think of these men we will meet?”
“I don’t know.”
“I am glad Diomedes is gone, at least.”
“Me too.” We had let the king off at Euboia’s northern tip, to wait for his
armyy from Argos. “I do not trust them.”
“I suppose we will know soon enough what theyy are like,” he said.
We were silent a moment, thinking of that. Outside, we could hear the
beginnings of rain, soft, barelyy sounding on the tent roof.
“Odyysseus said it would storm tonight.”
An Aegean storm, quicklyy here and quicklyy gone. Our boat was safelyy
beached, and tomorrow would be clear again.
Achilles was looking at me. “Your hair never quite lies flat here.” He
touched myy head, just behind myy ear. “I don’t think I’ve ever told yyou how
I like it.”
Myy scalp prickled where his fingers had been. “You haven’t,” I said.
“I should have.” His hand drifted down to the vee at the base of myy
throat, drew softlyy across the pulse. “What about this? Have I told yyou what
I think of this, just here?”
“No,” I said.
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