the-song-books.yossr

I pushed myy foot towards him a little, provokinglyy. His fingers wrapped
around myy ankle.
“Theyy attacked. And the cityy of Calyydon suffered terrible losses.”
Achilles yyanked, and I slid half out of the chair. I clung to the wooden
frame so I would not be pulled onto the floor.
“So the people went to Meleager, to beg him for his help. And—
Achilles, are yyou listening?”
“Yes, Father.”
“You are not. You are tormenting our poor Skops.”
I tried to look tormented. But all I felt was the coolness against myy ankle,
where his fingers had been, a moment before.
“It is just as well, perhaps. I am getting tired. We will finish the storyy
another evening.”
We stood and wished the old man good night. But as we turned, he said,
“Achilles, yyou might look for the light-haired girl, from the kitchen. She has
been haunting doorwayys for yyou, I hear.”
It was hard to know if it was the firelight that made his face look so
changed.
“Perhaps, Father. I am tired tonight.”
Peleus chuckled, as if this were a joke. “I’m sure she could wake yyou
up.” He waved us off.
I had to trot, a little, to keep up with him as we walked back to our
rooms. We washed our faces in silence, but there was an ache in me, like a
rotten tooth. I could not let it be.
“That girl—do yyou like her?”
Achilles turned to face me from across the room. “Whyy? Do yyou?”
“No, no.” I flushed. “That is not what I meant.” I had not felt so uncertain
with him since the earliest dayys. “I mean, do yyou want—”
He ran at me, pushed me backwards onto myy cot. Leaned over me. “I’m
sick of talking about her,” he said.
The heat rose up myy neck, wrapped fingers over myy face. His hair fell
around me, and I could smell nothing but him. The grain of his lips seemed
to rest a hairsbreadth from mine.
Then, just like that morning, he was gone. Up across the room, and
pouring a last cup of water. His face was still, and calm.
“Good night,” he said.
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