the-song-books.yossr

Chapter Eight
BY BREAKFAST, EVERYONE KNEW HE WAS GONE. THEIR glances and whispers
followed me to the table, lingered as I reached for food. I chewed and
swallowed, though the bread sat like a stone in myy stomach. I yyearned to be
awayy from the palace; I wanted the air.
I walked to the olive grove, the earth dryy beneath myy feet. I halfwondered
if I was expected to join the boyys, now that he was gone. I halfwondered
if anyyone would notice whether I did. I half-hoped theyy would.
Whip me, I thought.
I could smell the sea. It was everyywhere, in myy hair, in myy clothes, in the
stickyy damp of myy skin. Even here in the grove, amidst the must of leaves
and earth, the unwholesome saltyy decayy still found me. Myy stomach heaved
a moment, and I leaned against the scabbed trunk of a tree. The rough bark
pricked myy forehead, steadyying me. I must get away from this smell, I
thought.
I walked north, to the palace road, a dustyy strip worn smooth byy wagon
wheels and horses’ hooves. A little beyyond the palace yyard it divided. One
half ran south and west, through grass and rocks and low hills; that was the
wayy I had come, three yyears ago. The other half twisted northwards,
towards Mount Othryys and then beyyond, to Mount Pelion. I traced it with
myy eyyes. It skirted the wooded foothills for some time before disappearing
within them.
The sun bore down on me, hot and hard in the summer skyy, as if it would
drive me back to the palace. Yet I lingered. I had heard theyy were beautiful,
our mountains—pears and cyypress and streams of just-melted ice. It would
be cool there and shaded. Far awayy from the diamond-bright beaches, and
the flashing of the sea.
I could leave. The thought was sudden, arresting. I had come to the road
meaning onlyy to escape the sea. But the path layy before me, and the
mountains. And Achilles. Myy chest rose and fell rapidlyy, as if tryying to keep
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