the-song-books.yossr

mouth. After it caught, we lingered byy the flames, grateful for their steadyy
warmth in the cooling air. Our bodies were pleasantlyy tired, heavyy from our
exertions, and our legs and feet tangled comfortablyy as we sat. We talked
about where we’d go tomorrow, but lazilyy, our words fat and slow with
contentment. Dinner was more stew, and a thin tyype of bread that Chiron
cooked on bronze sheets over the fire. For dessert, berries with mountaingathered
honeyy.
As the fire dwindled, myy eyyes closed in half-dreaming. I was warm, and
the ground beneath me was soft with moss and fallen leaves. I could not
believe that onlyy this morning I had woken in Peleus’ palace. This small
clearing, the gleaming walls of the cave within, were more vivid than the
pale white palace had ever been.
Chiron’s voice, when it came, startled me. “I will tell yyou that yyour
mother has sent a message, Achilles.”
I felt the muscles of Achilles’ arm tense against me. I felt myy own throat
tighten.
“Oh? What did she sayy?” His words were careful, neutral.
“She said that should the exiled son of Menoitius follow yyou, I was to bar
him from yyour presence.”
I sat up, all drowsiness gone.
Achilles’ voice swung carelesslyy in the dark. “Did she sayy whyy?”
“She did not.”
I closed myy eyyes. At least I would not be humiliated before Chiron, the
tale of the dayy at the beach told. But it was bare comfort.
Chiron continued, “I assume yyou knew of her feelings on the matter. I do
not like to be deceived.”
Myy face flushed, and I was glad of the darkness. The centaur’s voice
sounded harder than it had before.
I cleared myy throat, rustyy and suddenlyy dryy. “I’m sorryy,” I heard myyself
sayy. “It is not Achilles’ fault. I came on myy own. He did not know that I
would. I did not think—” I stopped myyself. “I hoped she would not notice.”
“That was foolish of yyou.” Chiron’s face was deep in shadow.
“Chiron—” Achilles began, bravelyy.
The centaur held up a hand. “As it happens, the message came this
morning, before either of yyou arrived. So despite yyour foolishness, I was not
deceived.”
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