They really needed to work on their timing and communication. Lydia examined Dani.Uh-oh.
“The μ is for Minos, with the act of turning olives into oil dating back to the Minoan civilization.”
“And how far back does your family extend into history?” Dani asked.
“Are you asking if we are descendants of the Minoans?”
“No, not exactly. We’re curious about your roots and how your family came into this business. For the book.”
“We are native Cretans. Our family tree and this farm date back thousands of years. One day when I’m gone, my grandchildren will take over. And then their children. And their children’s children. The art of olive oil will never disappear.”
“And what’s this for?” Dani then asked, pointing to the eye emblem on the bottle of oil. “Any significance?”
Something flashed in Lydia’s eye. Dani had been right. Maybe they were onto something.
“Food writers, you say?” Lydia asked.
Theo and Dani glanced at each other, but as Theo was about to open his mouth, Dani beat him to it, reaching her hand across the table and taking Lydia’s.
“We’re here about the Minotaur,” she said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lydia said, scooting back in her chair and starting to rise.
“The watchful eye of your ancestors?” Dani continued. “This?” She pointed to the bottle. “This is for the eye of the Minotaur, isn’t it?”
Lydia narrowed her eyes. “You are not food writers.”
“No, but you want your ancestors to return, right? Maybe we can help you.”
“How?”
“He has a theory about the Minotaur,” Dani said, “about Papantonis. He was your ancestor, right? Demetrios Papantonis? Is he who the mill is named after?”
They sat silently at the table, waiting for a response from Lydia.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve heard anyone mention Papantonis,” Lydia finally said. “I’d assumed people had all but forgotten about him.”
“I wrote a story based on his journal,” Theo chimed in.
Lydia’s head ticked to the side. “What sort of story?”
“An option. A possibility of what might have happened to the Minotaur and the eye.”
“I’d like to read that, sometime.”
“Would you like to read it now? I have it with me.”
“Yes, I think I would. Come inside,” she said, standing from the table.
Chapter
Ten
Dani
And so, while Theseus believed the beast’s body held its strength, I saw its true power: its eye. Without his knowing, I cut the bright, fiery eye from the creature. Once extracted from its body, the eye hardened into the most beautiful red gemstone I had ever seen. I took it to my homeland and buried it. There, hidden beneath the ground, its energy seeped into the soil, bringing numerous riches to the earth and prosperity to my family.
Dani and Theo sat on a small couch, bounded on either side by Maurice and Louis, in Lydia’s living room. They all sat silently as she read a printout of Theo’s story while seated on a chair in the opposite corner. It was a little uncomfortable, not only because they were sitting in silence while she read the five-page story, but also because the couch was much too small forthe four of them. Not with Dani’s hips, Theo’s tall frame, and her desire to sit as far away from Maurice as possible.
