She turned to face the seven bodies laid out on the beach, wrapped in furs from the Lemnian stores. She took the obols from Jason’s outstretched hand and placed a pair on each of the fallen Argonauts’ eyes. When she was done, Jason nodded, and she lifted her arms to the sky. Even that small movement taxed her, but she didn’t let the strain show.
“May the Twelve see you and know you. May the Keres spread their wings over you as you walk the path of judgment. May your souls find peace across the final river.”
“Go with the blessing of the Twelve,” murmured the crew as they bowed their heads.
Danae lowered her arms, and in silence, Heracles, Telamon and Atalanta set about digging graves in the sand. The warrior had removed the bone talismans from her hair and was once more in her silver armor. She had not spoken a word to anyone since they burned the hunters.
Danae felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned, and a breath of feeling returned to her chest.
Hylas smiled at her. “Obol for your thoughts?”
She shook her head. “None worth buying.”
From the ruins of Polyxo’s hut, Dolos had salvaged a bunch of moly. Armed with the herb and the contents of his healer’s bag, he’d been able to concoct an antidote for those hit by the poison darts. Those felled by sword and axe were not so fortunate.
Hylas’s gaze traveled past Danae to Hypsipyle. The queen was bound to the trunk of a coconut tree, like the Argonauts had been the day they arrived. Jason had an ironic sense of justice.
“Do you think they would have killed us?” Hylas asked.
“Probably. They killed all those other men. They left Heracles in that cave to be sacrificed to Artemis.”
Once the battle was won, she’d told the crew what she’d learned from Sofia and Polyxo, save what the old mantis had said about her. She had to believe she’d saved the Argonauts, that she’d had no choice but to unleash her powers. Even so, she couldn’t prevent her mind wandering to the charred bodies of the islanders who hadn’t escaped the blaze. She’d done that.
“I know I shouldn’t question the gods but...” Hylas paused. “Why would Artemis kill all those men?”
“Because the gods are cruel.” Danae only realized she’d said the words out loud when Hylas turned sharply to look at her. “But just,” she added quickly. “Like you said, it’s not for us to question their ways.”
When the last man was buried, Jason marched across the sand to the woman who would have been his wife. He stopped in front of Hypsipyle and squatted to her eye level. The crew paused what they were doing to watch.
He lifted her bruised chin. “Now you get to watch me sail away and live out the rest of your gods-forsaken life knowing I got what I wanted from this pathetic little island.” He spat the last words into her face.
Jason navigated the world with the confidence of a man who knew he was right. He believed he was chosen by the gods. He believed he was special. And to a man like that, there was nothing more humiliating than being bested by a woman.
Hypsipyle parted her cracked lips. “What a big, brave man you are.”
Jason’s face twitched. He stood up and for a moment, Danae thought he was going to walk away. Then he unsheathed his dagger and in one smooth motion, slit Hypsipyle’s throat. Her eyes bulged as blood washed down her front, sluicing onto the sand.
The crew were silent as Jason thundered back down the beach.
“What are you looking at? Get back to the ship!”
“He’s unraveling,” whispered Hylas.
He’s not the only one, thought Danae, as she watched Heracles climb aboard theArgo.
Hylas shook his head. “It doesn’t bode well for us.”
“No,” she muttered, “it does not.”
“I see Imbros!”
Tiphys crouched on the stern platform, shielding his eyes from the sun. A patchwork of maps fanned out around him. Danae knelt opposite, fingers splayed across the parchments, tethering them to the deck. The old navigator was squinting at a verdant island piercing the horizon to the port side of the ship.
Jason jumped down from the prow deck and clambered toward them over the rowing benches. “How far off course are we?” His eyes were bruised from lack of sleep. They had been sailing for two days straight.
Tiphys stared down at his maps. “I cannot say for sure, Captain. There’s no record of Lemnos anywhere. But if thatisImbros, I’d say about a week. Not counting the time we lost on the island.”
From their collective hair growth, it was estimated the Argonauts had spent at least four months on Lemnos.
