The Argonauts formed a barrier around the ship and raised their weapons. Danae positioned herself between Hylas and Telamon, drawing a clutch of life-threads into her fingertips.
“They don’t look armed,” said Dolos, squinting at the figure.
“I’m not waiting to find out.” Atalanta notched her bow.
Then Heracles broke formation and walked toward the stranger.
“Heracles, get back here!” Jason called.
The hero didn’t stop. As the person drew nearer, Danae could see it was a man dressed in a ragged green tunic. He was indeed unarmed, his limbs flailing with frantic energy as he ran toward them.
He fell to his knees in front of Heracles, heaving for breath as he uttered the sacred greeting. His feet were bleeding.
“Please, I need your help.”
He was painfully thin, his pale skin covered in bruises. Danae noticed a freshly stitched gouge on his right arm.
“What happened here?” asked Heracles.
Jason pushed his way forward. “I am Jason, captain of the Argonauts. I am the leader of this crew.”
The man’s eyes darted between Heracles and Jason. “My people, there are barely any of us left. You look like you know how to fight—please help us.”
Another flock of birds soared into the air, their cries echoing off the rocks. They were getting closer to the beach.
Jason’s frown deepened. “Who attacked you?”
The man didn’t answer. Shaking like a flame in the wind, he turned back to Heracles and grabbed the hem of his kilt.
“I’ve risked my life coming out here. Look at me!” He spread his arms wide. “They invaded my town. Most of my people are dead. They’ve destroyed every ship that’s landed here. They’re going to kill us all.”
Heracles took the man by his arms and pulled him to his feet. “This terror of which you speak, it’s not human, is it?”
The man trembled. “They are monsters the like of which you’ve never seen.”
“Oh, I doubt that.” A smile curled Heracles’s lips. “Monsters happen to be my specialty.”
The stranger took in the hero’s stature and the lion hide draped over his head and shoulders. His mouth fell open. “I thought I must be mistaken but...you’re really him!”
The hero grinned.
Jason looked at Danae. She could sense he was looking for reassurance. Ever so slightly, she shook her head.
“Back to the ship!” yelled Jason. “Now!”
“No, please!” The man reached toward Heracles. “I have a family.”
Danae’s heart ached for him, but they had to leave. Dread seeped through her skin. They should never have landed here in the first place. The omens were clearly against them, and she was a fool for saying otherwise.
Heracles remained where he was as the crew began to wade toward theArgo.
“Heracles,” said Danae.
He turned, his eyes burning with blue fire. There it was again, the pain she’d seen on the ship. He paced past her, toward theArgo.
“Argonauts!” he shouted at the crew climbing aboard. “Why did you come on this quest? For glory? For riches? Or to flee like cowards at the first sign of danger? Yes, we’ve been humiliated and lost good men, but we are still the greatest warriors in all of Greece. It is not in our blood to run. We were forged in the heat of battle—it’s what we were born for.” He fixed his gaze on Jason. “You want your voyage to be legendary,Captain? I know a thing or two about that.” He turned back to the crew. “Let’s kill some fucking monsters!”
There was silence as Heracles’s challenge hung in the air.
