“Maybe you said something the king didn’t like,” my brother suggested.
It was the fifth morning after my summons, and Melanthius and I were unpacking a fresh delivery of goods. Though the cart was now empty, we loitered beside it, savoring our time together before Melanthius returned to the stables where he worked.
“I didn’t say nothing to him,” I murmured, scuffing my sandals against the cart.
“Maybe you did it wrong then.”
I stared up at my brother. Even though we were the same age, Melanthius had always been taller than me, which, for some reason, made him think he could act like the eldest.
“Didwhatwrong?”
“Well…” He glanced away. “You know.”
I frowned, unused to seeing him lost for words. Usually, Melanthius had too many to fit into one breath.
“Know what?”
He folded his arms. “The sex.”
“Thewhat?”
“The sex.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s what the king summons us for.”
“Oh.” I paused. “But…whatisit?”
Melanthius chewed his lip. “Well, I was hoping you’d tell me. The other boys laugh when I ask.” His brows drew together. “You sure you didn’t have it?”
I wrinkled my nose, considering the strange new word. “I don’t think so.”
“Huh.” He pushed his dark curls off his face. “Maybe you did, and you just did it wrong.”
“I didnot.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I didn’t.”
He smirked at my temper, always so quick to rise. “Maybe you wereso badyou didn’t even know you were doing it, and that’s why the king don’t want you no more.”
I shoved him hard, and he stumbled backward, slamming against the cart.
“Hey…Melantho? Melantho!”
I stormed away, anger and humiliation boiling beneath my skin. I knew I was not allowed to wander off alone, but there was a horrible pressure building inside me, demanding space.
The sticky summer air clung to my skin as I stomped across the rolling palace grounds. Ahead of me, I spied the workers’ fields, golden and swaying, dotted with slaves toiling beneath the steadily climbing sun. I watched as they swung their sickles, figures shimmering in the fingers ofheat that rippled from the ground. Beyond them, the Eurotas river glittered like a fat, twisting snake, winding its way toward the mountains.
“Stop!” Melanthius panted, stumbling beside me. “What’re you doing?”
“Walking,” I snapped without slowing my pace.
“You’ll get into trouble.”
“I don’t care.”
