I noticed Actoris was observing us with quietly curious eyes.
“She doesn’t have to tell you if she doesn’t wish to,” Eurynome interjected as she shuffled into the room, looking a little fragile after the previous night’s celebrations.
I gave her an appreciative smile, but Hippodamia cut in, “Um, she mostly certainly does. It’s handmaid rule number one—your secrets are our secrets.”
Autonoë nodded sagely, as if Hippodamia had said something very wise. “She’s right, you know. It’s the rules.”
I could practically hear Eurynome rolling her eyes.
“So go on then. Tell us,” Hippodamia pressed, bracing her hands on both sides of my chair.
“She was with the pig boy.”
I felt the blood drain from my face as we all turned to stare atActoris, who was tossing the blade between her hands as if it were a toy.
“What?” Hippodamia shrieked.
Autonoë grinned. “Is this true, Melantho?”
“It’s true,” Actoris said.
“How doyouknow?” Hippodamia frowned.
“She stinks of pigs…and sex.”
I felt my cheeks redden as Hippodamia and Autonoë burst into fits of laughter. The sound of their amusement made Actoris’s own lips twitch, though she tried to fight it.
“Why are you being so loud?” Thratta grumbled as she strode into the room, clutching her head.
“Did someone else indulge too much last night?” Hippodamia giggled.
Thratta only grunted in response.
Hippodamia’s smile widened. “That’s strange, because I distinctly remember you saying Greek wine was for ‘tiny infants.’”
The Thracian clicked her tongue at that. “I do not remember what I did or did not say. Now, what is this laughter? Tell me.”
“We were just discussing Melantho’s nighttime activities,” Hippodamia replied, wiggling her brows.
Gods, I hated her sometimes.
The Thracian cocked her head. “Nighttime activities? What is this ‘nighttime activities’?”
“Fucking,” Actoris said without looking up from her blade.
“Did you give Actoris a knife?” I asked, desperate to divert the conversation.
“Yes.” Thratta shrugged, as if giving the girl a blade was not a severe safety risk to all of Ithaca. “But this is not what I wish to speak of. I wish to speak of the fucking.”
Hippodamia snorted. “I wish to speak of it too.”
“You should wash your mouths out, the lot of you,” Eurynome huffed.
“I think Melantho is the only one who needs to wash her mouth,”Actoris shot back.
Hippodamia let out a howl of laughter, and I caught Actoris trying to hide another delighted smile.
“I should’ve left you in the woods,” I muttered, at which Actoris bared her teeth.
