“It would never have worked with Eumaeus.”
“I don’t understand why. He’s a good man.”
“You don’t have to understand it,” I said stiffly.
Melanthius emptied the shredded remnants of his bread onto the grass, and together we watched the breeze toy playfully with the crumbs.
“You deserve to be happy, too, you know?” I finally said.
Melanthius attempted a smile, though the edges wobbled. “I’m not sure I know how anymore, Mel.”
His words shivered through me, brushing over an old, faded memory.
“You first have toallowyourself to be happy,” I repeated Hippodamia’s words from so long ago.
Melanthius nodded again, though I could sense the skepticism weighing inside him. I took his hand in mine.
“We can work on it. Together,” I suggested.
His smile steadied as he met my gaze. “I’d like that.”
43
Zeus was angry.
I didn’t know what had summoned his temper, but it split open the night with sharp threads of brilliant white, rain hammering like fists upon the earth. I had been asleep when the storm began, but the rageful thunder had shaken me from my dreams. It felt as if the cottage itself trembled in fear of the god’s fury.
From within the house, I heard banging. With a groan, I reluctantly left the warmth of my bed and ventured into the adjoining room. Here, the winds howled through the open front door, rain lashing inside. The door was swinging on its hinges, and as I ran to fasten the latch, a terrible question choked me—Where is Laertes?
I dashed to his room, letting out a sigh when I found the old man safe and asleep in his bed.Thank the gods.
As I wandered back to my room, the banging came again. At first, I assumed it was just the wind hammering against the cottage, but as I listened, I realized this sound was different, sharp and incessant on the front door.
Unease slithered through me. We never had visitors, save for my brother and friends. It was rare for anyone to venture out this far, especially in the middle of a night like this. Still, I knew the gods would surely punish me if I left a visitor outside in this weather.
Carefully, I unlatched the door, bracing myself against the windas I wrenched it open.
A tall, drenched figure stood before me. They were wrapped in a dark cloak with their hood pulled low so I could not see their face. The stranger did not move, and their stillness seemed at odds with the stormy darkness swirling wildly around them.
“What are you doing?” I shouted, the words stolen immediately by the storm as icy rain struck my face. “Get in!”
I stepped aside, and the figure hesitated for a moment before entering.
After battling to shut the door again, I turned to the stranger. They stood in the center of the room, water pooling beneath their sopping cloak.
“I suppose you want somewhere to stay tonight?” I asked, too tired to curb the irritation in my voice.
The stranger said nothing. They had their back to me, and I watched their hood tilt as they regarded the space.
“You should get out of those clothes. You’re going to freeze to death or flood the house,” I grumbled. “My master will need to greet you. I will go and wake him.”
“Wait.”
Thatvoice. It pierced me like an arrow, sharp and true, pinning me to the spot.
“What…” I trailed off as the figure turned, pulling back their hood to reveal their face.
Herface.
