Behind us, the lion prowled in its cage, a growl breaking loose every few minutes. Menelaus had kept the beast there every day since the poisoning, as if its presence alone could ward off any invaders.
Achilles’s eyes sliced sideways, landing on Theron … and his teeth locked as he took in where the man stood.
Menelaus didn’t seem to notice the tension suddenly in the air. “And?”
Achilles rose to his full height, shoulders squared as he tore his gaze away from Theron and put it back on the king. “It was Sidon that poisoned the water,” he announced.
The room erupted in whispers.
Sidon.
My stomach contracted with a violent twist. The assassin I’d seen killed in the cells had named Sidon as well—though he’d spoken of a noble from there, not the kingdom itself.
Which meant the truth was far murkier than Menelaus would ever allow.
The king rose, a deliberate unfurling of robes and fury. “They came bearing tribute.” His voice slithered into a hiss. “They ate our food and drank our wine.” His tone swelled, rolling through the hall. “Theydaredto try and poison Sparta’s crown!”
He turned toward the great map hanging on one of the walls, the sea painted in red ochre and the lands edged in gold. His hand swept across it like a wave claiming shore. “We shall sail!”
The hall erupted and fists pounded against shields. Sandals hammered the marble as a roar rose up, a single word crashing again and again against the stone: “Sparta! Sparta! Sparta!”
Menelaus threw both arms wide, bellowing over them. “We will take their ships, their walls, their sons! Until the name of Sidon is ash in the mouths of men!”
The chant surged louder, and I sat straighter, my grip firm on the throne’s arms, not trembling, but bracing. ThiswasSparta. The thunder of war had always lived in its marrow, and I had grown up with its echoes rattling the air. Still, the sound pressed against me, the promise of fire and blood swelling through the hall until it seemed to shake the very air I breathed. My pulse raced in my veins, but my chin stayed high.
As the roar crested, Achilles moved to the king’s side, pitching his voice carefully. “My king,” he said, quiet enough that only Menelaus and I could hear. “With our departure so soon … will you need to hunt?”
It was a simple question. A vague question. But I heard the meaning beneath it—almost pleading, almost warning.
Menelaus’s head snapped toward him and his eyes narrowed. The crowd was still chanting, but the king’s attention was fixed entirely on Achilles. “No,” Menelaus finally said, clipped and cold. “Not tonight.”
That uneasy silence that came up every time the topic of the hunt was broached, once again stretched between them.
Menelaus nodded at Theron. “We’ll let them see Sparta’s newest weapon instead.”
Achilles surged forward a step, distrust blazing in every line of him. “You’re trustinghim?” he snapped loudly.
“You’re sounding jealous again, Captain,” Theron purred.
A growl rumbled low in Achilles’s throat, but Menelaus’s hand snapped up, his rings flashing. “Ihave already decided on this!”
The words carried through the hall, and silence followed. Achilles stood motionless before pressing his fist to his chest, his nod clipped and hard. “Of course, Your Majesty.”
Theron reveled in the spectacle as he watched, and Achilles met his stare.
“You will come as well, my beauty.”
I blinked, stunned, the words stumbling through me. “I—pardon?” My voice rasped out, not because I hadn’t heard, but because I couldn’t comprehend.
Menelaus’s grin split wide at my shock. “Let Sidon look upon what they tried to destroy. Let them see Sparta’s queen, her unrivaled beauty, before they choke on their mistake.”
My mouth was dry. I stared at him, unable to summon words.
Achilles stepped forward, his voice barely leashed. “My king, with respect—surely the queen should remain here. She will be safer within Sparta’s walls. And beyond safety … her presence among the ranks will distract—”
Annoyance flickered through me.Distract?As if I were some trinket to be locked away so the men could keep their eyes forward.
Menelaus barked a laugh, loud enough to rattle the bronze sconces. “Safer? There is no safety in Sparta outside of my presence. You would hide her away when she should be paraded as proof of our might? No, Achilles. She comes.” His grin widened, wolfish. “And if her beauty distracts the men, all the better. Let them march harder with fire in their blood with how much they want her.”
