Part 43 (2/2)

”The girl is demented,” Idomeneos cried, but his voice sounded thin and frightened.

The sky darkened, and Agamemnon looked up to see a huge flock of birds fly overhead toward the west, thousands of them blocking out the gray hazy light, their screaming voices like those of Harpies.

Ka.s.sandra waved at them, a childish gesture, her hand moving up and down. ”Bye bye, birds,” she said. ”Bye bye.” The Mykene king shuddered and felt panic tightening his chest.

”Everyone is waiting for me,” Ka.s.sandra told the kings happily as the ground shook violently again. ”Mother is waiting for me. And Hektor and Laodike. They are just beyond.”

Suddenly she stood on her tiptoes and pointed to the Burned Isle. There was a noise like a thousand thunders, and a hot black pillar erupted from the top of the volcano and soared into the sky. The monstrous sound it made broke something in his ears, and Agamemnon screamed and fell to the ground as blood poured out of them. Hands to his head, he looked up to see the tower of black fire roaring higher and higher. The sound was intolerable, and the blast of heat from it scorched the skin of his face. Great boulders were flung from the volcano, soaring like pebbles through the sky to crash into the sea and onto the isle near them, destroying buildings and narrowly missing the temple. The sound was appalling, and Agamemnon thought he would go mad from the power of it.

Ka.s.sandra was the only one still standing, without fear as she gazed at the tower of fire rising. It seemed to go up forever. Then it slowed, and the top of it started flowing outward, spreading its canopy of smoke and ash wider and wider, darkening the earth and blotting out the sun.

Ka.s.sandra looked down at Agamemnon compa.s.sionately. She seemed to have grown taller and stronger, and he wondered why he had thought her ugly. Her face was radiant, and she blazed with beauty like a sword in a flame.

Then she pointed again, and from the top of the volcano a red-brown flow like a glowing avalanche started to belch out and move down the slopes. It slithered swiftly over the black rocks of the Burned Isle and soon reached the sea. Agamemnon got to his feet with difficulty, for they were all knee-deep in warm ash. He saw that his s.h.i.+ps were under oars, beating their way as fast as they could row toward the harbor entrance. The cowards are leaving me, he screamed inside his head. He saw Idomeneos shouting but could not hear what he said.

Agamemnon thought the red-hot avalanche would stop when it reached the sea, but instead it carried straight on, rolling across the surface toward the fleet. Long before it reached the first s.h.i.+p, the vessel burst into flames, burning hotly before it was engulfed in the hideous flow. One by one the galleys were overtaken and destroyed, their crews blackened and charred in an instant. When it reached the base of the cliffs on which they stood, the rolling avalanche of fire started to crawl up toward them, but then it slowed to a halt. Agamemnon breathed out shakily.

His relief lasted only for a few heartbeats. There was another terrifying sound from deep in the earth beneath them. As he watched, he saw the sea in the harbor dent in the middle, and an enormous whirlpool started to form, sluggishly at first and then with greater speed. There was another great noise, an army of thunders, and the sea suddenly fell away from them, swallowed instantly into the earth. The entire fleet of charred s.h.i.+ps disappeared in moments as sea rushed into the harbor to pour into the hole in the world.

There was a building roar, and the ground started to shake wildly.

Agamemnon's last sight was of Ka.s.sandra, a joyous smile on her face, as she waved goodbye.

He closed his eyes.

Then the island rose up under them and flung the kings screaming into the sky.

Not far to the west Helikaon stood on the aft deck of the Xanthos, Xanthos, his arm draped loosely over the steering oar, looking up at the sail stretched taut against the wind. He was at his happiest when the black horse danced over the waves. Although there were sixty or more men lounging about on the decks, gossiping, eating and drinking, laughing and telling tall tales, he felt alone with his s.h.i.+p when she was under sail. He could feel the s.h.i.+ft and groan of the timbers beneath his bare feet, hear the finest vibrations of the huge sail, and sense through the oak of the steering oar the valiant heart of the galley. You are the queen of the seas, he told his s.h.i.+p as she cut through the waves, rising and falling with grace and power. his arm draped loosely over the steering oar, looking up at the sail stretched taut against the wind. He was at his happiest when the black horse danced over the waves. Although there were sixty or more men lounging about on the decks, gossiping, eating and drinking, laughing and telling tall tales, he felt alone with his s.h.i.+p when she was under sail. He could feel the s.h.i.+ft and groan of the timbers beneath his bare feet, hear the finest vibrations of the huge sail, and sense through the oak of the steering oar the valiant heart of the galley. You are the queen of the seas, he told his s.h.i.+p as she cut through the waves, rising and falling with grace and power.

His eyes moved, as they always did when given the chance, to Andromache. She was sitting on the forward deck under the yellow canopy. The boys were curled up beside her. They had been running around the s.h.i.+p all morning, delighted to have the oarsmen at their beck and call to play games with them and tell them tales of the sea. Now, tired out, they were both asleep under the canopy, protected from the noonday sun.

Andromache was gazing back toward Thera, though the island was now out of sight. Helikaon knew her heart now and understood that she did not regret leaving Ka.s.sandra, as the girl had asked. Yet it had made Andromache sad to leave her sister to a lonely death, cared for only by the old priestess. Helikaon had spent some time since their departure cursing himself for not climbing the cliffs to fetch the girl, then had put those feelings aside ruthlessly. The decision was made. He always would remember Ka.s.sandra with love, but she was now part of the past.

He left the steering oar to Oniacus and walked down the length of the s.h.i.+p, drawn helplessly toward his lover. He made himself pause as if to inspect the racks of weapons-swords, s.h.i.+elds, and bows and arrows-stored beneath the rails. As usual, thanks to Oniacus' watchful eye, they were all immaculate, cleaned and ready for action if needed.

”Where will we beach tonight, Golden One?” asked gray-bearded Naubolos, a veteran who had sailed on the Xanthos Xanthos since the launch in Kypros and on the since the launch in Kypros and on the Ithaka Ithaka before that. before that.

”At Pig's Head Cove or on Kalliste if the east wind is our friend.”

There were shouts and grunts of approval from the men. Even before the war, the wh.o.r.es on Kalliste had been more welcoming than any others on the Great Green. Now there were fewer s.h.i.+ps sailing these waters, and a galley the size of the Xanthos Xanthos would receive an enthusiastic greeting. would receive an enthusiastic greeting.

Helikaon moved on. He checked the great chests holding the nephthar nephthar b.a.l.l.s in their protective coc.o.o.ns of straw. There were only ten left. He frowned, then dismissed the problem. It could not be helped. There was a good chance they would reach their final destination without seeing another s.h.i.+p, let alone a hostile one. b.a.l.l.s in their protective coc.o.o.ns of straw. There were only ten left. He frowned, then dismissed the problem. It could not be helped. There was a good chance they would reach their final destination without seeing another s.h.i.+p, let alone a hostile one.

His feet registered a minute s.h.i.+ft in the direction of the s.h.i.+p, and he looked back along the deck. Oniacus was steering the galley to catch the wind as it s.h.i.+fted slightly north. Helikaon gazed back the way they had come. There was no longer any sign of the Bloodhawk. Bloodhawk. The The Xanthos' Xanthos' greater speed had left the smaller s.h.i.+p farther and farther behind. greater speed had left the smaller s.h.i.+p farther and farther behind.

”How are you, Agrios?” he asked a leathery old sailor sitting on the deck with his back to a rowing bench. The man had suffered a terrible injury to his arm in a battle off Kios in the summer when a Mykene wars.h.i.+p had plowed along the side of the Xanthos, Xanthos, ripping into its oars. Agrios had been hit by an oar as it whipped back at him before he could get out of the way. His arm had been broken in so many places that it could not be set, so it was cut off close to the shoulder. The old man had survived the amputation, and when he was recovered, Helikaon allowed him to return to the rowing benches, for Agrios swore he could row as well with one arm as most men could with two. ripping into its oars. Agrios had been hit by an oar as it whipped back at him before he could get out of the way. His arm had been broken in so many places that it could not be set, so it was cut off close to the shoulder. The old man had survived the amputation, and when he was recovered, Helikaon allowed him to return to the rowing benches, for Agrios swore he could row as well with one arm as most men could with two.

The man nodded. ”All the better for knowing we'll be on Kalliste tonight.” He grinned, winking.

Helikaon laughed. ”Only if the wind stays fair,” he said.

He walked to the forward deck, aware that Andromache was watching his every step. She looked wonderful today, he thought, in a saffron robe cut roughly off at the knees. She was wearing the finely carved amber pendant he had given her, and the sparks of warmth in the stone matched the fire of her hair.

Her face was grave, though. ”You are thinking of Ka.s.sandra,” he ventured.

”It is true that Ka.s.sandra is never far from my thoughts,” she confessed. ”But at that moment I was thinking of you.”

”What were you thinking, G.o.ddess?” he asked, taking her hand and covering her palm with kisses.

She raised her eyebrows. ”I was wondering how long we were to pretend we are not lovers,” she told him, smiling. ”It seems I have my answer.”

Facing away from the crew, Helikaon felt a hundred eyes on his back, and he heard the lull as the men stopped talking. Then, almost instantly, the normal chatter resumed as if nothing had happened.

”It seems they are not surprised,” he told her.

She shook her head, her face glowing with happiness.

”Golden One!” Helikaon turned to see Praxos running down the deck toward them. The boy was trying to point backward as he ran. ”There is a storm, I think!”

Helikaon looked quickly in the direction in which Praxos was pointing, toward Thera. On the clear line of the horizon there was a small dark smudge. It was like a storm but not a storm. As he watched, it rose into the shape of a dark tower. A feeling of dread formed in the pit of his stomach. There was a distant roll of thunder, and all the crewmen turned to watch the black tower rising ominously into the pale sky.

Heartbeats pa.s.sed as it climbed and climbed. Then, suddenly, it was consumed by a ma.s.sive eruption of fire and flame, filling the sky to the east. The sound of the eruption hit them like the noise of thunder increased a hundredfold, like the deep blast of Ares' war horn or the crack of doom itself.

”It is Thera!” someone cried. ”The G.o.d has burst his chains!”

Helikaon glanced at Andromache. Her face was as white as clean linen, and there was fear in her eyes. She pointed to the horizon, and he looked again. The cloud of the explosion, spreading swiftly out and upward, darkened the eastern sky. But it was vanis.h.i.+ng mysteriously from sea level upward. Baffled, Helikaon gazed at the horizon. It was rising as he watched.

With awful clarity he knew what was happening.

”Take in the sail!” he shouted. ”Get to your oars now!”

He ordered Oniacus to turn the s.h.i.+p around, and as his second in command shouted to the rowers, Helikaon grabbed a length of rope from the deck. With his bronze dagger he sliced it in three pieces. He thrust them at Andromache.

”Get the boys onto the lower deck and tie them securely to something solid. Then tie yourself down.”

She stared at him. ”Why?” she asked. ”What is happening?”

”Just do it, woman!” he bellowed at her.

Pointing toward the high horizon, he addressed the crew. ”That is a wall of water coming toward us, as high as a mountain! It will be upon us in moments. We must all tie ourselves down. Anyone who is not securely tied will die! We will row straight into the wave, and the Xanthos Xanthos will climb it! It is our one chance!” will climb it! It is our one chance!”

Now they all could see it for what it was, a dark line of horizon much too high in the sky, coming toward the s.h.i.+p with the speed of a swooping eagle. In front of it was a huge flock of gulls, flying frantically away from the great wave. As they pa.s.sed over the Xanthos, Xanthos, the sky darkened, their screams beat on the men's ears, and the thras.h.i.+ng of their wings created a wind that rocked the s.h.i.+p. the sky darkened, their screams beat on the men's ears, and the thras.h.i.+ng of their wings created a wind that rocked the s.h.i.+p.

Rowers were at their benches, rowing for all they were worth to turn the great galley around. The other crewmen were tearing down the lines, cutting lengths for themselves and the oarsmen. All kept glancing fearfully as the giant wave bore down on them.

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