Kiss of Danger (The Dragon Legion Novellas) (13 page)

Katina was thinking about having twelve sons—and how much lovemaking it would take to conceive them all. She tingled at the possibilities.

“The grandson of Gaia was Zeus. He was the youngest son of her son Cronos and the only one who survived his father’s wrath.”

“And father of all the gods on Mount Olympus.”

“Yes. It’s said that Zeus wanted to find the center of the earth, to identify the most sacred place to worship Gaia. He loosed two eagles, commanding them to fly around the earth in opposite directions. Where their paths crossed would be that sacred place. Where do you think they crossed?”

Lysander shook his head.

“It was at Delphi. And so the main shrine to Gaia was established there, and guarded by a fierce dragon called Pytho.”

“Was he
Pyr
?”

“No, because he couldn’t change shape.”

“Is he still there?”

“No. That’s what brought Apollo to Delphi. You see, there was a beautiful woman named Leto. She was a Titan, the grand-daughter of Gaia, and renowned for her beauty and gentle manners. As you might expect, the gaze of Zeus fell upon her and he desired her. He seduced Leto and she conceived twins by him.”

“Apollo and Artemis,” Lysander said, interrupting his father in his enthusiasm. “I remember this story!”

“Do you remember what happened when it came time for the twins to be born?” At the boy’s frown, Alexander continued. “Hera, the wife of Zeus, punished Leto by rousing Pytho. At Hera’s command, Pytho chased Leto so that she couldn’t find anywhere to rest and bear her children. Eventually she found refuge on the island of Delos, for Pytho couldn’t swim. She delivered Apollo and Artemis there.”

“There’s a shrine to Apollo at the island of Delos,” Lysander said.

“There is,” Alexander acknowledged with a smile. “Apollo, as you might imagine, wasn’t inclined to forget his mother’s ordeal. While still a boy, he hunted down Pytho, and found him guarding the sanctuary of Gaia at Delphi. Apollo killed Pytho with the first arrow he ever shot. The dragon fell into a crack of the earth, as if gathered to his mistress’s bosom, and died.”

“Good for Apollo!” Lysander declared with enthusiasm.

“Not so good as that,” Alexander corrected, his tone so stern that it caught Katina’s attention.

“But he was avenging a crime.”

“But he did it in the wrong way.” Alexander flicked a look at Katina that seemed portentous. “Apollo violated the sanctuary and home of Pytho, so he had to be punished for his transgression.”

Katina understood then the root of Alexander’s fear. He saw his attack upon Cetos as a violation, and wasn’t sure how he would be punished. Her mouth went dry.

“How was he punished?”

“He was doomed to travel for eight years, doing service to mankind.”

Eight years. Alexander had been gone eight years. His first duty had been served. Did he fear he’d be assigned another similar term for his transgression?

Katina had to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. Alexander had only just returned. She couldn’t imagine losing him for another eight years so soon. She knew he would do his duty. She straightened, knowing that this time, she wait for him, confident of his return.

She gave him an intent look and caught a glimpse of his surprise. Then he continued his story. “When Apollo returned to Delphi at the end of his service, he established the Oracle called the Pythia.”

“Why?”

“In his travels, Apollo persuaded Pan to reveal the art of prophecy to him. Upon his return, Apollo recognized that the fumes rising from the cracks in the earth at Delphi could induce visions in a person of purity. It was said that these fumes rose through the fissures in the earth that abound in that area and that they came from the decaying corpse of Pytho.”

Lysander shuddered and made a face. “I wouldn’t want to smell that.”

“It smells mostly of herbs and fire to visitors.”

“Barley and laurel leaves,” Katina contributed. “That’s what they burn on the sacred hearth.”

Alexander nodded. “Remember that Apollo saw the fumes as a gift of Gaia to mankind. Only the Pythia herself is engulfed in the fumes.”

“Who’s the Pythia?”

Alexander indicated Katina and she replied.

“The Pythia is the oracle of Apollo. A woman gives her life in service to the shrine, keeping herself pure so that she can hear the prophecies clearly.”

“The Pythia sits on a tripod perched over the crack in the sanctuary of the temple and speaks of her visions,” Alexander added.

Lysander looked between his parents with awe. “You’ve been there.”

“Of course.” Alexander cast Katina a quick smile that warmed her to her toes. “I met your mother in that same sanctuary in Delphi.”

Their son’s confusion was clear.

“I was taken as an offering to the Korykian Cave of the Nymphs by my parents,” Katina explained.

“Why would they do that?”

“Probably because of what we just saw,” Alexander said, his gaze lingering upon Katina. He seemed to be admiring, which made her feel more confident of his reaction.

She continued speaking to Lysander. “They didn’t know what to make of my gift, except surrender me to the gods. There are stories in our family of others like me, although we are said to be born only every seventh generation. My grandfather called me a naiad and said our family had been touched once by the divine.”

“What else can you do?” Lysander asked.

“I can call the rain, or summon fresh water from a well gone dry. It is said that we can heal and give prophecies, too, which is what I’d hoped to learn.”

“Did you?”

Katina shook her head. “No, because they wouldn’t accept me as an offering. My parents were confused as to what to do, so took me to Delphi to ask the Pythia about my fate. They paid for a prophecy.”

“Your future lies in fire and earth; the world’s in the son you birth
,” Alexander said quietly.

“Is that the prophecy?” At Katina’s nod, Lysander frowned. “What does it mean?”

“Well, it meant your mother couldn’t serve in a shrine, because to fulfill the prophecy she had to have a son.” Once again, Alexander gave Katina a simmering glance. Were their thoughts as one? “Women who serve must remain untouched by men, all their lives.”

“So, what did you do?”

“I met your father when the Pythia gave her prophecy, for he was serving in the sanctuary. And, in that moment, it seemed that my destiny was clear.” Katina caught her breath in recollection of the first spark of the firestorm, the flame that had seemed to ignite her very soul.

That was when she knew she had to feel Alexander’s heat within her again, at least one more time.

Lysander, fortunately, didn’t seem to notice the way his parents were looking at each other. “Is that prophecy about me?”

Katina smiled. “I don’t have another son.”

His delight was clear, then he turned to his father. “But why were you there?”

“Pelias saw that I was
Pyr
and took me to Delphi,” Alexander said. “We
Pyr
are said to be the spark cast by Apollo’s killing of Pytho, so we serve at his shrine.”

Katina watched their son consider this. “Is that why you’re taking me to Delphi?”

Alexander smiled and put his hand on his son’s head. “Yes. You will serve in the sanctuary, just as I did, and you will be taught how to manage your abilities as they develop.” He flicked the quickest glance at Katina before he continued. “One day, you may be summoned to serve mankind for eight years. If that occurs, you will go.”

“Why?”

“Because you will swear to it when you pledge yourself to Apollo and Gaia.” Alexander paused for a moment, as if debating the merit of saying more. Katina was glad when he did. “There are three pieces of wisdom engraved on the walls at Delphi, Lysander, and they are words that will stand you in good stead if you remember them.”

“I will remember them.”

“The first is ‘Know Thyself’. At Delphi, you will be trained to know your abilities.” Alexander gave Katina a glance and she considered how much she had to learn about her own abilities. Would that quest take her away from Alexander? She hoped not.

Lysander nodded.

“The second is ‘Nothing in Excess’, a maxim I learned well myself long before I came to Delphi. Doing that will ensure that you use your powers well.” He fell silent then, despite the boy’s inquisitive glances.

“And the third?” Katina prompted.

Alexander met her gaze steadily. “‘Make a pledge and mischief is nigh’.”

Katina frowned, thinking of all the pledges each of them had made. She eased closer to Alexander and dropped her voice. “You don’t want to be called to serve, because of your transgression.”

Alexander nodded and took her hand, his thumb sliding across her skin in a smooth caress. “Cetos is dead,” he said softly. “Jorge killed him.”

Katina bit her lip, glad that Cetos was out of pain, and out of her life. She felt that strange sense of freedom and optimism again. “It’s been said that any man who covets a naiad will die childless of a broken heart.”

“Is that why your parents didn’t support our marriage?”

Katina winced. “I think they liked you. They feared for your future.”

Alexander’s gaze trailed after Lysander, who was marching ahead of them. Theo had gone back to sleep again. “They didn’t know that I wasn’t a man.”

Katina met Alexander’s gaze, her heart pounding. “No. But I don’t think you were to blame for Cetos’ death.”

Alexander didn’t appear to be convinced. “It depends. It could have been my fault that Jorge came to your home. I certainly had no right to possess Cetos’ wife.” Katina might have argued but Alexander raised a finger. “I have to ask the Pythia. I won’t make another pledge to you until I’m sure I can keep it.” Alexander caught her hand in his and kissed her fingertips.

But Katina would have more than that salute from him before they reached Delphi, if only to have a night to remember.

Chapter Five

They stopped in the evening in a village, where they rented a room from an older woman who was glad of the coin. She fed them a hot meal, even managing to coax Theo to eat a little bit. The story that they were going to Delphi to seek counsel made perfect sense to the woman, who fussed a bit over Theo in his obvious weakness. The long day of walking and the hot meal made Lysander sleepy with comical speed. Alexander left Katina with the boys as she settled them into bed, then returned to the empty courtyard of the house to look at the stars and think.

Did he dare to hope for a future in this world, with the woman he’d missed so much?
 
Was Jorge truly gone? Could he believe his family to be safe? Alexander wasn’t one to pray, but he did so that night in the darkness.

“Where were you?” Katina asked quietly.

He turned to find her in the doorway of the room they’d rented, her hair loose over her shoulders and her eyes tired. She was wearing Pelias cloak, the red hue favoring her coloring.

Alexander had known it was only a matter of time before Katina asked him for the truth—and that he’d share it with her. He moved along the bench and she came to sit beside him, nestling against his shoulder.

“Would you mind if Theo stayed with us?” he asked and Katina shook her head.

“You don’t think his father is coming back, do you?”

Alexander took her hand in his and sighed. “I would hope that one of my comrades would do the same for Lysander in my place.”

“Of course,” Katina said. “I’ll take care of him, even if you can’t.”

She spoke with the generosity of spirit that he admired in her and Alexander felt some of his tension ease away. They could be good partners, if the Pythia gave them the chance. He didn’t want to promise her too much, but he dared to take her hand and smiled when she curled her fingers around his.

They sat together in silence for a while, the stars glinting high above them and the house quiet all around them. He was aware of the enticing scent of her skin, the rhythm of his son’s breathing a dozen steps away, the sounds of the rest of the household in slumber. He could feel the beat of Katina’s heart, the bright spark of her curiosity and recalled his old conviction that there was something special about her.

More than he’d guessed. Now, he could see the silvery glimmer to her skin, the hint of her powers that never completely faded from his view.

Now that he knew how to look.

He understood why her eyes were as dark as a fathomless pool, why her hair flowed down her back like a turbulent river, why she had such empathy for all of those around her, how she could accommodate any change or challenge—much as a river will find its way around any obstacle.

“What started the rumors about you?” he asked.

“I can never forget what I can do,” Katina admitted softly. “There’s so much good that can be done with such a gift. There was a drought in the village and children were thirsty. I couldn’t bear the sight of their suffering.”

“So you made it rain.” Alexander could guess the rest. “And someone saw you.”