“I am right where I intend to be.There won’t be any escape attempts.”Theseus chewed a bite of fruit, studying her.This might be a test, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t plot his own schemes.This servant could turn into an asset, if he could get her talking.He gave her what he hoped was a guileless smile.“What’s your name?If we’re going to be personal enough that you watch me eat, we might as well share names.”
Did her mouth twitch at that?Perhaps he was getting somewhere with her.
“You can call me Ariadne, the handmaid to Queen Hippolyta.”The servant woman studied Theseus with a frank gaze that seemed far too unflinching for a servant.Then again, this was the Court of Swordmaidens.Her air of confidence might not be so odd.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Ariadne.Please give my compliments to the cook and to your queen for providing this fine meal.”Theseus smiled between bites.
Ariadne raised an eyebrow at him.Just a single eyebrow in a way Theseus had always envied.“Does that charm work on the women of the Court of Knowledge?Because it won’t earn you the queen’s respect here.”
Theseus let the far-too-smarmy smile drop from his face.He had been laying it on a tad thick.“No, it doesn’t.My apologies for trying.”
He eyed the tray.He’d polished off the fruit.The bread would be manageable with one hand, but after that, he would have only the meat left.
Instead of stabbing the meat with the fork and gnawing on it, he held out the tray to Ariadne.“Would you mind cutting my meat into bite-sized pieces?It would be easier for me to eat with one hand.”
That eyebrow shot back up again.Perhaps he had surprised her, with the request that she cut up his food like he was a child.Would she be impressed that he was willing to humble himself to this indignity?Or would she find him demanding?
Whatever she thought, she picked up the knife and fork and sawed at the meat while Theseus held the tray.She had to work at it, confirming his suspicion that the knife was less than sharp.
Theseus tried to think of something else to ask.Charm hadn’t worked.Perhaps direct questions would be better.“What can I expect now?Do you know what my first trial will be?”
She shook her head, set down the fork, and stepped back.“Did you really think I would answer that?”
“Not really.”Theseus shrugged and reclaimed the fork.“But silence while you watch me eat is awkward.If you have a better topic of conversation, then please tell me.”
He inspected the meat.It looked like it might have been some kind of giant bird.Perhaps a roc.They came through the thin spots in the barrier with the Realm of Monsters quite often in this area.A few were even known to roost on some of the rocky, outlying islands.
Would he have to face a roc as one of his trials?Rocs were large and intimidating, but it would be a straightforward monster fight.He could handle those.
Ariadne’s mouth quirked, as if he had finally gotten through to her.“I’ve heard much about the Great Library, but I’ve never had the chance to walk through the Anywhere Door to visit.What is it like?Is it as grand as all the stories claim?”
The Library.Now there was a topic he wouldn’t mind talking about.
Between bites of the meat and bread, Theseus described the Great Library.Its sprawling wings and rooms filled with books from floor to ceiling.Its ancient, slightly grouchy personality as it guarded the books in its possession.The bookwyrms that scurried around the shelves, protecting the books and eating any pests that dared invade the Library.
Ariadne’s light blue eyes remained intent as she listened, asking questions occasionally.By the time she gathered the tray and left, Theseus had some hope that he had made progress in gaining her trust.
Step one in surviving these trials and returning to his Court with the Swordmaiden Queen as his wife.
ChapterThree
Theseus stood in front of a dark hole in the side of a cliff.At his back, Queen Hippolyta loomed in full battle armor, complete with a chainmail tunic and leather bracers.Swordmaidens spread out in an arc on either side and behind her.
Queen Hippolyta’s expression remained cold, hard, as she stared Theseus down.“This is your first trial, King Theseus.Inside the labyrinth in the depths of our island lurks a monster.Find it, kill it, and bring its head back to me.”
As expected, one of the trials would involve the famed labyrinth.At least Marco had managed to glean some information on it.Go forward, always down, and never left or right.That sounded easy enough.He would have to hope he would stumble across the monster if he followed Marco’s instructions.
A swordmaiden stepped forward and held out Theseus’s sword.
“And if I fail?”Theseus claimed the sword and buckled the belt around his waist.
“You die.”Queen Hippolyta’s hard face didn’t soften.Her dark eyes didn’t warm.If she hoped that he would win her hand, she didn’t show it.“If the monster doesn’t get you, the labyrinth will.I hope you designated someone as your heir before you left your Court.”
A shiver traced down Theseus’s back, though he refused to let her words get to him.He would survive.There was no other option.
Instead, he gave her a grin.“Any hints that you would care to share, Your Majesty?”
Her glare managed to turn even colder.“No.”
