Page 88 of Curses & Keys
“We’re hearing chatter about a group of humans scouring Ancient Greece sites. It’s not clear whether it’s one or both groups, but we need to make a decision soon,” Gatlin states firmly. “Have you two decided?”
I glance at Hawthorne. “Flip a coin?”
Jamison slides his Ancient Greece coin onto the table. “Use this.”
The coin reminds me of the night we met, and I tilt my head back and smile up at him. “Thanks. Heads we go to Naxos. Tails we go to Eleusis.” I flick the coin into the air, and it tumbles over and over, landing on heads.
“Naxos it is,” I state with a flourish. “It’s a pretty substantial site, so I want to leave early in the morning. Is that okay with everyone?”
It’sdark when we get to the site the next morning. Yawning, I stare at the temple. One of the earliest built in her honor, the beauty of the nearly white stone is hard to see in the predawn hours. Magnificent at the time, it’s hard to look at it now and not see the original superimposed in my mind. All the detailed work. The statues. It was truly a ruin for a long time, but they found some of the original pieces and reconstructed it in the 1990s.
The first ray of sun breaks the horizon, and Hawthorne whistles when it lands on the temple. “You take me to all the best places.” His eyes are devouring the structure in front of us.He turns to the land around it. “This location is known for its agriculture. Makes sense to build her temple here.”
“You’re such a plant nerd,” I tease. “Feel free to look around. I’m going to search the temple.”
His mouth tightens. “Not a chance. Mathias told us about Apollo showing up at the last site. Who knows what will happen here?”
I look around and see the other three nodding. Mathias’ dark eyes are sweeping the area around us, his hand on one of the knives strapped to his chest. Gatlin is setting the gear down by the temple. Jamison is calmly waiting for me to tell him what to do.
“Fine,” I huff, although I’m secretly thrilled to have them all here. “Search for the symbol. Check every column and stone. If you see anything, shout.”
Jamison and Hawthorne move with me toward the temple. Mathias and Gatlin start to patrol the area around us in full protective mode.
I begin with one of the large side entrances. Hawthorne picks the other, and Jamison chooses the columns. Hours go by. The sun beats down on us. Mathias comes over and hands me a water, then orders me to put my hat on. I laugh but do as he asks.
Gatlin hands out jerky, cheese, and crackers to everyone except Mathias.
I wonder if Gatlin got Mathias some blood.I forgot to ask last night.
The afternoon drags on, and we near the end of our search. “It’s not here.”
Hawthorne walks over. “We have a few more stones left to check, but I agree. I don’t think this is the place.”
Jamison finishes his section and comes over to join us. Flushed and red from the sun, he lifts a shoulder. “I don’tknow why you two get excited about a bunch of stones. This is extremely tedious.”
My eyes meet Hawthorne’s, and we both smile. “It’s tedious until you find something from the past. Like a coin or a bust of a statue.”
“Or a tool used to reap crops,” Hawthorne chimes in.
Wait a minute. “Do you think it could be in the surrounding area? Her power lies in the seasons and the cultivation of crops.” I turn toward the land. “What do you see?”
Hawthorne straightens and studies the hillside. “Potatoes.” He points to a cropping of trees. “Olive trees.” He walks to the other side of the temple. “Grapevines.”
Jamison swivels toward me. “Spread out and check the land.”
Mathias immediately moves to my side. “I’m going with Phaedra.”
The other three nod and split up. Hawthorne to check the grapes and Gatlin the potatoes. Jamison heads to one side of the olive trees, so I decide to move to the other.
Tired, my feet stumble, but Mathias’ quick reflexes prevent me from taking a tumble. “Thanks.” I wink up at him. “Maybe you’ll be my good luck charm.”
The corner of his mouth curves upward, but he merely shakes his head. “I’ve never considered myself lucky. I worked hard for my military position. Then, I came here and lost everything, including my daughter. It took me…a long time to adjust.”
There’s a tang of self-loathing in his comment, and I quickly look away, so he doesn’t see the guilt on my face. Continuing to circle tree after tree, I notice the light is getting dimmer.
Mathias also notices. “We’ll have to come back tomorrow.”
Disappointed, I nod, but as I turn to follow him, a shaft of sunlight catches something golden in my peripheral vision.Entranced, I pivot and slip between the trees. With a curse, Mathias falls into step at my side.
