Read Online Infinite Sacrifice by L.E. Waters - Free Book Online Page B

caught leaving, I’ll be punished.”
    “But everyone knows men leave their
messes for such secret meetings.”
    “It’s a test for the soldiers to
practice stealth and I can’t be caught. This is the most I can
sneak away.”
    “All right, then, we’ll meet again
in two new moons.”
    With that, he puts back on his
cloak and leaves without sound. I, on the other hand, bump into
every tool and bucket left out by the helots and receive a good
bruise to my shin in the process. When I return, Ophira’s waiting
up by the fire. I tell her all the details, which lasts all of two
minutes.
    She giggles, saying, “That was
about what it was like for me, except mine was soaked in
wine.”
     
    ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
     
    I watch the next moon come and go,
wait all month, and when the full moon appears, I’m never happier
for it to disappear. Ophira gives me an exaggerated wink before I
run down to the barn. Dressed again in only my cloak, I sit on the
straw, searching every dark corner.
    Something moves to my left, and
when I hear two helots talking, I shout, “Everyone out of the barn!
It is nightfall, you’re not permitted here!”
    He will not come if anyone is near.
I wait twenty more minutes and have to kick curious mice away.
Finally, I hear the barn door close quietly, and I became so
excited I forget to breathe. He walks over to the hay, puts his
hand down checking to see if I’m there, and is startled when he
finds me.
    He steps back and whispers,
“Alcina?”
    “I’m here.”
    He casts off his robe, pulls off
mine, and takes me immediately. When it’s done, he lays next to me.
I’m hoping he’ll stay a moment so I can talk to him.
    I wait for him to speak, but he
only reaches around for his robe.
    Hoping to stay him, I spurt out,
“You’ve given me a child.”
    He sits up in surprise. “So soon?
After only one meeting?”
    “I am sure.”
    He looks slightly suspicious for a
moment but then tilts his head to one side. “Good.”
    He gives me a light belly pat and
gets his cloak to go.
    I stop him when I see the faint
light coming in through the door. “We don’t need to meet in secret
any longer. When will I see you again?”
    “I will come when I
can.”
    The barn door slams.
     
    ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
     
    Happily, the Artemis Ortheia
Festival comes during the wait, and I’m hoping to see Leander
there. I ride Proauga down to the Evrotas river valley, nestled
deep within the cleavage of Mt. Taygetos and Mt. Parnon. The snow
on the highest summits stands out oddly among the rest of the warm
greenery. I leave Proauga to graze in lush grasses and make my way
toward the crowded theater to find a seat among the stone benches.
Alone, I find a seat in front of the many steps that lead up to the
Goddess of the Hunt’s altar. Winged Artemis stands frozen in stone,
her arms outstretched and grasping a bird in either hand. She looks
down upon the bloodstained steps where many years ago human
sacrifices were made, but now Sparta’s found another way to satiate
her bloodlust as well as entertain the people.
    Beside the altar, young men dance
naked as choruses of girls sing war songs to flutes, lyres, and
cymbals. Women hurry to place wheels of cheese in various positions
on the steps. I hear a commotion to the west and can’t help but
smile when I see a troop of young men run down the valley driven by
their leaders on chariots. Leander’s leading the sandal-less pack
of bare-chested men. The residing priestess chooses her favorite
male dancer and bequeaths him a prize sickle as Leander and the
others are allowed to drink from the river before the rite begins.
I can’t help but cross my fingers for him to do well. The leaders
leave their chariots and take out their whips tied to their kilts.
Each powerful man chooses his position among the steps carefully as
the doomed lot gathers in racing position at the foot of the steps.
The priestess brings her hands up in front of