“I came here for sanctuary,” Orestes added. “From the Furies. Apollo told me I had to kill my mother, so I thought he could protect me.”
Leaving Hector's side, I went to Pollux and wrapped one arm around his waist while taking Orestes's hand.
“The ruins of this temple are in Turkey, but these aren't ruins.”
Colorful tiles lay beneath our feet, stretching yards in either direction. There were trees, heavy with fruit, and flowers. The wind blew, and I could smell the sea and feel the wind. Huge columns divided the courtyard and offered spots of shade.
“I tried to sacrifice myself,” Achilles said. He walked toward a long altar. “Now that I knew how to die. But it didn't work.”
They were breaking my heart. It was my fault that they were face-to-face with the lowest point in their life.
“I'm sorry.” It wasn't enough, though.
Rather than reply, he held out his arms. Orestes let me go and Pollux pushed me to him. As soon as I was within reach, Achilles pulled me against him and planted a hard kiss to my mouth.
His hands trailed from my waist up to tangle my loose hair, cupping my skull. When he kissed me, I forgot about everything. He swept his tongue over mine, demanding and rough, until he pulled back with a harsh breath. “I can do this. If you're with me, I can do this.”
His gaze swept the temple, and it was then I saw the sheen of sweat over his forehead.
“There's a reason we're here.” Taking both of his hands in mine, I squeezed them to get him to look at me. “Achilles. I know it. You came here to make a sacrifice, Orestes came for sanctuary, Pollux to ask for his brother.” I glanced at Hector and Paris.
The light dimmed, and I tilted my head back to the sky. It had darkened. In this world, the sun was beginning to set.
“We came here for the oracle,” Paris explained. “To find out what to do. Where to go. What the point of it all was. Do you remember, Hector? But no one was here, except...”
“Except them.” He chucked his chin toward his friends. “We came in from the east, and the sun was directly in my eyes. I remember looking up and seeing—” His eyes widened and he stood, frozen. “I remember the monuments. The heads.Paris.”
His brother shook his head, then stopped. His head whipped toward me, then to the west. Ripping me away from Achilles, he dragged me to the eastern entrance, past the columns and benches and statutes, to the outside. “Look.”
I turned around, taking in the plants and trees and flowers.
“No, Leo. Lookup.”
Lifting my chin, I studied the stone beam resting across the two columns. It took me too long to make sense of it. A face. Pursed mouth. Huge, sad eyes. Drawn brows. And snakes.
No one could miss the snakes. “It's me,” I whispered.
Paris took my hand. “You.” Linking our fingers, he squeezed my hand. “It has to mean something.”
The setting sun shone right in my eyes, causing everything to be covered in bright dots. “I can't see anything.”
“Come on.” Paris pulled me back to the courtyard and into the light. It was only his hand that kept me moving. The light got brighter and brighter, surrounding everything.
“Paris?”
Shutting my eyes against the sun, I held onto his hand even tighter.
“Leo.”
Hector
Iopened my eyes and found myself back in the hotel room, surrounded by my friends. Leo stood next to Paris, eyes shut tight.
“Paris,” I called.
He opened his eyes as I approached them, but hers remained closed.
“Leo.” He shook her, gently at first, and when her eyes didn't open, a little more forcefully. “Leo!”