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Back The Arrow of Apollo
Chapters (52)
  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. About the Author
  4. Dedication
  5. By the Same Author
  6. Author’s Note
  7. Map
  8. Domus Libris
  9. House of the Wolf
  10. The House of the Wolf
  11. One
  12. Two
  13. Three
  14. Four
  15. Five
  16. Six
  17. Seven
  18. Eight
  19. Nine
  20. Ten
  21. Eleven
  22. Twelve
  23. Thirteen
  24. Fourteen
  25. Fifteen
  26. Sixteen
  27. Seventeen
  28. Eighteen
  29. Nineteen
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Twenty-Three
  34. Twenty-Four
  35. Twenty-Five
  36. Twenty-Six
  37. Twenty-Seven
  38. Twenty-Eight
  39. Twenty-Nine
  40. Thirty
  41. Thirty-One
  42. Thirty-Two
  43. Thirty-Three
  44. Thirty-Four
  45. Thirty-Five
  46. Thirty-Six
  47. Thirty-Seven
  48. Thirty-Eight
  49. Timeline of the Trojan Cycle
  50. Further Reading
  51. Acknowledgements
  52. Supporters

As if they knew that he was carrying the Arrowhead, one of the Enemy turned their glowing eyes towards Stargazer, and made their way near him, circling him, surrounding him.

Silvius picked off a couple, unable to notch arrows fast enough. He was worried too about hitting the centaur. Aeneas’s men regrouped and began to charge, but the centaur shouted, ‘No! Stay back!’ Some halted, confused; others continued.

One of the Enemy rushed at Stargazer from behind, and the centaur kicked out, knocking him backwards.

‘What is he doing?’ Silvius was already putting his bow down and scrambling to the edge. ‘We should help him!’

‘No,’ Elissa restrained him with her hand. ‘Look!’

Stargazer was opening the casket containing the Arrowhead. He uttered a short command. It sounded like ‘Destroy!’ The hissing from the circling attackers grew louder. At first, Silvius could not quite understand what was happening.

Tendrils of black smoke curled out of the casket, as if it were a lit brazier. After a moment’s pause, in which the Enemy edged closer, the smoke burst outwards, forming a circle. Stargazer’s eyes were bright and maddened.

Then a black cloud obscured him and all around him.

It had an extraordinary effect. One by one, all the Enemy staggered and collapsed.

Their bodies fell limp to the ground, and the red light left them, vanishing into the darkness.

With a final effort, Stargazer closed the casket. The soldiers of Lavinium were standing open-mouthed. Many had fallen, and their companions began to help them up.

‘Now you see,’ Stargazer said, panting with effort. ‘It can destroy, if you will it. But it has killed me too. I did what I could. I watched over you. It was not enough. Take it to the Achaeans, find the Shaft. And then – slay Python.’

Stargazer collapsed onto his side, and lay there limp, his eyes dulled.

Only the casket, hanging around his neck, still darkly gleamed.

Six

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A Test for Tisamenos

MYKENAI, ACHAEA: KINGHOUSE OF THE LION

There was a wooden door in the stone wall running alongside the street, so discreet it was almost hidden. It couldn’t be seen unless a passer-by was paying particular attention. The dancing girl, without looking over her shoulder, opened it and slipped through.

Tisamenos, feeling clumsy, did the same a moment later.

In the gloom of the interior, he could see nothing. He blinked, his eyes adjusting.

He called out tentatively.

A cloth was thrust over him and tied round his head. Strong hands gripped him as he struggled, and they spun him around and around until he was dizzy. He was marched along, but he could not tell whether it was to the left or the right.

Eventually, he came to a stop, and the blindfold over his eyes was removed. Blinking, he found himself in a large, dimly lit chamber, full of strangers. He couldn’t see the dancing girl among them.