Warrior Rising (Goddess Summoning #6)(88)

Agamemnon continued to back away from what used to be Achilles. This possession was different. His body grew and twisted with obscenely exaggerated muscles. His scars, always grotesque, overtook the rest of his skin so that he appeared to be pieced together by wounds—defined by pain. His face retained only the bare structure of the man, but built on that structure was the visage of a beast, monstrous, inhumane, a creature who knew nothing but anger and pain and the lust for blood. Agamemnon realized what had happened and, even in his fear, had to repress a shout of victory. Until that moment Achilles had always battled the berserker. He’d fought to retain a vestige of humanity so that he could find his way back to himself.

This time Achilles had no intention of returning.

What Agamemnon was witnessing was the utter destruction of the man—the fragmenting of his soul. Though Achilles might still be somewhere within the twisted shell, he had given up and finally completely accepted his fate.

With another frightening roar, the thing that had been Achilles sprinted off toward the walls of Troy.

Agamemnon drew a long, relieved breath. Then he felt Odysseus’s eyes on him. He gave the Ithacan king a bland look. “I did him a favor. He’s done fighting it now, and, doubtless, his name will be remembered for ages for what he’s about to do.” That piece of the puzzle, Agamemnon added silently to himself, was annoying, but unavoidable.

“You bated him on purpose.”

“He chose glory long ago. I was simply giving him his wish.”

Odysseus’s sharp gaze studied the aging king. “You lied.”

Agamemnon lifted one golden clad shoulder. “No. Patroklos is no longer in this world and the Myrmidons are on the battlefield, as, I’m quite sure, is Hector.”

Odysseus was shaking his head and looking at the Greek king with pure disgust when Kat stumbled over a dune and rushed up to them.

“Achilles!” She gasped, trying to catch her breath. “Where is he?”

“Embracing Fate instead of you, Princess,” Agamemnon said with a sarcastic sneer.

“What have you done, you old shithead?” she said.

“Don’t you dare speak to me in such a manner, woman!”

“Oh, f*ck off!” Kat yelled, stepping forward into his face, which shocked him so badly that he actually took a step backward. She gave him a disdainful look and turned her back on him, speaking instead to Odysseus. “What’s happened?”

“Achilles knows Patroklos is dead. The berserker has utterly possessed him and he’s gone to kill Hector,” Odysseus said.

Kat felt the world tilt. Over a bizarre humming in her ears she said, “No… no, he’s not dead.”

“He will be shortly. There is no stopping it. The monster has already defeated the man,” Odysseus said.

“Not Achilles, Patroklos,” Kat said, fighting not to sob in despair.

Odysseus rounded on Agamemnon. “You said Patroklos was dead.”

“I said he’d left this world, and he has.”

Kat gasped, reading the truth in Agamemnon’s smug eyes. “You knew Patroklos wasn’t dead. You saw them disappear.”

“What I saw was proof that you are not a princess of Troy.”

She curled her lip at Agamemnon. “You’re finally right about something. No, I’m not an ancient woman you can bully.”

“Really? You look soft and weak to me.” Agamemnon made a threatening move toward her, but Odysseus stepped swiftly between them.

“You won’t touch her,” he said.

Agamemnon hesitated, and then chuckled mockingly. “I suppose it’s only right that you have her now that your friend is finished with her. But you should know that she’s been lying to you, too. She’s not Athena’s oracle. She’s in league with the Goddess of Love. I saw them together.”

“Perhaps you should return to your camp, great king.” Odysseus’s voice was flint. “Your battle is about to be won for you, and you should be there to seize the glory.”

Agamemnon narrowed his eyes at Odysseus. “She’s only a woman. Will you stand with her against your king?”

“God, you’re such an asswipe!” Kat blurted before Odysseus could speak. “You think I’m just this?” She pointed down at her body. “This is just a shell—it’s temporary. It’s the spirit inside that lasts and really counts.”

“Oh, I believe you, Princess,” Agamemnon said, voice rich with sarcasm. “Which makes what has happened to Achilles even more tragic. What was inside of him is gone. But don’t despair. His name will certainly last forever.”

Kat felt rage build within her. Acting purely on instinct, she wrapped her hand around Venus’s pendant and with the other pointed a condemning finger at him. “Today is your lucky day. You were right twice. I am not an ancient princess, and I am in league with the Goddess of Love. So it’s with Venus’s power that I say love will betray you, like you betrayed my love. Love will be your death and your curse.”

Agamemnon shuddered, but recovered himself quickly. “You can’t curse me, witch creature. I have the protection of the Queen of Gods herself.”

Kat’s laugh completely lacked humor. “Really? Last time Hera and I chatted about you she said you were an arrogant fool.”