Atalanta and the Arcadian Beast by Robert J. Harris & Jane Yolen

Author:Robert J. Harris & Jane Yolen [Harris, Robert J. & Yolen, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780613830096
Amazon: B00DBLRFBC
Publisher: Topeka Bindery
Published: 2003-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

THE ROAD TO TEGEA

“ORION SEEMED MORE THAN eager to set out for the palace of King Iasus at once. Atalanta was sure that part of his eagerness had to do with getting away from the scene of his embarrassing defeat, but she said nothing about it. In fact, she said nothing at all, eating the celebratory breakfast without speaking a word.

Orion took his meal standing, apart from the others. He even turned away several young men of the village who begged to join the hunt. He was so curt with them, they stalked away, cursing Orion angrily.

“Who does he think he is?” one of them said.

“Only an old man,” said another.

“A slow old man,” added a third.

Though she felt sorry for them, Atalanta kept her silence. After all, those same young men had been Orion’s greatest fans only hours before.

“You’ll have a tale to tell, when you come back,” Phreneus said to Evenor and Atalanta with an envious grin. Then he added, “Everybody in Eteos will give you all the wine you can handle just to hear the tale of Orion and the Arcadian Beast.” His voice rose in its enthusiasm. “How he crept up on the mantiger and—”

“He hasn’t killed it yet,” Atalanta interrupted sharply, the first words she’d spoken since the race. “My father always warned me not to suck the marrow from the bones of a live beast.”

“We’re not doing this for wine,” Evenor reminded him, “or for the tales we can tell. We’re doing it for the good of our people.”

“We’re not doing it for Orion’s glory either,” Atalanta added.

As if called by his name, Orion suddenly appeared behind Evenor. “There’s no glory for any of us till the beast is slain,” he said. “Afterward, there’ll be plenty to go around. Pick up your gear and let’s be on our way.”

Atalanta started to protest that he’d misunderstood what she meant, but he’d already gone back into Labrius’ house. Shrugging, she picked up her gear and stood. Whatever appetite she’d had was gone, anyway.

Just then Orion came out of the house, fully armed. The two of them stared sullenly at each other across the courtyard. When Evenor joined them minutes later, they were still glaring like two boars getting set for battle.

“It’s the mantiger we’re after,” he reminded them, “not each other.”

Orion had the grace to look embarrassed, and Atalanta bit her lip before turning her head away. Hot tears stung her eyes and she blinked them away. The last thing she wanted was to be scolded by Evenor.

The entire village turned out to see them off. Orion’s final wave of farewell was greeted with a cheer, except for the three young men who glowered in the back of the crowd.

“I don’t mind telling you I’m glad to be away from here,” Orion confided as they headed down the track. “There’s nothing I find as wearisome as hordes of country folk demanding that I tell them stories of my adventures.”

Atalanta covered her mouth with her hand to hide a smirk.

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