The Beast in the Labyrinth by Toby Roberts

Author:Toby Roberts
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Myth s & legends
Publisher: Troubador Publishing
Published: 2023-05-28T00:00:00+00:00

*

Nico stared at the king. Then he turned on his heel and strode out of the room without a word. The bodyguard hurried after him. No one else moved.

“Well, I think that concludes our negotiations with Hannibal, at least for the time being,” said Gelon coolly. “Thank you all for coming. I’m afraid I’ve got to get back to Plymmerium, but we will reconvene at the next council meeting in twenty days’ time. Dion, stay behind please. My father would like a word with you.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” said Archimedes after a moment, standing up shakily with the help of his cane. “I’m far too old to go gallivanting around Italy.”

He began to shuffle towards the door. The other councillors seemed as shocked as Nico had been. Andranodoros turned to look at me, pursed his lips and shook his head sadly.

“Well, I doubt Hannibal will send us back the rest of our men now. He’ll probably crucify them instead. I’m sorry, Dion. I know they were your comrades.”

Then he stood too and followed Archimedes. One by one, the other councillors got up and silently made their way out. Zoippos looked completely bewildered.

Gelon left through the door at the back of the dais, and Hieron beckoned me to join him.

“Help me up, Dion, would you? Thank you.” He put his arm through mine. “I’d be grateful if you’d walk me back to my apartments. This way.”

The door Gelon had used opened into a long, gloomy corridor. The two guards followed us out.

We had only gone a few paces when I felt Hieron wobble beside me. He clutched at my arm and all at once, his legs began to buckle. I spun round in front of him as fast as I could and wrapped my other arm around him to hold him up. The guards immediately dropped their spears and jumped forward to support him from behind.

As we sorted out the tangle of our arms, I caught a momentary glimpse of the king’s face. It was the face of a frightened old man.

The guards expertly slid their necks under the king’s armpits and formed a cradle with their hands, and then they lifted him gently off his feet.

“It’s alright, sir, no need to worry,” one of them said to me as they manouevred sideways past me. “This happens sometimes.”

“My fucking legs,” hissed Hieron. “Pick up those spears, would you, Dion?”

I followed them down the corridor and through a maze of sparsely furnished and apparently unused rooms of various sizes. Eventually we reached a small, plain sitting room, with a view out to the open sea, where Hieron told the guards to lay him on a couch.

“Thank you, boys,” he said as they set him carefully down and made him comfortable. “I hope I wasn’t too much of a weight for you. Wait outside, please. And have a slave bring us some water. Make yourself comfortable, Dion.”

I handed the guards back their spears and settled myself on another couch. The king closed his eyes and almost immediately started snoring softly.

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