Page 33 of A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows

Atara hesitated again, his jaw shifting. “Very well. You may bring them. We have stables that can accommodate them if you stay.”

Valerian’s shoulders dropped and he led the mares to the gangplank. They eased down, but their ears pressed back against their heads. He cooed and murmured words against them as he urged them down. And his voice, so close, so tender, made my stomach ache. But I shifted towards Temi and joined her on the path.

She scowled as she ducked under a palm frond and stepped onto the trail. The darkness of the jungle swallowed us. “I could have handled them.”

“Really?” I asked. “Because I was trying to decide if you intended to get us killed or chased away, so you didn’t have to face the answers we came for.”

She blew out a breath that covered the sound of some chirping frog for a moment. “They started with aggression.”

“And you planned to finish it, obviously.”

“I would have if I’d had to.”

“Thankfully”—I stumbled over a vine and braced myself against her arm—“it didn’t come to that.”

Her expression eased, the warm light of the torches washing over her skin. “No, because we have a diplomat with us.”

My cheeks flushed. “I’m not that at all.”

“That’s what I saw just now.”

I bit my lip, uncertain of how to respond. But at that moment we turned a corner in the path and Atara gestured ahead to a large building with a straw-thatched roof, illuminated by hundreds of torches. “Welcome to the residence of Sappho.”

14

Artemis

Atara led the group around a covered walkway. Trellises that walled off sections of it bloomed with ivory flowers that perfumed the air. Epiphany tucked in closer to me, and I grasped her arm into mine.

Atara stopped at an entrance flanked by two guards, whispering to one, who disappeared inside. The door opening allowed a golden splash of light and enthusiastic music to trail out and pool around us. A moment later, a woman stepped through the entry. She had a head of dark curls clasped in various places with gold fasteners and beads. Her tan skin shimmered like glitter in the torchlight, her gauzy dress draping over her form and skimming like a puddle at her sandaled feet. “Now, who do we have here?”

Atara gestured to us. “This is Artemis, sister of Apollo and Princess Epiphany of Niria.”

Sappho took us in, her eyes grazing along our forms. “I’ve heard you injured one of my guards.”

“I wouldn’t have done so if he hadn’t threatened to attack us first.”

Sappho kept her gaze on me for a moment before bursting into a laugh. “Just so. I have to say, I love a woman who can handle herself.” She shifted to Atara. “And how is Troshon?”

“Pissy, but he’ll live.”

“Good. Tell him I’ll make it up to him.”

Atara bobbed his head and turned, exiting down the long walkway.

“So, you wonder if you’re a goddess?”

I sucked in a breath. “How do you know that?”

She skimmed her eyes over me. “Consider it a guess, sister of Apollo. I bet you love being referred to by that.”

I didn’t reply but couldn’t help the frown that pressed into my face.

She laughed. “Just so. Now, you two must join me for dinner.” Sappho grinned like a cat who’d cornered a group of mice.

An evening breeze off the ocean swept through the trellises, and Epiphany shivered beside me. I firmed my stance. “We’d love to, but we have one other person who will join us.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “A servant?”