Three

Patroclus was adorable. That was the only thing that came to mind as the young man who looked as though he worshipped the ground Achilles walked on approached us. His smile was contagious and he exuded a youthful presence that was slowly being chiselled by age and war. He stood at the awkward precipice between boyhood and manhood yet handled it better than most teenagers from my time. He was a warrior, however, just like the rest of them. Strong, dependable and loyal to a fault.

"I thought I told you to wait for me," Achilles chastised, though his tone was far from angry. If anything this was the happiest I've seen the hero since we met. He was an entirely different man.

"I was waiting, but you were taking too long," Patroclus shrugged, glancing at me with open curiosity. "Who's this?"

"She's the Trojan prisoner I picked up along the way," Achilles replied. I rolled my eyes at his dismissive tone.

"You make it sound like you were shopping and I was an impulse buy," I muttered.

"She doesn't sound like a Trojan," Patroclus said. He squinted as if he could magically see through the veil. I had a feeling that he could and suppressed a shiver.

"Never mind her." Achilles waved over some guards, one of which grabbed my elbow. "She was leaving. I will take a bath tonight, slave and I'll take my meal in my quarters. I'll explain everything, Patroclus, but you must first tell me what's been happening around here."

"You can't just lock me away," I argued, yanking my arm out of the guard's grasp. "I told you, I'm not your prisoner."

Exasperated, Achilles turned to me. I noticed the way Patroclus tried to hide his amused smile. When our eyes met, his dropped to the floor, pretending not to notice. I decided that, even though I was currently a prisoner in Phthia, and therefore he was my enemy, I liked Patroclus. Maybe I could find a way to get his help with my current situation. He seemed a lot more amicable than the great hero Achilles anyway.

"In case you failed to notice, those chains on your wrists say otherwise. Now do your job as ordered."

"Yeah, yeah whatever you say, Your Highness," I muttered. His jaw clenched angrily. "Just wait until Hector hears about this."

"Is that a threat?" the hero asked, raising an eyebrow coolly.

"Take it as you will," I shrugged, a spiteful smirk tugging at my lips.

Achilles and Patroclus exchanged a look as the guard tugged on my arm. Their confusion was imbued with something else, something intimate: longing. Achilles wanted an excuse to be alone with Patroclus and I was standing in their way.

"Take her back to the room. I'll speak with her later," Achilles said dismissively.

"Whatever," I sniffed, yanking my arm away from the guard. "You know where to find me."

Patroclus watched me with unwavering curiosity, while Achilles didn't bat an eye in my direction. He kept his gaze on the young man before him. As we rounded the corner, I saw Achilles's hand brush against Patroclus's cheek. It was such a secretively intimate gesture. I recognized the look in the younger man's eyes. It was for sure the same look Paris had when he stared at me. That look broke the fight in me and I stopped struggling. It was hard, being apart from the one you cared for. I wouldn't say "loved," but the feelings I had developed for Paris were undeniable. Achilles and Patroclus could have their moment. For now.

The guard led me back to my room without resistance. A lock slid into place, leaving me alone, though I was still able to roam between my room and Achilles, which were connected by a tiny, personal courtyard. The layout of the palace reminded me of several squares interlocked

I stood there processing everything. Then I was too restless, so I started pacing. I needed to come up with something, anything that would be worth keeping me around. I dug deep into the recesses of my education, searching for anything that would be safe to offer.

"Well, isn't this a cozy place," a voice said behind me.

"Ah!" I yelped, stumbling back into the wall. I spun around to find the goddess, Athena, seated on my bed, a stunning figure against a drab background. "What the hell do you want? Haven't you done enough?"

Athena's smile was smug as she gracefully climbed to her feet. She was as beautiful as ever and as dangerous. Her helmet glinted in the sliver of sunlight that trickled in through the window, though she'd abandoned her spear. Which, I'd have to admit, was a relief because I doubt that spear would fit in here without skewering me.

"Relax. I'm not here to do anything." Athena's eyes swept the room. "Believe it or not, this wasn't part of the plan. I wanted to make it harder for you to find Olympus, not impossible." Her eyes came to rest on me. "This diversion from the original plan is an indication that you are becoming more entangled in the story, Alexis."

So, I was right about that. The prophetess Cassandra was having visions of me. It only stood to reason that she would have them if I was becoming part of this world.

That sounded just as bad to you as it did to me, right?

"What does that mean?" I asked, my voice rising a notch.

"It means that we miscalculated. We didn't really know what your presence would do, but there was a possibility of destroying it. Or changing it. Now we know. You're becoming part of it."

"No," I whispered, "no, I can't become a part of this world, Athena."

"Yes, I'm well aware of that," Athena said drily, "everyone is aware of that fact. But tell me this, have you thought about your family?"

"My... family?" I frowned. "I-I mean, yeah, I just thought about returning home to my life and my job—"

"Your family, Alexis," Athena sighed, "tell me their names."

"Names... I, um..." Panic gripped me. "I have a mom... her name is Lydia. Yes, Lydia and my dad's name is George."

"And your siblings?" Athena's voice was soft, sympathetic as my mind drew a horrifying blank. It must have shown on my face because the goddess sighed and reached for me. She stopped and dropped her hand. "The longer you are here, the more you will lose yourself."

"Seriously?" I threw my hands in the air. "Please tell me this means Zeus is finally going to get me out of here. I can't be stuck here, and I sure as hell do not want to be stuck here with Achilles of all people."

"Alexis..."

"No, don't you 'Alexis' me," I snapped, rounding on her. "I am so done being your little monkey. This game is over, do you hear me? Zeus has had his fun. It's time to send me home."

Athena raised her eyebrows. "You really are prone to outbursts aren't you? Are you finished?"

I clenched my hands, the frustration blinding me. She was well aware of the fact that I could become stuck in this world and yet she was still toying with me. Stringing me along like a puppet on strings.

However, I swore I was hallucinating because Athena looked apologetic. Athena, apologetic? Yup, I was losing it.

"That's what I came to tell you. Because you are becoming more and more integrated into the story, you are slipping further away from divine help."

"You mean you're abandoning me again?" I whispered, shaking my head. My vision was narrowing and a bloom of panic was spreading in my chest. "You're not going to help me get out of here and you're just going to let my memory disappear? Zeus ruined everything, the least you can do is send me home before it's too late."

"Even if I wanted to, Alexis, you don't understand. There are rules we must follow in this world, and our intervention is limited to specific events. You're becoming an integral character in this story, but there is nothing directing us to help you..."

"You mean... you mean like Homer writing you to go to Paris?" I asked, "what about t-the sea serpent? O-or changing the rules with the golden apple?"

"You weren't fully part of the story yet. It was more malleable. Now, it's solidifying, and you are becoming a permanent character. Since you weren't written into the original story, we don't have any scripted interactions with you yet."

Athena's smile was sad and for a moment I almost believed that she regretted everything she's done to get me to this point. I also believed that she was putting on a show for my benefit.

"Then change the script," I whispered. My voice surprisingly held steady, but the panic was starting to raise the edges. "Please, Athena, I can't stay here. I need to go back to my world..." I couldn't forget my family. My life. I couldn't just stay trapped in the ancient world forever."

"You can try to make it to Mount Olympus, but I think you have to finish the story," she explained, "and you must do so on your own." She stepped forward and brushed her fingers against my cheek. "I wish you all the best Alexis, and I am sorry that this has happened to you. But you are stronger than you imagine. You'll get through this." She pressed something into my hand. The acorn I'd taken from Dryope. Miraculously it had survived the journey. "Use this to help you remember. It will pull you back from the brink."

"You got me into this mess," I said, pulling away from her. That was harder to do than expected, considering we were shoulder to shoulder in the room. "No amount of apologies will make me forgive you or Zeus for what you've done. The very least you could do is let me out of this room and give me a shot, otherwise, I'll be a slave trapped here."

With a sigh, Athena pulled back. "Whether you believe me or not, I know you can do this and I will do my best to help you in any way I'm permitted. Don't get yourself killed."

When I blinked, she was gone.

I stared at the spot she was standing, the world drunkenly spinning. No. No. No. It was all some trick, another game the gods had concocted. They were sick and twisted, but they wouldn't leave me high and dry unless there was an actual plan to get me home.

But what Athena said, I knew that she was right. Why did I feel the start of a panic attack if I knew she was joking? Aphrodite had all but disappeared, another confirmation. She'd promised to get me to Mount Olympus. If I was becoming part of the story, she could no longer help me.

I clutched my chest as my breath snagged in my throat. My vision narrowed, my hands clammy and I couldn't draw in a proper breath.

Finish the story...

Did that mean I had to see the story through? Go with the flow, give Achilles whatever he wants and then what? There was a chance he'd offer me to Agamemnon, which would eventually get me closer to Troy. And, if I remembered correctly, Achilles hadn't gone to Sparta. He went straight to Troy with his men, the Myrmidons. So, that was a new change, something I instigated. Athena might have been a royal pain in my butt, but she wasn't lying about my situation.

Gasping, I sank to the floor, hands clasped against my chest. Think, Alexis, think. There had to be someone who could help me... Achilles only saw me as a prisoner, and a means to an end, and Hector was plenty happy with me dead and out of his way.

If I somehow managed to escape, then what? I had no idea how to survive in the wilderness in my time, let alone the ancient world. Achilles was an expert hunter and warrior. He'd catch up to me in no time. And he probably wouldn't be so forgiving that time.

The only person who would help me was in Sparta, far away from me. No one here in Phthia was going to help me. I had no idea what would happen if I went through with this plan, how long I'd be stuck here, but it seemed easier than plotting an escape from the house of Peleus.

Slowly, I climbed to my feet and leaned against the window. Mount Olympus taunted me somewhere unseen in the sky. Zeus, Athena, all the other Olympians were sitting there watching my story continue and probably loving every minute of it. Those bastards.

"I know you can hear me," I said through gritted teeth. "I'll make you pay for what you did to me." I glared at the powdery blue sky with its wisps of clouds. "You'll regret the day you made me your puppet."

That threat even gave me chills. I was a pathetic human in their eyes, but some heroes matched the gods' might. And I just so happened to be a prisoner of one of those heroes.