Chapter 2 The GreenEyes in the Cave

 

The city of Themon was a kilometre from the beach, and the council offices were in a building in the city square. There were nine men on the council, and their leader was Titus Perical. But Titus wasn't in the council building today. He was in a cave behind the rocks on the beach. The cave was big and dark. Inside it were two big green eyes in the rock at the back. Titus sat in the cave and said in a tired voice, 'It's getting more and more difficult.' He waited. He could hear the sea. 'Years ago they all wanted to be the queen. Now they only want to have a good time.'

'This will be the last time,' a voice said.

Titus jumped. 'The last time?'

'The festival can go on, but the other thing finishes,' said the voice. 'But you must do the things I tell you.'

'I always do,' said Titus.

'Yes,' said the voice. 'But what about the rebels?'

'Rebels!' said Titus. 'They write words on buildings, that's all. They're nothing!'

'And the... others?' asked the voice.

'They'll be here in a day or two,' said Titus.

' Good,' said the voice.

Titus asked, 'What about Klothon?'

'Klothon? He always does the same thing.'

'But can he do it in a different place?' asked Titus. 'Can you help me to —?'

Suddenly there was a strong wind inside the cave — and then everything was quiet again. Titus had his answer.

'No, you can't,' he thought.

He went out and began to walk along the beach. 'So who's going to die next week?' he thought. 'Who am I going to choose?' And then he saw the two beautiful young women on the beach. Two beautiful young queenly women.

He stopped and looked up at the sky. 'Thank you!' he said. 'Now, I must say the right words, and perhaps give them something nice.' He smiled. 'The judges can't say "we don't like your new queen", because they aren't going to live to say it.'

♦;

'No,' Hercules told Iolaus.

'Themon's a nice place,' said Iolaus.

'Why don't you go, Hercules?' said Alcmena.

Hercules didn't answer.

'We can judge the beautiful girls, choose a queen, and be out of there before you know it,' said Iolaus.

'Oh, OK,' Hercules said after a minute.

But he wasn't happy. 'Is somebody watching me?' he thought. 'Is there some danger waiting for me there?'

The two of them walked all the next day. Iolaus talked a lot. And that night, under the trees, Hercules couldn't sleep.

'Why did they ask Iolaus?' he thought. And when he closed his eyes, he thought he heard far-away voices.

By the next afternoon Hercules was happier. But Iolaus was very quiet. Are you OK?' Hercules asked him.

'I slept badly,' said Iolaus,'and I thought I heard voices.'

Hercules stopped.'What voices?' he said.

Iolaus turned round and looked past Hercules. His hand moved to his sword. 'Their voices?' he said.

Hercules didn't turn to look at the men behind him because now there were men behind Iolaus, too.

And there was no time to talk.