Chapter 6 Klothon

 

Hercules walked down through the rocks to the beach.

'Why am I doing this?' he thought. 'Because I must have help, or Hera will kill me this time.'

He walked into the sea, and suddenly it began to move round him — and then up... up, into a mountain of water, fifteen metres above him. He waited. Now the water had a 'head','arms' and 'legs'.

'Hello, Uncle Poseidon,' said Hercules.

Poseidon, god of the sea, got smaller. 'Oh, it's you, Hercules. When did I last see you? A long time ago. Come on.'

He started to move east, and Hercules followed him through the sea. 'Is Alcmena well?' asked Poseidon.

'Very well, thank you,' said Hercules.

'And your friend lolaus?'

'Well, too, thank you,' said Hercules.

'So?' said Poseidon.'What's wrong?'

'It's Hera,' said Hercules. 'And Themon's Summer Festival.The council asked Iolaus to be a judge, and I came with him.' Then Hercules told Poseidon about Holix, and about the Summer Queens. 'These young women go away and don't come back,' he said.

'Klothon,' said his uncle.

'What?'

'There's a serpent called Klothon,' said Poseidon. 'It moves in the sea. I see it every three or four years. We fight, but Klothon gets away. It's bad, Hercules.' He looked up at the rocks above the beach. 'They put some child up there, and she thinks, "I'm a queen!". But by morning, she's the serpent's breakfast.'

'Can't you stop it?' asked Hercules.

'No, I can't,' said Poseidon. 'And that's Hera's plan. She knows that you'll try to help the woman. But you can't, and she knows that too, but she wants you to try — and then you'll die.'

'Can I kill this serpent?' asked Hercules.

'Perhaps,' said Poseidon. 'It has a weak place under its head, \ remember that. But first you must catch it. I can't.'

'Thanks,' said Hercules.

After a minute Poseidon went back under the sea, and Hercules walked back to the beach... Something big and dark watched him from under the water.

♦;

Iolaus sat in the White Horse Hotel with a drink in his hand. Suddenly he saw three women at another table, and walked across to them. 'Good evening,' he said, and smiled.

The women looked up. They did not smile.

'Can I sit down with you,Venitia?' he said. He did not wait for an answer, he pulled a chair across to their table.

Venitia wore a pretty dress. The woman on his left had short dark hair. The woman across the table from him had long, black hair and green eyes. She was angry.

'What do you want?' asked Venitia.

'The answers to some questions,' he said. 'What are you three doing in here? Half the city police are looking for you, but you aren't afraid.'

'We don't want to talk to you,' said the short-haired woman.

'Be quiet, Bea,' said Venitia. 'I think he knows.'

'We could kill him,' said the green-eyed woman.

'No, we can't, Zarel,' said Venitia.'He's a judge.'

Iolaus looked at them.'So you're not rebels,' he said.'You don't want to throw out the council.'

'That's right,' said Bea.

'Bea!' cried Zarel.

'But he knows,' said Bea.

Venitia looked into Iolaus's eyes. 'Do you have a wife?' she asked suddenly.

'Venitia!' cried Zarel, and she jumped up from her chair and walked out of the hotel.

Bea got up more slowly. 'Sorry,' she said, 'but I must go after her or she'll kill somebody again.'

Iolaus waited for her to go, then looked at Venitia.'"Again"?' he said.'Did she kill somebody before?'

'You do have a wife,' Venitia said sadly.

'Is this a dream?' thought Iolaus. He put his hand on Venitia's hand — and she smiled.

'Sorry,' she said. 'Why did I say that? I don't know. 'Then she said, 'Yes, she killed somebody before. But her father is rich and... and... and you're right about us.'

'Something's not right in this city,' said Iolaus. 'Hercules and I know that. Perhaps we can help you.'

She smiled. 'You're nice,' she said. He started to speak but she said quickly,'OK, I'll tell you about Klothon.'

'Who's that?' asked Iolaus. 'Not who — what.' 'OK, what's that?' said Iolaus.

'You must leave before they crown the festival queen, or Klothon's going to kill you,' said Venitia.