The Fire of Ares by Michael Ford Page A

sky. The wood was dark, and up ahead he heard a low growl between the trees. It sounded as though the she-wolf was licking her wounds. He edged forward …’
    â€˜And?’ said Lysander.
    â€˜Thyestes came to a clearing, and there he saw her. The wolf crouched in front of a small cave, her side matted with dark blood. The hairs on her neck were raised and her bared teeth were white as the snow. But Thyestes could see she was weak. One of her front legs kept buckling. Why didn’t she flee, he wondered? Then he heard a sound from the cave behind, a mewling squeak. She had cubs.’
    â€˜And did he kill her, even when she had young?’ asked Lysander.
    â€˜Of course he did,’ said Orpheus. ‘He edged as close as he dared, levelling the hunting spear. The she-wolf gave a final snarl, but it was cut short when the tip of the spear pierced between the neck and the shoulder. She died quickly.’
    â€˜But what has that to do with you?’ asked Lysander.
    â€˜Thyestes drew his dagger, and crouched to go into the cave. The cubs would not be a threat. He saw there were three at the back of the cave, squirming blindly over each other. He could see their mother had brought them a recent kill. There was something pink and fleshy, perhaps a rabbit, lying right in their midst.But as he moved closer, he could not believe his eyes. It was not food – it was a baby boy. And he was alive!’
    â€˜You?’ asked Lysander, amazed.
    â€˜Indeed,’ said Orpheus. ‘The wolf must have suckled me like one of her own cubs. Thyestes carried me back to his hunting companions. They didn’t know what to do. One said they should simply leave me there in the snow. That, after all, was what Spartan law commanded. But others said I was a miracle, and that it was the work of the Gods. In the end, they brought me back to Sparta and presented me to the council.’
    â€˜And they let you live?’
    â€˜Yes, they voted to return me to my mother. They said I must be blessed by Lykurgos, the founder of Spartan society. His name means Wolf-Worker. My mother was overjoyed and called me Orpheus, after the famous musician who visited the land of the dead in the Underworld and came back out again alive.’
    Lysander was astounded. Perhaps the Gods did pay attention to mortal affairs. They had reached the turning for the barracks, and Orpheus climbed down from the back of the cart.
    â€˜Do you think you are protected by the Gods?’ Lysander asked.
    â€˜Either that,’ replied Orpheus, ‘or I was born with the strength of a thousand Spartans! Take care, Lysander, and I wish you luck finding the pendant.’
    As the cart moved off, Lysander watched Orpheus hobble away. He hoped they would meet again.

    Lysander leapt off the back of the cart at the edge of Prince Kiros’s estate. Shouldering the two bundles, he jogged back to the fields. There, crouching in the dirt and plucking weeds from the edges of the newly sprouted crop, was his mother. He dropped the sacks and ran to her side.
    â€˜Mother! Why aren’t you resting?’ He could see she was too weak to reply and tears welled in his eyes. A voice boomed from behind him:
    â€˜Because someone in your family has to earn a living!’ Lysander turned to see Agestes’s great bulk towering over him. He helped his mother to her feet, before rounding angrily on the overseer.
    â€˜You can see she is ill!’ he shouted. ‘Are you trying to kill her?’
    â€˜Do not worry about me, Lysander,’ urged Athenasia.
    Agestes narrowed his eyes and pulled his head back. Then he spat on the ground, close to Lysander’s foot.
    â€˜I should listen to your mother, Helot,’ he smirked. ‘Prince Kiros needs every pair of able hands in the fields to reap the harvest. That includes lazy slaves who’d rather be tucked up in bed. Unless, of course, you want me to bring the prince himself down to the