Pippa and the two grooms turned to face none other than Ares, who had appeared behind them. He frowned, and the scars criss-crossing his face pursed. In his hand, he held a long knife with a leaf-shaped blade.
‘This is no place for riders,’ the god yelled. ‘Archippos! Dion! You are sharing your secrets! I shall have none of it!’ He pointed his knife at them, and Pippa noticed it was covered in silvery blood. Her skin prickled, and she took a step back.
‘She came here of her own accord,’ said Archippos, apparently unafraid of Ares. ‘We’ve told her nothing.’
‘Wait until I tell Zeus of this!’ Ares stormed on.
Pippa could see that, like her, Dion was trembling. But Archippos stood firm. ‘Tell him what? About your monster, Kerauno?’
Ares’ eyes flashed. He slowly lowered the knife but still spat, ‘Better he be monster than butterfly.’ He gestured to Zeph. ‘That runt should have been killed at birth.’
‘No!’ Pippa burst out. ‘You can’t kill the horses.’
‘Of course we can,’ laughed Ares. ‘And we do. What do you think I just came back from doing?’ He wiped the blade clean on his cloak. ‘It should be Hades’ task, but he is surprisingly squeamish.’
Pippa’s eyes went wide. ‘You … you didn’t.’ What started as a cry came out in a stammer.
‘Horses are killed in the mortal realm when they are badly injured,’ Dion said slowly. ‘It is no different here. An injured wing, a broken leg … it would be crueller to let them suffer. The winged horses are not immortal, after all.’
Archippos muttered under his breath, ‘If the gods took more care with them …’
‘Took care?’ Ares said. ‘The horses should be strong enough for their duties. Not like that runt. He’s useless. Too small to lift a chariot into the air. Not fast or focused enough for one of Artemis’s deer hunts. As for battle? He would chase a spear into his own heart. Do you truly think that horse could carry Zeus’s thunderbolts? He’d have been killed if Aphrodite hadn’t chosen him, fool that she is. The only place he’s going to after the races is the Graveyard of Wings. I will make sure of it.’
Pippa pressed herself against Zeph, to stop her body from trembling. Of course, in Athens, horses were killed, by quickly slitting their throats with a knife, if there was no other way. She’d witnessed it once, the killing of a horse that had severe colic, and it was a terrible thing. She hadn’t known, never dreamed such a thing happened to the horses here.
Ares smirked. ‘I’ve scared you. Good! Better you know. Not that you can do anything about it. The race will be won by me.’
‘You never know what the race will bring,’ chided Archippos.
‘I do know. Just as I know this girl should not be here, at these stables. You’re lucky I have changed my mind. I won’t tell Zeus about this, after all.’
Whether from fear or anger, Pippa wasn’t sure, but the retort left her lips before she could stop it. ‘You won’t win. Not unless your rider learns to stay on his horse.’
Ares’s eyes narrowed. ‘What do you mean …’
But Pippa didn’t stay to answer. She hoisted herself on to Zeph’s back. He was agitated enough himself, and the moment she was up he was too, his hooves lifting from the ground, leaving the god, the grooms and little Aurae far below.
The last rays of sunlight were flickering across the meadows when Pippa returned to the pasture with Zeph, still shaken from her encounter with Ares. The other horses were already grazing for supper.
She was surprised to see Ajax with them, his head held high, his tail like the plume of a helmet.
Kerauno was there too. For once, Pippa was glad to see the monstrous beast. He had returned safely. Bas wasn’t there though, or at least she couldn’t see him. Khrys was easy to spot. He was standing on the back of Khruse, balancing, showing off to Perikles.
‘I wouldn’t ride in the air like this, but my great-grandfather could,’ he said. ‘He was a rider in the Winged Horse Race himself.’
‘Really?’ said Perikles. ‘Did he win?’
‘He would have, except that he had a horse like hers.’ Khrys pointed to Zeph and laughed. Pippa could hear. She’d had enough of his bullying and was about to say so when a voice came from behind. ‘Ignore him.’
She turned to see who had spoken: Sophia. More trouble.
But it was just the opposite. ‘I want to thank you,’ said Sophia. ‘You were right. I attached Ajax’s medallion to one side of his bridle and the laurel leaf to the other. This afternoon he flew better than ever. He’s eating better too.’ Sophia paused, then added, ‘I suppose not everything can be answered by scrolls.’
Pippa was speechless. After a moment, she managed a nod. ‘Horses are very prideful, almost as much as people.’
‘But not as much as boys,’ said Sophia, rolling her eyes at Khrys, who was still balancing on Khruse’s back.
‘I think you might be right,’ said Pippa. She thought of Bas.
‘I know boys well. I should, I was raised like one.’ Sophia took a deep breath. ‘I don’t have a mother either. She died when I was very young. My father raised me like a son. I had a tutor, and riding lessons, and we even ate together. If I win,’ she added, ‘I shall be a scholar and study under Athena herself.’
‘You won’t stay with Ajax?’ asked Pippa.
Sophia laughed and shook her head. ‘But I suppose you would stay with Zeph?’
‘Of course,’ said Pippa. It was important, now more than ever, with Ares’ threat looming.
Sophia invited Pippa to sit with her at dinner. Pippa was grateful to have Sophia’s company. It kept the terrible thoughts out of her head. Especially because Sophia seemed to like to talk even more than read, and she knew so many amazing stories about the winged horses. They stayed longer at supper than usual, until even Bellerophon had retired for the night. It was very late when they parted, and Pippa headed back across the meadows to the stables.
The whispers came from the dark, near the lightning-shaped statue, which was now illuminated by the stars and looked like it was glowing with a light of its own.
‘This is where my name belongs, and you shall ensure its place there.’
Although the voice was more sinister than usual, it was still recognizable: Ares. Beside him, Pippa could just make out Bas, his broad shoulders hunched over. She couldn’t return to the stables without them seeing her so she crouched behind a bush, hoping they would soon leave.
But they lingered, and Ares went on. ‘Now tell me, how could you have fallen off? You are the most respected young rider in Thessaly and the mightiest too, or so your father boasted. He must be a liar, only good at bragging and braying. Braying, yes! That is what he deserves to be – a donkey!’
‘Oh no! Please,’ cried Bas. ‘He isn’t a liar. He’s proud of me and my sisters, that’s all.’
‘Then explain to me again how you fell. You slipped off where? And how did Kerauno end up back in his stall?’
‘I-I didn’t fall.’
‘Ha! It seems you are the liar. What in Zeus’s name were you doing on the southern slopes of the mountain?’
There was a long silence. Pippa held her breath, as curious as Ares.
But Bas said nothing.
‘You cannot be telling me that you wish to leave?’ hissed Ares, and Pippa could imagine his scarred face, spit flying from his lips.
‘I …’
‘When you win, you will be a demigod! There is no higher honour for a mortal. You can still visit your family, if you really insist.’
‘But not live with them … not grow up with them. They will all eventually die – but I would live forever,’ said Bas. Pippa could hear the desperation in his voice.
‘Exactly! Who doesn’t want to live forever?!’ cried Ares.
There was a long silence. Did Pippa want to live for ever? With the horses, with Zeph, yes, she thought.
Ares went on. ‘You are only a farm boy, and I have brought you here, given you every chance to win. Do you know how much it cost me to secure Kerauno as your horse? No horse, or rider, compares to you. None. I have a bet on this race. Might or love. I will not lose. I will not have Aphrodite bragging for the next hundred years that love was the winner.’
‘But—’
‘But nothing. If you dare try something like that again, I will turn your father into a donkey, and your mother and sisters as well.’
There was a great crack, like the sound of stone on stone, and then … silence. Was the god gone? He must be, for all Pippa could hear now was Bas, sniffling.
No wonder he’d been mad at her when she tried to rescue him. He didn’t want rescuing. He wanted to leave. He was homesick. How could he want to leave the horses? The mountain? But perhaps if Kerauno was her steed, she would like it less here too. And if she had a family of her own …
I’ll tiptoe away, she thought. I’ll leave him be. But she had taken only a few steps when the ground crunched under her sandals.
‘Who’s there?’ asked Bas sharply.
Pippa held her breath, hoping he would leave.
But he didn’t.
‘Who’s there?’ he called insistently. He sounded almost frightened.
Pippa slowly stepped into the moonlight.
Bas was sitting on a rock below the great statue, but he stood up. His eyes and cheeks were puffy and wet with tears.
‘I was just …’ stammered Pippa.
‘So you heard,’ said Bas simply.
‘I …’ Pippa struggled with what to say.
‘Think what you wish. My father isn’t a braggart. He is the smartest, kindest person I know. And so are my mother and my sisters. I miss them, yes. I don’t want to win. I want to go home.’
‘Oh,’ said Pippa softly.
‘That’s why I didn’t want your help on the mountain. I was trying to run away. I miss Thessaly. I miss my horses, my sisters, my mother’s tagenias, with honey and cheese.’ He rubbed his nose. ‘You must think I am a fool, too, now.’
‘No, I …’ What did she think of Bas? ‘I only wish I had a family to miss, like you,’ she said.
It must have been the right thing to say because Bas looked up at her … and smiled.