Page 48 of Crown of Serpents (Curse of Olympus #1)

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Andromeda hesitantly raised the dagger, feigning confidence. “All right, let’s do this.” She had never held any blade before — at least not to hurt someone. Only once had Seraphine shown her how to cut an infected wound with a small knife to clean it and stitch it back up.

Kleos chuckled. “I’m not gonna fight you, princess.”

She gripped the dagger tighter. “But you said you’d teach me.”

He stepped closer, lifting his hands disarmingly. “I will, but there is no use in sparring with you before I teach you the basics. Your opponents will likely be stronger, so technique is key.”

Andromeda’s shoulder slacked, slightly embarrassed. Why did Kleos always get under her skin so easily? She'd never had a temper before meeting this man.

“First, the right stance. Bring your left foot forward so you stand slightly sideways. That way, you decrease the target area.”

She shifted, mirroring his posture .

He nodded. “Now pretend to stab.”

Andromeda thrust the bronze dagger forward, imagining gutting an invisible opponent. She cringed slightly as she imagined the sickening sound her blade would make as it pierced the flesh. Hopefully, she would never end up in a situation where she would have to hurt someone like this. Yet, the few weeks outside the sheltered palace wall had shown her how dangerous life could be.

“Almost,” Kleos assessed. “Though there are two things that could improve your attack. May I?”

She nodded, a breath catching as he folded his massive arms around hers. His voice, a low rumble against her ear, drowned out her quickening pulse, “Keep your arms closer when you thrust. Tuck your elbows in.”

Kleos stepped away again, the warmth of his body replaced by a sharp gust of wind tangling in her curls. Before she could bite her tongue, she heard herself say, “What was the second thing you wanted to show me?”

She peered up at him just in time to see his cheeks redden. A shiver went down her spine.

“I — uh … your hips —”

“What about them?”

He averted his gaze, fumbling. “Y-you want to... rotate them as you thrust. Use your whole body to drive the blade home.”

Andromeda stabbed again, awkwardly moving her hips. “Like this?”

“Almost. Can I show you?”

A shy smile tugged at her lips. “Please.”

He carefully placed his hands on her hips, his touch featherlight, fingers trembling. She felt her blood sing. Thankfully, he couldn't see her matching blush as he guided her.

Then his hands left her waist, and he turned to face her, eyes alight. “Okay, now the body parts to aim for.”

The exhilaration vanished. Her chest was tight when she admitted, “I know where to aim.”

Kleos raised an eyebrow.

“Seraphine taught me how to stitch wounds … and when a healer can't save someone because the organs are too damaged. ”

He nodded. “All right, then let’s begin.”

…

Despite the chilly autumn breeze, sweat soon drenched Andromeda. Her muscles ached as she repeated the dagger thrusts, Kleos effortlessly sidestepping each attempt. She let out a frustrated breath.

Around them, the sailors continued sparring, excitement fuelling their every move. Yet, Andromeda was exhausted, her body not used to physical labour or exercise except climbing the temple steps.

She rasped, “Can we take a break?”

Kleos lunged, forcing her to jump back. He did not wield a weapon. After all, she didn’t need to learn battlefield combat. Instead, Kleos taught her how to escape a man’s grasp should he ever corner her, showing her how to inflict enough pain to break free and run.

His face was unusually serious. “Five more repetitions of the last move, then you can have a drink.”

Andromeda frowned, lowering her dagger. It had grown heavy in her exhausted arms. “You are taking this more seriously than I expected.”

Kleos relaxed his stance. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Well … I thought you volunteered to teach me as an excuse to spend time with me.”

Her cheeks warmed at her own statement. Kleos had been relentlessly seeking her company since the orchard visit. They'd walked on the beach, and he'd insisted on sharing meals. It wasn't an outrageous assumption.

A grin spread across Kleos’s face, and he winked. “Maybe it’s both.”

“Why?” Andromeda pressed on. It bothered her that he wanted her to learn to defend herself — though she didn’t understand why. It was a necessary skill to survive. Yet, somehow, the vigour with which he had taught her frightened her more than his wanting to spend time with her. She enjoyed his light-hearted jokes and easy friendship, but Kleos’s urge to protect her from harm — she knew that was something else. She wished she had the courage to voice the real question gnawing in her mind, “Why do you care so much about my safety?”

Kleos shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, I can’t always be around to save you from the giant sea serpents, can I?”

Mischief sparkled in his eyes at that. Andromeda poked his muscled arm with her finger.

“Very funny.”

“It was, and you know it. The only reason you’re not laughing is because of your pride.”

Andromeda rolled her eyes, suppressing a smile.

A few moments later, Kleos asked — a little too casually, “Why do you want to learn to fight?”

“To defend myself.”

“Right.”

His expectant gaze burned on her skin, and Andromeda averted her gaze, sighing. She knew he expected to hear more about her reasoning. Of course, it was always good to know some self-defence, but, like a bloodhound scents game, he sensed that there was more to her sudden desire to learn how to wield a dagger. Kleos was surprisingly sensitive behind the loud-mouthed, eccentric mask he slid on around the other sailors.

“Well … I’m not sure where I’ll go after this mission…”

“You won’t stay with us on Seriphos?” Kleos interjected, his voice thick with a sudden tremor.

“It’s too risky,” she replied. “I know Perseus said he wouldn’t instate himself as king, but even if his stepfather rules, he’ll have duties at Seriphos’s palace after overthrowing Polydectes ... either as Dictys’s heir or guard — and where Perseus goes, you follow so —”

Andromeda broke off, guilt twisting in her gut even though she knew it was the right decision to leave her new-found friends. She would always prioritise her kingdom’s needs over them — even though she was no longer Joppa’s princess. The emptiness in Kleos's eyes mirrored the ache in her chest. She reached for his hand. “You’ll both be in the centre of Seriphos’s government, whether you plan to or not. I can’t risk staying at a foreign court or being associated with its courtiers. There will be emissaries coming and going. What if someone recognises the lost princess of Joppa?”

Kleos nodded understandingly, though the sadness in his eyes remained. “So, where will you go?”

“I don’t know yet.”

He tilted his head. “Where would you want to go?” Kleos’s eyes suddenly regained their sparkle.

Andromeda shrugged. “I’ve never really thought about it ...”

She had never even dared dream of foreign lands, even when she was little. There had been no point, for her life had always been tied to Joppa’s throne, dedicating herself to raising the next generation of princes and princesses in the palace.

Kleos interrupted her thoughts, “Well, I’ve always wanted to travel the world. I would start in Athens, of course, to see the Acropolis. Then, I’d go north to Thebes and Delphi and travel all the way east … to the Black Sea. Maybe I’ll even see some Amazons there. Queen Hippolyta is rumoured to rule there over a realm called Themiscyra.”

A faraway look softened his features, transforming him into a boy filled with dreams.

“That sounds amazing,” Andromeda breathed, the possibility of adventure stirring within her.

“I could accompany you,” he offered, a hopeful lilt in his voice, “if you wanted to visit those places.”

He offered a sheepish grin, and warmth bloomed in her chest. “What about Perseus?”

He would never abandon his oldest friend while Perseus needed him.

Kleos waved his hand. “He’ll be fine — especially with her watching his back. That is if they don’t tear each other apart first.”

He grimaced, glancing toward Perseus and Medusa locked in a sparring dance. Their swords flashed, snarls punctuating their movements. Were they arguing or flirting? Andromeda knew them well enough to suspect both.

Kleos turned back, his grin returning. “You, on the other hand, could use a companion.”

She raised an eyebrow, mirroring Medusa's challenging expression. “Why is that?”

“Because with your current fighting style, you’d only be able to defend yourself against … an eighty-year-old priest, maybe? If he’s drunk ...”

Andromeda folded her arms, feigning offence. “But you said my technique was good.”

“Not bad for a first training session ,” Kleos retorted with a smug smile.

She laughed, and as Kleos joined in, her worries momentarily vanished. The cold wind, her uncertain future, even Joppa — all faded in the warmth of his laughter.

When it subsided, Kleos's face grew earnest. He squeezed her hand, the one she'd forgotten he still held. “It was just an offer, Andromeda. If you prefer to sail alone, I understand. But I've always wanted to travel the world ... and would love to do it with you.”

Andromeda’s lips curved into a hesitant smile as she brushed a stray curl from her cheek. “I’ll think about it,” she replied.