Page 25 of Hot Zone

The room finally settled enough for Xerxes to continue. “We will crush these upstart Greeks and their ridiculous notions, and I shall finally fulfill the vow I made to my father to conquer the Peloponnese. May the might and glory of my empire shine over all the world, that the one god, the great god, Ahura Mazda, shall know my name and honor me in his sacred halls.”

Tessa swore under her breath. She had run out of time. She had to get out of here—and soon—if she was going to avoid getting trapped on this side of the Thermopylae Pass for who knew how long.

Every day she spent in this time was another day she risked a slip-up or discovery as a fraud. The faster she found that medallion piece and got her happy self back home, the better.

A male servant startled her just then, hesitantly touching the hem of her gown. She looked down, silently appalled at how slaves were expected to grovel.

“My lady?” he murmured. “Her Majesty, Queen Artemesia, orders you to attend her.”

Disaster, thy name is Artemesia.Tessa sighed. “Lead on, MacDuff.”

“Mac—who?”

“Never mind. Just take me to her most spectacular and munificent majesty.”

For just an instant, the man’s eyes glinted with humor. And then he scuttled off with her in tow, her feet dragging toward she knew not what. But her gut told her this would not be fun.

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