Page 62 of The Rose (The Godwicks 2)

“You choose my tent, then?” he asked.

“Yes, sir,” she said.

“You did seem to enjoy coupling with me.” He lay back on the bedroll and drank deep from the wine cup. “Whether you wanted to or not.”

She thought of lying, thought better of it. He twirled her hair in his fingers, tugged it lightly to make her speak.

“That is true,” she confessed.

“Am I simply too handsome for you to resist?”

“I pretended you were Patroclus.”

A jest to mock Achilles for his arrogance. He laughed like a man so certain of his prowess there was nothing to do but laugh at such a statement. Laugh and call for Patroclus.

“Patroclus!”

No. Surely, he wouldn’t...

Lia looked around in terror, saw the scarlet cloak of Achilles and hastily wrapped it around her naked body.

Patroclus entered the tent and did his noble best to not look at her, though she did see his eyes dart her way once before looking away again. Achilles made no move to cover himself nor did Patroclus seem shocked by his friend’s nakedness.

“You have need of me?”

“I need your good company,” Achilles said.

“You have company already.”

“Which I have enjoyed to the hilt.”

“I know,” Patroclus said. “Half the camp knows.”

Achilles looked at her. “You were too loud, my lady,” he said.

“I meant you, young fool,” Patroclus said to Achilles.

He raised his wine cup in salute. “You know this man is the other half of me when I let him speak to me that way,” he said to her as he pointed at Patroclus.

“The better half.” Patroclus’s eyes glinted with amusement.

“No greater truth has ever been uttered,” Achilles said. “Not by the prophets or the priests. And Briseis agrees. Don’t you?”

Lia said nothing. He rolled to his feet and poured new wine for Patroclus.

“Don’t play shy, little queen,” Achilles urged. “Tell Patroclus what you told me.”

“What did she tell you?” Patroclus asked.

“This one,” Achilles said, pointing at her, wine cup still in hand, “said she pretended I was you while I took her.”

Patroclus roared with laughter. “She only said that to take you down a peg, you arrogant child.”

“It didn’t work,” Achilles said. Lia blushed to have her words repeated to Patroclus. “But even I am able to yield when bested. She thinks you’re the better-looking man, apparently. It must be the beard.” Achilles yanked on Patroclus’s chin hair.

“I told you to grow one,” he said, slapping Achilles’s hand away.

“I tried,” Achilles replied.

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