The Oracle of Delphi (Greek Myth Fantasy Series) by Elizabeth Rose Page A

contempt in her own voice. “Is that what you call it? Well, Mr. Demi-god, I’ll not be a plaything for you to romp with whenever you feel the urge. You touch me again and … and I’ll—”
    “You’ll what?” he asked, his grin turning sober. “If you despised the act of consummation so much, then why the moans of passion?”
    “Those were not moans of passion.”
    “Really?” He leaned his arms on the bedpost, devouring her with his eyes. She could not help but feel their attraction coming to life once again. Who was she trying to fool? She craved a repetition of last night, but she wasn’t planning on giving it to him.
    “You could have told me there never was a symbol on my … my . . . ”
    “Ass.” His eyes roamed to her bottom end as she made her way off the bed. “Still can’t say the word after what we’ve been through?”
    “I don’t care to talk about this anymore. Let’s go prove the consummation to Yrjo so he will tell you where to find the Gorgons and we can leave this place.”
    “I already told him there was no symbol. Yrjo had a good laugh from the whole situation.”
    “I’ll kill him.”
    “No, you won’t. He said the women never branded you at all. It was actually a freezing cold iron they stamped you with, though your mind perceived it as hot.”
    “I wouldn’t be surprised,” she sniffed. “I want to leave this place at once.”
    She ripped open the door to find Yrjo standing on the threshold.
    “What do you want?” she snapped. “Trying to listen for noise of our consummation right through the door?”
    “I do not need to, Princess Andromeda. Your cries of passion were so loud we heard them throughout the village. Not to mention I, myself, watched you two couple last night from the hole in the roof.”
    “What!” She could not believe anyone would do such a thing. “How dare you spy on us! The marriage act is private. You had no right to watch.” She felt the stain of embarrassment on her cheeks.
    “On the contrary,” said the goat-man. “You know as well as I it is customary for someone to watch to verify the couple is truly man and wife. Plus, I am a satyr. We enjoy coupling and watching it more than anything else.”
    “Just tell us where to find the Gorgons. I am in a hurry to leave this place.”
    “Please do not think unkindly about the village of Dodona, my princess. Someday you will thank me for all this.”
    “If I don’t kill you first. Now tell us the answer.”
    “Andromeda,” said Perseus, laying a hand on her shoulder. “Please control that temper of yours.” She felt the heat of his hand through her cloak and could not help but remember how his hands felt on her bare flesh. She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart and slowly released it.
    “That is better,” said Perseus. Then speaking to Yrjo, he said, “We are now ready.”
    Yrjo pointed to a small circle of tall oak trees off in the distance. They formed a ring where the sun shone brightly. “Go stand in the center of the sacred oaks,” he told them. “Ask your question aloud and the talking oaks will give you your answer.”
    “Talking oaks?” asked Perseus as if he didn’t believe it. Andromeda had never heard the trees talk, though she had heard the tales of this happening.
    “Come on, let’s get this over with,” she said, heading for the circle of trees with Perseus right behind her.
     
    Perseus followed Andromeda into the circle, looking around but keeping his hand on the hilt of his blade. These woods were magical and mystical, he had no doubt. But to think a tree could talk seemed ridiculous. He would have thought the goat-man had tried to deceive him if Andromeda had not accepted the idea so freely. She had been to Dodona before and must know what Yrjo said was the truth.
    “All right,” said Andromeda when they stood alone in the center of the circle of trees. “Ask your question.”
    He looked around expecting to see some glowing stone, or a priestess