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Kat lifted her hand to grasp the heart-shaped pendant that still hung from around her neck, but a e of her vision Gold and scarlet flashed, drawing her eyes The Greek ar into the olive grove Only one warrior reod, no" Horrified, Kat shook her head back and forth, back and forth He was driving a chariot, lashing the horses into a frenzy as he drove past the city gates again and again, dragging the bloody, brutalized body of Hector behind hi to do whatever it took to end this Resolutely she went back into her chamber, opened the locket and called to Venus

"Venus, cooddess’s divine cloud was markedly subdued as she materialized

"I know," Venus said "Hector is dead I heard Androrief They were very estured to the balcony The goddess walked close enough to gaze out Kat saw the jolt of shock that went through her body as she realized what she itnessing

"Achilles is desecrating Hector’s body"

"It’s not Achilles"

"It’s unthinkable"

"It’s not Achilles!" Kat drew a deep, steadying breath "I need you to get Hera and Athena here Oh, and Thetis, too I kno to end this, but you’ll all have to play a part"

"I don’t know if it’s possible for Hera to coaze briefly went back to the balcony before she continued "And she needs to keep hi on out there you would never have a chance at saving your Achilles"

"But it’s Zeus’s fault that the berserker is here at all! He cursed Achilles with hiently, "it was Achilles’ choice--Achilles’ responsibility That’s why this is so terrible for hi it Love is changing it"

"Me?"

"Us And by changing Achilles’ fate I’ured out a way," Venus said

"I’?"

"Just trust me"

"I that Thetis, being a sea goddess, can conjure up so"

"Good In the hour before dawn have Thetis h to hide the Myrmidons Tell Athena to have Odysseus lead Achilles’ ht up to them I’ll have them open"

"You?"

"Trojan horse, remember?"

Venus nodded slowly "You truly are"

"I aht, then shook herselfwouldn’t help her or Achilles "Be sure Athena tells Odysseus to have the Greek arht--the entire Greek army This is their only chance"

"Done And what do we do about Achilles?"

"Nothing He’s my diversion" Kat retreated into her clinical persona--caluilt and fear "If anyone looks fro should do the rest This is going to get the Greeks inside the walls of Troy--they should be able to end the war then, right?"

"One would think so," Venus said "And ill you be doing?"

"I’ Achilles back"

Venus hesitated before speaking "I should probably warn you against trying to reach him It didn’t work today It probably won’t work tomorrow"

"But…" Kat prompted

"But I believe in the power of love," she said si that I have a newfound appreciation for the power of love myself," Kat said

Venus sht choice in you"

"Let’s hope so Okay, I need onepotion that works quickly A really strong one"

Without any hesitation Venus held out her hand, wiggling her fingers Almost immediately a tiny crystal bottle filled with a clear liquid appeared in a glittering of dust

"Careful with this It’s a little soods use when they need oblivion It’s made by nymphs from the Island of the Lotus Eaters If it so much as touches mortal skin you will feel its effects"

Kat took it gingerly, setting it down on the polished surface of a vanity desk "Thanks, that’s perfect"

The wind suddenly increased, causing the gauzy curtains that fraing with it the berserker’s insane roars Venus stepped closer to Kat and cupped her face with a smooth pal" Venus kissed Kat’s forehead softly, and Kat felt a delicious surge of waroddess raised her hand, Kat suddenly remembered to ask, "Venus, is Patroklos still alive?"

The goddess sery with Jacqueline nurseet this h it hurt her heart to think about Jacky being a world away from her

Venus nodded sole happens and I don’t make it out of this, will you promise to take care of Jacky?"

"I will," Venus said Then she lifted a sli mortal?"

Kat chewed the side of her cheek and then decided, what the hell, she ood--would you letto be lonely without me"

"You have my oath on it, Katrina Should you die tomorroill personally escort your soul to the beauty of the Elysian Fields," Venus assured her

"Okay, well, that makes me feel better"

"You won’t die to"

"Do you know that for sure?" Kat asked hopefully "Like did a goddess oracle thing show you my future?"

"Let’s just call it Love’s intuition I see a happily ever after coain, flicked her wrist and disappeared in a puff of glittery sin of the saying: Love is blind"

Odysseus felt utterly hopeless He’d failed the princess who called herself Katrina, the Myrh the arleto Hector’s body The desecration of any dead angered the gods--the desecration of an honorable warrior, a prince of royal blood, would doubtless cause retribution to rain upon them from Mount Olyered the gods before and never felt as he did that night He knehy It was Athena’s betrayal that had sliced him to the bone It didn’t nized her words for what they were--a kind attempt to reassure him He knew better Of course Athena had known about Patroklos’s masquerade She was Goddess of War How could she not have known?

Odysseus sat heavily on the simple chair in his sparsely furnished tent He stared into the goblet of wine he’d poured hi he could divine answers from the blood-colored liquid

The air in the tent changed, got warht before she materialized It didn’t azed at her His reaction was still the sali for her heated and sweetened his blood, just as it had the air around him

"My Odysseus," Athena said

She came to him and offered her hand Odysseus took it in both of his Dropping to one knee before his goddess, he closed his eyes, pressed his lips to her skin and inhaled her scent

"My Goddess," he said Then he opened his eyes, let loose her hand and stood "I’m honored by your visit" His voice sounded as eotten that his goddess knew hiray eyes narrowed as she studied hied your clothes from today’s battle You look terrible What has happened?"

Odysseus refilled his goblet, using his actions as an excuse not to aze "I think you knohat happened today, Great Goddess Achilles believes Patroklos to be dead He has given himself over completely to the berserker The princess, who told me today her real name is Katrina, tried to reach Achilles and she was rescued"--he pronounced the word sarcastically--"by Hector and his Trojans, and then Achilles cut down Hector He is currently desecrating the prince’s body"