Painted Blind Part 25

My appet.i.te waned. The thought of meeting Theron was enough to make me lose my breakfast without a dollop of deceit on top. I turned to Rory gravely. "If I can't complete the task, and Theron really does kill me, you have to tell my dad the truth."

"Me?" His eyes widened. "What about him? Let the demiG.o.d explain your disappearance."

"Psyche, now is not the time for doubt," Aeas said without emotion.

"Well, we ought to have a plan B just in case. I don't want to be some face on a missing poster whose parents never know what happened. You guys know what I'm doing. Someone has to be honest with my dad if I can't make it back."

"We wouldn't leave him wondering if you were never coming home," Aeas said finally. "It won't come to that."

"I'll be in the car." I scooted out of the booth and left cash on the table. "We're wasting time that I'm probably going to need."

I sat alone in the Subaru and dialed my home phone number. Dad was at work and wouldn't get the message until tonight. "Dad," I said, "I know you're going to be mad at me for taking off again, but there's something I have to do. I wish I could tell you more, but you already want to have me committed, so..." I sighed. Finding the words was harder than I thought it would be. "I love you. I hope you know that. I'll come home when I can." I hung up as Rory and Aeas came out of the restaurant.

"Will he check your story?" Rory asked, knowing I had just called home.

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I'll be halfway to who-knows-where before my dad gets that message." It saddened me more than I wanted to say. My dad was a decent guy. He deserved better than this.

The dashboard clock read 9:40 when I pulled into the driveway at Theron's house. Through the window I saw that furniture had been delivered since my last visit. It was trendy and perfectly placed, probably the work of a professional designer. I wondered if he would use the property as a lure for college girls, and the thought made my insides twist. It was a monumental injustice that someone so despicable would live almost an eternity.

I rang the doorbell, and an aging, butler-type person answered the door. I had never seen a household with a butler. It was beyond weird. "I need to see Theron."

He gave a short bow. "Just a moment, please."

When Theron appeared in the doorway, he was wearing faded jeans and a ribbed sweater that hugged the contours of his muscular body.

I offered him the basket without a word of explanation. There was no disputing it as completion of the task.

"Come in." He lifted the basket from my hands.

"I saw enough of your house the last time I was here." I tried to hide the fear in my voice. It was hard to look him in the eyes.

Theron set the basket on the ground, then crossed the living room to the fireplace, where he took something from the mantle. It was a small wooden box with an intricately carved rose on the top. A tiny gold lock held it closed. He offered it to me.

As I inspected the box, Theron pulled a card from his pocket and held it out between two fingers. Printed on the card was another set of coordinates: 28.7573, 82.8588.

"I'm to go to this location?"

"At high noon one week from today, Aphrodite's a.s.sociate will be at that location. If you are there, he will lead you to the woman who has the key to this lock. Inside is your reward. He will not wait for you. If you're late, you fail."

"Anything else?"

"No other companions may accompany you beyond the meeting point." Theron looked over my shoulder and glared viciously at something across the lawn.

"And when I complete the task?"

"If you complete the task, we'll know."

We didn't exchange parting pleasantries.

I climbed into my car ready to zoom home and Google the coordinates, but a text message rang through: Go to the airport, private hanger #3. Apparently I didn't need to know where I was going, and I was leaving immediately.

The airport was only a few miles away. The clouds hung low and threatened more snow, but the roads and runways were clear. I parked outside the gate and jogged to the hanger, where I found an ultra-long range, high-speed business jet waiting.

True to Eros's anonymous nature, the jet had no markings but a stylish black stripe down the side and its model, Global Express, stenciled under the c.o.c.kpit window. The engines were warming and the stairs were down awaiting pa.s.sengers. I had a hard time believing this was all for me until I saw Aeas jogging toward me with a duffle bag in his hands. He met me halfway to the jet. The bag in his hand was mine, and it was only lightly packed.

"I thought you weren't coming with me?"

"I'm not. Here are some clothes." From his jacket pocket he pulled out a wad of cash, which he put into my hand. "In case there's something you need that we missed."

"Where am I going?"

"Nepal."

"Alone?" Europe was one thing, but Nepal? Did people in Nepal even speak English? I had no idea where the coordinates would lead me. "What about my pa.s.sport? I don't have a visa." I unzipped the duffle bag and placed Aphrodite's box inside.

"It's being taken care of."

"It takes months..."

"Money goes a long way in a country like Nepal."

How silly of me. Eros would just bribe someone to give me a visa today, and I would land tomorrow.

Aeas moved me toward the plane. "t.i.tus will fill you in once you're in the air."

"Who's t.i.tus?"

A young man appeared at the doorway of the jet. He was dark haired and uncommonly beautiful. He found me on the beach in Italy and carried me into Aphrodite's palace. He returned me to the mainland after I signed my life away with these tasks.

I stopped dead. "Absolutely not! He's one of Theron's men. I'm not going anywhere with him!" I set my jaw obstinately, knowing full well that t.i.tus could hear me over the hum of the jet engines.

Aeas took my elbow and turned me away from the plane. "When t.i.tus returned to the Fortress, Theron beat him so severely that he abandoned his post and sought refuge in Eros's kingdom." He threw a glance over his shoulder and continued. "He told Eros about the tasks. Eros offered him a place in his household, but t.i.tus refused to swear allegiance to Eros. Psyche, he's sworn his allegiance to you. He's your servant and bodyguard now."

"Why would he do that? I'm a mortal. I don't belong to your world."

Aeas shrugged. "I serve Eros before anyone else. Eros said I would be useless to you on this journey."

"Eros decided he's sick of me, and t.i.tus is going to murder me before we land?"

Dragging me toward the stairs of the jet, Aeas replied, "I a.s.sure you he will not. He knows what punishment awaits him if he murders his mistress." When I balked again, Aeas grew irritated. "You're wasting time. Go."

Finally I trudged up the steps, but t.i.tus had disappeared. He was probably veiled in a corner sharpening a knife. I tossed my duffle bag on the floor by the first leather seat.

The customized interior of the jet was nothing short of spectacular. From nose to tail the Global Express was nearly a hundred feet in length. Just under half of this was the cabin area. At eight feet wide and six feet four inches tall, the cabin might seat eighteen pa.s.sengers, but this jet was part.i.tioned to accommodate very few people. There were six leather chairs at the front of the cabin, then a narrow hallway through a full bath. At the back of the plane was the luxury stateroom, though I could see only part of it through the open doorway.

I sank into one of the leather chairs as the steps folded up and the cabin door closed seemingly on its own. Into the com system t.i.tus murmured, "Package aboard. We're ready for take-off."

"Roger that," was the pilot's response. The "Fasten Seatbelts" sign lit at the front of the cabin, and the engines thundered.

"t.i.tus," I said, testing his obedience, "show yourself."

Immediately he appeared, mid-stride as he moved to a seat across the aisle. "Lady?"

"Cut the c.r.a.p, will ya? It's Psyche." I ignored the smirk he tried to hide with a bowed head. "What's in Nepal?"

"The Himalayas."

I swore without meaning to. "Of course, she's sending me up Mt. Everest. Experienced climbers die trying to summit."

"No, it isn't Everest. The coordinates are farther west. It's in the mountains for sure, but the location is at an alt.i.tude of only 4550 meters, about 15,000 feet."

"That doesn't make sense," I said. She could send me anywhere in the world. Why would she pick a mountain that was only 15,000 feet when one nearby was double that?

"It's only the meeting point. Yes, it will be difficult to get there, but we're led to believe the second leg of the journey will be harder. You'll either climb higher with Aphrodite's messenger or you'll be taken through a portal."

"Whose kingdom is it?"

"Apollo's."

I shook my head. "Theron said the messenger would lead me to a woman, not a man."

t.i.tus's expression grew darker. "There is another possibility, but Eros is hoping he's wrong."

"What is it?" I was pressed back into the seat then by the forward thrust of the jet as we took off.

He refused to answer, even when I commanded him. "I won't worry you unnecessarily," he said. "The most important thing is that I get you to the location on time."

"We have a whole week. It will only take a day to fly to Nepal."

"It's primitive country we have to travel through. There are few roads, and once we reach the last village, we'll be on foot the rest of the way." When the seatbelt sign clicked off, t.i.tus stood. "I'll show you to the stateroom, so you can rest."

Still wary of him, I asked, "Does the door lock?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, but before you lock yourself in, get some food from the refrigerator up front."

My stomach was full of pancakes. "Maybe later." When he tried to usher me down the aisle, I simply waited and made him pa.s.s in front of me. It obviously frustrated him. If I was his mistress and he my servant, then I was supposed to go first, but I wouldn't turn my back on him. He pointed out the shower, sink and toilet as we pa.s.sed, then stepped inside the stateroom so I could pa.s.s from the tiny hallway into the room.

There was a queen bed and compact, latching cupboards on either side. The headboard was mahogany, and the cupboards, while made of vinyl, matched the color and the grain. Just over my shoulder, a flat screen television was mounted to the wall, and t.i.tus informed me that the stateroom had Bose speakers and a built-in video library of over a thousand movies. He showed me another compact refrigerator, which was stocked with water, juice and soda pop. "Can I get you anything?"

"No." I had my bag slung over my shoulder. As soon as he stepped into the hallway, I locked him out then fell onto the bed more tired than I should have been.

Aphrodite was cunning to send me on a long journey. Over two months into her tasks, I was weary, but I couldn't abandon my resolve to see Eros. At his name my thoughts brightened. It was his jet and his bed. What were the chances they hadn't changed the pillow cases since his last flight? I threw the covers back, hugged a pillow to my chest and inhaled deeply. It smelled of laundry soap but not Eros. Disappointed, I lay back and pictured him as I closed my eyes. Thanks to his sketch, I could see him perfectly in my mind.

"Someday soon," I promised him. "I will see you again." I knew he wasn't there to hear me, but it didn't matter. The steady hum of the jet engines lulled me to sleep.

When I woke, it was strangely quiet. I had been jarred from sleep, but I was too groggy to remember exactly why. The window blinds of the stateroom were closed, and with the overhead lights off, it was completely dark except for a strip of emergency lighting which led to the door. Freeing myself from the blankets, I stumbled to the door and was nearly blinded when I opened it. Sunshine blazed through the cabin windows, and the jet was still. We were on the ground. I gathered my composure in the bathroom, where I splashed water on my face and rinsed my mouth. Then I ventured out. t.i.tus was not in sight, and the c.o.c.kpit door was open. One seat was empty. Sitting sideways in the other seat was a man with graying hair, who was reading a paperback novel.

"h.e.l.lo?" I said.

At the sight of me he stood. "Well, h.e.l.lo. This is a change."

"What do you mean?"

He shook his head as if he'd misspoken, but he continued anyway. "I don't often get to greet my pa.s.sengers." The pilot was mortal and couldn't see a veiled Olympian.

"How long have you been flying for Erik?"

"I've never met Mr. Savage, but I've been flying for the company over twenty-five years. This beauty..." He gestured around at the plane. "...rolled off the line almost ten years ago, one of the first of its kind. It's a joy to fly."

"So, you understand their, um, uniqueness."

He gave me a wide smile. "I've aged twenty years since I started flying for them, but Aaron hasn't aged a day. For the longest time I thought I was flying an empty jet all over the world, fully stocked, no flight crew, no pa.s.sengers, but I came to understand I carried important cargo I simply couldn't see."

"Well," I said. "You can see me. I'm like you." Out the front windows of the c.o.c.kpit I saw blue sky, beach and waves crashing onto the sh.o.r.e. "Where are we?"

"A privately-owned island in Hawaii. When traveling west, we usually layover here for fuel. The jet could make it all the way to the edge of Asia without stopping, but fueling here means one less government to deal with."

"Do I have time to look around?"

He escorted me to the cabin door. "We're scheduled to take off in an hour, but I won't leave without you."

I thanked him and made my way down the steps. There was no airport, just a landing strip. Across a small yard stood a cottage about the size of my dad's house. I started toward it. Before I reached the steps, the door opened, and t.i.tus appeared in the doorway. "I wasn't sure if the landing would wake you." He gestured me inside. "Eros sent instructions for me to feed you well. Supplies have to be flown onto this island, but a delivery was made for us today." From one of several grocery bags on a nearby table, he withdrew an orange and tossed it to me. "You're thinner now than the last time I saw you."

"Are there macadamia nuts in there?"

"Yes." He pulled out a large can.

"Toss it here. I'll eat the whole can."

"You will not."

"Yeah, I will. I love these things." I set the orange aside. "Eros knows better than to send only fruit and nuts."

At this t.i.tus grinned. "One entire bag is full of meat-beef jerky, pepperoni sticks, canned chicken, even sardines."

"Really?" I elbowed him out of the way and dug through the sack. "The sardines are for you." I didn't eat anything that smelled that bad. "But this," I said, drawing out one giant bag of pepperoni sticks, "is mine."

Upstairs the cottage had three bedrooms, each with a balcony. The sea-facing windows showed a long stretch of sandy beach and a rocky sh.o.r.e beyond. The inland-facing windows opened on a towering mountain scene. Though jagged and rocky, the mountain was green all the way to the top with leaves and vines swaying in the breeze. I preferred this view to the seaward one, and I wasn't alone in this opinion. This was the largest of the bedrooms, and upon opening the closets, I found casual men's clothing in sizes to fit Eros.

People might think it odd that someone who had enough wealth to buy a private island would not build a grand mansion on it, but that wasn't Eros's style. This cottage, like the upstairs rooms of his Olympian mansion, was a place of solace and peace. The furnishings were expensive I was sure, but not lavish like Aphrodite's palace. Eros did not build mansions to entertain guests. He found places he liked, and he lived in them.

By the time I boarded the plane, the engines were humming again. t.i.tus had already stowed the food in the compartments of the cabin, and all that was missing was me. As soon as I was seated, we taxied to the far end of the runway, turned around and barreled ahead full speed. Through the window, I watched the trees next to the short runway whiz by, and I clutched the edge of my seat wondering if we'd run out of pavement before we made it into the air. A moment later I felt the nose lift, and we sailed effortlessly over the sea. Able to breathe easily again, I turned to t.i.tus, who was fiddling with an electronic gadget.

"What's that?"

"A GPS device. The target coordinates are already programmed in. I need your cell phone."

It was futile to protest. We were at sea, and I didn't have service.