Legacy of Blood Read Online Free PDF

wound. We parted just before dawn. You can’t have managed any more battles between then and now.’
    â€˜Not quite a battle,’ said Lysander. ‘But …’
    He paused. No good could come of involving Kassandra in his private struggles. Now he was closer he saw that her eyes were bloodshot as well. He took her hand. ‘Enough of that. You summoned me.’
    â€˜Is that any way to greet your cousin?’ she asked. She opened her arms, and Lysander embraced her. She squeezed him tightly, and he winced where she pressed against his rib. When she pulled back again, he could see fresh tears gathering in her eyes.
    â€˜The villa seems full of ghosts,’ she said, looking about. ‘Memories of Grandfather.’
    â€˜What will you do now?’ Lysander gently asked. ‘Is that why you summoned me? To talk about the future?’
    â€˜The future depends on you,’ said Kassandra, as servants brought out a linen sack and placed it by Kassandra’s feet. Lysander noticed two more carrying a chest between them under the colonnade, then out through the front gate. He recognised it from her bedchamber.
    â€˜What’s going on? Wasn’t that your dress box?’ Alarm darted through him.
    Helots scurried back in and Kassandra discreetly waited for them to disappear before continuing.
    â€˜I’m leaving,’ she said. ‘For my mother’s family near Thalamae. There’s nothing here for me now.’ She turned as one of the Helots came out carrying a double candlestick.
    â€˜No, Hylas, leave that here.’
    She walked towards the servant, but Lysander gripped her arm. ‘What are you talking about? You can’t leave. What about the villa?’
    Kassandra shielded her eyes against the sun as she gazed at Lysander. It was impossible for him to see what expression lay there.
    â€˜This place, it belongs to you now. You’re Grandfather’s heir, Lysander. A male descendant always takes precedence over a female one. The lineage passes to you as Thorakis’s first and only male child.’
    Lysander released Kassandra’s arm and snatched up the bag, shoving it into Hylas’ grasp.
    â€˜Take this back where it belongs,’ he ordered, then turned back to his cousin. ‘Don’t be foolish. Until this summer, Thorakis never had a son.’
    â€˜It’s the Spartan way,’ said Kassandra.
    â€˜You sound like one of them!’ said Lysander, breaking away and pacing across the courtyard. His heart was in turmoil.
    â€˜I am one of
them
,’ said Kassandra. ‘And so are you. Accept it.’
    Lysander lifted his hand to the sky.
    â€˜What will I do with a house like this – I have to train in the barracks.’
    â€˜It’s not just the house,’ laughed Kassandra. ‘It’s everything! The land, the wealth … even the Helots who live on his estates.’
    â€˜I don’t want any slaves,’ said Lysander, slamming his hand against a column. ‘I could never treat anybody the same way I was treated.’
    Kassandra approached and placed her hand on his shoulder.
    â€˜Don’t you see?’ she said. ‘This is a chance to show the other Spartans that they don’t have to be cruel to their slaves.’
    Half a year ago, Lysander had been a slave in the fields without a possession to his name. Now he was richer than he had ever dreamt. But he’d lost everything that was precious. And now Kassandra was leaving him as well. He’d be alone, just another ant in the Spartan colony, expected to lay down his life for asystem he could never wholly accept. He felt caught up in the whims of the Gods.
    â€˜But this is your home,’ he said desperately. ‘I’ll give it to you.’
    â€˜You can’t do that,’ she said. ‘Sarpedon would not have wished it.’
    â€˜Sarpedon’s dead!’ Lysander whispered, shrugging off her hand. ‘He does