Strange... my body feels so hot.
A strange fire rose within Atalanta, spreading from her lower abdomen through her limbs until even her blood seemed to boil like molten lava. Every inch of her skin flushed with a rosy glow, becoming overly sensitive. Even a light breeze made her shiver with a tingling itch.
"Mmm..."
The huntress gritted her itching teeth, her breath growing heavier and hotter. She wanted to cling to something cool to lower her temperature. She wanted to bite into something firm and elastic. Odd thoughts kept surfacing one after another.
Through the haze, a sweet scent and a faint chill drifted toward her. Atalanta rubbed her throbbing head and looked up. Her vision blurred, and a worried face came into focus.
Instinctively, she stepped closer and cupped the face in her hands, her dazed eyes tracing every feature—forehead, brows, eyes, nose, lips. Her slender fingers slid along the skin, following each contour and detail.
How had she never noticed before how good-looking this boy was... so... appetizing? Like a ripe apple radiating sweet fragrance.
Hmm... He said I was the one taking care of him, but it feels like he's the one always worrying about me. So... if I took a little bite, he wouldn't get mad, right?
Atalanta's throat tightened. A low feline purr vibrated from her chest as her green eyes narrowed. Her half-open lips drew closer, aiming for the most tempting part of his face. But before she could take the forbidden bite, it was as if the orchard's keeper had caught her.
Two hands came down on her head, fingers rubbing and teasing her sensitive ears. The movements grew lighter, more playful, increasingly daring. Her eyes narrowed dangerously, the glint of a wildcat flashing in her gaze.
"Had enough touching yet?"
"Uh... I was just thinking of trying the tail next."
Samael replied absently while still petting her.
Crack!
A tree branch as thick as a bowl snapped clean in her clenched hand.
"Still want to try?"
The Ancient Serpent felt the air around him turn icy and quickly pulled his hands back.
Atalanta's face stayed taut. She coolly withdrew her other hand from Samael's half-open shirt, her body brushing against his before she straightened up.
"Go back to your post. It's not your turn yet."
With a sharp breath and a cold snort, the huntress turned toward the tents. For some reason, her normally smooth, catlike movements through the forest now looked slightly off.
Samael flexed his fingers, feeling the fading warmth on his skin. He took a few steps after her, still unwilling to give up as he called out.
"Big Sis, if you're not satisfied with two for one, how about three for one? You can touch any three places you want—I promise I won't move. Afterward, just let me touch your tail. No one else will ever know!"
"Crack!"
The branch ahead snapped. Atalanta stumbled, her feet missing the support, and she fell headfirst toward the ground.
"Nothing happened tonight. You know nothing, got it…?"
The huntress scrambled up awkwardly, stormed over to Samael, and slammed a hand down on his shoulder. Veins bulged on her forehead as she forced a twisted smile. The words that ground out between her clenched teeth carried a biting chill.
Samael shrank his neck and nodded frantically like a chick pecking at grain.
Once she made sure the secret was sealed, Atalanta turned sharply and walked away. A few steps later, all pretense vanished—she broke into a full sprint, fleeing the scene with everything she had.
Left behind, Samael opened his palm, revealing a vivid gemstone necklace. He rubbed his swollen cheek, looked down at his torn collar, and muttered under his breath.
"Feels like I got the short end of the deal."
Moments later, Atalanta slipped into her tent like a shadow, immediately activating a magical barrier to seal the entrance.
Once she confirmed she was alone, the tension drained from her body all at once. Her muscles went slack, and she collapsed onto the bedding like a fallen log.
"Ahhhh! What the hell was I doing?!"
Atalanta straddled a pillow, legs clamped tight, rolling back and forth on the bed to vent her frustration and irritation.
After a long while, her breathing steadied. She stepped outside for air, and her gaze landed on the buds blooming quietly in the night. She froze.
For a moment, her thoughts drifted to scenes she'd once witnessed in the mountains—lions and tigers tangled together—and her face flushed crimson.
The Calydonian Boar hunt usually started in early spring...
No wonder I lost control. No wonder he smelled so… tempting…
No!
Atalanta bit her lip hard and shook her head violently.
I swore to serve the goddess Artemis in purity. I must never harbor such filthy thoughts!
It must be the lingering wildness from the sacred beast's blessing.
She nodded firmly, but the faint tingling still clinging to her ears—and the vivid, seductive images that grew sharper the more she tried to suppress them—left her restless and uneasy.
Meanwhile, by the fire, Samael finished humoring the Spartan princess and finally completed his shift.
After that little incident, the Ancient Serpent slept soundly through the night.
...
The next morning, Atalanta emerged unsteady into the open ground before the tents—her hair messy, eyes bloodshot, face pale. She had clearly not slept a wink.
Samael started to greet her, but one sharp glare from Atalanta froze him in place. He backed off with a sigh.
The group gathered to pack their belongings, dismantle the camp, and prepare for the next leg of their journey.
A few Calydon knights arrived late, dropped several crates without a word, and immediately turned to leave.
Samael opened one of the supply boxes and frowned darkly. There were barely twenty or thirty arrows, their tips either badly worn or coated in bluish-black rust.
The armor and shields were all of the lowest soldier-grade quality, and even the spears had mold on their wooden shafts. It was all scrap—junk the Kingdom of Calydon must have dragged out from some forgotten corner.
Could Calydon's armory really have fallen this far? The equipment of those two knights looked far better than this.
A gloomy weight settled over Samael's expression as his good mood evaporated.
"Their breastplates bore insignia from another demigod family of Calydon…"
Jason lowered his gaze and leaned toward Samael, speaking in a bitter whisper. The implication was obvious.
Besides the royal family, the only other demigod line belonged to the Queen's side.
The Ancient Serpent's eyes flickered, his face hardening.
Tch. Life must be too easy for them if they're this eager to die.
Just then, the twin siblings each tossed a quiver of arrows to Atalanta. Though their expressions stayed proud, their voices were sincere.
"Take them. They'll be far more useful in your hands."
...