Kairos

Chapter 7

I stumbled back a step, reaching for a weapon and scanned the cliff tops. Alexander paused, a curious glint in his eyes.

"Aristander, what is it?"

"Tell the men to arm themselves." His expression tightened immediately.

"Why?" My heart warmed fleetingly at his not immediate dismissal, though it was quickly replaced by growing panic. I opened my mouth and almost told him, but the sun seemed to burn hotter on my back and I knew that was Apollo threatening me.

"I saw a Persian up on the hill." I pointed at a random place a few hundred metres down the pass and above on the top of the slope. He seemed to tense even more as he took in the thousands of troops behind and in front. Alexander was right to be worried, we were at an extreme disadvantage if there were Persians on the cliffs. That was what made the Persian Gates such a catastrophe. Alexander's army was like a sitting duck.

"Do you believe they were alone? A scout perhaps? Which would mean their camp is not far behind." He scanned the many men in front and I knew he was looking for his senior officers. They were further up ahead, if I remembered correctly, though some might be behind.

"Go with Hephaestion, find Telamon and tell him and any other officers you find along the way." His lover nodded and took me by the arm, starting down the hill. We made it two steps before the ground shook with a large crash. It echoed through the valley, and it seemed as if the world froze in its aftermath, clouds of dust hanging suspended for a second. Hephaestion tugged me back to where Alexander stood, helping a man who was stuck under a boulder. So that was what the noise was.

I looked up in time to spot a dark figure rolling another sizable rock over the edge. I lunged for Alexander and yanked him out of the way of the second boulder that slammed into the ground where he stood. It was so close this time that the ground around me shook and my teeth rattled at the collision.

"Aristander, are you hurt?" Alexander scanned me to check for any wounds but I had none, I was just shaken from the event. Of which there were likely to be more.

"I'm fine, you?" He nodded, "Just like I said!" He looked to where I pointed and cursed at the sight of grouped figures on the ridge.

"PERSIANS!" Alexander roared and there was a clatter of metal as the Macedonians raised their shields. Not that there was much one could do against five-tonne boulders. Three more came tumbling down with a deafening noise like thunder, crashing as they hit the slope on the way down and sending little stones tumbling.

I was suddenly very aware that I had no shield or armour.

"Fucking Ariobarzanes." Alexander snarled, hoisting his shield up. He referenced Darius' most loyal satrap. And apparently the only one who could outsmart Alexander.

The whistle of arrows sounded before Alexander tugged me to him and under his shield as a volley of arrows rained down on us. Those that couldn't make it to a cover screamed in pain and I watched as their bodies jerked forward, twitching in the snow. The blanket of white was quickly turning scarlet and the acerbic, metallic smell of blood drenched the air.

Hysteria started to build, I was going to die, I was going to die. At least in Troy I was within the walls, here-here I was completely at the mercy of war. I thought about offering a prayer up to the gods, but I couldn't handle Apollo's smug face if I did.

But this was hell on earth, pressing tightly against him under Alexander's too small shield as the Persian's sent hellfire in the form of arrows and rocks. The sound was horrific and I flinched when an arrow lodged itself into his shield, an inch from his arm. I sucked in a shocked breath and frowned at the distinct sour smell.