Morning light spilled through the window, stabbing Heracles in the eyes. He groaned, threw an arm across his face, and sat up. The floor was cool against his feet as he shoved them into his sandals and dragged himself toward the bathroom.
A splash of cold water shocked him awake. By the time he padded down the stairs, the smell of bread and roasting meat was already drifting from the kitchen.
“Morning, Mom. Morning, Lina,” he said, dropping into a chair beside his mother. He kissed her cheek, earning a warm kiss back.
“What’s it going to be today?” Lina called from the fireplace where she was turning a pan of meat. “Bread, eggs, jam—take your pick.”
“Milk first,” Heracles cut in. “Thirsty.”
Lina grabbed a jar near the fire and handed it over. He poured a cup, gulped, then slid the jar toward his mother. “Want some?”
“I’ll take it later,” Alcmene said with a soft smile.
Heracles nodded and looked around. “Where are Amelinda and Aunt July?”
“They left early. July had business in town and dragged Amelinda along,” Lina explained, setting a plate of bread and yogurt in front of Alcmene.
“Thank you, Lina,” his mother said warmly.
“My pleasure,” Lina replied.
Alcmene popped a grape into her mouth while Lina turned to Heracles. “Bread with meat?”
“Yeah, please,” he said.
Lina grabbed a flatbread, stuffed it with grilled meat and greens, rolled it tight, and slid the plate in front of him.
“Thanks,” Heracles muttered before biting in. Juice ran down his fingers.
The kitchen door banged open. Amelinda rushed in, kissed Alcmene’s cheek, then dropped into the chair beside Heracles. “Morning, Queen. Morning, Heracles. Aunt Lina.”
“Morning,” Heracles said through a mouthful.
“Where’s your mother?” Lina asked, still at the stove.
“Still in town—finishing business,” Amelinda said quickly.
“She’ll be back soon?”
Amelinda nodded. “Yeah.”
Lina carried over another plate, setting it before Amelinda. “Eat.”
“Thanks, Aunt Lina.”
The kitchen fell quiet, broken only by the clatter of forks and the crackle of fire. When the meal was done, Amelinda gathered the dishes, Lina shooed her toward the sink, and Alcmene rose to her chamber. Heracles licked his fingers clean, then pushed back his chair.
“I’ll get some air,” Heracles muttered, slipping out the door.
The morning smelled of roses. A wooden table sat under the eave, jars of water sweating in the heat, but Heracles barely noticed. He dropped onto a stool, gulped from a cup, and let his eyes wander over the garden.
The Old Gardener moved among the roses, steady and silent as always, his watering can glinting in the light. Heracles had never heard him speak more than a handful of words.
That’s why it felt odd when the man froze.
Heracles followed his gaze—and saw a figure at the far end of the path. A stranger in a long coat. In summer.
The man kept walking until he stopped at the fence, facing the house without a word.
The Old Gardener set down his can and—shockingly—spoke with the stranger. Their heads bent close, voices too low for Heracles to catch.
He studied the man instead: tall, wiry, blond curls hiding most of his face. A sharp jaw, hooked nose, lips moving as if sharing secrets with no one.
Then came the box. Dark wood, polished smooth. The stranger thrust it through the fence, straight into the Gardener’s hands, and without another word spun away. By the time Heracles blinked, the coat had vanished around the corner.
The Gardener crossed the yard, stopped before him, and offered the box.
“For you, Master Heracles.”
Heracles took it, brow furrowed. “Who gave this to you?”
“A man at the fence. He gave no name, no reason. Only that it belongs with you.”
Heracles pressed. “And you trust him?”
The Gardener hesitated. “He carried no harm in his voice.” Then, as if nothing strange had happened, he turned back to the roses.
Heracles set the box on the table. The wood felt warm, almost humming under his palms.
Heracles and the Nemean Lion
The first epic in the Heracles and the Twelve Labors series — witness Heracles' legendary battle against the invincible lion. A tale of strength, fate, and immortal valor.
Heracles and the Dragon Hydra
The second chapter of the Heracles and the Twelve Labors series. Heracles faces the monstrous Hydra — a dragon-like beast with many heads, each reborn from the last. A mythic journey of courage, strategy, and divine challenge.
Heracles and the Burden of Mercy
The third chapter of the Heracles and the Twelve Labors series. Heracles faces the ultimate test of mercy by choosing to redeem the ethereal Ceryneian Hind instead of slaying it, while Avery atones through grueling labor, Lily sings the hymn that rebirths the Hydra, and the dark ocean Umbrother awakens, heralding a greater shadow to come.
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