Here’s another excerpt from my collection The Snowman Three Doors Down. In this story, the eagles discover that Prometheus is open for business. (For the rest, please buy a copy of the book.)

LUNCH ON MOUNT KAZBEK

Zeus looked on with satisfaction as Kratos, Bia, and Hephaestus chained Prometheus to the face of Mount Kazbek. Prometheus protested that the punishment was unjust, but Zeus was inexorable. Zeus reminded him that he’d stolen fire from the gods, and given it to vile mortals. Prometheus reminded Zeus that the burnt offerings so prized on Olympus needed fire to be burnt. That only made Zeus angrier, since Prometheus had tricked him out of the best offerings, back in Mecone.

Prometheus adamantly refused to show his pain, even as Hephaestus drove in the iron stake that fixed him to the rock. Then, Zeus and the others flew back to Olympus, leaving Prometheus to his torment.

For the first few days, Prometheus lay alone on the barren peak, scorched by the sun by day and chilled by winds at night. He never slept, because Titans never do, and could see nothing but the blank sky and the bleak expanse of the Caucasus stretching to the horizon. He suffered atrociously.

One day, he spotted two specks high above him. Gradually, they grew larger, and he saw that they were golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). They fluttered down beside him, and perched on an outcropping, furling their wings.

“Good morning,” said one. “I’m Saba, and this is my wife Tamar.”

“Good morning,” said Tamar.

“We hear there’s some mighty good eating around here,” said Saba.

“We’re told the liver can’t be beat,” said Tamar.

Prometheus said nothing, since he didn’t speak Georgian.

“Must be shy,” said Saba.

“I guess we just dig in,” said Tamar.

“Bon appétit!” said Saba. “Or, in our good native tongue, gaamot!”

“Gaamot!” echoed Tamar.