Kyros' Secret (Greek Myth Series Book 1) (13 page)

Nineteen

Kyros approached the castle cautiously in his man-form, with the golden bow and arrows thrown over his back, taking the place of his stolen sword. He’d hidden away all day the day before, waiting, watching, hoping to find a way to enter the castle unnoticed. And then nightfall had set in and his transformation took place. He waited through the night without sleeping, keeping watch, but yet knowing he’d have a harder time sneaking in as a centaur and would have to wait until sunrise.

He sat atop Hester now as he rode slowly up to the drawbridge. He cursed his rotten luck that he’d been in centaur form when darkness cloaked the earth. If he had been in human form, he could have found a way to sneak in. But since he was only in human form in broad daylight, there was no way he was going to enter the castle now without being seen. The only way was to face Pittheus head on and ride right in. It was the only time he’d be able to confront his brother man to man.

A few of the guards looked his way as he entered through the gates of his late father’s castle, but none stopped him. It was easy. All too easy, and Kyros was sure he was being set up. But there was no other way to retrieve his father’s sword than to just confront his brother face to face.

“Kyros, we knew you’d come.” His brother Pittheus stood just inside the drawbridge waiting for him. His father’s sword was in Pittheus’ hand, and Rodas was by his side.

“Thanks for the invitation,” mocked Kyros as he rode on Hester a bit closer. “I didn’t realize I’d be such a guest of honor.”

“Father’s sword is mine now,” smiled Pittheus. “It’s right where it belongs. And in three days time the feast day of Dionysus will be here. I’ll sit on the throne with my sword raised to Artemis and the fate of Trozen will be sealed. I’ll rule as king of Trozen and the people will accept me as their king.”

Kyros looked at Rodas who seemed uneasy. Several more centaurs stood inside the castle walls and Kyros couldn’t help but notice how many of Pittheus’ men surrounded them.

“Accepting gifts from centaurs now, brother? I’m glad to see you’ve changed your attitude about them.”

“Who said anything about me changing my attitude?” Pittheus waved a hand toward his guards, giving them the signal. Rodas, seeing what was happening, gave his men the order to attack also.

An all-out battle started between the centaurs and the Trozen warriors. Kyros felt his gut wrench, knowing this was just the beginning of the wars to come if Pittheus should indeed become king. He couldn’t just sit there and watch it, but then again he couldn’t really take any side either. Instead, he went after Pittheus, hoping to get his sword and escape before it was too late.

Pittheus saw Kyros coming and ordered his men to attack. They were no match for Phylo’s bow which Kyros found himself having to use for defense. He shot one arrow and took down two of Pittheus’ warriors. He then aimed for his brother, but couldn’t shoot to kill. Instead, he shot him in the leg, jumped off the horse and grabbed his father’s sword.

“You’ll never be king, Pittheus, as long as I’m alive.” He hoisted himself back up onto Hester and heard his brother’s reply.

“Well, we’ll have to take care of that then, won’t we?”

Pittheus gave the command to his men to hoist up the drawbridge. Kyros sank his heels into Hester and charged for the opening. He could have made it. Would have just gotten through before it closed if it wasn’t for what he saw just inside the gate. One of Pittheus’ men held Thera in front of him, a dagger pressed to her throat. Damn, he hadn’t seen this coming. They must have sneaked her into a back entrance during the night.

He pulled on the reins and brought his horse to a stop. He saw the drawbridge closing and knew with it went his only chance for escape. But he couldn’t leave Thera. Not even to protect his father’s sword and the fate of the Centaur race. It was over now and there was nothing he could do. He looked back to the battle and realized Pittheus’ men had captured the centaurs and were putting them in chains. Defeat was all around him.

“Drop the sword,” commanded his brother as he limped over toward Kyros with the golden arrow still sticking out from his leg. “Or I kill the girl. I hear you’ve taken a liking to her.”

Kyros looked toward Rodas and wondered just how much the centaur had told his brother.

“You’re not going to get away with this, Pittheus.”

“And who’s going to stop me?” he chuckled. “Seems to me I’m the one holding all the cards now. If you were smart you’d start begging me to spare your life.”

Kyros found himself surrounded by warriors with swords aimed at his heart. He reluctantly dropped his father’s sword and Pittheus wasted no time in picking it up.

“The bow and arrows too,” he commanded.

“It’s the bow of Artemis,” Kyros told him. “It’ll do you no good. It was made only for the king of the centaurs.”

“Drop it, or lose your life,” came his command and Kyros had no choice but to obey. He may have been able to use it to take down a few more warriors, but Thera’s life was at stake and he couldn’t risk it. He wasn’t going to lose her or his baby over a bow.

“My life’s no longer important, brother. With the curse that’s been placed on me, I think I would rather die than to see you create a war between the centaurs and the Trozens.”

“If that’s what you want,” answered Pittheus, “so be it.”

He waved his hand and commanded his guard to kill Kyros.

“No!” screamed Thera, fighting to get out of the grip of the guard. “Leave him alone.”

Kyros reared his horse and set the guard off balance. He rode over to Thera, kicking the guard in the face who held her. He grabbed her and pulled her up in front of him atop Hester.

It was then he felt the burning fire piercing him through his shoulder. He looked down and saw the tip of a golden arrow sticking out from his flesh, his blood pouring out of the wound.

His head went dizzy and Hester reared up nervously. He lost hold of the reins and fell to the ground. Thera was crying. She jumped off the horse and kneeled at his side.

“You’re forgetting something,” snarled Pittheus as he stood above Kyros. “I’m a king also. I, too, can use this bow.”

“And you’re forgetting something also,” said Kyros. “That the bow is said to be cursed. Whoever uses it is sure to die.”

“Then I guess we’ll both die, won’t we, brother?” The courtyard was silent - the  centaurs now captured. Pittheus nodded to one of his men. “Finish him off.”

The soldier raised his sword but Thera laid her body across Kyros, trying to save him.

“Please,” she begged Pittheus. “Please let him live and I’ll do anything you ask.”

“I don’t like my future bride to be seen begging.”

Pittheus grabbed her arm and pulled her up to stand next to him. He then grabbed the back of her head and smashed his lips into hers.

Kyros wanted to kill his brother. He didn’t want Pittheus anywhere near Thera, and he wouldn’t let him get away with the way he was treating her. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, but the guards pushed him back down on the ground.

“I’ve waited a long time for this, my dear. Your father promised you to me and now I hear you’ve given away your powers.”

“You don’t want her,” Kyros tried to convince him. “She isn’t a goddess anymore so she’s not going to meet your needs.”

“And how would you know what needs I have, Kyros? You, who are nothing more than a centaur lover - a turncoat. Trying to bring down this kingdom to the lowliness of those wretched creatures. You deserve the curse Ares put upon you. Mayhap I’ll let you live just so you can suffer with your horrible curse. That’s much worse than dying, Kyros. Don’t you agree?”

Kyros saw the fear in Thera’s eyes as his brother held onto her arm so tight it turned a shade of blue. He knew he had to help her and his unborn baby. He no longer cared about his own life, but he had to live just so he could help Thera escape.

“You’re too much of a coward to kill me yourself,” Kyros taunted him. He knew by baiting him this way, his brother would get his attention off Thera. Not to mention, if Pittheus thought Kyros wanted to die, he’d do just the opposite in order to spite him.

Instead of responding, Pittheus turned to Thera and raked her over with his eyes. “Let’s see what my little bride looks like, shall we?”

The men-at-arms whistled, as they knew what Pittheus was about to do. He took a hold of Thera’s clothing and tugged, ripping it from her body. She stood in front of the whole army of men naked and did nothing to try to cover herself.

“No!” Kyros fought against six men as he tried to get to Thera. The arrow in his shoulder was pushed in further and blood squirted from the horrible wound.

“What?” screamed Pittheus when he eyed her rounded stomach. “You’re already with child.” He grabbed her in front of him and turned her so the entire courtyard could see.

“Ares tricked me!” he screamed. “You were supposed to bear my heir. Who is the man responsible for this? Let me know so I can kill him for what he’s done.”

Kyros was about to admit it was his child when Rodas, struggling against five men called out. “It’s my child, Pittheus. I was the one who got your bride pregnant, so kill me now and be done with it.”

Kyros couldn’t believe what Rodas was doing. He was covering for him and by doing this he was sacrificing his own life as well.

“A centaur?” Pittheus was in a rage. “No filthy centaur will soil my bride and live to speak of it.” He threw Thera to the side and raising his father’s sword, he limped over to Rodas. “I’ll kill you myself for what you’ve done.”

“It’s my child,” came the voice of another centaur, and Pittheus turned around in confusion.

“No, it’s mine,” said still another centaur and Pittheus grew even madder.

“Then I’ll kill you all,” he screamed. “I’ll kill every last one of you for trying to protect the louse who got my bride pregnant.”

“No,” said Kyros and pushed to his feet. The guards were still holding on to his arms. “It’s my child, brother. I’m the one they’re trying to protect. Let the centaurs go. They had nothing to do with any of this. It’s me that is to blame.”

“Your child?” asked Pittheus. “You … half-man, half-beast convinced a goddess to couple with you? Don’t ask me to believe this absurdity.”

“It’s true.” Thera stood up, having donned her ripped tunic wrap. “Kyros is the father of my child, but it’s not his fault. It’s Ares you should be angry with. It’s by his doing that this all came about.”

Pittheus rubbed his leg. The arrow that pierced it was obviously causing him much pain. The ball was in his court now. Kyros’ life as well as the others’ lie in his hands. Kyros wished Thera hadn’t given up her powers right now. If she’d still had them, none of this would be happening.

Pittheus called to his steward and leaned on him as he talked.

“At the moment, I’m in need of some sewing up. So I think we’ll talk about this more over dinner. You will join me and my bride for dinner, won’t you Kyros? After all, I do think you’ll enjoy the entertainment I’ve got planned.”

Kyros didn’t understand that statement at all. His brother was inviting him to dinner as if nothing had happened? Not but a moment ago he was giving the order for his men to kill him.

Pittheus grabbed Thera and dragged her along with him. His low, evil laughter echoed in Kyros’ ears as he made his way to the castle.

* * *

Thera was handed over to the ladies-in-waiting and bathed, perfumed and dressed in the fanciest of clothes. They washed her hair and braided it into a circle around the top of her head. Flowers adorned her hair and she actually felt pretty for the first time in her life. Or actually the second time. Kyros had always made her feel pretty, just by the way he caressed her or made love to her with his eyes.

“Why am I being dressed up?” she asked one of the ladies-in-waiting. The woman didn’t answer. “Why is Pittheus going through all this trouble just over dinner?”

She decided not to even try to get an answer from these women. Their lips were sealed and she was sure Pittheus must have told them not to say a word. Thera was led through corridor after corridor until they finally made their way to the great hall. Most of the people were already seated at the long tables inside, but Pittheus waited for her at the door. He held out his arm and smiled at her. The gesture made her cringe. She could feel his false pretense. She could feel the lust he held for her, and also his hate for Kyros.

“You look lovely, my darling. Now hold my arm and join me as we make our way to the table. We have a guest of honor tonight. Someone I think you’ll be especially interested in seeing.”

Thera had no idea who he was talking about. Not until they rounded the corner and entered the great hall. There, sitting at the dais with his feet on the table and lounging back on the chair was Ares. He held a huge tankard up in his hand as they entered.

“A toast,” he spoke and everyone in the hall was silent. “To my daughter, Thera, and the new king of Trozen, Pittheus.”

The crowd was silent, and it wasn’t until Ares stood and looked around the room that they cheered half-heartedly.

“Father!” She let go of Pittheus’ arm and ran to him. She stopped in front of the table and met his eyes. “What are you doing here and what is going on?”