Kyros' Secret (Greek Myth Series Book 1) (20 page)

“I have the bow and arrows,” she told him as she pulled the bow from beneath her cape.

“Good girl,” he answered and grabbed it from her. He grabbed an arrow and used it on the beast. The beast screamed and retreated to lick its wound.

“That’ll slow it down for awhile.” Kyros tried to help Thera get onto his back, but it was awkward and he knew she was in much pain. “We’ve got to try, Thera. We’ve got to get out of here.”

“I can’t,” she cried. Tears flowed from her eyes as she clutched her belly and fell to the floor. “Go on without me. Save yourself, Kyros.”

Kyros noticed Demogorgan coming for them again and grabbed another arrow from the quiver on Thera’s back and shot at the beast. It screamed, madder than ever.

Kyros reached down and pulled Thera to her feet. He picked her up in his arms, as he still held on to the bow. He wouldn’t be able to fight off the beast this way, but at least he’d get Thera out of the line of danger.

Just as he moved with Thera, the beast shot fire at them once again.

“Follow the string,” Thera mumbled. “I’ve marked the way.”

Kyros looked down and saw a string coming from Thera’s never ending ugly shawl. He then realized what she’d done.

“You’re wonderful, Thera. I love you.”

He did the best he could with his poor centaur eyesight to follow the string through the passageway. He’d had to leave the torch behind when he decided to pick up Thera, but the fire from the beast was lighting up the passageway enough for him to see.

Thera cried out in pain again, and the beast heard them and followed.

“Thera, you’ve got to try to be quiet,” explained Kyros. “I know it’s hard, sweetheart, but the beast hunts by sound.”

“I’ll try,” said Thera and buried her face into his shoulder in order to keep quiet.

Kyros got far enough away that he felt he could stop for a moment. He was starting to feel pains of his own and knew his transformation was about to begin. He didn’t want to drop Thera or the baby when it happened.

He put her on her feet and adjusted the bow on his shoulder. He grabbed Thera’s face in his hands and raised her tear-stained cheeks to look at her. He could barely see her, but still, he knew she was beautiful.

“I love you, Thera. No matter what happens, I want you to know that.” He kissed her on the forehead as he spoke.

“And I love you, Kyros. I’m sorry for all the mistakes I’ve made. I just wish things could be different. I wish we could be together.”

“Shh.” Kyros tried to quiet her, as he heard the beast’s footsteps again and knew that it had heard them as well. “We’ll talk later, Thera,” he whispered. She nodded her head and he felt a pain in his heart. A pain that said he wasn’t really sure if there would be a later for them.

Thera winced, and Kyros helped her over to the wall to sit down. There was no way he would get her on his back in her condition. Plus, he knew his transformation was coming. He felt his own changes as he doubled over for a second and then stood back up. The bow was still on his shoulder, but Thera had the arrows. He knew the beast was coming nearer, but he also felt a shiver go through him as he felt another presence in the labyrinth. One he somehow knew was even more dangerous than the beast.

“What a lovely sight.” Pittheus’ voice came from behind him, and Kyros turned around, his centaur body already writhing in pain.

“Pittheus.” Kyros’ voice was quiet, but Pittheus made no motion to silence his. He’d obviously had too much to drink and was forgetting his pet hunted by sound.

“I want my wife back,” said Pittheus taking a step closer, sword in one hand, torch in the other. Kyros realized the sword he held was not their father’s. This meant he hadn’t yet found the sword. This was good news indeed.

“She’s not your wife, Pittheus. Although the ceremony was completed, the marriage was never consummated.”

“Well, I’m going to see about that as soon as I get rid of you, Kyros.” He took a drunken step forward.

Kyros’ body stiffened as his transformation began. He took the bow from his shoulder knowing it would do him no good now. He slid it on the floor over to Thera. She was curled in a ball and crying softly.

“Well, brother, I guess this is the end,” said Pittheus.

Kyros bit his lip and couldn’t help but fall to the floor. His body shook and his voice came out shaky. “I’m the most vulnerable when I transform. But then again, I’m sure you know that. I can’t do anything to defend myself now. Go ahead and kill me, brother, but just please take good care of Thera.”

“Kyros, no!” Thera cried from the floor and reached out her hand to him. He grabbed her hand as he started his transformation. Kyros could see Pittheus with raised sword, standing above him. Why didn’t he just bring it down and kill him? What was he waiting for?

“You two really do love each other, don’t you?” asked Pittheus.

Kyros couldn’t answer him, as his teeth were chattering and his muscles were too cramped to move. Thera didn’t answer him either.

Pittheus took a step forward and Kyros closed his eyes, awaiting his death. When it didn’t come, his eyes opened and he saw Pittheus lowering the sword before him.

“It’s a touching scene, you two,” said Pittheus. “Almost touching enough to make me want to spare your life.”

Kyros thought for a moment Pittheus had found a bit of goodness inside himself after all, a goodness that maybe stemmed from the love of their father.

“But I can’t do that now, can I?” said Pittheus, raising his sword again for the final blow. “Please forgive me, brother, for what I must do.”

Kyros was transforming, and totally vulnerable. All he could do was wait for his own death. He knew he had every right to hate his brother for all he’d done, but somehow he couldn’t. Pittheus was his brother, he had to forgive him. In his last moment of life he had to show Pittheus that even in death, love would still survive.

“I forgive you,” he whispered and realized Pittheus was hesitating once more to carry his act through. He couldn’t kill Kyros after all. Maybe after all these years he had broken through his brother’s hatred. But then again maybe he was wrong. He wanted to say something to Pittheus, but couldn’t talk. His body ached and his bones shifted. Once more his wretched curse had come at the most inappropriate time. His vision blurred and he couldn’t see much. But he did hear Thera’s scream and then the loud roar of the beast followed by his brother’s sword clanking to the floor. Pittheus’ cry of defeat echoed in Kyros’ ears as his brother was devoured by the beast.

His first thought went out to Thera, and he hoped she would remember the beast hunted by sound, and keep quiet. The creature was standing right before them but didn’t seem to notice them in the dark. If they were quiet, it may just leave. Thera was silent too, and he knew it was all she could do to keep quiet through her pain. It was all he could do to keep quiet through his own. Then he heard the beast moving away from them through the labyrinth, obviously full and sated for the time being.

The transformation was complete, and Kyros shivered and waited impatiently for his vision to clear. All was quiet and he could only hope Thera was still all right.

“Thera?” he whispered. “Are you all right?”

He felt her loving arms dropping the cloak around his naked, cold, shaking body. His vision returned and he could see her face. She was terrified, in pain and in anguish - a way he never wanted her to be. It hurt him immensely to see her this way. She lay on the ground next to him with her hands on her stomach.

“Pittheus is gone,” she wept. “The beast just . . .”

“Shhh. I know, Thera. Don’t think of that now. We’ve got to stay quiet.”

He felt a sadness of his own to think his brother was gone. Even after all the evil things Pittheus had done to them, he was still his brother. Pittheus had hesitated to kill him, and Kyros wondered if mayhap somewhere deep down his father’s love still existed between them. But now Pittheus was gone and he’d never know for sure. There was nothing anyone could do to help him any longer. Now Kyros had something else to concern himself with. He had to get Thera to safety and also, he had to protect their baby.

“Thank you for the cloak.” He wrapped it around himself, feeling somewhat comforted. “It was my father’s.”

She nodded her head and bit her lip to keep from crying out once again.

“We’ve got to get out of here, Thera, before the beast comes back for us. Can you stand?”

She gripped his hand tightly, her eyes squeezed shut.

“It’s time, Kyros.”

“It’s time?” he repeated.

“I can’t move now. Our baby is about to be born.”

Kyros shook his head. As if it wasn’t bad enough he had to transform at a time like this, now their baby was about to be born in the lair of a beast that would no doubt consume it.

“Thera, can’t we try to get out of here first?” He realized how ridiculous it sounded after he’d said it. There was nothing they could do but wait for the baby to be born and hope Demogorgan was satisfied enough not to come back for a while.

“Kyros, I’m scared.” Her cold hand gripped his.

“I know, Thera. But I’m here for you. We’ll do this together and get out of here before the beast comes back, don’t worry.”

“That’s not what I mean.” She gritted back another pain and Kyros could tell her breathing was very labored. “What if our child is a centaur?”

“I’ll love it no matter what.” He tried to smile. He knew what Thera was aiming at, but didn’t want to think of the consequences himself.

“But if it is, I’ll die. Don’t you understand?”

“I understand only too well, Thera. Don’t think of it right now, just think that we’re going to be parents.”

“I want nothing more than to be the mother of your child, Kyros. To be able to sit at your side as your wife and raise our child together.”

The pain stopped her as she couldn’t help but cry out. Kyros raised her gown to expose her bottom half. He’d never assisted with a birth before and didn’t even know exactly what to do.

“Thera. This is all new to me.”

His own heart beat wildly and his head spun in a thousand different directions.

“Just love our child, Kyros, and promise me you’ll take good care of it.”

“Stop talking as if you’re going to die.”

“Kyros.” Thera tried to sit in an upright position and Kyros held her head on his lap. “Tell me you’ll take care of our child if something happens to me.”

“You know I will, Thera. And I’ll take care of you as well. Nothing’s going to happen to you, now stop talking like that.”

“I’m not so sure. I feel like - ”

“Shhh,” said Kyros and kissed her lightly on the lips. The talking can wait till later. We have a baby to birth right now.”

Twenty-eight

Kyros held Thera tightly as her body wracked with pain and she tried to keep from crying out. He was anxious, excited, and at the same time scared more than he’d ever been in his life. If their baby was a centaur, he’d lose her. That was something he couldn’t accept. And if she died, it would be all his fault. If he hadn’t been cursed, then she’d have no worry of dying from giving birth.

“Thera, darling. It’s my fault you’re going through this. If we have a centaur, it’s my fault of what will happen to you.”

“No,” Thera gasped as she breathed heavily and started to push. “It’s because of you I may have the chance of birthing a human after all. Don’t you see, Kyros? If you hadn’t interfered with Ares’ plan I’d be birthing Rodas’ baby right now. A centaur baby. At least now, you’ve given me hope.”

“True. But if you hadn’t fallen in love with me, you never would have given away your powers. You know as well as I you’d have no fear of birthing a centaur if you were still a goddess. I’m so sorry about everything, Thera. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop the wedding and you had to live through that humiliation with Pittheus. I’m sorry I - ”

“Shhh.” This time it was Thera who quieted him. “It’s time, Kyros. Put your hands down below and catch our baby.”

Kyros nervously did as instructed. As he witnessed the miracle of birth, he held his breath. The head of their child was born, but he still didn’t know if it was human or centaur. Thera was amazingly quiet through all her pain and Kyros knew she, having her power of the senses, must have felt all this twice as much as any other human.

“I can see the baby’s head, Thera. It has dark hair like you.”

Thera gave a slight smile and bit her lip and continued breathing.

“Push, Thera, push. It’s almost here.”

Kyros felt excitement fill his body. This was his child. Thera’s child. A child that would join them together as one for the rest of their lives. He had such plans for their baby. So many things he wanted to teach it. So many things he wanted to do together as a family.

The baby’s shoulders were born and he let out his breath as he next saw its legs. Only two. Not the cursed four legs he had almost expected to see.

“It’s a boy, Thera! It’s a human boy.”

Thera laughed and cried at the same time. So did Kyros. She was alive. The baby was human. He picked up the child, still connected to Thera and cradled it in his arms, bringing it closer to her so she could see him as well.

“He’s beautiful,” she laughed. “We did it, Kyros. We’re the proud parents of a new baby.”

She hoisted herself up and took what was left of the shawl from around her. She gave it to Kyros and he wrapped the baby in it.

“I guess the old weaver wasn’t jesting when she said this shawl would come in handy,” said Thera. “Now we just need to find something to cut the baby’s cord with. You don’t happen to have that dagger with you yet, do you, Kyros?”

“No, said Kyros. I lost it when I transformed. We’ll find something worthy to use to bring our baby into this world.”

Kyros spotted Pittheus’ sword lying on the ground a ways from them. He hesitated in using it, but Thera grabbed his hand.

“It’s all right, Kyros. Get the sword. We’ll cut the baby free and then we’ll get out of here.”

The baby looked up at them with wide eyes and Kyros felt a warmth in his heart he’d never felt before. He couldn’t wait to take his family far away from this awful place. And now that he was in human form, he could do just that. It saddened him to think what his child may think of him in years to come when he found out he was a centaur. But no matter what, he knew he’d always love his son.

“I think we should name him Lippio,” said Thera. “Lippio means lover of horses.”

Kyros looked at Thera and smiled. She must have been reading his mind. He hoped his son would love horses. And he hoped his son would love centaurs, and him as well.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” he agreed. He encompassed Thera and the baby and hugged them. He then gave her a sensuous kiss on the mouth. She tasted so gloriously wonderful. And he wanted to take her back to the bedchamber and spend the rest of the day lying down with her and Lippio. Lying down in a bed as a man - with his family at his side.

“Let me get that sword,” he said and left her side.

The baby wailed just then. Such a loud wail, it echoed off the walls and he was sure the whole castle could hear it.

Then Kyros heard the beast. It was closer than he’d thought. It must have been lying just out of the way, digesting its last meal. He grabbed the sword and headed back to Thera. But the beast jumped out of the shadows and swiped her with its claw-like paw. Thera cried out in pain and Kyros could see she was bleeding. He could also see she was trying her best to protect their baby in her arms.

“No!” Kyros screamed, getting Demogorgan’s attention. The beast turned its head and let out a breath of fire. Kyros dodged it and lashed out with the sword, severing several of its arms. The beast slowed, and Kyros could see the two golden arrows sticking out from its shoulder.

He battled with the beast, but when he glanced over to check on Thera, Demogorgan swiped the sword from his hand. Kyros dived for the sword, turning around and throwing it at the beast just as it reached out for him. It struck the beast in the eye and the thing bellowed out with fury.

Kyros felt himself being lifted into the air. The sharp talon-like paws of the monster dug into his side. He was thankful for the thick cloak around him, but knew he was weaponless now and helpless as well.

As much as he struggled, he couldn’t get free. He knew this was the end, but didn’t feel for himself, but rather for Thera and the baby. He could hear Lippio crying, but couldn’t hear a word from Thera.

The beast raised Kyros to its mouth and Kyros screamed out, “I love you, Thera!”

These would be his last words and he meant for them to be the only ones that were ever important.

He heard the beast scream and then its claw released him and Kyros fell to the ground below. Demogorgan fell after him and Kyros moved out of the way in order not to be crushed by its huge body. He saw the golden arrow sticking out from the monster’s heart and then he saw Thera lying on the ground, curled up to Lippio. The bow was clutched in her hand.

“You did it, Thera! You killed the beast.” He ran over to her and the baby, but Thera was still, not answering him. “Thera?” His heart beat a bit faster. Lippio cried in her arms, but she didn’t move. “Thera, are you all right?”

He turned her onto her back and noticed her eyes were closed. Then to his horror, he noticed she wasn’t breathing. Her face and chest were scratched from the beast and blood dripped from the wounds. She was still ragged from birthing their baby and Kyros’ heart went out to her.

“Thera!” He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “Thera, don’t die on me. I need you. Don’t leave me.” He put his arms around the crying baby and Thera, trying to breathe life back into her, but with no luck. He laid his head on her chest. Her heart was no longer beating, and as much as he willed it to start back up, it wouldn’t. He cried as he rocked her and the baby in his arms. Just when he thought all this madness had ended, he knew it hadn’t. Although he didn’t want to accept it, he now realized Thera was dead.