Kyros' Secret (Greek Myth Series Book 1) (9 page)

Twelve

It took most of the afternoon to find Thera’s horse, and when they did, it wasn’t what they had hoped for. The horse had badly twisted its ankle and couldn’t be ridden. The way it limped, Kyros knew it wasn’t going to do them any good. And there wasn’t any use dragging it along with them as it’d only slow them down.

“I guess we’ll have to leave your horse,” sighed Kyros. Thera seemed worried. “Someone is bound to find it in the next day or so,” he reassured her. “This area is loaded with soldiers from the castle.”

“All right,” she agreed, patting the horse on the side in a calming gesture. “How far is the weaver’s hut?”

“I’m not sure. But if I understand Chiron’s directions, I think it’s about a half a day’s walk north of here.”

“Well, we’d better get going then.” Thera looked tired and Kyros knew they’d never make it there before sunset. Or at least not on foot. The only way they’d make it there before his transformation is if they both rode on his horse. Something he wasn’t looking forward to doing. Being close to Thera was enough challenge on his part. Bouncing his body up against hers as they rode was something that would drive him mad.

“I think we should just wait until tomorrow.” He didn’t like the idea of hanging around if Pittheus’ men were in the woods, but still it’d be safer than getting close to Thera.

“Nonsense.” She put her foot in the stirrup and hoisted herself awkwardly onto Hester. “Just jump up here and we’ll both ride. Hester can handle it. We should get there in time for dinner.”

It was tempting, but he just couldn’t. “I’ll walk.” He took the reins and was starting away when she stopped him.

“Kyros. There’s centaurs in the woods nearby.”

Kyros scanned the grounds, sword at the ready but still he saw nothing.

“I don’t see them,” he answered.

“Neither do I,” said Thera. “But I can smell them and the scent is getting stronger.”

He replaced his sword in the scabbard and in one motion hoisted himself up onto the horse behind her. He couldn’t take the chance of Rodas and his followers coming after Thera.

“Let’s ride.”

They took off at a gallop toward the north to find the blind old weaver.

Thera felt terrible about lying to Kyros. She didn’t smell centaur. As far as she knew there wasn’t a centaur within a half a day’s ride from them. Still, she told Kyros there was, as she knew he’d hop on the horse, and that was what she wanted.

She felt his strong arms around her and she reveled in the warmth, strength and comfort. It felt right to be in the embrace of the father of her child. The baby stirred within her and she knew the unborn child was happy as well. They were a family, the three of them, like it or not. Kyros was the father of her baby and she was glad of it.

She smelled his male scent, spicy, alluring, a powerful river that forged its way to the nearest bank. He was that river, she the bank on which she hoped he’d land and find solace.

He was disturbed, his mind confused. She’d felt it when he pulled away from their embrace. She didn’t understand it. He seemed like he wanted to be close to her, yet he fought to keep his distance. The man was a mystery. Kyros of nowhere, going everywhere. She still wasn’t sure why he stayed with her, or for that matter, where they were going to end up. All she knew was that she had no intention of going to the castle and marrying the man who was regent king.

Pittheus, her father had called him. The name meant nothing to her, and she was sorry now she’d lived so secluded in her days as a goddess and didn’t mingle more with the humans. She had no idea what went on anywhere besides Olympus. It never really mattered to her before, but now that she was human it made all the difference in the world.

She’d have to ask Kyros about Pittheus. She’d ask him many things when the moment was right. But for now, her eyelids grew heavy and the rocking steps of the horse lulled her to sleep. She dropped her head back against Kyros’ chest and felt his warmth engulf her. She was safe with him. She was attracted to him. But still, as she drifted off to sleep she couldn’t help but dream about the centaur with the purple mask. All thoughts of Kyros faded away as Kaj filled her dreams instead.

The sun was getting low on the horizon when they reached the weaver’s hut. It was a little shack, barely enough room for one person. Kyros hated to wake Thera who was asleep in his arms. He rather liked the feel of her so close to him. But it only made him think of the bliss he’d felt while being mated with her. And that only made him want to do it once again, but physically this time. He gently woke her and slipped off the horse, instructing her to wait there. He walked up to the door and called out.

“Weaver! I’m a friend of Chiron’s. I’m here to ask you a favor.”

The door to the hut creaked open slowly, but no one came to greet him.

“You said she was old, maybe we should go to her.” Thera stood directly behind him. He jumped slightly. Damn her for not listening and staying on the horse. Somehow he was sure she was going to cause trouble.

“I don’t think we should go in, Thera. I have a bad feeling about this.”

It was too late. Thera disappeared into the dark hut. Kyros had no choice but to follow. A little old lady sat hunched over a loom, spinning, weaving, making cloth in the dim light of the dying hearth fire.

“You are hiding something,” came her voice, though her eyes were white and glassed-over and she didn’t look at them at all. “You are not who you seem to be.” The old woman was definitely blind. Kyros’ heart jumped at the accusation and he didn’t quite know what to say.

“No, I’m not hiding anything,” answered Thera, obviously thinking the woman was speaking to her. “My name is Thera and my traveling partner is - ”

“Names aren’t important,” broke in Kyros. “Thera needs a tunic and we were hoping you could make one for her.”

The old woman stopped weaving and reached out her hand. “Step closer, child, so I can feel you and know how big to make the garment.”

Thera obeyed and the woman reached out her hand. Her fingers touched Thera’s skirt and the old woman pulled her hand away as if burned. She then fell to her knees on the floor in front of Thera, her head hidden in her hands.

“Forgive me, Goddess. I didn’t realize, or I never would have touched you.”

Kyros was in awe how the blind old hag could know so much by just one touch. And if she knew so much, she was sure to tell Thera all his secrets. He had a bad feeling about all this and knew now that it was a mistake to come here in the first place.

Thera laughed and grabbed the weaver and helped her to her feet.

“True, I was once a goddess, but am not anymore. You can treat me like any other human now.” She took the old woman’s hand and placed it on her stomach to feel the baby. “I’ll need something to wear that will stretch.”

“You’re pregnant with a very special baby.”

“Aye,” Thera beamed. “I am. You seem to see the future. Mayhap you can tell me if it’ll be a boy or a girl.”

“Stop the idle chatter,” interrupted Kyros. “It’s bad luck to know too much too soon. Weaver, will you make her a garment to wear?”

“Have you got anything to offer in exchange?”

Kyros didn’t have any money, but then remembered it wasn’t money the woman wanted. Chiron had told him they’d exchanged food for clothing.

“We have bread and figs to offer,” he answered.

“No meat?” she asked.

Before he could answer, Thera broke in. “Kyros could hunt you some meat. He’s an excellent hunter, not to mention cook.”

Kyros shifted nervously as he noticed the sky outside the open hut door. Nightfall would be here soon and he knew he had no time to hunt when his transformation was so close at hand.

“We have bread and figs to offer,” he repeated.

“You’re Kyros?” the old woman asked him slowly.

“Oh, you’ve heard of him?” Thera seemed surprised and happy. Not what she would be feeling if he allowed the old hag to continue spilling his secrets.

“She hasn’t,” answered Kyros. “And I think we’d better get that bread and figs now. I’ll hunt for you tomorrow as I’ve got somewhere to go for the night.”

“You’re leaving again?” Thera looked disappointed, and he wanted more than anything to tell her he’d stay.

“Kaj will be with you to watch you. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Kaj?” came the crone’s hackled voice, half-laughing.

“Kaj is the king of the Centaurs,” answered Thera. “He wears a mask and carries a huge bow.”

“Oh really?” she asked with doubt in her voice.

“Let’s go,” broke in Kyros and pulled her toward the door.

“She can stay here.” The weaver smiled a broken-toothed grin. A grin he didn’t trust in the least.

“She’ll be fine with Kaj.” Kyros pulled her back toward the door.

“Oh, I’d like to stay,” said Thera, but Kyros didn’t slow down to listen. He pulled her out to the horse and tossed her atop it. He then grabbed some food from his saddle bag and went back to give it to the weaver.

“Your secret’s safe with me,” she said as she accepted the bread and figs.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” grumbled Kyros and headed for the door.

“I think you do, Kaj,” she said softly so Thera couldn’t hear her. “But you’d better tell her soon. For once the baby is born, there’ll no longer be any secrets.”

Thirteen

Thera didn’t speak a word to Kyros until they stopped to make camp. He slid from the horse and held a hand out to help her. She brushed his hand away and slid off the opposite side by herself.

“I get the feeling you’re angry with me.”

“And why shouldn’t I be? Who are you to tell me where I can or can’t stay for the night?”

“I’m the father of your child, and I’ll do what I think is right for the baby.”

“I liked the old weaver. You rushed me out of there so fast, I didn’t even get a chance to ask her name.”

She watched Kyros tie up Hester and quickly make a campfire. He worked so fast, she could have sworn he was in a hurry to get away from her.

“Where do you disappear to at night?” She had the feeling it was the wrong time to ask, but still she had to try. After all, if he had a lover awaiting him somewhere then she had the right to know about it. After all, he was the father of her unborn child.

“Kaj will be here shortly. He’ll bring you some game to eat. Stay put.”

“And if I don’t?”

He stopped his work and looked up at her. “I would stay put if I were you. You don’t know what dangers lie out there in the woods.”

“And I don’t know what dangers lie here at camp with that wretched centaur you send to guard me.”

He looked hurt by that statement and stood up and wiped the dust from his hands on his legs. “You really don’t like Kaj?”

“Why should I? Why should I like any centaur for that matter? Kaj scares me. He’s unlike any centaur I’ve ever known.”

“What do you mean by that?” Kyros went over to the horse and pulled the blankets from the saddle bag. She saw him fussing with something else but didn’t know or care at the moment what it was. She couldn’t tell him why Kaj scared her. She couldn’t tell him about her strange attraction to the centaur when she didn’t understand it herself. She hated centaurs, so why did she like this one? She didn’t want Kyros to think she was being disloyal to him. After all, he was the father of her child and there would be no one else but him in her life.

“Hester isn’t spooked by Kaj,” she said instead. “I’ve never seen a horse yet that likes a centaur.”

“Hester is a very different horse. She doesn’t get spooked by much.”

Mayhap he had a point there, but Hester did seem spooked when the centaurs attacked. It was just one centaur Hester wasn’t afraid of.

“And he eats meat,” she added. “What centaur do you know of that eats meat?”

“Just Kaj.”

Kyros fell quiet as he placed the blankets around the fire. Then he looked up at the sun setting behind the trees.

“Just give him a chance. That’s all I ask.”

With that, Kyros disappeared into the woods without even as much as a good-bye. Thera felt the chill creeping in around her and scooted up closer to the fire. She noticed her breathing had quickened and she felt a strange excitement about her as she waited for the masked centaur. Apprehensive, cautious and yet curious about Kaj, she decided maybe she’d take Kyros’ advice and try to get to know him better.

She sat down on the blanket and waited. It was then she heard the sound of a man’s painful scream somewhere in the woods. She shuddered, wondering if one of Pittheus’ men was torturing or perhaps killing someone. By the gods, she hoped it wasn’t Kyros. This terrified her, and she didn’t like this human emotion. She closed her eyes, trying to shut out the noises of the outside world. She was helpless, weaponless and very much alone. Her body shivered if not from cold then from fright. The baby kicked inside her and she rubbed a hand over her rounding stomach. She’d be well protected soon. Just as soon as Kaj showed up. For some reason, when he was with her she felt that same sense of calm protection as she felt with Kyros.

Kyros barely made it in time, taking off his newly woven clothes before his body began to transform. He couldn’t help but let out a pent-up cry as his bones shifted and his lower half grew in size. He hadn’t had time to prepare his mind again. And each time he’d let it slip, the pain grew more and more intense.

Chiron and Nemos found him just as he started transforming and grabbed his sword and sandals to help him along. He lay on the ground now with his eyes closed. His body shivered and convulsed with spasms. When would this curse be over? How much more could he endure before he lost his composure and decided to take his own life to end it all?

“Kyros.” Chiron called his name and through his blurred vision he could see the old man holding out a helping hand. Kyros reached for him and let him pull him to his feet. He was tired and weak, from not enough sleep and certainly not enough food. He’d have to make certain to rest and eat tonight or he wasn’t sure he’d have enough strength to pull himself onto his horse tomorrow.

“I can’t do this anymore,” he panted. His vision cleared a little and he saw Nemos standing proudly beside him with his sword protected in his arms.

“You have no choice,” Chiron reminded him. “You’re damned for the rest of your life unless you can find some way to break Ares’ curse.”

“Don’t remind me.” Kyros picked up his clothing from the ground and handed it to Chiron. “Thank the gods I didn’t rip my clothes or I’d have to ask the weaver to make some more for me along with the ones for Thera.”

“You went to the weaver?” Chiron seemed disturbed about this.

“I did. Shouldn’t I have?”

“You shouldn’t have gone to her, Kyros. She is not to be trusted, she is an ally of Ares.”

“Now you tell me. Had I known that, I never would have gone.”

“She’s sure to tell him where you are. Either that or she’ll weave some spell into Thera’s clothing.”

“What do you mean by that?” Kyros pulled his mask from the pile of clothing and tied it on as he spoke.

“I mean she’s been known to sometimes weave ideas or curses into the clothes she makes if she doesn’t like the person. No telling what she’s done until it’s too late.”

“Thera is a goddess. The old woman wouldn’t dare do anything to a goddess.” Kyros took the bow and arrows from Nemos.

“A fallen goddess,” remarked Chiron. “And who knows what kind of deals the weaver’s made with Ares.”

“Well, that’s just the chance we’ll have to take.” Kyros patted Chiron on the shoulder and then ruffled Nemos’ hair. “Take good care of that sword, boy.”

“I’ll watch it with my life, Kyros.”

“Good,” answered Kyros. “Because I’d hate to think what would happen if that sword fell into the wrong hands.”

By the time Kyros hunted down two rabbits for dinner and made his way back to camp, Thera was already fast asleep by the fire. He didn’t wake her as he skinned the rabbits and speared them up to cook. He took the handful of wild flowers he’d picked for her and laid them on the blanket next to her head. Mayhap this would make her accept him. He hoped so, or at least to ease the ill feelings she had toward centaurs - him in particular. Then he made himself comfortable while he roasted the meat.

She looked so young and innocent as she slept. And so beautiful that it made him want to cry. Even if she was the daughter of Ares he couldn’t help but be attracted to her. In a way he was jealous that she was to become his brother Pittheus’ wife. Pittheus didn’t deserve someone like her. But then again, neither did he.

She stirred in her sleep and cooed softly. Her long, dark hair fell gently over her face and he wanted nothing more than to smooth it back and place a kiss gently upon her cheek. But he wouldn’t. Couldn’t. Not while in his centaur form. He wasn’t even sure how he’d get down there to do it and then back up without hurting himself.

He felt awkward being a centaur and wasn’t at all sure he’d ever get used to it. He’d learned to sleep standing up, like most the other centaurs did. That way they were always on their feet if there was trouble or an attack during the night.

He reached down and grabbed a rabbit and tore off a limb, blowing on it to cool. He’d made another mistake by eating meat in front of Thera while in his centaur form. But since the damage was done he figured he’d enjoy a good meal. He just couldn’t get used to eating vegetables, fruit and grain and nothing else. He was a warrior with a powerful hunger, and it’d take more than greens to satisfy him.

His eyes went back to Thera and he realized he hungered for more than just food. She was his biggest enemy’s daughter, and yet, he hungered for her more than for any woman he’d ever known. She had a raw energy about her that called out to him in every form. He was a part of her now; his seed was growing into their child. And though he’d always longed for the day he’d have a child, the thought now terrified him more than anything ever had.

And the biggest fear he had was that his child would be a centaur. Not that a centaur child would bother him, just the fact that if his baby was born a centaur, it would be hated by all. For his child would be the cause of a horrible war.

Thera’s eyelids flickered and then slowly opened. With the way she’d turned in her sleep, the flowers now lay directly in front of her face. She focused on them with wide eyes and then sat up abruptly and fearfully looked at him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said.

“You didn’t.” She said the words but he knew they were a lie. She was terrified of him and why shouldn’t she be? He was a wretched, horrid creature in her eyes. A creature that to her, symbolized hatred, war, destruction - and her father.

“From you?” she asked, glancing down toward the flowers.

He couldn’t answer, just nodded and handed her some meat.

“I hope you’re hungry.” He knew she would be. With the way she’d been eating, he wouldn’t be surprised if she put down two rabbits herself.

She reached out slowly and grabbed the meat. Her eyes glanced at the flowers again and then back to him. “Thank you.”

He wasn’t sure if she was thanking him for the flowers or the meal, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that this was the second time she’d thanked him while he was in his centaur form.

The silence was deafening and he could no longer take the feel of her eyes burning a hole through his skin. He had to say something, anything to break the damned silence.

“So I hear you’ve outgrown your skirt and the weaver has to make you a new one.”

By the look on her face, he knew he should have kept quiet. He didn’t mean it as an insult, but knew that was the way she took it.

“Who told you that? Kyros?”

He nodded.

“Sounds like something he would say.” She went on eating her meat, but he knew she was fuming about the whole situation.

“Don’t you like Kyros?”

Her eyes darted up and then she dropped her gaze back to her food quickly. “Kyros seems to be trying hard to convince me to like you,” she answered instead.

“Well?”

“Well what?” She seemed so flippant about the whole thing.

“Well, do you?” He felt like a fool for asking, but had to know.

“I despise centaurs,” she assured him. “The only reason I tolerate you is because I do it as a favor to Kyros.”

He didn’t need to hear any more. He didn’t want to. Her answer was clear. She didn’t like him in his centaur form and he wasn’t really sure she liked him in his human form either. But her kiss told differently. Her kiss said she liked Kyros, the man more than she was willing to let on. But all that would change once she found out about his secret life. Once she knew that, she’d for certain want nothing to do with him.

A huge flying roach flew toward the fire and landed on Thera’s leg. She screamed and jumped to her feet, brushing the bug off of her in the process. Alarmed, Kyros ran to her side and without thinking, scooped her up into his arms.

She automatically clasped her hands around his shoulders and hung on. It was then that he knew he’d made a mistake. He never should have touched her. Her face was just inches from his. He focused on her lips and watched them part slightly. He felt the irresistible need to kiss her and almost felt that she wanted it too. His tail flicked in anticipation and his hooves moved back and forth over the rocky ground.

“Put me down,” she said in a low voice. Though he heard the words, she didn’t sound like she really meant them. He moved his mouth towards hers.

“Put me down!” she commanded more loudly. And this time he knew she meant it. He placed her on the ground on her feet and in his awkwardness his hooves trampled her flowers. He needed to get out of there and he needed to do it now. One more minute near her and he wasn’t sure how he’d react.

Without a word he picked up his bow and arrows and took off into the forest to try to find a place to think.

Thera’s body shook slightly and she wrapped her arms around herself, holding back the tears that were destined to come. Kaj was gone and she felt an emptiness within her. She looked to the ground and saw the crushed flowers at her feet. Slowly she bent down and picked up a few broken petals. She closed her fist over them and closed her eyes tight.

What was happening to her? Her own feelings scared her and she wasn’t sure how to react. Kaj had brought her flowers. He wasn’t like any other centaur. He had a kindness to him. True caring. He had all the ingredients of a man. All, that is, except his centaur body.