Brutish Lord of Thessaly (Halcyon Romance Series Book 4) (9 page)

“At your service, milady.” His eager fingers tore through the laces and peeled aside each layer of fabric, like a lad unwrapping a treasured gift. He plucked her gown over her head, baring her entirely, and whistled low. “I swear you grow more beautiful each time I see you.” Devotion glimmered in his dark eyes.

Was it love? For a centaur, the bonding surpassed any other union. Yet, he’d forged the bonding with Sarra out of love for her.

Would he have done the same for me?

“You frown like that and I’ll put your dress back on.”

She shoved aside those unwelcome thoughts. Oreius would be dedicated and loyal to her for the rest of his existence.

“It’s nothing.” She stroked her fingers down his cheek, along his firm jawline. After leaning forward, she pressed her mouth against his, breathing him in. His lips parted, his tongue delving and seeking hers, and his hands shifted around to her bottom to give her a firm squeeze.

She slid her fingers to his shoulder and gave a firm shove, propelling him onto his back. Smirking triumphantly, she straddled his hips, his long, proud length jutting between them.

“Now, centaur, you may not wear a bit and bridle, but believe me, you shall be ridden,” she nipped at his lips, “and tamed.”

“I can’t bloody wait.” He linked his hands behind his head, his muscles tensing and jerking beneath her. His stare pinned her while she lifted her hips and sank upon him, his decadent width filling her.

He grunted and rolled his hips, urging her on.

She straightened and undulated against him, riding him in a torturously slow rhythm, until perspiration slicked both of their bodies and his throbbing erection begged for release.

She reached back, grabbing his soft sac in her hand, and squeezed with her nymph powers, compelling him to flood her with his essence. He howled and hot seed flushed through her and, as the waves of ecstasy passed between them, her release followed his.

Sated again, Nysa slumped forward, resting her cheek against his shoulder, his heartbeats thundering in her ear.

Her heart answered, rapidly thrumming to match his.

To claim his.

He cares for me.
The reassurance settled her nerves, but she couldn’t halt the nipping bite of fear. That someday, he would find himself devoted to a woman he didn’t love.

And that would ruin her.

Because despite her mind’s warning, she had already fallen in love with him.

***

Cheiron’s sons gathered around the long table in his Great Hall. Oreius observed them, drawing his brows together. Everything had tossed upside down, and nothing was as it should be. Centaurs ought to live out long, happy lives with their mates.

Yet the Fates had torn each of them from that destiny; this War threatened them all.

Agrius and Eione were sadly wedged in the midst. Eione’s Lapith family had been far too eager to march upon Great Meteoron nearly six months earlier. Agrius had solemnly brandished his sword in preparation for that battle. Although Melita had halted the invasion, the Lapiths didn’t seem deterred from their ultimate goal: control of centaur lands.

Thereus had been traveling between Westgard and Halcyon, preparing centaur armies in both locations.

Oreius scratched his jaw and silently studied his brothers as they, in human form, settled into their seats. The eldest, Hector, huffed wearily beside their father. Hector would one day lead them all, when Cheiron ruled no more. Everyone knew Hector’s sad fate. Bonded to a female who wouldn’t have him. One of the greatest fears they secretly hid.

Once this meeting was finished, he’d have a word with his brother. If anyone breathed proof of the heart’s ability to change, Oreius did.

Petraeus, the youngest, was strangely absent. Yet another brother he ought to have a word with.

“Welcome, my sons.” Cheiron’s grey scrutiny passed over each of them in turn.

Oreius met his father’s stare with a solid nod.

“We have much to discuss. Thereus, why don’t you begin with your progress at Halcyon?” Cheiron waved for him to stand.

Thereus hopped to stand and cleared his throat. “Ah, well. Progress has certainly been made. The Amazons—”

“He’s gone.” A guard rushed into the room, gulping deep breaths.

Everyone whipped their attention from Thereus to the panting guard.

“Who is gone?” Cheiron’s voice rumbled off the stone walls.

The guard flinched and bowed his head, whispering, “The prisoner, Deimos.”

Ice flooded Oreius’s veins, freezing his muscles. He swallowed thickly against his parched throat. That could not be right.

“How?” Fury rolled through Cheiron’s steel tone.

“I know not, my King.” The guard’s desperate green eyes pleaded. “He was chained and two guards kept watch over him. This morning, when they brought him water, he was not inside his cell.”

“Nysa.” Oreius shot to his feet and bolted from the room, sprinting through the hallways until he spotted her in the gardens below. He leapt over the balcony and landed in front of her, whirling her against his body and shielding her in his arms.

“
Uh!
Oreius, what’s wrong?” she wheezed, squirming, so he eased his grasp.

“You’re in danger. Deimos has escaped.”

She stilled, but his ears detected the rapid thrashing of her heart. “That can’t be.”

“I’m afraid it is,
Sapphira
.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and spun her around in his arms to face him. “We must get you someplace safe.”

“I thought this place was safe.” The color drained from her skin.

“Aye, so did I.” If Deimos had escaped the prison, that could only mean someone had released him.

A traitor walked amongst them.

***

Nysa shook her head, not willing to accept Deimos was free.

Free to harm her.

Oh, he would seek revenge. The male was calculating, though. She bit her lip and scanned their surroundings. To attack her here would be foolish.

“He’s not going to abduct me,” she whispered, the words clogging her throat.

“What, my love?” Oreius cupped her chin in both his large hands.

She raised her gaze and met his. “Deimos. He won’t attack me, not here.” A shudder quivered through her body. “He’s going after my well.”

“No.” His thick brows drew together. “No, Nysa. He wouldn’t—”

“He would.” She wrung her fingers. “If he tears down my well, I’ll vanish.”

“That’s not happening.” He crushed her against his chest, as though he could force her physical form to meld to his.

“There’s only one way to stop him.” She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed away to glance up at him. “You have to find my well before he does.”

“And cross into enemy lands.” He grimaced. “If they don’t shoot me first, how can you be certain I’ll arrive before him? He may have taken a Portal.”

“I know.” She caressed his cheek, fingers stroking along his thick locks. “We have to go together. I can lead you to it.”

“This is a most fool-headed scheme, lass.” He tossed his head.

“Then we’d better hurry.”

He seized her hand. “Aye, let’s—”

“
Argh!
” Lancing pain sliced across her middle and she collapsed onto the ground. She gripped her stomach, warm liquid oozing between her fingers. Fear spiked through her. They were too late. “He’s destroying my well.”

“Nysa, no!” Oreius’s dark eyes pleaded.

Another slash cut across her arm and the limb melted into a puddle. She gasped as terror shot through her and clutched at Oreius’s shirt with her remaining hand. “Only you can save me now.”

Her hand fell limp and she blinked through her tears. “I love you, Oreius.”

No!
Oreius howled in helpless frustration while Nysa’s body burst into splattering spurts of water before his eyes.

There was nothing he could do to save her.

He shoved his fist into his mouth and bit down on the thousands of curses pouring through his mind. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he blinked through his blurry vision as Nysa’s body succumbed to one final blow, shattering into thousands of liquid crystals.

He clawed at the grass, the dirt mingling with the water, turning to mud in his hands.

She’s not here.
He forced the words into his mind.

That scoundrel had struck down her well. But Nysa wasn’t gone. She was a nymph, and bound to the stones which formed her well.

There was only one way left to save her. Rebuild her well.

Right.
He clenched his hand into a fist and pounded it once into the earth. No way in hell would he stand by while another woman he loved was lost to him.

Nysa’s destiny wasn’t finished. It was connected to his own.

“What happened?” Agrius sprinted to his side, slowing as he took in the vanishing puddle.

Oreius shook his head. “That bastard cut down her well. And now, I’ll do the same to him.”

Agrius clamped a hand onto his shoulder. “Let’s go, my brother. I will get you across the Lapith border. Eione and I have been using a secret route. It should get you close to where her well is located.”

“Thank you.” He squeezed his hand on top of Agrius’s, rose, and followed the male to the Portal.

They traveled through the Portal to Agrius’s castle at South Glen, the closest to Nysa’s well, and then galloped toward the border.

Agrius had indeed spoken truth. An underground tunnel lay concealed beneath a hillside. He spoke the passwords to release the wards, and the two brothers sprinted along the tunnel. As they neared the entrance into Lapith territory, Oreius slowed. “This is as far as you can come, my brother.” He inclined his head. “You have a mate and a babe. I would not endanger you.”

Stubborn Agrius frowned, but Oreius held up a hand to halt his arguments. “I will not waiver in this. Eione would fire an arrow at me if I permitted you to come along, and we all know what a great archer she is.”

Agrius chuckled. “Aye, very well.”

“Care for my sons. I will return, triumphant.”

“I have no doubt that you will. May the gods protect you both.” He slapped Oreius on the back. “You’d best hurry.”

“Thank you.” He embraced Agrius and stole toward the opening. After listening for a minute, he detected only innocuous forest sounds. A bird cheeping. A rush of water.

He sniffed, and a sweet scent permeated the air, similar to…

Nysa.

He dashed out of the tunnel, following the scent of her waters. Though his centaur state would be a risk, he was also able to sprint much faster. The rush of water grew louder and soon he came upon a cascading waterfall.

Oreius slowed his pace, treading cautiously between the trees forming the dense forest. Senses straining, he tensed, but no one else occupied the woods.

He passed through a cave behind the waterfall and out into a meadow. An axe rested beside a pile of rubble. The stones of Nysa’s well, hacked to pieces. He fell to his knees and dropped his head into his hands. Dread tightened his throat. Was he too late?

Was there no saving Nysa now?

***

Nysa groaned and rolled onto her side. Stinging vibrations hummed through her body and she clutched her bare middle.

Nude?

Oh, not again. She dragged herself to her knees, scanning the dank chamber.

“Well, how do you like this? Now, you’re my prisoner.” The cool voice rippled beneath her skin and she shivered.
Deimos.

“Don’t you mean ‘again’?” She snorted and faced him.

He shrugged, leaning forward against the bars on the opposite side of her cell. “Either way, you won’t ever be freed.”

Dread sank into the pit of her stomach. “What have you done with my well?”

“It’s gone, Nysa.” A cruel smirk spanned his lips. “I don’t require it anymore, and there’s just enough water left in you for what I have planned.”

My well is gone.
She swallowed the thick lump in her throat. “How did I get here?”

“Clever nymph, can’t you guess? Spilling your water transports you.” He scoffed. “Well, not anymore. Your spring is dried up and the only water left to spill…is your blood.”

Her nails dug into her palms. “I dare you to try.”

“Oh, there’s no use in fighting
me
, darling.” Deimos stepped aside, revealing another man. “Because you’re going to kneel and bleed before your new King.”

She gaped at the eloquently groomed and dressed male sneering at her. Lapiths lands meant he must be King Philaeus. This was the male who’d forced Thereus’s nymph mate, Melita, to transform into a tree.

She clenched her fists tighter, glaring at the fiend’s haughty grin.

“You’ve done well, Deimos.” Philaeus nodded to the male, who beamed beneath his praise.

Deimos had stolen her waters for
him
. By the adoring smile on his face, the King was the object of Deimos’s devotion.

Even if Philaeus reciprocated the affection, her waters would have numbed him against any emotion.

Philaeus was a detached and dispassionate villain. Their enemy.

And her captor.

***

Oreius shoved his hands through his locks.
Think.

There had to be a way to restore this well, to save Nysa. How? He dug through the bottom stones, but the waters were gone, and his hands sifted through dry soil.