Moon Borne (Halcyon Romance Series Book 1) (27 page)

She smoothed the sheets. This was not the Amazon camp. Just because Arsenius was a warrior did not mean he lived by a soldier’s code. Perhaps she’d wrongly assumed too many things.

His fingers gripped the doorframe. “We’ve set sail for my buyer. I shall leave you to rest.”

She bit down hard on her lip as the door closed behind him. Damn. Arsenius had denied she was his mate, yet what if his affections ran deeper than he dared voice? After all, he’d fought the minotaur for her. He’d apologized for her suffering, and he’d cared for her last night with far more tenderness than her injuries merited.

They shared nothing but passion. She’d told him so, yet lust wasn’t the cause of this pang of anguish in her heart, was it?

Kyme dressed in her Amazon clothing and weapons and, for the first time in her life, doing so didn’t make her feel…whole.

***

“You have to tell her, Captain.” Thereus poured another shot of rum and set the cup in front of Arsenius. The centaur had ordered the men out of the Mess and the room had quickly cleared. The ship’s crew knew better than to be in the vicinity of their captain’s foul mood.

Arsenius had ventured to his cabin to apologize to Kyme for last night, but it was just so damn difficult. How could he declare what he yearned to when those very words would cause her to flee from him? It gutted him not to tell Kyme he loved her. To declare how her very presence stole his breath and caused his heart to cease beating. He yearned to embrace her, kiss her, and tell her the things a lover did. A husband did. Because, aye, that was what he craved.

Arsenius downed the liquor and winced. He was cursed to thirst for those joys which would forever be out of his reach. “If I tell her, she’ll run.”

“Mayhap, mayhap not. If you don’t, you’ll lose her anyway.”

His scowl deepened. “Like I should listen to you? When have you ever been in love, centaur?”

Thereus tossed his hands up in mock surrender. “I don’t claim to be an expert, but I can tell when two people want each other.” He folded his hands on the table and leaned forward. “What are you waiting for? For her to proposition you?” Thereus snorted, sounding very much like the horse he was. “Kyme’s terrified of the way she feels about you. Being an Amazon, you must realize what falling in love means for her. Be a man and claim her, Captain.” Thereus refilled his cup.

Arsenius stared at the centaur with deadly intent. “What, you’re as wise as your grandsire Cheiron now?” He gulped the liquor and shook his head to clear it. “Even if she bears affection for me, which she doesn’t.” He thrust a finger at Thereus, whose mouth was open, ready to protest. “There is no happy ending for us. I’m cursed by the gods, remember? The best way to love Kyme is to make sure she never returns my devotion. We’re done with this conversation, centaur.” He looked his friend in the eye, daring him to offer anything further.

Thereus paid no heed to the challenge. “You’re going to spend the rest of your life celibate?” Despite the serious tone of their discussion, Arsenius chuckled at the flash of horror in the centaur’s gape. The notion of celibacy was unthinkable to his species.

The idea would have seemed ludicrous to him as well, before he’d met Kyme. Yet he didn’t perceive any other solution. He swallowed another dose of the fiery rum and told Thereus about Hippolyta’s threat.

The centaur crouched back on his haunches and rubbed his jaw. “That’s some predicament. Even Hippolyta isn’t omnipotent. If the Queen is manipulating Kyme, you must protect her. We will all protect her,” he finished, conviction firm in his voice.

Arsenius studied his friend, shaking his head. He’d never done anything to deserve loyalty like Thereus’s. The centaur’s plan sounded perfect. Except Kyme had to seek this life. Had to want
him
.

His emotions were scattered, as haphazard as a shipwreck on a beach. His fists itched for a brawl. Probably why he’d been so brash with the King of Krete this morning. He’d flung the minotaur’s head at that dastard’s feet and stormed off without accepting the treasure chest spilling with gold.

Killing the minotaur wasn’t enough. Sometimes having too much strength was a curse. He craved release. Liquor wasn’t working. He couldn’t make love to Kyme.

“Punch me.”

Thereus blinked at him.

“You heard me, centaur. Hit me. It’s an ord—” His first mate clapped him a good one on the jaw. The force knocked Arsenius backward and the sting was incredible. He swung his legs and bounced back onto his feet, aiming his fist at the centaur. Thereus dodged him at the last second.

Arsenius growled. Hell yes, this was what he craved—an opponent who matched him. Well, so long as he didn’t sink into his war frenzy.

Thereus kicked at him with his front hooves, dodged another of Arsenius’s punches, and spun to kick him with his hind legs. Arsenius grabbed onto one and heaved, flipping the centaur onto his back.

In a blur, he was on top of Thereus, punching, and the two of them grappled for control. As Arsenius squeezed his neck, the centaur managed to get one leg under him and, grunting, he kicked Arsenius off him and into the wall.

The burst of pain was as addictive as an opiate. He had to have more.

Arsenius barreled into Thereus, who had launched to his feet. His friend froze while he pummeled his fists into him. Just as he was about to ask why Thereus wasn’t fighting back, the centaur stepped to the side and Arsenius’s fist made contact with a wooden beam behind him. As he snarled at the pain, Thereus attacked him and it was his turn to hold nothing back.

Damn, this was the other reason why he liked brawling with the centaur. Few men dared to hit him. For some vile reason, he delighted in being struck. He required the pain. Craved it. Perhaps because of those months of being tortured as a slave. At any rate, after his
morphos
, any act of violence had always satiated his frenzy, helping him to keep the beast in check.

He stopped protecting his body and let the punches ram into him, until bruises covered them both. Panting, they slumped together on the floor. The two of them weren’t the sole casualties in the room. A couple of chairs were shattered, tables were overturned, and holes dotted the walls and splintered posts.

“Remind me to pay the carpenter a bonus this month.” He grinned at Thereus, who handed him a bottle of rum. Passing the bottle between them, they rested in silence and nursed their wounds. In Arsenius’s case, both external and internal.

“Captain, Captain.” Jason scampered down the stairs and gaped at the destruction in front of him, the words he’d seemed so ready to blurt stuck on his tongue.

“Focus, lad. What were you sent to tell me?”

His smile widened even more, now with excitement. “A maiden, sir. A
mermayde
. On the rocks. We think she might be dead.”

Aye, to be ten years old again, when such a find was exciting, not horrific. They scrambled to their feet, and Jason led them to the source of the commotion.

Kyme perched in one of the longboats. The man she’d convinced to row it for her stepped aside as Arsenius seized his place.

She scowled at him as he climbed in. “What are you doing? What are those bruises from?”

“This is my ship, Kyme. I might ask you the same question.” He ignored her other inquiry. His body must appear in shambles, but he’d clean later, after most of his injuries had healed. No need to view what the centaur’s fists had done to his face, the blood which would cause him to succumb to his frenzy.

It was good, though. The pain helped him focus.

The crew lowered their boat into the water and he followed Kyme’s directions. Sure enough, as they approached the shore he spotted her. Mermaydes, or Water Borne as they called themselves, weren’t rare, yet they were only detected if they aimed to be.

This one was clearly not out for an afternoon of sunbathing. As he rowed closer, her moans filled the air. She writhed on a rock, half in, half out of the water. He steered the boat alongside the embankment. Before he could stop her, Kyme hopped out and approached the creature.

Arsenius froze in his seat. Something wasn’t right. A cold sweat broke out across his skin and an ache seeped into his groin.

A blue radiance rippled over the mermayde’s body. His gut told him to turn the boat around and get back to his ship. Water Borne were dangerous, unpredictable—why he kept several of them as crew.

“Don’t touch her,” he shouted as Kyme crouched beside the creature. As usual, she didn’t listen to him. Instead, she placed her hand on the maiden’s shoulder and rolled her over.

A loud gasp escaped her.

The instinct to defend his mate shot through him. Arsenius leapt onto the rock, his fists clenched, ready to tear the creature apart if it attacked.

***

“Amazing.” She’d never been so close to a female mermayde. Arsenius kept a few males as crew on his ship, but no females—the more fascinating of the species.

This one before Kyme was incredible. The sea maiden was exquisite, with long locks as dark as squid ink and a deep turquoise tail. As the sunlight beamed across them, her scales shimmered like gemstones. Her glistening skin was creamy and pale, her small body lithe and strong.

An aquamarine luminescence rolled off her in waves as though the creature wasn’t controlling it. When she exercised her skills, what powers did this Water Borne possess?

She’s just like me
. Kyme had never met anyone else who glowed as she did. The gods and goddesses did emit an ethereal radiance. It permeated their very essence and dimmed or brightened with their moods.

Kyme’s glow was different. Hers didn’t signify divinity. It spelled out one thing only—power. As did this sea maiden’s.

As each ripple surged from the mermayde, power pulsed through Kyme’s veins. She laid her hand on the maiden’s shoulder and it burned with her amber light. The two powers connected, and as blue-green and amber mingled, Kyme’s powers strengthened.

The mermayde’s bright turquoise eyes fluttered open. “Help me.” Her plea cut straight through to Kyme’s protective vows.

Two large hands wrapped around her waist and wrenched her away. Kyme blinked, dimly registering those hands as Arsenius’s. He shouted in her ear, but she was too mesmerized by the creature before her to discern his words.

A mermayde. A power like mine. Another creature subject to the whims of the Moon, and a female who desperately needs my protection.

Arsenius whipped her around in his arms and shook her shoulders with vigor. “Kyme, Kyme, listen to me. We must go. Leave her. There’s something very wrong with her.”

Like a mother bear protecting her cub, she snarled, “I will not abandon her. She’s
mine
.” She shoved out of Arsenius’s grasp and scrambled to the maiden’s side. A primal instinct burned within her as she gathered the mermayde in her arms. As they weighed about the same, she wasn’t able to carry her into the longboat without dragging her long tail on the rocks and possibly injuring her.

“Help me,” she barked at Arsenius.

He folded his arms. “Nay. I know not this female. She appears to be as powerful as you. If you can revive her and inquire who she is, I might allow her on board. As it is, her identity is uncertain, and I will not put my men at risk.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Something is…wrong with her.”

Kyme glared at him and refocused her attention on the mermayde. The maiden’s skin was flushed and her tail thrashed against the rock. Ignoring the growl from Arsenius behind her, she stroked the mermayde’s forehead.

Truthfully, even she was apprehensive at the surge she detected when they connected, though she’d be damned if she told Arsenius that little bit of information. The less he knew the better.

“Can you hear me?” The maiden’s eyes flickered open. “My name is Kyme. I’m going to help you. Can you tell me your name?”

She blinked twice. “Aedre. My name is Aedre.”

Kyme shot a scowl at Arsenius.
We have to help her,
she mouthed. He glowered back at her.

Aedre grabbed Kyme’s arm, jerking back her attention. “My mate, you have to find him. Take me to him, please. My mate.”

The love this Water Borne had for her male laced through her desperate plea.
To be able to care for someone so deeply.
Kyme shook herself at the twinge of envy in her gut.
Not relevant. Focus.

“I will if I can. Where can I find your mate, Aedre?”

“I don’t know.” She sobbed and her tears shimmered down her cheeks.

“
Shh
… Tell me, where did you come from?”

“I’m not sure. Oh!” She cried out in pain and curled on her side.

Kyme rubbed Aedre’s back. “Where did you last see him? Aedre, focus, please, you must tell me so I can help you.”

The mermayde panted in labored breaths. “Halcyon, where the Wind and Water Borne train their armies. But, oh.” She gasped and then winced. “You wouldn’t know where it is. You’re not—”

“I do.” Arsenius stepped forward.

Kyme smiled, but Aedre recoiled in fear.

“No, no, stay away from me.” Terror widened her eyes. “Please, keep him from me. Please, you must.”

Kyme shot to her feet between them and blocked his path to the mermayde. Perching her hands on her hips, she waited for his explanation.

He crossed his arms and huffed. “I do not know this maiden, I swear to you.”

“Then why is she terrified of you?”

“Mayhap she has heard tales of the captain of the
Adrasteia
?” He cocked a brow at her, the corner of his mouth turned upward in a smirk. “I am familiar with the place she speaks of. It’s on our course, so I’m willing to give her passage. I will make this offer once. What say you?”

At last, Arsenius was being helpful. Kyme knelt next to Aedre. “Listen to me. You can trust me and you can trust him. I will take you to his ship and I vow I will return you to this Halcyon.” She extended her hand to aid the maiden to sit.

Aedre clasped Kyme’s hand and eased forward. “This ship of yours, is the crew male?”

She nodded, frowning at the odd question.

The color drained from her face. “No, I cannot. I cannot come with you.”