Moon Borne (Halcyon Romance Series Book 1) Page 16

  That had been her first error.

  The second was not calling out to Arsenius when she’d realized the creature behind her was a predator, and it was closing in. She’d detected his men fighting, though, and they’d required his aid. Foolishly, she’d presumed she could take care of her pursuer on her own.

  Her third, and possibly most fatal mistake had landed her in this cell. She’d whirled about, only to come face to chest with a hideous beast. Horns as long as her arms curled out from either side of his head. His snout and feral red eyes were planted upon a face that was half-human, half-beast.

  The minotaur’s body was more human than she’d envisioned, though the skin of the vast, muscled expanse of his chest was a deep red. Dark, prickly fur covered his bull-like legs.

  From a distance, the minotaur wouldn’t have stood a chance against Kyme’s bow. This close, it was a useless weapon. She’d dropped the bow and used the sole weapon able to incapacitate him.

  Her hands had glowed as she’d forced her energy into a single blast to the beast’s chest.

  Yet his lips had curved in a cruel sneer, and in that moment, panic in its purest form had swept over her. The blast had deflected off the minotaur’s chest and shot back at her.

  Never before had she suffered the sting of her own bite. Indeed, the only thing that had saved her life was the fact she hadn’t fully recharged her powers. Had she done so, she would not have been lying in this cell. Though she would have been lying on the earth for sure, awaiting her funeral pyre.

  As she’d gasped for air, writhing on the forest floor, the beast had bent to her, the sulphurous stench of his breath filling her nostrils.

  “I had expected more from you, Kyme.”

  His voice had raked through her, deep and menacing. And then she had blacked out.

  Kyme came to with a start on the cold, damp floor. The minotaur knew her name, her powers, and had somehow managed to thwart her attack. No wonder none of the other slavers had dared to accept this mission. They’d underestimated the beast.

  Well, no longer. This would not be a battle of strength, but of wits.

  And only one of them would survive.

  ***

  Arsenius cursed, loathing the intrusion into his mind and despising being forced to stand still while that monster had Kyme. His body compelled him to move, to pretend he was at least advancing toward rescuing her.

  The others were right. She might be anywhere on this damned island. As desperate as he was to rip through every mountain, tear apart every tree with his bare hands, that would take an eternity. Time she did not have. The minotaur’s game was one of the mind, not strength of the body; therefore, his defeat lay in playing by those rules.

  He unclenched his fists. Time enough later to shred the beast to pieces. He would make sure of it.

  “Finished, Captain.” Venn seized a deferential stride backward. “‘Twould seem the beast chose to show you the truth, yet hide it from us. Verily, he did employ a Portal to pass through the rock—a doorway.” He cast an open hand toward the rock face behind them. “She is inside this mountain, but minotaurs are experts in designing labyrinths. We could search this mountainside for a decade and still not determine a passage of entry.”

  Arsenius growled at this bringer of unwelcome news. He very much needed to rip something apart. He cared not who or what it was.

  Lucky for Venn, Thereus stepped between them. “That may be true, my friend, but there is always more than one way in. We’ll penetrate this fortress like wind and water. A tunnel must exist somewhere. If we can but get close enough, the beast’s arrogance will coax him out. I do believe he wishes to fight Arsenius.”

  He growled low in his throat, confirming the willingness to fight was reciprocated on his part.

  “Good, make haste.” Venn strode to the rock face and flattened his palm against the stone. “We have few precious hours until the sun sets. I will stay and attempt to break the Portal’s wards.”

  Thereus divided the group into two, one to circle above and one below at the base. Neither side was to engage without meeting with the other first. Once inside, they would encounter a vast maze, the likes of which could force a man to wander for the rest of his life. They required a proper plan. Some bloody piece of string as the hero Theseus had used eons ago wouldn’t work. Lucky for them, they’d brought along a canister of gunpowder. They’d mark a trail with it, igniting the gunpowder once they’d retrieved Kyme and killed the beast.

  Rather than command the other band, Thereus stuck with Arsenius. If he even caught a hint of Kyme’s scent, there was no telling what he would do. Except clear, logical reasoning would not be a part of it.

  Around the mountain they went, at the quickest pace the men were able to manage while keeping eyes and ears open for possible entry points.

  Arsenius cared for nothing. Not the burning ache in his thighs, not the sweat dripping from his brow. His concern focused on Kyme, how he’d failed her, how if the minotaur… No, he wasn’t going there. I will save her. He hadn’t defended his sister because he hadn’t been strong enough. Now, he was a hardened warrior, so he would liberate Kyme.

  Thereus’s hand shot out, his finger pointing at something in the distance. A cave. An opening, perhaps. He inhaled deeply, but no delicate scent drifted from the cavern. She’s probably deep underground.

  Snarling, Arsenius stalked toward the cave’s entrance. “Come out, you bastard. Come out and face me like a man. Or a beast, I care not. You’re a coward, hiding in your cave, like a child behind its mother’s skirts.” After a few minutes of taunting the beast, he fell silent and waited for a reply. None came. He growled and the echoes of his curses reverberated off the cavern’s empty walls.

  “Enough, Arsenius.” Thereus clasped his shoulder. “If the beast will not come to us—”

  “Then we will go to it,” he finished, his resolve strengthening.

  Peering into the darkness, he whispered his vow. “I will find you, Kyme.”

  ***

  Kyme jolted awake as Arsenius’s voice echoed in her mind. She rolled onto her back, her heart pounding in her ears. She hadn’t even realized she’d fallen asleep. Her energy blast continued to surge through her body.

  Damn him, that slaver had better not be storming this maze in search of her. She refused to be responsible for his death. He would never locate her inside this maze. No one ever escaped. She closed her eyes and prayed his voice was nothing more than a hallucination.

  By way of her extra sense, she perceived she was deep in the earth. Deep vertically and horizontally. Blast it. Another closed, confined space.

  Well, it was time to stop playing the helpless victim. Only one path led to freedom. Though the odds of her success threatened to choke her, this was a mental battle. Whatever may happen to her body, she refused to relinquish her mind.

  She crawled to the wall that was lighter than the rest and extended a finger to poke its surface. A shockwave rolled through her body, knocking her to the ground.

  As she gasped and struggled to regain her breath, her mind processed her situation. The surface of the wall rippled where she’d tapped it. Damn, a force field.

  Yet not a very strong one. One corner of her mouth lifted. Quite capable of being broken, actually.

  After staggering to her feet, she limped backward to the opposite wall. She had one attempt at this, as slamming into a force field was not an action her body could perform multiple times. Either she broke through on the other side or… She gulped, unwilling to consider the other possibility.

  Pumping her legs to gain momentum, she focused her energy, igniting her hands, arms, shoulders, and torso. The bright amber illuminated her cell as though daylight filled the chamber.

  Shoulder first, she slammed into the force field. The barrier should have deflected her, but instead her body tipped forward. With all of the grace of dripping honey, she slipped through.

  Time passed with awkward slowness until the field released her
and her body crashed to the ground. Her vision blurred as pain became the sole sensation in her body. Her lungs strained to suck in air, but she might as well have been underwater.

  Still, she fought not to lose this battle, to remain conscious. Seconds ticked by, passing like hours. At last, she was able to rasp in air. Only breathing hurt worse than not. As the breath traveled through her body, a burning pang seared deep inside her chest.

  Something’s broken. The awareness helped her to focus. Instead of taking in the deep lungfuls of oxygen her body craved, she forced her lungs to breathe shallowly. The thundering in her head cleared, as did her vision. After a few minutes, the discomfort in her body was not all-consuming, but rather focused on a few specific areas. Ribs. One or more was broken or bruised.

  Another pang shot across her right arm. No, her shoulder. Dislocated? Ugh. Punching through the wall might not have been her best plan, after all. What was the alternative? To sit and wait for her captor to come and play with her? Never.

  Thankfully, her injuries did not endanger her life. Perhaps she could jab her shoulder back into its proper joint. If not, it was a good thing she fought as well with her left hand as with her right. Her fingers closed around the hilt of the dagger in her boot.

  A very good thing indeed.

  ***

  This cave had been a complete waste of time. Arsenius cursed yet again. He was so bloody frustrated. They wasted precious time. Each minute they remained above, Kyme might be suffering.

  Nay, don’t even think it. Becoming emotional and weeping like a child will not help her. Focusing and keeping your head clear will. Kyme would fight the minotaur tooth and nail. She was strong. She wouldn’t give up, or give in. Neither would h—

  A searing spasm dragged him to his knees. The pain not in his body, but in hers.

  “No.” He roared and threw back his head. He didn’t care to ponder how he sensed her suffering. His mate needed him. Now.

  With renewed vigor, he traversed the mountainside, his powerful thighs eating up the distance with ease. He would not squander any more time. Once he reached the others, he’d inquire whether they’d found a way in.

  If they hadn’t? Then to hell with the logical approach.

  He was going to dig his own damned tunnel.

  Arsenius’s men matched pace with him, blindly following their captain into the coming night. Bless his loyal crew, not one grumbled. In fact, he caught his men whispering, voicing their concerns for Kyme. They weren’t doing this out of fealty to him, but to Kyme. In such a short time, she’d made one hell of an impression on them.

  Two more caves proved as fruitless as the first, but he refused to abandon hope that the others had more success.

  At last, they completed their circle. He left his men to rest as he and Thereus consulted with Venn.

  “I may have discerned a way through the wards.” The Wind Borne rubbed his hands together. “It won’t be elegant, and the moment we crack through, he’ll know.”

  Arsenius shrugged at the winged male’s warning. “That concerns me not.”

  “Didn’t think it would.” Venn grinned.

  “Well, what are you waiting for?”

  “Absolutely nothing, Captain.” He hastened to the Portal and focused once more.

  Arsenius was impressed with Venn’s progress. Portals required a set of passwords—a series of words spoken in the right language and with the correct intent of heart—in order to pass through. The minotaur’s wards had to be powerful, yet Venn seemed sure of his ability to break them. Damn, the winged male had proven infinitely useful. Praise that clever centaur for hiring him.

  He collapsed onto a rock and hung his head in his hands. A radiance fell across him, and he tilted his face upward. The sun had set and the Moon gleamed high in the sky. Bloody hell, as though he’d solicited more reminders of Kyme.

  ***

  Despite her convincing arguments, Kyme remained sprawled on the labyrinth’s cold, hard rock floor. Every time she persuaded her body to move, the searing pain of her injuries struck her anew. She blinked back tears. Despair threatened to overwhelm her.

  As she dug deep within herself, the will to struggle to her feet thrived not within any of her strengths, but in the fear that by not doing so, Arsenius would suffer. If for no other reason, she must find an exit before he discovered an entrance. She refused to be responsible for what would surely prove to be a death sentence for him.

  At last, she struggled to her feet, wheezing. Her ribs would be fine so long as she drew no deep breaths. Her shoulder, however… She would need to force the joint back into its proper position.

  Kyme trembled as her right arm hung useless at her side. If only someone was with her to perform the procedure. Prodding her injury, she determined how severe it was and in which direction to push. She bit her lip in an attempt to silence the warning she might further injure herself. Warriors made tough decisions. In this cell, she was as good as dead anyway.

  She would have left her shoulder alone, but those with divine blood in their veins healed quickly. If she did nothing, her body would heal around her injury, thereby permanently rendering her arm lame. Disfigured. She’d never be able to use her bow again, and she’d only ever have one hand to fight with.

  That sealed it.

  She examined the walls for a place with smooth rock. With her resolve strengthened, she retreated to the rock face at her back. Preparing to ram her shoulder forward and upward, she angled toward the wall. I can do this. Kyme released her breath and charged.

  ***

  Kyme was floating. No, rocking. Upon a ship, the ocean’s briny scent filled her nostrils. Warmth and dark spice enveloped her. A delightful pressure encircled her, like a lover’s embrace. Wait, no, those were arms. The glorious, strong arms of her male were wrapped tightly around her as he nuzzled the back of her neck.

  Leaning back, she sighed in contentment. Arsenius desired her regardless of who she was, or what powers she possessed. He’d never even mentioned her gift. Though she would never love him, she did care for him. This one male was worthy of her trust.

  Long, muscular fingers worked their way along her body. He knew just where she craved him. His rich voice whispered in her ear, sweet morsels of the pleasures he would give her, where he would touch her, taste her. His hands played across her body, igniting a fire of lust. Heat flooded her, the blaze augmenting.

  Suddenly, her body was uncomfortable. Too hot. At the same time, so very cold. She shivered. She burned. How could one be on fire and set in ice?

  Though the tightness remained about her, Arsenius’s hands blurred out of focus as he drifted away. “No, stay with me.” Her heart wrenched; he was deserting her. No. Tears flowed down her cheeks, and she struggled for breath. “Don’t leave me.” She wiped her tears and fought not to free any others. Her vision bleary, she caught a glimpse of his grey eyes, of the curve of his sensuous lips, his masculine jaw. A face she’d memorized. Now, this memory was all she would ever have.

  Kyme slammed back into consciousness, the dream ripped from her.

  The unforgiving stone floor. The darkness. The pain. No, not darkness. She blinked and her clouded mind registered a luminescence. My hands. No, her whole body glowed, though the radiance was fading. That explained the burning—she’d called upon her powers.

  Gods, her chest hurt, and not because of her injuries. To have been so close to Arsenius, only to have him torn away. Tears threatened once more, stinging her eyes.

  I will find you, Kyme.

  His words echoed through her mind, doubling her misery. A sob escaped her lips. No, he must not come for me.

  I must escape. I’m not a helpless damsel. Though her shed tears argued otherwise.

  Kyme attempted to roll over. A pang shot through her shoulder and she cried out. Terror flooded her, settling heavy in her gut. What have I done? The joint ached less, but fixing it had knocked her unconscious. Vulnerable. Damn. It would have been wiser to leave the joint alone. S
he should have anticipated the pain would cause her to black out.

  How many hours had passed? It was afternoon when she’d been abducted. Now, it was… She frowned. Her gift of the Moon allowed her to sense where the celestial being was in its cycles about the Earth and the Sun, to discern the time of day from its position. Her senses told her it was once again late afternoon.

  A cold sweat broke out across her skin as panic joined the terror in her gut. An entire day had passed. Where was her captor? Was he aware she’d escaped her cell? Why hadn’t he brought her food or water?

  Did he deposit me here to die?

  Which was worse—to be abandoned or not? She would be able to last four days without water. Already one had passed. How many days would pass until she claimed her freedom?

  One thing was certain. Sitting in this prison, she was no closer to her escape. She required a plan, a way to mark the tunnels she traveled within so she didn’t revisit the same ones. Yet she had nothing on her, no weapon, except… Yes, she would have to call upon her powers, though it would drain her eventually.

  She rose on unsteady feet, bracing the walls to support her weight. After scorching the wall with her fire, she limped left.

  ***

  “How about you stop pacing before you furrow a trench to Hades?” Thereus lifted a brow, his jest obviously an attempt at distraction.

  Arsenius scowled at his friend’s futile effort. After he’d related the details of their sojourn in the Amazon camp to the centaur, he’d begun this pacing. Anything to pry his mind off the memories coiling like vipers around his heart, readying to strike their death blows.

  The winged male had chipped at the Portal’s wards the entire night and the damn minotaur had yet to make an appearance. Where was he? Coward. Bloody hell, if he harmed Kyme. No, don’t. Don’t.

  Arsenius let out a deep breath. The only way he retained his sanity was by not pondering that far ahead. He focused on the ground beneath his feet, the tiny plants and grass he pounded into dust as he passed the time pacing. Aye, he’d made a nice little trench.