Moon Borne (Halcyon Romance Series Book 1) Read online

  Still, it didn’t sit right with him. His chest was too tight, and he was unable to stop twitching. It was as though his body did the ruminating his mind refused to do.

  The conversation he’d had with Thereus before his friend had left tormented him, churning over and over again in his mind. The centaur, being his usual, smug self, had only lasted a few days without voicing his opinion.

  “Just go to her, Captain,” Thereus had not-so-timidly offered.

  “Remind me, why I should listen to your advice, centaur?” he had retorted. “Every bloody time I’ve followed your damn advice, it has resulted in the worst. No more than I should have expected, seeing as how you’re as much of an expert in love as Aphrodite is in weaponry.”

  They’d argued for a few minutes, and then, their standoff had given rise to this little mission of Thereus’s. They’d both required some space, some time apart.

  His mind revolved to the centaur’s main argument. What if Kyme hadn’t had enough time? Who was to say that, if in the month they’d spent together she didn’t love him, she never would?

  People fell in love at different rates. Who had made up these bloody rules anyway?

  Damn. He raked his hands through his sweat-slicked hair and cursed. The more Arsenius contemplated their situation, the more he fathomed how grave a mistake he may have made. And what he was going to have to do. The sole way to silence these voices in his head was to go on a suicide mission.

  I must see Kyme again. This time, he’d search her eyes. The truth would shine in those depths. Whatever it was, he would survive. Or so he hoped.

  As he sheathed his sword, a brilliant light flashed beside him. His nose caught a hint of lavender. Persephone. Sinking to one knee, he bowed his head before the goddess.

  “Be at ease, warrior.” She brushed his arm and he rose. “I have been waiting, Arsenius. Too long, I might add.”

  His brows drew together. “Waiting, my Lady?”

  “For you, warrior, to grasp the truth.”

  “Which would be…?”

  Persephone smiled in reply and slipped an amethyst ring off her finger. “This is for your Kyme.”

  “My Lady?” His frown deepened as he accepted the ring.

  Her laughter twinkled like a thousand shimmering bells. “Oh, Arsenius. Do you not see? The moment you pledged your allegiance to me, she did as well.”

  Arsenius struggled to breathe as his pulse thundered in his ears. Her vow hadn’t worked because no oath to Artemis ever would again. Persephone was Kyme’s new mistress.

  Does this mean she loves me?

  Ah, damn, he was such a bastard. He’d sent her away. Cast her aside. Probably broke her heart. All because he’d placed more faith in a bloody rock than in her.

  Because he’d concluded he was doing the right thing. Being selfless and all that. Bloody hell. He rubbed his face in his hands. What am I to do? Kyme must hate him. She should. He loathed himself. His arrogance had hurt them both.

  He regarded the goddess, hoping for some direction from her. “Does she love me?”

  She smiled at him. “I cannot tell you. There is only one place you will find your answer. Trust your own heart, Arsenius.”

  Persephone carved a Portal in the air. Tall and wide enough for him to pass through, the shimmering air shone with the goddess’s violet glow. “Go to her, warrior. It is not too late. Love will always endure.”

  He straightened his shoulders. I still have a chance. This time, he wouldn’t permit anything to come between them.

  Before he stepped through the Portal, Arsenius stole one last glimpse of Halcyon. His work here fulfilled him, as he never had been before. Yet without Kyme, he was nothing. He’d abandon everything for her. Even the search for his sister.

  His decision was made. Love was about sacrifice, after all. Kyme mattered more to him than anything else.

  Arsenius dipped his head toward Persephone and faced the Portal.

  Steeling his resolve, he stepped through.

  ***

  Arsenius. Kyme’s heart pounded against her ribs, brimming with hope, too large for her chest. She longed to collapse in his arms, breathe in his scent, and delight in his strength surrounding her.

  Her feet remained planted, exhibiting more sense than the rest of her.

  Betray nothing or they will kill him. The warning in her head was right. The Amazons still might execute her. She kept her focus on the ground, not daring to risk revealing her emotions in front of the others.

  Why is he here? Damned, fool-headed slaver. The Queen was the only one who possessed the authority to order his execution on these sacred grounds. And… Her throat went dry. My mark is upon him. Kyme would be the one to sink the dagger into his flesh.

  No! Terror seized her and taunted her with a new reason to be frozen. She ought to warn him to flee, but her tongue wouldn’t form the words. Any words. Gods, he had the most awful timing. Couldn’t he have done this before she’d committed treason? Or after the Queen had already decided on her punishment?

  It seemed all too clear what fitting penance would be asked of her.

  Kill him. Shuddering, Kyme shuddered imagined the words dripping from the Queen’s lips.

  Arsenius stepped forward and knelt beside her, in front of Hippolyta. He faced the ground, waiting to be acknowledged.

  “Why have you ventured to our sacred home, son of Ares?” The Queen’s frigid tone caused dread to pool in Kyme’s stomach.

  “Queen Hippolyta, I humbly request to be taken as your slave.”

  Around her, the women let out exclamations. Some of shock. Others shouted it must be some kind of trick. A few made lustful declarations of acceptance. She dug her nails into her palms to stop from declaring Arsenius was hers.

  The Queen raised her hand and all were silenced. “Your offer intrigues me, yet you are marked and therefore of no use to us for breeding. Only one can claim you.” Mischief sparked in Hippolyta’s tone. “Yet she has declared she is no longer one of us.”

  Kyme held her breath. Has the Queen granted my freedom?

  “Well, Kyme? What say you?” Her godmother waved for her to raise her head, and she complied. “Will you claim this male?”

  Bracing, she dared to steal a glimpse of Arsenius. He must have sensed her, for he met her gaze. Those beautiful charcoal depths flashed silver. He came for me.

  He loved her enough to enslave himself. Again. For anyone else, it was a grand gesture. But for him? It was the greatest sacrifice.

  “Yes.” She squared her shoulders. “I claim him. He is mine.”

  A smile lit his eyes, and she grinned back at him. She bowed her head once more before Hippolyta. “I will face whatever punishment you have chosen for me.” She didn’t tremble, didn’t experience any fear. Not with Arsenius beside her.

  “My child.” The Queen rose from her throne and did something she hadn’t in years, not since Kyme had been a small child.

  Her godmother embraced her. Shock was replaced by warmth and Kyme savored the affection. “I only wish for you to be happy, my Kyme. That is all I have ever wanted for you.” Hippolyta smoothed back her hair, cupped her face in both hands, and bent to kiss Kyme’s forehead. “If this male brings you happiness, you have my blessing. Though you will not walk among us, you will always be an Amazon. Never forget your birthright.” The Queen released her, and Kyme faced Arsenius.

  Now she trembled. So many things to say to him, yet she was speechless. It didn’t matter. Arsenius found another use for her mouth.

  He rose and swept her into his arms. She melted against his strength, warmed by his love. His lips claimed hers and she forgot the world.

  ***

  Perfection. Arsenius didn’t need Kyme to speak the words in order to be certain she loved him. It was here, in the way she’d chosen him above everything else. In the way her body met his, trusted his strength, and matched his passion with her own.

  He’d never forget this. Never forget what she had renounced for th
em. He broke their kiss, and clutching her to his chest, regarded her godmother. He’d been wrong about Hippolyta. Granted, she’d played the part well. Had him convinced she’d do all she threatened—that she would harm her goddaughter to punish Arsenius.

  Studying her, he understood. Hippolyta loved her goddaughter. She’d been willing to do and say anything to make sure Kyme was safe.

  The Queen deserved more than to be abandoned. “Kyme will always be an Amazon. Her people will always have our loyalty. Should you ever require her unique talents, she will fight with you.”

  The Queen shook her head. “Her powers run with her chastity, so I’m afraid not.”

  Kyme hadn’t told them? Judging by the way she tensed in his arms, she hadn’t.

  His shoulders slumped, even more humbled by the Queen’s loss.

  “My vow of chastity has already been broken.” Kyme squared her shoulders. “Artemis has permitted me my gift so long as I retain his love.”

  Huh? He frowned. Why hadn’t she told him this? Oh, right, because he was the bastard who cast her aside.

  The women around them spoke at once, their words cluttering the air.

  Amidst the rumble, Arsenius pressed his lips to Kyme’s forehead.

  “I love you,” she blurted. Fear flickered in those blue depths and she angled her face away, as though he wouldn’t accept her words.

  “I know,” he murmured. “I love you too, Kyme. Forgive me, I did not believe you. My pride overruled my heart.” He brushed a finger along her cheek.

  She tilted her face upward, her brows drawn together. “How? How can you be so sure?”

  “The same way you know I love you, Kyme. I see it in your eyes. I feel it in your touch. I trust it in my heart.” He bent and sealed his declarations with a kiss. “I have something for you.” He removed Persephone’s ring from his pocket. Sliding Artemis’s ring off her finger, he replaced it with the amethyst.

  “What’s this?”

  “I might have had some sense knocked into me by Persephone.” He winked at her.

  Her eyes widened, and she snatched his dagger from his waist, slicing her finger.

  “You don’t have to—”

  “I swear to my mistress Persephone that I love you.” The stone absorbed the droplets and glowed violet. Her blue eyes danced with childlike joy and she bit her lip, suppressing a laugh. He chuckled and picked her up, swinging her around and freeing her laughter.

  “I know you do, my love. I know you do.” He kissed her and whispered against her lips. “I was a fool to ever let you leave. Will you grant me another chance to fight for you, for us, for our love?”

  “Yes, and I will fight by your side. Always.”

  At her words, the heaviness inside his chest, the weight upon his shoulders, eased. He wasn’t sure, but he sensed mayhap, just mayhap, his cursed had been lifted.

  That he was finally free to be loved.

  With Kyme by his side, they would face the world together.

  The Queen cleared her throat, causing the two of them to shift their attention to her. Arsenius took the opportunity to inform Hippolyta of the wager and the army Persephone and Hades were forming.

  “My Queen, with your permission, I’d like to bring some of my sisters with me.” Kyme knelt once more before her godmother. “Will the Amazons join the fight they once began so long ago in Troy? When the world declares war, will you side again with your allies from eons ago?”

  “Your allegiance would mean everything to us, Queen Hippolyta.” Arsenius bowed.

  The Queen studied them and whispered a few words with the consultants at her side. They nodded in agreement. “Of course, Kyme. Our loyalty, once forged, cannot be swayed. The Amazons will fight with our allies as we always have. You have my permission to enlist as many as will go.” At the Queen’s declaration, shouting rose from the women.

  Kyme grinned up at Arsenius.

  Truly, who didn’t love going to war?

  ***

  Later that evening, as they reclined beside a roaring fire, Kyme and Arsenius made their plans.

  “What happens now?” She hoped he had an answer, for she hadn’t planned beyond venturing here.

  “Well, after I’ve made love to you for several days…” His heated stare never failed to ignite her blood. “I’ll send word to Gaven for a ship to retrieve us in a few days, or a few weeks. I’m sure we can find some way to pass the time.” His hand shifted lower and she moaned, praying it would be a few weeks.

  Teasing her, he drew back his hand. “We have much to do. I’ve been working with Nazrin and Thereus at Halcyon. Training soldiers, amassing new recruits, and creating a naval fleet. Your Amazon sisters must be trained as well.” He grinned at her, his warmth spreading to her very soul.

  For nearly a century and a half, her life had been predictable, unchanging. Now, before her stretched a new path. One whose course would never be smooth or easy. That was also what made it so thrilling.

  Only one sadness marred this happy time.

  “What news of your sister?”

  He tensed. “I’ve not heard back from my men. Nothing can be done yet. I suppose it’s time for more waiting.” As he shrugged, she wrapped her arms around him, and he sank into her embrace.

  “At least she is safe. I trust Persephone. She wouldn’t abuse our loyalty. If she knew any ill had befallen Lena, she would have told us.” Though he nodded, she sensed a part of him would never be whole until he saw his sister safe with his own eyes. If Persephone was right, Lena would be restored to them in time.

  For now, they had each other.

  ***

  Kyme in his arms, Arsenius reclined beneath the Moonlight and the stars, staring into the flames of the fire. Like him, Kyme would never cease to search for Lena. The protective streak in her ran deep. Now she was his, and everything he had was hers as well.

  She chatted away about her activities since he’d last seen her. He loved the lilt of her voice, the tinkling of her laughter. Other parts of him also stirred, eager to show her how much she was appreciated.

  Mine, the beast inside him declared.

  Aye, he calmly told it. Mine forever.

  Tightening his grip around her, Arsenius held Kyme, certain he’d never let go. He breathed in the scent of her hair, rubbing his cheek against her chestnut locks. She eased against him and for a while, they stared at the stars above.

  At last, she broke the silence. “I still don’t understand one thing.” She twisted about and peered at him with those lovely, midnight blue eyes. “This place is a remote Amazon camp. How did you know to search for me here?”

  He grinned back at her. The answer was simple.

  “I told you, my love. I will always find you.”

  *****

  Olympian – the lingua franca (common tongue) of the gods and their descendants.

  potamoi – a river demon

  raptio – sexual slaves

  Adrasteia – Arsenius’s brigantine. Named after his half-sister, the goddess of revenge and balance.

  morphos – a shift in form, whether permanent or temporary. E.g. when a centaur changes form from a centaur to a human, he undergoes the morpos.

  chalkos, argyros, and chrysos – three passwords to the symposium, meaning copper, silver, and gold.

  asphodelus, eros, aionios – three passwords to Halcyon, meaning daffodil, love, and eternal.

  This story is especially dear to me because it represents the first moment when I realized I could actually pursue my dream of writing. Moon Borne received such amazing feedback—from my lovely critique partners, to contest wins, and even agents and editors. I’m beyond thrilled to finally be sharing it with my readers, and I hope they will love this series as much as I do.

  Moon Borne really embodies my writing journey as a whole, and as such, there’s an impossible number of people to thank—but I’ll try. I would never have gained my first boost of confidence without FTHRW and their amazing critique group. Thank you to all the
ladies who read the earliest versions of this story and helped set me on this path. I wouldn’t be anywhere without my fabulous critique partners, Miguella, Renee, Samantha, Josie, and Jo. And Alison, this is the story that made you have to be my friend (haha), and for that I’m so grateful.

  To my wonderful beta readers, Ashley, Nicola, Pat, Cassandra, Bonnie, April, and Gina, thank you so much for your insightful feedback.

  I have an awesome street team, Rachael’s Rush Hour, whose support and enthusiasm reminds me every day of why I love to share my stories. Thank you, ladies!

  Kelley Heckart, my fantastic copy editor, thank you for always doing such a great job at polishing my words. Thank you to Novel Art Designs for this beautiful cover!

  Karie, my ninja PA, I can never thank you enough for always being there, day or night.

  I’m so fortunate to have had my family stand by me, supporting and encouraging throughout the years it has taken to get here. It has been an amazing journey and I’m so glad to have you with me on it. Hugs and kisses.

  Thank you all for taking this ride with me!

  Rachael has explored forgotten temples in Cambodia, kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland, and stood inside the Roman Coliseum. She loves studying people and cultures, current and ancient. Her appetite for romance began with Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, which she later nurtured with a healthy dose of Jane Austen.

  As a writer of scorching hot fantasy romance, Rachael blends the lines between mythology, reality, and fantasy. In her worlds, you’ll encounter strong, sexy alpha males and the capable women who challenge them. If her heroines can’t meet their heroes toe-to-toe, then they’ll bring them to their knees.

  No matter what torture she puts her characters through, true love will always prevail. Love is, after all, the most powerful force on Earth, and beyond.

  Rachael holds an Honours BA in anthropology, as well as a CELTA. Her secret indulgence is her passion for baking, which she offsets with her addiction to running (she’s completed four marathons). She resides on the West Coast of British Columbia, Canada, with her husband, two children, cat, and dog.