Elysia had made the soul mate bond sound like a good thing, but Delia had called it a curse. Was it a curse? Had he missed something in his rush to make Elysia his?
Scowling, Demetrius pinned Cerek with a hard look. “I guarantee Zeus knew about this. That’s why he took Elysia.”
Cerek’s spine stiffened.
“You don’t know that,” Ari said.
“Why else would he take her?” Demetrius glared at the Argonaut. “Immortal law states Zeus can choose any female from the age of twenty to join the Sirens. She’s twenty-five. Why did he wait five years? I’ll tell you why. Because he didn’t know she was Cerek’s fucking soul mate until recently.”
Ari held up his hands. “D, you need to dial it down a notch, because you’re jumping to all kinds of conclusions that make no sense. How would Zeus even know that? The soul mate bond is Hera’s curse, not his.”
“Which Zeus clearly discovered when he fucked with your son’s head.”
A warning tingle raced down Cerek’s spine, one that grew in intensity even when Elysia squeezed his hand in reassurance.
“So you’re saying Zeus set this up?” the queen asked. “Forced them together so they’d be drawn to each other? Why would he do that?”
“Hell if I know,” Demetrius answered, leveling a look on Cerek again. “Maybe so she’d do exactly what she did and bring him back here to Argolea. The soul mate bond is, after all, a curse. And we still don’t know what Zeus has planned for him.”
“This is bullshit.” Ari stepped forward. “You’re letting your personal feelings about this binding interfere with rational thought. There’s nothing wrong with Cerek.”
“Maybe not,” Demetrius answered. “Then again, the soul mate curse fucked you up for a good fifty years. Maybe that’s all Zeus is banking on here. That, like father, like son, the curse will tear him down the way it did you. And in the process destroy the rest of us.” He glared at Cerek once more. “I’m not about to let that happen.”
That weird energy tingled stronger, urging Cerek to leave, to flee, to search. The one he didn’t understand but knew instinctively was somehow related to all this.
“I don’t care what you think might happen,” Elysia said to her father in a hard voice once more. “And I’m done listening to your theories about Zeus and what he may or may not have planned for Cerek. This male is an Argonaut. He’s your kin. And he survived twenty-five years of hell to come back to this realm and the people who are supposed to care for him. If you can’t accept him for who he is now, then you can’t accept me. We’re bound, whether you like it or not. And that means where he goes, I go, even if that’s out of this castle forever.”
Cerek glanced Elysia’s way. At her strong jaw, determined chin, and the fire in her dark eyes as she met her father’s gaze. No one believed in him the way she did. No one had ever stood up for him the way she just had. Warmth and love pushed aside the weird energy. A love he planned to show her tenfold as soon as they were alone.
“Come on, Cerek.” Stepping back, she pulled him with her toward the door. “This conversation is over.”
Relief trickled through Cerek.
“Elysia.” Demetrius’s voice rang out. Stopping in the doorway, they both turned and looked back. “Stay within the castle walls.”
“Is that an order?” she asked.
“No.” Demetrius’s shoulders relaxed. “It’s a request. At least until we can send word to Olympus that you’re…bound.”
Elysia nodded. Looking up at Cerek, she said, “Are you okay with that?”
Cerek wanted nothing more than to leave this castle for good, but he didn’t say so. He nodded. Because more than fleeing, he wanted Elysia to be happy, and he knew she never would be until she mended her tattered relationship with her parents.
He just hoped she did so before whatever this odd energy was grew too strong to resist.
“You know, if you can’t sleep,” Elysia said, rolling to her side and propping her head on her hand, “I can think of something way more exciting for you to do right here in this bed than staring out the window.”
Cerek turned from the moonlit view of the city with a half grin that warmed Elysia’s insides. “Sorry if I woke you. I thought you were asleep.”
“I can’t sleep when you’re stressing.”
“I’m not stressing.”
She huffed. “You’ve been pacing. I know the sounds of an anxious male. Have you met my father?”
Frowning, he leaned back against the windowsill and crossed his arms over his chest, the movement pulling at the thin white T-shirt he wore over all those strong, sexy muscles she wanted to trace with her tongue. “I’m not like your father.”
She smiled, because deep down, he was exactly like her father—gentle, loving, protective—which was part of the reason she was so attracted to him.
“Your parents are right across the hall, and your father thinks I’m Zeus’s yes-boy. I’m pretty sure I have every reason to stress.”
He did, but that wasn’t why he was so anxious. She couldn’t put her finger on what exactly was bothering him, but she knew it wasn’t just her father’s little rant. The only time he’d seemed like the relaxed Cerek she’d known on Olympus was when they’d left the castle for the binding ceremony. Logic said that should have stressed him out more than anything else, but it hadn’t. Here in the castle, though—anytime he’d been in Tiryns, really—he seemed agitated, unsettled…restless. And she couldn’t stop thinking back to his words in that tent after they’d been bound, when he’d begged her to run away with him.
Tossing back the covers, she threw her legs over the side of the bed and crossed to where he leaned against the sill. “There are at least four doors between us and my parents, who, by the way, are clear across the corridor. They can’t hear us.”
He unfolded his arms as she straddled his legs, and his hands landed at her waist to tickle the silky fabric of her nightgown against her skin. “You know there’s no way your father’s sleeping tonight with me here in this room alone with you.”
“I know.” Elysia brushed her hands over his warm chest and smiled. “But I really don’t care. You’re mine, Guardian.”
She leaned in to kiss him, but he eased back and frowned. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“I’m not a guardian. I might have the markings, but that doesn’t make me an Argonaut.”
“Maybe not yet. But in time, you’ll start to feel like one of them. They’re all thrilled to have you back.”
“All except your father.”
She rolled her eyes. “My father’s just being overprotective.”
“Aren’t you worried he could be right?”
“No.”
“Why not? You heard what he said. It makes sense in a sick sort of way. Zeus killed me, brought me back to life with some kind of magic, and then he took you…five years after he could have taken you. He wouldn’t have done that unless he knew we were soul mates.”
In some way, yes, it made sense. But it was the rantings of a worried father, not of a logical warrior. “Cerek. How would Zeus know that? The Argonauts don’t even know who their soul mates are until they meet them.”
“If he used a witch to wipe my memories, he might know. I don’t know how magic works, just that it does. Your aunt, the healer, said she sensed dark magic in me as well.”
“She said she sensed the residual effects of dark magic. Nothing more.”
“Isn’t that enough to worry you?”
“No.” She shifted her hands to his shoulders and squeezed because she sensed he was growing more agitated by the second “What you’re talking about is some elaborate plan. To what end? To bring you back here so you can destroy the Argonauts as my father predicts? That won’t happen. Memory or not, we both know you wouldn’t hurt them. And as far as Zeus taking me for the Sirens, I think it’s pretty clear he did that to get back at my parents for messing with his plans all these years. It’s no secret he hates my mother and the Argonauts. My father
has no proof, Cerek. He’s just trying to put doubt in your mind so you’ll stay away from me. Well, I’m not falling for it. There’s nothing wrong with you. Absolutely nothing. You’re mine and you’re perfect.”
His dark eyes, filled with so much uncertainty, searched hers. “How can you be so sure?”
She lifted her hands to his face and brushed her palms over the soft stubble along his jaw. “The same way I knew to trust you on Pandora. The same way I knew to believe in you on Olympus. The exact same way I knew binding my soul to yours was the right thing to do. Because I know your heart, and it is good and true and, above all else, honest.”
His eyes slid closed, and as he dropped his forehead against her shoulder, her heart squeezed tight over the stress and worry he was struggling to make sense of. She trailed one hand up and through his silky hair, hoping to reassure him. “No one dictates this life but us. Not my parents. Not Zeus. Just you and me.”
He lifted his head, and his gorgeous brown eyes opened and held on hers. But they were pained eyes. Tormented eyes. Eyes that still didn’t look a bit convinced. “I love you, Elysia. I love you so much it hurts. And I would never, ever do anything to cause you pain or distress.”
“I know that,” she whispered.
“I hope you remember it.”
She had no idea what he was talking about, but her pulse sped up and her heart beat so hard against her ribs as he stared at her, she was afraid it might leave bruises in its wake. Sighing, he wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her close, but he didn’t kiss her as she wanted. Just buried his face in her hair and breathed long, shaky breaths against her neck that sent her own anxiety straight up.
He couldn’t be right. She closed her arms around his shoulders and held him. Her father was just causing problems. There was nothing wrong with Cerek, and she’d do whatever it took to convince him of that fact.
A knock sounded at the outer door of her suite, causing Cerek to draw back. The muscles in his shoulders and legs immediately tensed as he looked toward the living area.
The last thing she wanted was for him to be subjected to another of her father’s rants. Pushing away, she grabbed her robe from the foot of the bed. “I’ll get that. You just get back in that bed so we can finish celebrating our binding the right way.”
He tipped his head and shot her a sexy look. “Not happening. You’re way too loud.”
She slid her arms into the robe and smiled. “Maybe you should gag me, ómorfos.”
His brow lifted, and his suddenly interested expression made Elysia laugh. “Hold that thought, Guardian.”
She tugged the bedroom door closed at her back and tied the sash of her robe as she crossed the living area of her suite. But her mood darkened as she approached the door. She didn’t really want to deal with her father right now either, but the sooner she found out what he wanted, the sooner she could get back to Cerek. Drawing a deep breath, she squared her shoulders, pulled the door open, and faltered when Ari and Daphne smiled her way.
“Hi,” Ari said. “Sorry about the hour. Can we come in for a few minutes?”
“Um. Sure.” Elysia pulled the door open wider so they could both enter. “Cerek?” she called as she shut the door. “It’s your father.”
The bedroom door opened, and Cerek stepped out, his brow drawn low. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Ari crossed to hug him, an action, Elysia noticed, that caused Cerek to tense all over again.
“Nothing’s wrong.” Ari must have felt it too, because he let go just as quickly and glanced toward his mate. “We both just wanted to come over and offer our congratulations.”
“Yes.” Daphne tucked her mahogany hair behind one ear. “We wanted you to know how happy we are for the both of you.”
Elysia’s stomach settled. She looked toward Cerek and smiled. He only continued to frown.
“We also wanted to tell you not to worry about anything Demetrius said.” Ari glanced toward his son. “D’s an ass.” He cringed. “Sorry, Elysia. I meant—”
“I know what you meant.” Elysia’s smile widened. “My father is not always the easiest person to deal with.”
“He’s a lot better since he and your mother were bound. Before that”—Ari rested his hands on his hips and shrugged. “You don’t remember what he was like before, Cerek, but trust me when I say none of the guardians wanted to be around Demetrius any more than they had to be. All this—everything he’s been saying lately, though—it’s only because he’s been so worried about his daughter.” He looked toward Elysia. “Someday, when you two have young of your own, you’ll understand. It nearly killed your father when you were taken. And then when none of us could go after you because of the ramifications that would have on our so-called treaty with Olympus… Well, it was rough.”
“He was continually trying to find ways to rescue you,” Daphne said. “And when Max disobeyed the queen and went to Olympus only to return empty-handed, he was devastated.”
All the animosity Elysia had been feeling toward her father slipped away, and her heart softened. Yes, her father was overbearing and protective and, yes, he was even an ass at times, but he was all of those things because he loved her. As much as she wanted to fault him for that, she couldn’t, because she loved him just as much.
“He’ll come around.” Ari glanced back at Cerek. “He’s just in shock right now. He got his daughter back only to lose her to you. Give the ándras some time.”
Cerek’s gaze met Elysia’s from across the room, and though she still saw worry and doubt in his beautiful brown eyes, she also saw the first stirrings of belief. A belief that gave her hope.
“We also came by,” Ari said, his tone lightening, “because we wanted to give you something.”
Daphne handed Ari a small black box.
“This was your mother’s.” Ari laid the box in Cerek’s hand.
Cerek lifted the hinged lid and stared down at whatever was inside.
“What is it?” Elysia asked, stepping closer.
“Rings,” Ari said. “Gia was fascinated with human culture. Years ago, when the borders between our world and the human realm were more fluid, she used to travel there a lot. She picked these up on one of her trips. When two humans are bound—or married, as they call it—they exchange rings, which they each wear on the fourth fingers of their left hands. Gia thought that was terribly romantic, and she bought these for her and her future mate.” His voice hitched. “Only she never found him.”
Daphne moved closer to Ari and wrapped her arm around his waist. He slid his around her shoulder, tugging her tight to his side. “After, when I was moving your things to my house, yios. I found these in your mother’s things.”
Elysia stepped up next to Cerek and looked down at the twin platinum bands nestled in the velvet box. One was thicker, more masculine, the other thinner and feminine. Both were engraved with ancient Greek words. Words, Elysia realized when Cerek lifted the thicker ring and turned it, that read η ελπίδα είναι η ζωή της αγάπης.
Hope is the life of love.
“They meant a great deal to her,” Ari went on. “I know she’d want you to have them.”
Elysia looked up at Cerek, and when his eyes met hers, she saw the softest shimmer. One that told her even though he might not remember his mother, he felt her love. As strongly as he felt Elysia’s love.
Elysia laid her hand over the markings on Cerek’s forearm and squeezed. He blinked several times and lowered the band back into the box.
“Well.” Ari let go of his mate, and they both moved toward the door. “We should probably go.”
“Yeah.” Cerek closed the lid on the box and followed them toward the door. “Thanks for coming by.” He held up the box. “And for this.”
Daphne stepped out into the hall, but Ari stopped in the doorway and laid his hand on Cerek’s shoulder. “You’re not alone. The Argonauts are all behind you. Even Demetrius. No matter what, we’ve got your back
.”
Cerek nodded, but Elysia couldn’t see his expression.
In the awkward silence that followed, Ari cleared his throat, dropped his hand, and finally left. Cerek stood where he was long seconds as he watched his father and Daphne walk away. Closing the door quietly, he finally turned with the box in his hand.
Nerves gathered in Elysia’s stomach. Unsure how to read him, she clasped her hands at the small of her back and rocked on her heels. “Feel any better?””
“A little.”
A little was better than nothing. “That was very nice of them.”
“Yeah, it was.” He stopped in front of her and opened the box, turning it so she could see inside. “What do you think of these?”
“I think your mother had very good taste.”
“Yeah,” he said softly, looking down. “So do I.”
“And I think she was a very brave female.”
“Why do you say that?”
She reached up to brush the hair back from his temple. “Because she picked your father. Whether or not it was love doesn’t matter. They made you, and she chose to have you in a time when it couldn’t have been easy for a gynaíka in this realm to raise a child alone. She loved you. I heard it in Ari’s voice. I saw it in your eyes. Whether you remember her or not is irrelevant. I know you feel her. Love is the one thing that endures. Through good and bad, life and death, it’s always there.”
He looked down again, running his fingers over the cool metal bands in the box. Blinking several times, he tugged the rings free of the velvet and tossed the box on the couch. “Would you wear this, emmoní? For me?”
The way he looked down at her, his handsome face filled with so much love, her insides absolutely melted. “Only if you believe the words.”
His eyes went all soft and dreamy. The way they had on Pandora. The way they had in Athena’s temple. The way they had last night when they’d been bound. “I do.” He reached for her left hand. “But not because they’re engraved on these rings. Because of you.”
Love and hope pushed away all the worry and fear lingering inside. He slid the ring down her finger, and the band encircled her skin like an unbreakable promise.
Awakened (Eternal Guardians Book 8) Page 27