No. I wasn’t ready. I would never be ready. I didn’t fear my grandmother. Zandra was evil and she could only rule out of fear for so long. Others would have to have their doubts. She needed to pass her position on to someone: her only choices were Angelo, Cameron or me.
I didn’t know Cameron, and I hated Angelo. Cameron was also part of the Lost Herd, so if she passed her position to him, it would be easier to convince others on the Centaur Council to rally together. Zeus’s reason for his death decree was that we were dangerous, we possessed powers other Centaur families didn’t. I had first-hand experience of this one – Phineas had ordered his daughter Violet to plant false memories in my head.
It would be much easier to convince the others if this skill had somehow been bred out of our bloodline – but that wasn’t the case. I’d never tried to do it myself – truthfully I didn’t know if I could. The idea that this was possible had terrible implications for Centaurs in all families. I wouldn’t lie to them and tell them it was no longer a possibility, but all of the Lost Herd had been killed except Rupert. The Lost Herd had paid dearly for the mistake of one Centauride. The debt should have been paid in full when all of Rupert’s family was killed.
Something Katherine had told me on the beach made me wish I had asked more questions. She said all Lapiths in her family were sworn to protect the Lost Herd. It was Lila’s promise to Athena. If I couldn’t make the Centaur Council agree to rail against Zeus, how could we contact Lila’s family to have them protect mine? Did all of them take this oath as seriously as she did?
Maybe there was still time to assemble a plan B. I grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulder. If we were unsuccessful at Centauride, I wanted Katherine to rally her family. Worried for Gage and Bianca, I told myself they had no ties to the Lost Herd; no matter what happened to Drake and me, they’d be set free. When I said my goodbyes to the others, I’d ask Katherine to work out a strategy with Will. He seemed to know who all the members of our family were; between the two of them, they could figure out how to save as many as possible.
My feet were steady on the path to the main house. I would keep my good-byes short and discreetly pull Katherine and Will together. When I emerged from the bungalow’s path, the view didn’t make sense. Was everyone departing today? I assumed our departures would be staggered. If Will had several private planes arrive at the same time, wouldn’t that look suspicious?
Bianca heard the questions in my head, “We have company. Gage just turned over the job of watching the enforcers to the security detail we hired. They’ll be set free this time tomorrow after we’re all gone.”
“Company? Shouldn’t they wait a day or two before they leave? Won’t people at the airport notice multiple planes? Is everyone leaving to get a head start before the enforcers are set free?”
“Not company to the airport. Company to Centauride.”
“What? No way! They can’t come with us. What if the Centaur Council won’t listen? They need to be in hiding. All of them.”
Lacey “overheard” the conversation between Bianca and me. She stepped forward and placed her hand on my arm. “There is no other way, Cami.”
Lacey saw the future. She was the one who had alerted Daniel and Beau that I needed their help before Phineas kidnapped me. I trusted her visions, but this was too dangerous for all the others. “There are lots of other ways. There are too many of us. We can’t all march into the Centaur Council.”
She cleared her throat, looked to Gretchen and Hannah, then back to me. “We married into your family. We have as much to lose as you do. There is strength in numbers. We tried to decide who should accompany you, to give you the best odds. But there was no way any of us wanted to be safely hidden away when you would be fighting for our family.”
I looked around the group, collecting my thoughts before I told them no.
Gretchen stepped forward. “I see the future. I am able to see outcomes you can’t. If you fail, it’s a death sentence for my five sons and the Centaur I’ve loved for three decades. You need me, and I need you to be successful.”
I couldn’t argue with Gretchen. She had every reason in the world to hate me, but she had been nothing but kind to me since I stumbled into her life.
Will stood behind Gretchen and wrapped an arm around her. “You can’t ask me to stay behind if you and Gretchen could be in danger. I’m sworn to protect her, and it is my doing that has you in the situation you face now.” Gretchen leaned back into my father’s protective grasp. The worry in her eyes and his love for her shone brightly.
Beau confessed, “Lacey knew what she was marrying into. She did it without reservation. She chose our family over her life – we will both be there to protect you.”
Hannah, who I’d spent almost no time with, stood where she was. Her eyes fixed on me, concentrating, almost looking through me. Her gaze made me uncomfortable; I wondered if she was upset that most of the family wanted to accompany Drake and me. My body began to rise, ever so gently being hoisted into the air with invisible hands. Looking below me, I was hovering two feet off the ground – suspended and unable to gain any kind of footing. She smiled widely, “I can protect you in ways the others cannot.” My body went from two feet above the sand to being suspended ten feet in the air.
I knew some Centaurides could move objects, I was able to do that myself, but I’d never considered it possible to suspend another Centauride. Hannah was significantly more powerful than I had realized.
I laughed at the thought of an enforcer trying to kill me if he couldn’t reach me, sailing just out of his reach. Hannah laughed with me then gently brought me back to my feet. It was the same feeling as the first time I rode a Ferris Wheel, “That was amazing!”
Ben and Bart were off by themselves, but I heard Ben’s words in my mind. “We don’t have as much to lose as our brothers do. You have to let us come. We can’t sit back while the rest of our family is in danger.”
I’d spent little time with Ben or Bart but understood their reasoning. I wanted to argue that someone had to remain behind, to help the others if we were unsuccessful. Katherine couldn’t read my thoughts but somehow she must have sensed what I was thinking. “I’ve phoned Mom. She knows what we’re doing. She’s working out a plan for my family to protect the others now.” Her eyes darted to Will, then back to me, “Your dad gave me some names. Mom’s going to make contact with others in the Lost Herd today. She’ll see that our family keeps Lila’s pledge.”
I nodded. “So you and Brent are going back to South Dakota then?” I breathed a sigh of relief that at least one of my brothers would be safe.
“No. You are my charge. I go where you go until you no longer need me.”
My eyes instinctively went to Brent. His eyes wouldn’t meet mine. I didn’t want to be responsible for anything happening to either of them, “You don’t have to do that, Katherine.”
Katherine bit her lip, as if unsure how to say what was on her mind. Her eyes darted to Brent then pulled away to find mine. “I do. More than just Lila’s pledge, I’m not ready to leave you,” she paused then added, “or Brent.” Blush spread brightly on her cheeks. I waited for the collection of gasps from around the group, but none came.
Brent was betrothed to a Centauride I hadn’t met. No one had mentioned his plan to back out of the betrothal, or if they had, I hadn’t been included. Not that I rated a vote – but I would have been all for it. Katherine looked around at all the eyes watching her and added, “I’ll be able to keep you safe, all of you,” her eyes rested on Brent.
Will wrung his hands together. His thoughts were hidden from all of us. He made no move toward Brent or Katherine who seemed to purposely avert his eyes. Will’s voice sounded hollow, maybe a little disappointed, “This is your choice, son?”
Brent turned toward Will, his voice unsteady, “It is.” He shuffled the few feet to Katherine’s side. His arm stiffly wrapped itself around Katherine.
Will remained quiet. I didn’t know wh
at to expect. If his bloodline was his concern, Bruce and Beau were already married to full-blooded Centaurides. From what I understood, this was better than most families where it was considered lucky if two sons were able to carry on a bloodline. I wanted to come to Katherine and Brent’s defense, but I couldn’t if I didn’t know what Will’s issue was. I sensed how Katherine and Brent felt for each other – I had from the first night in the tunnel, and I wasn’t convinced it had much to do with her being a Lapith.
Gretchen’s soft voice carried out over the breeze. “We only want you to be happy, Brent. If Katherine makes you happy, then we’re thrilled for you both.”
Drake took my hand, “It’s time. The pilots are waiting.” He brought my hand to his lips, “We need to go.”
I looked around the group. I couldn’t argue with any of them. It wasn’t just my fight – all of us shared this war. I wondered about Daniel and Jessica. If Katherine came with me, Jessica would be exposed. What would happen to her? If they stayed here, maybe the distance would be too far and her mother wouldn’t be able to find her. Daniel liked Jessica, but they had no chance together if she were taken back to South Dakota. Despite Daniel’s Centaur blood, he wasn’t fully healed from his injuries yesterday, even if he were – he shouldn’t be involved.
A scuffle sounded from inside the house. All eyes turned toward the near empty house as a Centaur blur ran past us. Ben and Bart shot after the enforcer who had just escaped. Drake took my arm and pulled me behind him waiting for whoever would emerge from the door next.
The enforcers were free. Their eyes wild. Our next fight wouldn’t be in South Africa, it would be right here in our Caribbean paradise. Drake pushed me back as light peppered his skin. Even in the brightness of daylight, he seemed brighter than the sun. Mere seconds passed before he transformed, those few seconds was enough time that one of the enforcers was on his back with a knife against Drake’s throat. I concentrated on the blade, using my mind to pull it from the enforcer’s hand. The dagger landed at Drake’s feet.
Brent ran full-speed toward Drake, leaped into the air and tackled the enforcer clinging to Drake’s back. The two struggled on the ground, the enforcer on top getting the better of Brent. I looked in all directions for a weapon I could throw to Brent but came up empty. I lunged forward, grabbed the Centaurs ears and yanked with every ounce of strength I owned. I felt his flesh rip from his head before his wail sounded. That second was all the advantage Brent needed: he squeezed the life out of the Centaur.
Ben and Bart were back and had subdued a stocky enforcer. Another moved in on them after they had bound the first one’s hands and feet. The three moved so fast that I was unable to see who had the upper hand. I saw a vine from a tree and launched it toward Bart’s feet. Bart had swiped it off the ground and didn’t hesitate wrapping it around the enforcer’s neck.
It had been the most underwhelming attack I’d ever seen. The enforcers, despite their advanced combat training were outnumbered and quickly subdued. The Centaurs from my family tried to tie them up, much the same as they had the night of my wedding, but something was different this time. The enforcers who were still conscious knew they had no chance and just kept fighting: punching, kicking, throwing sand, bouncing off Centaurs as if they were pin balls.
Each had to be knocked out, and I was saddened when I saw the one Brent had killed leave his body and gallop off to the pasture. I hated being responsible for his death, but I could live with the guilt because no one from my family was joining him. One final enforcer remained standing, fully surrounded by Drake, Will, Brent, Gage, Ben, Bart, Beau and Bruce.
This was it. I knew what I needed to do, this moment was mine. “Stop!!” All eyes looked at me. The final standing enforcer spat blood onto the sand and wiped a cut over his eyebrow with the sleeve of his shirt. “What is your name?” I asked.
The only answer I received was a glare and a second wiping of his brow. I didn’t need an answer; I didn’t care who he was. “It doesn’t matter. My name is Camille. I am the daughter of Chiron and daughter to the Lost Herd. This is my family.” I waived my arm gesturing to the Centaurs who surrounded him. “I want you to deliver a message to the Centaur Council, to the heads of all the families, and to the Chairman: we are on our way.”
The enforcer’s eyes grew larger and he made no effort to stop the blood oozing down his face and off his chin. “We will no longer live in the shadows. We will peacefully take our place among the herds, or we will take our place by force, but know that all Centaurs will unite again – those who stand against us will fall.”
I looked at the bodies lying unconscious on the ground. My feet walked confidently toward the enforcer, “Take a good look at these Centaurs. Commit the image of their beaten and bloodied bodies to memory, and then share that image with every Centauride you meet. Let them know this is the fate that awaits their husbands, nephews, uncles, sons and grandsons if they choose to hunt the Lost Herd.”
The color in the enforcer’s face drained. He was excellent at hiding his thoughts, but I felt his fear. Drake stood closest to the enforcer, standing ready to knock him unconscious with the others. I looked at Drake, a tower of strength prepared to do whatever I asked of him. I smiled, “Let him go free. He has a message to deliver.”
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Thanks for reading Centaur Rivalry! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I would love it if you would recommend the series to your friends!
The fourth book in this series is Centaur Redemption and is scheduled for release in Nov 2013. I try to keep everyone updated on my blog and Facebook. If you would like to contact me, here are the best places to find me:
My Author Page on Facebook: http://www.alturl.com/en5ia
My blog: http://www.authnancystraight.blogspot.com
Twitter: @NancyStraight
Goodreads: http://www.alturl.com/bnmv2
I look forward to hearing from you!
Nancy
Other titles by Nancy Straight:
Meeting Destiny: http://www.amazon.com/Meeting-Destiny-Book-ebook/dp/B003U2RUP8/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1367250963&sr=8-1&keywords=Meeting+Destiny
Destiny’s Revenge: http://www.amazon.com/Destinys-Revenge-Destiny-Series-ebook/dp/B005FO28PG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1367250998&sr=1-1&keywords=Destiny%27s+Revenge
Destiny’s Wrath: http://www.amazon.com/Destinys-Wrath-Destiny-Series-ebook/dp/B007100ZB6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1367251026&sr=1-1&keywords=Destiny%27s+Wrath
The Destiny Series (Meeting Destiny, Destiny’s Revenge, and Destiny’s Wrath): http://www.amazon.com/Destiny-Meeting-Destinys-Revenge-ebook/dp/B00BGJ3BNC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1367251056&sr=1-1&keywords=Destiny+Series
Centaur Rivalry (Touched Series Book 3) Page 26