“So the gods kicked us out of Thessaly? Why did the other bloodlines not come to our aid?”
“We were not gods, Sebastian. The Tak family was Centaur, and playing a trick on the gods, regardless of intentions, is never looked upon favorably. The other bloodlines were not willing to anger the gods.”
“But our ancestors didn’t kidnap or chain up Charos.”
“No.”
“Why did the Centaurs from the other bloodlines hunt our ancestors? Are those stories true?”
“Yes, they’re true. Most believe our family has long since died out; the overt hunting of our bloodline stopped over a millennia ago. When Phyllis first played the trick on King Sisyphus, the gods did not tell the other families what had happened, only that Zeus himself cast us out from the pasture. Word also spread that Zeus wanted vengeance on the Tak family.
Any time Centaurs from the remaining six bloodlines encountered a Centaur from our bloodline, they attacked without mercy, even killing our wives and our children. The remnants of the Tak family banded together and sought a pasture where we could be protected from the gods and the other Centaurs, to live out the rest of our existence in peace. We were protected so well that centuries passed, and they believed we had perished.”
“I don’t understand. Did we kidnap this Centauride,” pointing to Camille’s unconscious body, “to seek revenge on Zeus?”
“No, we kidnapped her to seek legitimacy.”
Sebastian did not see the connection. “My daughter, Violet, is one of the few Centaurides from the Lost Herd. If we timed it perfectly, Violet would be able to plant the memory in Camille’s head that she was already betrothed to my son, LeRoy. Violet could make Camille believe that Drake had abandoned her, better yet, Drake had handed her over to me for a price. She would believe that I bought her.”
“How can tricking a single Centauride gain our legitimacy?”
Execution would have to be precise. If we woke her up and Violet couldn’t get the ideas planted quickly enough, Camille might know we were manipulating her memories. “Camille will be the next chairman of the Centaur Council. She is the last Centauride heir of Chiron. If she openly accepted our family, the remainder of the Council would follow suit. Zeus still holds the Chiron family in high esteem, but to ensure they do not become too powerful, he limited the number of direct descendants.”
If we were successful, the Tak family would no longer be the source of whispers tantamount to the Boogie Man. My daughter, Violet, shared no other bloodline but the Tak and was one of the few Centaurides still able to plant memories in the minds of others. If she were unsuccessful, we would again be forced into hiding. The rewards outweighed the risks.
Sebastian must have sensed that I was lost in thought on how best to execute the plan. He interrupted my thought with, “Uncle Phin, I found a doctor who can be here in an hour. He’s willing to work for cash, and he isn’t interested in the patient’s name.”
“Good work. How soon will he be here?”
“He’ll be here any minute.”
I looked Sebastian in the eye to be sure he understood my meaning. “When we’re done, you know the doctor’s not going anywhere, right?”
Sebastian dropped his eyes to the floor. “Yeah, I assumed that. No loose strings, right Uncle Phin?”
“That’s right, no loose strings.”
“I think we should move her to a bedroom, get her away from all the racket.”
“Fine, put her in the bedroom next to the den. She was like Houdini after she left Zandra’s place. I want a watch on her the whole time, understand?”
“Yeah. Got it.”
Chapter 20
(Drake Nash – Hotel near Crazy Horse Mountain, SD)
What was William waiting for? We had all been at the hotel for more than twenty-four hours. He said he was going to mount a search, but only a few Centaurs had been sent out, and they had come back hours ago – empty-handed. Zandra had arrived, and the two of them were huddled in a corner together. My patience was gone. If they wouldn’t do anything to get her back, I’d do it on my own. I couldn’t wait for Cami’s dad any longer.
I was halfway to the elevator when Zandra’s voice stopped me short. “Drake, would you come here, please?”
My pulse quickened. This was what I had waited for; this was why I had called her in the first place. I found myself standing in front of her with William looking nervously to the side. Her tone was pleasant, neither heated nor angry, “I need you to leave the search to William, Drake.”
“What? No.”
“I’m sure you find it hard to believe, but all my intervention has been for both your and Camille’s protection. If you continue your search, neither of you will be happy with the outcome.”
Nearly speechless, the only words I could find were, “She chose me. I am her Centaur.”
Flatly, Zandra replied, “I am aware of her choice.”
“So, you will ignore her wishes? Again?”
“I know if you don’t leave now, I won’t be held responsible for the outcome. Go to your family. I’ve known Hallenjah for many years; your mother misses you. Let us, Camille’s family, work on her safe return.”
“I won’t abandon her, Mrs. Chiron.”
“Aaaah, yes, Drake. If you could see through my eyes, you would leave now. Camille would want you to go.”
William didn’t make eye contact with me. I started to argue with her, but understood her mind was made up. I didn’t regret asking her to help find Cami, but I had no intention of leaving. Phineas had her. I didn’t know much else, but I knew that much.
I ran up to our room, taking steps two at a time. Our room had been cleaned, I didn’t know by whom as the cleaning staff had been sent away. The blood that had soaked into the rug was nothing more than a memory now. My hand stretched out flat as I touched the area of the carpet where the Centaur had been killed with the table leg. Not only was the bloodstain gone, but the carpet was dry, too.
I found Camille’s backpack tucked on the floor in the closet. I dug down to the very bottom, hoping it wouldn’t be there, but it was. My hand emerged with the hideous spider that Eadie had given Cami in Ireland. I clasped the menacing charm in my hand, closed my eyes, and prayed, “Athena, I don’t need your protection from Zandra, but Phineas has taken Cami. She’s not with me right now because I wasn’t strong enough to defend her. I need your help to get Cami back. Please help me find her.”
I didn’t feel or hear anything. I tried again to see if I had some sort of connection to Cami. “Cami? Cami, can you hear me? It’s Drake. Where are you? Tell me where they took you.” My hands began to shake. I could feel the loneliness I had felt in Zandra’s guest house creeping back to me. In the weeks that I spent in that guest house, not knowing what had happened to Cami tore me apart. I remembered staring at the walls, sure I wouldn’t see her again until it was too late.
When I was given a second chance with Cami, I vowed I’d never let her out of my sight. A single tear formed in the corner of my eye. I felt it drip down my face. Why would Phineas do this? Why would he take her away from me?
They had drugged her before they took her away. I’d watched one of them plunge the syringe into her neck. Was she awake now? Was she hurt? What if they had poisoned her?
“Cami, if you can hear me, I love you. I’ve loved you from the very first second I saw you. You are mine. When the breeze blows across your face: that is my caress. When the blanket of fog rolls in so thick you cannot see: those are my arms covering you. When you look up into the heavens: the star winking at you is me. You aren’t alone. I promise I’ll never rest until I find you.”
I didn’t hear a voice. I didn’t get any kind of sense for where Cami was. Somehow I knew what I needed to do. Reaching for the door, I hesitated a second. I had asked Athena to help me, but maybe that wasn’t the right goddess. She was vengeful and jealous. Those weren’t the feelings in my heart for Cami. I walked over to the dresser where an unopened bottle of wine s
tood next to a basket of fruit. I picked up the basket, examined the fruit, and removed a bruised apple from the basket.
I threw the bruised apple in the trash and laid the basket of fruit on the floor in front of me. I fell to my knees, and bowed so low that my nose was just above the carpet, and I prayed. “Blessings my Aphrodite. My love has been stolen. Protect her. Keep her safe. I belong to her and will not rest until I have found her. Please. . . please protect her until I am able to protect her myself.”
I felt a twinge of warmth. I couldn’t be sure if Aphrodite had heard my prayer or if my own heart had reacted to my pleas. I stood up, wrote a note on hotel stationery that read, “Do not move. This basket is an offering to Aphrodite.”
I ran to the stairs and returned to the lobby. Nothing had changed. William and his sons were tucked away in a corner with Zandra. I felt a fire beginning to burn inside me; I’d called her and asked for her help, yet she stood across the room and did nothing but try to convince me to leave. Zandra wore a smug look before turning her attention back to William.
I caught Lacey’s attention and motioned for her to come over. Lacey looked concerned, but I cut her off before she could ask me a question, “I need your help.”
She reached out and touched my forearm. Her touch sent a strange sensation through my body: not the way it felt when Cami touched me, but the way it feels when your body is sunburned and an ice cube contacts your skin – a welcomed and comforting touch.
Without an explanation of what I needed, Lacey answered, “Drake, I see who you’re looking for.”
Lacey had been asked by nearly everyone where Cami was, but even Zandra couldn’t give that answer. I think Lacey was pleased to be able to finally give someone an answer they needed. “Cameron lives on Warrior Way in an old farmhouse. Look for an old blue pickup truck in front and a henhouse just to the side.”
I was pleased that I didn’t need to explain myself. She was a talented Centauride. Lacey knew instinctively what I was after. I wondered silently how Lacey could know exactly where Cami’s twin brother was while Zandra and the others were clueless.
Still maintaining her hold on my forearm, she answered my silent question quietly, so no other ears would hear. “You are her Centaur. She is connected to you. Cameron is her twin. Whether you know it or not, you share a similar connection to him, too.”
I didn’t even try to mask my appreciation. “Thank you, I don’t want anyone to know where I’m going. It’s my only chance to save Cami. Will you keep my secret?”
She looked down. Lacey wasn’t comfortable with deception, even if it was for a good reason. I didn’t want to put her in an awkward position, so I offered, “Would you be willing to give me a fifteen minute head start? They’re going to ask you where I went. If you could just hold them off long enough for me to get to Cameron’s and talk to him, I might have a chance to find Cami.”
She eagerly agreed. Her smile was so bright I worried it might draw attention as every other face in the lobby looked sullen. “Any more time would be great, but if I can get there before everyone else, I can tell Cameron’s guardian what’s going on and get him to safety. With any luck, I’ll get what I need to save her.”
Lacey nodded her understanding. I could only hope she could make a wish reality when she answered, “Be safe, Drake.”
Chapter 21
(Drake Nash – Camille’s twin brother’s house, SD)
I had asked for a fifteen minute head start, but I hoped she’d reconsidered and given me thirty. I used the rental car’s GPS, but it didn’t have any better idea where Warrior Way was than I did. After having driven past the same unmarked, snow-covered dirt road several times, I noticed a small faded sign nailed to a tree. It read “Cameron’s Collectables,” with an arrow pointing down the road. Crazy Horse’s mountain was directly in front of the little dirt road. The mountain was easily seven miles from this road, but as I turned down the lane I could feel the mountain’s eyes staring at me through the barren winter trees.
I stopped long enough to look at the mountain through the rear view mirror. All I could make out was the enormous head peeking over the top of the mountain, as if the mountain itself were watching the little road I was parked on.
My heart skipped then began racing, the same way it did when I was near Cami. He was here. I eased down the dirt road, my heart still throttling wide open in my chest. The steering wheel felt wet under my hands as my nerves took control of my body.
I pulled up in front of a house that had a 1970’s Ford pickup; at some point in the last forty years it had been blue. To the right of the house was a small empty chicken coop, both just as Lacey had described. I didn’t waste any time, preferring to sprint to the house’s front door.
The man who answered the door was unmistakably Cami’s brother. He had the same symmetrical face, the same brown hair, and the same milk-chocolate colored eyes. He was absent her charismatic demeanor, instead adopting a curt, “Sorry partner, closed ‘til 10 a.m. tomorrow.” He moved to close the door on me. I wasn’t sure how many after-store-hour visitors he would have had; judging from the signage on the main road, only locals would know this store’s location.
“Wait, I’m not here to shop. I’m Drake, Drake Nash. I’m here about your sister.”
He shook his head. “I think you’ve got the wrong guy. I don’t have a sister.” He moved to close the door a second time.
I jammed my foot in the door to prop it open. “Yes, you do, and she’s in trouble. I need your help.”
He gave me a semi-hostile look. I began to question whether I had gone about this the wrong way. It may have been a better idea to do this with William. “Look, you don’t know me, but I know about you. You were raised by a guardian. Could I talk to him? I can get this cleared up right away.”
“A guardian? My dad doesn’t live here. Now move your foot.”
“I know a lot about you, Cameron. Your father is William Strayer, your mother was Angela Chiron. Your grandmother is Zandra Chiron, and I met your Great-Uncle Zethus in Ireland just last week. Look, I really need your help.”
“My dad’s Roger Brown. My mom ran off when I was a baby. You got the wrong guy. Now go on!” Outwardly he seemed frustrated, but my connection with Cami allowed me to sense things with her. This was her twin; I could feel it. I could feel Cami through him and the worry he tried to mask behind the frustration.
I started searching my mind for a shred of evidence that would make him believe me. I had my phone with me and had taken pictures of Cami while we were in Ireland. “Hold on, let me show you a picture of your sister.”
“I already told you, I don’t have a sister. Get off my property a’fore I git you off.”
I fumbled with the pictures until I found one of her standing in front of a moss-covered rock. The flowing green hills were behind her, fog settled low to the ground. It wasn’t a close-up of her face, but the resemblance to Cameron was uncanny. Even he had to see it. “Here,” I held the phone up to him, “this is Cami. Tell me she doesn’t look just like you?”
“Yeah, she’s real pretty. Now git.”
“Look, I don’t care if you believe me. She’s in danger and I need something from you.”
“The only thing you’re going to get from me is buckshot square in your ass if you don’t git back in that car.”
I glanced at my watch. They’d be here any minute. “An arrow. A very special arrow.”
“I got lots of arrows, arrowheads, tomahawks in the store, and I’ll be happy to show ‘em to you, tomorrow.” Cameron kicked my foot and tried to close the door.
I wedged my shoulder in the door jam. I was too close. Cami needed me to make him understand. “I’m sorry I don’t have time for that. Your family is probably already on their way here.” Cameron’s eyes grew large, and I recognized the look staring back at me – panic. Cameron knew more than he was letting on.
“Roger told you, didn’t he? He said never to look for your family, am I right? Do you know
why he told you that? Because your mother was hiding you. She died a few months ago, and they found your sister. I need that arrow so I can get her back.” I hated to need something so badly, “Please.”
The brief glimpse of panic I’d seen in his eyes was covered up by the slow country bumpkin impersonation he was so adept at making, “Afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Cami’s fate was in my hands. I didn’t know what Will or Zandra would do if they got their hands on Cameron or the arrow. “You have a twin sister. She’s in real trouble. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t life and death.”
Cameron stopped trying to push me away from the door. “Where’s she now?”
“A man named Phineas kidnapped her. That arrow you have is very powerful. I need it, or I’ll never get her back.”
“How do I know you’re on the level?” Cameron didn’t deny he had it.
I shook my head, “You don’t.” Cameron was a Centaur. He was built like Cami, but there was no doubt he was deceptively strong. “You are a warrior. You should be able to sense another warrior. Do you feel anything strange near me?”
Reluctantly he answered, “I do.”
“Using that same sense, do you feel as though you are in danger from me?”
“No.”
“It’s because I am to be your sister’s husband. I am no threat to you because you are a part of her.” I begged, “Help me.”
Cameron stared at me for what felt like minutes. He must have decided that I wasn’t lying. Cameron opened the door to let me walk past.
He had lost the hick accent that he was obviously used to using, when he asked, “So this family I was being hidden from, what do they want from me?”
“I don’t think Angela meant for you to stay hidden forever. I think she wanted you to stay hidden long enough for you to grow and to make your own choices about your future.” Did I really have time to get into the details? I chastised myself for not bringing Lacey with me; at least I would have had a warning if the others were getting close. I looked at my watch. I’d been gone from the hotel for forty-five minutes. There’d be a knock on the door any time, and my time would be up.
Centaur Legacy Page 15