by A Lonergan
Chapter 26
Jessa
Centaurs weren’t nomadic like I had previously thought. What we had stumbled upon wasn’t a camp. It was their home. They had a huge fire pit in the center of their village and all around it were small huts. Behind the huts was a clear stream, that I had no doubt led to the water fall we had walked through. It would be too beneficial to live next to a public portal. They could keep an eye on the creatures that came through it and be able to protect their people, while being able to escape at any given moment. Wood surrounded their village for as far as I could tell and I had no doubt they had chosen the spot for a reason.
I watched as the women and children tossed tree stumps down around the fire pit and started to prepare the food. Cent approached me slowly, almost sheepishly. I preferred it over the overzealous hug he had given me earlier.
“I owe you an apology.” He looked to the trees.
“I’m not really a hugger but you don’t have to apologize for it.” I laughed at his surprised face. Clearly that’s not what he was apologizing about.
“I mean about the way we treated you before you took off. I should have stood up for you.” He pushed his front hooves into the ground and shook his dreads free.
“You say that because you know my power, you see my company, but you should have stood up for me without all of this. I was tortured and helpless just as all of you were.” His jaw dropped at my words but what I spoke was true. I didn’t deserve the treatment and neither had anyone else, especially someone that had saved them.
“You’re right. I have much to regret.”
“You shouldn’t. It was in the past and who knows, maybe I was supposed to escape so I stayed alive.” It was my turn to frown. “I could have perished with everyone else.”
“This is also true, my lady.” He lifted an eyebrow at me, curiously, like he was seeing me in a new light.
“No need for all of that. I’m not royalty. It is you, Prince Cent.” I giggled and he shook his head at me.
“That’s not what The Fates whisper to the trees.” His cryptic words reminded me of what the Unicorns had said.
I took it with a grain of salt. It was all I could do. There was no need to over analyze these things that didn’t make sense. The Fates were known to twist things to their own agendas.
Sounds familiar.
“Where is everyone?” There had been so many centaurs at the meeting and now the village seemed scarce.
“The women prepare for the feast. The sides, drinks, bread, what not and the men are out hunting. They will bring back the meet for the roasting. Lately we’ve only had luck with hogs, I’m hoping for a deer or sometimes there will be a lost bull. Those are the best hunts.” Cent’s eyes lit up as he spoke and I had a feeling there was a reason he stayed back and wasn’t with the others.
“Why didn’t you go with?” I asked.
“I’m here to keep you company.” He bit his bottom lip, nervously.
Caught.
“Well, of course, someone had to make sure no one caused trouble, right?” I gave him a wink. Serious conversations were starting to exhaust me. I couldn’t do it anymore.
“My dad has to protect his people.” He shrugged before crossing his arms over his bare chest.
“Is it difficult to do that? There are so many of you.” I looked around the village in awe. A year ago, I would have never believed this had existed, much less that it could.
“Humans aren’t as over populated as you think. There’s lots of undiscovered territories in the America’s.” Cent grabbed one of his dreads and pulled on it, thoughtfully. “There are many monsters out there that I don’t even know about.”
“What about your father? He’s been around for a long time.” I tried to gracefully sit on a log as I spoke but it was more difficult than I thought. The thing started to roll away as soon as my weight went one way. I flailed my arms wildly trying to get myself to stay upright. I won the battle… this time. But that didn’t mean I hadn’t been noticed. Crawley was snickering at me across the fire and a few of the unicorns had perked up. The Centaur women didn’t blink an eye at my embarrassment. Cristoff rolled his eyes at me before following a centaur into her hut.
I narrowed my eyes at him. I still didn’t trust him completely.
“He’s a man with many angles.” Cent observed me.
“A merman, you mean.”
“Yes, but he’s a sorcerer. Even as a merman, he thinks more like a human, he has to.” He waved a hand at his body. “For him, a tail fin is temporary. He will find a better way with the mer-people on land. He probably won’t return to the sea.”
“What makes you say that?” I asked, cautiously.
“There were many times I listened to him and Cora argue. Sometimes about little things but other times about the land. Cora hates the land. Cristoff has an infatuation. There is much to be seen and learned with the humans and monsters.” Cent knelt down beside me and studied my face as he spoke. “That is our healer. Some may call her a sorcerer. She can help him stay human without the urge of the sea beckoning to him.”
It clicked. Everything clicked into place. His experiments on humans. Him living out in an abandoned mer-city. He had been working on something since before Poseidon had brought us to Cora’s kingdom. It made sense why he didn’t fight us and obeyed Cora’s orders without a second thought.
I didn’t reply back to Cent. There was no point. I marched across the square and threw open the door to the healer’s hut. Cristoff was stretched across her table with a cloth covering his man bits and the healer diligently sewing something into his thighs.
“Took you long enough to figure it out.” Cristoff winced as he spoke.
“That you want to be human.” I couldn’t stop myself from staring at what was happening before me.
The healer was sewing little iridescent stones into his skin.
“I don’t want to be human, but I don’t want to go back to the sea. All I see is her face down there. I’m more powerful on land and something like that, that freak accident wouldn’t happen up here.” Cristoff cried out in pain as the healer continued to work on him.
“What is she doing to you? Why is she sewing rocks into your skin?” I couldn’t keep the horror from my tone.
“They aren’t rocks. They’re pearls. They’re spelled.”
“Okayyyyyy?” I pinched the bridge of my nose.
“They’re what keep us on land. They’re the reason I have legs. They’re the reason mer-people can walk on land and have children. Without these, it wouldn’t be possible.”
“So just wear it, then?” Confused was an understatement.
“I still have a pull to the water. My body feels like it needs the saltwater, the sand, all of it. Wearing them in only a temporary fix. If I don’t have a child or a mate on land, eventually I’ll have to return to the water, or I’ll go mad.” He squeezed his eyes shut and grunted as the centaur pulled the needle higher on his sensitive skin.
The mood swings. The irritability. The cruelty. It had all been because of the pull to the ocean.
As if he read my thoughts again, Cristoff spoke, “by the time you found us, we had been out of the water for maybe a year. The pull was driving us crazy but you couldn’t tell with Cora and her royal demeanor. Mine plus the glamour was killing me.”
I watched as the centaur cut another slice of Cristoff’s thigh before dropping another pearl into his skin.
“So this will make it easier for you?” I asked, saddened.
“This will make it permanent. She’s binding the pearl’s magic to my blood.”
I couldn’t watch anymore. I had gotten my answers and there was no need to scar my mind further. I pushed through the doorway and smacked straight into Crawley. He grabbed my shoulders and steadied me. I was already dizzy enough with the knowledge that had just been bestowed upon me. I had been expecting something more sinister but it all just made sense.
“You okay? You look a little pale
.” Crawley peered into my eyes.
“I’m fine, just a lot going on.” I took a deep breath.
“Too late to chicken out.” He snickered at me.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
By the time I had gotten myself under control and got my feelings in check, Centaurus was back with his men and they had scored some mighty game.
They had 3 large bucks being carried in and several of the other men carried rabbits. The children raced around them, excited for the food and the dads to be home.
The men expertly cleaned the meat and slid it onto a massive stick that Crawley called a spit. The women had pans next to fire roasting different kinds of vegetables and grass, while the children set something up in the corner of the square. Different instruments were brought out and I felt a smile tugging at my lips.
I hoped this was a usual occurrence for the Centaurs because it was beautiful and full of culture. Full of life. Full of many of the things I hadn’t been a part of in a long time. I couldn’t wait to see it all in action.
After the vegetables were prepared and everything was almost done cooking, the women started to bring out cushions of all shapes and sizes. Magnese carried a small one on her back and approached me with a smile.
“It would be an honor for you to dine on my seat.” Magnese said as she lowered a red, and gold tasseled cushion behind me.
I shook my head in protest. “I couldn’t! You are the queen!”
“And you are a mighty Demi God that is going to win a revolution.” She smiles at me warmly. “I want to tell my grandchildren of this moment. Please, amuse an old centaur.”
Crawley gave me a look that said, “Might as well!”
That’s exactly what I did.
With our bellies full of delicious food and our minds ready for sleep, I was about ready to doze off on the cushion underneath me. But just as my eyes were about to close, music started up and wine was passed around. Crawley sipped his quickly and gave me a wicked grin. At that I was more than awake now. I sat up straight and watched as the children danced and swayed to the music of their people.
They raised their arms up over their heads and galloped in circles. Before I knew it, Crawley was standing in front of me with his hands reaching down to me.
I gave him an alert look, unsure of what to do.
“Dance with me.” It wasn’t a question.
“I’m not so sure about that.” I shook my head at him. Content with watching the others.
“Please.” His green eyes pleaded with me.
“Fine!” I let him pull me to my feet then close to the fire. He spun me around in circles and made me feel light on my feet. The world passed around us quickly as he circled us about and as colorful as it all was... he was the only thing I could see. He threw his head back and howled at the moon.
I laughed loudly. “I thought you were a bear!”
He waggled his eyebrows at me. “I’m a creature of the night.”
But just as quickly as the music had picked up, it started to slow down. Crawley pulled my body flush to his and gave me a slow, crooked smile. “You’re beautiful in the fire light.”
Snarky comments itched at the back of my mouth. “Just in the fire light?”
The smile fell from his face and I couldn’t help but laugh. I was awful, I knew it but it was worth it. Teasing him was always worth it. His confidence and cockiness needed a good check sometimes. He couldn’t think he was that smooth all the time.
I pulled back a fraction. “It’s about time to call it a night.”
Crawley bent close and nuzzled into my neck. “No, stay.”
I tried to wiggle free but my efforts were futile. The beast had me right where he wanted me. He nipped at my sensitive skin and butterflies ignited in stomach. I gave a final push at that and almost floated back to our camp site.
Chapter 27
Crawley
I couldn’t leave. I saw the way Jessa went back to our camp and I couldn’t follow her. I was entranced. I was enchanted. Everything about these creatures called to me in a way that had never happened before.
The music wrapped around my body and took hold of my soul. They were captivating and I never wanted to leave. I had never experienced monsters so full of life, love and laughter. I wanted more of it. There had been too much sadness throughout our group and this was the perfect break we needed. I knew I would sleep like a baby. That was if I could rip myself away from the music and the vibes pulsing around me.
Cristoff was the one that killed my mood eventually. He waved me over and much to my dismay I followed him to the tree line.
“I don’t have much to offer, but going back to the sea won’t be an option for me. I don’t ask for favors. I don’t ask for anything really but I have a feeling the King might banish me.” Cristoff looked just about as uncomfortable as I felt, but I could understand his point. Even though I had no idea what was happening.
Beast perked up at my confused nature and took a long whiff. Everything smelled normal. Normal? I sniffed again. Yep. Cristoff didn’t smell like a sea bug anymore.
What the hades?
“I’m human. Sort of.” Cristoff toyed with his pant leg.
“Is that what had Jessa worked up earlier?” I asked.
“Yes. She witnessed the transition I needed to do in order to be like this. My king won’t be happy but I can’t protect them like I once thought I could.” He laughed and scrubbed his hands down his face. “I don’t know why it even matters to you.”
“It does matter because I feel like you’re about to ask me a favor.” I leaned against the wide tree next to us.
“I am but I’m not.” He scratched his head.
“I hate it when people are vague.”
He sighed. “If I live through whatever is coming, I will need a place to live.”
I cocked an eyebrow at his words. “I could think of a few but I’m not going to give you a definite answer right now. My mind is hazy from the wine and foggy from the dancing and music. I will need to sleep on your request and let you know.”
“That’s all I ask.” Kristoff didn’t wait for a response before heading back to our camp.
He had soured my mood but I wasn’t ready to retire. I loaded my plate up again, much to Beast’s approval and found a new spot to eat. Cent soon joined me and watch the dancing by my side. He didn’t speak for a while and I didn’t care to speak to him. I was content watching the merriment around us.
“You love her.” His words made me choke on my wine.
“Excuse me?” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and tried to recover from his words. “Who are you talking about?”
“Jessa.”
“Nah, buddy, you got that wrong.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“I saw you wanting to claim her. Mark her. When you were dancing.”
How did he know about a claiming mark?
“That is not what was going on.” I could deny it all I wanted but that was how it had looked. I could have kicked myself.
“You could fool me.” He took a long gulp of his wine. “I see the way you watch her. The desire that floods your eyes.”
“What could you possibly know about desire, young one?” I tried to keep my words light, I didn’t want to incriminate myself.
“You must not know much about Centaurs. We are driven by lust and desire before war and hunting. It is how we were created, don’t you know.” Cent brought his wine to his lips but he didn’t drink again. He held it there, almost thoughtfully.
“Interesting.”
“Tell her how you feel before we march to war.” Cent gave me a long, sad look before looking back to fire.
“It isn’t real. Our feelings for one another. None of this is real.”
Cent looked to me out of the corner of his eye and quirked a brow. “Is that so?”
“It’s Apollo, he’s playing with our minds, with our emotions. I can’t trust any of my feelings toward her. Everything bet
ween us has been fake.” I pulled my hand down my eyes.
“That cannot be. These woods are protected by Zeus. Why do you think we haven’t all been found yet? Apollo hates monsters. His sons and lackeys kill us and torture us for information about our villages. Everything that has happened between you two out in these woods, it has been real.” Cent’s words were like a punch to my gut. I couldn’t drink anymore wine or eat any more food. I was too nauseated to continue the conversation.
I stumbled back to the camp site, feeling more drunk than I had the rest of the evening. I was drunk on information if what Cent had said was true.
Jessa was asleep next to Sibil by the fire and Cristoff was in his tent. I shook Cristoff’s shoulder and he jerked awake, looking crazed. His hair stood up on his head and his eyes were wide in anger.
“Are these woods protected by Zeus?”
“Yes, this is monster territory. This and the other side of the portal.” He shook his head at me and rolled over like this was public knowledge and I should have known this.
I stared at Jessa next to the dwindling fire and saw her radiance. She had always been beautiful, even before Apollo’s games on our minds. She had always been snarky and intelligent and now there was so much more to her. She had grown and changed into someone I didn’t quite know but I wanted to. I didn’t even know where to start.
If what they said was true then that meant I had time. I had time to learn her. I had time to woo her. I had time to be there for her without the fog of Apollo. I was beyond nervous.
I pulled my sleeping bag to her side and got as close as I could. Sibil picked her head up and looked at me in approval.
“I’m happy to know you have learned the truth, Beast of Zeus.” Sibil’s words floated through my mind.
“I don’t know where to start.” I thought back to her.
“You have already begun. You cannot start again. Just do better and The Fates will take care of the rest. Sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day and she will need you at your best.” Sibil laid her head back down and I watched as her breathing evened out once more.