Keras: Guardians of Hades Series Book 7

by Heaton, Felicity

  That feeling only grew stronger as Marek tugged up the collar of his black cable knit sweater to cover the back of his neck as a breeze swirled into the room and shook his head. “She’s furious with Father. He’ll be getting the cold shoulder for a while.”

  “It was my decision to take the pills,” Keras put in, unsure how he felt about his father taking the brunt of his mother’s anger. “Father only gave them to me.”

  Another argument erupted, one Keras was sure he wasn’t going to win. It seemed his brothers were intent on laying some of the blame at their father’s feet. Keras searched for a way to distract them and turn the topic of conversation away from who was in the wrong.

  Frowned as Aiko came out of the kitchen again, together with Cassandra and Marinda, all three of them laden with bowls and plates filled with food.

  Esher shrugged when Keras looked at him. “Aiko thought you would be hungry. She’s been cooking since she felt you stirring over an hour ago.”

  Keras stared at the overflowing table as the women finished finding spaces for all the different dishes. “I can’t eat all this.”

  Valen chuckled, “You don’t have to. I’ll chip in… Might even eat it all.”

  Cal glared at him and shoved him in the hips, pushing him away as he reached out with chopsticks, aiming for the strips of beef. “Not if I get there first. I’m starving.”

  “No one has eaten properly since we brought you home.” Esher sank into the seat at the head of the table and scooped rice into his bowl.

  Keras noticed how careful he was to avoid saying since Keras had gone cold turkey.

  He watched as they piled food onto his plate and filled his bowl, wanting them to find the courage Valen had and confront him. He wanted them to get their real feelings out in the open and tell him that he had majorly messed up.

  He knew he had.

  Maybe they knew that and that was the reason none of them were saying anything about it. They knew they didn’t have to say a word for him to see that he had been out of line.

  And an idiot.

  He picked at his food, enjoying the light conversation that flowed around him, hoping no one would notice how he struggled to feed himself. Cutting beef took a herculean effort, and he fumbled with his chopsticks the one time he tried to use them, ended up having to switch back to a knife and fork.

  Cal glanced at him, but said nothing.

  Keras had the feeling everyone else had noticed too, and that all of them were being kind and pretending not to see that he was a complete wreck.

  When Cal went back to talking to Marinda, Keras looked out of the corner of his eye at his youngest brother. Guilt stirred again, making him nauseous and putting him in danger of losing what little food he had managed to eat.

  Cal never should have been left with him. He had never been fit to be in charge, not of any of them. Not since the moment he had set foot in the mortal world. All he had done was place Cal and the others in grave danger at every turn.

  His appetite disappeared and he rested the tines of his fork on the edge of his plate and stared at his food, remorse pressing heavily on his chest.

  Everyone continued eating, but he knew they were looking at him. He fought to find the words again, only he wasn’t sure what to say to make it all better, to apologise for everything he had done.

  And how he had failed them all.

  Familiar power swept around him.

  Had his head jerking to his right and his fork tumbling from his grip as his heart clenched.

  Enyo appeared there in a swirl of white-blue smoke, her long black hair flowing around her shoulders, blending with the black of her chest piece.

  She hesitated.

  Her jade green eyes held his, the long black lashes that framed them sparkling with what looked like tears.

  “I got your message.” Her voice was small, lacking confidence.

  A balm to his heart as it caressed his ears.

  She fidgeted with the bottom of her breastplate, where the ornate silver edging met the strips of leather that formed a skirt around her hips. “My brother was causing a ruckus about a mortal showing up on his doorstep. Apparently, Megan refused to leave until she saw me. My brother came and brought me to her, and Megan told me what you said.”

  Darkness curled through Keras’s veins as he gazed at Enyo, as he felt deep in his soul that those tears on her lashes were about more than the fact he had sent a message to her. He could read between the lines. Her brother had been angry with her because she had come to him, had probably wanted to keep her locked in the house again, forcing her to remain there against her will.

  He wanted to kill her brother for that.

  That feeling ebbed away, another one rushing in to replace it as Megan appeared with his brother Ares, beaming up at him as he glowered at her.

  Gratitude.

  Not only had she brought Enyo back to him, but she had more than likely saved her from her brother’s wrath.

  “Told you I’d be peachy.” Megan snuggled up to Ares’s side, obviously trying to soften him up and failing judging by the black look on his brother’s face.

  “Antagonising the god of war is not wise, sweetheart. Demanding he let Enyo come for a visit was akin to suicide. You’re lucky you’re in one piece.” He pushed her back and looked her over, clutching her shoulders. “I’ll fucking murder him if he’s upset you or the baby in the slightest. I mean it. You sure you’re all good?”

  She nodded and rubbed her belly. “I’m starving though.”

  Ares chuckled softly and slung his arm around her slender shoulders, his black clothing a contrast to her colourful sweater and blue jeans. “Let’s get you both fed.”

  Keras returned his focus to Enyo and pushed the words out. “Thank you.”

  Those words came from his heart, from his soul, and in part he was thanking her for coming back to him.

  Cal shuffled along one seat and slapped the place he had been. “Park it here.”

  Enyo’s right eyebrow rose, beautiful confusion crossing her face.

  “He means please sit down.” Keras didn’t have the guts to gesture to the seat, was on the edge of his as he waited to see what she would do.

  Had she only come to briefly speak to him, or would she stay?

  He released the breath he had been holding when she took the seat, neatly arranging herself in it, and gods it felt good to have her beside him like this.

  It felt even better when she took hold of the fork he had dropped and picked up the knife, and cut his food for him, even going as far as feeding him. She made sure he had enough water too, offering sips he gratefully took between bites of food.

  And all the while he was deeply aware of his brothers watching him from time to time.

  He let Enyo continue, savouring how she coddled him, refusing to feel weak because of it. He had seen his brothers being fussed over by their women, and had even been envious at times, so he wasn’t going to stop her. If it alleviated her guilt, he was happy to let her do it.

  Eventually his brothers and their women left the table, some of them drifting into the kitchen to tend to the dishes, while others filled the two cream couches in the TV area to his right. Cal turned the television on loud enough that it hurt Keras’s ears.

  “Wanna race?” Cal shoved Valen’s knees with his foot and waggled a controller.

  “You’ve got to stop punishing yourself like this, kid.” Valen snatched the controller and grinned at Cal.

  And suddenly everything felt so normal.

  As if nothing had happened.

  He watched his brothers as he sat at the dining table with Enyo, feeling warmed to his bones again but in a good way this time.

  Enyo shuffled a little closer to him, drawing his focus back to her, and he soaked up her company and how good it made him feel.

  “Are you all right?” He looked her over.

  Her eyes were brighter now, her tears gone. He ached to lift his hand and cup her cheek, to stroke hi
s fingers across it as he drowned in her eyes. He burned to teleport to Olympus and find her brother, and destroy him.

  She nodded slightly, the barest dip of her chin, and her gaze strayed to beyond him.

  To Megan.

  Her jade eyes fell to her lap and she picked at the pointed slats of her skirt, a look crossing her beautiful face that made him want to surrender to his need to hunt her brother down and slaughter him. But then the clouds lifted, warm light chased across her features and she lifted her gaze back to meet his.

  “I really am grateful you sent me a message.” She tried to smile.

  It only made tears line her lashes again.

  Keras lifted his hand, hesitated as he made it halfway to her face, and then pushed onwards. He feathered his fingers across her cheek, hoped she didn’t notice how badly his hand was shaking as he gazed into her eyes, his darting between them as he tried to read her feelings.

  “Are you sure you are all right?” he husked, keeping his voice low enough that his brothers wouldn’t hear him over the noise of the television.

  She nodded, shifting her cheek against his fingers, and then something surfaced in her eyes. Something that looked a lot like fear.

  His eyebrows met hard as darkness curled through him.

  Enyo was swift to lift her hand and cover his, holding it to her face.

  Holding him in place.

  “I am here now. I am fine.” Her sweet voice held confidence again, a lightness that urged him to let it go.

  He tried, but it was hard, made all the more difficult by the emotions he could sense in her, ones that whispered to him that he hadn’t been the only one who had thought they would never see each other again. He had always hated the way her brother treated her, had always wanted to steal her away from him and free her. That hatred and that desire had only grown stronger since she had come to him, since he had discovered she was unwed.

  He wanted to make her his.

  “I spoke to your father,” she murmured.

  He detected fear in her words. Because she thought he would be angry?

  Keras smiled grimly and lowered his hand from her face, aware that more than one of his brothers were watching them now. “I can imagine how that conversation went.”

  She relaxed a little, picked at her plate, fidgeting again. Nervous. She always had broadcasted whenever she was feeling nervous, giving it away with her little tell.

  He waited for her to speak, sure she was mustering up the courage to say something.

  “I would like to stay awhile… if that is all right with you? My brother has given me leave to.” Her soft words washed over him, soothing parts of him while rousing rage in others.

  Because he could also imagine how reluctant her brother had been to let her leave the house and come back to him. That need to pay a visit to her brother and teach him the error of his ways, to make him pay for the centuries he had sought to control her, grew stronger.

  As did the need that blazed deep in his soul, one that commanded him to break the invisible shackle her brother had placed around her neck.

  To set her free.

  If she was his, he wouldn’t seek to control her, would let her do as she pleased. He wasn’t sure he would be able to order her around and demand she obey him even if he wanted to. He was certain she could do that to him though, and that he would obey her without question.

  Would do anything she asked.

  Gods, that made him feel as if he was just like his father.

  Wrapped around the little finger of the woman he loved.

  “I wouldn’t want anything else in the world.” He fought the rising emotions, trying to keep them level and battling the urge to seek a pill to calm them. He smiled, but it was forced this time. “I am not sure what company I will be though.”

  Enyo’s brow furrowed as she canted her head and leaned forwards, gazing at his face. “You look tired. Perhaps you should sleep.”

  He nodded and stifled another yawn. Sleep did sound good. Perhaps in sleep he could escape his emotions for a while and recover more of his strength, enough to deny the growing need for a pill.

  He stood with her assistance and ignored the whispered comments coming from his brothers as Enyo helped him around the dining table, leading him towards the walkway that ran around the courtyard. While he hungered for Enyo’s touch, and her nearness was wreaking havoc on him, he was in no fit state to be making moves on her as Valen had muttered to Cal.

  She helped him to his room and stopped him when he tried to move his bedding, a need to replace it with fresh pieces filling him. She rolled up the bedding for him, moving it to one side, and pulled the thin mattress and blanket someone had laid out beside his over into the middle of the room.

  Keras eased onto it, debating whether or not to remove his robe. It gaped at the front, exposing his bare chest, and the feel of Enyo’s eyes on him lit his blood on fire.

  He looked up at her, heat rising inside him as she gazed at his chest, as she fidgeted and then her fingers nimbly undid the straps on one side of her breastplate. He could only stare in silence as she slowly removed it, revealing a plain cream bandeau that hugged her torso, moulding over her breasts and accentuating the elegant dip of her waist.

  He fidgeted now, nerves getting the better of him as he toyed with the tie of his robe, as his mouth dried out and heart raced, competing with his mind for who could run fastest. Thoughts flickered through his head, urges that he shouldn’t be feeling, questions that he couldn’t find a voice to put out there.

  Enyo didn’t stop at just her breastplate. She swallowed and removed her hip armour too, shifted her legs so her bare thighs rubbed together as she stood before him, dressed in only her plain underwear.

  She had never looked so sexy.

  So damned enticing.

  Gods, she was killing him.

  A thousand needs flooded him, tangling his emotions together, causing a whirlwind within him that he struggled to contain and to calm.

  She came to him, plopped herself down beside him on the bedding and was quick to wrap her arms around him and tug him down with her, her actions jerky and speaking of nerves.

  Nerves he felt in her as he settled with his head on her chest, as he breathed her in and stilled, relishing the way she held him to her, the way she sifted her fingers through his hair and teased the slightly pointed tip of his ear.

  His raging emotions calmed as she held him, as he relaxed by degrees and his body got the message that nothing was going to happen. This wasn’t about sex. This was about comforting him, lending her strength to him, giving him what he really needed.

  Keras closed his eyes and sank into her embrace, let sleep roll over him as he held her too. It was too much. Not enough. He fluctuated between those polar feelings as he tried to sleep, as he ran between feeling numb and overwhelmed.

  And cold.

  And vulnerable.

  And weak.

  Enyo seemed to sense it in him, drew the covers up over them and held on to him, warmed him with a soft caress that undid him.

  Definitely too much.

  He wrestled with his feelings in silence, waging war against them as they tried to consume him, flitting from one to the next, unable to cope with any of them.

  She held him closer, not smothering him but supporting him, and he cursed as tears fell, as everything got the better of him and overwhelmed him again, as he failed to control his feelings and they ran away with him.

  If Enyo noticed, she didn’t say anything.

  She continued to hold him, and he felt as though her strength was pouring into him.

  Another wave hit him, stronger this time, and he weathered it, didn’t try to fight it. He let it all wash over him, every turbulent and explosive feeling, giving in to them in the hope it would help him find balance, would help his body and his mind learn to cope with them again.

  Enyo weathered it with him, the rock he clung to in the tempest of his emotions.

  She murmur
ed soothing things to him, seemed able to anticipate what was about to hit him, holding him closer and tighter in the times pain wracked him and feelings threatened to rip him apart, and loosening her grip when the storm broke and calm rolled through him.

  Her fingers threaded through his hair as another wave passed, as he relaxed against her, fatigue rolling over him.

  This time, when his eyes slipped shut, sleep finally claimed him.

  His last thought as it washed over him was a wish—that Enyo would be there when he woke.

  That this wouldn’t be another dream sent to taunt and torture him.

  Chapter 14

  Keras strolled the garden, seeking some quiet and solitude, needing a moment away from everyone as he battled a fierce collision of emotions and tried to untangle them so they would fade away. He breathed deep as he wandered the path that wove between mossy boulders and flowerbeds, and enjoyed the cool sharpness of the air in his lungs as he paused to admire one of the maple trees that had turned a stunning shade of crimson.

  Wherever he walked, violet alliums, sweet-scented nemesias and delicate snowdrops sprouted from the cracks between the steppingstones.

  Mother.

  He appreciated her reaching out to him, offering support in her own way. Had she made up with his father? Keras doubted she would forgive him for a while, but he hoped they were at least on speaking terms again. Hades needed her now more than ever.

  Evening sunlight warmed his skin through his black shirt and trousers, soaking into the material.

  It felt strange to be dressed again, wearing something other than his robe.

  It felt good.

  Almost as good as the feel of Enyo’s gaze on his back.

  He looked over his shoulder at her, twisted to face her the moment he glimpsed her, needing to soak in her beauty as the sunset bathed her face in golden light, threading her black hair with the precious metal and brightening her green eyes. They warmed as his locked with them, as a smile balanced on her lips.

  Wobbling a little.