Moon Borne (Halcyon Romance Series Book 1) (23 page)

How many hours had passed? It was afternoon when she’d been abducted. Now, it was… She frowned. Her gift of the Moon allowed her to sense where the celestial being was in its cycles about the Earth and the Sun, to discern the time of day from its position. Her senses told her it was once again late afternoon.

A cold sweat broke out across her skin as panic joined the terror in her gut. An entire day had passed. Where was her captor? Was he aware she’d escaped her cell? Why hadn’t he brought her food or water?

Did he deposit me here to die?

Which was worse—to be abandoned or not? She would be able to last four days without water. Already one had passed. How many days would pass until she claimed her freedom?

One thing was certain. Sitting in this prison, she was no closer to her escape. She required a plan, a way to mark the tunnels she traveled within so she didn’t revisit the same ones. Yet she had nothing on her, no weapon, except… Yes, she would have to call upon her powers, though it would drain her eventually.

She rose on unsteady feet, bracing the walls to support her weight. After scorching the wall with her fire, she limped left.

***

“How about you stop pacing before you furrow a trench to Hades?” Thereus lifted a brow, his jest obviously an attempt at distraction.

Arsenius scowled at his friend’s futile effort. After he’d related the details of their sojourn in the Amazon camp to the centaur, he’d begun this pacing. Anything to pry his mind off the memories coiling like vipers around his heart, readying to strike their death blows.

The winged male had chipped at the Portal’s wards the entire night and the damn minotaur had yet to make an appearance. Where was he? Coward. Bloody hell, if he harmed Kyme.
No, don’t. Don’t.

Arsenius let out a deep breath. The only way he retained his sanity was by not pondering that far ahead. He focused on the ground beneath his feet, the tiny plants and grass he pounded into dust as he passed the time pacing. Aye, he’d made a nice little trench.

Thereus was right. He should be resting, sleeping even. Eating and drinking. Yet he refused to enjoy any simple necessity when they were likely being denied to Kyme. Logic told him he must, for he required strength to fight the minotaur and to carry Kyme back to his ship.

The beast inside of him countered that had he not slept or eaten for a month he’d still amass the strength to fight for his mate. Even so, he permitted Thereus to shove bread at him and he even agreed to rest for a few minutes. He should be an expert in patience. Every day, he lived with his sister’s disappearance.

This was different.
I can save Kyme.
She was close, and suffering. From time to time, tiny pulses stung him, not as great as the first, but enough to remind him she was in pain.

For half a day, they’d faded entirely. During that time, his trench had achieved the most progress. He’d tried to convince himself she was sleeping, because the alternative was simply not an option.

She
is
alive.
He would rescue her and he’d never let anyone harm her again. He’d save her because that was what he was meant to do. That was why he’d been gifted this new body, right?

“I’m in.” Venn’s shout was like a call to battle. Each male scrambled to his feet and sprinted to the entrance. Heavily muscled males braced axes, swords, daggers. The air around them stilled. What to expect? An army of guards? A spell?

Arsenius gripped his sword as he barreled through them to the entrance. No monsters swarmed them. Good enough for him. Despite Thereus and Venn’s protests, he treaded inside the narrow tunnel. Within moments, blackness engulfed him. He halted, waiting until the others filed in behind him, bearing torches.

He sniffed the air to catch a hint of her scent, pressed his ear to the wall, and listened for her voice.

Silence.

Undeterred, he trekked forward. Fifty feet in, they encountered the first divide. The tunnel split into dozens of others—a first taste of the maze they had infiltrated.

His heart sank deep into his gut as he finally understood.

He might search these tunnels for an eternity and still never find Kyme.

Chapter 22

Kyme randomly chose tunnels. As long as she marked the walls, she wouldn’t search any of them twice. The soft glow of her hands illuminated the passageways, aiding her.

As she veered right, she shivered and the hairs on her arms rose as though she was being observed. Extinguishing her light, she whirled around and peered into the blackness. The blackness stared back. Stilling, she listened for any sounds. Nothing.

Artemis Tauro, please aid me in my escape.
As she called upon one of the goddess’s epithets, “destroyer of bulls” seemed the logical choice.

Is this a test—Artemis’s or the minotaur’s?
Was she passing or failing, and which of those two outcomes would result in her survival?

Her hands glowed once more as she treaded down the passage. She encountered another divide. With a shrug, she chose the left and seared her distinct mark on the wall. As she proceeded forward, a hint of fresh air taunted her nose and propelled her toward the sweet fragrance. Toward a relief from the damp, cloistering stench of the tunnel.

Her heart pounded, her pace quickened. Hastening, she almost missed the end of the tunnel. She slammed her feet into place a second before the tunnel ended, opening into a huge, circular cavern. A hundred feet above, a tiny stream of light from a small opening filtered down. Enough illumination for her to extinguish her own. She remained still and cursed her less than stealthy entrance. Her captor might be inside this chamber.

Silence persisted, so she ventured a hesitant step inside. The air was pure, crisp. She circled the room, surveying the cavern and the many tunnels connected to it.

Blast it, she’d stumbled upon the heart of the labyrinth, the furthest point from any exit.

As she stepped closer to the middle of the room, her heart stuttered. In the very center, directly underneath the opening, stretched a large stone slab. No, an altar. The distinct brown stains of dried blood were splattered across its surface.

Her pulse raced as she spun again and again, fighting the urge to flee. The prickling on her arms amplified. She whirled again and her breath caught in her throat.

The minotaur.

She blinked at the apparition across the chamber, attempting to deny what her eyes detected. She’d rather die searching these tunnels than face him as she was. Weak, weaponless. Defenseless.

“Kyme. I’ve been waiting for you.”

She shuddered at the rasp of his voice—half-animal, half-human, all pure evil. His breath was labored, the wildness in his crimson eyes bordered on insanity.

“Kyme.” The grating etch of his voice twisted over her name. “You have come to me at last, Kyme. Mine. My greatest treasure inside my masterpiece—my labyrinth.” He extended his arms wide toward the enormous cavern.

How do you find your new home? I see you’ve examined it thoroughly, even redecorated.
His voice reverberated inside her mind as his gaze darted to the mark she’d seared into the tunnel wall.

She winced at the intrusion and attempted to block him out, failing. Instead, her mind raced as she flipped through battle strategies. Her body followed suit and tensed, her arms half-raised in defense in case he approached.

The gods have smiled upon us both
, he continued telepathically, so absorbed in his speech he paid no heed to her stance.
Apollo has brought you to me. I assure you, my labyrinth far surpasses those of my brothers. You are lucky I am the one who won you.

“Apollo? Won me?”
Keep him talking. Determine what he seeks.

His smile widened, revealing sharp, ivory fangs.
Yes, Kyme. Apollo arranged for the son of Ares to come. You, however, were an unexpected prize.

His talk of Apollo was likely a delusion. Perhaps a trick to distract her. Her nails dug into her palms as she studied him. Instinct told her he wasn’t going to attack. Not yet. The minotaur was a man trapped inside the primal urges of a beast. His arrogance fed off his intelligence. This weakness might play to her advantage.

Though it was eerie hearing his voice inside her head while she spoke aloud, it was best to let him continue his narcissistic oration. “You were spying on us?”

Of course. This island is ours. We rule Krete, not that pathetic King. My brothers and I, we are princes. Our blood is as royal as any who have sat upon that throne. Yet we are not here to discuss the past.
He waved a hand, dismissing the topic, but Kyme had heard enough.

I watched your display and spied your Queen and the slaver discussing your fate.

She sucked in a sharp breath at his words. What had her godmother said to Arsenius? She shook herself. It didn’t matter, she’d never see him again.

“Ah, yes, did you not know? How interesting.” He rasped aloud, licking his lips and leering with possessiveness. “Fear not, for you are mine now. You shall be the jewel of my collection.”

Resentful anger surfaced within her. She immediately seized it. “You cannot own me, minotaur. Not so long as I live and draw breath.” Planting her weight solidly on both feet, she squared off to face him. She was injured. He was stronger. No delusions of victory clouded her assessment. Nevertheless, Amazons did not surrender.

Emptying her lungs, she blocked out her thoughts of Arsenius. Images of him would only cause her to want to live, when she must prepare to die.

The minotaur’s chortling cracked through her mind.
Weakened as you are, you cannot fight me, though I commend your bravery. Even so, I will not permit you to die, Kyme.

He waved to his right, toward a wooden table laden with platters of meat, cheeses, and vegetables.
Eat. Regain your strength, and consider my offer.

“You expect me to agree to being your captive?”

“Why, yes.” He sneered, speaking aloud. “You made such a bargain with the son of Ares, and in truth, I offer you so much more. It would be unwise to dismiss me, Kyme.” He swept his hand across his body. “You needn’t fear. I would keep you chaste. A power such as yours would be a travesty to waste.” His hand lowered and he cupped himself, making bile rise in Kyme’s throat.

The minotaur vanished. The echo of his hooves scraping the stones sent shivers down her spine before the hot, foul stench of his breath fell on her neck.
Behind me.
He lifted a lock of her hair, sniffing it. She slapped a hand over her mouth to stop from retching.

“I am willing to conserve your virtue, although, perhaps we could come to an agreement such as the one you made with the slaver.”

Gagging, she forced her stomach not to vomit. Her hands fisted, empty without a dagger. She clenched her fists tighter. Cold steel pressed back. Not caring how this was possible, she plunged the knife backward. The minotaur disappeared and rematerialized facing her once more. A patronizing sneer cut across his face.

But she’d learned her lesson. As she flung the dagger at him with deadly aim, Kyme lunged for the ground, refusing to be caught if the knife should deflect. The blade found its mark as it flew straight and true into the minotaur’s eye. He collapsed, the thud echoing off the walls.

Too easy.

“Your perceptions are accurate.” The minotaur snorted behind her as the one in front of her faded.

Dread knotted itself within her gut and took up permanent establishment. She blinked and shuddered.
He isn’t real.
The reason why none of her weapons had worked.

Indeed, you are clever.
His voice grated inside her mind.
Which is why you will not attempt to defy me again. Eat, Kyme. Once I have finished off your rescuers, I will return for you.
His sinister laughter echoed as he vanished once more.

No.
Kyme dropped her head into her hands. How could she, how could any of them fight an enemy who didn’t exist, at least not in corporeal form?

Her terror renewed. Was any of this real? Was her body here, inside this mountain, or was this the image the minotaur wished her to perceive? Even now did she lie unconscious somewhere else?

She examined the table laden with succulent meats, not daring to eat. In the tale of the maiden goddess Persephone, she had eaten of the food Hades, the god of the Underworld, offered her, and in doing so, she’d been imprisoned in the Underworld. That they’d later fallen in love presented no relevance to Kyme’s current situation. She hoped.

She closed her eyes as she leaned against the wall and again sought Artemis’s aid. The minotaur’s mind tricks were a thousand times more evolved than she had imagined. He would kill Arsenius and the others. The minotaur had confirmed her worst fear. They were indeed attempting to rescue her. How she wished to warn them.

Arsenius and his men didn’t stand a chance.

***

“About bloody time, Venn,” Arsenius snapped at the winged male, whom he swore had taken a quarter hour to catch up with them.

“Forgive me, Captain. An issue with the wards, but I’ve fixed it.”