Kyros' Secret (Greek Myth Series Book 1) Read Free Page B

her eyes closed. Dark hair tumbled past her shoulders and fanned out around her on the dusty earth. Her body was lean and straight. A quiver of arrows had fallen next to her; a bow was clutched in one hand. This must be Ares’ daughter, he thought. The daughter Chiron told him about that was nothing but trouble.
    Ares had left the scene in a rage, but his henchmen were headed in Kyros’ direction.
    “Kyros!” Chiron and Nemos appeared from the brush and the old centaur reached down to give him a helping hand. Kyros allowed Chiron to pull him to a standing position. He stretched his stiff legs and pawed the earth beneath him in aggravation. Why did this have to happen now? He shook his head, trying to clear his vision as he turned back towards Chiron and young Nemos.
    Nemos stared at him, wide-eyed and open mouthed. “He’s … he’s…”
    “Yes, boy,” Chiron replied as he placed a hand on Nemos’ shoulder. “Kyros is a centaur like us … for now.”
    “Then he’s cursed?” asked Nemos in a faint voice.
    “I am,” Kyros spoke up. “And I have Ares to thank for it. Because of him, I’ve been living a nightmare. Because of him, I’m a man by day and a centaur by night.”
    “We must leave here at once,” said Chiron, guiding Kyros into the cover of the bushes before any of Ares’ men came after them.
    Kyros looked over his shoulder with blurred vision at Ares’ soldiers pulling the girl to her feet. He wanted to stay, wanted to find out more about what just happened - about the girl. But he knew Chiron was right. If they were to stay, they’d only be captured by Ares and then there would be no chance for him to bring peace between the Trozens and the Centaurs. He had to go … for now. But he would be back.

 
    Two
     
     
    “Centaurs!”
    Thera didn’t need to actually see the wretched half-men, half-horse creatures to know they stalked her and her traveling companions. Her sixth sense, not to mention her nose, made her aware they were hiding somewhere in the thick shrub. She shifted her weight in the saddle and ran her hand across the back of her mare’s head. One of the guards rode in front of her down the narrow path, the other two brought up the rear.
    “Let’s get these horses moving, Ganymede, unless you’re up for taking on an army of centaurs, she said.”
    She sniffed the air once more, certain she’d smelled the wild, gamy sweat of the centaur warrior. She’d never been fond of the creatures and after what just happened she disliked them even more.
    She couldn’t remember much of how it happened, only the rugged centaur that stood before her devouring her with his eyes. Probably an ally of her father. And definitely no good if he consented to mate with a human. It wasn’t a centaur’s way. A centaur had pride in his race and would never mate with anyone besides the beloved sea nymphs.
    “How can you be sure, your Highness?” Ganymede sat taller upon his horse, scoping the sides of the narrow road with his eyes. A quick jerk of his dark, curly head, and he called to the men behind. “I don’t see anything. Do you, Akil?”
    Akil stifled a yawn, and let out a loud belch before answering. “Naw. No creatures back here. That is, unless you count Loxias.” His large belly jiggled as a deep bellowing laugh lodged in his throat. “Loxias has been known to scare off a few virgins in his time.”
    “Bite your tongue, Akil.” Loxias spit a stream of phlegm toward Akil, just missing him, but hitting Akil’s war-horse instead. The animal threw back its head and reared up on two legs. Akil nearly fell off his horse from the unexpected jolt.
    “Hades take you, Loxias! Your own spittle burns a fire into my animal hotter than the fires of Tartarus.”
    “Stop it, you fools,” Thera warned. “Can’t you see the horses are spooked? They’ve caught the scent of the centaurs.”
    Ganymede stopped his horse, thereby halting the entire caravan in the process. “I don’t see the