Great. Nereus. Elysia had almost forgotten he existed.
She steeled her nerves as the future Council member joined them. He was thinner and taller than his father, but his hair was already beginning to thin at the temples. And though Elysia guessed he was handsome enough for most—green eyes, brown hair, and a good complexion—when he reached for her hand and brought it to his lips, his palms were too soft from hours behind a desk. He wore the traditional chison, a crisp white shirt buttoned up to his throat with a long collar that looped from one side around his neck to drape over the opposite shoulder, and crisp black slacks, but he didn’t fill the clothes out the way Cerek would. He wasn’t muscular or commanding or heart-stopping in any way, and not for the first time, Elysia wondered what the hell her parents had been thinking when they’d considered a match for her with him.
“I’m so happy you are home,” Nereus said, lowering Elysia’s hand but refusing to let it go. “I’m sure your days on Olympus must have been absolutely frightful.”
Frightful? Was this guy for real? He was looking at her as if she were a piece of meat rather than a living person. Elysia’s fingers grew damp as an unseen pressure condensed in her chest. She had to get out of here before she screamed.
“They weren’t all that bad,” she managed. Tugging her hand from Nereus’s, she turned toward her mother. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Elysia.” Her mother reached for the sleeve of her dress, but Elysia sidestepped her hand.
“I’ll be right back.”
She made it three steps before her father moved in her way and narrowed hard, black eyes down at her. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Skata. Think fast. “The restroom. That’s still allowed, isn’t it?”
Demetrius’s jaw clenched, and she knew she should have bitten her tongue, but she couldn’t anymore. They were treating her as if she was five instead of twenty-five. As if she knew nothing about taking care of herself when she’d kicked ass on Pandora.
“Don’t be long,” her father said after several seconds. “Everyone in this room is here for you.”
She wanted to tell him she’d take as long as she liked, but bit back the words and nodded. Her temper skyrocketed as she stepped around him, though. Everyone should be here for Cerek, not her. He’d been missing for twenty-five years, not two simple months. But the only people who even seemed to care were the Argonauts…and her.
Weaving through the crowd, she glanced toward the column where she’d last seen Cerek. He was still watching her, his chocolate eyes as focused and intense as ever. Her heart picked up speed as she glanced toward the doors, hoping he could read her silent plea.
“Hold on, Princess.”
Elysia startled just as she reached the open door and drew up short. She pressed a hand to her chest. “Oh, Titus. You scared me.”
The Argonaut was dressed in the same formal outfit Cerek wore, though his cape was blue. A few wisps of wavy dark hair framed his face, but the rest was tied with a leather strap at his nape, and he stared down at her with knowing hazel eyes. Eyes that put her on immediate alert. “What’s going on between you and Cerek?”
Elysia’s heart stuttered. “I-I don’t know what you mean.”
“Bullshit.” He took a half step closer but was careful, she noticed, not to touch her with his gloved hands. “You’re both projecting so loudly, my eardrums are about to burst.”
Skata. Titus had the ability to read minds. She’d forgotten that until just this moment. Her face grew hot, and her pulse turned to a roar in her ears. “You don’t think anyone else knows, do you?” she whispered.
“No. Most of the guys think Cerek’s gay.”
Elysia nearly choked on her tongue. “What?”
“We never saw him with a female. In all the years he served with the Argonauts, he never once even talked about a female.”
Cerek…gay? She glanced across the ballroom, and heat rushed through her when she saw the way he was watching her—as if he couldn’t wait to get to her, as if she were all that mattered. Memories of the way he’d all but devoured her last night rushed through her mind, making that heat trickle lower. There was no way he was gay. He was the most heterosexual male she’d ever met.
“Your father suspects something happened between the two of you,” Titus said.
Elysia looked back at Titus. His gaze was fixed beyond her, in the direction of her parents. Panic whipped through her chest before she reminded herself that suspecting and knowing were two very different things.
Titus looked down at her once more. “Callia knows for sure.”
“How? Did you—”
“She did your exam this morning, remember? She knows you’re no longer untouched.”
Elysia’s face absolutely burned, and her eyes fell closed. The healer had asked her this morning if she’d been forced to do anything against her will, and Elysia had answered—truthfully—no. But she hadn’t expected anyone could know whether or not she was a virgin based on a quick magical scan.
“She asked me earlier if there’s something going on between you two,” Titus went on.
Elysia looked up at him. “And what did you say?”
“I said no, of course. She’s your mother’s sister. They share secrets like candy. Besides which, if your father finds out, Cerek’s dead. Demetrius is projecting loudly as well. He thinks Cerek’s a traitor. That Zeus brainwashed him and sent him to bring you back only to kill you in front of your parents.”
Elysia’s eyes widened. “What? That’s ridiculous. Why on earth would he do that?”
“To inflict as much pain as possible. To make us all suffer. Zeus is all about revenge. We’ve bested him one too many times. Cerek could be nothing more than a means to an end.”
A protective urge bubbled through Elysia. “And what do you think?”
“I think…” Titus glanced across the room toward Cerek. “I’m not sure what to think. His thoughts are all over the place. I can’t get a read on him.” Titus looked back down at her. “But I do know this much, you need to be careful.”
“I’m not afraid of Cerek.”
“I don’t mean him. Your parents are moving up your arranged binding with Nereus. They’re worried about Zeus coming after you again. Zeus can’t claim a bound female for his Sirens. But Nereus is not a good match. He cares only about how the union will benefit his political status. Nothing more.”
The pressure in Elysia’s chest intensified, and her throat grew thick. “W-when?”
“Tomorrow night.”
No. Her heart squeezed so tight, the air felt as if it were wrenched from her lungs. She wanted to whip around and stare at her parents in horrified disbelief, but she forced herself not to move, not to turn, not to show any emotion that would give their awful secret away.
She couldn’t bind herself to Nereus. She wouldn’t. “I-I need some air.”
She sidestepped Titus, but he moved in her path before she could get away. “I didn’t tell you so you’d run. I told you so you could prepare an argument to use against them. Running will only get you in trouble, as it did last time.”
Oh yeah, he’d read her mind. He knew exactly why she’d run and how the Sirens had caught her. But more than that, he was right. She couldn’t run this time. Not if she had any intention of staying in Argolea. And she had to stay in Argolea so she could be near Cerek. He wasn’t safe outside this realm either, and she wasn’t about to let Aphrodite or any of those Siren recruits sink their claws into him again.
“I understand,” she said calmly. More calmly than she expected. “And I’m not running. I just need to use the restroom.”
He stared at her several long seconds as if he didn’t believe her, then finally stepped back and let her pass.
Elysia moved out the tall double doors, away from the lights and people and music and into the foyer. But that pressure in her chest didn’t ease. It only intensified. Felt as if it were burning a hole right through the middle of her hear
t.
Shaking, she darted past the bathroom, up the curved stairs to the second floor, and into the closest suite. Shoving the French doors opened, she staggered out onto the veranda, where she gripped the stone balustrade as she gulped in air.
Only it didn’t help. Because she still had no idea what she was supposed to do next.
She wasn’t on the first floor.
Cerek’s heart rate picked up speed as he skipped steps to get to the second floor. He’d checked every room—even the restroom, where he’d scared the shit out of a couple of females who were probably going to report him as a pervert—and there was no sign of her.
He passed an office, a library, tried a door only to find it locked. His heart beat faster. If she’d gone outside, if she’d moved to an upper floor in this monstrosity of a castle, he might never find her. And he needed to find her. Something was wrong. He’d seen the flash of panic in her eyes when she’d been talking to the long-haired Argonaut with the gloves. Something he instinctively knew had to do with him.
He passed an open bedroom door, then jerked back when he noticed the French doors on the far side open.
The dark room consisting of a sitting area, a fireplace, a bed, and two end tables. “Emmoní?”
Sniffling sounded from the veranda. Closing the main door quietly, he crossed the floor and stepped out into the darkness. The balcony overlooked the gardens below, and, beyond the castle walls, the twinkling lights of the city of Tiyrns. But his attention immediately shot to the female leaning against the railing, swiping at her eyes.
“Emmoní?”
“Oh, Cerek.” She moved into him and buried her head against his chest.
“What’s wrong?” He closed his arms around her, trying to keep the panic at bay. “What’s happened?”
She sniffled again. “My parents are what’s happened. They’re arranging my binding.”
His fingers stilled near her spine, and thoughts of whips and chains and some kind of sadistic ceremony only Hades would like filled his head. “Tell me that’s not as bad as it sounds.”
“It’s worse.” She pushed out of his arms and swiped at her damp eyes. “It’s a marriage. They’re forcing me into marriage. They’re going to say it’s to keep Zeus from coming after me, but I know the truth. It’s a political arrangement to smooth things over with the Council. They’ve been planning this for months. That’s how the Sirens found me. I overheard my parents arranging it months ago, so I ran. Before I could get to the human realm and freedom, the Sirens intercepted me.”
Cerek had no idea what the Council was or what she meant about smoothing things over with them, but he understood the words marriage and force. He gripped her shoulders. “The weasely-looking male? The one who couldn’t stop staring at your breasts?”
Elysia’s shoulders slumped. “Yes. He’s the Council leader’s son. He’ll one day rule the Council that advises the monarchy, but really they just want to overthrow the monarchy. The political situation in this country is a mess. My mother’s been trying to fix it but—”
“You’re not doing anything with that male.”
Elysia’s expression softened. “I don’t want to. But I don’t have much of a choice here. I can’t run off again. Zeus will find me if I leave this realm, and if that happens, I’ll be sent back to Olympus.” She gripped his forearms. “And I don’t want to leave you.”
“So bind yourself to me.”
She stilled beneath his hands. “What?”
His blood pumped hot and fast. “If their reason is Zeus, bind with me. Then he can’t take you. He can’t take a bound female from any race.”
“You…would want to do that? With me? It’s forever. It’s not just a simple—”
He lifted his hands to her face and stepped closer. “I want you with me forever. It is simple.”
Her gaze searched his face. “But…my father—”
“He doesn’t like me. I know. Which is why we need to do this right away. He can’t say no after it’s done. And he can’t force you to marry someone else when you’re already bound to me.”
She stared at him and swallowed hard, and he knew she was wavering. That he had to convince her.
He lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers. Then he looked down at her with every bit of emotion he hoped she could feel. “I need you, Elysia. Say yes.” He kissed her again. “Say yes to me. To us.”
Her hands landed on his hips, and a soft moan echoed from her chest as she opened to his kiss, drawing him into the heat and life of her mouth. “Yes,” she whispered against his lips. “Yes, yes, yes.”
Relief filled his chest like air, but it was fleeting. He drew back. “Is there someone you know who can do the ceremony?”
She bit her lip. “Yes. One person. I can send word.”
“Do it.”
“We’ll have to go tonight,” she said. “My parents are moving up the binding with Nereus. Titus told me they’re going to announce it tomorrow.”
He nodded. “To—”
Voices echoed from the corridor. Cerek looked toward the closed door and pushed Elysia deeper onto the veranda, out of sight of the door in case anyone came in the bedroom. “Someone’s coming.” He kissed her again and let go. “I’ll find you at midnight.”
Reaching for the balustrade, he climbed onto the railing and moved toward the castle wall.
“Wait.” She turned after him. “Meet me in the downstairs library.”
He stopped and looked back. “You’re sure you’ll be able to get away?”
“I’ll make it happen.”
He smiled. “It’s a date, emmoní. Now go back to the party before anyone notices we’re both gone.”
“Can’t you just use the door?”
“People are in the hall. I don’t want them to see us together. Besides, I can’t let you have all the fun climbing sides of buildings.
A smile spread across her beautiful face as she turned for the bedroom door. “Just don’t fall to your death between now and midnight, ómorfos.”
“Not a chance,” he said after her. “You’re mine.”
And in a few hours, she’d be his forever.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The party had run later than she’d expected. After Elysia had excused herself close to midnight, she’d had to hide out in her room until the last of the guests had left. Now, at just before one a.m., she rushed down the dark stairs, hoping Cerek hadn’t given up on her.
He’d left the party with his father sometime around eleven. She’d watched him go, wondering where they were heading. Elysia knew Aristokles was still worried about Cerek, but she hoped that worry wasn’t translating into constant supervision.
She reached the lowest level, crossed the massive Alpha seal in the foyer’s marble floor, and soundlessly moved toward the library. Stepping into the dark room surrounded on all sides by two-story bookshelves filled with leather tomes, she let her eyes adjust and searched for Cerek.
“Cerek,” she whispered. It still felt strange to call him that, and she knew it was strange to him as well. Knowing he was having trouble responding to it, she whispered, “Damon.”
Silence met her ears, and inside the library, nothing moved.
Panic rose in her chest. “Cerek!” she hissed again.
“You called?” a voice said over her shoulder.
She whipped around and pressed a hand against her heart. Cerek stood behind her, dressed in a dark shirt and pants, moonlight through the tall arching windows in the library highlighting his tousled hair, dark gaze, and mischievous smile. “You scared me.”
“I’d rather dazzle you.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” She closed her hand around his as nerves jumped in her belly. “We have to go down to the tunnels. It’s the easiest way out of the castle unnoticed.”
She stepped past him and pulled him with her, leading him to a set of stairs hidden near the kitchen.
“Did anyone see you leave???
? he asked as the door closed behind them and she lit the torch hanging on the wall.
“No. You?”
“No.” He took the torch from her hand as they started down. “Ari and his mate…what’s her name?”
“Daphne.”
“Yeah. Daphne. They left about thirty minutes ago and went back to their house. Or my house, I guess. They’ve been staying there since I left. Or died. Or…whatever.”
Elysia drew to a stop as she stepped off the last stair and turned to look up at him. The air was colder down here, the torch illuminating only a circle of light as he joined her.
“What?” he asked.
“You went there this morning, to your old home. Did it trigger any memories?”
“Not one.”
Torchlight cast shadows over his handsome face. Shadows lurked in his eyes. She squeezed his hand. “We’ll make new memories.”
“We will.” He let go of her hand, wrapped his arm around her waist, and drew her into his heat as he leaned down to kiss her again.
The nerves she’d been feeling skittered away, and as she rose to her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him back, she knew this was the right choice. The only choice. Everything she’d never known she wanted.
Breathless, he drew back and rested his forehead against hers. “As much as I want to stay here and go on kissing you, I think we’ve already kept the priest waiting.”
Reluctantly, she let go and dropped to her heels. “We have. And it’s not a priest, it’s a priestess. Only here, the ancient word for priestess is hiereia, so use that when you address her.”
He chuckled as she pulled him with her down a long dark corridor. “See? I learn something new every day because of you.”
“Oh, and she’s not just a hiereia. She’s also a witch.”
“Even better. Will this be legal if it’s overseen by a witch?”
“Yes.” She grinned back at him. “Especially because my bloodline is part witch.”
“It is?”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to turn you into a toad or anything. My father hails from Jason and Medea. He can make spells work, but I’ve never had much luck. Probably because I didn’t ever like to practice.”