He didn’t know if that was possible. All he knew was that he was drawn toward her like a moth to a flame. And he was tired of acting as if he wasn’t.
Lifting his hands to her face, he gazed deep into her hypnotic violet eyes that were familiar and new all at the same time, then lowered his head and kissed her.
She sighed and drew him into her mouth. And as he tasted the sincerity and sweetness in her kiss, he tried to convince himself she was right. That this time really was different. That they were different. And that they’d broken the cycle, just as she’d said.
Then he prayed at some point he’d believe it. And that believing wouldn’t cost her everything.
As Talisa knelt behind a large boulder on the edge of the cliff and looked toward the satyr fortress two-hundred or so feet below in the mountains, all that contentment she’d felt with Zagreus in his lookout shifted to worry and fear.
A familiar worry and fear edged with duty she couldn’t ignore.
They’d hiked for several more hours, crossing the river that fed into the lake, then up the hills on the other side and into a thick forest. On the far side, Zagreus pointed out the archway created by two great firs, indicating a northern access point to the kingdom of Ehrendia.
She never would have seen it if she’d been by herself. His magickal border around Ehrendia kept the kingdom well protected. But it wasn’t impenetrable, as she’d learned the night he’d been injured.
And impenetrable was something that was very much on her mind as she stared at the satyr fortress in the fading afternoon light.
The fortress itself was a giant stone monstrosity with very few windows that sat on the edge of another cliff overlooking a narrow canyon. From Talisa’s vantage point, it appeared dark and depressing, but that wasn’t what worried her.
No, what sent that fear sliding down her spine were the satyrs—so many she couldn’t count—on the flat bluff between their hiding spot and the fortress, holding spears and axes and blades as they sparred, clearly gearing up for a war.
“Holy gods,” she whispered as she watched the satyrs practicing combat moves, swords and blades swinging and clanking in the cool breeze. “There are so many.”
“More than I knew,” Zagreus said quietly at her side.
“Are they all yours?” She glanced his way, but he didn’t meet her gaze. Just stared down at the activity with a dark and unreadable expression.
“No. I don’t recognize many. Satyrs are like wolves. They live in small pack-like groups called sects, with one definite alpha. And sects don’t generally socialize with each other. Not like this. Something’s drawn them together here.”
“You mean someone. Do you think it’s Pandora?” They’d talked some about Pandora on their hike out here, but he hadn’t given Talisa many details. She knew Pandora was powerful so long as she had her box, and technically she was ageless, but as the first woman ever created, she was still human. And that meant mortal.
“I don’t know.” Zagreus’s eyes narrowed on something far below. “Look.”
Talisa glanced back down toward the training field. The door on this side of the fortress had opened. She squinted to see better. A female in a long black gown with curly dark hair falling to the middle of her back stepped into the daylight.
Talisa tensed. “Pandora.”
“Yeah, but she’s not alone.”
Pandora reached back for someone. A hand appeared—long fingers, wide palm—a masculine hand. Then a body—a human body.
No, not human, Talisa realized as the male stepped into the daylight as well, the sun glinting off his blond hair. Argolean.
“Max,” she whispered.
Talisa shifted around the boulder where she was hiding so she could get a better look. The last time she’d seen Max, he’d been injured, barely moving on the floor of that club. But he didn’t appear injured now. He was as tall and muscular as he’d ever been. And wearing those dark boots, pants, and shirt beneath that black leather duster falling off his broad shoulders, he looked as formidable and dangerous as any of the Argonauts.
He stilled three steps into the sunlight, then abruptly turned and looked up in their direction.
Talisa gasped.
Zagreus jerked her back against him behind the boulder so she was completely hidden. In her ear, he whispered, “Not a sound.”
Her heart raced as she tried not to move, but her pulse was so loud in her ears she was afraid it would give them away.
Could Max sense her? Could he sense Zagreus and his powers?
Long seconds passed that felt like minutes. Finally, Zagreus’s hold on her loosened. But against her ear, he growled, “Stay out of sight.”
She nodded, knowing giving them away would not help Max. Swallowing hard, she peeked out from behind the boulder once more, then caught her breath all over again.
Pandora slid her hand over Max’s cheek, drawing his attention away from the cliff where Talisa and Zagreus were hidden. Instead of jerking back from her touch or pulling away as he should do, Max smiled, dragged Pandora close, and kissed her passionately.
Talisa blinked once. Then again, sure she was seeing things. But nope, they were still swapping spit, and Pandora’s claws were firmly sunk into any part of Max she could reach.
They finally broke apart. Moving away from Pandora, who was still grinning like the conniving bitch she was, Max headed toward the closest circle of satyrs, where two warriors sparred in the center.
“Who do you think you’re going to be fighting,” Max shouted, pushing his way into the circle. He jerked the blade from the closest satyr. “Fucking fairies?”
“The silens aren’t fighters,” the dejected satyr snarled. “They’re pussies who spend their days fucking maenad nymphs.”
“Nice imagery, there.” Max shoved a hand into the satyr’s chest, knocking him toward the circle. “Move back.”
The satyr growled but didn’t even try to retaliate. Just stepped to the edge of the circle and folded his arms over his chest as he stared at Max, twirling the blade in his hand.
The other satyr in the center of the ring—the one who’d been sparring with the dejected satyr—went still and stared at Max as if he was unsure what Max would do next.
Max ignored him and glanced around the circle. “You all think the silens are going to be easy to take down?”
Heads nodded. “Yesses” and “Of courses” echoed in the air.
“Those pussies can’t fight for shit!” a satyr from the circle called out. “And as soon as they tuck tail and run, the maenads are gonna get a taste of real satyr cock. We’ll show them bitches what a real fucking is!”
Whoops and hollers rose up in the breeze.
“I’d like to fuck my way through the maenads,” another satyr yelled.
“You’ll get your chance soon enough,” another responded.
Laughter echoed from the group.
Max glared from one face to the other. “You’re all dumbfucks.”
Voices quieted. Eyes widened. One by one each of the satyrs stilled and stared Max’s way.
“Yeah, you heard me right.” Max turned a slow circle and looked from one beast to another. “Those silens have been with Zagreus for how many years now?”