Page 52 of Guided by the Stars (Creating Destiny #1)

Daemyn steps forward, pulling on his shoulder, halting him in place.

“Babe, I’m sorry, I have to tell him,” he says, looking at my stunned eyes for a split second before turning his attention back to Alexius.

“Think before you act, otherwise I won’t tell you this.

” Despite Alexius’ jaw being so tense that it could crack, he gives Daemyn a firm nod.

“The last time you were at the Halls, I snuck Nora out. She saw her. She didn’t sense her. I was shield—”

I flinch as he flings a chair across the kitchen, breaking it against the wall. “Fuck!” he screams as he pivots, catching Daemyn by the throat and wrapping his hands around, tightening his hold. “What the fuck were you thinking!”

Daemyn’s hands land on Alexius’ as I scream out, “No!” Alexius breathes heavily, his shoulders rising and lowering more than usual, but thankfully both of their hands drop.

“I told you, risks. It’s going to catch up to us,” he hisses over his shoulder and then his arm rams forward, punching the wall next to Daemyn’s head.

I take a deep swallow, listening to his growl before he turns to face Daemyn and me.

“Okay, get her to the Golden Meadow. It’s the only way.

It’s almost replenishing time, so everyone else will be locked up in the Halls and there are creatures to overpower any senses.

Keep her up and away from them, and if any eagles come, find a way, Daemyn.

I mean it,” he orders and then focuses his attention on me.

“Go with him, Nora. I’ll come find you once I deal with Aphrodite. ”

“No!” I scream, piercing my shrill voice through the air, causing both boys to stop.

I’m back in that closet, being locked away, knowing there is nothing I can do except follow his orders.

The worst part is, this time it’s truly my fault.

I keep making him risk everything for me as he runs into danger.

This time it’s coming to his front door.

They told me they only come here if something is wrong, or they’re needing to demonstrate ownership.

He suffers too much already, I will not be the reason he is tortured even more.

“Alexius, no. You need Daemyn. I can’t let her hurt you.

Isn’t there—” Alexius’ arm wraps around me, his fingers coming up, silencing my lips.

“Love, there is no discussion here.” He kisses the top of my head, holding me in his arms before he pulls my face towards his. “This is not about me. I am perfectly safe, I promise. Aphrodite would never hurt me. Trust me.”

Daemyn pops his head up from behind Alexius. “Trust him, babe. Aphrodite is not coming here for anything except for needing to use Alexius’s power or his body,” he chimes in, laughing at the last part.

“Not helping, Daemyn,” I hiss, making Alexius chuckle. “And you, Beast, what the hell? You just went into a fit of rage, throwing furniture, so stop lying. How bad is this?”

Alexius smacks Daemyn in the gut, keeping his eyes on me.

“As unhelpful as Daemyn was, he’s right.

She needs something. But since you two had a little date, I want to make sure Daemyn is right.

And if you’re here and she catches you, Nora, I can’t have that.

She isn’t like Zeus, but she has her ways to play games.

Two times in a row and she will get suspicious over the mortal we are hoarding in our home. ”

He swallows hard, dipping his head down closer to me, lowering his tone to that deep rumble that vibrates into me, “And if you don’t leave now, I’m going to have to make a run for it with you in my arms. You know I will.

If I’m not here when she shows up, that might make things worse. Ignoring a summons is punishable.”

I sigh, knowing I have no choice but to agree when he phrases it that way and I let Daemyn lead me out.

“I’ll be in the meadows with you soon,” Alexius says as I glance over my shoulder, watching him straighten his spine and line his face with the impenetrable hard look of his armor.

***

“Enough rambling babe, you’re going to drive yourself crazy.

Aphrodite is far too obsessed to hurt him.

” Daemyn’s words do more harm than good.

The whole way here he has reassured me by explaining how much Aphrodite enjoys spending time with Alexius.

On one level he calmed me down. On another, he raised the panic within me.

The one person not seeking his blood is the naked Goddess of Love. Go figure!

“And quit with the jealousy, it’s overwhelming,” Daemyn says, leading me towards a small wooden gazebo, making me leave my thoughts behind.

“On our side, our stuff isn’t as fancy as the buildings you saw at Zeus’ Hall, but I promise the view makes up for it.

” My eyes scan the white paint peeling off of the pillars and my feet step on the worn steps with caution.

As soon as I walk in though, little sparkles bounce around from the light shining through the glass dome above, making the space seem important and magical.

“Wow, I’m not sure what Zeus has, but this is amazing. ”

“Just wait.” His smile spreads as he guides me towards the edge.

The breath hitches in my throat as the sight in front of me pushes the jealousy aside.

Emerald green grass springs to life as the golden rays from the sun reflect off the tall, crisp field below.

Little yellow flowers bloom, highlighting the colors, and orange budded bushes grow up like vines into the trees of the forest that line the meadow.

“Those extend up high so that all the creatures can reach and drink from it. It’s like their version of ambrosia. ”

Stunned, I peer around at the calm wildlife that roams beneath me. Hummingbirds the size of rabbits buzz above the deer galloping. Bulls grazing towards the flowers as doves and butterflies fly between them. Countless other animals, large and small, dash in and out of the trees, mingling together.

His small chuckle hits my ears before he explains, “This is where the creatures of Olympus go when the gods allow them to. Their power is strong and is surrounding us as they refuel for the day. Wait one second and look over there.” His arm extends from behind me as he points towards the enormous oak trees.

Vibration buzzes through the air and a crack of thunder booms. From the deep back corner of the woods, huge wings emerge, drifting through the sky.

“You’re kidding,” I mumble with my eyes glued to the enormous white stallion flying towards me.

Its mane glistens as its elegant wings extend wide in the glow of the warm sun.

“Well, he’s not the Pegasus you’ve heard about in legends back home, but like most creatures, Zeus made sure we reproduced all the important ones.

” As Daemyn continues to speak, my focus drifts to the beautiful white horse soaring through the sky.

He circles the field, looking down into the meadows over all the creatures below before landing with grace near the maple trees.

I strain my head over the edge, watching in amazement as his amber eyes burn into mine.

Instant despair hits as if it’s leaping off of the giant Pegasus into me.

The feeling of loss and terror coat my skin.

“What’s wrong with him?” I ask with a shiver and spin around, breaking off contact with the creature’s sorrow-filled eyes.

“The Pegasus’ power is significant. With a single tap of their muzzle, they can fill whatever they desire with water.

They used to travel to the Mortal World, helping the mortals during droughts, but the gods started to abuse their power.

” Daemyn’s hands reach my waist, pulling me away from the ledge.

“Zeus, as you know, is cruel, but he rules with a sense of order. He brought the creatures to Olympus, restricting them to the Land of the Gods, a lot like the eagles. They were taken to hurt the Mortal World, but here everybody has a role to play. And the Pegasus is a favorite among the ruling gods to use for torture.” His words twist my gut as he continues, “At an excruciatingly slow pace, they fill our bodies with water, suffocating us to the brink of madness. Then, they drain the water even more slowly out of you. It’s done repeatedly from sunrise to sunset, when the Pegasus has to rest.” The faraway sound in his voice pains me and I wrap my arms around him, hugging him tight, absorbing as much of his grief as I can.

He isn’t just explaining, he’s reliving.