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Ere cocked an eyebrow.
“That’s a fucking wide range.”
Andros shook his head in frustration.
“I cannot say. I have never seen the stronghold.”
“My girls tell me a couple dozen centaurs stampede into Thessaly during the Rite of Hippodameia,” Divina contributed. “One centaur is reputed to be able to take on ten human soldiers.”
Ere looked back at Andros.
“How many can you take on?”
“I do not know. I have never pitted myself against humans or centaurs. I have only ever been in my equine form until recently.”
Ere eyed him up and down consideringly.
“Well,youare the bloodline of Apollo. You’re a demigod too. Please tell me the sun god isn’t just good for his looks. Maybe you have a special power? Stronger than the others? You’re certainlybig.”
Andros clenched his jaw again.
“I do not know.”
“That’s enough now,” Divina said sharply, glaring at Ere.
“Leave him be. He is still wounded and needs to rebuild his strength. Besides, we all need to rest. I’m no military strategist, but it sounds like we should delay storming the mountain until we gather more knowledge about what we’re heading into.”
“There is a large fort at the base of the mountains,” Sorin said. “During the supper hunt earlier, I could see the light of torches from its outer walls.”
“Where there’s a fort, there must be some civilization,” Ere lit up with a hopeful expression. “Surely there will be people with useful information.”
“And hot food, soft beds, and bath halls,” Divina wished.
“Armories,” Sorin grunted.
“Well, at least we know where we’re headed tomorrow,” Ere muttered. “I wish these quests came with instruction manuals.”
He stretched in a jaw-popping yawn and leaned back heavily against his mate. Sorin lay down on his side and pulled Ere into his body. Though the two men were of similar height, the golden warrior seemed to dwarf the other male.
Divina’s eyes flitted to Andros again. A mere flutter of the lashes, so he couldn’t be sure she was looking at him.
But he was always looking at her.
She turned away and settled on her own patch of grass by the low-burning fire and tucked the blanket around her. The dog moved closer and curled into a furry mound at her back.
Between the fire and the canine bear, Andros supposed she should be warm enough. The night was cool, but not chilly, except when the wind blew. He kept watch over his female until the fire died out completely, and the air grew colder. He saw her shiver as the breeze stirred her thick, wavy hair.
That was when Andros got up from his crouch and walked to her side, resettling next to her so that she faced him. He wavered between using his centaur form or his equine form. In the end, he lay down completely in his equine form, for she seemed more comfortable around him this way.
It was the right decision. For, in the middle of the night, Divina scooted closer, curling into the circle of his neck and chest. She laid one hand on his cheek, while the other clutched a handful of mane, and sighed contentedly in her sleep.
Only then, did Andros allow himself to truly rest.
For the first time in his life, he was no longer alone.
