Chapter 6 Hektor #2
“Wait, you mean, you know that gods have been mating with your kind?” Hektor asked.
“Of course.” Dimeses’s tone brimmed with pride. “We are lucky to have the gods—and goddesses—visit us and bless us with foals. And who can blame them, for we centaurs are known for our sexual prowess and stamina.”
“Gods are such perverts,” Liora stage-whispered to her siblings, which earned her a warning glare from Perseus.
Medusa cleared her throat. “We are looking for the child of a particular god.”
Dimeses’s expression turned skeptical. “And may I ask why are you searching for this child?”
Hektor spoke, as he knew the centaur would trust his word. “He or she is in danger, as are the people around them, so we must warn them and offer them protection if necessary.”
The centaur tapped a finger to his chin, seemingly deep in thought before he spoke. “I see. Unfortunately, centaurs do not keep track of our sires. To us, all foals are children of the herd and we grow up as brothers and sisters. Would there be signs that someone is a demigod?”
“Some may have special powers, but not all do,” Perseus said. “Which is why it’s difficult to tell just by looking at someone. However, we have ways of finding out.”
“I can gauge the level of power or magic of a living being,” Medusa stated.
“Your team is lucky to have you then.”
“And we have the help of our friends who are of geryon descent who can detect magical energy.” Hektor motioned to the triplets. “Their powers have been enhanced by the Nightwanderer herself.”
A muscle jumped in Dimeses’s neck as Hektor uttered one of Hecate’s nicknames. “I see. Well, kirobus, if one of my kind is in danger, then we will do what we can to help you.”
“Thank you, kirobus,” Hektor said. “I know there are many of you scattered across the plains so we have our work cut out for us. Your assistance would be most appreciated.”
“It would cut down on our legwork for sure,” Perseus said. “Thank you, Dimeses.”
“Why don’t we begin with our herd? We are settled in the meadow not far from here.
” He tossed his head in the direction just over his left shoulder.
“I will introduce you to our chief mare. Not only is she the wisest among us, but she will know where most of the other herds have settled for the season. It’s not too far and quite a pleasant walk. ”
“I wouldn’t mind stretching my legs,” Hektor said. “Please, lead the way, kirobus.”
They followed behind Dimeses and the other centaurs as they ambled across the plain, trudging up the green grassy hill.
As they reached the top, Hektor cupped his hand over his forehead as he spotted the herd camp just at the bottom of the slope.
About twenty or so colorful tents were grouped together, and in the middle, soft gray smoke curled upward from a campfire.
“Whoa, are those yurts?” Elian exclaimed as they drew closer.
“Yurts?” Dimeses tilted his head to the side. “You mean our kezils?”
“These are your homes, correct?” Hektor said. “I remember them from when I visited.”
The centaur nodded. “The kezils provide us shelter from elements, yes. But this”—he gestured around them—“is our home. We do not stay in one place, as the lands in Orunai belong to everyone. We stake our kezils for a season, then we move on.”
“Don’t you get tired of never staying in one place?” Elian asked.
Hektor wanted to know, too, as he couldn’t imagine what that life was like. To Drakkons, their homes where they kept their hoards didn’t just give shelter, but gave them a sense of pride and belonging.
Dimeses chuckled. “Our ways must seem strange to you. But it is how our kind has always lived, even before our ancestors made their way to Vale Crossing.” He nodded up ahead at the small group of centaurs standing around the camp fire.
“Our chief mare, Corinea, is over there. I will let her know of your presence and you can tell her about your search.”
He trotted over to the campfire, leaving them behind as he spoke to a female centaur.
From her stance and general air around her, she clearly was a leader among her people, standing straight and tall with tanned, muscled shoulders.
Her lower equine half was that of a draft horse, with a dull, healthy sheen of a being of constant work and activity, rather than languid luxury.
Her face was drawn into deep concentration as she listened to Dimeses, her hands closing together as she rested her chin on her fingers, seemingly deep in thought.
A moment after Dimeses stopped speaking, she trained her gaze on Hektor and the rest of the group, then motioned for them to come over.
“One second.” Elian held up a hand and turned to his sister. “Zara, did you pick up anything from Dimeses? Any sense that he may be trying to hide something or if he’s lying?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t feel anything like that.”
Hektor had never seen Zara’s individual power used on a stranger, so he was curious about what else she could do. “So you can also tell if someone is lying?”
“Not quite. Dimeses’s emotions feel genuine. Whatever he says, he believes in it. Whether it’s true or not, I can’t say.”
“Hektor should continue to do the talking, in any case” Perseus said as they drew closer to the chief and the others. “She’ll probably listen to you more.”
“Of course.” Hektor was glad he had suggested it first. Once they were within a few feet of the chief, he lowered his head. Though centaurs were not formal, they were still expected to treat leaders with respect, so he waited for her to speak first.
“Welcome, strangers.” The timbre of her voice wasn’t melodic, but had a deep, richly textured timbre. “And welcome back to Orunai, kirobus.”
He lifted his gaze to meet hers. “Have we met before, chief?”
She shook her head. “No, we have not, for I was not chief mare of Moonwish herd during your kind’s last visit. But, we keep our promises and our alliance with the Drakkons remains strong.”
“As do we, chief. We remember and take our vows seriously.”
“I am glad. And please, call me Corinea.” Her gaze roamed over them. “Dimeses has told me of your request. But before I grant it, I would like to hear all about it from you.”
“Of course.” Hektor glanced over at Medusa and Perseus, who sent him an encouraging nod. After a quick introduction, he told Corinea all about their search for the children of Zeus.
“That is quite an undertaking,” Corinea said. “And a noble one as well. Of course we will help you, especially if it means protecting one of our own. How can we help?”
Dimeses spoke up. “I already told them that we may have some herd members who are from the seed of gods.”
“Ah yes, but do they know we do not keep track of who our sires are?”
“Yes, I’ve explained it, but they have ways of knowing.”
The chief mare’s eyebrows shot up. “How so?”
“Through magic,” Medusa explained. “Actually, if you don’t mind, perhaps we can show you?”
“As long as no one will be hurt,” Corinea said.
“No, it’s completely harmless,” she assured the mare. “First we should gather your herd and then we can start.”
It didn’t take long for Corinea and Dimeses to assemble the entire herd together, in the clearing just outside the main congregation of tents. Hektor counted about forty or so adult centaurs and a dozen foals and juveniles.
“Alright.” Medusa nodded at the triplets. “Do your thing.”
Elian whistled. “We’ve never used our power at this scale before.”
Even the confident and brash Liora had her eyebrows drawn together in worry. “Will we have enough magic?”
Zara remained quiet, but Hektor didn’t need empathic powers to know she was anxious as well.
“You can do it,” Hektor said, looking each one in the eye, though lingering a little longer on Zara. “I know you can.”
Zara flashed him a small smile, then nodded her head at her siblings. “Let’s go.”
Just like that first day when they demonstrated their powers, the three of them spread out amongst the herd, forming a triangle.
Even in the wide open space of the plains, the magic emanating from them felt just as powerful as it did in that tiny meeting room back at headquarters, maybe even more now that they were in nature.
There was an awareness in the air that shimmered and vibrated in every living thing, from the wind gently blowing by to the blades of grass beneath his feet.
“Yes, I can feel it,” Liora said in a serious tone. “Something strong…I can see…” She gasped.
“It’s alive,” Elian added.
“And so strong,” Zara gasped. “You…”
She broke the triangle as she stepped forward, weaving her way through the herd. Her siblings, Hektor and the rest of their party followed behind her, the crowd parting to make way until she stopped in front of a male centaur.
There was nothing unusual about him, at least not his human half.
Like most males in the herd, he had golden tanned skin and a muscular torso.
However, he had a shock of white hair that matched that of his tail, and his equine body was a black color with splashes of silver along the front and sides.
“This one,” Zara breathed out.
Medusa confirmed it with a nod. “Yup. Level nine.”
“Are you a son of Zeus?” Zara asked.
The centaur blinked. “H-how did you know?”
Dimeses spoke up. “Wait, how did you know, Igalus?”
The other centaur’s gaze lowered as one of his rear hooves pawed at the ground. “I’ve known for some time. I know we aren’t supposed to know, but…”
“You’re not in trouble, young one,” Corinea assured him as she trotted forward. “But I am curious.”
“He…he made me promise not to tell.” Igalus swallowed audibly. “Zeus…my father.”
“He came to you? When?”
“As a child,” he confessed. “When my dam died. He said he had been very fond of her and asked me if I needed anything. I told him the herd looked after me and he seemed pleased. He continued to visit me until my eighteenth birthday a few years ago.”