Perseus drove and so Medusa took the front passenger seat. Liora and Elian called ‘dibs’—an Upperworld term that apparently meant that being the first to say something aloud meant one could have it—on the front van seats, which meant he had to share the last row with Zara.
This was definitely a terrible idea.
That’s what his brain had been telling him the last couple of days, since he agreed to her inane request. Hektor should have listened. However, the other organs in his body had other thoughts.
She was pretty so it was natural for him to feel the attraction too. But nothing good could come from pursuing any kind of romantic relationship with her. His heart was still too broken, and he was too old for Zara, not to mention, he didn’t even know if she was open to an inter-species mating. Humansand Drakkons were compatible of course, but she grew up on the Upperworld. The women who participated in the Drakkon mating ritual knew what they were in for, both culturally and biologically. His kind had certain differences from human males.
Well,twodifferences. How he would even begin to explainthatto her, he didn’t know.
But it wasn’t like he was going to have the chance, seeing as she had already set out on her first foray into the Vale Crossing dating scene, and managed to somehow rope him into helping her with her basilisk.
The very idea of it—someone being hers—set his teeth on edge.
Why he even agreed to it, he didn’t know. He’d already brushed her off a few times, but the girl was damned persistent. Insisting that she needed his help. Asking about basilisks and what they liked. He’d mumbled a few facts to her, nothing concrete, and hurried along, making excuses to leave her presence. He told himself it was because he couldn’t stand her pestering ways and no other reason.
That the knot forming in his stomach whenever she mentioned her basilisk beau was due to indigestion.
Or the flame sparking in his chest had nothing to do with how her entire face lit up when her phone beeped with a familiar alert.
Or how the corners of her mouth turned up as she read her messages.
Yes, definitely a terrible idea,his brain berated.
“No pressure, though,” Medusa interrupted. “Just do your best.”
“Is that why you’re babysitting us?” Liora asked, making Elian guffaw. “You don’t think we’ll succeed?”
“Think of it as supervising,” Perseus said. “And I have every confidence in you guys. But, you haven’t tested your newabilities out in the field, so this will be a great way to fine tune your powers. You’ve been mostly using them with Hecate on demigods you already know, so let’s see if you can identify any of Zeus’s children if you encounter them out here.”
“How should we begin?” Zara asked. “We don’t even know anything about Orunai or the centaurs.”
“That’s where you come in, Hektor,” Medusa said. “What can you tell us about this place? Have you been here before?”
Hektor put his hand down and turned to them. “Once, when the council came on an official visit. Drakkons and centaurs have an amicable relationship, though nothing more concrete.”
The two races couldn’t have been more different, and not just because of their environment. The centaurs were nomadic and didn’t care much for possessions, so they had no use for gold or wealth or trade. Still, they were powerful creatures and their numbers were vast, so it was better to have them as friends rather than the opposite.
“Centaurs roam in herds,” he continued. “I believe there are about twenty-five or so herds in total, and each herd had about fifty or so members, at least when I last came here a decade or so ago.”
“Wait, so we’re talking about searching for one demigod out ofa thousandcentaurs?” Liora exclaimed.
Elian let out a low whistle. “Talk about the proverbial needle in a haystack.”
“That’s what the job is going to be like, I’m afraid,” Perseus said. “But that’s why we put you through that training and have you working together as a team.”
“Hektor,” Medusa began. “Do you have any contacts from any of the herds? Or relationship with their leaders?”
“I have met a few chiefs, though that was a long time ago.” Hektor said. “And I wouldn’t really say they have leaders, in the strictest sense. Centaurs aren’t formal or bureaucratic. As Imentioned, they are nomadic, roaming the land as they please and never settling down in one place. While yes, they have chief stallions and mares, they serve mostly as guides for the groups. The herd decides as one, voting on important matters. But for the most part, they like to live free and unencumbered.”
“Sounds like real hippies,” Elian piped in. “Peace, free love, communal living and stuff.”
“Far out, man,” Liora snickered, which earned her an elbow from Zara.
Before Hektor could ask what a ‘hippie’ was, Perseus said, “Would you say that’s a good thing or bad thing in our case?”
He shrugged. “It could be both. There’s no way to contact the herds or set up meetings with them as they could be anywhere at any given time. However, they are also not territorial and are quite friendly and welcoming to visitors. Once we come upon a herd, it should not be difficult for us to sit down and ask if we can start our search.”
“That’s good,” Medusa said. “But how do we find the herds?”
