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 ourkezils?”
“These are your homes, correct?” Hektor said. “I remember them from when I visited.”
The centaur nodded. “Thekezilsprovide 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 ourkezilsfor 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.
