Free Centaur Redemption (Touched Series) by Nancy Straight Page B

to be less daunting.
    Drake continued to massage my shoulders as I felt his body press against me.  His lips were at my ear as his voice whispered, “One more day.”  I was so lost to the euphoria of his hands on my shoulders I nearly missed it. 
    I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer, but I knew Drake would be honest with me.  “What do you think will happen tomorrow?  Will they listen?” 
    There was no hesitation from him, “Yes.”  For added effect he squeezed my shoulders.
    “What if they don’t?  What if the herds try to kill us before we can speak?”
    His answer was in a matter-of-fact tone.  “They won’t.”
    “How can you be sure?”
    “I’ll transform.  Even if they want to kill me, they’ll hesitate.  When they do, you’ll convince them.”
    “If I can’t?”
    Drake spun me back so I was facing him as he looked down at me.  “You aren’t looking at this from the right perspective.  The Lost Herd has paid the price.  Zeus wanted the Tak line exterminated for one reason:  a Centauride played a trick on the gods.  She’s long since dead, and so is that ability from the rest of the herd.  The Lost Herd is of no threat to any of the gods any longer.  We just have to get the herds to listen.  Once they see, we’ll find a way to make Zeus understand, too.”
    My teeth sunk into my lip.  It wasn’t true.  I had carefully kept this from everyone.  At least one from the Lost Herd still possessed the skill of planting memories in other’s heads.  I had never tried, so I didn’t know if I could do it, but if Phineas’ daughter Violet could, chances were I could, too.  “You remember the story of King Sisyphus and the Centauride Phyllis?” 
    Drake nodded.  “Of course, I do.  That’s what all this is about.  King Sisyphus was a mortal who wanted to cheat death.  Phyllis thought it would be entertaining to plant the idea in his mind that Charos, the ferryman who carried souls across the River Styx, could be captured.  She inserted the thought that if Charos were chained to the gates on the underworld side of the river with the three-headed dog Cerberus, the ferry would no longer traverse the river and mortals would no longer die.”
    I nodded, “Right, King Sisyphus took this vision and did exactly as his memory instructed him.  He chained Charos to the gates on the other side of the River Styx in Hades.  For a time, no more humans died.  Death was no longer a concern.  It wasn’t long before the humans refused to offer sacrifices to the gods, because if they couldn’t die, humans were immortal, too.”
    “I know the story, Cami.  Zeus was furious with the Centauride Phyllis, and he viewed her and all other Centaurides with the ability to plant memories in others’ heads as a threat.  That’s why he issued the death warrant for the Tak Herd.”  He took my hands in his as his ice blue eyes sparkled back at me.  “But no one can do that anymore.  When Zeus had the Lost Herd all but exterminated, that trait was lost with it. 
    I gently shook my head.  “No, it wasn’t Drake.”  I hated that I hadn’t told him earlier, but with his transformation in South Dakota, the details of what had happened to me in Florida hadn’t seemed important – until now.  “When Phineas had me taken to Florida, he ordered his daughter Violet to plant memories in my head.”
    Drake released my hands.  “What memories?”
    “It doesn’t matter what she was trying to plant in my head.  The fact that she has the ability and is willing and capable of using it will make it hard for us to convince the Council that the Lost Herd is no longer a threat.” 
    Drake’s expression was hurt, “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
    I shook my head.  Why hadn’t I told him?  Drake would have been furious if I’d told him, maybe angry enough to go after Phineas.  Drake had been transformed into a full-blown Centaur Warrior; dealing with his transformation had been more