Things That Should Stay Buried - Casey L. Bond Page 0,83

out in pain. I knew that sound.

“We have to help him!” I shouted, trying to push around her.

“NO!” She grabbed my arm. “I’m under strict orders to keep you safe.”

I pointed the borrowed blade at her belly. “Let go of me. You heal fast, but not fast enough to keep me in here.”

Fire blazed in her eyes. “I regret it,” she hissed.

“I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m going to help them. If I’m the problem, Helena… maybe I can also be the solution.”

21

Her fingers twitched. I wasn’t sure if she wanted to slap me or drag me to the place where the darkness would swallow me whole and leave me to fend for myself. Finally, she shook her head and smiled. “Maybe you’re right.” She tucked me behind her. “We watch first and wait for an opportunity. You can’t just go in wildly. Every strike must be fueled by ruthless purpose.”

My palm was sweating as we wove our way through the dark castle. I soon realized the fight wasn’t inside – it was outside, the thunderous blows shaking the very foundations. Boulders broke free from the mountains beyond us, tumbling down the mountain to the base.

We slipped into the rings of columns, racing from one ring to the next. As we moved closer, we saw Aries and Kes with their backs to one another, surrounded by Zodia. Guardians bristled around the perimeter but were unable to get close because Taurus and his allies had them surrounded. I saw their beastly forms in the moonlight.

An enormous lion-like man circled them, his tail whipping back and forth as he stalked closer. Leo.

The hair on my arms stood up when Taurus whipped his head in our direction. Helena and I tucked ourselves behind a column and I prayed he hadn’t seen us. Her steady breath fanned her lavender bangs, betraying the anxiousness she showed by her tight grip on the knife handle. She ducked her head around the column and fixed her attention back to the fight I knew she wanted to jump into.

In addition to Taurus and Leo, there was an enormous centaur; a human from the waist up, and horse from the waist down, including the legs. His coat, tail, skin, and hair were made of the deep brown hues from the thickest parts of the forest. Sagittarius.

He offered Aries a sinister smile as he taunted him, telling him how strong he was since he’d gotten some rest, describing every way he intended to kill him, starting with his precious first Guardian. He wanted Aries to watch as he ate his friend’s soul. As he ended him for good.

That was enough to set Aries off.

He reared back when Aries slammed into his right flank, pushing him several feet away. He planted his hooves with quivering muscles, but Aries was stronger.

We were watching the fight with wide eyes when we should’ve been watching our backs. Helena suddenly turned around, throwing an arm up to tuck me behind her.

“What’s thisss?” something hissed from the shadows. A few columns away, a woman with a shelled body that faded from blue-green to gray approached, her pincers snapping. Her hair hung in tangled tufts that resembled clumps of seaweed, while her face and shell were caked with barnacles.

“I thought Aries cared for you, that he would keep his preciousss treasure tucked safely away. That’s why I started my search at the castle and followed your scent here. Do you think you can help him? Defend the great ram?” She smiled maliciously, exposing gray-blue teeth sharpened into points. “He needs no help. But rest assured… you do.”

As the thing approached, her claws clicked across the stone. She had eight legs, most tipped with a sharp, blue claw; her hands were thick and strong, brandishing a pincer where her fingers should be. Water leaked from her shell onto the dark stone.

“Who the hell is that?” I breathed.

“Cancer,” Helena growled.

“Helena!” my brother barked. “Get her out of here now!”

In that moment, Aries snapped his focus to me. Taurus used the distraction to his advantage, smiling and running toward Aries faster than my eyes could track, trying to gore him with his horns.

Aries fought him off valiantly, grabbing his horns and twisting, sending Taurus tumbling over the stones. The bull rose to his feet slowly, his molten eyes on fire.

Cancer’s feet clicked closer. “You don’t belong here, girl. You aren’t hisss,” she accused, her s’s sizzling.

“Why do you care?” I tightened the grip on my knife as