Roric remembered warning the Lady of the rise of these new gods, but she went about her business, not concerning herself with them. He’d known it was a mistake, but he hadn’t realized just how heavy a price they would all pay for it. “The Greek gods were a jealous lot. They wanted none of the older gods or goddesses to distract the people from worshipping them. Plotting and planning, they looked for ways to bring about the Lady’s downfall. Hades was behind all of it, planting ideas in Zeus’ brain.”
Aimee sucked in a breath. “That doesn’t sound good.”
He prowled back and forth across the room, aware of Aimee’s gaze on him as he put his thoughts into some kind of order.
For centuries, he’d replayed the battle over and over in his mind, examining what had happened. Could he have done more? Could they have defeated the Olympians? “On the command of Zeus, Hades led the attack. But he hadn’t counted on the Lady’s protectors—seven warriors, all fearless and loyal—being so hard to defeat. Part man, part animal, part eternal life essence, these powerful, immortal warriors fought with the strength of the beasts they represented—bear, wolf, phoenix, serpent, lion, jaguar and…”
“White tiger,” Aimee completed his words in a hushed tone.
He paused by the end of the bed and stared down at her. “Yes. We fought bravely and fiercely, but were overpowered by the sheer number and power of Hades and his armies.” Defeat was a bitter taste in his mouth and a burning knot in his gut. Even knowing that he and his fellow warriors had done all they could to save the Lady, they hadn’t been able to stop Hades from capturing her. There had been too many demons to fight.
Roric forced himself to finish the last of the story. “Knowing her time was short, the Lady used the last of her power to cast a spell upon us, her warriors, determined that we have a chance to survive. All of us were frozen in time in our animal forms. We could not be destroyed. The Lord of the Underworld could not claim our souls. For more than five thousand years, we have been earthbound.”
Aimee gasped. Her face was pale, her hand trembling as she held it out to him. “This is unbelievable.”
He felt his spine stiffening at the implied slur on his honor. “All I have said is true.” He wanted to reach out and take her hand, but forced his hands to remain by his sides.
Her fingers curled inward and she slowly withdrew her hand, her gaze falling to her lap. “I didn’t mean I thought you were lying, just that this is such an amazing story. Like something you’d read in a book of mythological tales. My God, you’ve been imprisoned for thousands of years, unable to move. I would have gone mad.”
Knowing she believed him eased some of the coldness in his soul and the bitterness in his belly. “I’m not sure I didn’t, at least for some of the time.” He didn’t want to think about the long, bleak, empty years. “Our protection from Hades was also our prison. The spell she cast became more of a curse as time passed by. We were constantly guarded by demons from Hell. I think Hades feared we’d somehow get free and take our vengeance on him.”
She raised her face and he saw the anguish in her eyes, and knew it was for him. He felt unworthy. “Aimee,” he began.
“Some of the spots on the carousel were empty. What happened?”
He started pacing again, his mind awash with grief for his lost comrades. “I’m not certain. All I know is that about sixty years ago the carousel was built. A group of demons put together the carnival, and we’ve traveled all around the world. It was as though they were searching for something. Or someone.”
He slanted a knowing look in her direction. He knew now that the demons had been searching for the women who could break the curse and free the warriors one by one. “The carousel remains hidden from the view of the public, always tucked away in a tent far from the other rides.”
“Just like it was last night.” Aimee chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, leaving it slightly red and puffy.
The action was innocently seductive. Roric felt his body respond immediately. He wanted to lean down and lick her lips before deepening the kiss. Instead, he continued his story. “Mordecai, the serpent, was the first of us to be released. It was Kansas in the late nineteen sixties. We never saw Mordecai or the woman again.”
He paused in front of the window, not seeing the beautiful view beyond. His heart ached as he wondered what happened to his friends. “The next time it happened we were in Louisiana. It was Phoenix’s turn. He and the girl who freed him disappeared in a flash of flame and smoke.”