Page 58 of Jayce

“Now your fate is in her hands.” Helios points to Emjay who’s emerged from under the table. “Ask and it’s done.”

Emjay walks toward the ones left alive. “I want them never to return to the women they’ve kept prisoners.”

Okay, I’m a little moved that she didn’t ask for their deaths. I saw the scars. I see the trauma in the way she moves and the look of pain in her eyes.

Yeah, I’m trying to understand her decisions.

Helios vanishes with a wave, taking the bodies of the dead Minotaurs with him.

I’d pictured us dragging them to the swamp and feeding them to the alligators. Crisis averted because I wasn’t looking forward to the task.

Once our enemy shift back to men, they’re allowed to leave with their heads hung in shame.

There’s no time to celebrate. Elena rushes to help Jamie. She helps him slip on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt someone handed her before she gives us the okay to move him. Jayce lifts him bridal style.

Tears stream down Elena’s face, despite her assurances to all of us that his injuries aren’t life threatening from what she can tell.

Chapter 39

Jayce

It’s been a few days since the battle at Jazzland.

Jamie and Elena have had most of the herd stop by to check on him. It seems a former son of Theseus, captured by sons of Helios, has earned the respect of many.

Frank and Peter have come home. Willow added protection runes to Cill and Shay’s parents’ homes and cars. Anjal’s nephews each killed a feral Minotaur with plans to kill or kidnap their families like they’d done with Jamie. They are as safe as they can be without Anjal’s nephews committing to permanently watching them.

The night we returned home, Shay moved into my room—our room. I held her in my arms all night.

I’ve never killed a man or an animal and definitely not another Minotaur before.

While sparring my whole life, the idea of a battle seemed exciting. A distant thought—wouldn’t it be cool to rip my enemy’s limbs from his body? It’s a man thing—I think. It’s why so many video games center on war and killing.

To say I’m unaffected is a lie.

Even though I speared the one through the heart who thought he’d take Shay from me, a small piece of me died with him.

How the ones not mated are handling the aftermath—I don’t know. Without Shay, I’d crumble.

I’ve woken up every night in a sweat after reliving the moment I rammed his chest with both my horns, lifted him off the ground, and shook his body like a dog with a chew toy. Each time, I pull Shay’s sleeping body closer. Her presence brings peace to my wounded soul.

While drinking my cup of coffee this morning, she catches my eyes.

“I’ve been thinking,” she says over the rim of her cup.

“What kind of thinking?” I tease.

She rolls her eyes. “Not that kind.”

I knew that, but it’s fun to mess with her.

“Can I talk to him?”

“Him, who?”

“Your bull.”

I shift my eyes to let him out.

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