Chapter 205 - Love takes flight (2/2)

Jos nearly jumped back. Even with the warning, it had come as a complete surprise when Arei's actual voice came from the horse. She shook away the shock. ”A... alright. So, what is it we are actually doing here today?”

The horse gave her a mischievous smile, bearing its upper teeth. ”We are giving you flying lessons, and somewhere along the way Peg and I are going to race.” The horse winked. ”He's convinced, his and Andy's years of practice can beat out our natural chemistry.” He nudged her with his muzzle. ”We shall see about that!” He snorted toward his brother.

Jos's attention moved over to Peg. ”So, he can't speak in this form?” She asked in curiosity.

Andy shook her head. ”No, but they had a sister who could. She was murdered many, many years ago though.” She said as she brushed her hands over the white stallion's mane. ”Ready?” She asked finally moving her attention back to Jos. When Jos nodded, she smiled. ”Alright! You want to start like this, mounting in front of the wings.” Andy lifted herself slowly in demonstration. ”You may want to hold on the first few times, but after a while, you'll get the hang of it.” She wrapped her arms around Peg's thick neck and the stallion took flight.

Jos's eyes lit up in excited curiosity as she watched the pair disappear into the clouds overhead. ”Ready?” Arei's voice caught her by surprise again. She quickly nodded as she pulled herself onto him and wrapped her arms around his neck as Andy and Peg. ”Alright, here we go. Make sure you're holding on tightly!” Arei charged down the narrow path several gallops before taking to the sky behind his brother.

Jos sucked in a breath as the ground disappeared below them and she automatically tightened her grip around his neck. ”I... I don't know whether I should be amazed or scared to death.” She murmured against the soft velvet of his neck.

Arei threw his head back in a carefree laugh. ”Both! But don't worry we will be landing soon.” He nodded ahead where Peg and Andy were now descending, following close behind. His landing was rougher than Peg's, but he still pranced proudly around the grassy mound. ”Ah, man! I can't remember the last time I've flown!” He knelt to give Jos an easier step down before nudging her with his muzzle. ”Well, what did you think?”

Jos's legs felt like jello as she tried to regain balance. Her arms were still wrapped around the stallion for support when Andy skipped over. ”Here you guys will need this.” She said tossing them a bag she'd pulled out from the backpack she'd been wearing.

Jos glanced in the bag then back up at Andy with red cheeks. When Andy only winked and turned back to Peg, she shot a glance to Arei. Pulling up a pair of thin, silky gym shorts, she said. ”Um... I guess these are for you...”

The horse smiled, ”Well unless you'd rather me stay like this the whole time or be n.a.k.e.d...” His smile widened. ”Had it been 500 years ago I'd be afraid to give you a choice in the matter.” He winked.

Jos could feel her face heat more. As she held the shorts out to him, focusing her gaze on a nearby tree to the opposite side. She could sense his shift and forced herself to keep her focus on the tree. When he took the shorts from her hands, she couldn't help but glance over and regretted it instantly. She hugged her arms around herself as she took several steps toward the tree and away from Arei.

”It's safe now, you can turn back around.” He chuckled.

When she turned, he was bent by the bag and searching its contents. Pulling out a large red blanket he unfolded it and spread it out on the ground. Jos looked around. ”Wait, we aren't joining Andy and Peg?”

Arei's playful smile widened. ”If it were anyone other than my brother and his wife I may be tempted to 'join' them but since it is...” His eyes twinkled up at her with mischief. ”Trust me you don't want to join them here. It's safer to wait until they come back to us on their own. This is one of their 'special' spots.” He rolled his eyes jokingly before patting the blanket beside him as he sat. When she still hesitated, he laid back onto the blanket crossing his arms behind his head. ”It's also one of my favorite places near the palace. I used to come here when I was younger for the peace and quiet it provided.”

Jos walked toward the blanket and settled beside Arei nervously. Looking around, she said, ”It is pretty here.” Her eyes fell on the many tall trees and flowers that line a stream that seemed to wrap around the grassy mound they sat on.

Arei caught her hand and pulled her down beside him. ”It is and I figured on top of teaching you how to ride in case of an emergency, this could also be a place you'd like.” He released her hand and moved his own back behind his head. ”And I wanted to let you know all that is me. Even if you decide to back out of this fake relationship father cooked up to push the claim through, we will still be spending a lot of time together as members of the same court... and if your sentencing goes poorly.”

Jos nodded. ”I understand.” She forced herself to relax. {This is Arei, not Russ...} She set back extending her arms back and letting them support the weight of her upper body, and straightened her legs as she stared out over the landscape. ”How did you find this place?”

He smiled up at her. ”It was one of Ry and I's favorite places to play as children. We happened across it one morning while training and snuck here often afterward.”

”Training as children?” Jos asked bringing her attention back to him.

He nodded. ”Yes. Ry and I were created with a purpose in mind as are most demi-god children. We were groomed for our future jobs from a young age, training with each other as well as individually. Part of that training had been shifting forms starting as soon as I was old enough to walk. Father would have to force the shifts at first, but I learned soon enough how to do it myself saving the pain of a forced shift.”

Jos frowned. ”There's nothing quite like a forced shift, that's for sure. What about Ry was he forced to shift too?”

Arei nodded. ”And if we were to have children, they would more than likely be forced to as well, depending on how useful their forms could be.”

Jos's frown deepened. ”You truly believe even now your father would force such a thing?”

Arei nodded again, his own expression falling into a frown. ”I know he would. He was all too excited when Andy and Peg had a daughter. Lucky for them, the child was born with no special abilities. You see Andy's lineage wasn't really strong enough. And though Peg is a son of Poseidon, his mother's godly traits were taken away when she was cursed by Athena.” He sat up and placed his hand over one of Jos's. ”If Ry or I were to ever parent children, especially with another powerful individual; our offspring would have extraordinary potential. Our mother is Gaia making the two of us technically titans. Father chose not to use the title because of the wars... that your mother and grandfather fought in.”

Jos nodded in complete understanding. ”Your constant overemphasized on my own family tree makes more sense now. I can only wonder if it was to dissway me or remind yourself?” She asked but got no answer back as Peg and Andy headed toward them.

”So, about that race!” Peg called out with one arm thrown over Andy's shoulder as they walked. ”You ready to get your ass kicked?”