Long, curved horns gouged the ceiling of the tunnel, bursting out chunks at the lip. Below them, a bearded snout snorted. Black eyes and short ears twisted towards the voices. With the arms, hands, and chest of an exceedingly muscular man atop the cloven hooved legs of a bull the impending image of power stopped everyone.

  “Is that?” Nova

  “A Minotaur? Yup.” Benjamin backed away.

  “After all you’ve seen and specifically asked?” Amari whispered incredulously. She gently laid the scarecrow of a man down and slowly moved to join Nova.

  “I mean. It wasn’t at the festival.” Nova stared wide eyed.

  “He may be humanoid, but he doesn’t have the mental capacity of a human. For all intents and purposes, he is an animal. And not a particularly intelligent one.” Benjamin whispered without moving his lips. They all kept moving slowly down the path, not making any sudden movements.

  “Do we have to kill it?” Sympathy filled Nova’s words.

  “I...” Amari looked at Nova. Instinct screamed wild animals had no reason. Not to mention the lack of supplies to immobilize it.

  “I heard of ways to be able to incapacitate it.” Diana jumped in.

  “Really?” It was Benjamin’s turn to sound incredulous. He vehemently pointed to the slow, deliberate sweep of the Minotaur’s head two feet above their own.

  “We will try that first, but not at the risk of losing one of our lives, understood?” Amari looked to Nova and with her nod of agreement.

  “Yes.” Diana smiled, another animal lover in her family sat right with her.

  “But…” Benjamin grumbled.

  “Benjamin, please, she’s been through a lot already.” Amari furrowed her eyebrows.

  “Fine. But how do you propose we do that without using the deadly weapons that are our claws?” Benjamin lifted onto his toes. “And how do we keep those two from messing with our plans?”

  The dwarf, having played dead, slowly stood hammer ready. He looked over to the scarecrow that started to moan and groan.

  “First things first. Diana, how do we weaken it?” Amari kept an arm back, keeping herself between the beast and Nova. Its slow constant steps danced the shards on the path.

  “I heard removing the horns zaps the strength. Perhaps not in the Fae realm but here it should and we could knock it right out.” Diana snapped her fingers.

  “Does it require both to be removed?” Amari questioned.

  Diana lifted her finger, mouth opened. “Not sure.”

  “How do we remove horns without any tools?” Benjamin maneuvered behind everyone as the Minotaur stalked forward driving them onto the lowest level.

  “With the deadly weapons we all have access to.” Amari mimicked back his words. “We just need to get close enough.”

  “And if that doesn’t work?” Benjamin cracked.

  “If that doesn’t work then there is a massive hole to our right. We herd him,” Amari pointed to their right, “that direction and shove him off.”

  “Shove him. You think we can shove that much weight?” Benjamin stopped as the Minotaur turned back towards the grunts and groans above them.

  “Do you have a better idea before it turns its attention back to us?” Amari jammed a thumb over her shoulder.

  Benjamin exhaled grumpily. “No.”

  “Okay, we need to get someone on his shoulders or back that can quickly shear off the horns.” Amari held out her fist to Diana.

  “I can do it.” Nova placed a hand on Amari’s fist.

  “Nova.” Amari fought back the fear creeping up her throat. Her eyes searched the clear, determined eyes of the young girl. Trust went both ways. She placed her other hand over Nova’s.

  “I got this Amari.” Nova looked her straight in the eye.

  “Let her try.” Diana placed a hand on Nova’s shoulder gently nodding her head.

  “I trust you.” Amari moved her hand to Nova’s cheek. “Be careful. We got your back.”

  Nova nodded, unable to speak.

  “I guess that makes the rest of us the distraction.” Amari glanced between Benjamin and Diana.

  “Yup, bet I can make it more annoyed than you.” Diana chuckled.

  “Game on.” Amari quipped back.

  “Are you two really doing this?” Benjamin shook his head dismayed.

  “Best way to push back fear, bring in some joy.” Amari shrugged.

  “What are you afraid some girls are going to outshine you, pretty boy?” Diana playfully punched his shoulder.

  “No. I'm just surprised is all.” Benjamin sighed. “Did you forget about the other two up there?”

  “Dang. Do you think they will be a problem?” Diana quirked a brow.

  “Can you two handle the distraction? I want to see if these two will be a problem or not. I don’t want them sneaking up behind us once the beast is down.”

  Diana narrowed her eyes. Amari nodded, hand on Diana’s shoulder.

  “Let’s go.” Amari smiled and winked at Nova where she hugged against the wall. “Hey pea brain!”

  Amari limped over to the side waving her arms. The beast whipped his head around, high bellowing, it charged. Amari awkwardly dove between its legs barely missing the hooves clomping down around her. The pain in her calf screamed at the exertion.

  “Over here, you overgrown cow.” Diana’s shrill whistle echoed sharply.

  A low grumbling rippled the air. Drool dripped from the edges of its snout. Black eyes aimed at her, as it bent low.

  Diana slipped out of her shirt as its fingers grasped around her hood. Amari rolled to her feet behind the creature. Diana crossed in front of her. They tossed the creature’s attention back and forth like matadors. Each one upping the other with the most outrageous insults. Slowly changing the trajectory of the beast as she kept an eye on Nova’s progress.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  “Pinhead, you got to do better than that!” Amari shouted as the beast slid on its hooves trying to change the direction of his momentum. Back against the wall, Amari stood shoulder to shoulder with Diana.

  The white of his eyes flared, he bent low and charged.Diana and Amari leapt to the side. Large cracks formed in the stone as he slammed his horns into the wall.

  Nova claws out jumped and slid down the wall onto its shoulders. One hand wrapped up in his hair, the other flailed about as it shook and tried to tear her off. She hooked her feet together around its neck, squeezing tight. A quick swipe she lopped off a horn. The creature slowed down. Steadier, she sliced off the other horn. With a low, the beast stumbled backwards.

  Amari rushed over, slamming into its side, aiming its fall away from the bottomless pit. On her hands and feet, she crawled herself over.

  “Are you okay?”

  “My leg is pinned, my knee.” Nova flexed her head back, panting out the words.

  “Hey, I need some help over here.” Amari waved. “On three.”

  Benjamin, Diana, and Amari lifted as the girl helped Nova scoot back.

  Amari bent over Nova’s limp leg. Slowly her fingers pressed around the muscles, taking note of the hisses. “I think your knee may be dislocated.”

  “My life is never going to be normal with you is it?” Nova exhaled between gritted teeth.

  “Probably not.” Amari tried to keep her excitement in check as she looked around. Nothing. There was nothing to help her splint or otherwise stabilize the leg. “We will have to wait here. Diana can go for help.”

  Amari looked up at her sister, already up and moving. A toothy smile broke across her face. Adrenaline began to fade from her system, sapping her energy, she sat hard next to Nova. “Squeeze my hand as much as you need. I know it hurts.”

  “What do we do with him?” The young girl timidly stepped up to the mound of dark brown.

  “My people will take care of all of this.” Benjamin spoke up behind them.

  “What about the ones that took us?” Her soft blue eyes full of fear flitted up to the other level.

  Amari turned, kicking herself for forgetting.

  “Them, too. They are tied up and my people will be ready to carry them, the beast, and Nova out of here in less than an hour. My parents have a thing or two they want to discuss about being on our pack lands and…”

  “Thank you.” Amari hugged him. “For helping.”

  “Of course. I feel partly to blame. It happened on our turf.” Benjamin held her tight.

  “They could have picked anywhere. Your people found them and you gave me the ability to get to her.” Amari whispered in his ear. Swallowing hard past the tears pinching her throat.

  “I’d do anything for you.” Benjamin whispered back. He leaned back and pushed her towards her girl. “Go. Nova needs you.”

  “Are they finally asleep?” Rema asked as Amari descended the last step.

  “Yeah. Nova won’t let the girl out of her sight.” Amari breathed out slowly. Nearly thirty six hours and an ocean of emotions left her on empty.

  “Did we just gain another niece?” Elias asked with genuine hope.

  “If we can’t find her family, maybe.” Amari shrugged as she collapsed on the torn remnants of the couch cushion next to him.

  “She’s not an orphan?” Orion’s head snapped up from where he leaned on the coffee table amidst the mess.

  “According to Nova, she was taken.” Amari bit back the rising anger.

  “Oh man.” Rema sank onto the arm of the couch next to her.

  “That sucks.” Max tightened his fists.

  “Do we have a name?” Diana pulled out her laptop. The emblem of the state police on the top. A few clicks, she looked up to Amari.

  “Heather. Heather Little.” Amari supplied.

  “Nothing in our system.” Her eyes scanned the screen as she scrolled through the results. “I’ll call my supervisor. We should be able to get her back to her family soon.”

  “Okay Diana is on that. What do we make of the at least four packless Mutares and a Minotaur?” Orion looked around to everyone.

  “I know minotaurs are the lowest rung of humanoids but have any of you heard one of them crossing the veil completely?” Max’s face pinched in concern.

  “No, the Fae blood is too strong.” Elias leaned forward elbows on his knees.

  “Exactly.” Max lifted his hand accentuating his point.

  “So what does this mean?” Amari focused on Orion. The question she really wanted to ask burned in her eyes.

  “I think I need to do some research. I can go to the Council’s library. See what the logs have to say about crossovers.” Elias piped up. Research was his expertise.

  “That’s good Elias. Max can take a patrol around to see if there are any other Mutares. Rema go to the Morningstars and ask if they would be willing to share what they learned from the packless. Take Amari with you, they always had a soft spot for her.”

  “I am not leaving her alone again, Orion.” Amari stared at him.

  Orion nodded. “Max stay here.”

  “I got her sis. Nothing is coming through that door without an invitation.” Max stood and pointed at the broken opening.

  Orion subtly nodded to her. “The rest of us, we need to go get some answers.”