Part I Chapter 18
"And that's why he plots your murder, Father," Styxx spoke up finally. "Don't let a woman sway you from what needs to be done. Women are our greatest weakness. They prey on our guilt and our love of them. How many times have you told me that? You can't listen to them. They think with their hearts and not their minds."
Her father's face turned to stone. "I will not let him get away with it this time."
Tears flowed freely down her face at her father's blindness. "This time? When have you ever let Acheron get away with anything?"
She blinked away the tears in her eyes as she tried to make him see reason. "Beware the viper in your closet. Isn't that another thing you're always saying, Father?" She cut a meaningful glare at Styxx. "Ambition and jealousy are at the heart of all betrayals. Acheron's only ambition is to stay out of your sight and were he to have jealousy, it wouldn't be directed at you. But I do know of another who would gain immensely in his life were you gone."
Her father backhanded her. "How dare you implicate your brother."
"I told you, Father. She hates me. I wouldn't be surprised if she hasn't bedded the whore too."
Ryssa wiped the blood from her lips. "The only person in this family that I know of who sleeps with whores is you, Styxx. I wonder if Acheron was supposedly seen in your favorite stew . . ." With that she turned and headed out of the room and to the street.
"Leave us!"
Acheron could barely recognize the sound of his father's voice through the throbbing vicious pain. No part of him had been left unviolated or free of abuse. It even hurt to blink.
Once the room was empty, his father approached him where he lay on the stone slab.
To his complete shock, his father brought him a ladle of water to drink.
Acheron cringed, expecting the king to hurt him worse with it.
He didn't. His father actually lifted his head and helped him to drink from it. But for the fact it would kill Styxx, he'd think it poisoned.
"Where were you last night?"
Acheron felt a single tear slide from the corner of his eye at the question that had been asked over and over again. The salt from it, stung the open wounds on his cheek as he drew a ragged, agonized breath. "Just tell me what to say, akri. Tell me what will keep me from being hurt anymore."
His father slammed the ladle down on the stone by Acheron's face. "I want the names of the men you met with."
He didn't know the names of the senators. They'd seldom offered one before they'd screwed him.
Acheron shook his head. "I met with no one."
His father buried his hand in his hair and forced him to look at him. "Give me the truth. Damn you!"
Lost to the pain, Acheron struggled to think of some lie that his father would believe, but as with the interrogator, he came back to the one single truth. "I didn't do it. I wasn't there."
"Then where were you? Have you a single witness to your where-abouts?"
Yes, but she'd never come forward. Maybe if he were Styxx . . . But Artemis would never stand up for a worthless whore. "I have only my word."
His father roared in anger. He reached for him, but before he could make contact, he froze.
Acheron held his breath as he tried to understand what was happening. An instant later, Artemis appeared beside him.
Stunned, he couldn't do anything other than stare at her.
"Your sister told me what they'd accused you of. Don't worry, your father will have no memory of this. Nor will your brother."
Acheron swallowed as he tried to understand what she was saying. "You're protecting me?"
She nodded. An instant later, he was back in his room and healed. Acheron lay back on his bed, more grateful than words could express. But even so it didn't erase the pain of what he'd been through. Any more than it concealed the fact that Styxx was planning to overthrow his own father.
What was he going to do?
Artemis materialized beside him. Her expression was sorrowful as she brushed his hair back from his face.
"Will Ryssa remember us?" he asked her.
"No. From this moment forward she won't even remember that you and I know each other. I should have done it sooner perhaps. But she seemed to keep her mouth closed. Now I won't have to worry."
That was for the best.
He stared at Artemis amazed at what she'd done. No, she hadn't stood up for him, but she had saved him. It was a major breakthrough from the last time she'd left him to their "tender" care. "Thank you for coming for me."
She laid her hand to his cheek. "I wish I could take you away from here."
She was the one person who could. But her fear was too great. Maybe she was right. What good would it do for her to be ruined over him?
He wasn't worth it.
Acheron kissed her on the lips even though he was still cold inside. He had nowhere to go and he was tired of being here with people who hated him.
Styxx . . .
In the blink of an eye the simplest answer to his predicament came to him. Why had he never thought of it before?
Pulling back from Artemis, he held her hand. "You should go before someone stumbles in here."
"I'll see you tomorrow."
Not if he had his way. "Tomorrow."
Acheron watched as she faded and the second she was gone, he immediately made plans for what was to come.
His father refused to let him die so long as his life was tied to Styxx's and Styxx was plotting the death of his father.
The answer was so simple. If he killed Styxx, his father would be safe and he'd be free.
Peace. He would finally have peace.
February 19, 9527 BC
Acheron waited until the palace was completely silent. In less than an hour the sun would rise . . .
And both he and Styxx would be dead. The mere thought of it brought more joy to him than anything else he could imagine.
More than eager for it, he held the dagger tight in his hand as he snuck past the guards and crept through the door of Styxx's room. He shut it with only a whisper of a noise. Like a shadow, he made his way across the floor to the large feather-stuffed bed where his brother slept. Heavy curtains hung to shield the heir from a stray breeze.
But they couldn't shield him from Acheron.
His gaze dark, Acheron pulled the curtains back. Naked except for his royal emblem necklace, Styxx was sleeping on his side, completely vulnerable.
All the years of abuse, of Styxx mocking him, went through his mind, as well as the memory of the way his brother had been willing to see him punished for the treason Styxx had committed.
Acheron lifted the dagger. One slash . . . one cut . . .
Peace.
Do it!
He started the downward motion, then stopped before he made contact with the prince's throat.