Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

Against his will, her nasty words replayed in his mind. "You're the reason they took my brother from me. Just because you look like him, it doesn't make you what he is. You could never be Acheron. You're just a poor copy of him. Get out of my sight. You sicken me."

Love you, too.

Since that day, he'd done his best to comply with her wishes. He only interacted with her when he absolutely had to. But what baffled him most was how she could hate him so when she knew nothing about him. And yet she felt completely entitled to her animosity. To the point she wrapped herself in it like a warm, familiar cloak.

You're glad Acheron is gone. I know you are. I know you made Father send him away so that you wouldn't have any competition. You're such a selfish, ugly beast. Her most current rant against him.

And there she was definitely wrong. He missed his brother more than words could convey. Unfortunately, given the things he'd felt these years past, he had a bad feeling that the Acheron who existed today was nothing like the memory he held of his beloved brother.

No more than he was the same Styxx he'd been as a boy.

Time changes all things. And seldom did they change for the better.

Smiling, his father clapped him on the back. "Here he comes."

With a sick lump in his stomach, Styxx followed his father down the steps to wait while Estes and his unexpected entourage dismounted and moved toward them. Why were so many noblemen with his uncle? In the past, Estes had always come alone with his escort.

Today, he rode with five others as companions....

After closing the distance between them, Estes pulled Styxx into a tight hug. "Look at you, my precious nephew." Then he whispered in his ear. "You've become even more handsome than your brother." He squeezed Styxx's biceps. "Beefier, too."

Strange how, unlike his vain, vacuous sister, Styxx didn't feel attractive at all. Whenever someone came on to him, he assumed it had much more to do with his title than his person. An instinct usually fully corroborated by their thoughts.

Even the Olympian who wanted him always called him by his title. Seldom his name.

"Thank you, Uncle. How is my brother?" Styxx whispered, knowing that if his father overheard the question, he'd be furious at him. Any time he asked after Acheron or begged his father to allow his brother to come for a visit, his father beat or insulted him for it.

Estes glanced over to make sure his father was still out of hearing range before he answered. "Extremely well. You should consider coming for a visit. I'd love to have you."

"Father would never allow me to leave." At least not for a trip Styxx might actually enjoy. But let it be a trip to Tartarus ... the old man couldn't throw him out fast enough.

"What's that?" his father asked as he rejoined them. "You're not trying to steal my heir, are you?"

"I'd take him in a heartbeat if you'd let me."

"He has too many obligations here at home."

Like cleaning stables and decorating temples he hated, listening to mewling, petty complaints, and observing his father's "benevolent" wisdom-which meant oooing and ahhing everything his father did as if the bastard didn't have enough sycophants already.

"Pity." Estes turned to Ryssa and scooped her up in his arms.

Styxx frowned as he caught the men with Estes giving him peculiar looks. But then if they'd met Acheron at his uncle's home in Atlantis, they were probably wondering, as all people did, if Styxx had any godhood in him, too.

The only thing he didn't miss about having his brother with him was the way people wanted to line them up and inspect them like they were freaks of nature because they matched so perfectly.

Except for their eyes.

And now their external scars, and voices-Styxx's had never lost the hoarseness from his time spent in the Dionysion. As Ryssa was so quick to point out, he perpetually sounded as if he had a cold.

Uh, don't speak, and for the sake of the gods, don't try to sing. Your voice is repellant. You sound like you need to clear your throat.

Releasing Ryssa, Estes stepped back and gestured toward his friends. "Since I'm here to take Styxx for a week..."

Styxx's scowl deepened as he looked to his father for confirmation. No one had told him this.

His father wouldn't meet his gaze at all.

"... I thought he'd enjoy a party for it," Estes continued. "Allow me to present my friends." He pulled the man closest to him up the stairs for Styxx and his father to greet. "Lord Kastor, whose father is a philosopher in Ithaca. Kastor was sent to Atlantis as a tutor for several prominent sons." No older than his mid-twenties, Kastor had dark hair and a thin beard with a thick nose.

They exchanged pleasantries.

Estes gestured to the three who stood together. "Also from Greek kingdoms, Lords Noe of Athens..." He appeared to be closer to his father's age, but extremely unattractive with heavyset jowls and a thick, unkempt black beard. "Leon of Macedonia..." On the unremarkable side, he was tall, red-haired, and very thin, and most likely in his mid-thirties. "Nestor, also an Athenian..." His brown hair curled around a bony face that held an exotic kind of beauty.

Descending the stairs, Estes went to the last man in their group. "And an Atlantean prince who is second cousin to the current queen ... Xan." Perfect in form and face, Xan had the kind of physique Styxx would give anything to possess. He kept working out for it, but so far ...

He had a long way to go. His muscles were highly defined, but very lean.

The group bowed before his father and then to him, except for Xan, who met them as equals. He shook hands with his father then turned a friendly smile to Styxx. "I've been looking forward to this since Estes invited me. I hear you're quite the man to ride with, Prince Styxx."

The unexpected praise made him decidedly uncomfortable. "I don't know about that, but it's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."

This should be an enjoyable week with my favorite pastime, and a handsome prince to boot.

Estes was right. He matches Acheron in every way, except Styxx has perfect, beautiful eyes. Fascinating.

I am so glad I changed my mind about coming....

Styxx shook his head as their silent comments assailed him and then tripped over each other so fast that he could no longer distinguish their individual words, which were a mixture of Greek and Atlantean.

"Gentlemen," his father said with the full diplomacy of his crown, "please come inside and rest for a bit. I have plenty of libations for your welcome."

Ryssa led them in.

Styxx pulled his father aside. "Why didn't you tell me of this?"

Why are you complaining? I wish I could spend a week with my brother and have no responsibilities.