Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

Archon snorted in derision of her proposal. "He wants this throne." He punctuated the word with a slap to the armrest. "Why would he stop his best commander to help us?"

"Because if the Greeks take Atlantis, he'd have to share our domain. He'd be as he is now ... just another god in the Olympian pantheon, ruling here, under Zeus." Epithymia addressed the entire group. "As you said, his ambitions are bigger than that. He wants to sit on your throne, and we all know it. He doesn't want the Greek pantheon here any more than we do. He wants us to conquer them, which is why we're winning in Greece."

Sitting back on his throne, Archon stroked his beard while he considered her words. "It makes sense, and you're right about his ambitions. But we can't tell him the truth about why we need his help to deal with that ... human. He'd mock us. So how do we sway him to our cause?"

Epithymia gave him a droll stare. "Use his lust against him. For a god of moderation, Apollo's licentiousness is well known and documented. He will nail anything. Animal, vegetable, mineral."

Archon nodded thoughtfully. "It's said the princess of Didymos is the most beautiful of all the Greek women. We can use the prince's sister against him. If we tie her to Apollo, King Xerxes will recall his son and his army for the ceremony.... Let them think Apollo is switching sides to be with the woman."

Epithymia smiled. "We tell Apollo we intend to use the truce to solidify our position for a larger attack on Greece in the future. But that we need time for it."

"He's dumb enough to buy that," Misos said with a laugh.

"Bet'anya?" Archon pinned her with a stare. "You negotiate with the Greek."

Was he serious?

Gaping, she was incredulous. "Do I look like Hermes or"-she gestured to the beautiful god standing on Archon's right-"Hephaestion? I'm not a messenger god."

"No, but you are more powerful against Apollo than we are. You have two pantheons you can call on. And while he disregards us, he fears your father ... and you."

Oh, right, throw that in her face. Like she could help it? But she knew arguing was futile. Archon was a prick that way.

Bethany held her hands up in surrender. "Fine. What do you want me to say exactly?"

"That if he helps us with this, we will tear down the gods of Olympus, and leave the entirety of Greece to him and his Apollites."

And that would definitely appeal to the god and his massive ego.

Bethany sighed. "All right. I'll go meet with him. But for my service, there is one thing I want."

Archon arched his brow. "And that is?"

Bethany hesitated. However, at this point, she no longer cared if they mocked her for her love. In spite of her best efforts, she'd been unable to locate the one person whose life mattered to her. And she was not about to do this and put him in danger. "A Greek soldier named Hector from Didymos. He is not to be harmed in the fighting by anyone, god or otherwise."

He inclined his head to her. "Agreed. Now go and let's get this Greek bastard off our backs and out of our lands."

* * *

Bethany paced outside of Apollo's Delphian temple. While she could appreciate the architecture and beauty of the island, she hated this place and the god who claimed it as home base.

"My father will be with you shortly."

She paused to study Strykerius. Like Apollo, he was tall and golden with vivid blue eyes to rival Styxx's. The two princes were probably about the same age, too. Though to be honest, Styxx seemed much older and more worldly. "You're part Atlantean?" She could smell it on him. Unlike the Olympian god, Apollo's son held a lot of their powers.

"From my mother, the queen."

Bethany scowled as she remembered Archon and the others slaying the infant Strykerius claimed to be. "I thought her son died at birth?"

"Strykerius!" Apollo barked, making the boy jump in response. "Go inside and leave us."

There was something extremely strange about all of this, but she didn't have time to worry about it. She had an idiot god to win over.

"What can I do for you, little cousin?"

She cringed at Apollo's play on the rumors that the Egyptian goddess Isis had birthed him. But Bethany wasn't fooled. Her aunt had much better taste than to get knocked up by Zeus. There wasn't enough nectar or wine in the universe for that union.

"I have been sent to negotiate terms."

Apollo smirked. "Tired of having your asses handed to you by a Greek prince?"

She glared at him. "Fine. I don't need this. I can go home to Egypt and live quite happily while you take second throne to Zeus as you always do." She started to leave.

"Wait!"

Bethany turned back to face him. "Yes?"

"What exactly are you asking me?"

"They want you to tup a Greek princess as distraction for your people and pantheon while we fortify our army and position to renew this war at a later time. We take Greece and overthrow your lovely family, and then hand it over to you to enjoy."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because Atlanteans, unlike Greeks, have never craved war. We'd rather live in peace. If Greece has a single god, he-or in this case, you-will be too busy to turn your eyes to our shores. So Greeks can be owned by your Apollites, your son will have a throne, you will rule Olympus, and we can be left alone."

"And which princess do you want me to tup?"

"The one at Didymos."

A full-fledged smile spread across his face. "Didymos? Really? I'd much rather have their prince than their princess."

Bethany shrugged nonchalantly. "You can have them both for all I care. But I wouldn't use the prince to negotiate over. Even Greeks tend to frown at offering up their sons as whores to their male gods."

Apollo laughed. "You are wise, Bet'anya. And you are right.... By the way, tell Archon thanks for this leverage. I appreciate it and will remember it."

She inclined her head to him. "Have fun with your prince. Just get that bastard off our shores."

"Don't worry. I will gladly do both."

August 15, 9530 BC

With Galen by his side, Styxx watched in grim determination as their men boarded the ships that would take them to the shores of the Atlantis mainland.

Within hours, they'd set sail. By nightfall, they'd make shore, and come the morrow, they'd own Atlantis and every Atlantean would bow down to his Stygian Omada....

"Prince Styxx!"

He turned at the sharp cry as a messenger came into camp at a dead run. The boy reined his horse, and jumped from it. He rushed to Styxx and knelt down then extended a rolled scroll toward him.

This shit can't be good....

Not given the boy's expression or his hurry. Dread riding him harder than the messenger had his horse, Styxx took the scroll and saw six royal seals on it from the largest city-states who were their allies. Those seals included his father's. Never in the last twenty-one months had his father sent anything to him. And nothing this official.

Styxx could sense in his soul that his day was about to be ruined.