Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

The girl squealed as she buried her hands in Galen's beard and kicked her legs happily.

Galen's grin widened. "I, on the other hand, have more than my share of experience with applying them, and will take care of it for you."

Styxx returned the spear to the wall and saw that poor Danae was near dead with horror over her children's actions. "Madam, really. It's fine. I was a boy, too, and while my parents and nurses tried, I fear I failed at home-training and manners with honors."

Tears filled her eyes. "Thank you, Highness, but I doubt you were ever so ill-behaved."

"Believe me, I was. I still have the thrash marks to prove it." Styxx turned to the boys. He needed to get them outside so their mother could rest. "Guess what we have here for you two?"

"What?" they asked in unison.

"A giant arena for you to run around and play in." He took them outside while Helen helped her mother.

The instant they saw the size of it, the boys took off and started a game of chase. Styxx paused as he watched them play and wrestle with wild abandon. But it wasn't two dark-haired brothers he saw. It was him and Acheron.

Even now, he could remember the sound of their matching laughter as they dodged and ran about with careless abandon. See Acheron tackling him to the ground.

I'll pin you first!

Hah! You hit like Ryssa....

Brothers ... Forever and always.

Grief tightened his throat. He'd give anything if Acheron would just look at him with something other than contempt and hatred. But who could blame him?

He hated Acheron, too.

Nothing would ever reunite them. What had been severed by their own harsh words and the actions of others couldn't be mended. It was too late for that. Sighing with regret, he returned to find Danae asleep and Helen on the floor, playing tickles with Elpis. He went to Galen, whose eyes showed he was thinking of his own daughter and grandchildren. "I put the boys in the yard."

"Wise choice, my lord."

"I thought so." He pulled Galen out into the hallway. "Did you know they'd denied pensions to those killed during the ambush?"

Galen's jaw dropped. "What?"

Styxx nodded. "It's why I brought them here. They have no money."

"I had no idea, my lord. You know I didn't."

Styxx ground his teeth. "Neither did I ... I should have checked on it. But I assumed-"

"You can't blame yourself."

Yet, he did. He'd been their commander. It was his job to see to it that his men and their families were cared for. "Will you do the accounting? I want to make sure everyone gets what is owed them."

"Absolutely, Highness. I'll see to it, personally."

"Thank you." Styxx started to head back toward the palace, but Galen pulled him to a stop. The old man's gaze dropped to where Elpis had soiled Styxx's chiton. Before he realized what Galen intended, the old man pulled him into his arms and held him tight.

After a moment, Galen stepped back and kissed each of Styxx's cheeks. He cupped Styxx's face in his rough, calloused palms and gave him a hard stare. Then he patted Styxx's cheek with enough force that it almost felt like a slap.

But he knew better.

"I love you, too, Galen."

"Love? Bah! You sound like an old woman. Get out of here, boy, before I take offense to you ... and my sword."

Styxx laughed at him. "Yes, sir."

I do love you, son. More than you'll ever know.

Styxx smiled at Galen's thoughts that warmed his heart and then left him to watch over the women until he could send help down from the palace.

As he started past the larder, Styxx backtracked and headed inside to pull together a platter of fruit. He carried it out to the arena where the two boys were still trying to kill each other in the unique way loving brothers did.

"Hey, boys?"

They turned toward him. He held the platter up for them to see then set it down on a small wooden bench. Whooping, they came running.

Laughing at the way they descended like starving locusts, Styxx grabbed an apple for himself and left them to their snack. He bit into it and held it with his teeth before he pulled his cowl up to conceal his identity as he normally did whenever he went about on his own.

He took the apple in his hand and chewed his bite, but his smile faded as he left the barracks and headed "home."

* * *

Bethany scowled as she followed the prince up the hill, toward the Didymosian palace. Archon had sent her here today to oversee Apollo's cooperation with their plans. But from the moment the Greek god had thrown the prince against the temple wall and she'd seen the abject shame and turmoil in those tormented blue eyes, she'd been haunted by them.

Worse was the guilt she felt for having told Apollo he could have a man who obviously wanted nothing to do with him. Guilt that had tripled when she'd heard the king's cold words to his son, and Styxx's stoic acceptance of the fact his father was a selfish asshole who held little regard for him.

She would never forget the sympathetic misery on his face as he watched his sister being offered to the god. Misery so potent that she'd feared he would be ill when he finally snuck out the back so as not to witness any more of it.

That degree of compassion had surprised her.

Yet what had truly thrown her were his actions toward the family of his dead soldier. What prince would deign to carry a sick commoner through town?

And every time she thought about the little girl wetting him, she smiled. Not because it'd been humiliating for the prince, but because of his kindness.

No, not kindness.

His humanity.