Rising on her toes, Bethany pressed her cheek to his. "I love you, Styxx."
He cradled her head in his hand. "I love you. I always will."
She smiled and prayed that once he learned the full truth of her and what her carelessness had done to him that he continued to feel that way.
March 10, 9527 BC
Apollo froze as he caught sight of Artemis in the woods outside her Olympian temple with Acheron. The two of them were laughing as they hunted deer in her sacred field. Fury ignited deep inside him. How dare his twin sister whore herself with a bastard byblow.
A prostitute, no less.
That was bad enough, but the fact that she would dare bring him here added to his indignation. It pained and infuriated him that Artemis had interfered with Eris's and Poena's plot to have the king punish her precious whore for treason. Every time he turned around, she was saving that bastard. The fact that both Didymosians continued to elude his wrath and plans was ever a vexation that ate at his gut.
No one defied him.
Ever.
Unable to stand it for another heartbeat, he teleported himself to Didymos where Styxx was leaving the weekly court sessions with his father. The prince walked behind the king with a grim countenance that said he was in need of more fiber in his diet.
"Styxx?"
He paused as his father turned to face him while their retinue continued on to give them privacy. "Sire?"
"Your sister is still angry at you. I was thinking you need to do something to placate her."
A tic started in Styxx's jaw. "What would you have me do?"
"Perhaps a gift? Surely, as intelligent as you are, you can think of something that would please her?"
"I shall have my heart cut out and delivered to her forthwith then."
The king curled his lip in revulsion. "I grow weary of your cheek, boy. You'd do well to curb it."
"Forgive me, Majesty." But his tone said he was anything other than contrite. It was the same tone that motivated Apollo to violence anytime the prince used it with him.
The king narrowed his eyes even more. "And speaking of your cheek ... How go your reparations with Apollo?"
The tic picked up its rhythm as Styxx glanced away.
Before the prince could speak, Xerxes grabbed Styxx and slammed him back against the wall then growled in his ear. "I meant what I told you, boy. I am weary of your insolence and I will stomach no more of it. If I have to, I will put you down on your knees in front of Apollo myself to make sure you please him. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Majesty."
The king struck him hard in the middle of his chest then turned on his heel and left him.
Apollo waited until the king and his retinue had vanished before he materialized in front of Styxx who was still rubbing the area where his father had struck him.
Styxx cursed as Apollo trapped him in the dark corner. Just what my lousy day needed ... "My sister's in her room."
Apollo tsked at him. "I think you know she's not the one I want."
Of course not. No one, other than Acheron and their drunken mother, could tolerate Ryssa for very long.
Styxx tried to step around the god he hated most. "I'm in no mood to entertain you." As he started past, Apollo backhanded him so hard, he hit the wall again.
Licking at the blood on his lips, Styxx almost retaliated then caught himself. While he could fight Apollo and even win, the god had already shown him how easy it was to rip him out of his life with no one being the wiser. How easy it was to put an imposter in as Prince Styxx, and, while he couldn't care less about his family, he did care about Bethany.
The imposter could hurt her or replace him in her bed. Worst of all, the imposter might make her hate him to the point she left him for good and never came back again.
Those were things he'd never take a chance on. No matter what, he had to bend to Apollo.
With no choice, Styxx reverted to what he'd been trained to do in Atlantis.
Survive.
Deadening himself, he lowered his gaze to the floor. "My will is your will, akri."
A smile curled Apollo's lips. "Better." He wrapped his hand around Styxx's neck and jerked him into his arms. Viciously, he sank his fangs into Styxx's jugular.
Styxx cried out as pain exploded through him. But Apollo had no mercy. For whatever reason, the Olympian was furious today and Styxx was his chosen scapegoat.
Think of Beth ...
At least now, he'd have her arms to comfort him once it was over.
March 12, 9527 BC
Styxx heard the knock on his door, but he was in too much pain to answer. He wasn't sure at what point Apollo had finished with him and teleported him home. Time on Olympus moved very differently than time here. Honestly, it felt like he'd been with Apollo for more than a month. He had no idea what had angered the Olympian, but whatever it was he'd taken every bit of it out on Styxx.
Someone jerked the drapes back from his windows, spilling harsh sunlight through his room. Hissing, Styxx moved to cover his eyes with his arm then groaned as more pain ravaged him.
"Get up! You worthless, whoreson, bastard!" his father growled before he threw a bucket of water over him.
Styxx gasped at the coldness that made his covers even heavier on his bruised body. He was shaking and hurting so badly, he could barely breathe, never mind move.
When his father stepped to pull him from the bed, he heard Galen's voice from the doorway.
"Majesty? Is something wrong?"
Now that they had a witness for his cruelty, his father pulled back. "What are you doing here?"
"His Highness was badly injured and I wanted to come by and check on his welfare."
Only then did his father look at him and see the bruises and cuts that covered his body. "What happened to you?"
"He fell from the stable loft," Galen said before Styxx could think of his own lie.
Finally, a modicum of compassion filled his father's eyes. "You should be careful.... I'll have your morning appointments reset."
Styxx wiped at the blood and water on his face. "Thank you, Majesty ... for your magnanimous kindness."