Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

"You're welcome." Styxx pulled out an energy bar and pressed it into his hands. "I'll get camp made as soon as I can."

He attacked the bar while Styxx went to unpack. Since Styxx was still on the move toward his usual campsite, he normally wouldn't have pitched the tent or stopped this early in the day, but the man needed care before he traveled or he wouldn't make it.

Once Styxx had the tent up and his bedroll out, he carried the man in to lie down while he finished preparations. "My name is Styxx," he said as he tucked the blanket around him.

The man placed his hand to his heart and bowed his head. "Seti."

Styxx covered his hand with his own. "Rest easy." He pulled his backpack over to Seti. "I have more food and water in here. Eat slowly and let me know if you need anything else. I have a few more things to do and the animals to care for then I'll be back."

"Thank you, Styxx."

He inclined his head before he left to tend the animals and unpack the rest of his supplies.

By the time he returned, Skylos was lying beside Seti who looked a lot better than he had earlier. He was still blistered and skeletal, but there was now life in his blue eyes.

Seti smiled as he saw him entering the tent.

Styxx pulled his keffiyeh down to expose his face. He set the medical pack next to his pallet and knelt by Seti's side. "What happened to you?"

"I was attacked by a vicious bastard and his she-bitch and left for dead. May they rot for all eternity."

Grimacing in sympathetic pain, Styxx handed him a bottle of aloe gel. "That'll help with the sunburn."

Seti caught his hand and frowned at the sight of the cuts on his skin the storm had given him. "I am sorry I caused you to be harmed."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad I got to you before the simoon hit."

"Me, too."

Styxx set up the lanterns, but didn't turn them on. He paused as he saw his sketchbook on the ground near Seti. It'd been inside the backpack with his food.

"Your drawings?"

"They are." Embarrassed that someone else had seen them, Styxx picked the book up and returned it to the backpack.

"You are very talented, my friend. The woman ... is she yours?"

"My beautiful wife, Beth."

Seti inclined his head respectfully. "You're a very lucky man."

"I was, indeed."

"Was?"

His heart aching, Styxx glanced down at the names on his arm as he zipped his backpack closed. "She died a long time ago."

For a moment, Seti's eyes darkened as if he felt the pain of her death as deeply as Styxx did. "I am very sorry for your loss."

"Thank you."

"And the boy? Your son?"

With a ragged breath, Styxx stood up. "Yes, but I never met him. My wife was expecting him when I lost her."

"Again, I am very, very sorry."

Styxx pulled out a new stick of lip balm and handed it to Seti. "What of you? Have you a wife?"

Seti frowned at the balm as if he'd never seen anything like it before. "I've had many. And you ... have you another?"

"No. Just the one."

"You're a young man. Why only one?"

Styxx smiled wistfully. "You can't improve perfection, Seti, and there will never be another woman equal to my precious Bethany. But I am sure your wives will be glad to have you back. And your children, too."

"Alas, I have no children. Not anymore." The sadness in Seti's voice said that they shared the same pain.

"I'm sorry." Styxx cleared his throat and changed the subject. "I have coffee and tea. Which would you prefer?"

"I would sacrifice a goat for coffee."

He let out a short laugh at the desperation in Seti's voice. He'd been there himself. "Coffee it is. I'll be back with it shortly."

It didn't take Styxx long to make the coffee and return to Seti, who was propped on his bedroll, rubbing Skylos's ears.

"So what has brought you to the desert, my young friend?"

Styxx handed him a cup of thick Greek coffee. "I'm at peace here." At least that was what he thought until the sign on his back started tingling....

"Are you all right?"

Styxx glanced around. Was Apollo nearby? He turned back toward Seti and smiled. "Fine. Just a ... weird feeling I haven't had in a long time."

One that told him something evil was watching. He just didn't know what.

Or who.

September 8, 2012

"Zakar!"

Styxx slowed down as Seti shouted. When Seti had told him where his brother lived, he'd expected a camp or small village. That was not where they were. "Your brother lives in a cave?"

"He does, indeed." Seti dismounted from Wasima and led Styxx toward the small opening.

There was something very peculiar about this place. Other than the fact it was ancient. While Seti went inside to look for his brother, Styxx watered the animals. They'd been traveling most of the morning, and on his own, he'd have never gone this long without a break for them. But Seti had been dying to let his brother know he lived.

A small group of goats came down the side of the hill to chatter at him. Actually, they wanted water, too.

Laughing at their eagerness, Styxx pulled out another bowl and poured them some. He'd just finished when Seti returned with a man who was almost the same height as Styxx. There was something he didn't see every day, especially with desert people.

"Styxx, meet my brother. Zakar ... Styxx."

Much younger than Styxx expected, Zakar had curly black hair and eyes that were very different from Seti's red hair and baby blues. They looked nothing alike, but Styxx wasn't about to mention it. And now that he thought about it, Zakar reminded him a lot of Acheron's son-in-law, Sin.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Styxx. Thank you for freeing my brother. I'd begun to despair of ever seeing him again."

"The pleasure is all mine. I'm merely grateful I got to him when I did."

The brothers exchanged an odd look and it wasn't until then that Styxx realized he couldn't hear either of their thoughts.... Because he'd been alone for so long, it hadn't dawned on him that he couldn't hear Seti's until now.

Hmmm, peculiar.

Zakar gestured toward the cave. "I have fresh coffee and yogurt, as well as some fruit and hummus with crackers."

Even though he'd rather be on his way, Styxx smiled and yielded to desert custom and hospitality. "Thank you, that would be wonderful and much appreciated."

He followed them inside to find a surprising home. Outside, it looked meager and uninviting. Inside, it was a palace. He uncovered his face as he glanced around at the ornate and expensive furnishings. "You have a beautiful home."

"Thank you." Zakar went to get the coffee and refreshments while Seti led him to an actual couch and chairs.

Styxx sighed as he sank down into an extremely comfortable recliner.

"Good, eh?"

Completely amazed, Styxx nodded. "Not used to anything this luxurious." It felt so good, he had to struggle to stay awake and bite back a yawn.

Seti said something, but honestly he was too drowsy to understand it. Styxx tried to blink his eyes open, but the next thing he knew, he was out.

Zakar set the coffee down and arched his brow. "Is he an offering?"

"No!" Seti snapped.

"But he's marked by Apollo."

"He wasn't marked by choice and he's no friend of our enemy's."

Zakar frowned. "Is that why you brought him here?"

"No. I brought him here so that we could use him."