Styxx (Dark-Hunter 22)

Except Apollo. Was this what the bastard had meant when he said that he intended to screw with him?

Styxx almost came off his throne when he felt the first lash cut across Acheron's chest. Thankfully his father was preoccupied with Ryssa's tantrum.

She stormed to Styxx and glared at him. "I will call down the wrath of every god on Olympus for you, brother. And I intend to laugh when they chain you to a rock and have your traitorous heart cut out."

"Love you, too, lamb-head."

If looks were lethal, he'd be as dead as she wished him.

His body ached as more blows were given to Acheron. He glanced to his father who looked older than he ever had before. And that right there was why Styxx didn't covet his father's crown. Even now, his father wasn't sure if Styxx was lying or not.

The king would always be suspicious.

And there was nothing he could do to alleviate it.

Tired and aching, Styxx bit back a groan as another lash was given. "Father? May I have time to wash and change?"

The king nodded.

Styxx flinched as more pain hit him. Determined not to show it, he went over to his father before he left the room. "Who is our accuser?"

"I'll tell you once I get to the bottom of this."

Styxx ground his teeth in anger. You don't trust us, your own children, but you trust a liar.

Why was he even surprised?

Because he expected better from his father. He always had. But his father had never ceased to disappoint him.

Fine. There was nothing he could do about it. Disgusted, Styxx went to his room, and with every foul pain, he cursed himself more. How could he have been so stupid as to incriminate Acheron? But then he'd been caught off guard with no sleep.

How do I get you out of this, brother?

Determined to try, Styxx went to his bedroom door to leave so that he could find the one who'd accused them.

It was locked.

What the...?

He pounded on it as hard as he could.

No one answered. Worse, he was suddenly so sleepy that he couldn't stand. Yawning, he tried to focus his fuzzy gaze. But it was useless. One minute he was standing, the next, he was lying on the floor.

* * *

Sitting in his Olympian temple, Apollo nodded to Poena and Eris, who had pleased him well with their wonderful cruelty against Styxx and his siblings. But then that was what they excelled at.

Tearing families apart.

"Good work..." Apollo said with a smile. "Now finish it."

They took off immediately.

Dionysus waited until they were alone. "Question, brother. Why do you hate the Didymosian princes so badly?"

Apollo ground his teeth. "Styxx has been a thorn in my ass since the day you introduced us. What mortal dares to turn away the affections of a god?"

"Not a bright one, that's for sure. And the other one you torture?"

Apollo hesitated. While he mostly trusted his brother, he wasn't about to tell anyone about Artemis's "pet." As much as he wanted to hurt Styxx for spurning him, he wanted Acheron's heart in his fist for daring to touch Artemis and contaminate her with his filth. But unfortunately, he couldn't kill one twin without killing the other and starting a war with his sister he wasn't ready to fight. Unfortunately, he needed that bitch to live.... So he settled on a lesser explanation. "Collateral damage."

Dionysus arched a brow at that. "You gelded the boy for collateral damage? Damn, remind me not to piss you off."

Apollo gave him a droll stare. "I wasn't about to geld the one I'm sleeping with. I enjoy him too much for that."

Dionysus shook his head. "Harsh, brother. Very harsh."

"This from the one who sends madness out as punishment? I haven't made them slaughter their own children or eat their own body parts."

"As you would say, it is our moral obligation to keep the humans in line."

Yes, it was. And he wasn't through with the Didymosian twins ... not yet. Not until Acheron learned to leave his sister alone and Styxx learned to bend to Apollo's whims and presence with a smile.

* * *

Ryssa was terrified as she returned to her room and handed her crying son over to his nurse. What was she going to do?

Unlike her father, she knew who the real traitor was. If witnesses saw someone tall, blond, and looking like Acheron, it was Styxx. It had to be. Acheron would have nothing to gain by killing the king, other than vengeance, and he wasn't the kind of person to go after vengeance for anything.

Not to mention Acheron would never have been in public uncovered, especially not a stew. Had he done so, he'd still be there, facedown, beating people off him.

"What have you done, Styxx?" she whispered through the tight lump in her throat.

Why would he plot against his own father? But then she knew. The history of mankind was written by sons and brothers wanting more, and willing to do anything to get it.

Even kill their own fathers.

"I have to find Artemis." There was no one else who could save Acheron from this madness.

Ryssa headed for her door to leave, but before she took three steps, the doors opened to admit the same guards who'd arrested Acheron.

"Your Highness, you're to be taken for questioning."

Her heart chilled at those words. "Questioning? This can't be."

But it was. Surrounding her with their muscle and terrifying visages, they took her to her father's study where he waited with Styxx. Never had she hated her brother more.

She gave them both the coldest look she could muster. "What is this, Father?"

He appeared so worn and exhausted that she felt awful for him. This was the worst sort of treachery. His handsome features were drawn tight with sadness. "Why would you betray me, daughter?"

She scowled at his question. "I've never done anything to betray you, Father.... Ever."

He shook his head. "I have a witness who just came forward and said that you were with Acheron last night as he plotted my death."

She leveled a killing glare at Styxx. He had to be the one who'd named them. There was no one else. "Then they are lying as they lied about Acheron. I was with Apollo last night. Summon him and see."

Styxx's face went white.

So, he'd thought to rid himself of her, too. She couldn't believe her father's stupidity where Styxx was concerned. How could he be so blind to such a selfish villain?

Relief etched itself across her father's brow as he approached her. "I'm glad they're mistaken, kitten." He laid a gentle hand to her face. "The thought of my beloved daughter turning on me..."

What of his beloved son?

She looked past her father to see Styxx staring at the floor. "Acheron is innocent."

"No, child. Not this time. I have too many witnesses who saw him there."

Why couldn't she make him see the truth? "Acheron would never be in a stew, Father."

"Of course he would. He worked in one. Where else would he go?"

Anywhere but there. Her brother had hated every minute of being trapped in those places and being forced to sell himself for food and shelter. "Please, Father. You've done enough to Acheron. Leave him be."

He shook his head. "There is a nest of vipers coiled around me, and until I uncover the name of everyone he spoke to, I won't stop."

Tears filled her eyes as she considered the nightmare they were going to put Acheron through. Again. Needlessly. Why could her father not see the truth? "The priests say that Hades reserves a special corner of Tartarus for betrayers. I'm sure the name of your real traitor is being carved there even as we speak."

Styxx refused to meet her gaze.

So she looked back at her father. "In all these years, Acheron has sought nothing but love from you, Father. One moment of your looking at him with something other than hatred burning in your eyes. Nothing more than a kind word, and at every turn you've denied him and hurt him. You have shattered the son who only wanted to love you. Let him go before you do irreparable harm, I beg you."

Still, her father refused. "He's betrayed me for the last time."

"Betrayed you?" she asked, aghast at his reasoning. "Father, you can't believe that. All he's tried to do is stay out of your sight. Away from your notice. He cringes any time your name is brought up, or Styxx's for that matter. If you'd stop being so blind for one minute, you'd see that he has never willingly mixed with people and he has never betrayed you."

"He was a prostitute!" he roared in her face.

"He was a boy who had to eat, Father. Thrown away by his own family. Betrayed by the ones who should have protected him from harm. I was there when he was born, and I remember how all of you turned away from him. Do you? Do you even recall when you broke his arm? He was only two years old and could barely speak. He reached for you to hug you, and you knocked him away so forcefully that you broke his arm like a twig. When he cried out, you slapped him for it, and walked away."

"And that's why he plots your murder, Father," Styxx spoke up finally in a whiny, nasal tone. "Don't let a woman sway you from what needs to be done. Women are our greatest weakness. They prey on our guilt and our love of them. How many times have you told me that? You can't listen to them. They think with their hearts and not their minds."