Styxx (DH #33) (45 page)

They exchanged nervous and disgusted looks.

“A god protects him,” Bethany said, pushing her way through the crowd until she stood in front of Archon. “I don’t know who, but it’s a powerful one. Whenever I try to shoot him, it’s deflected as if he can see it … which we all know is impossible.”

“Apollymi?” Archon asked, going straight to her initial assumption.

Dikastis, their god of justice, shook his head. “Can’t be. There’s no way her son would be in Atlantis, leading an army, without our knowing it. He
is
using powers, but they’re not ours. We would all feel it if it were.”

“Maybe he’s just that much better trained and more intelligent than our armies.”

They all turned to glare at the sea god, Ydor. Tall and dark-haired, he stood apart from the rest of the group.

“What?” he asked innocently. “Tell me none of the rest of you have had that thought. Have you seen this kid? He’s a beast on the battlefield. There’s a burning fury inside him he unleashes the minute he takes a sword into his hand. I’ve never seen a mortal so fearless. It’s as if he’s daring us to kill him and wants to die.… He’s definitely not a god with that mind set.”

Archon returned his attention to Bethany. “You said he was Athena’s champion?”

She nodded. “But it’s not Athena protecting him in battle. It’s an older god. Surely the rest of you have felt it, too.”

Misos agreed with her. “She’s right, brother. I tried to strike him down with my own hand, and he broke my axe.”

His face turning red, Archon roared furiously. “Then how do we stop this little bugger prince?”

“Apollo.” Moving forward to speak, Epithymia swept her gaze around the gathered gods. “As much as it galls me to say this, that Greek bastard is our only hope.”

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.”

*   *   *

B
ethany 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.

He tore the scroll open and read it. And with every word, his jaw dropped more. No … Not after they’d come so far and gotten so very close.

You stupid sons of whores.

“Did something happen, my lord?” Gaius asked.

Styxx snapped his jaw closed. “We’re being recalled to Greece.” He enunciated each word with great irritation.

“What?” Galen roared.

Styxx handed him the scroll. “It’s unanimous from all the kings. They want us back in Greece. Effective immediately. We are to abandon all future campaigns. Should we continue on, they will charge us with treason.”

Galen stayed behind and sputtered indignantly while Styxx went to relay their new orders to his commanders.

He still couldn’t believe it, but since all the Greek kings were in on the decision for a cease-fire, he had no choice. If he continued on, they would see his entire army slaughtered.

And his men weren’t any happier about the news than either he or Galen.

Their one resounding complaint was as unanimous as the kings’ decision to stop …
It’s not fair that we’re being penalized because the rest of the Greek forces are incompetent losers.

Styxx agreed with his men, but he couldn’t say that out loud. “We are soldiers and we obey our orders.”

Even when they stank to the highest point of Mount Olympus.

“But at least you’ll all go home to your families now,” Styxx offered as consolation.

That sent a cheer through their morose ranks. And in truth, Styxx couldn’t wait to get back to Bethany. It’d been almost two years since he had last felt her hand on his face. Seen her sweet golden-green eyes as she welcomed him to her side.

Hopefully, she hadn’t found another to love during his long absence.

As he returned to his tent, he felt the sun mark on his back heat up until it burned. Styxx froze.

Was Apollo here? Or another demon, perhaps? Why else would the mark do that? Glancing about, he pushed aside his fear. They were going home. Why attack them now?

But then why did the gods do anything they did?

“I hate you bastards,” he snarled under his breath to the gods. “All you’ve ever done is screw up my life. I wish every one of you was gone.”

And Styxx hoped that he never had to see another god in the flesh as long as he lived.

August 31, 9530 BC

Galen reined his horse and smiled. “Smell that delicious olive-scented air, my lord … we’re back in Greece.”

Styxx snorted at Galen’s uncharacteristic enthusiasm. “I think battle might have addled your brains. It smells no different to me.”

“Of course it does!”

Styxx scoffed, “I could be wrong, but I really don’t think the wind stops at our borders.”

Galen tsked at him. “Such patriotism from an esteemed war hero. You should be ashamed.”

Shaking his head, Styxx swept his gaze over the soldiers who’d fought well and brought honor to all of them and their various city-states. But even so, there was a darkness inside him that hadn’t been there before. Battle had changed him. As bad as Estes had been, and the atrocities his twisted uncle had committed, Styxx had seen a far worse side of humanity that made him wonder why he fought at all. What was there about mankind worth saving?

You don’t fight for them. You fight for Beth and her life, alone.

“Highness?”

He glanced over as Gaius rode up on his opposite side. “Yes?”

“There’s a hostel not far from here. We were wondering if we could make camp near it tonight?”

“We?” Styxx glanced back at his army.

Gaius gave him a lecherous grin. “There are women there, Highness, and it’s been a while for some of us.”

Styxx exchanged an amused stare with Galen. “If it’s what all of you wish. Who am I to deny you?”

Gaius shouted in happiness before he went to tell the others.

Galen sighed. “To be that young again.”

“You’re not
that
old.”

“Old enough…” Galen nudged his horse forward. “So, Highness, are we dicing in your tent tonight while the others frolic with their women?”

Styxx lifted his brow at the presumptuous question. “How do you know I won’t be joining the men?”

Galen snorted at his challenge. “Because I know the look of a man who wants to go home to a particular woman, and no other will do. Not even when it’s been the better part of two years for him.”

Styxx suppressed a smile over the fact that Galen knew him better than anyone. A part of him hated being so transparent, but another was glad to know that at least one person saw him for who he was and not for what they assumed him to be. “Dice it is then.”

Galen laughed. “I look forward to finally beating you at something again.”

*   *   *

H
ours later, Styxx
sat in his tent thinking of his beautiful Bethany while his men were divided between camp and the town where the hostel was located. The sounds of revelry were loud and cacophonous. They mixed with the voices in his head until he could barely think straight. There were just too many of them.

Alone, he rolled the dice on his desk, waiting for Galen to join him. He’d taken Bethany’s necklace off and left it within hand’s reach. Smiling, he picked it up and rubbed his thumb over the bow-and-arrow mark that was stamped into a small silver disk. Many women her age were devotees of the goddess Artemis who was said to be a fierce protector of women and children. And he prayed that the goddess would always protect his beloved from all harm.