But he much preferred looking at her, as she was gorgeous. Her red-and-gold dress set her dark skin off to perfection. And her Nubian locks were held back from her sharp, chiseled features by a dark scarlet scarf.
Eyes flaring with rage, Savitar growled. “Anyone else you want to bring to the party?”
Maahes grinned insolently. “Mother, may I?”
The look on Savitar’s face said that Maahes was barely one step away from becoming a lion throw rug on Savitar’s floor.
Ma’at stood up on her tiptoes to place a kiss on Savitar’s cheek. “Remember, you like me.”
“I don’t like anyone who barges into my home uninvited, Mennie.”
“You’ll get over it.” She turned her attention to the group. “All right, children. Where are we?”
“Screwed, from what I’m hearing.” Styxx crossed his arms over his chest as he considered everything they’d told him. “I’m going to be dense for a moment because I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this.… Bethany can be brought back? Yes?”
Ma’at and Set nodded.
Styxx turned an interesting shade of green and Urian could actually feel the waves of grief, pain, and rage fight for control of his friend. Honestly, he wanted to help the man gut them for all the needless centuries Styxx had spent alone. He glared his fury at Acheron. “Why didn’t anyone tell me this before?”
Ash held his hands up in surrender. “I had no idea your Bethany was Bet’anya or that she was housed in my basement garden of statues. That’s the truth. I was a little distraught and disoriented eleven thousand years ago when my mother took me to Katateros the first time. After I teleported those grisly statues to the basement, I locked the door and never went near that area again.”
Urian couldn’t blame him for that. Those were the gods who’d ordered a hit on him as an infant.
Even so, he wouldn’t hold it against Styxx if he sucker-punched Ash where he stood. ’Cause if that had been Phoebe or Xyn in the basement, and Paris standing there, they’d be blood on the floor right now.
Styxx looked at Set and Ma’at. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Sugar, every one of us thought she was dead,” Ma’at said gently. “Believe me, had we known she was frozen in Katateros, we’d have freed her for all of our sakes.”
“Well, we would have tried.” Set sighed. “Probably would have failed. It was the alignment on the twenty-first that made this possible … that and the demon.” He turned his gaze to Simi.
Simi flashed a happy smile. “I told you wishes can come true, and not just at Disney World. The real world does a good job, too, sometimes.”
Acheron scowled at Simi’s familiarity with his brother. “When did you two become friends?”
She wrinkled her nose. “On your birthday, akri. Did you know akri-Styxx don’t gots no one to spend his special day with? He all alone on it and so the Simi went to apologize and make him her friend, too, so he won’t be alone on his special days. But he done broke my heart so now he my other akri-baby like Baby Bas and akra-Kat. The Simi has officially adapted him … no … adopted him.” She grinned so wide, her fangs flashed.
Instead of being angry, Acheron laughed and kissed her cheek.
Urian cleared his throat and leaned forward to whisper in Styxx’s ear. “Dude, trust me, if she tries to burp you? Run fast. Run far. Run like the hounds of hell are on your heels, because they are.”
Styxx smacked him on the stomach.
Rolling his eyes, Ash shook his head. “All right, Styxx. Your show. How do we do this?”
Styxx glanced around at the gods and demons. And Urian and Davyn. “Still the sole human in the room. I don’t know what we’re up against or who we’re fighting. I need more details.”
Acheron spread his hands out and a schematic of his temple on Katateros appeared on the wall that showed the basement and the statues housed there. As he spoke, the animation illustrated his words. “A dozen gods woke up while Simi was in the basement with Xirena, looking for Bet’anya. Since I was in Vegas with Sin and Katra, and Tory was with my mother in Kalosis, the two demons were alone to create well-intentioned mischief. As soon as the gods began to stir, Xirena ran to tell Alexion and Danger that they were back. The three of them grabbed Simi, and escaped here to Savitar to let him know what had happened.”
“That’s when they called me in Minnesota,” Urian said. “And told me not to come home for a few days as we had ancient interlopers in Katateros who most likely would not host me a welcome-back party. Who knew? Hope they’ve left my PlayStation alone, as that will seriously piss me off.”
Ignoring that comment, Acheron sighed. “We’re also flying blind.” He motioned to his wall decoration. “We have that based on Simi’s recollection—which is flawless. But a little dated since Archon and the others have blocked out our sforas. None of us can see where they are or anything inside the main temple.”
“I tried to send in Davyn, but he’s a chickenshit.”
Davyn shoved at Urian. “No one stopped you from going.”
“That’s ’cause I’m a chickenshit.”
Styxx completely ignored them. “Do we know who we’re up against?”
Acheron glanced to Simi before he answered. “We’re not one hundred percent sure, because Simi was an infant when they ruled. As a result, she’s a little iffy on some of their identities. Best we can figure, it’s …” He again turned to the images that Simi had created—one that looked more like Wreck-It Ralph than an actual god … go, Simi. “Dikastis, Ilos, Isorro, Asteros, Epithymia, Diafonia, Nyktos, Paidi, Teros, Phanen, Demonbrean, and we know for a fact Archon is with them as he’s the one we’ve been talking to. And of course everyone’s favorite dickhead, Apollo.”
“Beautiful.” Styxx looked as if he were about to hurl, and Urian could taste a bit of his own bile. “My ideal guest list … for a fete in hell.”
Urian couldn’t agree more. With that cast of Gothamesque villains, the gods were definitely mocking them all today. All he needed was Helios in that mix and he’d have the full list of assholes he wanted a piece of.
Styxx went over them so that they’d all know who and what they were fighting, since most of them had never gone up against them before. “Apollo’s not a problem. He’s an effing idiot when it comes to things like this. And he’s a bully with no courage who will back down to someone more powerful.
“He won’t be leading a charge but will stay back until he can land a punch from safety. Unfortunately, Archon isn’t any of that. He’s sharp and deadly. Vindictive as hell. Brutal. But out of the list, Epithymia and Asteros”—he highlighted them—“are the two we have to neutralize immediately. Do not underestimate them, especially Epithymia. The bitch-goddess is crazy and meaner than shit. Show her no mercy or hesitation, because she won’t show it to you.”
He swept his gaze around the room’s occupants. “And whatever you do, do not let that bitch touch you … Demonbrean is even dumber than Apollo, but he’s also the size of an effing house. His skin is armored and he lives to crush things. Treat him like a python and don’t let him get his arms around you. If he does … you’re fucked. Dikastis will hang back to get the lay of the situation and might not fight us at all. He is all about justice and what’s right. If the fight isn’t about honor or truth, he won’t participate in it. The rest are followers. Lethal, but pawns nonetheless. They are servants for Misos in war, and only do what they’re told to do. You take out Archon and they will stand down.… Now what do we know of their demands?”
Savitar let out a bitter growl. “Because I was their Chthonian, Archon contacted me, not knowing my relationship with the Grom. They want Acheron as a sacrifice so that they can use his blood and heart to bring back the rest of their merry little band of asswipes, except for Bethany. Archon blames her for this, as if he wasn’t the one who caused Acheron to be cursed … what were you telling me about his intelligence?”
“Steadfast denial is not the same as intelligence.” S
Savitar shrugged nonchalantly. “Buy us time to gather enough Chthonians to take them down.”
Styxx scowled. “’Cause what? The Chthonians are such known people-pleasers? Um, yeah? When was that last time you fucks worked together? Last time I checked, your official motto was ‘Does Not Play Well with Others. Do Not Mix with General Population or People. Period.’
“ ‘And whatever you do, don’t feed them after midnight or any other time of the day as they would take the hand feeding them and shove it in an uncomfortable place on your body.’ ”
Styxx shook his head. “I’d be tempted to laugh if I weren’t so pissed. Thank the gods none of you were among my military advisors. We’d have had our asses handed to us,” he mumbled under his breath. Then louder, “Are they at full strength?”
Acheron shrugged. “No idea.”
Styxx passed an irritated glare to Urian, who held his hands up in surrender.
I feel you, brother. Urian sent his thoughts to him. Because he truly did. This was exactly why he’d refused to allow them to send Styxx in the way they’d been planning to do. He wasn’t about to stand by and watch his friend get slaughtered for their stupidity.
Styxx let out a tired sigh. “Let’s assume yes … So our numbers are basically even. The weakest link in our group is me.… What are our strengths?”
Simi opened her bag and pulled out her barbecue sauce. “Demons ready to eat, Sir akri-Styxx! Gimme!”
Laughing at Simi’s enthusiasm, Acheron jerked his chin toward his other daughter. “I don’t want Katra in harm’s way, but she’s a siphon.”
Kat passed a peeved glare to her father. “I’m also a trained soldier, Pops.” Kat glanced at her husband, Sin, and warned him with her gaze not to say a word. She turned toward Styxx. “I was my mother’s primary kori, and unlike my seriously overprotective father and husband, she—”
“Put her ass in harm’s way all the damn time, with a blatant disregard for her safety that still pisses me off,” Sin growled.
Kat smiled and cupped his cheek. “Yes, baby, but had she not been so careless, I wouldn’t have you. Now would I?”
He grumbled under his breath.
And Kat was born of the two pantheons they were up against. A definite plus.
Styxx nodded. “What else do we have that they won’t know about?”
Urian indicated him and Davyn. “Daimon and an ex-Daimon.” Though that probably wasn’t much.
Set folded his arms over his chest. “For thousands of years, my son was the High Guardian for Noir in Azmodea.”
Yeah, they definitely weren’t as good as that.
Seth nodded. “I’m used to battling angry gods. I can also get us a bird’s-eye view of anything you need. What I use, they can’t block.”
But they did have one thing the others didn’t … “Thanks to Davyn, we have this.” Urian held up the necklace they’d bartered dearly with his parents for.
However, Set’s eyes widened with recognition. “How did you get that?”
Urian snorted. “My enemy’s enemy is my best damn friend. Davyn borrowed it from my father, who was more than happy to lend it and wants us to tie it in a bow around Apollo’s neck.”
“What is it?” Styxx asked.
Set laughed, low and evil, and made no moves to touch it. “The Eye of Verlyn. That will deplete the powers of any god it comes into direct contact with.”
Which was why every god in the room was currently taking a step back from it.
Styxx looked at it with a new respect. “For how long?”
Urian grinned. “As soon as it touches them, they’re wiped. Then it depends on how long it’s on their body and how strong they are. Too long, it’ll kill them.”
Styxx smiled and inclined his head to them. “Does it work on just full-bloods or any other species?”
Set shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Before anyone could react, Simi grabbed her sister and put her hand on it.
“Hey!” Xirena snapped at her sister.
“You still gots power, Sissy?”
Xirena shot a blast of fire at her.
Grinning and ducking, Simi looked at Styxx and let go of Xirena. “It don’t work on us.”
Urian laughed. “I helped him carry it over, so … I’m only a quarter demigod, and it doesn’t seem to affect me.”
“I think I’m the only true demi then.” Seth bravely took it into his hand and waited. After a couple of minutes, he shook his head. “No effect on me, either.”
“Since my powers are borrowed from Apollymi, I’m not chancing it. We’ll assume I need to stay clear of it. Urian, we’ll leave it in your custody.” Styxx hesitated as another thought occurred to him. “Can the stone be broken apart or duplicated?”
Set shook his head. “Not without destroying it.”
Styxx scowled at Acheron, who was an unknown in all of this. “Would the stone just suck out your god powers and leave the rest intact?”
“That’s what usually happens. Why? You thinking of giving me an early Christmas present?”
Urian laughed involuntarily.
“Don’t distract or tempt me.” Styxx ran over the rest of their arsenal and the layout of Acheron’s temple. They’d definitely use Seth’s powers to get a peek at what they were going into.
But first …
“My most important question of all … Where’s my Bethany?”
Urian and Davyn were behind the demons, Kat, and Styxx as they headed first toward Bethany. The plan was to get her first and then deal with the others.
As Styxx reached for the doorknob, Katra placed her hand on his arm. “I know this is the first time we’ve met, Styxx, but I’d rather you not go in there alone. Someone should be with you.”
“How are you Artemis’s daughter?”
Kat smiled. “She’s not as bad as you think.… Apollo, however, is probably worse.”
Simi stood on his other side and leaned in to whisper in his ear. “We’ll be super quiet. Akri-Styxx won’t even know we’re there.”
Urian put his hand on Styxx’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. What happens happens, and we won’t think anything about it. We’ll just be here for you if you need us.”
Tears welled in his eyes and the emotions there said that he wasn’t used to anyone standing with him. Urian knew that feeling, all too well. It was what he missed most about his brothers and why he treasured Styxx the way he did.
“Thank you.”
Urian tightened his grip before he let go.
Taking a deep breath, Styxx opened the bedroom door. The floor-to-ceiling windows were open, letting in the soft ocean breeze. But it was the huge canopied bed in the center of the room that held their attention. White linen drapes were pulled back with gold cords, obscuring most of the bed’s contents.
Urian’s gaze was drawn to the bump beneath the stark white covers. Right before the Atlanteans had attacked on Katateros, Simi had carried Bethany’s body out and brought her here for safekeeping until they found some way to wake her.
Urian kept his attention divided between Styxx as he crept closer to the bed and watching out for any unwanted visitors who might sneak up on them.
And as soon as Styxx saw Bethany, he froze solid.
Urian did the same.
Damn, she was beautiful. Perfect. Just as she’d looked in those meticulous drawings Styxx had made. Her dark skin was flawless. Even though she wasn’t moving, he could imagine the fluid grace of her movements. Could hear the soft cadent lilt of her voice.
Strangely, Urian felt as if he knew her somehow. As if they’d met in a dream somewhere.
Styxx’s hand trembled as he pulled the covers back to expose the blood that was still on her gown from where Apollymi had assaulted her. Throwing his head back, he roared in anger and pain, then gathered her body into his arms so that he could hold her.
“Beth?” he breathed against her cheek as he cradled her head to his shoulder. “Please come back to me. Please. I need you so.…” Tears fell down his cheeks.
Urian choked as he felt for his friend’s agony. Unable to bear it, he looked away. In his mind, he saw himself the night he’d lost Phoebe. Xyn. He heard his own anguished screams that still hadn’t stopped the nights his heart had shattered.
Davyn reached out and pulled him into his arms. Urian tried his best to stand strong. As he always did.
But the truth was, he was never that strong. He’d never been. True love didn’t conquer anything. All it did was destroy.
“I’ve got you, brother,” Davyn whispered in his ear as he silently wept, and Acheron joined them in the room to go to Styxx.
Urian pulled away from Davyn just as Styxx let go of Bethany and bellowed in fury. He turned on Acheron with a wide punch. Acheron blocked it and yanked him into his arms. Styxx tried to fight, but Acheron held him close against him in an iron grip.
“It’s all right, Styxx. I know it hurts.”
But Acheron didn’t know. Even Urian knew that. The Dark-Hunter had no idea of the pain he and Styxx shared. His children were all alive and well. Tory was healthy.…
No one was going to kill her baby and leave her frozen and alone like this.
Coated in her own blood.
Urian hoped that Acheron never knew the darkness that lived inside them. Because the Stygian madness that festered there was a devouring agony unlike anything imaginable. Grief for his wife was a hunger that fed on all happiness. It devoured smiles and stole pieces of his soul every single day until he feared he would never see light again.
Like Styxx, Urian had been so lost for so long now that though he walked in daylight, he didn’t see it. Nor did he feel any form of warmth in the vast winter lands that swallowed him whole. The sun couldn’t chase away the lingering shadows of pain and remorse. The staggering darkness of what could have been.
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