Acheron sighed in aggravation as he surveyed the empty condo he’d provided for Styxx after his brother had asked to leave Katateros. He’d been trying to catch the bastard for weeks now, but every time he “popped” in, Styxx was gone.
If he didn’t know better, he’d think Styxx had moved out. But the bankbook was still in a kitchen drawer, along with Styxx’s license and credit cards. He couldn’t have gone far without money or ID.
“Ryssa was right. You are always annoying.”
Then again, it was their birthday. Maybe Styxx was out celebrating with friends.
Ash paused at the thought. Did Styxx have any friends? Sadly, he had no idea. As Ryssa’s journals that Tory had uncovered during her excavations had shown him, there was a lot he didn’t know about his own twin brother. And the more he read, the more he was desperate to talk to Styxx.
To find the real truth.
Mentally, Ash flogged himself for not cornering Styxx when he’d been in Katateros. But he’d been too angry then to listen. Too hurt to care about Styxx’s side of anything.
Now …
Closing his eyes, he tried to pinpoint Styxx’s location. Yet all he got out of that was a migraine. New York was too big a city, with too many people in it. I should have stuck his ass on another deserted island. At least then I’d know where he is.
Even more agitated, he glanced to the bookshelves that were lined with ancient Greek books …
Written in ancient Greek. Ash held his hand up and used his powers to pull one from the shelf.
Glancing around the room, he realized then that Styxx had only written in Greek. And not just any Greek. Proto-Greek. The oldest of all the Greek variants. All his notes. Everything. That was Styxx’s native tongue.
Can Styxx read English? That was something he hadn’t considered before he’d sent his brother out into the modern world. Since Styxx had been imprisoned for more than eleven thousand years, there was a good possibility that Styxx would have no idea how to read any modern language. At all. It would explain the checkbook, cards, and ID. Styxx might not have even known what those were.
You’re an effing idiot!
Replacing the book, Ash winced at his own blind stupidity and hoped that he wasn’t as big a bastard as he feared he was. Of all people, he knew how bad illiteracy sucked. Having been illiterate as a human slave, he knew that better than anyone. He couldn’t imagine trying to navigate the modern world without at least a rudimentary understanding of the English alphabet.
And with that thought, against his will, his mind went to the past—to the days before their uncle Estes had ripped him from the home he’d shared with Ryssa and Styxx.
While Ryssa would spend most of her mornings visiting with her mother, Ash would sit in her room and listen to Styxx’s tutors mercilessly grill him on all manner of subjects. As the heir to Didymos, Styxx had been required to study hard and learn as much as he could, as fast as he could. For hours every day, Styxx had been sequestered without breaks or relief. If he dared to ask for one, his tutors would report him to his father, who considered such actions as Styxx’s attempt to avoid responsibility. Something the king did not take lightly. “You’re to be a king, boy, not some sniveling wastrel!” Xerxes had been merciless with his mandates and expectations.
No wonder Styxx had been plagued with migraines.
His free time had been seriously limited. Even so, Styxx had worked around his father as best he could. And in his mind, Ash could see Styxx as a boy smiling at him while he placed a small box in Ash’s hand and sat down next to him on his bed.
“What’s this?” Ash had asked him.
“Open it and see.”
Instead, he’d reached out to brush Styxx’s blond hair back from a vicious black eye. And that hadn’t been the only damage. A bit of blood still crusted his nose and mouth. “What happened?”
Ashamed, Styxx had looked away. “As a birthday present, Father decided it was time I began my war training. Today was the first lesson, but I fear I have no talent for it. Selinius said that he’s never seen anyone more inept than me.”
Acheron felt terrible for the pain that eye must have caused him. Styxx cringed every time he blinked but said nothing about how awful it must be.
“What did Father say?”
Styxx sighed. “That I embarrassed him. He told Selinius to take no mercy. It is imperative that I learn to fight as a man and not rely on others to protect me.”
Yet Styxx was only a five-year-old child and Selinius a war hero.
Styxx nudged the box in Ash’s hands. “Open it already!”
More worried about Styxx and his fate at the hands of another tutor who hated him, Ash had obeyed. As soon as he saw the small wooden soldier, his breath caught. It was exquisite.
“Do you like it?”
Ash smiled. “I love it! Thank you!” Without thinking, he grabbed Styxx into a hug and discovered that his face wasn’t the only part of him his war tutor had bruised. “I’m sorry.”
His breathing ragged, Styxx shrugged it off. “It’s fine.” He fingered the soldier in Ash’s hand. “I hope I bought the right one. The vendor said that you’d admired it when Ryssa purchased you the horse.”
“I did, but Ryssa didn’t have the coin for both.” Ash scooted off the bed to place the soldier on the horse in his window. “What did Ryssa get you?”
“Did you know the soldier’s arms move?” Styxx joined him at the window to show him.
Ash frowned again as he noted the sadness that tainted his brother’s smile. “Did Ryssa not get you a horse, too?”
As before, Styxx didn’t respond to his question. “I’m so glad I got the right one. I was worried that the vendor might have forgotten or wasn’t being truthful with me.”
“Styxx,” Ash said sternly, “what did you get for your birthday?”
His hand falling away from the soldier, he sighed heavily and stepped back. “A hoplomachos.”
A drill instructor who had beaten him … “Is that it?”
All the happiness faded from his vivid blue eyes. “Father also gave me the honor of observing court sessions when he holds them.”
“What does that mean?”
“Every morning, I have to sit with him while he settles disputes for the people so that I can see what will be required of me as king. And so that I can witness Father’s wisdom and learn from it.”
Ash gaped at the boring horror he described. “But mornings are your free time.” The only free time Styxx had at all—the rest was taken up with tutors, work, and temple obligations. Those mornings were when Styxx would sneak off to play with him until Styxx’s lessons began after lunch.
“Father says I’m too old now for play. He’s not raising a boy, but a king, and kings don’t play with toys. I have to assume my royal duties and stop being selfish and thoughtless all the time.”
Ash looked at his soldier that he knew Styxx would have bought with his own coin that, unlike Ryssa, he’d had to work for. “You’re not selfish or thoughtless.”
Styxx didn’t comment. “I better go. The last time I was late for Master Karpos, he told Father. Father’s already angry enough that I asked for a toy today when I’m too old for such. I’ve no wish to aggravate him further.” Without another word, Styxx left.
Closing his eyes to blot out the past, Ash winced as he mentally pushed those memories back into the darkest recesses of his mind.
He and Styxx had been so close when they were young.
Brothers, forever and always. It sickened him that Estes and the others had put such a wedge between them.
That they had put a wedge between them. Harsh words and even harsher actions.
On both their parts.
For centuries, he’d kept all those happy memories of Styxx bottled up. Kept anyone from knowing he had a brother, at all. And while he’d gone on with his life, he’d abandoned Styxx to absolute solitude.
To Artemis’s “tender” care.
Guilt and pain stabbed him hard over his own thoughtless callousness.
Tonight, Tory had a huge surprise party planned for him. Urian was supposed to keep him occupied with his son while Tory and the others decked out Sanctuary and finished the preparations. He wasn’t supposed to know anything about it, but her best friend Pam stunk at keeping secrets and had accidentally told him two days ago.
Never in his life had he been happier.
And Ash owed it all to Styxx and Urian for the sacrifice they’d made in rescuing Tory out of Kalosis. Had his brother not stepped in to help Urian save Tory’s life, Ash wouldn’t have a precious son to hold.
Or a beautiful woman who was his entire world.
He glanced around the stark condo that showed no sign of life and wished Styxx were here so that he could say thank you one more time. So that he could wish him a happy birthday for the first time since they were little boys, bonded as twin brothers.
But then what the hell? He hadn’t spent a birthday with Styxx in over eleven thousand years. What difference would one more make?
Still …
“Wherever you are, brother, I hope you’re surrounded by friends.”