"You think you're so fucking clever," he sneered. "Let's see how clever you are now."
Styxx vanished out of his sight. He came back a moment later with a gleaming red poker. Panic set in. Acheron fought his restraints with every ounce of strength he had. But he was weakened by the beating and held down completely.
With a gleam of sadistic satisfaction, Styxx laid the poker across Acheron's face. Screaming, Acheron tried to move away, but all he could do was smell the burning of his flesh. Feel the deep, penetrating pain that washed over him.
Smiling, Styxx jerked it away and walked behind him again.
Hanging limply, Acheron could do nothing but cry from the agony of his face that continued to burn. When Styxx returned, he carried a fresh poker.
"Please, m-m-mercy," he begged. "Please don't . . . brother."
"We are not brothers, you bastard!" Styxx shouted before he laid the poker across Acheron's groin.
Acheron screamed out. Tears fell as he prayed for death to come and stop this torture.
"Where's your laughter now?" Styxx asked, tossing the poker aside. "Don't you ever mock me again, you fucking whore."
Acheron felt something cold and sharp pierce his side. Looking down, he saw the dagger in Styxx's hand that his brother had buried to the hilt. He tasted more blood in his mouth as he choked on it and the pain that seared him.
"Don't worry," Styxx said, jerking the dagger free. "You'll live." He brought the blade down across Acheron's unburned cheek, laying it open to the bone.
Styxx cut him down, then walked off without even a backward glance.
Acheron lay on the ground, his head swimming as unimaginable pain ripped through him. "Please gods," he whispered desperately. "Please let me die."
He expelled one deep breath and surrendered himself to the darkness.
Artemis was trying to be patient as she watched the offerings the humans brought to her altar. But they didn't interest her.
She hadn't seen Acheron in two days and this was the celebration of his birth-something she wouldn't have known had Apollo not told her about the party tonight. She didn't know why Acheron had failed to mention it, but then he was odd that way.
Apollo wasn't going to the party, but his pet was.
Which meant Artemis would be free to visit Acheron later.
Yet dutifully, she'd been at her temple all day long. The sun had set almost an hour ago and as the day turned to night, she was restless for it to end.
An old man came forward with a goat.
Oh, this was no use. What was she going to do with a goat? Snapping her fingers, she granted his wish even before she heard it.
She picked up the ring that she'd made for Acheron and left them where they were to keep making offerings she had no interest in. Unlike these other mewling, pathetic humans, her Acheron would please her.
Even when he didn't please her, he still did.
Smiling, she materialized on his balcony, expecting him to be at his usual perch.
It was empty. Frowning, she looked over the edge to see the nobles and dignitaries gathered for the festivities. Surely Acheron wasn't there. He didn't like such events.
Artemis stepped through the doors without opening them. Her frown melted as she saw Acheron already abed. Good. She could join him there.
But as she approached, she slowed her gait. His breathing was shallow and ragged. He lay with his back to her and as she drew closer, she saw the pink stains marring his sheets.
Blood. Acheron's blood.
It was so much more than she'd ever seen before.
Terrified, she moved around the bed to find him weeping soundlessly. But that wasn't what stunned her most. It was the sight of his beautiful face. Or what was left of it.
One side had a vicious gaping wound that exposed part of the bone and on the other was a burn that had left his eye partially closed, his flesh scorched and his mouth twisted.
"What happened?" she demanded as anger tore through her.
He didn't answer but the shame in his eyes, the pain, lacerated her heart. Kneeling on the floor, she laid her hand to his burned cheek.
"Kill me," he breathed. "Please."
That ragged plea brought tears to her eyes. Wanting to understand, she used her powers to see what had happened to him. As every scene of it played through her mind, her fury built.
How dare they do this to him!
She felt her teeth growing sharp as her need for vindication tripled.
Acheron screamed as Artemis healed his battered body. Whenever his injuries were bad, her cure was every bit as painful.
Once he was healed, Artemis gathered him into her arms and held him in a way no one had ever held him before-as though she cared. "I'm so sorry, Acheron. Why didn't you call for me?"
"You wouldn't have come."
"Yes, I would."
But he knew the truth. She'd never have risked being seen. "You're here now. That's enough for me."
She nodded as she brushed his hair back from his face. "And woe to those bastards for this. They won't do this to you and not suffer for it." Taking his hand, she pulled him from the bed.
When she started for the door, he froze. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to make them pay."
"How?"
She laughed evilly. "Trust me, love. You'll enjoy it."
The next thing he knew they were in the ballroom, unseen by the revelers. Artemis walked over to Styxx who stood beside his betrothed, laughing smugly with a group of his friends who were mocking an unattractive young woman in the corner. The woman had tears in her eyes as she tried to ignore their laughter and brutal comments.
Artemis leaned forward to whisper into Styxx's ear. "You want to see humiliation, you little prick? You're about to get a handfirst lesson on it."
One second Styxx was smiling. The next he was vomiting all over Nefertari and his friends. In fact, he vomited so forcefully that he lost control of his bladder and wet himself. When he tried to run, he tripped and fell into the mess.
Acheron looked away, as disgusted by it as everyone else.
But Artemis wasn't through. Raising her hand, she opened the double doors that led to the gardens. A pack of angry dogs ran inside and set upon Styxx with a vengeance.
Their father ran to his heir who was on the ground, crying for help.