“He may not be acting as Derrik, but he was not wrong earlier. You spent the night with Maddie.”
“And this is your concern?” Apollo asked.
“It’s been just days. Has it come so far so fast, cousin?” Achilles asked back.
“I’ll repeat, this is your concern?”
“You just noted we should be aware of anything that is not right,” Achilles pointed out.
He did indeed.
Apollo sighed and shared, “The witch with the green magic introduced her to adela tea.” He paused and held his cousin’s eyes before concluding. “And I was close.”
Achilles brows shot up. “You took advantage?”
HAApollo straightened his spine and is tone was low when he stated, “Maddie and I have worked through that.”
“You took advantage,” Achilles murmured, studying him.
Apollo felt his skin prickling. “I’ll answer my earlier question for you. This isn’t your concern.”
“She’s vulnerable,” Achilles warned.
“Agreed. This is why she needs me.”
His gaze never leaving Apollo, Achilles tipped his head to the side and he noted, “You care for her.”
Apollo didn’t hesitate and his voice was firm when he replied, “Greatly.”
His cousin’s lips twitched. “It’s not a surprise that that didn’t take long.”
Apollo had no reply for he spoke truth.
Achilles continued to hold his eyes and remarked quietly, “She also shared with me, cousin, and she would not take him.”
Apollo felt his brows draw together. “Pardon?”
“It is hers to share with you, the knowledge she trusted to me. But you need to know so the seed Derrik planted does not grow. She would not take him to her bed. Not of her will. Never again. Whatever they had, he killed a long time ago. If she’s taking you, it’s you she’s taking.”
Apollo felt the tension ebb from his body at these words.
Then he jerked up his chin and moved to the steps, murmuring, “I’m off to have breakfast with my children.”
He was nearly to the doors when Achilles called his name.
He stopped, turned and looked down at his cousin.
“Years, I have watched you mourn,” Achilles started. “It saddened me. Now, it pleases me to see you again reaching to happiness.” He paused and finished, “I wish you speed in grasping it.”
His throat prickled but his lips said, “Your heart is too soft for a soldier.”
“Says the man who grieved for his wife for four and a half years,” Achilles swiftly returned.
Unfortunately, to that, Apollo had no retort.
Achilles knew it and this was why he smiled before he turned and sauntered away.
Apollo sighed again and headed to his children.