Enough! She roared at herself as she angrily wiped it away. This was a time for action, not emotions. Her son needed her.
Her hand trembling from fury and fear, she went to the bed and lay down. She pulled her gown up, exposing her belly. She ran her hand over her distended stomach where her son was waiting, protected and yet in danger. Never again would she be this close to him. Never again would she feel him kick and turn in restlessness as she smiled in tender patience. She was about to separate them even though it wasn't time yet for Apostolos to be born.
But she had no choice.
"Be strong for me, my son," she whispered before she sliced open her stomach to expose him.
"Oh, how disgusting!" Basi whined. "I'm-"
"Don't you move!" Apollymi roared. "You leave this room and I'll rip out your heart."
Eyes wide, Basi froze.
As if knowing what had happened, Xiamara appeared by her side. The red-and-white-skinned demon was the most beautiful and loyal of all of Apollymi's army. In silent understanding, Xiamara lifted the baby out of her and helped Apollymi seal herself shut.
The demon removed the blood red scarf from around her neck and wrapped Apostolos in it before she held him out to Apollymi and bowed low.
Apollymi pushed the physical pain aside as she took her son into her arms and held him for the very first time. Joy spread through her as she realized he was whole and alive. He was so tiny, so frail. Perfect and beautiful.
Most of all, he was hers and she loved him with every part of herself.
"Live for me, Apostolos," she said, her tears finally flowing. They fell like ice down her cold cheeks, glittering in the darkness. "When the time is right, you'll return here and claim your rightful place as king of the gods. I'll make sure of it." She placed her lips to his blue forehead.
He opened his eyes then to look at her. Mercurial and silver, just like hers, they swirled. And they held within them a wisdom far beyond even hers. It would be by those eyes that mankind would recognize his divinity and treat him accordingly. He brushed her cheek with one tiny fist as if he understood what was meant for him.
She sobbed at the contact. Gods, it wasn't fair! He was her baby. She'd waited a lifetime for this and now . . .
"Damn you, Archon, damn you! I will never forgive you for this."
She held her son close and never wanted to let him go.
But she must.
"Basi?" she snapped at her niece who was still swinging around the bedpost.
"Mmm?"
"Take him. Put him in the belly of a pregnant queen. Do you understand?"
She let go and righted herself. "Um, I can do that. What about the queen's brat?"
"Merge Apostolos's life force with that of the queen's child. Let her know by oracle that if my child dies, so does hers." That would protect him more than anything else.
But there was one more thing to be done. Apollymi jerked the white sfora from her neck and held it to Apostolos's chest. If anyone suspected he was her son or any god detected his presence in the human realm, they would kill him instantly.
His powers would have to be bound and locked away until he was old enough and strong enough to fight back. She placed the orb to his chest and watched as his godhood slid from him to the sfora. His tiny body turned from blue to the pale skin of humanity.
Now he would be safe. Not even the gods would know what she'd done.
Clutching the sfora tight in her hand, she kissed his brow one more time before she held him out to her niece. "Take him. And don't betray me, Basi. If you do, Archon will be the least of your fears. So help me, I won't rest until I bathe in your entrails."
Basi's brown eyes widened. "Baby in belly. Human realm. Don't tell anyone and don't mess up. Got it." She vanished, instantly.
Apollymi sat there, looking at the spot where they'd been. Her heart screamed out, wanting her baby returned.
If only . . .
"Xiamara, follow her and make sure she does as she was ordered."