"T-Rex, I met you over there. Remember? You called me, and while I was with you, Zarek had his little party with the police. I know it was you. There's not another man on this earth your height who looks like you."
The color faded from Acheron's cheeks. If Talon didn't know better, he'd swear he saw real worry in Acheron's eyes.
Something was really wrong.
"What is it, Ash?"
Acheron stepped away from him. "There's something I need to do. Stay here and I'll be back in plenty of time to go after Sunshine."
Talon caught his arm as Acheron headed for the door. "You better fill me in on this. Now."
"I can't."
"Acheron, this is no time to play Oracle. If you know what's going on and what we're dealing with, you need to come clean."
To Talon's complete amazement, Acheron vanished.
Ash couldn't breathe as he flashed himself into Katoteros, a small nether region between dimensions. This was his private domain where no one but he was ever supposed to tread.
Centuries ago, Hades had relegated him to this non-place. Or more correctly, Hades had incarcerated him here.
Since the day Artemis had freed him, Ash had used this place as a touchstone to remind him of what he was.
What he had been...
Now, Ash struggled for control. He had to have a few minutes to collect his thoughts. His emotions.
His stomach knotted, he felt ill as memories and pain took turns assailing him. The air around him sizzled and snapped in time to his volatile state.
He had to get a hold of himself. He couldn't afford to unleash his emotions.
No one would ever be able to stop him if he did.
Ash raked his hands through his long black hair and shouted his ancient battle cry. Lightning flashed and gray thunder clouds roiled across the eerie blue-black sky above him.
This couldn't be happening. Not now.
And yet there was no other explanation. Styxx was free. Somehow he had escaped from the Vanishing Isle and been turned loose in New Orleans.
How could it have happened?
Now Styxx was pretending to be him. He was mixing with Ash's men and talking to them...
Horror pierced his heart.
He had to stop him before Styxx revealed Ash's past to anyone. Ash couldn't bear the thought of anyone knowing about his human life. Knowing about what he'd been.
What he'd done...
"Acheron?"
He flinched at Artemis's voice. "This is my place, Artie. You promised me you would never come here."
She materialized before him. "I felt your pain."
"Like you care."
She reached out to touch his face, but he folded his arms over his chest, and moved away from her. She sighed and dropped her hand. "I do care, akribos. More than you know. But that isn't why I'm here. I have learned of Zarek."