She glanced up to meet his gaze as he looked at her over his shoulder. Memories of their past together and conflicted emotions ripped through her. He was so familiar and so alien.
"Who are you, Strykerius?"
"I'm a lost soul," he breathed quietly. "I had a purpose at one time, but I stumbled on the path of it."
"And now?"
His gaze narrowed dangerously. Seductively. "I see what I want again, but for the first time in my life, I'm not sure if I can claim it. I should have never left you and I know it."
She laid her hand against the stubble of his cheek. "I'm a servant of Artemis. I owe her for taking me in when no one else would."
"Haven't you paid that debt a thousandfold?"
Zephyra paused. Had she? Artemis could be so fickle and cold. Over the centuries, Zephyra had executed countless humans for Artemis and others who'd defamed or offended the goddess. Strange how she'd never really thought about leaving Artemis's ser vice before this. She'd been content to stay in the shelter of the goddess's temple and merely exist. Her only goal in all these centuries had been to protect her daughter.
How could she not have had a goal other than that? Because her last goal had been to grow old and love a man who'd walked out the door and broken her heart. Her spirit. Her life.
After that, she'd vowed to never set herself up again for so much pain. Once had definitely been enough for her.
Stryker turned around on the bed to face her with a look so intense and raw it raised chills on her body. "Join me again, Phyra. Stand by my side and I will lay the world of man at your feet. We will find a way to break my father's curse and take our place in the sunlight."
"I haven't touched daylight in over eleven thousand years. Not since the night we were warned of the curse."
"I would give that to you."
She shook her head in denial. "You promised me the world once before and then you threw it in my face."
"I'm different now, Phyra. I'm not a scared child living in his father's shadow. I've learned from my mistake and I swear that I will never again leave you."
She wanted to believe that but didn't know if she could. Promises were so easy to make and so hard to keep. It was a rare person who could carry through their execution. "And yet you'll die in two days if we don't feed you."
"Even in death, I shall find a way to be by your side."
Those words set her anger on fire as he reminded her of the vow he'd taken at their wedding. "How dare you!" she snarled, shoving him back.
"I don't understand."
"You mock me with those words."
His expression was true bafflement. How could he not know? "How so?"
"You promised me love and you left less than a year later. How can I trust you now?"
"I never married again after my wife died. Not in all these centuries and not because of how I felt about her. It was the memory of you that kept me single. No woman has ever captivated me the way you did."
And no other man had ever claimed her heart. None. Only Stryker had been able to break the shield she'd erected around herself.
It was why she hated him so much.
"Matera!"
She looked at the door at the same time Medea slung it open. For once Medea didn't react to seeing them naked in bed together. That alone told Zephyra how dire the news was.
"Kessar has sent an emissary to speak with Father. He needs to come immediately."
Stryker's clothes appeared on his body as he left the bed. Zephyra was just about to reach for hers when he dressed her, too. She scooted out of bed to meet Medea in the doorway.
Stryker took the lead.