She cocked her brow at him. "You delight at the fact that I've been angry at myself?"
"No. Never. You should never be cross with yourself. Did you really miss me?"
"Of course."
He kissed her hand again. "A pittance compared to how much I've ached for you, I promise."
"Doubtful."
"Truth."
And still he was shaking uncontrollably. "Why do you tremble so?"
"Your beauty. It always leaves me quaking in its mighty presence."
She scoffed, even though his flattery warmed her. "You are ever a silver-tongued master."
"No. I am helpless before you, my lady. Always." He knelt in front of her and placed his head to her stomach.
Even more concerned than before, Bethany held him there. "I am worried about you. I know something dreadful has happened."
"And it was terrible, indeed. I was kept from seeing you, my precious lady."
She rolled her eyes at his silliness. "You awful, wretched, thoughtless beast. You make me forgive you when I want to be angry at your neglect." Smiling down at him, she brushed her hand through his soft hair.
"I will take your anger so long as it doesn't turn to hatred. I could never live if I thought you hated me."
"See, there it all goes. No trace of anger inside me now. Damn you, Hector. You stink!"
He pressed her hand to his face so that she could feel his smile. "How I've missed you cursing me."
"And how I've missed loving you, you aggravating man." She lifted his hand to her heart so that he could feel it beating for him. "Against everything I've tried to do to prevent it, you have crawled into a part of me where only you can do me harm. Do you understand, Hector? And I am a vengeful woman whose wrath is unimaginable. Do not make me turn that against you. For both our sakes."
"So long as there is breath inside me, I will never do anything to intentionally harm you, Beth." He rose to his feet and gave her the sweetest kiss she'd ever known. "I unfortunately have to travel for the next few weeks. But I will be back here as soon as I return. I swear it."
"You better."
He pulled her into his arms and breathed her in. "One day, I shall tell you what happened. But for now..." He kissed her. "I will be counting down the heartbeats until I see you again."
Bethany held him to her and let the innocence of his kiss breathe life into her. "I miss you already."
"Not as much as I miss you."
Styxx forced himself to let her go and turn back toward his horse. He took a moment to watch her pick up her basket and pole, and wondered if she'd still love him if she knew what he'd done. How ruthless he'd been to his own uncle.
She deserved so much better than him. He couldn't fathom why she loved him when no one else did.
Please don't ever hate me, Bethany.
There would truly be no worse torturous hell.
September 26, 9532 BC
Styxx hung back as his father and Ryssa approached his uncle's Atlantean home. Unwanted memories brutalized him as he remembered what had happened to him the last time he was here. And still the most agonizing were the memories he didn't have. He'd never know exactly everything that had been done to him.
I wish we could burn it to the ground....
Nothing about the abysmal place had changed. It was just as Styxx remembered it. Right down to every horrid stone.