Against orders, his men were raiding.
"Galen!" he shouted to his second-in-command. "I need my dekarmatoli. Fast." The dekarmatoli were the ten men his former tutor had hand-selected and charged with making sure Styxx was safe at all times. After what had happened at Halicarnassus with Apollo, Galen had guarded him like a psychotic mother hen.
But right now, Styxx was going to need loyal men to quell this rebellion before it started.
He swung up onto Troian's back and spurred his horse to the site as fast as he could.
* * *
Bethany was furious as she flashed into the small Enean village where their followers had been desperately imploring the Atlantean gods for rescue. While the rest of the gods had gone to render aid to the bulk of their forces, she'd agreed to come and check on the inhabitants here.
The village had taken in wounded Atlantean soldiers ... wounded men who had been slaughtered by Greeks at the foot of her great-grandfather's statue in the center of their small hamlet.
She raised her hand to blast them all straight to their beloved Hades.
"Halt!"
That deep, fierce, commanding tone froze them all. Even her.
Curious, she frowned at the sight of the Didymosian prince as he leapt from the back of his ebony horse and strode angrily through the fallen bodies and looting Greeks without any backup whatsoever.
Was he insane?
The Greeks here weren't from Didymos. And they would have no love or respect for the young prince. Something evidenced by the derision on their faces.
His blue eyes full of angry verve, Styxx headed straight for two soldiers who had hauled a beautiful young girl from her home and into the street. It was obvious by her torn gown what they intended.
"Release her!" Styxx demanded.
Instead of following orders, the large, burly soldier wrapped his arm around the girl's waist. "She's spoils, Highness." He sneered the title.
"She's a girl, not property. Now release her or you will regret it."
"What? You'll have your men whip me?" He laughed. "I'm a Thracian. We don't bow down to a Didymosian crown and we hold no fear of your men."
The Thracians with him cheered in support.
Undaunted, the prince approached him like a fierce predator who was aware of every sword around him and yet feared none of them. "Then it's time you learn to fear me."
They all laughed at Styxx's bold words.
Wanting a closer view, and to make sure the terrified girl wasn't harmed in any way, Bethany flashed herself into the girl's body. Her arms burned from the soldier's brutal grip.
He buried his face in her neck. "She smells sweet for an Atlantean whore. I'm sure we can find one for you, prince. Now go back to your own men and leave this to those of us old enough for pubic hair."
Styxx's celestial gaze didn't waver as he slung his arm out. An instant later, the soldier released her and fell back, dead, with a small throwing knife planted between his eyes.
Bethany's jaw went slack at the sight.
Styxx had killed one of his own men?
To protect her people?
Drawing his sword, the prince put himself between her and the men who'd come here with him. "Get to your mother, girl. Fast."
Stunned at his flawless Atlantean, she obeyed then watched in absolute fascination as he stood alone to defend his enemies from his own army.
The Greeks attacked him.