And more ghostly shades to haunt and plague his conscience ...
May 24, 9531 BC
Invisible to the humans around her, Bethany picked her way through the Greek camp, looking for Hector. She kept hearing his name, but every time, it was another soldier they called. Apparently, it was an extremely popular name among the Greeks.
Frustrated and angry, she paused as she found herself outside Prince Styxx's tent that was guarded by four men.
Really? The Greeks hated him that much?
Disgusted, she glanced around at the men who slept in the open and fought for him while he used them to bring comforts from home at their expense and effort. And one of those packhorses was probably her beloved Hector. Her anger rising at his pompousness, she entered the tent, and froze.
This was not the lush environment she'd envisioned for a young prince. The tent was empty except for a strategy desk, maps, a handful of folding chairs, a small washing basin, his arms mannequin, and a plain soldier's pallet on the ground.
He didn't even have a pillow....
Already dressed in his black armor, Styxx was lacing on his greaves. Alone.
Where were his servants?
His hair was much shorter than it'd been months ago when she'd first seen him fighting with Athena. He'd cropped it so short that it held no hint of his thick blond curls. And he was no longer clean-shaven. Because of the helmet he'd worn yesterday, she hadn't seen that his sculpted cheeks, upper lip, and chin were covered with dark whiskers. He smelled of oil, blood, sweat, leather, and horse. A far cry from Hector's pleasant masculine scent.
As he armed himself, there was no fear in this prince. Only a quiet torment that tugged at the edges of her heart. His eyes were shadowed with an inner turmoil and a raw intelligence that few mortals held. He looked far wiser than his young years.
As he straightened up, he grimaced and placed his hand to his injured side. He took several quick, ragged breaths before he expelled an elongated one and subdued his misery. He reached for his swords and buckled them on. His heavily defined biceps and shoulders rippled with every move he made.
Why do you fascinate me so? She couldn't understand it, especially since her heart was already claimed by an innocent, sweet boy. It made no sense. Perhaps because the prince and Hector were about the same height. And their voices were similar ...
Both were blonds with lean, ripped bodies.
Bethany sucked in her breath as the comparison slapped her again. Are you my Hector?
Could it be?
No. It wasn't possible. Why would the prince pretend to be a merchant's son to spend time with a blind fisherwoman? A man of Styxx's station would be quick to let her know he was wellborn. And he would never deign to beg a commoner to run away with him. Why would he when he owned the world in which he lived?
Everyone knew how much the king of Didymos loved and cherished his heir. The exceptional quality of his armor and horse said as much.
No priest would hazard to mar this man's body or his beauty with red-hot brands.
Not to mention this powerful, fierce beast would never be clumsy enough to fall from his horse and stumble alone through the woods to find her fishing spot. Her Hector was hesitant and sweet. Bashful and unsure. There was no uncertainty in the prince's movements. This was a man who was confident in his role and place.
Ferocious.
No one would have ever dared to rape him.
And Styxx would never deign to ask to kiss a lowly peasant girl. He'd take it if he wanted it, and dare anyone to punish him for his actions. And while he'd declined her offer yesterday when she'd been disguised as a young Atlantean woman, he held such powerful sexual magnetism and prowess that it was obvious he was well tutored in the physical side of Agapa's domain. Most likely, the girl hadn't been pretty enough for his tastes.
Or, more probable, too far beneath his station for him to touch.
Unaware of her presence, Styxx tugged at the laces of his vambraces to make sure they were tight. Rolling his shoulders, he reached for his helm and shield then left the tent.
"What are you doing here?"
Bethany looked over her shoulder to find Athena watching her. "Checking out my next victim."
Athena laughed. "You won't defeat my champion. His is a core of steel the likes of which you can't fathom. He has the heart of a Titan and the mind of a philosopher."
"All mortals fall eventually."