I'm not human any more than Acheron is.
And his father would absolutely kill him if he ever learned the truth of it.
August 30, 9541 BC
Styxx opened his bedroom door to find Acheron on the other side of it. He let out a relieved breath. "Thank the gods it's you."
"Why is your door locked again?"
He shrugged, not wanting to tell Acheron or anyone else about the midnight visit from the king. Since February, he'd made sure to lock and block his door every night lest he receive another unwelcomed surprise.
"What are you doing here?" Styxx asked, trying to deflect his brother's attention away from a question he had no intention of answering.
"I brought your present to you from Estes. You left it downstairs. After what happened last year, I wanted to make sure you got to keep this one."
Styxx took the wooden horse from Acheron's hand and offered a smile he didn't feel.
You deserve nothing until you learn how to conduct yourself civilly and with honor. His father's cruel words still haunted him.
"Thank you, Acheron." Styxx moved to place the horse on the chest by his window where he kept his collection of them. After last year's nightmare, he hadn't felt the same about his wooden horses. Instead of being a source of pride and pleasure, all they reminded him of was his father forcing him to burn the beautiful Atlantean horse Estes had brought him while his legs had ached from his beating and his ego from wetting himself. And all the while Ryssa had smirked in pleasure of his being forced to destroy his gift over his "insult" to her.
Sighing, he moved away from the chest. "A set of beads from us both."
Acheron scowled. "What?"
Styxx met Acheron's deep frown. "What what? You asked me what I got Mother for her birthday."
"No, I didn't. I only thought about asking you."
Styxx ground his teeth as he realized that he'd read Acheron's mind. You better be more careful. Such a slip around someone else could be fatal. "It must be our twin blood." That was always a safe bet whenever he was with Acheron. His brother accepted that explanation without question or malice.
Grabbing the small wooden box from his table, he took it over to Acheron. "You want to give it to her?"
He shook his head. "You better do it. She'd prefer it from you, I think."
And he'd prefer not to see her at all. Most of the times he was with their mother, she looked at him as if she could go through him. "Shall we get this over with?"
"I'm game if you are."
Honestly, I'd rather have my eyes gouged out and fed to me.
But part of being a king was doing things you didn't want to without complaint or hesitation. Head high. Back straight. Show no emotion. Even if you were only seven years old.
Styxx clutched the box to his chest, dreading it already. "Maybe she'll still be passed out and we can leave it with her maids."
Hoping for the best outcome, he took Acheron's hand and led him through the back hallways of the palace to their mother's rooms.
At the door, Styxx hesitated for so long that Acheron moved around him and knocked in his stead. A few seconds later, the oldest maid opened it to stare down her nose at them.
Styxx ignored her disdain. "We've come to wish the queen a happy birthday. Is she awake?"
Without a word, the maid stepped back, opening the door wide enough to allow them to enter the room. Their mother sat in a chair near the window, staring out it.
Unsure of her mood, Styxx hesitated. Why did his powers always fail him when he needed them most?
"Is she sober?" Acheron whispered in his ear.
"I don't know."