Laughing again, she led his lips to hers. "I can ignore him if you can."
He lifted the hem of her gown until she was exposed to his questing hand. "I can definitely ignore him ... And a house fire..." He teased her breast with his lips. "End of the world..."
She spread her legs farther apart and whispered in his ear as she guided his hand to the juncture of her thighs. "Then come inside, my lord, and play to your heart's content."
January 22, 9529 BC
"Where was Acheron taken?" Styxx demanded as he entered his father's study.
The king looked up with a scowl. "You dare use that tone with me, boy?"
Penalty for striking the king is death.
Moments like this, he really didn't care. Especially since his back, wrists, face, and side burned in such a way as to let him know his brother had been viciously beaten. But angering the old bastard wouldn't get him what he wanted.
Even though it galled him, he modulated his tone. "Where is he, Father?"
"Downstairs. You said you wanted him home. So he is."
In the dungeon? It was the only "downstairs" they had from here.
"That's not what I meant and you know it." Styxx spun about, intending to free Acheron immediately.
"Boy?"
A fierce tic started in his jaw as he turned back toward his father. Aside from setting his brother free, the only other thing he really wanted to do at present was tutor his father well on the fact that there was no boy left inside the man who'd taken hundreds of lives in battle for this kingdom. "Majesty?"
"Before you consider putting your will over mine. Or think for one instant that because my army believes you're some great war hero they want to follow, you have leverage ... think again. I know all about your little blind Egyptian whore and where the two of you meet. I even know you bought her a place to live. I suggest, for her continued health and well-being, that you learn to curb your temper."
Styxx went cold at his threat against Bethany. "You wouldn't dare."
His father arched his brow. "I am king. You would do well to remember that. And I will do as I please, and you will do what pleases me or I will show you the exact extent of my power. While I would hate to be without an heir, I am still of an age that I could father another. Now ... where were you going?"
Don't. Kill. Him.
"Riding."
"Good choice. Give your beautiful mistress my best."
It took everything Styxx possessed to not murder his own father. But what good would it do him to spend eternity in prison? Or to be beheaded ...
Sooner or later, the bastard would die on his own. Just not soon enough.
Styxx paused outside the room to eye his father's guards. They were with the king everywhere he went. Even to piss. They stood over his bed at night, even when he screwed. The only place they weren't was in the king's study, but there was no way in or out of that room except the doors where they stood. Should he kill his father, they would know it.
Damn them all.
While he couldn't care less what happened to him, he would never risk Bethany's life or happiness. Not for anything.
"They're being put to death."
His thoughts were so focused on Bethany, it took him several heartbeats to realize Ryssa had spoken to him. "Pardon?"
"The senators who insulted you? Father's putting his friends to death over it to make a point that no one is to defame his precious heir. In case you didn't know, I thought you should."
No one had mentioned it to him. "I should think it would thrill you."
"To have you so regaled? Hardly."