As soon as the retinue stopped, the king of Halicarnassus and his court left their chariots and walked up the palace steps.
Kreon gave a curt nod to his father then turned to Styxx and smiled wide before he pulled him into a fatherly embrace. "It's so good to see you again, Highness. And I swear by Zeus, I think you've grown even taller. You're looking very fit, indeed."
Styxx smiled. "And you, Majesty. You had a safe journey, I trust?"
"Could have been better. Could have been worse. Remind me in a bit, I have brought gifts for you, young prince."
Styxx glanced to his father who wasn't pleased in the least. "I appreciate it, Sire. Thank you."
Kreon clapped him on the back. Then he turned toward his father. "Your son is the only thing of yours I envy, Xerxes. I hope to the gods you appreciate the gift you've been given."
You don't have to live with the little prick and his mouth. Or put up with his lazy sullenness.
Styxx stiffened at his father's silent insults.
As the kings ascended the stairs, he followed them in, but hung back. The palace was far too crowded now. The voices were more than he could bear and he had no way to blot them out.
Intent on his room, he didn't pay attention to anyone until he ran into his sister.
Literally.
Ryssa glared her hatred. You did that on purpose, didn't you, you giant oaf!
Styxx grimaced at the pain her angry thoughts added to his pounding head. "It was an accident, sweet sister. Forgive me."
"Acheron's right. You are an asshole."
He sighed. "It does my heart good to know the fond discussions my siblings hold of me in my absence."
"You think this is funny, don't you?"
"There are very few things in life I find amusing, Ryssa. And I can assure you, none of the few have anything to do with my family."
She raked him with a lethal sneer. "You should be afraid, Styxx."
Oh, this had to be good. "Of?"
"If I please Apollo, I will have much more power than you do. And since he's the god of plagues, I could make your life miserable. I will have the ability to hurt you in places you won't forget."
Styxx laughed bitterly at her empty threat. He should be so lucky, but Apollo wasn't about to break his current toy. The gods knew, Styxx had been trying to repel the god for months now.
But that wasn't what really bothered him about her words. It was Ryssa's blind stupidity that offended him most. "Dearest sister, you've held that power over me all my life and have never once hesitated to use it."
December 11, 9529 BC
His stomach churning, Styxx left Apollo's temple while his sister was being offered to the god. In spite of what Ryssa thought, he couldn't bear to see it. Not that the bitch didn't deserve this fate and more.
But what truly sickened him were the smirks and amused glances Apollo kept passing to him during the ceremony. The god thought it was funny that everyone made such a big deal of tying Ryssa to him when it wasn't the princess the Olympian really craved.
Styxx flinched as he saw Apollo in his mind, grabbing him right before it'd started and shoving him back against the temple wall in the secluded private area.
"I may be with your sister tonight, prince, but it's your lips I'll be thinking of when I kiss her. Your hard, muscled body I'll be hungering for..."
The only thing that had saved Styxx from having a worse memory had been his father's impeccable timing. He could still see his father's bemused stare as he'd stumbled upon them and dragged his gaze from Apollo, who had both his hands fisted in Styxx's gold-trimmed, white chiton as he held him pinned to the wall with his leg between Styxx's thighs and his head bent low to whisper in Styxx's ear. Styxx, who'd been cringing at Apollo's close proximity, had his head turned away from the god and his hands splayed on the wall beside him.
With a low, private laugh in Styxx's ear, Apollo had covertly rubbed himself against Styxx's hip so that he could feel how hard the god was for him. Then he released Styxx and walked off as if nothing had happened.
Pushing himself away from the wall, Styxx had met his father's angry glare.