After a few minutes, he grabbed Styxx then jerked him over onto his back and pinned him to the floor. He pressed his forearm against Styxx's throat, cutting off his breathing.
Panting and in absolute misery, Styxx glared at Estes. Moonlight cut across his uncle's face, showing him the extent of Estes's fury ... not that the beating hadn't clued him in.
"Where did you put your brother?"
"I haven't seen him since I left Atlantis."
Estes choked him so hard, Styxx's ears buzzed. His vision dimmed. "Don't lie to me."
"I'm not."
Evil glinted in his uncle's merciless eyes. "Let's see, shall we?" He pulled something from his purse and forced it into Styxx's mouth.
Styxx tried to spit it out, but Estes wouldn't let him. He sat on his chest and held him there with his hand over Styxx's mouth and nose until he was forced to swallow.
"If you're lying to me, boy ... if you've taken Acheron from me, everyone in your entire empire and Greece will learn just what a whore you really are. They will all know how much you've begged to have a cock shoved in your mouth and ass. You hear me?"
Growling in fury, Styxx tried his best to fight his uncle off, but it was no use. Estes was too much stronger and larger.
And he wouldn't budge.
He held Styxx's hands by his face until the drug he'd given him took effect.
Styxx's breath left him in one gasp as the room swam and he lost complete control of his body and mind.
His uncle finally let go of his hands. "Can you hear me?"
He answered against his will. It was as if he had no ability to control his oral responses. "I hear you."
"Where is Acheron?"
"I don't know."
"When did you last see him?"
Styxx blinked slowly as the memory returned. "When he held my ankles while I was branded a whore by your guard. You had him blow across the burn and then you ordered him out."
"You haven't seen him since?"
"No."
Estes stroked Styxx's hair back from his face. "What else do you remember about Atlantis, little Styxx?"
A single tear slid from the corner of his eye as horrid memories assailed him. "Everything."
His uncle smiled in his face. "Everything? Let's put that to the test, shall we?"
December 12, 9533 BC
Styxx came awake covered in blood and bruises, and aching all over. His head pounded and his throat was so raw, he wondered if it was bleeding, too.
"Here."
Something hit him in the head then landed on the mattress by his side.
Confused, he opened his eyes to see Estes in the room, not too far away. In that moment, the last two days slammed into him. "You fucking bastard!"
"But I'm not the one who's branded as a whore."