"Yes, Sire." Styxx hesitated. "Father? Would you mind if I took a few hours to myself tonight?"
A slow smile curled his lips. "There's a brothel in town that's one of the best in all Greece. Have fun."
Disgusted with what his father's mind had defaulted to, Styxx waited until his father was gone before he made his way to the stable. As quickly as he could, he saddled two fresh horses and took off after his brother.
For the love of the gods, Acheron. Don't get me caught again.
* * *
Styxx hung back until he was sure the guards were asleep. Taking care to make no sound whatsoever, he made his way over to Acheron, who'd been tied to a stake in the ground.
"Acheron?" he whispered, touching his brother on the shoulder.
Acheron came awake with a start. He grimaced as he saw Styxx in the fading firelight. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm freeing you." When Styxx went to cut the rope, Acheron stopped him. "What are you doing?" he asked Acheron in a shocked whisper.
"You already told me I was no brother of yours. Why are you really here?"
Styxx glared at him. "You denied me first."
With a fierce scowl, Acheron scoffed. "I have never once in my life denied you! You and your father are the ones who threw me out."
Styxx ground his teeth. Acheron truly had no memory of his being in Atlantis. At all. And unfortunately, this was not the time to argue about it. "We have to go."
"Go where?"
"Anywhere. I can't leave you to this. Not again."
Acheron caught his hand then shoved him back before he could cut the tie. "Are you fucking stupid? Do you know what happens to boys our age on their own?"
Yes, but they weren't drugged out of their minds now. While one of them alone was weak, the two of them could protect each other. "I can work as a mercenary. They make good money."
"And I'm what? The camp whore?" Acheron asked incredulously. "What do you think they'd do to me while you're out playing hero and warrior? Really?" He raked a brutal glare over Styxx's body. "And don't fool yourself, Highness." He sneered the title. "You have the same unnatural lure I do that makes everyone who sees you want to fuck you, too. The only reason you're left alone is because you're a known prince. If you think you're any better than me, I defy you to walk into a town where they don't know you and watch how fast you're thrown on the ground and butt-fucked until you can't walk straight."
Those words tore through him, especially the part that was truest. But still ...
"You really want me to leave you here?"
Acheron's glower sliced through him. "I want all of you to leave me alone. Forever. I'm done with you."
He well understood that feeling and declaration.
Even so, Styxx couldn't leave his brother defenseless. He pulled the dagger from his belt and buried it in the ground between them. "Do us both a favor. When you get back, drive that straight through Estes's dead heart."
Acheron raked him with another sneer. "You're the soldier. Why don't you?"
Wanting to soothe his brother and make him see reason, Styxx reached for him. "Acheron-"
He knocked his hand away. "You're dead to me. You've been dead to me since the day you let them take me from my home."
Styxx was aghast that he'd throw that in his face. "I was seven."
"So was I."
Rage darkened Styxx's gaze. For this selfish asshole, who held something against him he couldn't have even begun to fight, he'd been whored? Beaten?
Branded?