Nothing could save him from this.
"The king wants the names of everyone you met with."
Acheron winced in fear of what would come when he told the truth. "I didn't meet with anyone."
He brought a hot steel whip down across Acheron's chest.
Acheron screamed out as he realized just how impossible this was going to be.
Ryssa was terrified as she returned to her room and handed her crying son over to his nurse. What was she going to do?
Unlike her father, she knew who the real traitor had to be. If witnesses saw someone tall, blond and looking like Acheron, it was Styxx. Acheron would have nothing to gain by killing the king, other than vengeance and he wasn't the kind of person to go seeking that.
Not to mention Acheron would never have been in public uncovered, especially not a stew. Had he done so, he'd still be there, beating people off him.
"What have you done, Styxx?" she whispered through the tight lump in her throat.
Why would he plot against his own father? But then she knew, the history of mankind was written by sons wanting more and willing to do anything to get it. Even so, she'd thought Styxx above such scheming. Who could have poisoned his mind?
"I have to find Artemis." There was no one else who could help save Acheron.
Ryssa headed for her door to leave, but before she took three steps, the doors opened to admit the same guards who'd arrested Acheron.
"Your Highness, you're to be taken for questioning."
Her heart chilled at those words. "Questioning? This can't be."
But it was. Surrounding her, they took her to her father's war room where he waited with Styxx.
She gave them both the coldest look she could muster. "What is this, Father?"
He'd never looked older than he did right then. His handsome features were drawn tight with sadness. "Why would you betray me, Daughter?"
"I've never done anything to betray you, Father, ever."
He shook his head. "I have a witness who came forward and said that you were with Acheron last night."
She leveled a killing glare at Styxx. "Then they are lying as they lied about Acheron. I was with Apollo last night. Summon him and see."
Styxx's face went white.
So, he'd thought to rid himself of her too. She couldn't believe her father's stupidity where Styxx was concerned.
Relief etched itself across her father's brow. "I'm glad they're mistaken, kitten." He laid a gentle hand to her face. "The thought of my beloved daughter turning on me . . . "
What of his beloved son?
She looked past her father to see Styxx staring at the floor. "Acheron is innocent."
"No, child. Not this time. I have too many witnesses who saw him there."
Why couldn't she make him see the truth? "Acheron would never be in a stew."
"Of course he would. He worked in one. Where else would he go?"
Anywhere but there. Acheron had hated every minute of being in those places. "Please, Father. You've done enough to him. Let him be."
He shook his head. "There is a nest of vipers coiled around me and until I uncover the name of everyone he spoke to, I won't stop."
Tears filled her eyes as she considered the nightmare they were going to put Acheron through. Again. "The priests say that Hades reserves a special corner of Tartarus for betrayers. I'm sure the name of your real traitor is being carved there even as we speak."
Styxx refused to meet her gaze.
So she looked back at her father. "In all these years, Acheron has sought nothing but love from you, Father. One moment of your looking at him with something other than hatred burning in your eyes. Nothing more than a kind word and at every turn you've denied him and hurt him. You have shattered the son who only wanted to love you. Let him go before you do irreparable harm, I beg you."
"He's betrayed me for the last time."
"Betrayed you?" she asked, aghast at his reasoning. "Father, you can't believe that? All he's tried to do is stay out of your sight. Away from your notice. He cringes any time your name is brought up. If you'd stop being so blind for one minute, you'd see that he has never mixed with people and he has never betrayed you."
"He was a prostitute!" he roared.
"He was a boy who had to eat, Father. Thrown away by his own family. Betrayed by the ones who should have protected him from harm. I was there when he was born and I remember how all of you turned away from him. Do you? Do you even recall when you broke his arm? He was only two years old and could barely speak. He reached for you to hug you and you knocked him away so forcefully that you broke his arm like a twig. When he cried out, you slapped him for it and walked away."
"And that's why he plots your murder, Father," Styxx spoke up finally. "Don't let a woman sway you from what needs to be done. Women are our greatest weakness. They prey on our guilt and our love of them. How many times have you told me that? You can't listen to them. They think with their hearts and not their minds."