Barely conscious, he was taken to his room and thrown inside it. Acheron took one step and fell to his knees. Too weak to move, he sprawled across the floor. But at least the stone was cool against his wounds, even though it made them throb.
There would be no Artemis to help him this time. No goddess to offer him succor or refuge.
"You are nothing to me, human." Those words would be forever etched in his heart.
So be it.
Closing his eyes, he had no hope for the future. No will to ever recover or move forward. His sister and his lover had shattered him for the last time. There were some betrayals no amount of apology could rectify and this time, Acheron had hit his limit.
There was nothing more they could do to hurt him. Soul sick, he crawled deep inside himself and swore that he'd never again open himself up to anyone.
September 2, 9528 BC
Artemis sat alone on her chaise, wanting to weep. Apollo had told every god on Olympus about Acheron and his claim to be her consort.
They'd all been laughing at her ever since.
"You should gut him on the floor of your temple," Zeus had said to her last night while she was visiting his hall.
Apollo had scoffed. "Can't. His life is tied to his twin brother and they both die which would ruin my fun for a while. But it's hysterical what lies these humans tell."
Aphrodite had rolled her eyes. "I can't imagine a whore thinking he could claim a relationship with Artemis of all the gods. Has anyone checked his mental state?"
"He's definitely insane," Apollo had said. "I knew it the first time I saw him."
After that, Artemis hadn't gone near any of the others. But even worse than their laughter was the sick lump in her stomach over the pain she knew Acheron was in.
He deserves it.
It was true. His betrayal deserved a painful death and yet all she wanted to do was hold him. She missed the way he made her feel. The taste of his lips . . .
When he was with her, she smiled all the time. There was something about him that made her happy. Nothing else really mattered except the two of them.
He betrayed you.
That was something she couldn't forgive. He'd made her a laughingstock. The only saving grace was the fact that none of the others believed his claims.
Yet even so, all she wanted was to go to him . . .
Artemis, I summon you to human form." Ryssa held her breath inside Artemis's temple, afraid the goddess would ignore her. She glanced about, making sure again that she was all alone. "Goddess, please hear my call and come to me. I need to see you."
A shimmery haze appeared to the right of the altar. Ryssa smiled as the mist thickened to form an incredibly beautiful redhead. Artemis's features were very similar to Apollo's, except the goddess's face was more finely boned.
"What do you want, human?"
"I'm here on behalf of Acheron."
Artemis's eyes flamed with anger. "I know no one by that name." She began to fade.
"No please . . . It wasn't his fault. He didn't tell anyone. I did."
Artemis rematerialized as those words ripped through her. She glared at the petite blond beauty who carried her brother's child. "What?"
Ryssa took a step forward, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Acheron has never once breathed a word about you to anyone, not even me. I saw the bite wound on his neck and I knew it had to be you. Please, if I was wrong, then forgive me. But if I'm right, I didn't want you to be angry at him for something he didn't do."
Artemis glared at her swollen stomach. "You better be glad you carry my brother's son. It's the only reason you're still alive. You ever link my name to Acheron's again and by the River Styx I will have your hide mounted on my temple wall."
Artemis flashed herself away, but she stopped herself before she returned to Olympus. In truth, her heart was singing over the fact that he hadn't betrayed her. Her Acheron had been true . . .
Relieved, she went to see him.
Naked, he was lying on the floor of his room in front of his bed. She frowned at the sight of his bald head and the savage wounds that were still carved all over his body. But the one that appeared most painful was her own symbol that was still raw on the back of his skull.
"Acheron?"
He opened his eyes, but didn't speak.
She reached to heal him. Before she could touch him, he caught her wrist in his hand. His grip surprised her. She wouldn't have thought he'd have such strength in this condition. "I want nothing from you."
"I thought you'd betrayed me."
"I don't break my word, Artemis. Ever."
"How was I to know?"
He laughed bitterly. "What? You think a few lashes are enough to break me? You're a goddess. How can you know so little?"
"You have no idea how hard it is to be a god. The sniveling voices that are always crying out for help for the smallest things. 'I want a new pair of shoes. I want more grain at harvest.' You learn to turn it off."
"Those things may be petty to you, but to some humans even something as innocuous as one moment of peace can make all the difference in a life. One smile. One tiny act of kindness. That's all it takes for us."
"Well, I'm here with my kindness."