Savitar let out a bitter growl. “Because I was their Chthonian, Archon contacted me, not knowing my relationship with the Grom. They want Acheron as a sacrifice so that they can use his blood and heart to bring back the rest of their merry little band of asswipes, except for Bethany. Archon blames her for this, as if he wasn’t the one who caused Acheron to be cursed … what were you telling me about his intelligence?”
“Steadfast denial is not the same as intelligence.” Styxx rubbed at his eyebrow as he digested the little gold nugget no one had bothered to tell him about when they’d asked him to pretend to be Acheron. “Just out of curiosity, what was the game plan you had once you sent me in to die and they discovered that my blood and heart couldn’t bring back their dead?”
Savitar shrugged nonchalantly. “Buy us time to gather enough Chthonians to take them down.”
Styxx scowled. “’Cause what? The Chthonians are such known people-pleasers? Um, yeah? When was that last time you fucks worked together? Last time I checked, your official motto was ‘Does Not Play Well with Others. Do Not Mix with General Population or People. Period.’
“‘And whatever you do, don’t feed them after midnight or any other time of the day as they would take the hand feeding them and shove it in an uncomfortable place on your body.’”
Styxx shook his head. “I’d be tempted to laugh if I weren’t so pissed. Thank the gods none of you were among my military advisors. We’d have had our asses handed to us,” he mumbled under his breath. Then louder, “Are they at full strength?”
Acheron shrugged. “No idea.”
Styxx passed an irritated glare to Urian, who held his hands up in surrender.
I feel you, brother. Urian sent his thoughts to him. Because he truly did. This was exactly why he’d refused to allow them to send Styxx in the way they’d been planning to do. He wasn’t about to stand by and watch his friend get slaughtered for their stupidity.
Styxx let out a tired sigh. “Let’s assume yes … So our numbers are basically even. The weakest link in our group is me.… What are our strengths?”
Simi opened her bag and pulled out her barbecue sauce. “Demons ready to eat, Sir akri-Styxx! Gimme!”
Laughing at Simi’s enthusiasm, Acheron jerked his chin toward his other daughter. “I don’t want Katra in harm’s way, but she’s a siphon.”
Kat passed a peeved glare to her father. “I’m also a trained soldier, Pops.” Kat glanced at her husband, Sin, and warned him with her gaze not to say a word. She turned toward Styxx. “I was my mother’s primary kori, and unlike my seriously overprotective father and husband, she—”
“Put her ass in harm’s way all the damn time, with a blatant disregard for her safety that still pisses me off,” Sin growled.
Kat smiled and cupped his cheek. “Yes, baby, but had she not been so careless, I wouldn’t have you. Now would I?”
He grumbled under his breath.
And Kat was born of the two pantheons they were up against. A definite plus.
Styxx nodded. “What else do we have that they won’t know about?”
Urian indicated him and Davyn. “Daimon and an ex-Daimon.” Though that probably wasn’t much.
Set folded his arms over his chest. “For thousands of years, my son was the High Guardian for Noir in Azmodea.”
Yeah, they definitely weren’t as good as that.
Seth nodded. “I’m used to battling angry gods. I can also get us a bird’s-eye view of anything you need. What I use, they can’t block.”
But they did have one thing the others didn’t … “Thanks to Davyn, we have this.” Urian held up the necklace they’d bartered dearly with his parents for.
However, Set’s eyes widened with recognition. “How did you get that?”
Urian snorted. “My enemy’s enemy is my best damn friend. Davyn borrowed it from my father, who was more than happy to lend it and wants us to tie it in a bow around Apollo’s neck.”
“What is it?” Styxx asked.
Set laughed, low and evil, and made no moves to touch it. “The Eye of Verlyn. That will deplete the powers of any god it comes into direct contact with.”
Which was why every god in the room was currently taking a step back from it.
Styxx looked at it with a new respect. “For how long?”
Urian grinned. “As soon as it touches them, they’re wiped. Then it depends on how long it’s on their body and how strong they are. Too long, it’ll kill them.”
Styxx smiled and inclined his head to them. “Does it work on just full-bloods or any other species?”
Set shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Before anyone could react, Simi grabbed her sister and put her hand on it.
“Hey!” Xirena snapped at her sister.
“You still gots power, Sissy?”
Xirena shot a blast of fire at her.
Grinning and ducking, Simi looked at Styxx and let go of Xirena. “It don’t work on us.”
Urian laughed. “I helped him carry it over, so … I’m only a quarter demigod, and it doesn’t seem to affect me.”
“I think I’m the only true demi then.” Seth bravely took it into his hand and waited. After a couple of minutes, he shook his head. “No effect on me, either.”
“Since my powers are borrowed from Apollymi, I’m not chancing it. We’ll assume I need to stay clear of it. Urian, we’ll leave it in your custody.” Styxx hesitated as another thought occurred to him. “Can the stone be broken apart or duplicated?”
Set shook his head. “Not without destroying it.”
Styxx scowled at Acheron, who was an unknown in all of this. “Would the stone just suck out your god powers and leave the rest intact?”
“That’s what usually happens. Why? You thinking of giving me an early Christmas present?”
Urian laughed involuntarily.
“Don’t distract or tempt me.” Styxx ran over the rest of their arsenal and the layout of Acheron’s temple. They’d definitely use Seth’s powers to get a peek at what they were going into.
But first …
“My most important question of all … Where’s my Bethany?”
*
Urian and Davyn were behind the demons, Kat, and Styxx as they headed first toward Bethany. The plan was to get her first and then deal with the others.
As Styxx reached for the doorknob, Katra placed her hand on his arm. “I know this is the first time we’ve met, Styxx, but I’d rather you not go in there alone. Someone should be with you.”
“How are you Artemis’s daughter?”
Kat smiled. “She’s not as bad as you think.… Apollo, however, is probably worse.”
Simi stood on his other side and leaned in to whisper in his ear. “We’ll be super quiet. Akri-Styxx won’t even know we’re there.”
Urian put his hand on Styxx’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. What happens happens, and we won’t think anything about it. We’ll just be here for you if you need us.”
Tears welled in his eyes and the emotions there said that he wasn’t used to anyone standing with him. Urian knew that feeling, all too well. It was what he missed most about his brothers and why he treasured Styxx the way he did.
“Thank you.”
Urian tightened his grip before he let go.
Taking a deep breath, Styxx opened the bedroom door. The floor-to-ceiling windows were open, letting in the soft ocean breeze. But it was the huge canopied bed in the center of the room that held their attention. White linen drapes were pulled back with gold cords, obscuring most of the bed’s contents.
Urian’s gaze was drawn to the bump beneath the stark white covers. Right before the Atlanteans had attacked on Katateros, Simi had carried Bethany’s body out and brought her here for safekeeping until they found some way to wake her.
Urian kept his attention divided between Styxx as he crept closer to the bed and watching out for any unwanted visitors who might sneak up on them.
And as soon as Styxx saw Bethany, he froze solid.
Urian did the same.
Damn, she was beautiful. Perfect. Just as she’d looked in those meticulous drawings Styxx had made. Her dark skin was flawless. Even though she wasn’t moving, he could imagine the fluid grace of her movements. Could hear the soft cadent lilt of her voice.
Strangely, Urian felt as if he knew her somehow. As if they’d met in a dream somewhere.