Stygian (Dark-Hunter #27)

“With pleasure.”

He was just finishing off Phanen and reaching for another god when he heard Styxx’s sharp cry. “Urian, on deck.”

Urian flashed over, then cursed as he saw Acheron’s condition. He hadn’t realized how bad it was.

“Watch and protect him.”

He inclined his head to Styxx. “Will do.”

“Styxx?” Bethany called.

“I’m fine,” Styxx assured her.

Urian wasn’t so sure about that. All around them, the gods were battling.

Leto came at them with the dagger raised. Styxx stepped in front of Bethany as Leto stabbed at him. The force of her attack unbalanced her. He jerked her forward and disarmed her with a single twist to her wrist.

Leto laughed as she realized he wouldn’t strike her.

Until Bethany came around him with a grim, determined glint in her eyes. “I’ve got this bitch.”

Styxx stepped back and let her take fourteen thousand years of vengeance out on the goddess they both hated.

“Zakar?” Styxx shouted.

The god looked past Archon, then fell back as Styxx moved in to engage the Atlantean god in Zakar’s place.

Archon laughed. “Really? You think borrowed powers scare me? I’ve wiped my ass on higher beings and better warriors than you.”

Urian arched his brow at those arrogant words.

And so did Styxx. “I’ll concede the higher beings, but you should remember, Archon, there were no better warriors than me … in either of my lifetimes. It’s why you helped Apollo and Leto cheat in order to kill Aricles. You knew that I’d be coming for you.”

Urian paused to watch his hero battle.

Scoffing, Archon brought his axe down across Styxx’s shield, which he manifested along with his sword. Styxx lunged at his feet with his sword. The older god danced away as Styxx twirled with an uppercut that nicked his arm.

Urian cringed. Damn, that hurt.

Archon screamed out in pain.

Styxx drove him back as Archon struggled to keep up with his blows.

“Go ahead,” Archon taunted, “put me back to sleep. I will get free again. And when I do, I’m coming for both of you. There’s nothing you can do to stop me. I will return.”

“No,” Styxx said firmly. “You won’t.” He feinted right and when Archon moved to defend, he shot back with a well-practiced swing that severed the god’s head in one final stroke.

Urian’s eyes widened at that bold move.

Everyone in the room froze as they realized what Styxx had done. And more to the point, they became aware of what he really was.

A Chthonian god-killer. They alone had the power to destroy a god and send his or her power back to the Source. And while killing a god weakened them, they were still the baddest asses in the Nether Realm.

The only things that could kill one of them was the Source, one of its servants, or another Chthonian.

And judging by the heat in Urian’s arm, his powers didn’t like it at all. But that was okay, he was impressed.

Apparently, so were the Atlanteans, as they dropped their weapons immediately and stood down.

Except Bethany and Leto, who continued to battle like champions.

Nonchalant about it, Urian walked over to Styxx. “Should we break them up?”

Before he could answer, Set intervened by grabbing Leto in a fierce sleeper hold. As soon as she passed out, he tossed her over his shoulder. “While I respect your need to beat her, daughter, I’m the one with a much larger grudge against this bitch. Not just for what she did to you, but for what she did to your brother.” He leaned forward to kiss Bethany’s cheek. “I will be back very soon and never fear … while I would never strike a lady, this bitch is open season.” He paused to glance at Zakar, who smiled wickedly.

Then the three of them were gone.

Urian cringed, grateful to the gods that he wasn’t his great-grandmother. That batch was burnt.

“Brother?” Bethany whispered as she turned to Styxx. “I have a brother?”

He pointed to Seth, who stood back from them. “Seth was born long after Apollymi had frozen you in Katateros.”

Bethany went to meet him for the first time while Styxx knelt beside Acheron, who was stone gray from head to toe. He frowned at Urian. “What is this?”

“Aima,” Dikastis answered, kneeling by their side.

Styxx started for Dikastis to finish him off, but Urian held him back so that he couldn’t hurt him.

“Easy, god-killer,” Urian said with a laugh. “He’s on our side.”

Styxx narrowed his gaze. “You sure?”

“He stabbed that one.” Urian pointed to Teros. “And saved my ass.”

Maahes joined Seth and Bethany to help with their introductions, while Ma’at came over to Styxx’s side.

She rubbed Styxx’s back reassuringly. “Acheron will be fine. As soon as Simi brings the antidote, he’ll wake up.”

Styxx appeared doubtful. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Otherwise, Apollymi wouldn’t be so quiet.”

Urian realized she was quiet …

Even when Simi returned with three leaves from the Tree of Life that only grew in the Destroyer’s temple in Kalosis, Apollymi remained extremely reserved and dubiously silent.

That cannot be good. Urian had never seen her like that before. What fresh menace was this? Every hair on the back of his neck was standing on end.

“What do I do with these?” Styxx asked Simi.

“Twist them until they’re moist,” Apollymi said. “Then drip nine drops into Apostolos’s mouth.”

Styxx hesitated. “What happens if I do ten by mistake?”

Urian snorted sarcastically. “Let’s not find out.”

Bethany returned to his side as he carefully counted.

As soon as the ninth one hit Acheron’s lips, the color slowly returned to the whole of his body.

Groaning, Acheron opened his eyes, then grimaced. “Next time, add peppermint flavoring, somebody. That is the nastiest-tasting crap on the planet.”

Styxx snorted. “You’re not seriously complaining that I brought you back. Are you?”

“Yes, and no. Taste it yourself and you’ll understand.”

Having had a dose a few times, Urian agreed. That was some nasty crap.

Shaking his head, Styxx held his hand out to his brother. Acheron took it and allowed him to pull him to his feet, then hugged him close. After a few seconds, he stepped back to leave him to Bethany.

Styxx turned and wrapped his arms around her. He leaned his head against hers. “I told you I’d come back for you, my goddess. That nothing would stop me.”

“Yes, but did you have to drag your feet?”

He laughed. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to get used to living with me right here. I will never again let you go. Just consider me a large exterior growth on your body.”

Urian felt the tears in his own throat as he more than understood that sentiment. God, if he could only have Phoebe back …

Her lips trembling, Bethany smiled up at him as her own tears flowed. “I just wish we had our son with us.”

“I know, precious,” he breathed.

“Um … about that.”

Styxx looked up at Apollymi’s trepidatious voice, which she had suddenly found again. “What?”

Urian was amazed he’d bark that word at the goddess of destruction.

“Remember my promise to you, Styxx?”

“Yes?”

Urian frowned as Apollymi began acting even stranger and more skittish.

“I didn’t kill your son. I wanted to. Desperately. But as I looked down at that tiny, beautiful baby, I saw Apostolos and I couldn’t bring myself to hurt him.”

Bethany gasped. “Where is he?”

Apollymi’s gaze went to Urian.

Okay … Dumbfounded by that, he turned around to look behind him.

No one was there.

What the hell?

Styxx’s jaw dropped. “Urian is Galen?”