He smiled at Amon and then leaned closer to me. My breath caught as he boldly wrapped an arm around me. I was too weak to push him away. “Between you and me, I am far too handsome for him to ruin my appearance too much,” he said with a wink.
Because my nose was practically pressed against his bare chest, I couldn’t help but agree. The creature I’d feared was now very nicely formed. Where a hollow rib cage had been, he sported a brawny chest. The spindly arms folded across the torso had become strong and powerful limbs that held me firmly yet gently. A clacking jaw was transformed into a roguish smile, and the sightless orbs had become chocolate-brown eyes glinting with teasing mirth.
Like Amon, he came into the world with a shaved head, wearing nothing but a white skirt, and he was every bit as handsome. Though it was obvious from their golden skin that they were from a sunny climate, the similarity stopped there.
They were both physically fit, so much so that if they’d arrived on Muscle Beach, they’d fit right in, but Amon was bigger, more solid than his brother. Their coloring was different and their bone structure, too. Where Amon’s face was open, I could tell that this man hid things behind his eyes and affable demeanor.
I was standing there, frowning at the cleft in his chin, which was decidedly absent from Amon’s, when the man addressed Dr. Hassan. “What a delightful gift you have laid before me, old one,” he said, though he never took his eyes off me. “It almost makes up for the incredibly poor feast.”
“Yes.” Dr. Hassan rushed over to us. “I beg your forgiveness. You see, there were extenuating circumstances—”
Amon interrupted, though he wasn’t fully recovered by any means. The deep hollows beneath his eyes and his paleness told me he needed my energy, but instead of replenishing himself, he took my hand and pulled me away from his brother. “Lily is not a priestess and she is not here as your plaything, Asten,” he warned.
The god of the stars narrowed his eyes, the smile never leaving his face as he looked at his brother. He glanced down at our entwined hands. “Ah, I see. She is yours.”
Amon frowned. “She is neither mine nor yours. Nor is she attached to anyone else. She belongs to herself.”
“Does she?” Asten folded his arms across his chest. “Well then, a girl who belongs to herself has the freedom to choose whomever she wishes.” He took my hand and kissed the back of it. “I look forward to the challenge of convincing you to spend your wishes on me,” he said with a mischievous wink.
Sighing, Amon said, “Asten, this is Lily, and this is our vizier, Dr. Hassan.”
“It is nice to meet you.” Dr. Hassan strode forward and bowed his head.
“Yes, yes,” Asten answered. “Perhaps you can worship me later. My brother tells me time is of the essence.”
“It is,” Amon said gravely.
“Very well.” Asten crouched down near the offering Dr. Hassan had set up. “So”—the embodiment of the god of the stars reached down and plucked an apple from the small pile of food—“how much time do we have until the ceremony?”
After polishing the apple on his white skirt, which he lifted scandalously high, Asten bit into the crisp fruit, carefully wiping the dripping juice from his lip with his thumb while smiling at me. He held out the fruit and said, “I did promise to offer you a bite.” The whole production was so over-the-top flirtatious that it made me giggle uncharacteristically.
The idea that I had been so frightened of him before seemed silly now.
“No thank you,” I said with a grin.
“There is enough for two and not a worm to be seen. Will you reconsider?”
“No, I’m good. You go ahead.”
“Very well. But the fruit would have been all the sweeter had your lips pressed against it.”
“That is enough,” Amon interrupted. “You will cease your insipid provocations.”
Asten clapped his brother on the shoulder. “Come now. Surely, there is time for a little celebrating?”