head against her nurse’s shoulder. The old woman patted her lovingly while they ignored him entirely.
“But I could love you, too, sister. If you’d let me.”
Shrieking, she shot from her nurse and grabbed his arm. “I don’t want your love, you brat. You know nothing of loving others. Only yourself.” She shoved him out the door and slammed it shut in his face.
Styxx’s lips quivered as he stared at the closed door with tears in his eyes. “I could learn to love if only one of you would teach me how,” he whispered.
But none of them wanted to love him and he knew it. The only person who’d loved him was gone now. Stolen away from him.
I have no one . And he hated being alone. Twins weren’t born to be apart. He was only one half of a whole.
Brothers, forever and always.
That had been their pact. Styxx wiped at the tears in his eyes as he went to Acheron’s room. But there was nothing here. Like his heart and soul, it was empty. The only possession left behind was Acheron’s flat, worn pillow.
With tears streaming down his face, he went to the bed and pulled the pillow into his arms then went to his own room. He held his fist to his mouth to stifle his sobs as he placed Acheron’s pillow on the floor next to the wall. Lying down on it, he pressed his spine to the wall and then his feet, trying to pretend it was his brother at his back. But the wall was so cold, and while the pillow smelled of Acheron, it just wasn’t the same.
It couldn’t hold his hand or speak to him with comforting words. It was just a pillow.
His brother was gone from his world. The grief and agony were so fierce he couldn’t bear it. It felt as if someone had reached into his chest and yanked his heart out.
“What am I to do?”
Styxx glanced at his wooden horses and saw the one Acheron had brought to him earlier that day. Rage clouded his sight. How dare Estes give him that and then take Acheron. Did he think a stupid horse could replace his brother’s love?
Did he?
Unable to stand it, he ran to the chest and smashed all of the finely carved horses to pieces. He stomped them on the floor until they were splintered. He didn’t want to see them again. Ever!
When he came to the last whole one, he stopped. It was the horse Ryssa had given Acheron for their birthday two years back.
Will you keep it for me, Styxx? I would weep if it were lost.
Pulling it toward him, he cradled it to his chest. “I won’t let it be harmed, Acheron. It will be here for your return. I promise.”
No matter where they lived or how far apart, they were still brothers.
Forever and always.
June 18, 9537 BC
Four years later
Sighing heavily, Styxx picked through the merchant’s wares, trying to find something his sister might like for her birthday gift. Unfortunately, Ryssa had everything imaginable.
He hesitated at a necklace.
“You don’t have enough money for that, Highness.”
Styxx cringed at the resonance of his valet’s snide tone that gloated at being able to say that to him. Loudly. There were several snickers from nearby patrons over the comment.
Growling low, he moved away from the necklace. He hated being embarrassed. He suffered enough of that from his sister, mother, father, tutors, and trainers. The last thing he wanted was for another servant to publicly mock him, too.
Even though Styxx had asked his father for a loan, his father had adamantly refused. If you want more money, work harder for it. Something difficult to do given the magnitude of the study load he carried, the court sessions he had to attend, his war training, strategy sessions, and temple obligations.
And the small fact that he already worked an average of twenty-two hours a week …
They just rarely paid him for it.
“They have cheaper items over here that I’m sure you can afford, Your Highness.” Styxx cringed even more at his valet’s snottiness.
Unwilling to be embarrassed further, Styxx left without a word.
His valet followed with
“But I could love you, too, sister. If you’d let me.”
Shrieking, she shot from her nurse and grabbed his arm. “I don’t want your love, you brat. You know nothing of loving others. Only yourself.” She shoved him out the door and slammed it shut in his face.
Styxx’s lips quivered as he stared at the closed door with tears in his eyes. “I could learn to love if only one of you would teach me how,” he whispered.
But none of them wanted to love him and he knew it. The only person who’d loved him was gone now. Stolen away from him.
I have no one . And he hated being alone. Twins weren’t born to be apart. He was only one half of a whole.
Brothers, forever and always.
That had been their pact. Styxx wiped at the tears in his eyes as he went to Acheron’s room. But there was nothing here. Like his heart and soul, it was empty. The only possession left behind was Acheron’s flat, worn pillow.
With tears streaming down his face, he went to the bed and pulled the pillow into his arms then went to his own room. He held his fist to his mouth to stifle his sobs as he placed Acheron’s pillow on the floor next to the wall. Lying down on it, he pressed his spine to the wall and then his feet, trying to pretend it was his brother at his back. But the wall was so cold, and while the pillow smelled of Acheron, it just wasn’t the same.
It couldn’t hold his hand or speak to him with comforting words. It was just a pillow.
His brother was gone from his world. The grief and agony were so fierce he couldn’t bear it. It felt as if someone had reached into his chest and yanked his heart out.
“What am I to do?”
Styxx glanced at his wooden horses and saw the one Acheron had brought to him earlier that day. Rage clouded his sight. How dare Estes give him that and then take Acheron. Did he think a stupid horse could replace his brother’s love?
Did he?
Unable to stand it, he ran to the chest and smashed all of the finely carved horses to pieces. He stomped them on the floor until they were splintered. He didn’t want to see them again. Ever!
When he came to the last whole one, he stopped. It was the horse Ryssa had given Acheron for their birthday two years back.
Will you keep it for me, Styxx? I would weep if it were lost.
Pulling it toward him, he cradled it to his chest. “I won’t let it be harmed, Acheron. It will be here for your return. I promise.”
No matter where they lived or how far apart, they were still brothers.
Forever and always.
June 18, 9537 BC
Four years later
Sighing heavily, Styxx picked through the merchant’s wares, trying to find something his sister might like for her birthday gift. Unfortunately, Ryssa had everything imaginable.
He hesitated at a necklace.
“You don’t have enough money for that, Highness.”
Styxx cringed at the resonance of his valet’s snide tone that gloated at being able to say that to him. Loudly. There were several snickers from nearby patrons over the comment.
Growling low, he moved away from the necklace. He hated being embarrassed. He suffered enough of that from his sister, mother, father, tutors, and trainers. The last thing he wanted was for another servant to publicly mock him, too.
Even though Styxx had asked his father for a loan, his father had adamantly refused. If you want more money, work harder for it. Something difficult to do given the magnitude of the study load he carried, the court sessions he had to attend, his war training, strategy sessions, and temple obligations.
And the small fact that he already worked an average of twenty-two hours a week …
They just rarely paid him for it.
“They have cheaper items over here that I’m sure you can afford, Your Highness.” Styxx cringed even more at his valet’s snottiness.
Unwilling to be embarrassed further, Styxx left without a word.
His valet followed with
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