Neither of them should ever get caught then. It was the one day of the week when Apollymi kept to her schedule and held it sacred. Nobody dared to disturb her on that holy day.
Urian nodded. “Hesperus Hour.” Like the day, that hour was the most sacred time when the goddess would tolerate no interruption on pain of death.
Not even Stryker would dare to encroach on it.
We can visit then and none will be the wiser.
Urian’s smile lightened her mood instantly. “I’ll see you then, my dragon.”
Happier than she had a right to be, and to a level that actually scared her, she didn’t speak as she watched him run away.
I’ll see you, my friend.
But in her heart, she had a terrified feeling that this wasn’t going to end well for either of them.
June 19, 9516 BC
“She’ll be a beautiful bride.”
“Don’t make me rip out your throat, Trates.”
Urian choked on his laughter as he saw the raw fear his father’s wry threat wrung from Trates, who quickly excused himself so that he could put as much distance between himself and Stryker as possible. Not that he blamed him. His father was in a rotten mood, and had been for the last few days since Tannis had announced her intentions of tying herself to a worthless bit of Apollite trash.
In fact, no one wanted Tannis to marry Erol. Especially their father, and this engagement party was thoroughly pissing off everyone.
Even though she was a full-grown woman who was fully developed thanks to their Apollite curse that had her appearing the same age as a human in her late teens or early twenties, she was still only twelve years old.
As her father, Stryker couldn’t get past her real age, and the fact that had they not been cursed, he would still have a few more years with her at home. Which was why he was insisting on a long engagement. Something that had left his daughter, her future groom, and Tannis’s future in-laws complaining.
Aside from their father, Urian and his mother seemed to be the only two who agreed about the long engagement. But then Urian hated Erol. He was a massive beast of an arrogant bastard, and they had a long history of fighting between them.
Then again, Urian had a long history of fighting with most everyone.
His mother sighed as she hugged Urian’s arm. “I can’t believe I’m losing another baby so soon.”
“I’m sorry, Mata.” He jerked his chin toward his father, who was sharpening a knife while glaring at Erol. “Though I’m thinking if Solren has his way, there won’t be a wedding. Maybe just a wedding feast …”
She laughed. “There are times when I simply adore your solren, Uri.” Patting his arm, she stepped away as if she knew her human blood tempted him in spite of his deep love and respect for her. She adjusted her cloak higher around her neck. “So … who here hasyourfancy?”
Urian felt the color rising in his cheeks at a question he always dreaded. Especially since it made his stomach rumble from hunger. It seemed ever his destiny to starve. Even though he was in a room full of walking meals. But there wasn’t anyone here who would feed him.
“Haven’t found anyone yet.”
“You’re still not being fed?”
He didn’t miss the note of panicked fear underlying her question. It was a secret he and his father had intentionally been keeping from her … and everyone else. The fact that his father had a handful of loyal men he forced to bleed so that he could bring their blood to Urian in bladders or cups. While it wasn’t the same as eating the way Apollo intended Apollites to feed, it kept Urian from starving to death.
The one advantage to it was that it left him a bit edgier than the others.
Leaner and meaner, as the humans would say. Because he was perpetually hungry, his senses were sharper. His powers stronger—more focused. And he was always angry and looking for a fight.
Except where his mother and sister were concerned. And of course the goddess. But that was simply because he knew Apollymi would rip out his throat if he ever showed his temper around her.
Luckily, Tannis called his mother away at that moment and saved him from having to answer as his sister took her home for the small meal she’d prepared for their mother to eat. Since their mother was the only one here who required food, Urian, Tannis, Paris, and Davyn took turns cooking meals for her.
Apollymi always made sure she had vegetables, fruits, and fresh meats. And they took it as a source of pride to make sure their mother was well cared for.
And protected from any threat.
