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.
Styxx’s hand trembled as he pulled the covers back to expose the blood that was still on her gown from where Apollymi had assaulted her. Throwing his head back, he roared in anger and pain, then gathered her body into his arms so that he could hold her.
“Beth?” he breathed against her cheek as he cradled her head to his shoulder. “Please come back to me. Please. I need you so.…” Tears fell down his cheeks.
Urian choked as he felt for his friend’s agony. Unable to bear it, he looked away. In his mind, he saw himself the night he’d lost Phoebe. Xyn. He heard his own anguished screams that still hadn’t stopped the nights his heart had shattered.
Davyn reached out and pulled him into his arms. Urian tried his best to stand strong. As he always did.
But the truth was, he was never that strong. He’d never been. True love didn’t conquer anything. All it did was destroy.
“I’ve got you, brother,” Davyn whispered in his ear as he silently wept, and Acheron joined them in the room to go to Styxx.
Urian pulled away from Davyn just as Styxx let go of Bethany and bellowed in fury. He turned on Acheron with a wide punch. Acheron blocked it and yanked him into his arms. Styxx tried to fight, but Acheron held him close against him in an iron grip.
“It’s all right, Styxx. I know it hurts.”
But Acheron didn’t know. Even Urian knew that. The Dark-Hunter had no idea of the pain he and Styxx shared. His children were all alive and well. Tory was healthy.…
No one was going to kill her baby and leave her frozen and alone like this.
Coated in her own blood.
Urian hoped that Acheron never knew the darkness that lived inside them. Because the Stygian madness that festered there was a devouring agony unlike anything imaginable. Grief for his wife was a hunger that fed on all happiness. It devoured smiles and stole pieces of his soul every single day until he feared he would never see light again.
Like Styxx, Urian had been so lost for so long now that though he walked in daylight, he didn’t see it. Nor did he feel any form of warmth in the vast winter lands that swallowed him whole. The sun couldn’t chase away the lingering shadows of pain and remorse. The staggering darkness of what could have been.
That profound sense of loss that came the moment you woke up and knew for certain that all your hopes and dreams for tomorrow had become your yesterday.
Thatwas the hell they called home.
And Acheron knew nothing of it.
Lucky bastard.
“I fucking hate you,” Styxx growled in Acheron’s ear.
“I know, brother … I know.” And still Acheron held him the way Urian used to hold on to his own twin. Back in the days when they’d been innocent boys, before the world had crashed down on them and made them bitter men, scarred by war and tragedy. Separated by death and heartache. “I wish more than anything that I could take it all back. Everything,” Acheron breathed. “That I’d listened to and followed the advice I gave others. I hurt you and I abandoned you and it was wrong. I was wrong and I am so incredibly sorry.”
Their sadness choked Urian as he watched them. He felt for both men who’d been divided by hatred and a world that wouldn’t let them live in peace.
Styxx glared at his twin. “Why can’t I just hate you?”
Acheron’s arms tightened around him. “Because you’re a better man than I am. You always were.” He pulled back and placed his forehead to Styxx’s, then gently fisted his hand in the hair at the nape of Styxx’s neck. “I will never turn my back on you again, brother. I—”
Styxx covered his mouth with his hand, cutting off his words. “Don’t make a promise you might not keep.”
