“Fuck you, Urian!” Archimedes, who’d just been defeated by Urian in a sword match, charged at him.
“Archimedes!” Their father’s furious shout quelled his anger instantly. “What are you doing?”
His face swelled up into a sullen pout. “You’re always yelling at me for my temper … why don’t you ever go athim”—he jerked his chin toward Urian—“for his arrogance?”
Their father cut a steel glare toward Urian, who arched a brow in response to it as if daring them both. “I would, if he were in the wrong. Now go cool your heels or elseI’llbe the one you’ll face in the arena.”
That succeeded in calming down the massive brute who was second in size only to their father.
Even though Urian was practically a full-grown man due to his Apollite blood, he still lacked a few inches of being as tall as the two of them and doubted if he’d ever measure up completely. While his muscles were well-defined and honed, he tended toward a leaner, faster build than his father’s, Paris’s, and Archie’s bulkier builds.
As did Davyn.
The two of them were about half the girth of the rest of them. Still, they could hold their own. What they lacked in all-out brutish strength, they made up for in speed and dexterity.
Satisfied that Archie was done shoving Davyn around, Urian retrieved his shield from where he’d dropped it when he’d rushed to protect his friend.
“Halt!” The fury returned to his father’s voice and froze them all to the spot.
Urian didn’t move or breathe as his father came over and pulled his shield from his arm. But his brothers were all grateful they weren’t the ones under fire—wretched dogs. They broke apart and even had the nerve to smile in relief.
And too late Urian realized why he was the one blessed with this unwanted attention. His shield was emblazoned with a rendition of Styxx’s black phoenix rising, and encircled by a Greek key pattern with the words “I defend” written above the phoenix’s head.
Shit, I should have changed that emblem more …When he’d redesigned it, he’d thought he’d disguised it enough.
Major miscalculation there.
Just as his mother had predicted, his father’s eyes and nostrils flared with anger. “This is the emblem of the Stygian Omada. The army that belonged to Styxx of the House of Aricles!”
For the merest heartbeat, he considered lying. But he’d always been honest in all things, especially with his father.
Judge me for what I do, not for the lies you hear from my lips, for I will not lie or from those of another about me …
That had always been his motto. He wasn’t about to change it now.
“I know, Solren.” Urian had stopped calling Stryker Baba a long time ago. “Baba” was for children and “Solren” was what men called their fathers.
“He was an enemy to Atlantis. You know this, Urian. Why, in the name of the gods, would you choose to fight under such a banner?”
Because I’m an idiot.That seemed the only logical reason given the amount of fury his father showed over this.
But Urian knewthatanswer would get him backhanded, so he checked his sarcasm and went with the truth. “He was one of the greatest military commanders to ever grip a sword, Solren. One who was barely older than I am now when he won his first battle at Halicarnassus, and that was against the gods themselves. And he was an enemy of Apollo. Just like us.”
The more Urian read about the man, the more he admired him.
“And our akra hates him as much as, if not more than, any of those gods. If you value your life,pido,burn that shield andneversay his name around her. Do you understand me?”
Oh … That was important information to have.
“Aye, Solren. I’ll—” Urian’s words broke off as someone screamed out.
They all turned to see a large, burly male covered in blood. His eyes wild, he was obviously out of his mind and seeking any victim he could find.
“Trelos!”
Urian cringed as the cry went up among their people. Cursing, his father shoved Theo aside, drew his sword, and headed immediately for the deranged man. Paris and Davyn did the same.
He picked up his shield and went to lend a hand with the others who were rushing to defend their people. The trelos Daimon began attacking any and every Apollite he could reach.
