"Bathia--"
She stopped and turned to face him. "I want the truth, Ari. Tell me."
Anguish darkened his eyes as he glanced back to the Eperon. "He knows about us, and if he finds out that I've told you, he'll kill you."
She scoffed at the ludicrous threat. "He doesn't have those powers."
"But he has the power to tell the other gods that you're no longer virgin."
"So what if he does?"
His blue eyes singed her. "You will be shamed."
"There are worst things in this world."
He shook his head. "I can't allow that to happen to you because of me. I can't."
"And I can't allow you to be called a coward by your brother and friends for protecting me. How can you ask that of me, your wife?"
"Bathia, please."
She glanced down at his ravaged body and shook her head. "I won't allow this. I won't."
Before he could stop her or she could reconsider, she took his hand and returned them to where the others were preparing Hector's body.
Aricles started away, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back to her. When he opened his mouth to protest, she gave him the hottest kiss of his life.
Utter silence descended. Aricles felt the heat creep over his face as he realized they were the center of everyone's attention. Pulling back, he swept his gaze across five pairs of widened, shocked eyes.
Bathymaas turned to face them. Stepping back against his chest, she pulled his arm around her waist and held it there. "Aricles and I are married. The Greek god Apollo found out and he threatened to discredit and shame me before the other gods unless Aricles refused to fight. To protect my honor and name, he has allowed all of you to insult and attack him, and I will not stand for him to be hurt again. By anyone."
Aricles wouldn't have thought they could have been more shocked.
He was wrong. For several minutes no one moved or spoke.
They didn't even blink.
Not until Galen stepped forward and punched him. Hard. "You bastard! You married and didn't tell me?"
Bathymaas moved to blast him, but Aricles caught her hand before she could damage his brother.
"It's all right, my lady. That's his normal reaction."
Her eyes flashed red. "He needs to find another."
Galen shook his head. "How could you have not told me? I'm your brother! Your twin! When did you marry?"
"While you were all gone," she answered for him.
Malphas cursed as he glared at Aricles. "Have you any idea the shit storm you're about to unleash?"
A tic started in Aricles's cheek before he nodded. "It's why I backed down from the fighting." He glanced over to Hector's body as tears blinded him. "I didn't want anyone hurt. Least of all Bathymaas."
Malphas growled. "Now I want to punch you.... But I understand." He rubbed his hand against the gold necklace that never left him. "The heart wants what it wants, and nothing will deny it. But damn..." He turned his glare to Bathymaas. "Damn."
Monokles scowled. "So what does this mean?"
Malphas gestured to Bathymaas. "The gods will attack her for this. Openly. Those who hate her will say that she can no longer perform her duties because she's been corrupted by the touch of a mortal. And they will be after Aricles with everything they have."
Phelix narrowed his eyes on Aricles. "I still don't trust him. He bowed out when we needed him most."
"To protect his wife," Haides reminded Phelix. "Right or wrong, I doubt there's a one of us who wouldn't do whatever he had to to keep his woman safe."
Monokles nodded. "He's right. There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect my wife and her honor."
Galen hugged Bathymaas and then his brother. "I hate you."
"I hate you, too."
Bathymaas scowled at Aricles who smiled at her then explained their contradictory words. "We don't mean it, my lady. Rather, it's our way of saying that we're still mad, but are willing to forgive."
"Mortals are so strange...."
Caleb nodded in agreement. "And we have a man to bury and mourn. Let us attend to that and then we'll deal with this next disaster."
Bathymaas teleported Aricles into his tent so that she could clean him up and dress him. "I can't believe you allowed them to do this to you."
He shrugged. "I would gladly suffer this and more to keep you safe."
And that was why she loved him so. Brushing his hair back from his eyes, she sighed. "Apollo will be coming for us."
Aricles swallowed hard as a wave of pain went through him. He started to tell her what Apollo had done to him, but the words froze on his tongue. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't bring himself to say out loud the horror of that day.
Please don't hate me, Bathia, when he tells you what he did to me.
But in his heart, he knew that she would never look at him the same way once she learned of it. And that made him every bit as sad as the loss of Hector.
It's all my fault.
He should have been strong enough to fight Apollo off.
And now....
Kissing her on the brow, he knew that he had to do something to stop Apollo. And what he intended was as stupid as it was brave.
January 23, 12,248 BC
Aricles frowned as he heard a fierce fight going on in Bathymaas's temple. Grabbing his hoplon and xiphos, he ran toward it as fast as he could to find Apollo blasting Bathymaas.
Without hesitation, he went for the god and attacked him with everything he had.
Apollo cursed as Aricles knocked him away from her. The Greek god blasted him, but Aricles didn't care. He ignored the pain and continued on, beating the god until Apollo was pressed against the wall.
Unprepared for Aricles's ferocity and skill, Apollo staggered back then fell to his knees. "Everyone is going to know about the two of you! Everyone!" Then the coward vanished.
Releasing his battle cry, Aricles still wanted the bastard's blood for attacking his wife. He dropped his weapons and ran to where she sat on the floor. Her left cheek was bruised and swollen. Her nose bloodied.
"Bathia?" he breathed, terrified for what Apollo had done to her.
Tears welled in her eyes as she laid her hand against his cheek. "My poor Ari."
Confused, he scowled at her words. "Did he rape you?"
"No. I attacked him."
Relief flooded him, until she spoke again.
"Why didn't you tell me he raped you, Ari?"
Unable to meet her gaze, Aricles withdrew from her. He didn't want to see disdain or hatred in her eyes. Or worse ...
Disappointment.
He was the one who was supposed to protect her. But how could he when he lacked the strength to protect himself?
She closed the distance between them and placed her hand on his arm. "Ari, talk to me."
"What can I say, goddess?
Bathymaas ached at the anguish she heard in his voice. At the shame she saw in his eyes as he refused to look at her. "Sweetie ... it wasn't your fault."
He finally met her gaze and the raw fury there scared her. "You think that makes it right? I'm a man, Bathia. A warrior."
"You're mortal and he's a god."
"And I'm supposed to keep you safe."
She shook her head. "He came at you from the shadows. It was a coward's attack because he knew he couldn't defeat you if he attacked you as a warrior."
"Still not helping."
Cupping his face in her hands, she forced him to look at her. "I love you, Ari, and I never meant for my love to hurt you."
"It doesn't hurt me, goddess, it strengthens me."
"No. It's made you vulnerable and for that, I'm so sorry."
He frowned at her words. "Why do you apologize to me?"
Bathymaas couldn't speak as her new emotions ravaged her. Guilt, horror, pain ... She didn't like these feelings at all. But beneath all the ones that hurt was the fierce adoration she had for the strength and inner beauty of her husband. "I should have lef
t you on your farm when you asked me to."
"Then I wouldn't have had you."
The love in his gaze brought tears to her eyes. "Ari--"
He stopped her words with a kiss. "I would brave anything for you, my lady."
"And I, you."
Finally, he drew her into his arms and held her close. "I'm sorry I embarrassed you."
She frowned at his words. "Embarrassed me how?"
"By not being the man you deserve."
Tears flowed down her cheeks. "Don't you ever say that! In all my life, I have never known a better, more noble man than you. God or mortal." She pulled his head down and held him close.
Aricles trembled at the sensation of her arms wrapped around him. In that moment, he hated Apollo with everything he had. No doubt the bastard was already spreading news of their relationship, far and wide.
I'm going to kill him....
*
"Apollymi, goddess of destruction and creation, I humbly summon you. Please do your most earnest and humble servant the honor of appearing," Aricles whispered the words as he poured scented oil over the hot coals at the base of Apollymi's statue on Didimosia. He hadn't been to this temple since his grandfather had brought him here on a sacred pilgrimage when he was a boy.
Looking up at the statue, he was as struck by the goddess's beauty today as he'd been then. But it was the cruelty in her stone eyes that was still terrifying.
That cruelty that he was now imploring.
Unaware of his intentions, her priests were all in their corner, and he was alone in the main temple hall to make his blood offering to the most dangerous god in their pantheon.
At first, he thought she'd ignore him. But just as he was ready to leave, he felt the same stirring in the air that came anytime Bathymaas materialized before a mortal.
There in front of him stood a vision of feminine beauty. Almost as tall as he was, she had long wavy blond hair and swirling silver eyes. "You have some nerve, mortal. You swear allegiance to an Egyptian goddess I loathe, take up sword for her, and now you dare summon me? Really?"
He went down on one knee before her. "For that, I beg your indulgence, goddess. But I'm here because I've been told that you and I have something in common."
"And that is?"
"Hatred for the Greek god Apollo."
Her eyes flashed red. "I despise all things Greek."
"And that is why I offer up my soul and my sword to you."
She scowled at him. "I don't understand."
Swallowing hard, he forced himself to make a bargain he hoped he didn't live to regret. "The god threatens what I love, and I plan to challenge him, and while I know what a capable warrior I am, I also know that I lack the abilities to destroy a god on my own."
A slow smile curved her lips. "You are a ballsy bastard ... and that I respect." She paused to consider his words. "What will you give me for this favor should I grant it?"
"Name it, my goddess, and I'll pay it."
Apollymi approached him slowly. She jerked his chlamys away from his left shoulder blade to show where Bathymaas had placed her mark on him after he swore himself to her alone. "What have you done, mortal? Rezar will kill you for daring to touch his beloved daughter."
"Have you never been in love, goddess?"
She growled low in her throat. "Love makes fools of us all, eventually. Even the great Bathymaas." She pulled his chlamys back over the mark. "I still should kill you."
Aricles didn't flinch or react to her words at all.
"Have you nothing to say to that?" she asked him.
"I'd rather you not."
She laughed. "You are lucky you're so brave. That alone has saved your life today." She stepped back and narrowed her gaze on him. "And unfortunately, you can't kill Apollo ... as much as I'd love for you to."
Aricles felt his spirits crash at her words.
"But ... you can defeat him, and when you do, bring him to me, bound and gagged, and that will be my fee." She manifested a bronze xiphos and held it out to him. "Use this to level the field and once you have him defeated, bring him here to me."
He frowned at the weapon in his hand that didn't look any different than the one he normally carried into battle. "What is special about this sword?"
"It was dipped in the River Styx. It will allow Apollo to bleed as any mortal."
"Thank you, goddess."
She inclined her head to him. "Good luck, Aricles, and beware of treachery."
"Always." After saluting her with the sword, he strapped it on as she vanished.
He placed his hand on the hilt and he left her temple. Now he had an appointment to keep, and Apollo was definitely going to bleed.
January 24, 12,248 BC
Aricles sighed contentedly as he held Bathymaas in the quiet morning hours. Now that the others knew the truth, they'd laughed at him when he'd gone to bed in their barracks.
"You have a beautiful goddess for wife and you'd sleep here with us, alone? Are you insane?"
He smiled at the memory of Galen's indignant tone. Brushing the hair back from her cheek, he placed a kiss there at the same time a bright flash lit up the room.
Aricles barely had time to blink before he was blasted out of the bed and pinned to the floor. Every bone in his body felt shattered. Unable to move, he was forced to lie there as a huge man stalked him with murder in his gold eyes. Well built and stout, he was obviously someone's god of war.
Bathymaas came awake with a gasp. "Papas, no!" She leapt from the bed, dragging the sheet with her so that she could wrap it around her naked body. She grabbed the god's huge biceps. "Don't hurt him!"
"I don't want to hurt him. I want to kill the rancid bastard dog!"
She planted herself between them. "I love him, Papas. If you kill him, you will destroy my heart."
His eyes tormented, Set pulled her into his arms and held her tight. He pressed his lips to her head as he glared at Aricles. "You have a heartbeat?"
She nodded.
Set cursed. "When Apollo said he'd seen you with a man, I went to gut that Greek bastard, but Ma'at stopped me. Have you any idea what you've set into motion, daughter?"
Tears fell down her cheeks. "I don't care. He is all to me."
Brushing her tears aside, Set sighed heavily then released whatever invisible hold he had on Aricles. "I wish you'd told me first."
"I knew you wouldn't approve and I didn't want you to hurt Ari."
Completely embarrassed, Aricles quickly dressed.
Set growled deep in his throat as he stepped away from Bathymaas. "Leto is calling for your removal and punishment. She says that the war you've been waging against the Greeks isn't one of justice, but rather a favor for your Atlantean husband."
She was aghast at the ludicrous accusation. "Ari wants nothing to do with war."
Set scowled at him. "But he's your best fighter."
"Who wants nothing to do with war," Aricles repeated. "I was a farmer before all this, and I preferred that to fighting."
Set laughed angrily. "None of that matters. They're still demanding blood from us."
"And I've demanded Apollo's."
Bathymaas gasped as she stepped away from her father to face her husband. "What have you done, Ari?"
"I issued a challenge to Apollo. We are settling this the only way the Greeks understand. With violence."
"No," she breathed. "You can't!"
"He's right."
She glared at her father. "No, he's not."
"Yes, daughter, he is. If he beats Apollo, it would end the bloodlust and intimidate the others. They'll back down."
"And if they don't?"
Set brushed his hand against her chin. "You are new to emotions, Bathy. And I doubt you understand the power of fear." He looked past her to Aricles. "When are you to fight him?"
"Two days from now."
"Make sure you don't lose, boy."
Aricles glanced to his wife. "I promise, I won't."
But even as he s
aid that, Bathymaas had a terrible feeling in her gut. Something bad was going to happen. She had no doubt.
January 25, 12,248 BC
Bathymaas trembled as she watched Aricles sparring with Galen. Terrified over the upcoming fight, she glanced to Caleb. "Do you think he can win against Apollo?"
"Honestly?"
She nodded.
"I do."
"Are you saying that to comfort me?"
Caleb laughed. "I keep forgetting that you have emotions. So, no. I don't think about comforting you, even now."
How she wished she could forget she had them.
Over and over, her mind conjured images of Aricles dying horribly. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't banish them. They kept returning to torture her.
Unable to stand it, she left the others and went to Mount Olympus where Apollo lived with the majority of the Greek gods. As much as she hated it, she had to make a deal with her enemy. It was the only way to ensure Aricles's safety and life. While she believed Malphas's words that Ari could defeat the god, she couldn't risk Apollo cheating.
And Apollo was definitely not above that.
Apollo dropped the lyre he was playing as she manifested before his chaise inside his private temple. "Has the equator frozen over?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm here to issue you a challenge."
He scoffed. "I'm tired of these challenges from you and your boytoy. Not to mention, I already have a fight tomorrow."
Shrugging with a nonchalance she didn't feel, Bathymaas arched a brow. "I'm impressed. I had no idea that you craved humiliation so much."
"How do you mean?"
"We both know you can't beat Aricles. He's the best fighter who ever picked up a hoplon and sword. And as of tomorrow, everyone else will know it, too. I merely came to try and save some of your dignity. But since you're so desperate for public degradation, who am I to deprive you?" She started to leave, but he stopped her.
"What did you have in mind?"
"A contest between gods. You and I. That way, if you lose, no one will mock you for it."
"And if I win?"
As if that could ever happen. But she needed to give him some kind of hope, otherwise he'd never agree to this. "What do you want, Apollo?"
"You to stand down and allow my mother to be the supreme goddess of justice."
She was aghast at his request. "Truly? That's what you want?"
He nodded.
Leto would never be a decent goddess of justice. The bitch had no understanding of it. But that didn't matter. Apollo would never defeat her.