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 left 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.