have spent hourswatching the way Acheron enjoyed the simplest of things such as the sensation of sunlight on his skin. Grass beneath his bare feet.
Of course, his life had held far too little of either one. How I wish I could have given him another life. A better one. The life he deserved where no one had ever hurt him for things he couldn't help. Where people could see in him all the beauty that I saw and understand what a truly gentle soul he possessed.
As I watched him inhale the scent of an apple before he added it to the bunch he'd picked, I was struck by how much he'd changed these last few months.
For once, he reminded me of a youthful seventeen-year-old boy and not a jaded, used-up old man. He'd learned to trust me. To trust in the fact that here he was safe and secure. That no one feared him or was out to seduce him. He could be himself without being obsequious or afraid of being grabbed or hurt. And I prayed he found the same peace in Kiza.
Oh, the pain I felt whenever I thought about his life in Atlantis. How could our uncle have treated him that way? Even now I could see Acheron held in chains. See the shallow emptiness that had been there in his eyes the first time he'd looked at me when he had no idea who I was.
Who
he
was.
I might have failed him earlier, but I vowed I would not fail him again. Here, he knew peace and happiness. I would try my best to always keep him far away from the world that couldn't understand or abide him.
While he picked the apples, he reminded me of a squirrel as he jumped from tree to tree, gathering his treasure. He was such a handsome boy. In my heart I knew that he and Styxx were twins, and yet as I watched him, I was struck by their differences.
Acheron moved much more gracefully. Fluidly. He was leaner, his hair a tad more golden, his muscles more defined. His skin softer.
And those eyes . . .
They were beguiling and terrifying.
After he was done, he brought his treasure to me and laid it out in a circle so that I could choose which apples I wanted first. He was always considerate that way. Thinking of others before himself.
"Do you think Father will come and visit soon?" he asked as he lay on his side, watching me eat my apple.
I could sense that he was probing me to see if I were lying. His silvery, swirling eyes were so disturbing whenever he held that gimlet stare. No wonder Uncle beat him for looking at people. It was disconcerting and even frightening to be under such bold scrutiny.
But he didn't deserve to be hit for something he couldn't help.
"I'm thinking you and I should take a trip in a few days to visit a queen."
He looked away, disappointed, as he toyed with his own apple.
Wanting to soothe and reassure him, I reached out to brush his golden hair out of his eyes.
"Is that the tenderness of true affection you spoke of?" he asked me in a hesitant voice. "The one where people who love you, touch you without asking for anything in return?"
"Yes," I answered.
He smiled at me, openly and honestly like a child. "I think I like it."
Then I heard something that made my heart stop beating.
There were several footsteps drawing near. I knew there shouldn't be any such sound in our temporary paradise. Petra and Maia were busy in the kitchen. Petra's husband had gone to town and the rest were busy with their duties.
Only one person would come with someone else.
I knew it was Father the instant Acheron sat up, his face overjoyed.
I closed my eyes and ached in terror as I forced myself to stand and turn around to confront him. His face angry, Father stood between the old stone columns that marked the opening of the orchard with Styxx by his side.
My blood froze in my veins.
I wanted to tell Acheron to run and hide, but it was too late. They were already too close.
Just three more days and he would have been safely away from here. I wanted to weep.
"Father," I said quietly. "Why are you here?"
"Where have you been?" he
Of course, his life had held far too little of either one. How I wish I could have given him another life. A better one. The life he deserved where no one had ever hurt him for things he couldn't help. Where people could see in him all the beauty that I saw and understand what a truly gentle soul he possessed.
As I watched him inhale the scent of an apple before he added it to the bunch he'd picked, I was struck by how much he'd changed these last few months.
For once, he reminded me of a youthful seventeen-year-old boy and not a jaded, used-up old man. He'd learned to trust me. To trust in the fact that here he was safe and secure. That no one feared him or was out to seduce him. He could be himself without being obsequious or afraid of being grabbed or hurt. And I prayed he found the same peace in Kiza.
Oh, the pain I felt whenever I thought about his life in Atlantis. How could our uncle have treated him that way? Even now I could see Acheron held in chains. See the shallow emptiness that had been there in his eyes the first time he'd looked at me when he had no idea who I was.
Who
he
was.
I might have failed him earlier, but I vowed I would not fail him again. Here, he knew peace and happiness. I would try my best to always keep him far away from the world that couldn't understand or abide him.
While he picked the apples, he reminded me of a squirrel as he jumped from tree to tree, gathering his treasure. He was such a handsome boy. In my heart I knew that he and Styxx were twins, and yet as I watched him, I was struck by their differences.
Acheron moved much more gracefully. Fluidly. He was leaner, his hair a tad more golden, his muscles more defined. His skin softer.
And those eyes . . .
They were beguiling and terrifying.
After he was done, he brought his treasure to me and laid it out in a circle so that I could choose which apples I wanted first. He was always considerate that way. Thinking of others before himself.
"Do you think Father will come and visit soon?" he asked as he lay on his side, watching me eat my apple.
I could sense that he was probing me to see if I were lying. His silvery, swirling eyes were so disturbing whenever he held that gimlet stare. No wonder Uncle beat him for looking at people. It was disconcerting and even frightening to be under such bold scrutiny.
But he didn't deserve to be hit for something he couldn't help.
"I'm thinking you and I should take a trip in a few days to visit a queen."
He looked away, disappointed, as he toyed with his own apple.
Wanting to soothe and reassure him, I reached out to brush his golden hair out of his eyes.
"Is that the tenderness of true affection you spoke of?" he asked me in a hesitant voice. "The one where people who love you, touch you without asking for anything in return?"
"Yes," I answered.
He smiled at me, openly and honestly like a child. "I think I like it."
Then I heard something that made my heart stop beating.
There were several footsteps drawing near. I knew there shouldn't be any such sound in our temporary paradise. Petra and Maia were busy in the kitchen. Petra's husband had gone to town and the rest were busy with their duties.
Only one person would come with someone else.
I knew it was Father the instant Acheron sat up, his face overjoyed.
I closed my eyes and ached in terror as I forced myself to stand and turn around to confront him. His face angry, Father stood between the old stone columns that marked the opening of the orchard with Styxx by his side.
My blood froze in my veins.
I wanted to tell Acheron to run and hide, but it was too late. They were already too close.
Just three more days and he would have been safely away from here. I wanted to weep.
"Father," I said quietly. "Why are you here?"
"Where have you been?" he
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