How could I have been so blind to such a monster all these years?
How could my father ever allow this? I preferred to think he didn't know anything about it. It was the only way I could live. And I hoped with every part of myself that I never laid eyes on my uncle again.
It was our fifth day into the journey that Boraxis finally explained to me why Acheron was so pale and given to attacks of extreme sweating and vomiting.
It was the drugs Estes had used to control him. The orange scent I'd smelled was from the aphrodisiac they used to make him crave sex and the other was an inhaled substance to make him more pliant and accepting of what was done to him.
Acheron was so weak now that it frightened me. We needed to find a physician who could help. Boraxis kept telling me the best thing would be to buy our own supply of the drugs and keep him on them. But I couldn't do that to my own brother. He needed to live his life free of such things.
Surely he wouldn't continue to be ill from them. They had to pass out of his system eventually. Yet every day he seemed to grow weaker and weaker.
And now at last, we were home.
The palace loomed before us as we approached in a covered chariot. I didn't dare travel with Acheron in the open where any stray breeze might blow his cowl back and expose him. People could become quite violent at the sight of him and we'd already had to have Boraxis get rough with several of the more persistent.
I swallowed as we entered the palace gates and drew near the entrance. After all my bravado of telling Acheron how welcomed he would be by his family, I felt my courage wavering.
What if he was right? What if Father didn't care? For all I knew, Father was aware of what Estes was doing to him. He might even condone it. The very thought made me ill, but it was something I had to prepare myself for. It was possible.
Acheron had been hurt so much already that I was afraid of hurting him anymore. Trust was a fragile thing and he was only now beginning to trust me. I didn't want anything to damage that.
Or him.
So I took him through the side entrance and led him to my chambers where no one would disturb him.
"I'm going to Father. You wait here and I'll be back very soon."
Acheron didn't speak. He was shaking uncontrollably again. Instead, he nodded before he went to a corner and sat down on the floor with his back against the wall. He was so well covered that he looked like a sack of grain on the floor.
I picked up a clay urn from beside my hearth and placed it beside him. "Should you get sick."
Again, he didn't respond in any way.
Saddened by that, I turned to Boraxis. "Stay with him and make sure no one disturbs him."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Hoping for the best, I left them in my chambers and went to speak to Father alone.
I found him in the outer courtyard with Styxx. The two of them were reclining on cushioned chairs while they ate a light repast of honey and bread as Father instructed Styxx on matters of state. They were surrounded by servants who were attending their every need. How lush a sight they made.
Styxx's blond hair gleamed in the sunlight. His skin glistened with vitality. There was no grayish cast to it from his being forced to take drugs so that others could abuse him. Even from my distance, I could see his arrogance as he ordered everyone around.
I thought of Acheron and wanted to scream at the injustice.
"Hey, it's lamb-head," Styxx said as he saw me. The little ogre had always mocked my curly blond hair. "Where have you been?"
"Away," I told him. The troll didn't need to know my business. "Father, might I have a word alone with you?"
He cast a smug glance toward Styxx. "Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of your brother. One day Styxx will be your king, and you will be answerable to him."
The thought made my blood run cold.
"That's right," Styxx said snidely. "That means you have to kiss my feet just like everyone else."
Father laughed at him. "You're such a scamp."
I bit my lip to keep my silence. How could he not see what a spoiled, obnoxious little troll Styxx was? But then Father had always been blind to Styxx's apish ways.
"So why are you here, kitten?" Father asked. "Do you wish a new trinket or clothes?" The man had always indulged me. At least on anything that didn't involve Acheron.
"No. I want to bring Acheron home."
Father sputtered at my request. "Now see here, what has gotten into your head? I've told you repeatedly how I feel. That monster doesn't belong here."
Styxx curled his lips. "Why would you want him here? He's a danger to all of us."
"A danger how?" But then this was so familiar an argument, I could answer with their excuses before they did.
My father curled his lip. "You don't know what a demigod is capable of. He could kill your brother while he sleeps. Kill me. Kill all of us."
How could he say that? Acheron had never once made any attack on me. He didn't even raise his voice. "Why do you not fear for Estes?"