Page 6

6

June 19, 8655 BC

L eucious paused as he heard a noise in the stable where he’d gone to get his horse. Instinctively, his hand went to the hilt of his sword. If it was an enemy, they’d be sorry … “Who’s there?”

A soft giggle answered him.

That was no enemy. His first thought was that it came from the cute barmaid who’d made eyes at him.

Until a sneeze sounded and was followed by a small, “Uh-oh!”

He knew that adorable voice. “Simi?”

She popped out of a bale of hay a few feet from him. Straw was stuck in her black pigtails and she gave him an impish smile. “Hello, akri-Leucious!”

Shaking his head at the little girl’s infectious exuberance, he had to smile. And he was grateful his father wasn’t here to see it.

Or hers.

“What are you doing?”

She plucked at the straw, then made a face at it. “Simi heard today was special.”

“Special? How so?”

She nodded so hard that her pigtails bobbed. “Akri-Jaden done told the Simi that today was the day you were born. Only not today, obviously, because then you’d be a baby. But years ago … you was born. So, happy baby birthday, akri-Leucious!”

How strange. No one had ever remembered his birthday, and why would Jaden know what day his mother had birthed him? His people didn’t celebrate such things. The only time his father had ever remarked on it was the day he turned ten-and-four.

“ You’re a man now, Leucious. Do me proud. ” Then Tesiah had backhanded him so hard he’d almost lost his front teeth.

But as his father intended, he remembered that day well.

Simi dug her way out of the straw and moved to stand in front of him. She held a small basket out toward him. “The Simi wasn’t sure what you liked, so I gots you something sweet, something spicy and some of the mead drink Simi knows you like.”

Leucious didn’t know what to say. It seemed like there ought to be something people said when they were given an item. But his people didn’t give gifts to each other.

Unless you counted insults. Those were given freely.

But as for real gifts … they only took. With swords or blows. No asking. Definitely no giving.

Simi scrunched her face at him. “This is the part where you say thank you, Simi! ”

He laughed and then froze as he realized it was the first time since his early childhood that he’d had a real laugh. One that felt good and wasn’t borne from mockery or cruelty. “Thank you, Simi.”

She clapped him on his arm. “See how easy!”

For her maybe. For him …

Impossible was the word. And yet somehow, she made it simple. What was it about her? She was …

Words failed him.

She poked gently at the basket she’d given him. “Aren’t you going to look and see what the Simi brought you?”

Biting back another smile, he pulled the cloth from the top to see honey cakes and the salted beef they used to sustain themselves on their marches. They were nestled around a small jug of the promised mead. “It’s wonderful, Simi. How did you know what I liked?”

“Well … you always ask for mead whenever we’re with you. The Simi has seen them meat sticks in your pack, though the Simi isn’t sure why you eat them. I mean, they’s okay. But not like them big juicy nummies akri gets for his Simi. And the cakes … that’s birthday food. Everyone loves birthday food.”

The light in her eyes warmed him. What a beautiful soul. Until her, he’d never met anyone who was kind.

Giving …

Sweet.

Was that the difference between having a father capable of kindness versus having a father who only doled out violence?

For the first time in his life, he wondered what he might have been like had someone like Acheron been his father. Stupid really, but he’d never given thought to such a thing before.

Would it have made a difference in his personality?

Tesiah had power. They had wealth and lands. His father believed that was enough.

Everyone feared their army and their wrath.

But was it the best way? People respected Acheron. They adored Simi.

Neither Acheron nor Simi had to beat anyone into submission to get their respect.

Of course, Acheron could do that without even trying. Still, the Atlantean god didn’t use force to coerce or even intimidate others. People simply respected him.

His father would call Acheron weak.

But not to his face, and no one else would dare.

Nor would Leucious ever be that stupid. Acheron was anything but weak. In truth, Leucious didn’t think he’d ever met anyone more powerful.

Or even more intimidating, and Acheron didn’t try to intimidate.

He chose a different way to lead and inspire others.

Was that better?

Leucious didn’t know. Maybe both were correct.

Or worse … what if they both were wrong?

It was all very confusing for someone who’d been trained to never question his father or their way of life. But the truth was, he didn’t like anyone who was on their side. Not his men or their allies.

Least of all his father.

And no one meant as much to him as Simi did.

“Where’s Acheron?” he asked her.

She shrugged. “Akri was talking to Savitar so the Simi snucked off while he was ignoring me.”

Those words sucker punched him. Was she serious? Had she any idea what she’d done?

“Acheron is with Savitar?” Savitar was one of the Chthonians who protected mortal creatures.

Were they supposed to talk to gods? Was that allowed?

How weird. Chthonians had been created to police divinity. He’d never heard of them associating with gods before.

She nodded. “Sometimes they talk for hours. Get so excited they forget the Simi’s there. It gets so boring that the Simi wanders off.” She grinned even wider.

Um … yeah.

“Simi, your father doesn’t forget you’re there.” How could he? “He’s probably looking for you right now.” No doubt he was frantic, too. “I’m sure we need to get you back to him.” Because every minute she was gone, Acheron would be ready to gut someone over her absence.

And he definitely didn’t want to be that someone.

She made a buzzing sound with her tongue. “Pffft! Why you take all the joy out of my life, akri-Leucious? Don’t you know the Simi was bored? All they do is talk about stuff the Simi don’t care about. It so boring!” She threw her head back and groaned.

She was so adorable, but it didn’t change the fact that Acheron would be worried sick.

“The last thing I’d ever want to do is take the joy from your life, Simi. I’m more concerned about Acheron taking the life from me if he finds you gone and blames me for it.”

She laughed. “Don’t worry, akri-Leucious. Akri knows how the Simi slips off sometimes. He don’t like it, but he can’t stop his Simi from being a bad girl.”

“You’re not bad. We just need to return you to your father before he starts pulling body parts off others.”

Simi made a face at him. “If we must …” She was adorably put out.

“We must,” he insisted. “How do I get you home?”

With a long, heavy sigh, she approached his horse that rested in a nearby stall. “I’ve never been on one of them horsies before. Would you take the Simi back to her akri on that?”

“If you like.”

“Simi would like very much.”

“All right.” He gently picked her up and put her on his saddle, then he pulled himself up behind her. “Where am I taking you?”

She pointed at the door. “That way!”

He laughed again. “And after we go through the door?”

“Oh. They in a village thingie. Meyash new … yah?”

Leucious scowled at a name he’d never heard before. “Where?”

“It was Me-something.”

There was only one place he knew that began with Me . “Miadan?”

She nodded. “That’s it! Me-something.”

At least that wasn’t too far away. A couple of hours out of his schedule.

Or so he thought.

They had barely cleared the yard when Acheron appeared in front of him. Lightning flashed over his head and struck the ground so close that it caused his horse to rear.

Simi whooped as she clung to Leucious. “Go horsey, go!”

That made Acheron even angrier. “What is going on here?”

Leucious had never tasted fear before, and he wasn’t quite sure he felt it now. But there was a lump in his stomach that made him dread facing the older god. “I was taking her back to you.”

Acheron’s eyes turned blood red and the air itself pulsed with his fury. “Why is she here?”

Simi vanished from his lap, then reappeared next to Acheron. “Akri! Be nice. This is akri-Leucious’s birthday and the Simi wanted to give him prezzies like akri gib the Simi on her special day.”

That had the same effect on the angry god as it had on him. Acheron softened immediately and picked Simi up in his arms. His red eyes faded back to their normal swirling silver color.

Leucious would never forget the look of love on Acheron’s face as he tightened his arms around his young daughter. “Sorry, Leucious. I panicked.”

“Understood.”

Simi turned around in his arms to look back at Leucious. “Akri-Leucious said you’d do that. You were right. Akri did miss his Simi.”

Of course he did. If Simi was his, Leucious would never let her out of his sight.

Acheron walked slowly toward him. “Thank you for bringing her back to me.”

As Acheron approached him, his horse became skittish. No doubt it sensed Acheron’s inhuman powers. Leucious patted his horse to settle its nerves. “Any time.”

He shifted her to his other side. “As long as you take care of her, you’ll always have a friend in me, Leucious. You ever let harm befall her …”

“You don’t have to threaten me, Acheron. I’m not my father. I don’t prey on those weaker than I am.”

Acheron let out a sinister laugh. “Trust me when I say this, even though she looks like a little girl, Simi is never the weaker creature. But it’s not just physical pain. I take it personally whenever someone hurts her feelings, too.”

“Note taken. And don’t worry. She’s too precious to harm. Like you, I hope no one ever taints her … uniqueness. Or dampens her smile.”

Acheron held his hand out to him. “Sorry to be such an ass, Leucious. Trusting others doesn’t come easy for me. And when it comes to Simi, I tend to be rabid. I’ve already lost one child I loved more than my life. I don’t want to lose another. I’m not sure I could survive it.”

Leucious shook his extended arm. “I’ve never lost anyone I was close to.” Because he wasn’t close to anyone. “And in spite of my upbringing, I don’t enjoy causing pain.”

“Says a warrior renowned for his brutality.”

“War isn’t pretty, but it’s my mother and my mistress.”

Acheron snorted. “Maybe you should think about breaking up with them.”

It was a thought. However … “And do what? Farm?”

“It’s a noble occupation.”

“Not for a prince who will one day reign over a vast empire.”

“Will that satisfy you?”

Leucious wanted to say yes, but why bother? Acheron could sense the truth he didn’t want to say out loud. Or even admit to himself.

He would never be satisfied. Just like his barbarian father, he would always want more.

And there was no telling where that would take him. Or who he’d end up hurting in order to get more.