Styxx részlet

Ahogy arra a bejegyzés címe is utal, VÉGRE kaptunk egy kis szösszenetet a Styxxből.

Figyelem: Erősen spoileres lehet azok számára, akik még nem olvasták Acheront (és ők pótolják, de izibe!)

Today was the first time he’d been strong enough to leave his bed unassisted. And he’d come straight to see his brother.

Styxx cursed silently as he entered the room. Under their father’s “tender” orders, Acheron was tied spread eagle to Ryssa’s bed. He looked every bit as wan and weak as Styxx felt.

Breathing slow and easy so as not to pass out, Styxx made his way slowly across the floor until he stood next to his brother’s side.

Acheron cut a sullen glance to him, but said nothing.

Styxx couldn’t blame him. Words failed him, too. What did brothers say to each other after all that had happened to divide them? After all the nightmares they’d experienced together and apart?

But the one thing that struck him was how unscarred Acheron’s skin was. Except for the slave brand on his palm, his body, unlike Styxx’s, was pristine. There was no trace of the abuse he knew his brother had been through. Nor a single battle scar...

Acheron’s swirling silver gaze burned into him. “I hate you, you fucking brat.”

“I know,” Styxx breathed, glancing away.

“Why didn’t you let me die?”

Styxx laughed bitterly at his accusation. “I tried. Believe me, I did nothing to save either of us.”

“Liar!”

It’s not fair that you get to live in comfort while I live in hell! Why you? What makes you better than me? A pair of fucking eyes I want to rip out. Acheron’s angry thoughts flogged his conscience and his heart.

“My life hasn’t been easy, either, you know.”

“Oh forgive me, Highness. Did the cook burn your toast this morning? Or was your bath water too cold? Did your valet forget to leave out the right garment?”

Styxx stiffened as his own hatred ignited while his brother trivialized his life and what he thought Styxx’s problems were. Acheron was just like everyone else. Making assumptions based on nothing but stupidity.

“How dare you mock my pain. But for you, my father-“ Styxx caught himself right before he admitted a truth that cut him to the depth of his soul.

“Your father what?”

Would have loved me.

Instead, because of Acheron, the king had always been suspicious and cold. Never quite certain Styxx was his. While their father doted entirely on Ryssa, there had always been a hint of reservation in his eyes when he looked at Styxx.

And always reservation in his heart whenever they were alone.

“You’re the one who betrayed us, Acheron. Not me.”    

“And I think I’ve paid well for it. After all, I’m the one tied naked to a bed and you’re the one wrapped in a gold trimmed chlamys! You’re the one everyone bows before and seeks to please your every whim.”

Yes, that was so his life...

Never.

Styxx shook his head. No, they’d both paid for it. Dearly. But Acheron would never believe the truth, anymore than Ryssa did and Ryssa had borne witness to some of it. Still, she had it in her mind that he was the one their father favored.

People make their own reality. That was what Praxis had taught him years ago. A hundred people can witness the same exact event and give two hundred and three different accountings of it. Everything is filtered through our emotions, Young Prince. As king, your job will be to listen to both sides of every matter and try to find the truth that lies somewhere between the opposing accounts.

Styxx had seen the veracity of that time and again as he sat with his father and listened to testimony from the nobles and citizens as they brought trial against each other. The subtlest gesture that was misread...

Tone of voice.

All of it could lead to war.

Even between brothers.

No, especially between brothers.

>> forrás <<