“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.

January 24, 12,248 BC

Aricles sighed contentedly as he held Bathymaas in the quiet morning hours. Now that the others knew the truth, they’d laughed at him when he’d gone to bed in their barracks.

“You have a beautiful goddess for wife and you’d sleep here with us, alone? Are you insane?”

He smiled at the memory of Galen’s indignant tone. Brushing the hair back from her cheek, he placed a kiss there at the same time a bright flash lit up the room.

Aricles barely had time to blink before he was blasted out of the bed and pinned to the floor. Every bone in his body felt shattered. Unable to move, he was forced to lie there as a huge man stalked him with murder in his gold eyes. Well built and stout, he was obviously someone’s god of war.

Bathymaas came awake with a gasp. “Papas, no!” She leapt from the bed, dragging the sheet with her so that she could wrap it around her naked body. She grabbed the god’s huge biceps. “Don’t hurt him!”

“I don’t want to hurt him. I want to kill the rancid bastard dog!”

She planted herself between them. “I love him, Papas. If you kill him, you will destroy my heart.”

His eyes tormented, Set pulled her into his arms and held her tight. He pressed his lips to her head as he glared at Aricles. “You have a heartbeat?”

She nodded.

Set cursed. “When Apollo said he’d seen you with a man, I went to gut that Greek bastard, but Ma’at stopped me. Have you any idea what you’ve set into motion, daughter?”