The man’s lips quivered, but he nodded in understanding. “I save the humans while my innocent family is cast out to starve with no one to protect them. So, that was my bargain.”

Acheron looked away as his heart ached for the man and his family.

“Go inside with the others,” Acheron said.

He watched Ias return while he thought over the man’s words.

He couldn’t leave it like this.

Acheron could function alone, but the others…

Closing his eyes, he willed himself back to Artemis.

This time when her women opened their mouths to scream, Artemis froze their vocal chords.

“Leave us,” she commanded them.

The women rushed for the door as fast as they could, then slammed it shut behind them.

As soon as they were alone, Artemis smiled at him. “You are back. I didn’t expect to see you so soon.”

“Don’t, Artemis,” he said, curbing her playfulness before she started with it. “I’m basically back to yell at you.”

“For what?”

“How dare you lie to those men to get them into your service.”

“I never lie.”

He arched a brow.

Looking instantly uncomfortable, she cleared her throat and leaned back into her throne. “You were different and I didn’t lie. I merely forgot to mention a few things.”

“That is semantics, Artemis, and this isn’t about me. This is about what you’ve done to them. You can’t leave those poor bastards out there like you have.”

“And why not? You’ve survived quite well on your own.”

“I am not the same as they and well you know it. I had nothing in my life worth going back to. No family, no friends.”

“I take exception to that. What was I?”

“A mistake that I’ve been lamenting for the last two thousand years.”