“Give me Ias’s soul.”

Artemis gave him an arched look. “Are you willing to pay the price I ask for it, and to the terms for their release?”

His heart shrank at her words. He remembered the youth he had been long ago.

Everything has a price, boy. Nothing ever comes to anyone for free.His uncle had taught him well the price of survival.

Acheron had paid dearly for everything he’d ever had or wanted. Food. Shelter. Clothes.

Paid with flesh and blood.

Some things never changed.

“Yes,” he said. “I agree. I’ll pay.”

Artemis smiled. “Don’t look so unhappy, Acheron. I promise you, you’ll enjoy it.”

His stomach tightened even more. He’d heard those words before too.

***

It was dusk when Acheron returned to the cave.

He wasn’t alone as he walked up the small rise. He led two men and four horses.

“What is all this?” Callabrax asked.

“These are to be the shield-bearers for you and Kyros. They’ve come to show you both to the villas where you will live. They will see to anything you need and I will come by later to finish our training.”

“What of me?” Ias asked.

“You’re coming with me.”

Acheron waited until the other two had mounted their horses and left before he turned back to Ias. “Are you ready to go home?”

Ias looked surprised. “But you said—”

“I was wrong. You can go back.”

“What of my oath to Artemis?”

“It’s been taken care of.”

Ias embraced him like a brother.

Acheron cringed at the contact, especially since it aggravated the deep welts on his back. The even deeper welts that resided in his soul.

He’d always hated for anyone to touch him.

Gently, he pushed Ias away.

“Come, let us see you home.”

Acheron flashed them back to Ias’s small farm where his wife had just sent their two children to bed.