Leaving the sides of his legs and his hips completely exposed.
A fine gold braid linked the two pieces a few inches down from the belt, giving him some modesty.
The silver embroidery on the front strip caught the light of the torches as he turned towards Keras, a golden glow shimmering across the depiction of shells and sea life.
It caught on the iridescent swirls and arcs on his skin that curled around over his hips and wrapped around his thighs too, markings that were unique to him.
“The firstborn of Hades.” Nikos looked at Enyo, a smile curving his broad lips. “And the goddess of war. Let me guess. This is about the war brewing in the Underworld. The rumours about it have reached our shores.”
“It is why we seek your father, Nikos.” She did her best to ignore the way Keras’s eyes drilled into her, and the darkness she could feel rising inside him.
Nikos ran a hand through his short blue hair. “All these years and I finally see you again, and it isn’t even me you have come to see.”
He glanced at Keras again.
Her heart seized.
“He is handsome.” Nikos smiled slowly, an air of mischief about it. “I see now why you broke off our engagement.”
Keras was on him in a flash, had his right hand around Nikos’s throat and had him pinned to one of the columns.
Nikos wheezed, “If not a little dark like his father.”
Enyo wanted to close the distance between her and Keras and seize his arm, but planted her boots to the floor. Intervening physically would only provoke his darker side. She had witnessed the possessive nature of the blood of Hades, and how easily jealousy had turned the god-king dark, had pushed him to attack her own brother.
Keras had that same blood running in his veins.
If she seized hold of him, he was liable to misinterpret her actions, would believe she was trying to protect Nikos.
Was defending his cousin.
“I never had feelings for him.” She let those words slip from her lips, felt them fall heavily in the room.
Saw them shake Keras.
His green gaze edged towards her.
She stood her ground, gathered her courage and pushed the rest of the words out.
“I barely even knew Nikos when my brother and his father decided we should marry.” She clenched her fists at her sides to stop herself from reaching for Keras. “Nikos is only a friend. I do not feel for him the way I feel about you.”
Keras lowered Nikos and viciously shoved him into the column before letting him go and stepping back.
“We really do need to speak with your father,” she said as Keras backed towards her, as he came to stand at her side, his gaze never straying from Nikos.
Staking a claim on her?
She had half a mind to complain about his behaviour, didn’t like anyone thinking they owned her, but let it go. He had inherited a protective streak from his father, and she had witnessed it enough times in Hades to know better than to provoke that side of Keras.
Besides, part of her liked it.
“Hades is intent on allowing none outside of those in the Underworld to participate in this war,” she said. “Valen and Marek have gone to speak with Zeus about convincing Hades to listen to reason. We came to speak with Poseidon.”
“I cannot help there.” Nikos rubbed his reddened throat. “Father is off in one of his moods, brooding about something.”
Which was very like the god-king. He had a bad habit of disappearing for weeks on end whenever someone upset him.
“My brothers are all out of the realm on a mission.” Nikos crossed the short span of the lapis lazuli, gold and white mosaic that formed a pattern on the floor, reached the dais and sank down onto the edge of it, his breaths loud as his broad chest heaved.
“Nikos?” She risked a step towards him, concern building inside her as he paled, apparently struggling to recover from Keras’s attack. Which was strange. Keras hadn’t been that rough with him. She canted her head and studied him. “Are you unwell?”
Nikos shook his head, and then gave a half-hearted shrug. “Nothing for you to worry about. Just a little curse. My brothers have it under control… I think.”
He pulled down a shuddering breath and wheezed as he exhaled and lifted his head. His dull blue eyes fixed on her and his smile lacked emotion, looked forced to her.
“I just have moments.”
She reached for him.
He shook his head again.
She could feel the pressing weight of Keras’s gaze on her back, wanted to risk his wrath to check on Nikos, but tamped down that urge, reasoning with herself that she would hardly be helping him if Keras attacked him again because she had dared to touch him.
Nikos alleviated some of her worry as he pushed back onto his feet, the colour returning to his skin again as he stopped rubbing his throat.
“See? All better.” This time, his smile was genuine. “I’ll speak to Father. Maybe I can get a Messenger to him.”
“No Messengers,” Keras snapped. “They are working for the enemy.”
“All of them?” Nikos arched a blue eyebrow at him.
“Not all of them, but they are not to be trusted. Not right now.” Enyo’s brow furrowed as she looked Nikos over. “Are you sure you are all right?”
“Nice of you to be worried, but it is unnecessary. Talos is following up a lead as we speak.”
Which comforted her. Talos was competent, a very capable and intelligent male. If any of his four brothers could help Nikos with this curse, Talos could.
“I’ll speak to Father. Go.” Nikos jerked his chin towards her. “Before I find myself rudely pinned to another column by my cousin.”
She glanced over her shoulder at Keras.
His green eyes were narrowed on Nikos, black ringing them.
She backed up to him and took his hand. His eyes widened and dropped to their joined hands.
She nodded to Nikos. “Thank you.”
He shrugged that one off and eased back down to sit on the dais. “Call if you need me to fight.”
Like hell she would.
Nikos was in no condition to go into battle.
Whatever curse afflicted him, it was strong.
She led Keras out of the temple, down through the streets to the gate, and couldn’t step into it quickly enough.
When they reached the other side, Keras was swift to wrap his arms around her.
She stared up into his eyes as he teleported with her, into fathomless black that sparked with crimson around his dilated pupils.
Shivered from the possessive way he stared at her and how tightly he held her.
A feeling washed through her.
Things were about to change between them.
Chapter 20
Anger scoured Keras’s insides like acid, lit his blood on fire and devoured all rational thought, leaving him seething with rage as he stepped with Enyo, sweeping her away from the reach of the handsome god of the sea she had been betrothed to.
Anger with that god.
Anger that Enyo had hugged that male, pressing her curves to his near-naked body.
Anger that he had let her slip from his grasp once.
Anger that he still hadn’t found the strength to tell her how he felt.
He landed deep in the garden of the Tokyo mansion with her, wrapped in the shadowy night. She frowned as she tried to pull back and take in her surroundings, as he kept hold of her and refused to let her go.