Beauty of Thebes

Chapter 17: True Identity

“Let me help you, princess.”

Apollo kissed Eutostea’s swollen cheeks. His lips were cold as ice but soon, the heavy stinging pain was gone.

“This is Asclepios’ specialty. I learned a few tricked from him in the way of medicine. I’m good at healing broken bones and torn muscles,” he said.

“That’s unexpected.”

“What?” Apollo asked.

Eutostea touched the cheek where the stinging pain was once in. “You don’t seem the type who’d treat or heal someone.”

The sun god was known to be an arrogant and versatile man who lived his life based on his macabre taste.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, princess.”

“I could say the same.”

“But I do know a lot about your body…”

Eutostea was not cold despite the open windows. Apollo’s body, which held the heat of the sun, warmed her. Apollo could feel Eutostea’s fingers vividly digging onto his shoulder. Her scent completely settled over his body.

“Princess…”

Apollo craved her and yearned to know every inch of her. In the bluntest way possible, he wanted her. Never did he expect he’d think highly of her, much less spend the night with her regularly. There was something about her, something that drew him to her… something…

And then he had a dream, a prophetic dream. He, the god of prophecy, considered his dream an important device that gave glimpses of the future. And in that dream, Eutostea appeared. It was no fragmented dream, but detailed. She was woven into his future…

Apollo dragged her to the bed and traced his finger over her lustrous skin.

“…..Princes.”

He was like a butterfly who came to visit his flower, the flower that was soaking wet. He loved the taste of her nectar, the sweet fluid the flower produced. He drowned in ecstasy touching that flower.

And then… he closed his eyes.

Eutostea looked at the silhouette of the handsome god. She was anxious and it felt like she was sinning. No, there was no time to think. She was on a time-limit. She stopped hesitating and cautiously got out of the bed, put her clothes back on, and walked to the door. The sound of bare feet clinging to the floor was needlessly loud. Slowly she pushed her hair tie under the door and waited tensely. It felt like hours until–

The door opened slowly.

“Eutostea, is he asleep?” a voice whispered ever so softly.

Askitea and Hersia, with their hair hanging down and in their pajamas, held a candle. They looked like thieves. Hersia pulled the candlelight close to her to prevent the light from spreading. Meanwhile, Eutostea nodded, her face ever so tense. She stepped aside and allowed her sisters in.

The light crept toward the bed.

The thick dark curtains were lifted and the white sheet exuded a certain warmth. A big foot stuck out off the blanket. His foot was smooth and without calluses. His tendons were attractive… his ankle too. Askitea’s eyes ran through his legs and saw his thighs revealed halfway. She groaned lowly.

“…..” Eutostea sighed.

‘Are you really going to do this?’

Askitea moved the candlelight. The man laid on his stomach. He had blonde shaggy hair that rested over his broad shoulder. His olive skin glowed.

“I can’t see his face…” Askitea whispered.

The three women bent over and looked at the man’s countenance, but darkness overpowered them.

“Give it to me.”

Eutostea snatched the candlestick from her sister and crouched down beside him. As she neared his figure, she moved the candlestick to light his face. From the side of his face… to his nose bridge… to his full lips… to his chin… and chest… the lights showed his figure fully.

Hersia and Askitea sucked in a sharp breath.

He was… godly beautiful.

He looked more feminine than masculine, his drooping eyes like glowing puppies. His face was strong and defined, his features molded from granite. His eyebrows sloped downwards in a serious expression. His long eyelashes were like butterfly wings and his usually playful smile was now resting and now looked like perfect lips pressed firmly together that were ripe for kissing. He had prominent jaws that curved around his neck gracefully and had firm chest and muscles.

Eutostea who she had spent the nights with him stared at him, unable to say a word. The man who had kissed her, hugged her, held her, and caused her tears was revealed under the candlelight.

He was… no doubt… Apollo.

The three women knew it deep in their hearts as they stood in place absentmindedly. There was no denying it. He was a god, he was Apollo.

“What do we do now…?”

But they did not know.

Meanwhile, the candle wax dripped down and fell on the shoulders of the sleeping god.

Apollo opened his eyes in fright.

“!”

Eutostea hurriedly pulled back the candle, their eyes meeting.