Claimed by the Order (S-Gods, #1) (21 page)

“I cannot believe I am having this discussion with you, Akad. I will not ask for Siren’s hand. We will be the laughing stock of the entire world.”

“Father, please ...” Akad rose to his feet. “You said I must marry, and you asked me to name who I wanted. I want the goddess Siren. I want no other goddess but her. Ask her in confidence if you must, but please ask her.”

Anshar furrowed his brow.

“I don’t know where I went wrong with you. There are plenty of young goddesses dying for your love, yet you ask for the one goddess who would rip you to shreds. I will save you the humiliation and choose a bride for you!”

Akad looked away from his father, wishing he had never opened his mouth. Anshar was unbending. There was no use arguing the point any further.

“Yes, father.”

The next day, Anshar arranged a marriage with a goddess Akad had never met. When Anshar arrived at his quarters to inform him of the news, Akad was despondent and barely even there. It was true that marriage was necessary for the bearing of heirs, but he felt as if he’d just started living. His brief love affair with Marduk was his only experience, yet it had ended in bitter betrayal.
Maybe I wasn’t meant for love.

“You will wed her in three days,” Anshar said, but his words had no effect on Akad. Whether the wedding took place in three days or three weeks made no difference.

“Yes father,” Akad replied, his eyes cast down.

Anshar regarded Akad in silence.

“Listen, Anu,” he said, placing a hand on Akad’s shoulder. “I know you are unhappy about this marriage, but I am proud of you for doing your duty.” He paused. “Anu, I hope you realize I would have given you everything; I would have spoiled you like I spoiled your siblings, but you are my heir, and you will someday rule as supreme god of this world. A god with your powers and position must have a heart and mind made of the hardest stone. Gods who are spoiled become soft and are easily crushed; so I push you to become harder and stronger. Everything I’ve ever done has been to protect you and prepare you for your destiny. When you have your own heir, you’ll understand. You’ll want him to succeed and you’ll raise him to be strong just as I’ve done with you.”

“Yes, father,” Akad replied, his stomach compressing tightly. Anshar had never before made an attempt to explain his actions. He wanted to feel something, but his father’s words seemed too far away to grasp. He imagined Anshar stomping on his chest until the hurt bled out and all feeling was extinguished forever. Then he would be his father’s perfect son. He would be just like Anshar: a fierce and formidable god who could kill, torture, and destroy without shedding one tear.

Akad had no recollection of Anshar leaving his quarters. He resolved to stay locked in his room until the day of his wedding. Weddings were supposed to be joyous occasions, but for him, it was like a final stake through his heart. After what had happened with Marduk, Akad welcomed the numbing end to his dreams.

M
arduk woke upon a mound of moss in the forest, the sound of chattering birds filling his ears. After Akad punched him and left him outside the lower hall, Shamash, Seth, and Sin had come after him, chasing him through the corridors. Marduk had managed to evade them, running through the gardens and into the forest where he finally collapsed, crying himself to sleep. Remembering the horror and hatred in Akad’s expression now made his tears return. The bruised, bleeding organ that used to be his heart barely beat in his chest. He could not accept that he’d lost Akad.

After sitting up and wiping his eyes, Marduk peered into the trees. A faint amount of light filtered through the treetops, casting long rays on sparse vegetation peppered through the forest. He wanted to return to the temple, but he knew he was in trouble with the Order. Shamash had warned him the previous morning about keeping his hands off Akad, yet Marduk deliberately disobeyed him. He’d wanted to save Akad, and he had, but in doing so, everything was ruined. Akad hated him just as much as he would if Marduk had betrayed him to the Order. Now, he had Shamash to contend with, and Shamash would surely make him pay for what he had done.

Marduk decided no amount of fear could keep him away from Akad. He had to do everything in his power to get him back. Even if Akad wouldn’t have him, he could not live with Akad hating him and believing he had betrayed him. Marduk realized the only way to set things right was to tell Akad everything about the Order. He would rather Akad look at him like a whore, lose all respect for him as a god, than believe he had intentionally hurt him. He had to make sure Akad knew the sincerity of his feelings and that everything he had done was in attempt to save him from the Order.

Marduk rose to his feet and made his way through the forest toward the temple. No matter the danger he faced, he had to find Akad and set things straight. Once on temple grounds, Marduk asked around among the mortals until one was able to direct him to Akad’s quarters. After leading Marduk to a winding staircase with a courtyard below, the man indicated that Akad’s room was the second door on the third floor. Marduk thanked the mortal and climbed the stairs, stopping on the third landing before the second door. His heart pounded as he rapped the bronze knocker three times. Akad might take another swing at him, but this time Marduk wouldn’t stop talking until it was all out. He waited a few minutes with no answer before finally knocking again. He could hear no sign of movement beyond the door, and was wondering if he had tried the right room, when a door several paces to his right flew open. Marduk looked up to see the great god Anshar emerge from the room and come straight at him.

“Greetings, great lord Anshar,” Marduk said right before Anshar struck him hard in the face. Marduk flew across the landing. His back hit the wall, and he sank to the floor, his head spinning. Anshar grabbed him by the throat, lifting him up, and pinned him to the wall.

“You have no business being here!” Anshar roared, looming over him. His hand tightened around Marduk’s neck.

“I came for Anu-Akad,” Marduk managed to choke out.

“My son is a high born-god; and you, Marduk, are not even worthy of his presence. You should have thanked the heavens that he ever looked in your direction—that he deemed you suitable to be his lover. You should have worshipped the ground he walked on, but instead you disgraced him by spreading rumors among the gods. What makes you think he’ll ever want to see your face again?”

“Anshar, I—”

“Shut up, Marduk. Anu will be married to a goddess in three days, so I suggest you find another god to worship your hole! There are plenty of gods who would love to have your womanly lips on their cocks, so go tend to their needs, and don’t ever come knocking on Anu’s door again!”

Anshar twisted Marduk around, and shoved him down the stairs he had just ascended. Marduk tumbled down the stairs and smacked hard into the second-floor landing. There he lay sprawled out, darkness swirling around him. He wasn’t sure how long he had lain there or how he had managed to make it down the remaining flights of stairs, but once he was at the bottom, he crumpled into a ball on the ground. Anshar’s words echoed in his mind. Akad would be married in three days—to a goddess—and Marduk could do nothing to stop it. Tears stung his eyes, and his strength to fight drained out of him. The Order may capture and torture him, but losing Akad forever was worse than any punishment they could ever inflict.

Marduk heard a gentle voice and felt soft hands upon his back. As he opened his eyes, he realized he was still lying on the floor at the bottom of the winding staircase. He hoped it was Akad who had found him, but the voice that spoke was feminine.

“Marduk,” the voice said again, and he rolled to his side to see the majestic vision of Isis kneeling beside him. Marduk was lulled by her soft voice and beauty, then the memory of Isis watching while Ra fuck him flooded back, and he jerked away from her, staring at her with wide eyes.

“Let me take you to Shamash,” Isis said in a calm assuring voice.

“No!” Marduk scrambled away, his back hitting the stone wall behind him.

“Marduk, you may be in trouble, but there’s no need to worry. You messed up, but no one is perfect. Come with me so we can work this out.”

Marduk stared at Isis, shaking his head. He remembered the rage in Shamash’s eyes when he told him what he’d done.

“Marduk, just take a moment to relax.” Isis leaned closer, laying a hand on his shoulder. “You have a fair master, Marduk. You have nothing to fear. Maybe they’ll spank you or fuck you; it’s nothing you haven’t endured before. Being in the Order is meant to make you stronger. Never do we seek to destroy a god. Any punishment they give you will heal overnight.” She slid her arm around his neck and hugged him tightly. “Marduk, the sooner you get it over with, the better. You know as well as I do that you can’t run from them forever.”

Marduk let his body relax in her embrace. He wanted to believe all her assurances. He dreamed of Isis taking him to a safe place, far from those who wished to harm him, but when he finally rose to his feet, Isis led him through the corridors directly to the lower hall.

The moment Marduk stepped in, his breath hitched. Shamash, Seth and Sin were seated before the fireplace in the main room. Marduk froze, unable to move any closer, and then Isis released his hand and was gone. He wondered what madness had overcome him to let Isis lead him back into their hands.

“Marduk,” Shamash said, rising from his seat and striding toward him. “I’m so happy to see you’ve come to your senses and returned to your rightful place.”

Marduk took a step backward, his back hitting the door, but Shamash was already towering over him.

“I’d love to kiss you again, Marduk. I’ve been dreaming of beating your ass until it was red and bleeding and dragging you off to my bed, but unfortunately, you no longer belong to me. You belong to Seth now, and I doubt Seth will be sharing you for some time.”

“Shamash, no!” Marduk’s heart gave way. This couldn’t be true. He turned around, attempting to open the door, but Seth’s weight smashed against him.

“Shamash, please don’t,” Marduk pleaded, but Shamash was as good as gone. Seth’s hands were on him, stripping him down. Then Seth’s mouth was on his, and Marduk’s stomach lurched. A scream was building within him, but no sound could escape as Seth’s hand clamped around his throat. Marduk was slipping into darkness, impaled by his worst nightmare.
This cannot be happening. None of this is real.
He imagined waking to find he was actually free, but darkness dragged him under.

A
kad ran his hands down the front of his white, diamond-studded suit. The mortal priests had just tied his hair back, lacing a strand of diamonds into a long braid down his back. His stomach twisted as he raised his gaze to the tent entrance. It was his wedding day, and the first day he would lay eyes on his bride to be. Outside, a gathering of gods stretched all the way to the gardens’ edge. Soon, the harps would start playing, and the gods would be waiting for Akad to step out of the tent to join his bride.

Akad wished he could relax; that he could just close his eyes and let it happen. He wanted the wedding to just be over, but something in the back of his mind kept sneaking to the fore. The feeling would come to him and linger for a moment before evaporating into thin air. Akad wasn’t sure what it meant, but ever since he left Marduk, he felt as if he was missing something. After outing Akad in front of the gods, Marduk had pursued him out of the lower hall, arguing his case the whole way. Even after Akad punched him, Marduk had continued to profess his innocence, claiming he had done it to save him.

His claims had seemed absurd, but Akad kept wondering what explanation Marduk could possibly have. He kept imagining Marduk would come knocking on his door, begging him for one more chance. Though he doubted he could forgive Marduk, he wished he would have listened to his story. When news of his wedding was released, Akad was sure this would be enough to bring Marduk to his quarters, but Marduk never came. Although it had only been four days since their breakup, Marduk’s failure to fight for him convinced Akad that he had been in it for conquest all along. Akad should have known this by how Marduk had approached him that first day in the gardens.

Akad’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of bells ringing outside the tent. His fingers tingled. Next would come the melody of harps to summon him out. Akad tried to tell himself it meant nothing.
Marriage is a formality; a necessity of the gods.
He knew he could take lovers; he could have an entire harem if he pleased, but he couldn’t help feeling he had just begun living, and no matter how he framed it, this marriage was like a door closing on his heart.

A roar of applause filled the air as a flurry of white and pink petals rained down on the deities outside. Akad’s breath caught in his chest. The moment was swiftly approaching.

“Anu,” an unfamiliar voice called to him from outside his tent. Akad turned in the direction he had heard the voice. A knife slashed vertically through the canvas. Akad’s eyes grew wide as a beautiful young god with long black hair climbed through the opening, regarding him with a worried look in his eyes. Akad immediately recognized the god from Marduk’s classes.

“Who are you, and what the hell are you doing?”

“Anu, please listen. My name’s Aya. I’ve come on behalf of Marduk.”

Akad’s expression darkened. “Why didn’t Marduk come to me himself?”

“Anu, please listen,” Aya said, grasping Akad by the arms. “They’ve taken Marduk, and they’re holding him prisoner. I’ve been trying to reach you for three days now, but your father wouldn’t let anyone near your quarters.”

“Who took him?” Akad’s stomach twisted.

“There’s a group of deities that preys on young virgin gods. They forced Marduk to be their sex slave, and they were coming after you to do the same. That’s why Marduk told them you weren’t a virgin. He did it to save you. Now he’s being punished for it. He sacrificed himself so they would leave you alone.”