Page 76 of Axios
I was struck with bewilderment, having never seen Eryx behave that way. I was the one who usually said such things. Not him. He’d let his overly-confidant façade fall in my presence before and he’d expressed his doubts, but no moment had ever been such as this, where he’d seemed so defeated.
“Eryx, look at me.” When he did not obey, I grabbed his chin and forced him to. “A man without fear is not brave. Bravery comes from being afraid, but doing a thing anyway. To be courageous is to fear death, and yet, charge at the enemy anyhow. Fear doesnotmake you a coward. But overcoming it makes you a man.”
He stared at me as if he were seeing me for the first time.
“You have always been troubled by the thought of war,” he commented, taking my hand in his. “How is it you are so calm?”
“Because I have you by my side,” I answered, seeing the way his expression shifted at my response. His eyes were no longer fearful, but held awe in their green depths. “And I know whatever we face, we face together. I—”
Eryx cut off my words by pulling me into a kiss.
Nothing more was said.
***
At dawn, we awoke to men bustling around outside our barracks, banging on doors, issuing orders, and waking the rest of the army.
Eryx kissed my shoulder as we lay in our bed, and we prolonged the moment as long as possible.
“I shall never forget the way your skin smells in the morning,” he whispered, brushing his nose along my shoulder blade and up to my nape where he then placed a kiss. “Nor how warm you feel in my arms.”
I closed my eyes and focused on every place we connected—the light pressure of his arm around my waist, the moving of his chest as he breathed, and the softness of his lips on my neck.
They were things I stored into memory. Treasured.
“We should get dressed,” I said in a sleep-heavy voice and turned my head to see him.
His tousled golden hair fell into his eyes a bit, giving him a boyish appearance, and his arm tightened around me. “Just a while longer.”
Haden stood from his bed and stared around the room a moment. Hesitating. He’d come back into our quarters late the night before, having spent as much time with Leanna and Leo as he could.
Just then, our door burst open, bringing with it a stream of light that chased away the darkness.
“Up!” A man roared, kicking at the sleeping man closest to him. “Time to gather our belongings and leave, you fools.”
Theon gave a loud snore and jerked upward, while Quill rose sluggishly and rubbed at his eyes. They were lying close together, as they’d begun doing in the past year. Nothing more than friendship had occurred between them—other than the one kiss they’d shared years before—but I had my suspicions there was something more they were hiding.
Quill had bedded several women as of late, but he always returned to Theon, who welcomed him into his bed like a lover, but still kept him at a distance.
Eryx leaned his head against mine before pulling away with a sigh. Cool air hit my back with his absence, and I yearned to feel his warmth again.
I rose from bed and did the same as the others: packed for war.
It did not take long for the army to prepare. Provisions had been gathered the evening before, so it was only a matter of retrieving our armor—which was scarce, only consisting of a helmet, cloak, greaves, and some men had breastplates, while some did not. Along with adoryspear, we also had axiphos—a double-edged short sword which assisted in close-handed combat more so than the javelin.
Our shields were marked with the letter ? which stood for our home of Laconia, and they were passed down from father to son. The shield I carried into battle was the same one my father had used before he was killed.
King Agesipolis approached before the army headed out. He would not be traveling with us, for we were to be commanded by Teleutias—a Spartan general—and the king needed to remain in Sparta to handle other affairs. He had just returned from an expedition in Mantinea, where he had laid siege to their city for challenging the treaty.
Since the day we’d spent together—one I remembered even after the six years that had passed—I’d only spoken to him on a few other occasions. We had often seen each other from afar, though, and exchanged nods of acknowledgment. But during those encounters, I did not miss the longing in his eyes as he stared at me: the knowing and remembrance of our day together, and the unspoken desire for more.
He stood at the head of the line of men and wished us good fortune on our endeavors. His dark hair hung midway down his ears and held a soft wave, some strands curling more than others. A dark shadow dusted his jaw, very much like how he’d kept it in the past, and told of his preference for the style.
As he spoke, I failed to hear all of his words for we were at a slight distance and his voice did not carry far, but I heard some of what was said. Glory. Strength. Honor. All words to describe our purpose for going to war.
Eryx watched the king with a narrowed brow, appearing expressionless to any other observers, but to me, I saw the tightening of his jaw and flash of anger in his eyes. He’d not forgotten my time with Agesipolis either.
A pang of remorse hit me at the thought.
