Page 58 of Axios
The men who’d been standing beside me moved out of the way to give us room, but none of them cheered or made any noise at all. Many had earned my respect and I theirs, but their faces were taut and their expressions grim.
Only Haden had ever been able to take Gaius down, so the odds were not in my favor.
But surrendering was not an option. I would either win or be knocked unconscious in the process. Yielding to Gaius would give him the satisfaction of mocking my cowardice for the rest of my days, and I’d rather fall with dignity than allow that to happen.
He anticipated every move before I made it.
I moved to the left, and he swung with his right. I ducked, and he kicked me in the stomach. When I lunged forward to tackle him, he shoved against my back and sent me to the dirt.
“You make this too easy,” he said, amused.
After dodging a kick to my ribs, I got to my feet. Blood dripped from my lip and a part of the skin on my torso was already darkening with a bruise. Whereas, Gaius remained untouched. I tried to punch him, but he caught my fist in his hand and twisted. If he turned it anymore, I was sure it would break.
He took joy in the way it strained in his grasp, and he smirked as he searched my face for any signs of pain.
I gave him nothing. Taking advantage of his slight distraction, I used my other hand to smash into his arrogant face.
He did not move with the impact—he was like a wall of stone—but the hit had clearly surprised him and he lost the hold on my other hand.
As he attacked, I noticed his eyes focused on the spot he aimed for. I moved before he made contact and flipped back around to face him. When he dove forward once more, I saw him do it again. Soon, I found myself able to anticipate his movements with more ease than I had before.
Eryx had often told me that every man had a flaw in their fighting technique. A weakness that once known made them vulnerable and susceptible to defeat. Gaius’ flaw was his bulk, along with his arrogance at being such a size. His large body was telling of where he intended to move next.
Once I understood how to read him, it was easier to dodge his blows, and I managed to land a few of my own.
We continued to fight long after the sun had moved in the sky.
My muscles ached and each of my movements became more difficult. Each twist out of the way became more sluggish and the impact of my punches weakened. Sweat drenched my hair and trickled down my face, and I wiped my eyes to clear them of it. Some found its way in regardless, and it burned and momentarily blurred my vision.
That was the diversion Gaius needed. He rammed his head into my chest and tackled me to the ground.
I hit with such force that the air left my lungs, and I gasped, desperately trying to breathe but unable to. Finally, I drew a breath and gulped in as much air as I could. My arms were weakened, and I could not find the strength to push Gaius off me.
Knowing I was at his mercy now, I braced myself for the imminent strikes he would place upon my already bruised and bloodied body.
They did not come.
Instead, Gaius shifted his weight from me and stood. Peering down at me, he offered me a hand.
Shocked and confused, I did not react.
“Take my damned hand, boy,” he growled. “You fought well.”
I allowed him to help me to my feet, half expecting him to knock me down again as part of a cruel deception, but he did not. When I met his stare, he did not look upon me with revulsion as I’d come to expect from him.
He nodded to me before moving his attention to the men behind us. “That is enough for this day. Go clean yourselves of your filth. The pigs that roll around in their own shit smell better than you lot.”
I hadn’t beaten him, but I’d accomplished what most men could not. I’d earned his respect.
The men gathered their shields and spears before exiting the field. They’d return them to the armory before going down to the stream to wash. On a smoldering day like that day, a swim in the cool water would be a relief from the heat, and I was eager to do the same.
When I turned, though, I froze upon seeing the man that stood at the edge of the arena, not even ten strides from me. I’d only seen him once before, but his wavy dark brown hair, manner of dress, and royal stance was unmistakable.
King Agesipolis, the young king.
And he was watching me.
Chapter Fifteen
