Page 22 of Axios

“M-m-mercy,” the boy pleaded, swaying on his feet. His voice was of higher pitch and pleasant to the ears, even in his drunken state.

“Hear the way it begs,” Paris stated before turning to us and sneering. “Who wishes to show this filth the Spartan’s mercy?”

When the boy moved away in a rush, Paris yanked him by his pale hair and held him in place. Tears streamed down the helot’s face and his body shook.

His gaze found mine, and a pit formed in my stomach as his fate became clear.

No.

Belos focused on me as a menacing grin formed on his lips, and I felt ill as I suspected his intentions. My show of humanity to the slave was why he was being targeted in the first place. Therefore, they would force me to do the one thing that would forever change me even more than I already was.

However, before Belos could speak, Eryx stood from the table.

“I do,” he said, reverting back to his emotionless tone. “It shall be a pleasure.”

“Very well.” Paris removed a blade from the holder on his waist and held it out. “Do what must be done. The rest of you… watch and learn.”

Eryx moved forward and took the blade in his hands. The same hands that traced designs on my naked flesh in the early hours of the morning and the ones that caressed my cheek when I was overcome with worry.

They are not meant for this cruelty.

I averted my gaze.

Haden shook his head. “You must watch. Do not look away.”

He spoke truth, and yet, everything inside of me fought against it. I did not want to see the boy die.Because of me, he will. In a different life, we could’ve become friends. He had gentleness to him and a rare beauty.

Just as I focused back on the scene, Eryx sliced the blade across the boy’s throat in a swift motion. Blood spouted from the opening, coating Eryx’s face and the front of his tunic.

The boy’s body collapsed and hit the hard floor with a crack, convulsing a moment before going still. He lay on his side, staring but not seeing us at the table.

He’d never see anything again. Never taste earth’s sweet nectar of life or hear music playing through the marketplace.

My heart cracked in my chest and I wanted to weep. Weep for the young life that had been taken too soon and for no purpose other than spite. Cry for my friend who’d stepped in my place so I wouldn’t have to do it. Eryx had never taken a life before.

Until now.

Killing changed a man. Even years later, the terrified look in Darius’ eyes before I’d bashed in his skull with a rock still haunted me. Not a day passed where I did not wonder what Darius could’ve become had I not killed him.

How would it impact Eryx?

He wiped the blade on his bloodied clothing and handed it back to Paris. When he turned and faced me, there was nothing in his eyes. No sign of the boy I’d come to know and consider my greatest companion. His eyes were empty. Devoid of everything that made him who he was.

The walk back to the barracks was a quiet one. Not even Nikias spoke. He just led us and then parted ways.

Haden plopped down on his rough mat and faced the wall without a word to any of us. Quill and Theon—who normally stayed up and whispered amongst themselves—lay down and stayed silent.

Eryx lay on his mat beside mine, but faced away from me. I stared at the back of his head, yearning to touch his golden locks. To soothe him for I knew he was hurting.

Unable to fight the urge any longer, I scooted closer and wrapped my arm around him, holding him the way he liked to hold me.

“Don’t,” he said in a broken voice. “Leave me be, Axios.”

The crack in my chest widened.

“Ery… I—”

“Please.”