Page 23 of Axios

“As you wish.”

I moved my arm from him and lay on my back, staring up at the ceiling. My body weighed with exhaustion, but sleep was far from reach. A memory awoke of a time years ago when I’d requested the same of him.

I’d been questioning my place in the world, knowing I lacked certain qualities to be a true warrior and ashamed of the fact. I hadn’t wished for Eryx to touch me because I hadn’t deserved the comfort of his embrace.

I wondered if he felt the same. Or perhaps, he blamed me for the incident that night and was angry. Whatever the reason, he needed space and I provided it for him.

When I closed my eyes, the dead boy stared back at me.

Forgive me, I told him, wishing he could hear me.

He opened his mouth, blood gushing from his lips, and screamed. The echoes of his cries filled my head, and I startled awake, the traces of sleep I’d had vanished and left me alert and cold.

I hadn’t held the blade that ended his life, but it was my fault he was dead. Blue eyes were added to the brown pair that appeared in my dreams—eyes that I’d closed forever. Eternally frozen with the terror of their final moments.

Chapter Six

As if mourning the loss of innocent life, the sun did not show the following day. It hid its face behind dark clouds and an unrelenting downpour, as if weeping all of the sorrows upon the land.

Some saw it as a blessing.

“The gods must be pleased,” they’d say, looking up at the darkened sky and closing their eyes as the water fell upon them.

However, I considered it an omen of times to come. Dreariness and death.

I stood at the side of the small training arena and watched as Haden and a boy named Menexenos practiced defensive and offensive maneuvers. Every so often, they switched places so as to better grasp both tactics.

Felix watched them with a keen eye, nodding in approval when they excelled and shouting when they did not.

Over the years, he’d become more of a mentor and not just the intimidating man I’d once feared. His harsh methods had helped us become better soldiers. Although I still did not agree with everything Spartans were taught—like the treatment of slaves and unnecessary violence—I had learned invaluable life lessons, such as how to survive, overcome pain, and rise up again and again.

“Haden needs to watch his left side,” Eryx said, standing beside me. He hadn’t talked much that morning, other than to comment on the training. “His strikes are precise, but he doesn’t defend well.”

I focused back on the boys, trying to see what Eryx saw.

Haden moved swiftly and dealt several punches in a matter of seconds, almost knocking Menexenos down for a third time. There were no flaws in his movements. Quick. Accurate. He blocked an attempted hit by slamming his forearm against the other boy’s.

But then it happened.

While Haden dodged another blow, Menexenos swung and hit him on the left side with such force that Haden stumbled and fell backward into the mud. Before he could roll out of the way, the other boy straddled his chest and savagely punched his face. Haden raised his arms to stop a hit, but was then struck on the other side. Finally, he shoved the boy off and stood but slipped and fell back to his knees.

The rain was of no help as it made everything slick. Each attempt at standing resulted in him crashing back into the mud.

“Enough,” Felix said, walking over to Haden and lifting him up by his arm. “You go into a fight with all brawn and no brains. Think, boy. You must calculate the enemy’s next move before they make it. Andalwaysdefend. If this were a real battle, you would’ve been bested by a man half your size.”

Menexenos stood beside Haden, emotionless. Where most men would’ve been taken by pride at having beaten a bigger man in a fight, he did not. His mouth was set in a grim line and his intense stare remained on our trainer.

We were taught long ago not to boast about small victories. It’s the greater ones that mattered.

“Axios.” Felix motioned for me to approach him. “You and Eryx fight next.”

Shocked, I looked at Eryx. We’d never gone against each other before. How could I ever hit him? Surely Felix was mistaken. He knew of our close companionship, so why would he put us against each other?

Eryx met my gaze and something in his eyes caused a shiver to run down my spine. Cold. My friend had given that stare to many others before but never to me. Along with the icy gaze, there was also rage.

Without a word to me, he walked toward Felix.

Forcing my legs to work, I progressed toward the center of the arena as well, staring at the back of his golden hair.