Page 65 of Axios

For a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me. He held me close, staring at me with newfound warmth. The hard planes of his face softened as he gazed upon me, and he raised a hand to caress my cheek.

I’d thought wrong.

“Affection such as the one we share is looked down upon in Sparta. Do you know why that is?” he asked on a whisper, not taking his eyes off mine. “It is because it makes us weak. As warriors, we are to be obedient and to put our home above all else, to follow orders—no matter what they may be—and to die if we must. When we allow love into our lives, we become prisoners to it.”

Grief clawed at my insides, desperate to reach the surface. I forced it back. Tears would solve nothing, nor would screaming at him to see reason. My gut told me what he was about to say, and instead of telling him everything I felt and how much I needed him in my life, I remained silent and allowed him to continue.

“Do you not see, Ax?” he asked, shaking his head. “When we are together, all I think about is you. Because we were at odds today, I made many foolish mistakes—mistakes I donotmake. I can never be the warrior I’m meant to be because Idoplace you first. Always.”

My heart did not ache anymore—I barely felt it.

“Is this goodbye, Eryx? If it is, tell me now so that I may spare myself this torment of anticipation and leave your sight.”

To grieve in private.

He studied me in silence.

The night air was warm, but it did nothing for the cold seeping into my bones.

How can he do this to me, after all we’ve been through?

We had both been in the wrong that day—him with his ignorant decision to marry out of duty, and me with kissing the king—but it wasn’t too late to mend those mistakes. To save what we had.

His next words could either heal my wounds or tear them open wider.

I beg you. Do not force me to walk away from you twice in one day.

“It would be wise for me to let you go,” he spoke, barely above a whisper. The melodic tone of his voice was deeper as he fought through the emotion he so carefully hid.

I braced myself for the moment my heart would shatter in my chest. The moment he no longer wanted me. His eyes displayed the same grief I felt in my entire being, and I knew it was the end.

Then… something shifted.

Sorrow was overpowered by a sudden resolve, and he lifted his hand and gripped the side of my neck. “But, I cannot. My life is nothing without you by my side.”

And then he kissed me with so much force that I stumbled backward into the archway. My body slid against the marble, and I tumbled to the ground. As I fell, I kept hold of him and he plopped on top of me with anoof.

Before I could even catch my breath, he started laughing.

The sound was contagious, and I laughed too. It reminded me of when we were young boys, climbing in our favorite tree and falling atop each other when I pulled him from the branch.

We were mad, the pair of us. Crazed out of our minds. Fighting one moment and laughing the next.

My laughter was a combination of amusement at our position and also intense relief at his words. He was my truest friend, confidant, and so much more than my lover.

He was my heart.

While we lay on the path, he kissed me again, that time gentler. His lips touched mine, and I melted into his intoxicating scent, burying my fingers into his hair and pulling him closer. Slow kisses built into something greater. Feverish. And soon, we both needed more.

My guilt lingered in the back of my mind, though, and ate away at me, keeping me from fully enjoying the moment with him.

“Tell me you forgive me,” I said, breaking away from his lips.

I did not have to explain my meaning. He peered down at me with such intense affection in his eyes that my breath caught in my throat.

“There is nothing to forgive,” he said. When I went to disagree, he put his finger to my mouth. “Enough. I do not want to hear more of this. What’s done is done.” However, then a possessiveness took over him again and he gripped my chin. “Swear to me you willneverkiss another for the rest of your days. Your lips.” He kissed me. “Your neck.” He nipped the skin at the base of my throat. “And every part of your body is mine. Swear it.”

“I swear,” I moaned and rolled my body upward to meet his.