Page 89 of Axios

She met his gaze and they shared a smile, one full of affection.

Witnessing a man such as Haden become so tame in the presence of my sister caused warmth to flood my chest. They were perfect together.

Autumn had arrived, and with it, the leaves had begun their transition from green to a flourish of orange, yellow, and even red. Standing beside Eryx, I leaned into him and breathed in the crisp air.

His lips touched my temple.

We spent a good portion of the day there before leaving. And when we returned home, we heard news that uprooted our lives once again.

Theon, Quill, Ian, and Melias were sat around a fire, staring into the flames in silence. Nikias stood beside them and looked up at our approach.

“Have you heard?” he asked, limping toward us. When we gave him blank stares, he continued, “Another army is being sent north under the command of King Agesipolis.”

“What of the army that is already there?” Eryx asked.

When Nikias explained, my blood ran cold.

Continuing the expedition in the region of Chalcidice, Sparta had fought another battle with Olynthus. The commander, Teleutias, had conducted the raid in Olynthian territory without waiting for assistance from all the other allies.

Just as I had presumed from my time with him, he was an arrogant man who believed his abilities to be far greater than they were. And I’d been right.

“He sent his army to destroy the fruit trees and fields outside the city,” Nikias explained. “I can only imagine as a way to anger the enemy and abolish a food source at the same time. The Olynthians sent a cavalry to meet them. Much fighting ensued afterward and men from both armies perished.”

I listened as he spoke, seeing it all so vividly in my mind’s eye. I had fought on that field, outside of those city walls. I knew what the Olynthians were capable of.

“Messengers have said that Teleutias was doing well, but then the tides changed, and the enemy gained the advantage. Our army was hit with the enemy’s heavy infantry and then charged from the opposite side by more cavalry soldiers. Teleutias and over one thousand of his men were killed.”

I might have thought the man too conceited and power-hungry, but I did not wish death upon him. All of the Spartan men who had died, Eryx and my companions would’ve been amongst them had we not been sent home.

And now we are to return.

“When do we leave?” I asked.

Nikias shrugged. “The king wishes to choose the men who are to accompany him, along with his ten advisors. Word has it that once he makes his selection, the army should be departing in three to four days’ time. That is all I know.”

Our expressions were grim, not only at learning we were to leave again for war, but also for the fallen soldiers who had given their lives for our home.

To die for Sparta was the greatest honor, but it did not make their loss any easier. Not for me anyway.

It was no surprise when I was told the following day that I’d be traveling with the king. He had the power to choose his army, so I suspected he’d choose me. In fact, he chose my entire syssition, including Ian and Melias who had never been to war.

They no longer hid their relationship. Melias—who’d grown into a heavily muscled man—engulfed Ian’s slender frame when they openly embraced the other. It seemed as if mine and Eryx’s example at not hiding our love gave courage to other men to do the same.

As for Theon and Quill, they had not furthered their relationship in the past year. Theon continued to cast longing stares at Quill, but the men never touched… not from what I had noticed, anyway. However, Quill no longer sought out women to bed.

When I had asked him why before, he had only shrugged and answered that he did not favor it.

On the eve before the army left, Eryx and I sat atop our favorite hill. It overlooked the valley and had a great view of Mount Taygetus. It was quiet, apart from the sounds of nature. A crow cawed overhead and flew to a nearby tree. Running water sounded in the distance.

Moments such as those put me at peace.

“Do you wish to hear a story?” Eryx asked, breaking the silence.

He hadn’t told me one in so long, and I missed them.

“Yes,” I said, leaning against his shoulder and staring at the sun sinking below the mountain.

A pause followed as he pressed his face into my hair. Then, he pulled away and rested his cheek against the top of my head.