Page 98 of Axios

When I had debated on asking them, Eryx had told me not to and said they would make it known to us when—and if—they chose to.

And here I am still waiting.

Haden looked up and waved us over to him. When we sat on the edge of his bed, he leaned forward and said, “Since you two fools disappeared after dinner, you missed the news from the king. The cavalry from Thessaly will be here on the morrow. Then, we will set out the day after.”

Our other allies had already arrived with their armies, but we had been waiting for Thessaly. Spartans that had been stationed in Potidaea had joined us too. They were under the command of Eudamidas, a fierce leader. The surviving men from the battle where Teleutias had fallen had united with us as well.

“So we will arrive in Olynthus in two days’ time,” I said, more to myself than to either of them.

Haden nodded. “That is what appears to be so.”

I went to lie down on my bed, not in the mindset to speak more of the forthcoming battle. But the refusal to speak of it did nothing to stop the thoughts from haunting my mind anyway.

Two times Sparta had tried invading Olynthus, and two times we had not been successful. The odds seemed to be stacked against us. There was talk of how the gods must have been angry with Sparta. We were an army that rarely lost a battle, and yet, there we were being challenged again and again.

However, I did not believe in such musings. Sparta’s pride was killing its men. Not the gods. The Olynthians had struck down every army sent to take their city. Even with the allied forces and men from the other Spartan armies joining our cause, we were still of smaller number than the previous battles.

If those men had failed, what chance did we have?

Eryx lay behind me and pulled me into his arms as he liked to do, and I closed my eyes, trying to find comfort in the feel of him.

When I finally fell asleep, more nightmares found me. Tormented me. Instead of Eryx dying by an arrow to the neck, he met his end with a blade piercing his heart. As he fell, I had caught him, seeing the life fade from his eyes as I looked into the green depths.

I’d woken in the dead of night, shaking and sweating. My mind could not rest until I checked on him.

He lay on his side, still asleep with a tranquil expression on his face. He looked so innocent. Beautiful.

I caressed his cheek before lying back down. The racing of my heart finally calmed, but I was afraid to drift back to sleep, terrified of the darkness that awaited me in my dreams.

Chapter Twenty-Six

The day was abnormally peaceful as we marched toward battle. Blue sky spanned above us, broken up only by the occasional wispy cloud. The sun warmed our skin, but it was not insufferable. The spring air held with it a cool breeze that helped balance the heat blazing down upon our armored bodies.

I was inhaling the sweet scent of the morning and trying to soothe my worrying mind, when the line of men in front of me stopped, causing me to nearly collide with them.

I looked to Eryx, confused.

He met my stare and shook his head. “I do not know why we’ve stopped.”

We must have been a mile or less from Olynthus, so perhaps the king wished to give us instruction or encouragement before the fighting ensued. The Spartan unit was directly behind him and his advisors, and the allies followed behind us.

I tilted my head to see Agesipolis.

He was a remarkable sight to behold as he turned to address us. His armor was the same as ours—a helmet made of bronze, a large, rounded shield, a breastplate, ankle guards, and a red cloak draped across his back—but he somehow appeared more superior. Perhaps it was his regal stature or maybe it was the way he stood with such confidence, but his appearance alone demanded attention.

“There are plans I have kept secret,” the king said in a loud, clear voice. “I did not wish for the enemy to catch word of my strategy and ruin the element of surprise. All that know of the plan are me and the commanders.”

Tension filled my shoulders, and I straightened my stance to help rid it. Worrying was useless. Fretting a thing would not stop it from coming to pass; it would only cause suffering and tormenting thoughts until it did.

I needed to trust in my king. If he had a strategic proposal, it would work. It had to.

Agesipolis then told us of his strategy and ordered the commanders to inform their units toward the rear.

He was dividing the army. One force was being sent to lay siege on Olynthus as anticipated, but the other was going to storm the gulf of Torone—an essential ally of Olynthus—and take the city.

Torone had already sent men to aid the Olynthians, so they obviously were not expecting an army to advance upon them. Unaware and without their full fighting force, they were all but defenseless. Their city rested in such a flourishing area that taking it would give us the advantage in moving forward in the war.

After the men became aware of what was expected of them, the king’s plan was set into motion and we began marching again.