Page 118 of Eryx

I gripped the spear tighter in my hand and gritted my teeth. Jealousy was unbecoming of me, yet I couldn’t control it.

“What is the matter?” Axios asked.

I focused on him. “Is it wrong of me to fantasize about bashing his head into the ground?”

Axios puffed out a breath and shook his head in disapproval. “If you are referring to the king—ourking—then yes,” he said. “You are in the wrong.”

“Well, he was in the wrong for touching something that was not his to touch,” I snapped, tearing my gaze from his.

“I must admit, Ery, seeing you so jealous is very appealing. And pleasing.”

Hearing the smile in his voice, I turned back to him. The smile was present in his eyes too. How could he find pleasure in breaking my heart?

“I am happy my behavior is giving you such joy. Truly,” I said with a biting tone. “Although, if the situation were reversed, I am certain you would not find it so amusing.”

The humor instantly vanished from his face.

“You will never know how sorry I am,” he softly said. “There is no other I want more than you.”

Taking a deep breath, I calmed the rage coursing through my veins. I knew Axios only wanted me. I suppose I only needed to hear him say it again.

“It is in the past,” I responded. “Put it from your mind, and I shall try to do the same.”

He nodded and faced ahead.

Axios and I weren’t the only ones in a somber mood. Theon, who was on the other side of me, looked miserable as the hours went by. Haden hadn’t spoken since we’d left home and Quill kept sighing as he struggled with the weight of his shield.

To lift our spirits, I started whistling. As the sound rang in the air, Axios snapped his head toward me. I grinned at him and continued the song. He tried to join in, but he had never been good at whistling. I broke off the tune as I started to laugh at his failed attempts.

It made the time we spent marching enjoyable.

Later that evening, we made camp. The army separated into groups and built fires to battle the chill in the air. A different type of battle brewed in my chest, though, when the king broke free of his advisors and approached oursyssition.

I placed another log on the fire and stood, unable to stop the growl from leaving my throat.

Axios cast me a warning stare and shook his head.

“Good evening,” King Agesipolis greeted us, warming his hands over the fire.

“My king,” Axios said, bowing.

Something passed between them when their eyes met. An unspoken thing that only they shared.

“I only come to see how you all are faring,” the king said, focusing only on Axios. “The walk was long and tiresome this day.”

“We are well,” I answered, moving closer to Axios and putting an arm around his waist. If the king thought he could continue their affair from years earlier, he had another thing coming to him. Such as my blade across his throat.

King Agesipolis finally looked at me, and I hoped he saw the hatred in my stare. His gaze dropped to where I held Axios. There was an instant shift in his behavior, and his gaze hardened.

“Get your rest,” he said in a more authoritative tone. “We leave at first light.”

He looked at Axios again—the yearning in his eyes unmistakable—before turning his back to us and returning to his advisors. One of them approached him, probably to discuss strategy once we reached our destination, but the king held up his hand to silence him before continuing toward his mat on the ground.

Axios stared at him before lying with me by the fire. I wanted to ask him about his time with the king. I wished to know what it was about the other man that had captured my raven’s interest all those years ago.

Instead, I wrapped an arm around him and buried my face in the back of his hair as the men quieted around us. The truth would be more than I could bear. Some things were better left unsaid.

Chapter Twenty-Five