Page 142 of Eryx

I did not regret the decision. Haden proved to be highly amusing as he performed his silly tricks. Other men had gathered around him, elbowing each other and smirking. The amazement came from Haden’s neck not snapping in two with the weight of the shields. When they all came crashing to the ground, the men roared with laughter and slapped our friend on the back.

Oursyssitionwas then invited to eat with the other soldiers, and the evening passed with nothing but relaxation. Axios, however, had slowly slipped back into his mind, his eyes searching the shadows of camp as the moon shone above us.

“Tell me what it is you fear,” I said, grabbing his hand.

The contact startled him before he relaxed again. “Do you remember the day Nikias told me a story? It was so many years ago, yet I cannot forget his words.”

The memory was vague, but I remembered. “He told you a story of war, did he not?”

Axios nodded and took a seat on a tree stump, folding his hands in his lap. “Nikias said when he went on campaign with Agis they visited the Oracle at Delphi. A girl with pale hair and white eyes grabbed him, and he saw images in his mind’s eye.”

“What images?”

Axios hesitated, before whispering, “Of death.”

“We are no strangers to seeing death,” I said, sitting on the grass beside him and leaning against his leg.

“Nikias was pale as he told me of the vision,” Axios continued. “And these were his words:‘I saw Spartans fighting Thebans, and within the enemy lines there was a unit of three hundred men. They fought fiercely, protecting the men at their sides as if they cared deeply for them.’Does that not sound familiar?”

“The Sacred Band,” I whispered, looking up at the acropolis on top of the hill. “But Nikias could not have known of them, for this was years before their formation. Years before conflict rose with Thebes.”

Axios nodded. “So you see why I worry. What he said is coming to pass. There will be a battle between us and many men will fall.”

“Come.” I stood and held out my hand to him. “Worrying your mind over a thing you cannot control will only drive you mad. We should sleep.”

His hand slid into mine, and together we walked to our mat on the ground and lay down to rest.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Battle of Tegyra

The commanders led the army north to the city of Locris. We raided the area for most of the morning and into the afternoon before we were ordered to return south. With the steps of a thousand men, we marched down the path toward Orchomenus.

At Tegyra, a narrow passage located on the northern shores of Lake Kopias, our army collided with an equally surprised Theban force.

Both armies halted and we raised our shields in defense. I assessed the situation as quickly as possible. They were coming from the direction of Orchomenus, which told me they had attempted to attack the city in our absence but had probably retreated when they noticed the Spartan garrison still guarding it.

Theban soldiers stepped backward, clearly intimidated by our much larger force. We had a thousand men while they appeared to have only half that number.

“We have fallen into our enemy’s hands!” one of their soldiers cried out.

My gaze settled on Pelopidas, the Theban general whose attack on the Cadmea five years earlier had been the spark that ignited the war. He raised his chin at us and gave a cold smile.

I surveyed his army, noting both cavalry men and hoplites. I stilled when seeing the foot soldiers. The men held their shields forward and rested their swords between them. They didn’t move as they awaited orders, all men disciplined and prepared to fight.

The Sacred Band.

Axios sucked in a sharp breath as he noticed them too. Then, he turned to me. Our conversation flashed through my mind… a battle between Sparta and Thebes, one with three hundred male lovers. One that ended in death.

“Eryx!” he shouted, but his voice was drowned out.

That was when Pelopidas gave the order to attack.

The Theban cavalry charged, their horses kicking up dirt as they galloped toward us. My pulse raced faster and my breathing quickened as I gripped my shield tighter in my left hand. But there was no time for me to be taken with nerves.

Ourmoraadvanced forward while the men commanded by Theopompus formed a line behind us. We stopped and created a wall with our shields, readying our spears for the impact. Three rows of men were in front of us, and when the cavalry reached their lines, we helped push the enemy back, stabbing at them as we did.

Men fell from their horses as they were impaled with our spears, but when they fell, more took their place. While we were engaged with the cavalry, the enemy targeted our commanders. A clever strategy for an outnumbered army and one we should have anticipated. If you cannot kill the thousands of arms and legs of the beast, chop off the head.