Page 147 of Eryx

“Not well.” I looked over at Quill. He sat by the lake with his arms around his knees. Just staring. “He has not spoken to any of us since that day. We were able to retrieve the bodies of our fallen, and Quill wanted to carry Theon back to Sparta for a proper burial… but the new commander denied his wishes and demanded that he bury him here with the others.”

“And what of the cowards who abandoned us on the field?”

Hearing the disgust in his tone, my gut tightened. What would he think when I told himIhad been one of those cowards? That I had retreated from battle? Would he look at me with such revulsion too?

“They were reprieved from any punishment,” I answered. “Sparta needs all the men we have, and in such dire situations, laws can be altered.”

“How are we alive?” he asked, touching my hand. “What happened after I fell?”

Staring into his eyes, I felt ashamed. Ever since the day my father abandoned his brothers on the battlefield, a stain had been placed on our family name. I had spent my whole life trying to prove everyone wrong; proving I would never follow in his footsteps. That I’d never surrender.

And now I am just like him.

“Axios!” Haden ran over and kneeled on the grass beside us. The minor cuts on his face had scabbed over, and his arms remained wrapped, the cloth bleeding through in some areas. “I am delighted to see you awake at last. I worried we were going to lose you too.”

“I thought the same,” Axios answered.

“You must be starved,” I said, letting go of his hand and standing. “I will bring you something to eat.”

I felt his gaze on me as I walked away. He needed to eat, but the true reason for my leaving was that I needed a moment to myself to process all that had happened. I’d stayed by his side since the battle, not sleeping and constantly worrying. Now that I knew he would be fine, exhaustion was taking over. And so were all the emotions I’d kept at bay—grief, anger, and fear. Fear because the future, for Sparta, was unknown.

Men glanced at me and bowed their heads as I passed. Others clapped me on the shoulder before continuing their tasks. Their behavior intrigued me, though no explanation for it was given.

After finding fresh meat and bread, I returned to Axios’ side. Haden snapped his mouth closed and Axios gave me a thin smile. There was no doubt that Haden had told him the truth, and I prepared myself for the disgust.

But it never came.

Axios picked at his food, eating as much as he could before pushing it away. He had no appetite, not that I could blame him. I had barely eaten as well. He stared up at the blue sky and closed his eyes at the soft breeze. But then he sat up taller and winced.

“You need to rest in the shade,” I said, seeing his skin glisten and the ends of his hair dampen. “The sun is at its highest and you are starting to sweat.”

“Ery.” He shook his head. “I’m—”

“That was not a request,” I said in a firm tone.

I wrapped an arm around his waist and lifted him up before guiding him back into the tent. Wounded men rested in the shade, some asleep while others quietly groaned in pain. One Spartan was missing the lower half of his right leg, having had it amputated shortly after the battle to save his life. Another had his head wrapped from where he’d been impaled in the eye.

Axios lay down and was asleep within minutes.

“You told him,” I stated.

“Yes,” Haden answered from behind me. “Do not forget you are not the only one who fled the battlefield, Eryx. We all did.”

“We were always told Spartans never surrender.”

“Tell me something, brother.” Haden stepped closer, and I turned to him. “If Axios wasn’t on the field and it was only you fighting the Thebans… would you have retreated?”

“No. I would have fought until my last breath.”

“But you would not fight untilhislast breath.”

I looked at Axios and lightly ran my fingers over his bicep. Saying nothing. Haden eventually left, and I rested my head on Axios’ chest. Exhaustion finally won after fighting it for so long, and I drifted to sleep.

***

“Am I allowed to go for a walk while you’re away?” Axios asked. “Or must I be confined to this bed for all of eternity?”

I cracked a smile and lowered myself down to the mat, brushing my lips across his. “Only if you’re careful.” I kissed him once, twice, before pulling away and rising to my feet. “Do not overly exert yourself.”