Page 150 of Eryx

“There is still time to change your mind,” I said.

“No.” He shook his head. “This is my home now.”

I patted the top of his head and ruffled his brown locks, wanting to see him smile before we left. Then, I told the men to get into formation. As an officer, I was in charge of keeping my unit in order. I took my place at the front of the line, Axios to my right and Haden to my left.

Then, we moved out of the city.

Quill stood near the lake and watched us leave. The sight of him standing there alone would haunt me for many years to come. I nearly broke formation to go over and beg him to change his mind. But then I remembered Theon buried in the field nearby, and I knew if it was Axios who rested there, I would never leave this city either.

“He will be all right, Ax,” I said, catching him staring at Quill. “He is stronger than you think.”

Axios stared at the dirt, and before we rounded the corner out of the city, he looked at Quill one last time. He sighed and faced ahead as the city faded behind us.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Much was the same. The white peak of Mount Taygetus in the distance, the sound of the rushing river, and the olive trees in the valley. The tall grass swayed in the field and a scent of smoke was carried with the wind.

Laconia hadn’t changed.

But I had.

We all had.

After ridding ourselves of our armor, Axios and I walked home. The path was familiar, as was the feel of his hand in mine. He wondered if the family of rabbits still dwelled in the bushes behind our house and, if so, if we could feed them. I smiled at his tender heart and told him we could do whatever he desired.

His mood shifted once we walked through the door, however. He trailed a hand over the table before opening the shutters on the window. When several moments passed and he didn’t move, I closed the gap between us and took him into my arms.

“Axios?”

“Were we in the wrong to leave him there?” he asked, staring outside. I suspected he wasn’t looking at the trees or the shrubs. His mind was in Orchomenus with the brother we’d left behind. “Being home while he is still away feels wrong. As if we abandoned him.”

“It was what he wanted,” I replied, moving away from the window to light a candle. The flame flickered a moment before steadying. “What were we to do? Tie him up and force him to return with us? We need to respect his wishes.”

He closed the shutters and turned to me. The candle cast shadows throughout the room, and as he approached me, the light bounced off his skin in an alluring golden glow. The wound on his midsection took away my lustful thoughts. It was jagged and to the left of his naval. The physician said if it had been an inch higher, he would’ve died.

“Ery… do not stare at me in that way.” Axios gripped my side and dipped his head to my neck, placing a soft kiss there. “I am here with you. Nowhere else.”

He captured my lips then and no more was said with words. But he told me plenty with his body, the way he kissed me and stared up at me through long lashes as I took him held nothing but love.

The passing of days brought routine back into our lives. Our previous herd of boys had all finished theagoge,and so we were given another group. They were aged twelve and had just participated in thediamastigosis. The festival of whips had left many of them with scars on their backs, and the more unfortunate of them had marks on their necks and faces.

The war with Thebes had made Sparta push the men and youths harder. Sacrifices were even made to the gods to atone for whatever wrong we’d done to anger them. The best goat was given to Ares, and one day the men took to the woods for a boar hunt and a chunk of meat from the biggest boar was thrown into the fire as an offering.

As we were leaving the field one day after training our group, Demetrius ran toward us.

We hadn’t had the chance to see him since our return. He and Cassius had been gone with a small unit of men to scout the surrounding terrain, as there’d been rumors of a Theban force moving closer to Laconia. After the many defeats over the years, we could never be too cautious.

“Axios! Eryx!” Demetrius stood taller than Axios now, though still shorter than me. The years hadn’t taken his friendly nature, and he greeted us with a bright smile. “It is good to see you. When I heard of the battle, and all the men lost, I feared the worst. What was it like? Battle. Being so near to death.”

Axios frowned and instinctively touched his stomach.

“If fortune be in our favor, may you not know the answer for a long time,” I said, clapping Demetrius on the arm. “Where is Cassius? You two are never far from the other.”

“He is around here somewhere,” he answered, walking beside us as we continued toward the dining hall. “We were playing a game, but I became sidetracked upon seeing you. Knowing him as I do, he is probably in the stables hiding.”

“The stables?” Axios asked, arching a brow.

I shared his interest, and with it came memories. I remembered the nights when we’d rolled around in the hay, mouths smashed together and hearts beating wildly in our chests. A lifetime ago, it seemed.