Page 151 of Eryx

Demetrius stared at us in horror as his cheeks flamed red. He knew he’d been caught. “I should be leaving. Excuse me.”

As he took off in the opposite direction, Axios and I exchanged a knowing smile. I had always felt like Cassius and Demetrius were similar to me and Axios. Fitting that they should find love in each other as well.

We joined oursyssitionin the dining hall, but I couldn’t bring myself to do much more than stare at the two empty seats across from me. I remembered Theon throwing a berry at Quill and Quill throwing it back, hitting Theon in the middle of his forehead. All of the laughs we’d shared around the table echoed in my mind.

It had been an easier time back then. Back before battles and bloodshed. Before our family had been torn apart.

Axios stared at the seats too, and I placed my hand on his thigh. The contact helped ground me. Much had been taken from us, but we still had each other.

Later, we returned home, the moon lighting our silent walk down the path. Once we were inside, Axios and I fell into bed and I pulled him to my chest. Like so many other times in my life when I’d felt myself slipping away, I needed him close to me.

And that night, I needed him to hold me together, for I was slowly breaking apart, piece by piece. Rage, sorrow, and regret had hold of me. Mostly regret.

Brushing my fingers through his black hair, I pressed kisses to his temple.

“Ery?” he asked, his voice raspy from the sleep trying to take hold of him. “What are you thinking?”

I stilled the hand in his hair. Many thoughts plagued my mind, but one of them wounded me the most.

“Do you remember the morning after we made love for the first time?” I asked. “You asked me to run away with you. To leave duty behind and create a life together away from Sparta. Away from the bloodshed. I told you no.” My eyes watered and I lifted my gaze to his face. “Why didn’t I listen to you?”

His eyes glazed over, as if he were imagining the life we could’ve had. I let myself imagine it too: us walking along the shore hand-in-hand as we returned to our home by the sea. He’d talk about his day and I’d tell him about mine. Absent would be pain, war, and grief.

We could’ve been happy.

“Because we were needed here,” Axios said, touching my cheek. “This is our home.”

“No.” I grabbed his hand, sliding my fingers through his. “Sparta is not my home. You are.”

If only it hadn’t taken me so long to realize it.

Softly, Axios pulled my face to his. As our lips touched, he groaned and deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue into my mouth. Gentle touches became more adventurous and he tore from the kiss to lightly graze his teeth down my neck. Farther he went, smoothing his hands down my chest and abdomen as he pinned me with a lustful stare.

I emitted a moan when he grabbed my cock, his hand slightly calloused from all the years of wielding a sword. A sly smile curved his lips as he traveled even lower and slipped the head into his mouth. When he took me to the back of his throat, I sucked in a sharp breath and gripped his hair.

He glided me in and out of his warm mouth, and the pleasure was intoxicating. I inched closer to release, my muscles starting to tremble. But then he pulled off.

“Ax,” I said on a whine, throwing my head back on the cushion. “Do not stop.”

Axios nudged my cock and grinned. It was my punishment for all the times I had teased him during sex. Being on the other end was not nearly as enjoyable. I fisted the blanket beneath me and writhed in frustration, glaring down at him.

The swollen head of my cock was only inches from his wet mouth. With intentionally slow movements, he brought his face closer and slipped it back between his lips. When I started to quake again, he fervently sucked me until I came apart. He swallowed every drop and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, a proud smile on his handsome face.

Axios moved back up my chest and lay at my side.

“Do not become too comfortable, my warrior,” I said, still trying to catch my breath.

“And why is that?” he asked.

I grabbed his arms and put them above his head, pinning him down as I hovered over him. His lips parted as an excited gleam sparked in his eyes.

“Allow me to show you,” I answered before gliding my lips across his.

Despite the obstacles thrown in our path, we had still found happiness together in Sparta. It might not have been the life either of us had dreamed of, but it was ours.

***

Months passed without conflict. The ceasefire between Sparta and Thebes held as the peace terms had been discussed. The treaty stated that each Greek city would be self-governing, similar to the terms that had ended the war with Corinth in years past. Most of the Spartans garrisoned in allied territories had returned home… except for those at Orchomenus.