Page 28 of Eryx

“You are truly eager for the dining mess?” Axios asked, kneeling by the stream. He cupped water in his hands and lifted them to his mouth.

“Yes.” The water trickled down his chin, and I watched it drop onto his chest. “I do not see how you aren’t.”

“I suppose I’m excited to dine with the Spartiates, yes.” He sat on the grass and tilted his head back, letting the sun wash over him. “Though, I feel it’s another test. We are never given anything without a lesson being learned.”

“I feel the lesson to be learned tonight is the one of unity. Of brotherhood.” I sat beside him, our feet touching.

“I do not need asyssitionto tell me where my loyalties lie.” Axios moved his gaze to me. “I already know who my brothers are.”

“Including Haden?” I asked, arching my brow. It wasn’t like Axios to be so serious, and I longed to see his glorious smile once more.

A soft rumble left his chest as he reclined on the grass. “Yes. Including Haden.”

***

The tunic was nearly too small as I pulled it over my body. Because of the special occasion, we were permitted to wear proper clothing. The material clung to my shoulders but fell comfortably down my torso. Axios, on the other hand, made me inwardly smile. His tunic hung loosely on his frame.

“After being in the nude for so long, it’s strange to be clothed,” he said, smoothing a hand down his chest.

“Would you rather your cock hang out during supper?” Haden asked, his gait casual and unhurried as we walked along the path.

Axios’ cheeks turned scarlet. “No.”

“Enough chatter,” Nikias said, moving in front of us. His strides became longer as he peered up at the sky. “We mustn’t be late.”

At only nineteen, Nikias had nearly completed theagogebut wasn’t yet of age to be a full-fledged Spartiate. As part of his own training, he’d been assigned the position as our teacher. Along with Gaius and Felix, he now assisted in our drills and instructed us on scholarly matters. He had researched our history in depth and told us stories of past battles, along with explaining politics and the workings of an oligarchy.

Politics meant little to me, though I wasn’t foolish enough to ignore his teachings. Knowledge was power.

“I suggest you all be on your best behavior this night,” Nikias said as we trailed behind him. “The men will not hesitate to knock you back into your place should you forget it.”

His black hair was cropped short and his pale blue eyes stood out against his golden-brown skin. A jagged scar disfigured one side of his face, stretching from his brow to the corner of his mouth. I’d heard stories of his time in theagoge, of how he’d killed a boy with his bare hands. He’d earned the scar during a fight with spears when another boy sliced his face, nearly taking out his eye.

“Can anyone tell me about that building?” Nikias asked, pointing to a grand fortress of white marble. The dirt path had transitioned to stone as we’d entered the more populated section of the city. Simple homes made of sun-dried mud bricks and red clay were less frequent as the temples, theater, and agora came into view.

“It’s the council chamber of theGerousia,” Axios answered.

Nikias nodded and smiled at my friend. I tilted my head when Axios shyly returned his smile. Nikias had high cheekbones, a straight nose with a rounded tip, and his lips were full. To some, I suppose he might’ve been attractive.

Was that why Axios grew flustered in his presence?

For that to be true, my friend would have to favor men. And I was still unsure if he did.

Minutes later, Nikias led us up the stone steps of a building. Men’s voices echoed down the narrow corridor, and the light from the candles cast shadows on the walls. The closer we got to the dining chamber, the tenser Axios became.

I might question certain things about him, but I knew his mind fairly well.

To pull him from his worries, I gently touched his hand. His eyes flickered to mine, and I gave him what I hoped was an encouraging smile. The hard lines in his forehead smoothed and we exchanged a look that said more than words ever could.

I was with him, and he was with me. With that, we could handle anything.

Fifteen men sat around a long wooden table. Their robust voices quieted as they moved their gazes to us in the doorway. Their ages ranged from twenties to thirties, and some who appeared older than that, but their one similarity was their massive bodies. Wide chests, bulging biceps, and skin covered in scars. They were true soldiers. Many of them were clean shaven, though some had long beards.

“Sit,” Nikias said, waving a hand toward the empty seats.

I sat and touched Axios’ arm, asking him with a look to sit beside me. I didn’t want him too far away. He showed no hesitation as he sunk down in the seat next to me.

“Welcome,” one of the men said once we’d all taken our seats. Gray streaked through his brown hair, and his eyes were those of a man who’d been to war and lived to tell about it. “You were invited here this night to experience whatsyssitiaare like. Your acceptance into one is more than just an invitation to join a group. These men—” he motioned to the ones around him “—they become your brothers. You eat with them, sleep by their sides, and you die with them if you must.”