Page 53 of Eryx

Better choose quickly, my raven.

I sensed the slave’s impatience. I sensed his rage. He’d killed one Spartan and wanted nothing more than to kill me too. My life could very well end within seconds and there was nothing I could do about it.

The slave’s warm breath tickled my nape as he sharply exhaled. His body tensed, and I knew my time was at an end if Axios didn’t act. The blade would open my throat at any moment. I didn’t fear death, but as I looked at Axios and saw his trembling chin and pained expression, I knew I feared losing him.

Quicker than I’d ever seen him move, Axios reared back his arm and hurled his spear forward. The weapon whooshed through the air right before finding its mark. The helot was thrown backward and the blade nicked my neck as his hand fell away. It took me a moment to realize what had happened.

I turned toward the helot and gaped at the sight. The tip of the spear had gone through his eye socket and exited the back of his head, pinning him to the tree. Blood streamed down his face as his body twitched.

“You killed him with no hesitation,” I said, awed by the fact.

With an unreadable expression, Axios closed the distance between us and threw his arms around me. He buried his face in my hair as he trembled. Shaky breaths left him and his tense muscles started to relax.

“The only thing that matters to me in this life is you, Ery.” He kissed my temple and entwined his fingers in my hair. “Gods, man, creature… I will kill them all if it means saving you.”

I pulled from his embrace to gaze upon him. He differed from the boy I’d spoken with in the field only a short while ago. No lecture would’ve awakened the Spartan spirit in Axios; he’d needed something stronger.

And I’d given it to him.

“You’ve always had it in you, dearest friend,” I said, as a swell of emotion lodged in my throat. “You only needed to be pushed for it to reveal itself.”

Axios stared at me in confusion. Then, the wrinkle in his brow smoothed. “You knew he was in the tree.”

“Of course I did. I smelt the urine drenching his bottoms from where he’d wet himself with fear long before he leapt from the branch.”

His nostrils flared and he bared his teeth in anger. “He could have killed you! Why would you do such a thing?”

Why was he angry? Other than a shallow cut across my neck, I was unharmed.

“Be angry at me if you choose,” I said without the burden of guilt. I held no regret for what I’d done. “Still, it was the only way to reach you; to tear down the walls that kept you from your true self—fearless, strong, and fighting for what’s right. Your empathy for others caused you to forget your loyalty to your own people. I made you remember.”

His fist clenched and I braced myself for the hit. It never came. Axios stared at me as if he didn’t recognize me anymore. Beneath that, however, was a deep sadness as he regarded my bloody neck.

Steps sounded in the trees right before a boy burst through the shrubs and focused on us, his eyes wild with exhilaration. His spear was aimed at the ready.

“Have you seen—?” His words drifted off when he noticed the slave pinned to the tree. “Gods be dammed, you’ve caught him.”

“Axios’ aim struck true,” I announced, staring at my friend with awe. He could be angry all he wanted, but my pride in him wouldn’t be swayed. “The glory is his.”

The boy kicked at a weed in his disappointment and ran away, probably to tell the others the hunt was over.

Axios approached the helot and pulled the spear from his head with a wet pop. His expression held no remorse.

This is what I desired.Yet, I couldn’t help but mourn—even a little—for the boy he’d cast aside this day.

No longer pinned to the tree, the slave’s body collapsed to the ground. Axios knelt down and grabbed the slave’s hair.

“Gaius wanted his head, correct?” he asked in an empty voice.

Very little shocked me. But seeing the boy I so fiercely loved turn into a stranger right before my very eyes did exactly that. I nodded, too stunned to answer.

I did this to him.

Finally, I felt shame for my actions. For years I had fought with Axios to turn him away from his caring nature, and now that I’d succeeded I felt only guilt. I was still proud of him, though my heart ached at seeing his gentle hands covered in blood as he yanked the dead slave’s head and exposed the neck.

Axios grabbed the fallen dagger and jabbed it into the slave’s neck before sawing through the flesh. More blood spilled out and some squirted on his bare chest. He didn’t seem fazed. I squatted beside him, carefully watching his face. That’s when I saw the brief flash of pain in his eyes.

Oh, my sweet raven.