Page 64 of Eryx

“I suppose so,” I answered, deciding that response was better than what I truly wanted to say.Perioikoiand slaves were no match for a Spartan. “However, true Spartans far surpass the skills of others for we value quality over quantity. Ten Spartiates are equal to forty other soldiers, perhaps more. Therefore, it is wise to take into consideration non-Spartan units when calculating numbers.”

Ask a Spartan about his occupation and he would answerwarrior.Physicians, carpenters, and blacksmiths picked up a sword and shield in times of war, but they weren’t warriors. It’s why our army surpassed all others.

“Do you think Nikias is with them?” Axios asked, studying the men with a frown tugging at his lips.

“Yes,” I answered. “Nikias has a keen mind and is an excellent fighter. He would not have fallen so easily.”

Axios nodded and swept his hair from his sweaty brow.

“Let us go to theagora,” I said. “If the king is returned, there is certain to be an announcement.”

The Temple of Athena watched over the city from the acropolis to the north. I glanced at it as we left the hill and traveled toward the marketplace. She was the goddess of wisdom and battle strategy. Ares was the god of war, but we must also use our minds in combat, not only brute strength, and so we worshipped both. The goddess was the one I favored most. In a way, she reminded me of Axios—strong and intelligent.

He would’ve laughed had I shared this with him, though, and so I remained silent.

Statues of other gods, such as Apollo, Artemis, and Leto, had been erected in theagora.Religion and military went hand-in-hand among Spartans, but Axios doubted the gods and said he didn’t know if they even existed. I had no proof to give him other than the faith I carried in my heart.

Sometimes I thought he actually did believe in the gods, yet he feared them. He detested the thought of his life being governed by an unseen force.

Citizens were crowded in the lanes near merchant booths and gathered in the square when we reached theagora.An excited chatter filled the air as they conversed about the army. One woman said she hoped her husband journeyed with the men. Another closed her eyes and held a trinket in her hands, frozen in a moment of prayer as the world bustled around her. Sons, brothers, and husbands had left for war.

I knew not all of them had returned.

“You there!” a man called out, drawing my attention. He wore cloth around his head and his colorful clothing seemed out of place. A traveling merchant. “A handsome man such as yourself must have a beautiful woman! Come, come. Might I entice you with the finest silk from across the sea?”

I ignored him and continued on my way.

Perfumes, wood, papyrus, and clothing could be found at the marketplace. Merchants traveled from all over to sell their wares and trinkets. Father once told me theagorain Athens was far superior to ours in Sparta.

Not feeling Axios behind me, I sharply turned and searched the crowd. He stood in the middle of the lane, staring at a stand selling fresh bread and honey. Catching my eye, he hurried over. I couldn’t blame him for being distracted by the smells. The mouthwatering aroma nearly made me stop, too, but the years of being denied such delicacies kept my will strong.

Through the cluster of bodies, I saw the statue of Leto and approached it.

The goddess held a babe in her arms, and I observed the tender expression on her marble face. She represented motherhood, and Spartan women prayed to her for strength during childbirth. I wondered if my mother had also prayed to her. I looked at the statue and silently thanked my mother for her sacrifice.

A hand touched my back, and I looked to see Axios at my side. His skin glistened with sweat as the sun reached its highest peak in the sky. The crowded marketplace made the air even hotter as bodies crammed together.

“We should find higher ground so we can see,” I said.

He nodded.

His hand didn’t leave my side as we walked. I didn’t mind it. I liked knowing he was with me. It was too easy to lose each other in the bustling crowd. Spotting a raised area at the edge of theagora, I guided him over to it. We stepped up on the slab and stood above everyone around us. A breeze swept through my hair and I breathed it in, thankful for the rush of air that’d been denied me in the congestion of people.

Axios withdrew his hand from me and stared at the people below us. The army could be seen now, their shields clanking as they marched closer and closer. He watched them with a wrinkled brow.

Why was he worried? The army returning from war should be cause for celebration.

“Axios, do not fret,” I said, lifting my hand to touch the spot between his eyes. “Your brow always crinkles right here when you worry.”

“What if they tell us we must leave? That it is time to go to war?” he asked with trepidation in his voice.

He hadn’t seen the soldiers returning home as a blessing. He’d seen them as an omen. An announcement would be made soon, and there was a chance the news could be unfavorable.

“Then we will obey,” I answered, wishing I could take away his unease. The years had made him stronger, but his aversion to war remained. “We shall fight if they ask it of us… and die if we must.”

“Do you believe us to be ready?”

I pondered his question before answering. All of the men in our herd had grown to be lethal, skilled fighters. Even Quill could take down a full-grown man. Together, we were unstoppable. I knew this, just as I knew the sun would rise each morn.