Page 68 of Eryx

Bruises and scrapes covered his skin by the time we were finished. But Axios was resilient. The more I knocked him down, the more motivated he became. He’d even caught me off guard a few times and dealt powerful blows to my abdomen and busted open my lip.

The boys were encouraged by our fight. After Axios limped off the field, his body red and drenched in sweat, I divided the boys into four groups of three and put them against each other. They used the moves I’d taught them, and I was proud when Demetrius managed to knock Cassius down.

“That’s enough for today,” I said, once the sun began to set.

Axios waited for me to walk off the field before falling in step beside me. “You took no mercy on me.”

“Did you wish for me to?”

“Never,” he said, squeezing my hand before releasing it. “You do me no favors by holding back. I expect you to always give me your all. And I will do the same in turn.” He peered at my swollen lip and stopped on the path to lightly run his fingers over it. “I’m only sorry I damaged your beautiful face.”

I grabbed his hand before he pulled away and brought it to my cheek. “You made me proud today, Ax. You never stopped fighting.”

“Perhaps you can show me how proud you really are when we’re alone this evening.”

With a playful smile, he turned and continued down the path. A low growl rumbled in my chest as I chased after him.

In the barracks that night, we found each other in the dark. So many bruises covered his skin, and I treated him with care as I captured his lips and moved on top of him. My body craved his in a way it never had before. Lust burned in my veins, but my need for him went deeper than that.

I was a man dying of thirst, and Axios was the water that would save me. Each kiss gave me new life. Every touch seared into my soul.

After using oil to make the act easier, I slowly pushed into him. His fingers tangled in my golden locks as he whispered my name. As his body began to shudder, I tenderly kissed his neck, hoping he could feel the intensity of my love with each pressing of my lips to his skin. As he came apart in my arms, I held him closer.

I could never hold him close enough.

“My warrior,” Axios said, nuzzling my head with his. I rocked into him again before joining him in that blissful place. He kissed my jaw as I quietly moaned. And then his sweet voice reached me once again. “My lover.”

“My heart,” I murmured against his mouth.

***

The sky opened up as I returned to the barracks that afternoon. The scent of rain had lingered in the air all morning, but the day had remained dry until now. My youths had pushed themselves hard in training, and I pondered which method to teach them next as I walked.

Demetrius had shown the most improvement, but Cassius had made me just as proud. He showed signs of leadership, proving he was more than a wall of muscle.

Haden stood in the doorway of our quarters, watching the rain as it fell.

“Greetings,” he said, crossing his arms as I reached him. His gray eyes crinkled at the edges. “Did you terrorize your herd today?”

I chuckled. “I believe fear makes us stronger. If they need to fear me in order to obey, then so be it. Has Axios been speaking to you of my training methods?”

Axios enjoyed watching me teach my herd, and he’d told me once how all the boys trembled in my very presence. It amused him. Perhaps because of how gentle I was with him in comparison.

“I do not reveal my sources,” Haden responded. “Ravens speak their secrets in my ear and I only listen.”

“Ravens?” I arched a brow at him. “Or do you mean one raven in particular?”

He shrugged as a smile curved his lips. He seemed happier than usual, and I wondered what had sparked his good mood.

“Speaking of Axios, where is he?” I asked, after poking my head into the barracks and not seeing him inside.

“Oh, you know Axios,” Haden said. “He’s the type who sees a flower and stops to admire it. And on a day like this? I imagine he’d find a spot to enjoy the rain.”

Haden spoke truth. Axios enjoyed the rain. I often found him standing in it. Where his mind soared to while he stood beneath the downpour, I knew not, but I wished I could join him there… wherever it might be.

After clapping Haden on the shoulder, I advanced farther down the walkway. The rain fell harder, hitting the rooftop and rolling off the side to form puddles in the dirt. Where had Axios run off to? He thought many places to be beautiful; our stream, the tree where we’d first kissed, and any spot where he could peer at Mount Taygetus.

Then I saw him.