Page 76 of Eryx

“Stand!” Demetrius had stepped forward, focused on his companion.

Quicker than I expected, Cassius gripped my wrist and ripped out of my hold. He swung his leg out and collided with my shin. I stumbled to the side, and when I righted myself, I stared into the shocked faces of my herd.

No one had ever been able to touch me in training. I should have known not to let myself be distracted during a fight, no matter who the opponent was.

Cassius jumped to his feet and roared as he charged head first toward me. It was as if his energy had been restored. He’d been on the verge of collapsing not even a minute before, and now he was propelled forward with new vigor. All because he’d heard Demetrius calling out to him.

As he reached me, I spun on my heels and grabbed his arm, throwing him to the ground. However, he did not stay down for long. He sprang back up and charged again. When he reared back his arm to hit me, I caught his fist in my hand and twisted his wrist.

Cassius cried out before swinging his other arm and hitting me in the chest. He came at me like a wild boar, all power and muscle. It was remarkable. Seeing his strength and refusal to surrender pulled me from my distracting thoughts and dulled my anger.

“Well done!” I exclaimed as he rolled away from one of my hits. I couldn’t have been more proud of him. “Do it again!”

I sprung forward and smiled when he dodged me. He proved to be a worthy opponent by the end of our fight. Though he failed to knock me to the ground, he had dealt successful blows to my chest and back. No other youth could say the same.

“Back in line,” I said.

Cassius bowed his head before doing as I’d ordered. Demetrius bumped his shoulder and offered a smile, which Cassius returned. As I watched them exchange secret smiles and gently touch their hands together as they stood side by side, I thought again of Axios.

Was he still angry with me?

“Balen and Erastus,” I called out. “Step forward.”

The rest of training went as expected. I paired the boys up and had them practice various techniques. If I witnessed any of them falling behind, I intervened and worked with them individually.

“That is enough for today,” I said, and the boys still locked in combat instantly stopped. “Clean yourselves off in the stream and we’ll meet again on the morrow.”

The youths exited the training field, all except for Cassius and Demetrius, who waited for him near the shed.

“May I approach, sir?” Cassius asked. I nodded to grant him permission, and he stepped forward. “You often tell us a distracted Spartan is a dead one. Yet, you let yourself be taken by your thoughts this day. If this were a real battle, you would have not only gotten yourself killed, but your brothers as well.”

To speak so boldly to an instructor was unheard of. I suppressed a smile. He reminded me of myself at that age. Any other man would have backhanded him across the face for his blunt tongue.

I did not.

“Yes. It was a mistake I will not repeat a second time.” I squeezed his shoulder before withdrawing my hand. “Forgive me, Cassius.”

Cassius seemed shocked. “You offer an apology to me?”

“A man must know when he’s in the wrong,” I said, running my fingers through my hair to brush it from my brow. It would need to be cut again soon. “I let personal matters get in the way of my responsibilities, and it made me foolish. You, however, were no fool this day. You have come far in your training. It is the greatest honor as your teacher to witness it.”

Cassius beamed. “My improvement is because of you. You pushed me so hard I thought I’d break. But I didn’t break. I came back stronger.” He lifted his chin and met my gaze with the eyes of a soldier. “I expect your best the next time we fight, sir. I know I only managed to hit you because of your distracted mind. You vowed that you would not make it easy on me, and I expect you to honor your word.”

“And I shall,” I said, nodding to him.

If I were to ever have a son, I would pray for him to be like Cassius.

He then joined Demetrius, and the two of them left the field, bumping shoulders and grinning as they went.

“If they smile while leaving training, you didn’t train them hard enough.”

I turned to see Haden at the edge of the field. He leaned against a post and wore an arrogant smirk.

“Is that so?”

“Aye.” Haden approached me. “My youths leave the arena in tears.”

“From laughing at you?” I said, arching a brow. “I can believe it.”