“Is it just me or does it seem like the gods have a vendetta against us?”
Aricles looked up from his carving to meet Hector’s gaze. “They want us dead.”
“Ah, good. I’m not the only one who’s noticed. And here I thought it was just me.”
Grimacing, Galen moved to sit on the foot of Aricles’s bed. “It is disconcerting, isn’t it? And battle isn’t all I thought it’d be.”
Aricles arched his brow at his brother’s somber tone. “Is that remorse I hear?”
“It’s remorse. I keep going back to that day on the farm when they came to recruit us. Do you remember what you said to me while we packed?”
“Not to forget your cloak?”
Galen laughed and shook his head. “You told me that battle wouldn’t be the same as the war games I’d played. That the day would come when I’d grow tired of walking through blood-saturated fields.”
“And has that day come, brother?”
He nodded. “I never gave thought to how young some soldiers would be. Or how wroth the gods would become with us.”
Hector let out a heavy sigh. “I think we are all feeling that. I swear one of the soldiers I killed today couldn’t have been any older than fifteen … if that.”
Haides moved to sit on Galen’s bed next to them. “It’ll soon be four years since I was last at home. My sister has married and had two children since I left.… I miss my family.”
Galen sat back. “Our brother had a baby … a son almost a year ago and we’ve seen nothing of him. And for some reason, I keep thinking of Talia.” He met Aricles’s gaze. “Do you remember her?”
“She was beautiful and thought you hung the very moon in the sky.”
Galen smiled sadly. “Aye, she did. But she was too circumspect for me. I always thought she’d be a better match for you.”
Aricles bit back the reminder that Galen’s other problem with her was that she’d refused to bed him. “And now?”
“I should like a wife with such morals and convictions, and sweet nature. One I can trust to remain faithful to me should I ever be away. Do you think she might still be available?”
“I know not, little brother.”
Haides jerked his chin toward Phelix who was asleep on his bed across the room. “Ever notice even he has stopped sharpening his sword?”
Monokles nodded as he joined them. “I keep thinking of something my father used to say to me—Fight on, my son. Not only with sword and spear, but with everything you have.” Sighing, he shook his head. “But now, it’s the words of an Athenian priestess that haunt me—you should reach the limits of virtue before you take up your sword and cross the border of death.”
“We’re all homesick.” Aricles glanced at each one in turn. “But we have taken a vow to fight for our goddess and for the people of our homelands. As the old saying goes, only the dead have seen the end of war. We cannot forget that well begun is only half done. People have learned to watch for our red cloaks and black armor. They turn to us for protection now. How can we abandon them?”
Galen sighed wearily. “Interesting words considering the fact that you’re the only one of us who didn’t want to be here.”
Aricles paused his carving. “I still have no desire to make war. But I am not a coward and I won’t have the gods or anyone else making that allegation toward me.”
“He’s right,” Haides agreed. “They would mock us if we withdrew.”
Aricles offered them a sad smile. “I think we could all use a furlough. I’ll talk to Malphas and the goddess to see if we can have a week to ourselves so that we can see our families and make peace in our hearts.”
Monokles clapped him on the shoulder. “You’re always looking after us. Thank you, brother.”
Aricles inclined his head to them. “Anything for you, you know that.” He set his carving aside and left their barracks to head to the small temple they’d erected for their goddess. Every time they came home from battle, they’d leave an offering to her for her favor and honor. Not that it was needed. She always watched over them.
And while she seldom stayed in the temple, she would come any time Aricles called for her.
“Bathia?” he said gently.
She appeared instantly with a bright smile before she pulled him against her. “I hadn’t realized you’d returned from battle.”
For fear of betraying themselves, they tried not to be together too much during war and training. She was finding it harder and harder to not react whenever he was injured, and his fear for her safety was extremely distracting while he had people trying to kill him.
“We came in this morning.” He kissed her lightly on the lips and savored the taste and scent of her. “I’ve missed you.”
“And I, you.” Closing her eyes, she sank her hand in his hair and took a deep breath against his neck that left him covered with chills.
He wanted inside her so badly, his body felt as if it were on fire. But this was neither the time nor the place. “May I ask a favor of you?”
“Anything.”
“The men are weary. Is there any way to arrange a small reprieve so that they can visit their families?”
“You ask for them and not yourself?”
“You are my family, goddess. I am more than content to be here, even in your absence.”
She fingered his lips before she kissed him. “I wish we never had to be apart, for any reason.”
As did he, but it couldn’t be helped. “You are always in my heart, no matter where I am.”
She pulled him close and held him tight. “Tell the men that they may take three weeks to ride home and see their families, so long as another war doesn’t break out. I might have to recall them, and they should be ready to return at any time. But hopefully, they won’t be needed.”
When he started to pull away, she stopped him. “However, I’m hoping you won’t go with them.”
He pressed her hand against his lips and kissed her palm. “I will stay.”
With one last kiss, he returned to the barracks to let the others know. Everyone was thrilled, except Galen who frowned at him. “Why can’t you come with me?”
“Should something come up, one of us is needed to stay behind. I volunteered.”
“It’s not fair!”
“Fair has nothing to do with life or war, little brother. It just is. And we get through both as best we can. Now, pack. Take your furlough and send my love to Father, Perseus and Julia, and their son. Tell them that I think of them often.”
“All right. But I shall miss you.”
“I will miss you, too. However, I will enjoy a night’s sleep without your snoring.”
Laughing, Galen shoved at him. “I’m not the bear in the room. That would be Hector.”
Hector grinned as he packed up his gear. “I would say I’m insulted by that, but it’s true.”
Aricles went to his chest and pulled out the small carved horse and soldier he’d made for his nephew. He handed them to Galen. “Take these to Theodorus and tell him that his uncle will hopefully see him soon.”
“I will.”
“And give Talia my best, too.”
Galen blushed, yet didn’t speak as he continued to pack.
Within an hour, even though it was almost nightfall, the men were gone and Aricles was alone in the room that seemed suddenly too quiet. Since he’d been born a twin and had shared a room at home with both his brothers for as long as he could remember, he’d never spent a night alone before. It was strangely unsettling.
That was his thought until he felt a warm presence behind him. His heart lightened instantly.
He turned, expecting Bathymaas.
Instead, it was the Greek god Apollo.
Aricles shot to his feet to confront him. “What are you doing here?”
An evil grin spread across his face. “Time for payback, Atlantean. And this time, there’s no one here to interrupt us.”