The Iron Edge by Lexa Luthor

Author:Lexa Luthor [Luthor, Lexa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Luthor Publishing
Published: 2023-03-23T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Halcyon

Today was the first battle against King Xerxes and his vengeful army. Over six thousand Greek warriors held a blockade at the pass outside of Thermopylae against thousands upon thousands of Persian soldiers. Similarly, four hundred Greek triremes blocked the strait near Artemisium, facing over a thousand ships from Persia.

Like all Spartans, King Leonidas and his three hundred hoplites believed they were descendants of Heracles. On Thermopylae's beach, they became the impenetrable wall that blocked King Xerxes's raging flood until the rest of the Greek city-states could rally to arms. They would not allow Persia to take Greece and their freedom.

King Xerxes withdrew his men for only a few hours in the night, after hundreds were killed by the small Greek force. This gave Leonidas a chance to conjure up more creative ways to hold his enemy at bay. It also allowed his hoplites a chance to rest, clean their wounds, and eat before Apollo brought the sun over the eastern horizon.

Leonidas approached one of the campfires and took a seat beside Olus, their makeshift healer. Leonidas rubbed his beard and regarded Olus's patient. His dark eyes flickered under the firelight.

Halcyon returned her king's stare. She refused to admit her shortcomings today and even the days prior. Olus continued to stitch her right shoulder from a sword wound. She deserved the wound after being too slow and weak. Her bronze armor did its best, but it failed to fully break the barbarian's strike during today's battle. She gritted her teeth against the memory of her failure but relished killing the Persian enemy once she recovered from her error.

A slight burn started in Halcyon's left eye and forced her to blink. The persistent sting had started when an arrow clipped her brow. She had washed the blood from her face, yet it continued to bother her. The laceration on her brow was at least dry now.

"Last stitch," Olus informed Halcyon. He finished his work, then repacked his medical kit. Halcyon thanked him before he went to his next patient.

"You must go, Halcyon." Leonidas spoke with an imploring tone rather than giving a command. They both were well aware why Halcyon needed to return to Sparta before it was too late. But Halcyon didn't agree with Leonidas's assessment. "You shouldn't be here."

"I belong here," Halcyon snapped, then looked away and bit her lower lip.

"There is no chance of survival here." Leonidas's rich brown eyes lifted and scanned over the littered battlefield along the coastline. "It is important you live."

Halcyon adjusted her chiton over her injured shoulder, which Olus had also wrapped. The few moments of silence helped her gather her resolve. "I am a hoplite and your guard," she declared and caught his worried gaze. His pheromones were still gentle, but Halcyon already rallied her own. "I've sworn to remain by your side."

Leonidas reached across the gap and gripped Halcyon's knee. "And one of my finest—until the Fates told us you are now carrying the future." He tilted his head and lowered his hand.

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