Aegis

Chapter Nineteen--A Hero's Regret (Pt.1)

After Erianthe dropped down from the wall, Kyros took a few moments to calm down. He couldn't explain the shock at seeing her, the joy at seeing her unharmed, or the pain at sending her away again.

Kyros took a deep breath and groaned. He really had argued in Ares' defense.

Kyros kicked a piece of wood across the floor. Of all things, he had argued in defense of a Rogue. First he made a deal with them, then he chose to stay with them, and then he argued for them.

Despite the guilt and uneasiness, Kyros believed he made the right choice. Sending Erianthe away had saddened him, but it would be better than putting her harm's way.

Kyros had unwittingly fired an arrow at his friend. Pluto could force him to do so much more.

Kyros touched the invisible wound on his side. It had been two days so far, going on three, that Pluto had not done anything to keep the bits in his body active. Even though Reyna said he would be all right for another day or two, the wound still stung at his touch.

It hadn't hurt before when he had probbed it.

Still upset at himself, Kyros stepped out of the apothecary's backroom and checked on Ares. The man had drunken enough sleeping potion to be knocked out for an hour. Ares would be awake by now.

He was. Right in front of Kyros, Ares yawned and glared at the boy.

"You drugged me," Ares stated. "To help your girl escape."

"She's not mine."

"Same difference. She's gone anyway."

Kyros touched the bow on his back and got ready to fight. Unperturbed by Kyros' aggression, Ares sat back down. His spear scratched the wall behind him.

"You're not going to--"

"We made a deal, right? You play nice, and we don't hunt Erianthe," Ares said. The man rested against the wall."Reyna shouldn't have gone after her. I won't either."

Kyros stood still. He had expected Ares to be more lenient with him, but Kyros didn't think Ares would be like this.

After a while, the man stood and made a show of dusting off his pants.

"Well, since Reyna won't be back with the device for a while, how about you come with me? I want to check some of your father's archives."

"The library burned down when you attacked," Kyros said.

Ares sighed tiredly. "No, the one's Orion kept at his home. I know he kept detailed records, and I want to check whether or not they can help us."

At first, Kyros opened his mouth to protest. The boy, however, remembered his promise to be compliant with the Rogues and closed it.

"Let's get the horses," Ares said. "Though I don't think we'll need the wagon."

When Ares stepped outside to unhitch the horses, Kyros remembered something important. Earlier, he re-hitched the horses. Sort of. Instead of doing it properly, Kyros had tied the horses down to make sure Ares couldn't follow after Erianthe on horseback.

Kyros hurried out to stop Ares, but by then the man had discovered his handiwork.

"Kyros, why in the world did you chain the horses down? And why are the reins cut?" Ares said.

The man gestured to the cut reins on the floor and the semi-chained horses. Kyros couldn't scavenge enough chains to tie the horses down completely so he had used rope in a few places.

"To keep you from following my friend," Kyros mumbled. "Sorry."

Ares took a deep breath in. Then out. Then in again.