"Who among us could ever trust him again?"
The arena is a den of wrathful clamor — the shouts and the snarls and the raw feeling of the most utmost distrust press in on Ares from all sides. His head bends and his body hunches.
He had known it would be this way.
After all, he has broken his bond. He may have saved the life of the warrior, but no gesture, no matter how grand, no matter how just, no matter how self-sacrificing, no matter how much he had died in that moment when Henry had screamed his name in terror as he hovered above the rocks, may ever repair the ultimate breach of trust it is to break one's bond.
For if one cannot be trusted to save one as they save their own life—
"Yes, who among us could ever trust him again?"
Who could ever trust I, who has broken my bond, again?
Who could ever?
How may I, who has broken my bond, ever trust myself again?
"I could!"
And through the clamor breaks a voice.
"I trust him with my life!"
And then, there is silence. The tender voice echoes in Ares' head. He does not understand. He does not know what there is to understand. He is dead already — he has killed Henry, and so he has killed himself.
The warrior runs towards him. He reaches out his hand.
Ares stares. He stares and stares, for he does not understand — what is there to understand? — and so he stares and stares until it dawns upon him.
I trust him with my life!
"Oh, no, Overlander," Ares whispers. His voice is a crawler in the jaws of a gnawer; a soft shell, soon to be crushed in the palm of a hand. "I am not worthy to accept."
Who among us could ever trust him again?
I could!
The Overlander grabs Ares' claw.
Ares shudders.
"Ares the flier, I bond to you,"
And these words— these are the words that Ares has spat on. These are the most sacred words, and Ares has no right to hear them spoken to him once more.
The foolish Overlander. He ought to stop. He does not even know the words.
Yet Luxa stands behind him and tells him the words.
And oh, Ares longs to shout at both of them to cease this farce. He is not worthy.
He is not worthy of trust.
"Our life and death are one, we two.
In dark, in flame, in war, in strife,"
Ares has broken his bond. And no one should ever be forced to trust a bond-breaker again.
I trust him with my life!
Cease now, Ares thinks, cease now, or you will be doomed!
"I save you as I save my life."
I save you as I save my life.
Ares had not.
Henry had fallen, and thus Ares is owed the same.
"Say it," says the Overlander. His voice is brittle and his eyes pleading.
And, oh, why is this boy the one pleading when Ares is the treacherous one? Why is this boy the one on his metaphorical knees when Ares ought to be bending in shame? Why is this boy the one putting his trust in he who may never be trusted again?
But then, to spite one person's offer of trust may be as bad as to break it.
Oh, this boy is giving up so much respect to reach out his hand.
Just as Ares gave up all that he was when he saved the boy.
"Please say it back," says Gregor.
And Ares does.