Seduced by the Gladiator(77)

“Lilia, this is Marcus, and this is Caius.” Christus’ voice held a note of pride. Marcus was the taller, the one who spoke more often, and Caius was the man with the tinge of red in the gold of his hair. Their names resounded inside of my head, pulling at distant memories.

“Marcus. Marcus, the former champion of the arena?” My words sounded frozen to my own ears. Marcus showed no pride in the title, instead nodding solemnly. Caius placed an affectionate hand on the other man’s back, at the swell of his spine, and I blinked at the implied intimacy of the gesture.

“Marcus was champion, and Caius next in line.” I spoke my thoughts out loud and turned to Christus, remembering the rest. “They were brothers in your former ludus.” My eyes searched his face for answers, and he nodded as I spoke.

“My brothers of the heart heard that I had been selected for these games, and as freedmen, they were also privy to rumors floating through the markets, rumors that said that the winner of the games had already been decided.” Christus ran a hand through my hair as he spoke.

“Though we have earned our freedom, we once swore an oath to the ludus and to our brothers within it.” This was Marcus, who smiled at Christus with fondness. “It was not right that a brother should die in a manner so dishonorable. We came to Rome to see if we could be of any assistance.”

“Instead they arrived to find that I had won, and was half mad, not knowing where you had gone.” Christus turned to nuzzle my neck, and I inhaled the scent that was uniquely his.

“You saw me fall through the floor.” I shuddered at the memory.

“I did, but I knew that Gaius wanted you too much to kill you.” We stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment, each of us so very relieved that, against the odds, we had survived.

“What do we do now?” Viola’s voice was soft yet strong. The gladiators and I turned as one to look at her. Had it not been for the ball of her belly, I would have sworn that she was a child herself. As I looked at her, her lower lip began to tremble, but she bit down on it and drew herself up straight. “Will we be sent back into the slave trade?”

“What did you do with Gaius?” I asked. Marcus and Caius had left us there to start cleaning up the bloodbath that had taken place in the house. They exchanged a look, and then looked down at Christus soberly.

“Our former dominus now has many political connections,” Caius said, and he could not seem to help a small smile from lifting the corner of his mouth. “Though we hate to have any dealings with him at all, we feel that he still should pay for his treatment of . . . others . . . if need be.”

Their former dominus had had a first wife, I remembered, one named Alba. Alba had been romantically involved with both gladiators. Could it be that they had all found a way to be together?

“You took the body to the dom—to Lucius.” Christus’ voice was flat; he clearly had no warm feelings for the man.

“We told him that you needed an audience with the emperor, regarding the treachery of his brother, and that we were leaving the body of Gaius as proof.” Reaching for the ties at the waist of his toga, Marcus loosened the small sack that he carried there. “We are not rich men, but we have enough to live.” Handing the pouch to Christus, a long look passed between them, and I finally understood why a ludus would have a brotherhood. A real brotherhood, one in which the oath was undertaken seriously, bonding the men for life.

“How will the emperor know where to find us?” I nodded with approval at Viola’s question. She was a smart girl. She would survive.

“He was given the name of an inn.” I saw Caius’ eyes drift to the bulge of Viola’s child, and saw fierce protectiveness there. “And before you ask why he won’t just come and kill you, we gave him the name of the inn next to the one at which you will be staying. You will see the commotion of the emperor’s men arriving, and be able to gauge the situation from there.”

Untangling his fingers from my hair, Christus stood. “I owe you much gratitude, my brothers.” The three clasped hands as one, and I felt a yearning for Darius, my one true companion. I knew that things between us would never have the same easy affection, for now Christus would always come first.

From behind me, Viola made a small squeaking sound. Wrapping the blanket more tightly around my skin, I hurried to sit beside her on the couch, lifting one hand to stroke through her hair in the manner in which a mother might do to a child.

“You will come with us tonight. You will stay at the inn.” I saw how uncertain Viola was about her future, and how scared. Remembering the day I had stood in the market, the day my own dominus had purchased me, I understood the feelings well.