"I need it," she said. "That money is my way back to my family."
But I shook my head, trying to make her understand the stakes that were involved. "If you take me to Radulf, he'll kill me."
"Senator Horatio is offering the biggest reward right now. I'll take you to him."
"What? No!" He was the pompous senator who had wanted to see my teeth. Aside from my personal objections to having to breathe the same air as him, he was no better than Radulf.
"It's for the best," Aurelia said. "The Senate wants to question you."
"And then execute me!"
"They might listen to your explanations."
"What explanation?" I spat back at her. "It isn't my bulla, Aurelia, or it isn't supposed to be. How can I explain that?"
"I don't know!" she said. "But that's not my problem."
No, she was my problem. For at least the twentieth time in the last week, I regretted ever having met this girl. Of all the curses in my life, she was proving to be the worst.
Once my legs were manacled, Aurelia removed her knife and replaced it in the sheath. I immediately tried to summon any feeling of strength inside me, but I was still weak from lack of food and my injury, and besides, without the bulla, I was nothing more than I'd ever been before. The mark on my shoulder prickled as if it was trying to respond to my call for help, but that too faded. I pulled against the chains, hoping to find a rusted link that might break or maybe the lock hadn't been securely fastened, but they held fast. Then I kicked at one of the girls who had put them on, just because I could. Aurelia swatted my leg and told the two girls to return to the outer room with the others.
"You said you wouldn't hurt anyone," she said.
"I missed. Anyway, you said you would help me," I countered.
"That was before I knew you were a thief."
"You're a liar," I argued. "That's worse."
Well, it wasn't, but I needed something to say back to her, and she only clamped her mouth closed at that, which was all I wanted anyway.
She stood and pulled me up beside her, keeping a firm grip around my chain.
"You're making a huge mistake," I said. "Radulf cannot get that bulla."
"Radulf is a great man. If Horatio turns you over to him, then it'll be the right thing to do."
"What world do you live in to believe all that?" I said.
Aurelia's mouth moved like she was responding, but I didn't hear the sound. Instead, my ears filled with echoes of footsteps splashing through water. Heavy, marching footsteps, and many of them. It was so clear, I looked around for the source of the noise, but saw nothing to explain it. Aurelia didn't seem to notice the sounds and had simply continued talking. Why could I hear it, and not her?
Something was terribly wrong.
The sound of footsteps in my head was growing, and the splashing was so distinct I couldn't understand why water didn't leak from my ears. Was I going mad?
Aurelia jabbed my arm, drawing my attention to her while quieting the noises in my head. "Aren't you listening? I asked if --"
"Where are we?" I shuffled forward, pulling on the chains as much as they'd allow. "Is this part of the sewers?"
"It's an old cistern, but we cut the pipes connecting it to the sewers and use the flow for washing. We still come and go through the sewers, though. Why?"
"We've got to get out of here. Soldiers are coming." I started to move, but Aurelia pulled me back.
"Impossible. They never come down here." Her brows pressed together. "How would you know that anyway?"
"I just know!"
She made a face. "I'm not releasing you. If you think I'd fall for such an obvious trick --"