We made it inside the basilica without drawing anyone's attention. Over the top of the crowd, I saw all three stories of the interior were open and every wall from floor to ceiling was lined with arches. Crispus told Aurelia she could remove the toga from her head, but suggested I stay covered. "At least fifty thousand Romans saw you in the amphitheater five days ago," he said. "It's safe to assume that many of them are here now and will recognize you."
Each shop we passed in the basilica had different wares. I assumed the signs over each one identified their products, and vowed again to one day teach myself to read. But for now, I couldn't take my eyes off the items being sold. There was so much more than I could believe existed in the entire world, much less in this great city. One of the final shops was putting out warm baked bread. Without even thinking of what I was doing, I stopped in front of the loaves, just to take in the glorious scent and hope it filled my stomach enough to dull the ache of hunger.
Crispus walked back and stopped beside me. When he spoke, his voice was kind. "When did you last eat?"
It had been the half bowl of sour porridge from yesterday morning, and I'd had nothing in four days before that. But I couldn't bring myself to say the words. I only lowered my eyes and hoped he'd just walk on so we could go.
"Head up," Crispus reminded me. He reached into a bag he carried and withdrew some coins for the shop owner. "A large loaf," he said, pointing. "That one."
I took a step back, unsure of what to do. I was almost delirious with hunger, and whatever strength I might have had was constantly drained by trying to control the magic of the bulla. Yet I couldn't accept this from him.
Crispus took the loaf and broke it in half, then gave one portion to Aurelia, who immediately dug into it. He held out the other half to me. "Take it," he said. "You're so thin, a feather could knock you over."
My eyes moistened and I shook my head. "No, I can't."
"Just like the apple," he said, smiling. "You can pay me for it later."
"I have nothing."
"Take it." Crispus pressed the loaf into my hands. "Please, Nic."
I immediately ripped pieces from it, as large as I could fit in my mouth without choking. The bread we got at the mines was little more than a baked paste of coarsely ground flour and dirty water. This was soft and fragrant and slightly sweet. It filled my stomach and warmed my body, and for the first time since I had eaten all those strawberries, I didn't feel completely hollow inside.
Once I was finished, we left the basilica. "Don't look around at the sights," Crispus corrected me. "The wealthy have been here a thousand times. There's nothing they haven't already seen."
I turned away, but it wasn't easy. As impressive as my first glimpses of Rome had been, nothing equaled the beauty of the forum. It seemed to have been made for the gods themselves, and yet even the lowest Roman was freely given this place for work, play, or worship. The sun was setting, and from our direction, Caesar's temple left us in shadow. That seemed an apt description for my life at the moment. Wearing Caesar's bulla, a bulla I had stolen, I was now seeking a way to survive beneath his shadow.
Aurelia fell in step beside me. "Where is he taking us?"
"To my home," Crispus said. "My father will meet us there."
"And my sister is there too?" I had so much to tell her.
Crispus stopped and his brows pressed together when he looked at me. "Nic, I'm sorry. My father did send someone to the mines to get her, but she had already been taken away. We don't know who took her, or where she is."
My heart thudded like a cold stone against my chest. I could barely comprehend his words. From the moment Sal had told me Livia was taken from the mines, it had seemed obvious that Valerius would've had her, safe and well cared for. But if it wasn't him, then who?
Radulf.
It was his way of getting to me.
Maybe I had whispered his name, because at my side, Aurelia shook her head and leaned in to me. "That doesn't make sense. You told me that Radulf thought you died in the cave. Livia was taken from the mines before he saw you alive in the arena. So Radulf wouldn't have had any reason to take her."
I threw out a hand in frustration. "Who else would it be?" Heads turned our way and I lowered my voice. "All I can tell you is she's innocent in this. And he certainly knows I'm alive now, so if that wasn't his plan before, it will be now."
Crispus stepped toward me, with his tall shoulders hunched. "We'll find her. I can't imagine Radulf would've had any use for her, but she must be somewhere."
"I agree," Aurelia said. "If she's still alive --"
"Don't say that like it's a question."
"Ignoring reality doesn't change it. Listen, she probably is alive. I'm only saying that Radulf is a military man. He doesn't need girl slaves. He might've sold her off ten minutes after taking her from the mines. She could be anywhere by now."
That didn't make me feel better, and if I was angry with Aurelia for saying it, that was only because she was right.
Crispus cleared his throat. "I know this is a bad time to be getting such news, but we need to keep moving. People are watching us."
Aurelia looked around. "Who?"