I lifted it higher so that it came to rest directly over his head. One hiccup from me, and Sal would be finished. He knew it too. Sal backed against the wall and made a cry for mercy.
"Wherever you go, you will never threaten me again," I told him. "And you will never again approach my sister. Never look at her, never think of her!"
"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't." He blinked. "I saw her only yesterday in the forum. She was with General Radulf."
"Why?" Reflecting my anger, the ground shook beneath us. "Was she in chains, or hurt? What possible reason would he have to drag her through the forum?"
"There were no chains, Nic. She walked beside him, clean and well dressed, and she looked happier than I've ever seen her."
I shook my head, more bothered than confused. My emotions were a turmoil inside me, and this new knowledge was yet another weight on my chest. To have any chance of breathing again, I had to let it explode.
But that would be a disaster. If I refused to have any master, then that must include the bulla. I would control it, and not the other way around. Nor would I give Sal the satisfaction of seeing me fail here. I was still angry and confused -- after everything Sal had said, how could I feel otherwise? But I was also in control, and I let the magic dissipate within me. As it drained out, I was left feeling stronger than before. The magic wasn't gone; it was learning to weave itself through my body where I could manage it better. With more time and practice, I would learn to control it entirely.
"Get out!" I hissed at Sal. "Now!"
The door slammed behind me and locked again. It didn't bother me, though. He may not have understood it yet, but I was glad for his visit. Because Sal had given me hope of coming through this. I would return to the arena in control of my magic.
It was evening before Horatio came to visit me. I hadn't eaten all day, so my hope was that he'd bring food along with him, but it wasn't a great surprise either to see his empty hands. Even if he had left his table with a tray of food, I had no doubt he'd have satisfied his round belly before ever reaching me.
I stood when Horatio walked into the small room. He surveyed me from head to toe, then sat in the chair where I had previously been. My eyes darted to the open door. It was just him and me in here, and as far as I could tell, we were alone. He was unarmed, and I still had the bulla.
"You could run, of course," he said. "But I don't think you will."
"Not until I get an apology for what your men did to me this morning."
He brushed that aside with a wave of his hand. "For someone of your abilities, that wasn't even a scratch. And I know that if you had wanted to stop the arrest, you could have done it." Now he folded his arms across his bloated chest. "Why are you still here, Nic?"
Because going into the arena was now about more than taking Radulf's magic. He had threatened Livia if I failed to appear. But there was more ...
"We needed to talk alone." I paused to draw in a breath. "When I go into the arena tomorrow, you must not be there."
He smirked. "Yes, that would work out well for you."
"It's better for you too. I think Senator Valerius intends to have you killed in there."
His eyes widened, briefly, before he got control of himself and the greasy smile returned. "Oh? Why do you think that?"
"He wants the key to the Malice of Mars. Before you give it to General Radulf."
"I'll give it to Radulf, after he defeats you." Now the smile curled into a sneer. "Valerius cannot believe you have any chance of winning tomorrow."
"That's exactly my point! He's only using me as a lure to bring Radulf into the arena, which means he must have another plan." I took a breath. "More than that, with your death, he becomes presiding magistrate -- he will lead the Praetors and control their loyalty. By tomorrow, Valerius intends to possess all three amulets."
"Whatever his plan is, it will fail!" Horatio said. "When I give Radulf the key tomorrow, I will do it in front of the mob, so they will know the Senate and all its Praetors bow to Radulf now. They will see his power, and see me standing at his side. Once I give Radulf the key, Valerius can do nothing to stop us. Valerius will bow to us too, or the Praetor War will begin!"
"He won't bow," I said. "And if war begins, Rome will be destroyed!"
Horatio grinned. "Yes, destruction is my price for the key."
"You want Rome to fall?" I asked. "You are head of the Senate, second in power only to the emperor. Why destroy your own world?"
"My world was already destroyed, many years ago." His eyes fell, and when he looked at me again, they were full of sadness. In that moment, I saw the resemblance between him and Aurelia, more alike than I had realized before.
Horatio said, "Aurelia is your friend, correct?"
I didn't respond. Not because I refused, but because I wasn't sure how to answer that question. Was she still my friend? Had she ever been?
Ignoring my silence, he said, "She's a remarkably stubborn girl, just like her mother. Maybe you noticed."