I gritted my teeth, resisting with everything I had against the truth that had pricked at me ever since our first meeting. The branding iron came closer. I heard it sizzle and tried not to think of how it would feel pressed against my forehead.
He grabbed my face, forcing me to look at him. "Who am I? What should you call me, Nic? You know the answer. Now say it!"
Yes, I knew it. It had been the last word on my mind each day and given me nightmares as I slept. The word tasted like acid in my mouth and burned as I spoke. "Grandfather."
Radulf motioned the branding iron away, then stood again and smiled down at me. "When did you know?"
"That night we fought at the baths. You spoke my father's name. At first I thought Livia must've told it to you, but I'm certain she's never known his name."
"I know it now," Livia said. "I've learned so much about both him and Mot
her. Pater taught me."
"I told you not to call him that! He's an enemy to us."
She straightened her back. "Don't talk to me like I'm a child! He's been good to me. And to you too."
I snorted. Maybe he hadn't told her about trying to kill me on more than one occasion. Of course, I'd hardly been an ideal grandson to him either.
"You don't have to love me as a grandfather," Radulf said. "But the blood that runs through my veins also runs in yours, and you cannot deny who you are forever."
"Yeah?" I snarled. "Watch me."
"Our family has the ability to do more than rule Rome. Don't you see, Nic, we can rule the gods! With your help, we can defeat the Praetors, and from their knowledge, succeed where your father failed. We will create a Jupiter Stone, which will make me immortal."
"It will make you insane." I cleared my dry throat. "Or, more insane, if that's possible."
Radulf shook his head. "Insanity would be living under the iron boot of this empire when it's within my reach to control it. We can achieve this immortality together!"
"Why should I believe that? After you tried to kill me?"
"I was teaching you, and testing you." He smiled. "And only occasionally actually trying to kill you. But we will work together now." His hand slipped to the mark on my back, which felt like dead space now. "I pulled the magic out, but I could have done more. If I'd wanted to take the rest of you, I would've succeeded."
"And what good do you suppose that mark does me now?" I asked.
"You are still my grandson, Nic." I gritted my teeth and turned away from him, but he continued speaking as if I had just pledged him eternal loyalty. "How did you create that storm in the arena? You must have the key."
I knew for a fact that Horatio hadn't given me anything, nor did I understand what he meant when he said he had given the key to me, and kept it for himself. But to Radulf, I only said, "The bulla must've given me the power to call that storm. Though on you, it looks rather childish."
"Yes. Well, don't worry, Nic, I still have plenty of use for you."
"I'd rather eat cow dung." Or better yet, feed it to Radulf.
"Then Valerius wins the Praetor War. Eventually, he will beat us to the Malice of Mars, and find a way to obtain a Jupiter Stone. With them, he will bring the entire world to its knees. There will be nothing beyond Rome, for Rome will be everything."
I wanted to accuse him of lying, to spit the truth back in his face. More so, I wished everything he said could be a lie. But in my heart, I knew it wasn't. I was caught in the middle of a war between two sides I could not support. If I joined Radulf, a city I had come to love would be destroyed. But if I joined Valerius, there would be nothing left in the world but an empire that had kept me and so many others in chains.
Radulf leaned in to me. "I will train you to become as powerful as I am now, and as powerful as your father once was. He was a great man, Nic. It does not honor his memory for you to live in chains. Or die in them."
"Then let me go." I held my chained hands out to Radulf. "In the name of my father, release me. Now."
Radulf requested the key, which was set into his palm. He stuck the key into the lock and released my hands first and then my legs. I scrambled to my feet as quickly as possible, to get away from the chains.
I held out my hand to Livia. "Let's go."
She only stared back at me as tears welled in her eyes. "Let's stay, please, Nic. Our home is with Radulf now."
"Not every chain is made of metal," I told her. "The worst are made of comfort and false promises. You're no more free here than you were in the mines." But she would not budge, so with my heart heavy and torn, I started to walk away.