The Warrior's Bride Prize

‘Yes.’ She winced at the tightness of his grip. ‘Let me go.’

He released her almost as quickly and sat back on his haunches

, his eyes burning fiercely in the half-darkness. ‘Who are you?’

‘It doesn’t matter, but you can trust me.’

‘Trust a Roman?’ He spat into the dirt.

‘I’m not...’ She bit her lip before she could say it. She couldn’t say it. She couldn’t deny that side of her heritage any more than she could deny her mother’s and she didn’t want to choose. ‘I’m only half-Roman, but I want to help you.’

‘How?’

‘You need to answer their questions. They already know about the rebellion, so you won’t be betraying anyone. If you tell them what they want to know, then they won’t hurt you.’

His gaze narrowed, but she kept going.

‘The rebellion won’t succeed. It can’t. No matter how hard you fight, the new Emperor will keep on sending legions to defeat you.’

‘So you think we should just surrender and become slaves of Rome?’

The word made her look away. ‘No, just hold your own territory. Don’t attack the wall. What’s the point of dying in a fight you can’t win?’

He stared at her for a long moment and then spat into the dirt again. ‘Not all of us are prepared to make treaties with Rome!’

‘Livia?’

A voice from the doorway made her spin round with a jolt.

‘Ario!’ She stood up to face him, feigning composure even though she felt as if her insides had just turned to water. ‘I was just giving the prisoner some food.’

‘I see that.’ His gaze swept over the prison cell. ‘Have you finished?’

‘Yes.’ She picked up her bag, resisting the urge to throw one last imploring look at the prisoner before making her way to the door, keenly aware of two pairs of eyes watching her. ‘I’m all done.’

‘Did Marius send you?’ Ario’s face was grave as they stepped back outside.

‘No.’ There was no point in lying when he could check her story so easily. ‘But I don’t see what harm taking the boy some food can do.’

‘None the less, in the future...’

‘I’ll ask.’ She flung the bag over her shoulder, adopting what she hoped was a convincing smile, but which she had a strong suspicion didn’t fool him at all. ‘I promise.’

* * *

‘What is it?’ Marius knew the Decurion well enough to know when something was wrong.

‘Not here.’ Ario jerked his head, leading him inside the camp headquarters, through the main hall and into the commander’s office.

‘Why the secrecy?’ Marius drew his brows together as Ario closed the door behind them.

‘It’s something you might not want others to know. It’s about your wife.’

‘Livia?’ Every muscle in his body seemed to go rigid at once. ‘What about her?’

‘I found her in the prison a few minutes ago.’

He felt a cold, prickling sensation at the back of his skull. ‘And?’