Mark of the Thief (Mark of the Thief 1)

I smiled a little. "Yes, I might've noticed that."

"I loved her mother more than I've loved anyone or anything. But she died giving birth to Aurelia, and that released a poison inside me. I was a senator, in the greatest empire the world had ever known. But it was not great enough to save her."

"That's why you exposed Aurelia?"

"She was a thorn in the wound opened by losing her mother. And I thought that by giving Aurelia away, the wound would heal. But all these years later, it's only worse. I will give Radulf the key because I want him to destroy the empire that could not save my family."

"Valerius will stop you," I said. "He will kill you before that happens."

"Valerius has no such power." Horatio reached over and patted my cheek. "You seem like a smart boy, for a slave, but not smart enough. I have the key with me at all times, and tomorrow, it will belong to Radulf. Once he finds the Malice of Mars, all of Rome will be his. What can Valerius do about that?" He motioned toward the door. "Run now, if you wish. I know that I can't stop you."

I shook my head. "Tomorrow you're taking me into the arena to fight Radulf. Well, that's what I intend to do."

He stood to leave and brushed off his clothes from the dirt in this room. "You have the heart of a gladiator. It will be a glorious fight. I'm almost sad that you won't survive it."

Very late in the night, I received one other visitor. I had been asleep on the floor, grateful for the warmth of the bulla against this cold concrete, when the door opened. I sat up and glared into candlelight.

It was set on the floor, allowing me to see Aurelia's face behind it. "Why are you still here?" She never wasted time in becoming angry with me. "There are no guards here, and your door isn't locked. I thought I was coming to free you, but now I see you won't even free yourself!"

"Go back to your father," I said tiredly.

"I've been talking with him all night. Here." She handed me a thick slice of bread, which I gladly took. Then she added, "He said he had often watched for me, and wanted to bring me back home, but never knew where to look. He never remarried, or had any other children. Lately, he'd begun to worry about dying without an heir."

An interesting worry, considering the warning I had given him only hours ago. "Congratulations," I mumbled. A part of me meant that. Even if she had lied about him, I knew that getting back to her family was as important to her as Livia was to me. Would I have lied to Aurelia if it meant I could recover my sister? Yes, I probably would have.

She leaned against the wall with slumped shoulders. "However, he's not who I thought he would be."

Her tone was blank, not quite disappointed, or angry, or even sad. It was just stating a fact, I supposed. I stared back at her, completely unsure of what to say. Finally, I came up with a question. "Why?" It seemed safe enough.

"He told me that a war is coming between those who support the empire, and those who support Radulf. He called it the Praetor War." She sighed. "Then he said that if I am to be part of his household, I must support Radulf."

"What did you expect? Valerius already told you all of that."

"But I didn't believe him. I never really trusted Valerius, so I thought he was lying to you."

I paused, and then said. "He told plenty of lies. Just not about that."

She pushed the door back. "Come with me, Nic, but we have to hurry. We'll leave Rome tonight. Go anywhere else that we want."

"What about my sister? I'm supposed to leave her in Radulf's control?"

Aurelia brushed a hand through her hair, obviously frustrated. "Do you know what Horatio has planned for tomorrow? It would be awful to leave Rome without your sister, I agree, but at least you'll leave alive."

"I have a bargain with the emperor. Tomorrow in the arena, I will take Radulf's magic, and when I do, he will grant Livia and me our freedom."

"It won't work."

"When I leave Rome, I want to go as a free person, not a fugitive."

"Nic, you're not listening --"

"Neither are you!"

"They intend to kill you in the arena!"

"And I intend to live!" I exhaled a slow breath. "There's no other choice for me now. Either you'll stand by me and support what I have to do, or you'll get out of my way."

She turned toward me, as her face slowly pinched into something resembling pain. "I can't help you destroy yourself."