Rise of the Wolf (Mark of the Thief 2)

"He's worried that you'll decide to rescue her."

"He was right -- that's exactly what I'll do." I glanced over at Livia, who nodded in agreement.

"Then I shouldn't have told you now." Aurelia sighed. "Listen to me, the Praetors want you, not her. If you leave Rome, there's no reason for them to keep your mother. Maybe they'll let her go."

"Or maybe they won't," I countered. "Brutus has no interest in mercy. Not for me, and not for her."

Aurelia leaned forward. "You can walk away this minute and never have to deal with the Praetors or Radulf or anyone ever again. I know what you went through to make Livia safe, and all you risked to get here now."

"Then you also know he would never leave our mother in the hands of the Praetors," Livia said.

"Your mother would agree with me!" Aurelia said. "Nic, if you stay here, think of how they want to use you. And what happens to Livia if they succeed?"

"What happens to Mother if we leave?" Livia turned to me. "I won't go without her. And I'm stronger than you think."

She said something else, but I didn't hear it. Instead, a familiar cold swept over me, one I had dreaded since stealing the bulla back.

"You can never run from me, Nic."

Radulf's voice entered my head, as unwelcome as leprosy. It had never been a question of whether he would find me, only how long until his icy presence returned.

I stood and looked around. With morning here, the street was filling with people, many of them women and children. "Everyone leave this area!" I shouted. "Now!" In case they hadn't heard me, I sent out darts of magic, hoping to frighten them enough to run. And for the most part, it worked. The panicked looks they threw back at me were familiar from when I'd caused all the destruction in the amphitheater.

Aurelia stood too, clearly alarmed. "Nic, what are you doing?"

I took Livia by the hand, and walked her closer to Aurelia. "Take care of each other, please. Get out of here, now."

Aurelia shook her head. "What's going on?"

"Radulf."

He appeared directly behind Livia, and immediately put an arm across her shoulders, holding her in place. I raised my hand toward him, already filled with so much magic that if I wasn't careful, I'd explode half of this street. I had forgotten how strong the bulla could be. Beside me, Aurelia had raised her bow at Radulf, but his attention was entirely upon me.

"Give me that bulla," Radulf ordered.

My eyes darted sideways at Aurelia. If she fired that arrow, he'd have to move to block it. Could I shoot something at him without hitting Livia?

"Let my sister go and we'll talk," I said.

"Go now," Livia said. "Pater won't hurt me."

"Do you believe that too, Nic?" Radulf swung his spare hand toward Aurelia, who was thrown backward on the street. Her bow and its arrows scattered around her. "I want the bulla."

I backed up and tried to make myself disappear, the way Radulf had done with me yesterday. Then I could reappear directly behind him and give myself the advantage. But I couldn't picture the street in my head when I was seeing it even more plainly with my eyes.

Radulf seemed to sense what I was doing. "You're relying too much on the bulla's magic," he said. "There's more power in the Divine Star, if you'll trust it."

It had taken me a long time to understand my grandfather. Why he would encourage me to develop the magic he had once stolen from me. Why he would advise me in my attempt to trick him. I still couldn't answer those questions, not really, but I did know this: The only thing Radulf cared about was getting the three amulets so that he could bring Rome to its knees and rule over its ashes. With the amulets, Radulf would make himself a god, and he needed me to do it.

I closed my eyes this time, focusing on the Divine Star and what I wanted to do. And perhaps I did start to fade, a little, but then Aurelia yelled my name, and at the same time, Livia screamed.

I looked, and men in Praetor robes had Radulf on the ground, one with a sword at his chest. They had come up so quietly, that from here I hadn't heard them. Apparently, neither had he.

"Livia, run!" I yelled.

And she did, toward Aurelia, who cried, "Nic, they're behind you too!"

I twisted around and shot magic toward a group of five men who had been sneaking toward me as slyly as they had overtaken Radulf. Where my magic hit, the ground beneath them collapsed, creating a wide gulf between us.