Rise of the Wolf (Mark of the Thief 2)

It also ensured my magic wouldn't return as strong as I had hoped.

"Where's Callistus?" I asked.

He grinned and shook his head. "Give me the bulla, Nicolas. I have as much time as I need to bargain. But how much time do you have with that girl's life?"

I closed my eyes and kept one hand on Aurelia while I removed the bulla with my other and placed it in Brutus's open palm. Fury rose in me, but not magic. Everything I had left was going to her.

&

nbsp; Instantly, Brutus snapped his fingers and two Praetors came forward with Callistus.

"Get on," Brutus told me. "Then we'll give you the girl."

I didn't argue. Aurelia was so close to death that every second mattered. So I left her side and quickly climbed on Callistus's bare back. I would've preferred his saddle, for Aurelia's comfort, but nothing could be done about that.

Aurelia didn't respond at all when they put her in my arms, and once she was secure, I instantly put one hand on Callistus's horn, then my other as close to her wound as possible.

Magic began moving through me, entirely different from anything I'd felt before. This magic wasn't part of me or even for me; I was only the connection between the unicorn's powers to heal and the person in need of healing. It was the purest magic I'd ever felt. It gave without asking and built without destroying. If I could feel magic like this for the rest of my life, I would never feel cursed, and I would never take any risk of losing it.

Aurelia was already breathing more easily, and the wound had sealed. That wasn't enough, though, so I continued holding on to the horn, using anything left in me to send thoughts of gratitude to Callistus.

"Let's go," Brutus said. "Remember, Nicolas. No tricks."

Some of the men had horses and mounted them to ride on either side of me. Others loaded into wagons and followed behind us. The rest would be walking or had rides waiting for them outside the amphitheater, I assumed.

But none of that mattered. Aurelia was moving again, just light twitches of her hand or flutters of her lashes. And she was closer, molding herself into my arms.

After several minutes of traveling through the darkness of the tunnels, we emerged into open air on a hillside within view of the amphitheater.

Brutus rode even closer to me now. The bulla was around his neck, and though I knew he couldn't feel its magic, it still angered me to see it there.

"Nic," Aurelia mumbled. A tear escaped her eye, but I knew she wasn't in any pain.

"I'm here," I whispered.

Looking around us, Rome seemed to have emptied, which was an odd sight. I figured everyone who had the option of going to the circus was there.

Sensing my desire for privacy, Brutus rode forward a little. It was an unexpected show of respect from him, and I appreciated it.

Aurelia's eyes opened a little. "You never listen to me. Never."

"I always listen," I said. "I just don't obey."

"You should."

"I will when you stop giving ridiculous orders."

She smiled and closed her eyes again. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"I'm going to take the Malice," I said.

Her eyes snapped open, and she tried to sit up. "You're what?"

"You said that you trust me, remember?"

The smile returned. "I might change my mind."

"I saved your life."