"Lies!" Brutus exclaimed. "The Praetors are bound to serve Rome, as am I."
I turned from Brutus back to Probus. "If you don't believe me, then turn me over to Decimas Brutus, as he asks. Then you will see for yourself his full intentions for Rome, if you are still here to see the end of his plans."
"That sounds like a threat against me." Probus's voice raised in pitch.
"It is a threat, if you give me to Brutus."
Probus arched a brow. "Why do you think Brutus has asked for you?"
"Because he needs my magic. No one in the whole of this empire can do the things I can do, and if you sentence me to death, you will rob your Praetor of my abilities."
"You're convincing him to give you that sentence!" Crispus hissed.
"Hush!" I replied.
"I only want the boy for the glory of Rome," Brutus said. "Nothing more --"
"Close your mouth, or my soldiers will do it for you!" Probus snapped. "Nicolas, why does Decimas Brutus want your magic?"
"He is a descendent of Marcus Brutus, the man who killed Julius Caesar. Marcus descended from the goddess Diana and served her will, as does the man beside me now."
"Don't we all serve the gods?" Probus asked. "It is good for Decimas Brutus to serve Diana, if he has blood ties to her."
"Then it is good for him to use my magic to do her bidding, no?" I smiled over at Brutus. "Tell the emperor what Diana wants. Be sure to include the part about bringing down the empire."
Probus leaned forward. "Speak to me, Brutus."
Brutus stared down at me, feeling the same loss for words that I usually did. But this time, I knew exactly what I wanted to say. I gave my attention back to the emperor.
"He would use my magic to create something called the Jupiter Stone, with powers that will rival those of the gods. Then he will turn it over to a dragon whose only desire is to see the destruction of Rome."
"Save me, destroy the dragon," Atroxia whispered. "Obtain my forgiveness."
In the quietness of her voice, I heard her in a way I never had before. Maybe she was telling me how to destroy the dragon. If I got Probus to forgive her crimes, it might be a step in removing the curse. I was her last chance, her only chance.
I hesitated a moment, then shook her out of my head. Once I'd pulled my thoughts together again, I stared Probus directly in the eyes, something no one should ever do, especially an uneducated former slave of Rome. "If you give me to Brutus, he will bring Rome to its knees. But if you set me free, I can stop him."
Probus looked back at me. "And what if I order your execution? Then he cannot use your magic."
I hesitated. This was what Crispus had warned me about, and now he stepped forward, a last effort to save me from myself. "If those are your orders, then Diana will find another way to get what she wants. And you will have executed the one person capable of stopping the Praetors. Nic can destroy this empire, but he is also the only one who can save it."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Probus said. "Has he not already told us he values his family more than the empire?"
"If you value the empire, then listen to me," I said, still looking directly at the emperor. "I ask Caesar for only two things. The first is that you arrest Decimas Brutus. Stop him before he carries out his evil plans."
"Of course the slave boy accuses me!" Brutus sputtered. "He lies! He lies to Caesar!"
"Then he lies with conviction," Probus said. "He lies with the boldness of looking me in the eye." He nodded in the direction of his soldiers. "Guards, arrest Decimas Brutus. I have many questions for him."
"I am a descendent of Diana!" Brutus shouted. "I am a Praetor of Rome. You would not dare!"
Probus stood. "And who am I but your emperor? Fall on your knees to me!"
Brutus looked around him as the emperor's soldiers moved in closer. Finally, he went to his knees and lowered his head. "I only meant ... Caesar, this slave boy is a criminal and an enemy to Rome. He is no hero."
"I will determine that." Probus's eyes darkened. "And determine who you are as well."
With a nod of the emperor's head, his soldiers surrounded Brutus. His body had stiffened almost to corpse stage, enough that they clearly had trouble getting his hands in front of him to bind them. But they did, and once they brought him back to his feet, he stared across at me, tears streaming down his face. "I will answer the emperor's questions until he is satisfied of my innocence," he said, softly enough that only I could hear him. "He will release me, and the moment he does, I will come after you with a vengeance you have never seen before. You will make that Jupiter Stone for me, Nicolas. You will kneel before the Mistress and pledge your loyalty to her every wish. Of course, that is only if you are still alive by the end of this hour, which I most sincerely doubt."