by S. E. Green
I glance up to Hedian and Joseph to see them both staring off to the side, too horrified to look. The two boys are dragged off, the gate opens again, and out steps one of the elite.
“Holy damn,” I breathe.
Vasquez addresses the crowd one last time. “To prove no one is above our rules, I give you one of us. He has been in Saligia for an extended six month vacation. He has lied, he has stolen, he tried to leak information to the outside world, and two days ago he killed his own wife in their villa. Today he dies.”
I would bet anything the “leaking information” is the real reason he is about to be killed. Our gate opens a final time, and Alexior gives me a nudge. “All yours.”
I step onto the sand and the crowd erupts in their normal chant. Va-lor-i-a. But I can tell it’s because they know it’s expected, not because they really want to. They’re about to watch one of their own get murdered as a lesson.
I don’t race toward the elite. I just walk until I’m face to face with him.
He’s crying. Good. And shaking. Even better.
“You’re not armed,” I point out.
“Will you make it quick?” he asks.
I shrug. I really am indifferent. “Perhaps.”
“You should know your sister was in that villa the whole time.”
Though I already know this, fury resurfaces and nudges through me.
“You should also know,” he continues, “that one who lost her arm—”
My heart pauses a beat. “Gem.”
“She’s alive.”
I get right in his face. “What did you just say?”
The crowd begins booing.
Several soldiers start marching toward us and the man kneeling in front of me casts them a fervent look. “Please kill me. They will torture me if you don’t do it.”
I step back and rotate my spear in a wide circle, silently telling the soldiers to back off. I turn to the man. “What else?”
The crowd starts throwing stuff and booing even louder and the soldiers approach again.
The man shakes his head. “Kill me.”
The soldiers start to move again. No, this kill is mine. In one smooth, swift movement, I bring my spear back and ram it forward straight up under his chin until it comes out the top of his head. His blood splatters my face.
I turn toward Dominus and Vasquez as expected. They are standing, but they’re not cheering, and instead have their eyes leveled on mine. I wonder if Vasquez recognizes me now.
~50~
That night when I get back, I pull Razo and Camille aside and deliver the good news, “Gem’s alive.”
Neither one of them immediately responds, then Camille moves first, nearly staggering to the side. “What? How? Are you sure?”
Quickly, I tell them how I know. “And I doubt the elite was lying. Why would he? He had nothing to lose.”
Razo presses his palms into his eye sockets and groans.
I grip his forearm. “We will find her, Razo. We will.”
He shakes his head and mumbles miserably, “No, we won’t,” before walking off.
I stare at his back, tempted to tell him the lies about my sister, too. Tempted to feel him out about my plan of attack and escape, but I sense that now isn’t the time.
I do decide to finally tell Camille.
“He had your sister the whole time?” she asks with as much shock as I felt at the time. “When did you find this out?”
“A few days ago. Hedian and Joseph told me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because of Gem. You had a lot you were dealing with. I didn’t want to burden you with this, too.” I grab her hand. “Tell me you’re still with me. I have Hedian and Joseph on the inside. I know I’ll have Razo now that he realizes Gem’s out there.”
“Of course I’m still with you. We need Ignatius and Sera. If we get them, the rest of the warriors will follow.”
I nod and think of how Ignatius defied Dominus’ orders earlier. “I have a feeling that might happen sooner than we think.”
Camille leans in. “Why? What happened?”
“Valoria,” Alexior calls from the tunnel. “You have visitors.”
I give Camille a quick hug. “That would be Joseph and Hedian.” I squeeze her harder. “Gem’s alive.”
She squeezes me back. “We will find her.”
I follow Alexior down the tunnel feeling a sense of victory that is very near. He doesn’t walk with me the entire way, as he usually does, and I can tell there is something on his mind.
“You okay?” I ask.
He shakes his head, turns, and walks off. I watch his broad back for a few seconds until it disappears completely into the shadows. As always I am curious what his brain is processing.
“We were sent to distract you,” Joseph tells me a few minutes later.
“Distract me from what?”
“From the fact Dominus is ignoring your requests to see him.”
I sit down on one of the cushions. “And why is he?”
Joseph sits down beside me. “We don’t know.”
Hedian hovers near the door and I give her a quizzical look, waiting.
Joseph glances over to her, too, and sighs. “She doesn’t want to help us now. She’s scared.”
I nod. I understand. “From what you saw in the arena today?”
“Yes,” she timidly answers.
“Don’t you understand that’s exactly why they did it?” I ask. “Vasquez had to remind everyone to be scared. Fear is a powerful tool. But we have to be brave. We have to take a chance for the things that we know are right. Why do you think Ignatius refused to enter that arena?” I point out. “He knew it was wrong. His actions showed such power in front of everyone. He basically said ‘fuck you’ to Vasquez and Dominus and Saligia by refusing to step out. They’re scared. That’s the only reason for that little show today.”
“But can you promise we won’t die?” she asks.
I take a breath in and blow it out smoothly. “I wish I could. But I can’t. I might die. You might. Camille might. But that’s something I’m willing to take a chance on in order to do what’s right. You need to make that decision for yourself.”
All expression washes from her face as she shakes her head. “I can’t. I’m sorry.” She opens the door and slips out.
I turn to Joseph. “I know she doesn’t feel she can rely on anybody. Tell her not to be sorry. Tell her to be smart and to do what makes her feel good and right.”
“I’ll talk to her,” he assures me. “In the meantime, what can I do?”
“What about the leather notebook? Any luck?”
Joseph shakes his head. “Not yet. Dominus keeps it guarded.”
Evidence that whatever is in there will be good. “What about the other house slaves? What does your gut tell you?”
“Some will think like Hedian and others like me. I truly believe they will turn on the elite if enough of us ban together, if given a chance. They want to be free, too.” He stands. “I’m sorry. I have to get back. Dominus only gave us thirty minutes.”
“Okay,” I nod. “Be safe.”
After he leaves I sit, and I just think.
About Gem, now alive. I’m sorry she didn’t make it. She bled out.
About my first day in the villa. You fight for me and I’ll find your sister.
About Bareket’s visit. Indeed they enjoyed her so much.
About Lena dying in my arms. I will find the man who did this and bring him to you.
Familiar anger and betrayal scratches inside of me, and I breathe through it, harnessing it.
The door unexpectedly opens and Alexior steps in. I glance behind him and see that we are alone.
Alone.
He doesn’t say anything and instead stands in the doorway, looking down at me sitting on a cushion. I have a quick flash of him down on this cushion with me, stretched out on top of me, and my entire body warms. I want him whispering against my ear in that wo
nderful accent of his. What would he do if I reached my hand out and beckoned him? What would he do if I stood, walked over to him, and pressed my lips to his neck?
He swallows, and I wonder if he is having the same thoughts. “Dominus wants to see you.”
Oh… But that doesn’t make any sense. He just sent Hedian and Joseph to distract me. Why does he want to see me only moments later?
Alexior holds up shackles. “He wants these on you.”
~51~
“What? Why?” Though I know why. Like the arena, he’s reminding everyone of their station.
I stand and Alexior shackles me. As I follow him out of the room, I glance to the left where the weapons are. I need to ask Joseph who has that key.
A soldier leads me up. I walk through the villa, studying every slave. Some of them look at me. Others don’t. I wonder which ones would pick up a knife and stab someone.
I am led into Dominus’ empty office and a soldier stands in the corner where Alexior usually does. I look over to the terrace and then down to his desk. There is a brown pencil. I could easily stab his eye out with that.
I glance over my shoulder to the soldier and the sword he wears on his hip. Even in my wrist shackles I am confident I could take that sword and slice his head off.
In walks Dominus. “Valoria!” he cheerfully greets, like he hasn’t been ignoring me. Like he hasn’t just demanded I be placed in shackles. “What can I do for you?”
My eyes track back over to the pencil. Stab him in the eye. Spin and get the sword. Slice the soldier’s neck. Knife Dominus in the gut.
He slaps me on the back. “Let me guess you’re here to request Joseph and Hedian on a weekly basis.”
No. Sword first. Slice neck. Stab Dominus. No pencil needed.
Dominus sits down at his desk. “Why don’t you first tell me what deep conversation you were having out there in the arena earlier?” He chuckles. “Was he confessing all of his sins?”
Now that he’s sitting I move closer to the desk and the pencil. “He was pleading for mercy.”
This makes Dominus laugh.
The door to the office opens and in walks a young Asian girl. She’s the smallest I’ve seen yet. Younger than even Hedian and Joseph when they came here. She seems incredibly frail.
Carrying a tray of fruit, she trips over her own feet and the pears roll onto the floor.
Dominus sighs. “Joseph!” he yells and in runs my friend.
He takes one look at me, down to the girl, and hurries over. She’s crying now, shaking, and he whispers soothing words as he helps her get things cleaned up.
I step away from the desk and the pencil, the soldier and the sword, and bow my head. There’s no way I can attack with a child in here. “Yes, I was indeed here to inquire about weekly visits, but I realize now that is an unreasonable thing to request.”
“Good, because the answer is no.” He laughs and waves his arms in the air. “Now off with you. I have a ton to do.”
In my wrist shackles I make my way back through the villa toward the stairs and tunnel. As I round the last corner I see Hedian kneeling and scrubbing the marble floor. I come to a stop right beside her.
“Hedian,” I whisper. “When did that little girl arrive?”
Hedian glances around to make sure no one is listening. “That’s Gem’s daughter.”
~52~
The next afternoon Razo aggressively practices against the wooden post. His deep grunts fill the space around him and sweat drops in big globs to dot the sand at his feet.
Around and around the post he goes, knifing it, ducking, swerving, punching. I’ve never seen him so fiercely focused. I know Gem has to be on his mind.
Sera strolls by. “Trying to take the champion spot?” she jeers in a joking tone.
He ignores her and keeps going.
I debate whether to tell him about Gem’s daughter and decide to wait until he’s calmer and more likely to accept that news as well as my plans of escape.
I pick up a practice sword and search out Camille, but she’s training with Ignatius again. I look to Sera who is speaking with Alexior and then my gaze falls on the twins, Yana and Willem. I have yet to spar with them. I’d like to see their level of skill.
I walk over. “How about sparring with a real fighter?” I tease and they both smile.
The three of us begin going through the basic formations. They try a few tricks that I quickly divert. I try a few of my own that, as expected, catch them off guard. They’re good, though. I’d put them on the level of Gem’s expertise.
The female twin, Yana, is light on her feet, as I noted in the arena when she seemed to skip across the sand. I want to know their story. More importantly, I want to know if they’ll be on my side when it’s time.
A half hour or so in, I suggest, “Water break.”
The three of us walk over to the shade and ladle out some water. We stand, sipping, looking at everyone sparring. Even though I already know the answer to this, I prompt, “Where are you two from?”
“Poland,” Willem answers.
“So how’d you end up here?” I ask.
Willem sighs. “Because we’re idiots.”
I look to his sister for clarification, and she says, “We’ve been in trouble our whole lives. Runaways. Group homes. Living on the streets. Selling drugs. Stealing. You name it and we’ve done it. We both spent our nineteenth year in prison for petty theft. Anyway, there was this ad for a reality show and we answered it. Figured we were twins and that we would be a shoe in. We got ‘cast’, showed up for our first day, knocked out, woke up, and here we are.” She scoffs. “Some reality show.”
Willem shrugs. “Whatever. First chance we get, we’re outa here. We’re totally planning to escape.”
I nearly smile. Mission accomplished.
“Warriors!” Dominus shouts from the balcony. “Formation!”
We line up as expected, and I look up to the balcony to see Dominus, his wife, Bareket, and several more elite. Vasquez, like before, stands right in the center. Behind them in the shadow of the terrace hovers Joseph, Hedian, and a few other house slaves, including Gem’s daughter.
Razo is on my left. Camille stands on the right. Now is the time. “That little girl,” I whisper, “is Gem’s daughter.”
Camille gasps and looks at me. Razo’s body goes even stiffer. I glance at him from the side of my eyes to see him staring up and right at the little girl. His hands curl into two white knuckled fists and his triceps twitch to muscled knots.
“Disrobe,” Vasquez commands, and we all take our tunics off and drop them on the ground in front of us. He nods to Dominus, like he’s giving him permission to take over, to proceed.
What’s going on?
Dominus stretches his right arm out to motion to the other elite filling the terrace. “As evidence from the arena yesterday, we are reminding everyone of how Saligia is supposed to operate. I have been far too generous and lenient with my warriors. Each of you need to be reminded of exactly who you are. You are slaves. Do you hear me? Slaves! You do as I say. Never the other way around. Yesterday I was embarrassed and humiliated when Ignatius refused a direct order to enter the arena. Now, as everyone knows, Ignatius is free. The last time he refused a direct order I banished him to The Hole. This time because of his freedom, I cannot. However,” Dominus’ voice lowers, “every one of you will suffer while he watches.”
I exchange a anxious glance with Camille.
Ignatius steps out of line, his expression desperate. “Dominus please.”
Dominus nods to the gate. It opens, and in march a dozen soldiers carrying shackles and whips. Whips?
Down the line I hear Yana, frantic, crying, “No. No. What’s going on?”
Automatically Camille and I edge closer to one another. We reach over and death grip the other’s hand, just like we did that first day in the marketplace. The soldiers begin shackling ankles and wrists, and I still myself for whatever atrocity is about to happen.
>
“Dominus,” Alexior calls out and I swerve my gaze to him. What is he doing? “I implore you,” he keeps going. “Is there no other way to exercise your authority?”
“No,” Dominus snaps. “There is not.”
My gaze flicks to Vasquez who stands, chin high, staring down his nose at us. He’s the reason for this—whatever this is. Clearly Dominus got in some kind of trouble for not running Saligia correctly, and Vasquez is making him exert even more authority.
A soldier rips mine and Camille’s hands apart and shackles our wrists. I glance over to Ignatius and see his muscles visibly quivering.
“Dominus,” Ignatius tries again. “I will do anything you request. Anything!”
“No. You will watch and then I am banishing you from this ludus and Saligia. Go out into the real world and see how you do there. Just look at you. You’re a monster. No one will want you.” Dominus turns away from Ignatius and runs his dark gaze down our line. His eyes glint with a maliciousness that sends a chill flittering across my skin. Despite the balmy weather, I shiver.
“Kneel before me.” He motions to Vasquez and the other elite. “Kneel before all of us.”
“Oh my God,” Camille mutters. “Oh, shit.”
I fall to my knees in the sand, my wrists in front of me. I don’t look up at the terrace. I keep my eyes down and make myself submissive, hoping it will placate, if just a little.
I’m sure they are up there, eyes bright, giddy, triumph racing through them. I lift my gaze and look to the left where Alexior stands to see him helplessly staring back.
I feel nothing. No heartbeat. No breath. Nothing but a slight prickle across my scalp. Like my soul is leaving my body, to be joined later when it is time to feel again. His eyes glass over and he takes a step forward only to have a soldier block his path.
“Begin!” Dominus shouts.
Simultaneously the whips crack through the warm air. I hear a gasp. I hear a yell. A grunt. A scream. I don’t take my eyes off of Alexior as the leather strips rip through air and tear into my back.
