by Sandi Rog
Just as they approached the towering gate, several men came through led by two men, one of them quite large. David’s eyes wandered in their direction as he kept a firm hold on Alethea’s elbow.
Alethea gasped and she stopped. David tried to tug her along, but she wouldn’t move. “Demetri.” She’d only whispered his name and began to walk again, but the fact that they’d stopped and taken notice of them made the men look in David and Alethea’s direction. At first, Demetri didn’t recognize them buried under their cloaks, and he looked away, but he looked back at them, and the recognition registered on his face.
“Alethea?” Demetri stopped. The man next to him walked two paces before he realized Demetri had stopped. The man followed Demetri’s gaze.
At that moment, Demetri recognized David. “Where’s your grandfather?” Demetri looked around them, seeing that they were alone. He drew his sword and came toward them. “Alethea, stand back.”
David drew his sword, pushing Alethea behind him.
“Guards!” Demetri shouted at the gate. “A slave’s escaped!” He charged for David. Their swords clashed and David held his own. He knew he could take down Demetri. But dare he in front of the Roman guards who now charged toward them with their own swords drawn? What would become of Alethea if he failed?
The guards came at David. He fought them off, two, then three of them. Demetri dropped back as David fought, swords clanging, each man coming at him. David worked to keep his footing on the thick stones and found it distracting as he tried to keep his focus on each man around him. He dropped into a half split, but the stones made for an awkward descent. Still, he was able to block the swords and even cut one of the guards in the thigh. The man fell. David went after the second, slicing him easily down the length of his arm. Crying out, he dropped back.
David did everything in his power to keep from killing the guards. The temptation to thrust the point of his sword into their flesh was great. The third guard’s swings weren’t as powerful as the first guard’s, and David easily took hold of his opponent’s blade by guiding its point down. David lunged in, still holding the man’s blade down, and punched him in the face, knocking the man backward. His grip on the sword loosened and David snatched it from him. He flipped the hilt of the man’s sword into his own hand, avoiding cutting himself completely. How often he’d done this trick with Titus, he didn’t know. David turned in circles, waving the swords around him to avoid any new attack. Several men stood around, watching as if they were at Vespasian’s Amphitheater.
“David!” Demetri’s voice called. David turned to see Demetri holding Alethea from behind with his own sword at her throat. David froze. “Drop the swords and I won’t have to hurt your girl.”
Seeing his sword against Alethea’s neck and hearing the way he said “your girl” made David shudder. He pointed at Demetri with one of the blades. “She is a Roman citizen! Release her!”
“She’s no more a Roman citizen than you are!” Demetri shouted, tightening his hold on Alethea. Her silent, brown eyes pleaded with David. “She hardly looks like one.” He shook her up and down, emphasizing her wool cloak.
The men around them chuckled. David glanced at them, wielding his sword. The men backed off, waving their hands as if to ward off any coming blows.
“David!” Demetri shouted again. “I mean it. I . . . will . . . kill
. . . her.” He lifted his chin, his gaze fixed on David’s. “What is she to me, your woman? She’s worthless, just a slave.”
Would he? Would he dare harm her amongst all these witnesses? But then it occurred to David that they were all Demetri’s slaves who would lie for him.
Demetri moved toward David, still holding Alethea in his grasp, and David noticed a small cut on her neck. Demetri leaned in close. “You’ll be blamed for her death, of course. I’ll just say I caught you trying to escape with your hostage. When the guards tried to capture you, you threatened to slice her throat, but accidentally did it anyway.”
The wicked idea wasn’t far from the truth as David watched Demetri’s sword again come too close to the wound that was already there. Reluctantly, and in utter defeat, David dropped his swords. Demetri smiled, then motioned with his chin to the guards and other men standing around. Someone grabbed David’s arms and bound them behind his back.
“Get your sword off of her,” David said. “If you kill her, you won’t get your land.” David grasped at anything to get Demetri to obey his command. Demetri let his sword fall. David thought Demetri was a better person than that. He always thought he’d seen a bit of good in him, especially in his concern toward Alethea and keeping her out of harm’s way from Aloysius. But this moment had changed all of that.
“Do you honestly think I would have done it?” Demetri shook his head, casting David a smug grin. Still holding Alethea in a firm grip by her arm, Demetri motioned to the others around him. “I’ll take care of this.” The guards dropped back, and Demetri’s men came forward, including the tall man who had been walking at Demetri’s side.
“David, allow me to introduce Chlothar. He’s a local gladiator. Surely, you’ve heard his name. I hired him.” Demetri straightened as if proud of his latest rental. “I thought a gladiator fight would make a nice surprise for my wife-to-be.” He shook Alethea at his side. She kept her gaze downcast, tears dripping onto the ground at her feet. David’s chest clenched. He had failed her, and now her life with this man would be even worse than what it might have been had he not caught them together and learned of their love for each other.
“Aren’t you curious who Chlothar is going to fight?” Demetri leaned in closer to David as the men behind him tightened their grips on his arms. “To the death.”
Alethea cried out.
Demetri cast her a fierce look. “Maybe with your lover dead, you’ll be able to focus on your marriage to me.”
“Don’t hurt her.” David’s fists ached to defend Alethea. “This was my idea, not hers.”
Demetri glared at David. “She’d better be untouched.” The shock of his words sent involuntary shivers down David’s spine when he thought of Demetri’s hands on Alethea.
“She’s innocent.” He spoke between clenched teeth.
Demetri tugged Alethea along. “We’ll find out. Won’t we?”
“You have no right to do this!” Alethea shouted. “David was my escort. He was taking me to my father!”
Demetri kept walking, shaking his head. “Have you lost your mind, woman?”
“My father is alive!” The fury in Alethea’s eyes warmed David. She’d been so quiet, so helpless, he thought for sure his failure had crushed her spirit.
Demetri laughed. “You have lost your mind!”
They kept walking, and the men pushed David forward, away from the gate, away from their portal to freedom.
twenty-two
Knowing her father was alive gave Alethea the will to fight. She’d come so close to having her dreams come true. How dare they take them away.
Grandfather stood before her, face almost purple, as he ranted and raved about her “disappearance.” Of course, the entire villa had been searching for her, and everyone, especially Grandmother, was hugely grateful for her safe return. Titus stood behind her with David still in bonds, and Alethea would do whatever it took to defend him.
“I was not his hostage.” Alethea shot a glare at Demetri for his lie. “He was escorting me to my father!”
Her mother gasped, a guilty look clouded her eyes, but she erased it as soon as Grandfather turned to her.
“What is she talking about?” Grandfather glared at her mother.
Cornelia shook her head. “I have no idea.”
Grandfather faced Alethea again, but something in her mother’s eyes betrayed her. She wasn’t telling the truth. Did she know Mpampas was alive? But how could she know? And why didn’t she say anything?
“Enough of this nonsense!” Grandfather motioned toward Titus. “Fifteen lashings save one.”
; “No!” Alethea cried, crumpling to her knees.
Demetri grabbed her by the arm, and brought her to her feet.
“I’m telling you! My father is alive, and you will pay for what you’re doing!”
Gasps came from all around. Grandfather had been about to leave, but he stopped when she said the words. Slowly, he turned on her and stepped forward. Alethea straightened. He slapped her. She fell from the force, but Demetri held her up. She struggled to free herself from his grasp. She wanted nothing more than to put her hand on her burning cheek, but he wouldn’t let go of her arms.
“Don’t ever speak to me like that again.” Grandfather’s voice was a forced calm. His gaze held hers, then his eyes widened. “What happened to your neck?”
“Ask Demetri,” was all Alethea could say.
“The slave’s blade nearly cut her through.” Demetri tightened his grip on her arms.
“That’s not true!” Alethea twisted. “Check his blade! There’s blood on Demetri’s sword.”
Grandfather cast a glance at Demetri’s sword, a hint of doubt clouding his eyes, but immediately he straightened. “Take her to my office chamber.”
Demetri jerked on her arms and yanked her through the atrium. She shook her head. He wasn’t even interested in the truth. Once Demetri had her alone in the chamber, he forced her to face him. “Why’d you do that? Why did you talk to him that way?” His eyes were filled with worry. “I never meant to harm you. You’ve got to believe that.” With the back of his knuckles, he reached toward her neck, but she pulled away. “Now he’s going to beat you. If you’d just let him believe that the slave had taken you hostage, you’d be safe.”
Alethea wanted to slap him. “As long as I’m in this house, I’m not safe.” She held his gaze, telling him without words how she wouldn’t be in this house had it not been for him.
“Just tell him it was the slave.” His eyes pled with her. “He doesn’t want to beat you. I’m sure of it.”
Grandfather came into the chamber, and fear shuddered down her spine when she saw the wooden board in his hand. It made her think of something that might be used in a game or a sport, but instead it would be used on her. She swallowed, fighting the urge to do as Demetri suggested, tempted to betray David with another lie. She’d never make that same mistake again.
“Umm.” Demetri stepped in front of Alethea. “May I speak to you privately?”
Grandfather straightened, letting the board sag at his side. “What is it?”
Demetri inched closer to Grandfather. “It’s between us.”
“Go.” Grandfather motioned to Alethea. “Wait outside the chamber.”
Alethea went to the hall and Grandfather closed the door behind her. What could Demetri need to say at a time like this? She waited, leaning against the wall, worrying and wondering about David. When would they start the scourging? She couldn’t bear the thought of what he’d suffer. She waited, kicking at the tiles, pushing back and forth against the wall, listening down the hall for Titus and the whip. Her knees nearly buckled when she imagined what the glass woven into the leather would do to David’s flesh.
Her mother crept up to Alethea, her hands to her chest, fear in her eyes as they darted to Grandfather’s chamber door. She swallowed visibly. “How’d you know?” she whispered, barely audible to Alethea’s ears.
“How did you know?”
“He sent word, a message.” Her voice trembled. “It came shortly after Damonus brought you back from the woods.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Alethea gritted her teeth. “Is that why you’re being nice to me all of a sudden? You’ve never cared in the past, but now that you know he’s alive, you care.” Alethea shook her head. “Why?”
Her mother clutched her stola, hands white against her chest. “I couldn’t accept his new God. He can have his God. I just need him.” A smile quivered on her lips. “I now know I am nothing without him.”
“But what about me and Paulus?” Alethea took a deep shuddering breath. “Weren’t we worth anything to you? Don’t you think we needed him too?” She choked back tears. “And what about Paulus? He has no interest in Mpampas.”
Her mother looked down at the floor. A woman Alethea barely knew. A stranger.
“Why are you glad he’s alive? I thought you wanted him dead.” Anger flamed in Alethea’s mind. “You instigated the whole thing,” she said between clenched teeth, trying to keep her voice down.
Her mother shook her head. “I only hoped he’d deny his God. As soon as he denied his God, we would come back to him.” She lifted her hands. “I never expected him . . . to die.” Tears formed in her mother’s eyes, revealing for the first time, true sorrow and guilt.
The door came open, and her mother spun around and walked away.
Grandfather stopped in front of Alethea. He looked down at her with sympathy, then turned to leave. Demetri came out of the chamber, watching Grandfather disappear into the courtyard.
“What’d you say to him?”
“I convinced him that you’d lost your mind, falsely believing that your father was waiting for you in Rome, so you begged that slave to take you there. When he realized he had a willing hostage, he took you.”
“What?” Alethea raised her hands. “But that’s not true!” She pointed to the courtyard where the tall, wooden stakes stood, waiting for David’s flogging. “He’ll be punished!”
Without waiting for a response, Alethea ran to the courtyard. Titus was already tying David to a stake.
“Make that twenty save one!” Grandfather shouted.
“No!” Alethea cried out. She ran to her grandfather. “He didn’t kidnap me! He wasn’t trying to run away.” She clung to Grandfather’s tunic. “Please! Listen to me!” Tears burned her eyes as they swarmed down her cheeks. “It’s my fault!”
“Master.” Alethea stopped at the sound of David’s voice. “I did take her hostage. She’s not to blame for any of this.”
“No! David, how can you say that?” Alethea sobbed and ran to David. “Untie him!” She tugged on the ropes. She looked up at Titus. “Untie him! I command you!” With trembling fingers, she tried to loosen the ropes around David’s wrists. The wails and screams from his last whipping echoed in the memories of her mind. Not again. She couldn’t bear it again.
“Alethea,” David whispered. Her hands froze and she wiped her nose on her arm. “It’s going to be fine. All will be well.” David’s gaze held hers.
“But all will not be well. They’re going to flog you!”
“Go back to your grandfather. Go back to Demetri.”
Alethea fell to her knees, hugging the pole and David’s legs. “David.” She wept against the prickly bark. “Don’t let them do this to you.” Her voice choked back more sobs.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you love this boy.” Grandfather stood over her now, face red.
“I’ve got her.” Suddenly, Demetri was at her side, pulling her to her feet. “She’s exhausted, distraught. It’s been a difficult two days. I’ll take her to Cornelia.” Grandfather watched them. A look of relief passed over David’s face as Demetri tugged on her and escorted her away. Grandfather turned back toward David, motioning for Titus to begin. Alethea couldn’t help but be reminded of that horrible day. The day Grandfather motioned for Titus to tie her father to a horse.
Ω
David felt like the wooden doll Galen had made for Alethea. He hugged the stake as he tried to keep his legs from collapsing. He’d managed not to cry out, fearing Alethea might hear his wails. He didn’t want to upset her anymore than she already was. He’d hoped to black out, but Jehovah-Shammah hadn’t been so merciful.
Titus unbound his hands. His stomach and chest were covered in splinters. But that was nothing compared to the burning on his back, arms and legs. Had he not stayed up all night, made the long trips to and from Rome, he might have felt stronger, but right now, he feared his legs might give out on him. Titus tugged him to the slave with th
e bowl of honey, prepared to cover David in the salve.
“We’ll have none of that.” Aloysius eyed Titus. “Take him to the gymnasium.” Aloysius clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Let the games begin.”
Ω
David stood on wobbly legs in the gymnasium. Every part of his body trembled and cried out in pain. He wished he could lie on the ground, but even that wouldn’t bring him comfort with all the cuts on his body. Titus stood next to him in silence.
“I’m sorry I disappointed you.” David finally brought himself to speak.
“That girl’s been nothing but trouble.”
“She’s not to blame.” David glanced at Titus, then back at the door, waiting for everyone to arrive. “It’s true what she says. Her father is alive.”
Titus’s brows furrowed. “How?”
“Remember the day I thought thieves were about to attack the caravan?”
Titus nodded. “There was no blood on your sword.”
“It was him. Galen.”
Titus sighed, long and hard. “It was me.”
David shook his head. “What?”
“I tied him to his horse.” Titus shifted his stance. “At Aloysius’s command.”
David sensed the discomfort in Titus. Something Titus rarely showed, even when whipping him. It could have been easy for David to be angry at him, but he no longer saw him as a powerful man. He saw him as a slave. A slave that did his master’s bidding, an animal, an object. David thought how hard he’d worked to earn Aloysius’s favor so he might be set free. All for nothing. And that’s when a thought struck David. All the times Titus gave in to Aloysius’s orders, administering the full force of his whip. “Did Aloysius ever offer you freedom like you said he did?”
“No.”
David chuckled without humor. He’d always looked up to Titus, never daring to cross him, even seeing him as a father figure. Titus always ignored David’s escapades with Alethea, ignored his teaching other servants about Elohim. Now he realized, maybe Titus was afraid. Curious, but afraid. David no longer needed to fear him. After all, what did he have to lose? He was going to die anyway. He kept his eyes on the door, waiting for the man who would kill him.
