Petros took Cassia, he reminded himself.Petros has hurt countless people in this city.
He had to break Geoxus’s trust in Petros, even if it severed his faith in Madoc too.
“I always make time for my champions,” Geoxus added. “You give our people so much.”
Madoc dipped his head.
“How are you faring?” Geoxus asked. “This must be quite a change for you. The life of a stonemason is quite different from the life of a gladiator.”
Madoc glanced at the luxury of the room behind him. There were servants he hadn’t noticed standing beside the bed, and a door beside the bookcase. They were so still, they’d blended in, like the statues around the room.
“It is very different,” he said.
Geoxus chuckled and leaned back against the railing, causing Madoc’s chest to constrict. “You look well.”
“I am, Honorable Geoxus,” Madoc said, but the questions had begun pressing against his teeth.Are you my god? Am I truly a son of Deimos?
Or am I something else?
“Still glowing from your latest victory, no doubt.” Geoxus grinned.
“That...” Madoc swallowed. Without thought, he pulled his breastplate away from his sweating chest, then stopped himself. How many times had Lucius told him that gladiators did not squirm? “That is what I came here to discuss with you, actually.”
“Yes, tell me all about it. I wanted to attend but was tied up with war proceedings. Petty details Ignitus wants accounted for.” Geoxus waved a hand dismissively, and Madoc frowned, reminded of the seaports that Kula stood to lose, and Ash’s words in the preparation room.
He has a list of my country’s resources, and he checks them off every time he wins one, as if he’s collecting them.
He could not think of Ash now. He had to think of Cassia. He had to beherchampion.
“I only fought Jann today because Stavos forfeited our earlier match.”
Geoxus grew grim. “Yes?”
“I believe Petros may have had something to do with that.”
Geoxus stepped closer. “You believe your father was behind the murder of my gladiator.” His gaze darkened. “That is a very serious accusation. What proof do you have?”
Madoc felt as if his organs were vibrating. “None, Honorable Father God,” he said. “I only know that Petros would do anything to gain your favor.”
“And why would you say that?”
“Because I didn’t win today using geoeia.”
Madoc waited, braced for Geoxus to sand him raw or throw him over the edge of the balcony. An urge of self-preservation stirred the strange power in his blood, but it was trapped in place by a cage of doubt.
He had said the worst part; there was no going back now.
“I know Petros told you I went to him after I’d pledged myself to Lucius, but that wasn’t the truth. It was the will of my father that I submit myself to Lucius Pompino at the start of this war. Petros said I wasn’t to tell anyone who I was, and that I couldn’t use geoeia.” He deliberately left out any mention of soul energy, preferring to avoid territory he couldn’t navigate his way through. “He demanded this of me, and I had no choice but to comply because he’d taken mysister, Cassia. She isn’t his daughter. I thought if I could do what he asked, he’d give her back, but then I was chosen to be one of the Honored Eight...” Madoc shifted, aware of the fine line he was walking between accusing Petros of a war violation and accusing Geoxus. “I do not mean to question your judgment, but cheating caused this war. I do not want Deimos to be accused of the same due to my behavior.”
Madoc felt another tremor rip though him.Speak, he urged Geoxus.Say something.
Geoxus’s knuckles absently traced the line of his smooth jaw. “It is a weighty thing to turn against one’s father,” he finally said.
Madoc’s stomach churned. His god or not, Geoxus was still the ruler of this land.
He focused on Cassia. He would say whatever he had to in order to free her.
He would sacrifice, like Ash, to bring his sister home.
