“That’s a dangerous accusation, Domitian,” Rowan says.“You’re saying that a member of Aetheria’s senate has been attacking the city’s guards.”He looks at me as he says it, the warning in that stare obvious.“And you’ve been saying that she’s aiding traitors.Another serious accusation.”
“That’sexactlywhat I’m saying,” Domitian says.“The birds started flocking in perfect formation.”
"Birds you ordered to be released onto the sands," I counter.I know I need to fight back here.This is a contest as dangerous as any I was in during my time in the Colosseum."Birds that, as you said to me, run when they're threatened.Creatures that flee like that will often gather in flocks or herds."
“This wasn’t the same,” Domitian snarls, pointing at me.“A beast whisperer was controlling them!”
“Do you have any evidence of that?”Marcus asks, standing.
Domitian rounds on him.“Of course you’d protect her.Everyone knows you’re lovers.”
“Make up your mind,” I say to him.“Am I siding with Alaric because we’re together, or is Marcus siding with me because we’re a couple?”
“From the rumors I heard when you were a gladiator,” Domitian snaps.“You would lie with anyone who wanted you.”
The insult stings, the old rumors coming back to bite me.I see lightning crackling in Marcus’ hands, his anger obvious.
“Have a care, Domitian,” Rowan says, in a tone just as angry.“You’re insulting a senator of this city.”
“She needs to hide behind you?”Domitian asks.
“I don’t need to hide behind anyone,” I reply, my voice tight.“And I won’t let you just insult me.”
“You’re on shaky ground as it is, without making threats,” Domitian says.
“What shaky ground?”Rowan counters.“Marcus has a point.Doyou have any evidence that a beast whisperer was involved?And that, even if one was, it was Lyra?”
Domitian stands there, glaring angrily, his hands balled into fists.He hesitates just a fraction of a second too long.
"Isn't the truth that Senator Domitian has been trying to make the games more dangerous?"I say, looking around at the rest of the room."That he thought he could create a spectacular moment in the Champions' Challenge, without consulting on the safety of what he was planning?He released creatures he didn't understand into the Colosseum.Then, when something started to go wrong, he was surprised when those creatures only added to the chaos."
Maybe I’m learning to win this kind of fight, or at least to strike back, rather than just standing there and taking whatever attacks my opponents want to level at me.Domitian looks even more angry, but I can see a couple of the other senators nodding.Maybe it will limit the damage to me here, at least stop me from being declared some kind of threat to the Republic.
“There’s still the matter of Alaric and his group,” Domitian says.“This is a man who is plotting against the Republic, a noble who probably wants to install himself as emperor.”
“You think Alaric would do something like that?”I demand.
“Of course he would,” Domitian says.“Everyone remembers the reputation he built, as the most arrogant of all the gladiators.The son of a noble house.A man who left the Republic as soon as it was founded.Like you, Senator Lyra.”
“Because we’d done our part,” I say.
Domitian cocks his head to one side.“Is that how you think?That there isn’t anything left to do in Aetheria?The rest of us continue to work for the good of the people.”
“You only work for yourownbenefit,” I snap back at him.“You care about the games, not the people.”
Domitian laughs.“And now you’re even echoing the very sentiments of Alaric’s traitors.Are you going to accuse the rest of the senate of being corrupt, the way they did?”
The trap there is obvious.If I speak against the senate like that, then I risk losing whatever slender thread of support I possess.
"That's enough," Rowan says."If you accuse everyone connected with Alaric of being a traitor, you might as well accuse me.For now, the chaos in the Colosseum is over.The guards will continue to look for those who caused it, including Alaric.If they insist on standing against our city, then they must be brought to justice.Aetheria is fragile, a dream we've all worked to build.We can't let anyone tear that down."
“You really want to send the guards after Alaric?”I say.
“I don’twantany of this to be happening,” Rowan retorts, “but it is, and we need to deal with it.Now, excuse me.I believe the diplomats from Arboria wish to speak to me.”
He stands, leaving the chamber, and all the rest of the senators start to filter out, heading for the rooms nearby.They aren't going there to feast and drink wine this time, but I can see them talking in small knots and groups.Marcus is talking with a young noble whose name I think might be Lucius, a slender man of about twenty, with a short, dark beard and deep-set eyes.I head over in their direction, and Lucius bows to me.
“Senator Lyra.Forgive me if I don’t stay.I might be one of Marcus’ allies, but I’m not sure if this is a good moment to be seen with you.”
