He heads down into the entertainment district of the city, to a building that appears to be a theater, decorated with bright illusions proclaiming the performances within.As he heads inside, I switch my control to another rat, following him in the shadows once again.Domitian doesn’t sit in the stands for the performance, but instead heads to a private box.There are several people there.I recognize some of them.Lord Arin, the fat noble from the Gilded Swan, is there.So is Lucius.
So is Marcus.
He must have left the palace at almost the same moment as Domitian but taken a different route.Coming here, making sure he wasn't seen arriving with Domitian… it's suspicious in the extreme.The two of them, even all four of them, could have met in the palace.If they're doing it here, they really don't want to be overheard.
I don’t know all the figures in the room, but all of them are being careful not to reveal their faces.Marcus speaks.
"We're all here.Shall we begin, Domitian?I assume this is because of what happened outside the Colosseum?"
Domitian nods.“I believe it offers an opportunity.”
“What kind of opportunity?”Marcus asks.
“The rebels are a convenient set of foes,” Domitian says.“Traitors to the city.Does anyone here doubt that they need to be punished harshly?”
“They can’t be permitted to go on causing disruption to the games, certainly,” Marcus says.
"And we can have them punished publicly.If they die in a death match, no one can really complain," Domitian says."And once that's happened, the precedent has been set.We send more criminals to die in the Colosseum.After a few months of that, everything will be back to the way they should be."
Several of the figures in the room look thoughtful.Even Marcus.
“I’m not sure that would work,” Marcus says.“Rowan will hate the idea.”
“And your precious lover, Lyra,” Lucius says.
Domitian looks at Marcus.“Yes, is this about Lyra, Marcus?”
“We aren’t together anymore,” Marcus says.He sighs.“You all know I was keeping her close so she wouldn’t be a problem.Does any of you want to deny that things have been easy for you in the last few months?”
Those words hurt like a dagger thrust through my heart.How can Marcus say something like that?Was he really only ever with me so he could control me?Was this all about manipulating me so Marcus and his allies could get what they wanted?
“It would be hard to push through the execution of criminals in the games like that,” Marcus says.“And even if we managed it, it wouldn’t get us back to the full games.”
“There’s another option,” Lucius says.
“What other option?”Domitian asks, sounding disappointed that his idea was being shot down.
“We can offer gladiators a chance to earn greater rewards by taking on greater risks,” Lucius says.“We make it clear that it’s entirely voluntary, that they could have safer matches if they want.”
“And what’s the good of that?”Domitian demands.
Marcus is the one who explains it, and I hate him for explaining it.
“Because the deadlier matches will be more exciting.No one will want to watch the safe ones.The fighters will want the rewards, and the crowd will want to see death.”
“So we get what we want: the games, the city, back to all it should be,” Domitian says.
“We’ll need to do it a little at a time,” Marcus says.
"Of course," Domitian replies."You'll be the one to raise the proposal in the Senate?"
Marcus nods, tersely.
I pull back from the mind of the rat, returning to my own body.I feel pain and betrayal flooding through me, the need to hurt someone mixed in with the knowledge that it won’t do any good.I need to find a way to prove everything I just heard, a way to make them all pay for this.
They were talking about speaking to gladiators, offering them more dangerous matches.If I can get one of them to speak to me, maybe that will be enough proof.I think of Sorrel, the gladiator who pointed me at the Gilded Swan.Maybe he can tell me more, something I can use to take them all down.
CHAPTER TWENTY
