“It’s not just about the games,” Alaric counters.“They’re just the first step.If all they wanted to do was bring back death matches, that would be bad enough, but you know as well as I do that they want more.It’s about reminding people of the ‘glory’ of the empire, about making them yearn for the old days.They can start to throw their opponents into the arena, can gain more and more power.”
“Until we have an emperor again,” I say.
Alaric nods.“Emperor Marcus.”
“Or Domitian,” I reply.“I’m still not sure which of them has the most power.”
"That should be obvious," Alaric replies."Domitian puts forward the most extreme position so that Marcus can sound reasonable.Marcus is the one with the allies on the Senate.Marcus is the handsome one the people love."
He looks at me when he says "people."
“I know I’ve hurt you,” I say.“But you hurt me too, Alaric.Our life back in Seatide drove us both apart.”
“We’re not in Seatide anymore,” Alaric says.
No, we’re both woven into the fabric of Aetheria now, me as a senator, him as the rebel trying to change it.
“Have you heard about the Anniversary Games?”Alaric asks suddenly.“You must have done.If they’re announcing them to everyone else, you must be involved in every detail.”
“I know they’re happening,” I say.“I know Domitian wants to make them the most spectacular games ever.”
“Oh, they’ll be spectacular,” Alaric promises.
I stare at him.“What are you planning to do?”
Alaric grins at me, looking surprisingly boyish despite the seriousness of the situation we find ourselves in.
"I'm going to infiltrate the games.I'm going to use illusions to show everyone what's been happening.I'm going to leave the crowd in no doubt about what their so-called betters have been doing in their name."
“Alaric, you can’t,” I say.
"You're still on their side?"Alaric retorts, obviously hurt."You're still worried about the law and order of your precious Republic when that's being subverted from within."
I shake my head, reaching out to touch his arm.“You can’t do it because it won’twork.”
"Who says it won't work?"Alaric insists."Our raid on the Colosseum got people's attention.Our previous attempt to infiltrate it meant we ruined their so-called Champions' Challenges."
“Did you, though?”I ask.“Those went on as normal the next day.All that happened was that your people were hurt or captured, dragged away to a prison tower.They’re still awaiting their fate there.What you’re planning… it’s just a variation on the same thing.You’re just shouting out above the noise of the games, hoping people will listen to you because of who you are.”
“Are you saying I shouldn’t do anything?”Alaric says.“What else can I do, Lyra?You’ve shown that even being a senator doesn’t let you enact real change.Unless I’m willing to overthrow Rowan and the rest, all I can do is keep showing people the truth of what’s going on and hope they come to their senses.”
“Areyou willing to overthrow the senate?”I ask him.
Alaric gives me a dark look.“Not yet.”
Does that mean there will be a point where he’ll contemplate it?He held back for so long when it came to taking on the emperor, but ultimately, he was willing to fight back.Is it the same here?
Is the Republic even remotely the same as the empire was?
“Please, Alaric,” I say.“Don’t put yourself at risk like that.You won’t change people’s minds by doing this, and if they catch you… I don’t know what they’ll do to you.”
“I do,” Alaric says.“They’ll call me a traitor and execute me.If I’m lucky, they’ll have me fight in the games.If I’m unlucky, they’ll simply impale me and my supporters on a forest of spikes outside the city.”
He says it with a chilling certainty that makes me shudder.Suddenly, without warning, he leans in and kisses me.It’s a sharp, passionate kiss that reminds me of so many others we’ve shared.He pulls back from me almost as suddenly, leaving me breathless.
"Thank you for caring about me," Alaric says."I never meant… I didn't want things to be like this between us.I know you're trying to do the right thing, but so am I.And I'll keep doing it, even if it means your precious Senate demands my execution for it."
I leave, not knowing what to say.Alaric is going to continue on his course regardless of what I try to do to stop him.I hope I can make sure that it doesn’t kill him, but I know it’s not something I can control.
