They pass through me harmlessly, and Alaric lets the illusions drop, letting go of his disguise as Karabus too, to leave his real self-standing in the gardens of Marcus' villa.
“It’s no fun if you don’t react,” Alaric says.“And it’s not good training.You only have another day before your next fight.”
“Not reacting is thepoint,” I remind him.“Karabus’ illusions hurt people who believe in them, so I have to practice ignoring them.”
“Assuming they work like that,” Alaric says.“And in any case, it’s an insult to my considerable skills with illusions that you don’t find me terrifying.”
“I think some of it is because Iknowit’s you,” I say.“I know you’d never hurt me.”
“You don’t know that,” Alaric says.He moves closer to me, in what I guess is meant to be an attempt at intimidation, spoiled only because he gets closer and closer, until he finally laughs.“All right, maybe youdoknow that.I would never hurt you, Lyra.”
He reaches out to touch my face lightly.It’s a gentle touch, but it sparks far more of a response in me than his illusions could.Not fear, though.Definitely not fear.In that moment, I’m all too aware of just how close Alaric is.Just how long we’ve had to spend apart since I’ve been living in Marcus’ house, with Alaric only able to visit in brief spells to help train me for the games.That one touch reminds me of all the nights we’ve spent together, just how close we’ve been to one another in the past.I’ve been carefully holding back from both Alaric and Marcus while I’ve been in Marcus’ home, but this one touch is almost enough to make that caution fall apart.
Our lips brush.It's barely even a kiss, but it's so full of the emotions we've been holding back that it feels like far more.A part of me wants to abandon our training right now, take Alaric back to my room in the villa, and throw him down on the bed.Another part knows that would be a terrible idea, when the situation is already tense between Alaric and Marcus.
I force myself to take a step back, and I’m just in time.Marcus comes out of the house, heading over to the training area with its striking posts and heavy rocks for lifting.
"How are the preparations going for Lyra's bout?"Marcus asks Alaric.Somehow, I feel as though he must sense everything that just happened, must be able to pick up on the desire between me and Alaric as if it's some perfume hanging in the air.
“They’re fine,” Alaric says, after a moment of hesitation.“Although she isn’t taking my illusion magic seriously enough.”
“Who could?”Marcus says, in a slightly dismissive tone, before turning to me.“I need you to come with me today.We need to try to influence some of the factions in the city, and it will be more impressive if you’re with me.”
I wince at the thought of having to go stand in back rooms while Marcus plays politics, but I know he has a point.We need to combat Selene’s influence wherever we can, especially now that I’m encouraging Marcus to oppose her more openly.
“All right,” I say with a nod.“Let me go and change.”
I’m in my gladiatorial armor as I train, and my skin gleams with sweat in the sun.
Marcus shakes his head."It's probably better to go like that.The people I'm meeting with want to see Lyra Thornwind, the gladiator.Just throw a cloak over your armor until we're there."
He sounds determined, as if he’s worked out all the details of what we’re going to do already.I nod again, going along with it.
I think I catch a flicker of disappointment crossing Alaric’s face, but he quickly hides it.
“I’ll see you both later.There’s still work to do to prepare for Karubus.”
Marcus nods tightly, then holds out his hand to me.I put aside my weapons and take his hand, going with him through his villa, pausing only long enough to wash the sweat from my body with water from an ewer before throwing a cloak around my shoulders.
A palanquin is waiting for us outside, which is a surprise, because Marcus has wanted us to be seen by the people as much as possible.We sit inside, and the bearers lift us, taking us smoothly through the city while we sit just inches away from one another.
“Where are we going?”I ask.
“The entertainment district,” Marcus replies.“To one of the places where my people used to hold fights.”
“You’re taking me to a spot where you used to run illegal death matches?”I reply, unable to keep the sharpness out of my voice.
“I’m taking you to a place where we can meet with a wide range of my associates without it seeming suspicious,” Marcus replies.
He has a point, even if I don’t like it.We need to meet with people discretely as much as possible, trying to influence them without Selene knowing exactly who’s on our side.Marcus already has plenty of establishments where people are used to coming and going in secret.
The bearers set our palanquin down, and we step into one that's opulently furnished, with gilded couches and expensive silken drapes.There are servants wearing garments that are almost sheer, wearing gilded masks and carrying platters of fine foods or amphorae of wine.The air is thick with the sweet scents of incense and perhaps other, more illicit, substances, while there are table set for gambling around the room, and other doors leading off that suggest more private rooms for entertaining or simple conversation.
Marcus pulls the cloak from my shoulders, and I can feel most of the eyes in the room on me.People stare at me as if they can't quite believe I'm here.It's a feeling I share.A part of me wants to head straight for the door, but I know it's vital to be seen by and to talk to as many people as possible if we're going to build support.
Marcus takes me to one of the private rooms.There are men and women waiting there, wearing flashes of color at their wrists or necks that denote their affiliation to one of the city’s gangs.Senator Yarrow is there, a woman in her forties with dark hair and deep brown eyes who isn’t wearing her senatorial toga, but instead, a dark dress with the colors of at least a half dozen different gangs sewn into the hem.She looks me up and down.
“You brought her with you, Marcus?”Yarrow says.
