I can feel eyes on us both, silently judging me, or taking in the spectacle of one former senator moving through the city as the prisoner of another.Some of them aren’t so quiet.
“Traitor!You’re lucky they gave you to the senator, rather than impaling you on a spike!”
I glance around automatically, just as a man on a market stall throws a piece of fruit at me.My first instinct is to dodge it, and my anger says I should wade into an argument with the man.After being treated like this so many times during the processions down into Aetheria for the games, I have no wish to go through it again.But I also know I can’t seem like a threat, or something Marcus can’t control, or I risk being thrown back into my cell down beneath the city.
But I don’t have to worry, because Marcus reaches out a hand and catches the fruit almost effortlessly, fixing the fruit-thrower with a level glare.
“She is mine, and I will not have what’s mine tarnished.Understood?”
The other man backs away, his hands raised.“I meant no offense to you, Senator.Just to the traitor.”
“And do you doubt that Lyra Thornwind is being adequately punished at my hands?”Marcus demands.The man looks us over and I force myself to look down, as if Marcus has already broken my spirit.
“My apologies, Senator,” the other man says.
Marcus makes an annoyed sound and pushes me forward, so I’m forced to keep moving.I’m sure anyone watching will be convinced that I’m almost nothing to him now.
We’re heading towards the colosseum, which was big before the recent rebuilding work, but now towers over the city.There are no games on today, but there are still a few vendors on the broad promenade leading to it.There are statues set at intervals on the promenade, depicting famous gladiators and figures from myth.There’s one of me there, although the head has been knocked from the statue leaving only the image of a barely clothed gladiator, covered strategically by the beasts that swirl around her, carved with such lifelike expertise that it seems as if they might leap out to attack anyone who comes close.
People have dared it, though, at least long enough to scrawl graffiti over the statue that insults me in every way the imaginations of Aetheria’s citizenry could come up with.Some of the lines make me blush to see them.
I can also see that another statue is being worked on in situ a little way away, larger than mine and more graceful, with a severity and sense of grandeur to it as the magical sculptor behind it shapes the stone with nothing more than will and power.
It’s an image of Selene, seemingly divided into two halves.One is dressed as a gladiator, her foot on a fallen foe.The other shows her dressed in noble robes, holding a book of Aetheria’s laws.It might be an image of her in her former role as the arch-magistrate, but it could just as easily depict her as an empress.
“She’s getting a statue?”I whisper to Marcus.
He nods, raising his voice slightly.“The senate has decided to honor the greatest gladiator of the city at the moment with a suitable depiction.Whereasyoursis being treated the way a traitor’s should.”
His words hurt, even though I know they’re for the benefit of the people around us.There are always plenty on the way leading to the colosseum, there to soak in the atmosphere of Aetheria’s greatest building, or to buy small trinkets from one of the sellers who line the way.We’re heading to one of them: a healer in brown robes who effects small cures for those who come to her.Her hair is half jet black, half white, and spiked at odd angles.
I hadn’t been sure Thalia would still be here, but I’m glad she is.She looks at me as I head over, then at Marcus, staring at him with barely disguised distaste before she fixes a smile to her features.
“What can I do for you today, Senator?Is there something that ails you?”
Marcus looks to me and I nod faintly.He takes his cue from me.
“I want to be sure my new servant hasn’t suffered too many injuries in her period of imprisonment.I want her fit and healthy to serve me better.”
Thalia nods.“I can do that, of course.Come here, lady.”
I move next to her and she puts her hands on my shoulders.I can feel her healing power running through me, seeking out all the scars from the guards’ whips, all the spots where their fists have had an impact.Thalia’s magic starts to ease all those pains, even as her features crease in sympathy for me.
She takes the opportunity to lean closer to me.“Lyra, it’s good to see you again.Just say the word and I’ll cut him down, then take you to the others.”
I realize she thinks I’ve come here as part of some desperate escape plan, in which I’ve tricked my captor into taking me to someone who can help me.I shake my head quickly, keeping my voice low.
“I’m not here for that,” I tell her.“I’m here because I…we, need to meet with Alaric.”
Thalia steps back, frowning.“Now why would I let Selene’s favorite senator close to Alaric?”
“Because unless we all work together, we’ll never win against her,” Marcus says.
I see the surprise on Thalia’s face as she looks first at Marcus, then at me.
“You’re telling me thathe’sfighting against Selene?”
I nod.
