He sits beside me on the couch, close enough that I can feel the press of his muscles against my side.It’s hard not to respond to his presence when I’m so used to there being a relationship between us.My memory provides plenty of moments when we’ve been this close, including waking up with the feeling of Marcus’ skin against mine.It takes a lot to hold back from doing anything about the attraction that runs through me.I have to remind myself that I would only complicate the whole situation by doing anything, especially when Alaric and I are…
What are we, exactly?We care about one another, but we've been forced apart by circumstances, first by my imprisonment and now by my status as Marcus' prisoner.Marcus was completely out of the picture because of his betrayal of running the death matches beneath the city and voting in favor of the games' return.Now, he's back in that complicated position where it's clear he's only caught up in the city's corruption to try to change it, and I can't deny the part where we were engaged to be married.
“What did Laro want?”I ask Marcus, trying to distract myself from his presence so close to me.“What was so sensitive he couldn’t risk me overhearing it?”
“Details of the fighters they’re getting in for the games,” Marcus says.“It isn’t just the same collection of fighters the games have relied on in the past couple of years.Frankly, many of those don’t want to fight in the full games again, and some of them seem to have disappeared.No one’s seen Cesca in a few weeks.”
Not since she gave Alaric and me information on what she thought was Selene’s plot to free Domitian.She didn’t know she was being used to provide us with false information, designed to draw us into the prison.
Has Cesca disappeared now because the resistance has carefully hidden her, or has Selene managed to find a way to get to her and kill her for the very disloyalty she engineered?I don’t know.I hope she’s safe somewhere, even though we’ve never truly been friends.
“So, where are they getting fighters for the Grand Tournament if not from the usual gladiators around the city?”I ask.
“Some of them are coming from the death matches,” Marcus says.“Some are being invited from the wider Republic, but Laro was even talking about a few coming from beyond the borders of Aetheria.Selene must have identified people she wanted in the games months ago to do that.”
It’s yet another thing she might have been doing during her period of exile: identifying those with the magical strength to play a part in her moment of triumph.
“And they’re going to join the tournament?”I say.“Even when there’s the prospect of dying?”
“The wealth and fame on offer are enough to draw them in,” Marcus says.“And… you’ve always underestimated just how much some peoplewantto be a part of the games.Because you were forced into them, you’ve never really understood how much glory some people see in them.”
“Until they get out onto the sands and start bleeding,” I reply.Marcus has never fought in the colosseum, so he doesn’t know what it’s like to face off against a skilled opponent, determined to kill him for no better reason than the entertainment of the crowd.
“Enough return, even then,” Marcus points out.“There are some people who just love to fight, even if you aren’t one of them.”
Marcus has always been more attached to the idea of the games than I have.He sees some value in them as a way to bring prosperity and strength to Aetheria.I don’t think those things are worth the pain and death that come along with them.
“It must be difficult for her to get enough fighters in the right place at the right time,” I suggest.“Especially if she’s trying to push the games forward.”
“What are you thinking?”Marcus asks.
“I’m wondering if we can’t find ways to disrupt Selene’s attempts to gather together a perfect collection of gladiators,” I say.“Your ships can take them to the wrong port, or the resistance can distract them at crucial moments when they land.”
“You think Selene won’t find more?”Marcus argues.
“Perhaps,” I admit.“But I’m willing to bet she’s selecting them very carefully indeed.”
In fact, the more I think about it, the more certain I am that’s the case.
“What do you mean?”Marcus asks.
“We have to remember that this isn’tjustabout Selene putting on a spectacular set of games,” I say.“Yes, she absolutely wants her Grand Tournament to be a success, but this isn’t just about giving the people of Aetheria a spectacle on a scale they haven’t seen before.It’salsoabout demonstrating the importance of magic, so she can make the case for her new version of the empire.Andit has to be something she can win.”
Marcus looks thoughtful.“You’re right.She can’t just get the most powerful magical practitioners, because what if one of them beats her, or even kills her?”
"But, at the same time, the whole tournament is designed to show off gladiators with strong magic," I say."Even down to those stones designed to amplify powers in the final stages.Selene can't just arrange a series of weak opponents not least because it wouldn't be satisfying for the watching crowds.She needs to carefully judge the strength of her foes, or she needs people who are prepared to lose deliberately when bribed or threatened.That’swhat I overheard Olivia talking about.”
“So, even as Selene claims this is a return to the true games, she’s making sure it won’t be a fair contest?”Marcus says.He sounds disappointed.“I wonder if exposing that would be enough to discredit her.”
“I doubt people will believe it unless they see it with their own eyes,” I say.No, we need a stronger plan than that.“We need to coordinate with the resistance, and with Rowan.”
Marcus nods.“But you can do it from here, for now, Lyra.”
I frown.“Why?”
“Because what happened in the colosseum showed me how easily things can go wrong.You’resafehere.Send whatever messages you need, but stay within the villa, at least for the moment.”
Those words sting.I’m meant to be helping to stop Selene from taking over the city.How am I supposed to do that from here?It’s frustrating not to have the choice to act as I wish, and even more so when I know that the whole time, Selene will be advancing her plans.
