I take a deep breath. “I don’t want your gold.”
Tiernon’s smile drops, his eyes turning wounded. “I don’t understand. What did I do?”
My heart twists. He thinks I no longer want his friendship. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. “You didn’t do anything.”
A sharp nod. He’s already turning away.
I catch his arm. “Wait.”
“For what? You just told me you no longer want me.”
I frown. Sometimes, Tiernon can be so confident—almost arrogant. Other times, like now, he turns strangely vulnerable, as if he’s continually expecting me to reject him in some way.
“I said I no longer want your gold. We’re friends, Ti … at least if you want to be. And friends don’t pay each other to spend time together.”
A series of emotions flicker over his face. Relief, triumph, and finally, concern. “But you need it. Your family …”
“Let me worry about them.”
Movement catches my attention, and I nod to our tree, where Kassia is shifting on her feet, waiting for us. “You said you wanted to meet her. Is that still the truth?”
His boyish grin is filled with so much warmth, it’s as ifhe’sthe sun. “Yes. I want to meet anyone who is important to you. You know that.”
THE OTHER GLADIANShave learned I’m training with the imperius before gladian training each day. The Primus hasn’t exactly been subtle about it, and he still makes me sit with them for lunch after my sessions with Leon. When I attempt to sit elsewhere, he merely glowers at me and gestures toward the door. “You can leave this place at any time.”
I would if I fucking could.
“Spreading your legs for the imperius?” Baldric taunts when Tiernon insists I sit with them at lunch. “It won’t help you stay alive, bitch.”
Tiernon slowly turns his head. The room goes silent. The color drains from Baldric’s face, although he sends me one more poisonous look before dumping his plate by the door and stalking out.
For days, I’ve been plagued by dreams and memories of my pastwith Tiernon. Last night, I dreamed of the day I told him I no longer wanted his buttons.
Tiernon merely found ways to work around my determination to never take gold from him. Over and over, he snuck into our home, stocking our kitchen with food and ensuring we had enough clothes for even the coldest winters.
Before I came here, I’d shoved those memories down deep, where they could no longer hurt me. Now, every time I catch sight of him, I’m assaulted by those same memories.
Before I know it, it’s the morning before my second challenge. Rumors are flying through the ludus about what we’ll be facing next.
“Lions,” Tolva says with a confident nod. Her bunk is next to mine, and she snores loudly enough that several of the other women in our barracks have threatened to make her sleep in the hall.
“Lions are for criminals and traitors to the empire.” Sisenna sniffs. She’s the woman who mocked me about using the scutum on my first day of training. “The emperor wouldn’t waste our second challenge on lions.”
My stomach twists at the thought, and I leave them bickering, making my way to the training hall. It’s filled with at least thirty imperiums engaged in hand-to-hand.
Tiernon, Neris, and Micah are nowhere to be seen.
Lucius stands by one of the stone fountains, splashing his narrow, weathered face with water.
“Where are they?” I ask.
His half-crown silver sigil glimmers as he turns, sending me a look. “What makes you think you’re entitled to that information? Get to work.”
Shaking my head, I take my place on the mat. He stalks over to me. “Something to say?”
“Nothing at all.” My tone is carefully mild, and he smirks at me.
I raise my eyebrow. He steps into position.
