Kyle’s face stayed a mask. “I got hit, master Clavius”
He pursed his lips. “That much I gathered... my brooding friend did this to you?” Kyle nodded and Clavius sighed. “This is hard to believe.” The slave stayed silent and Clavius went to lie down, pensive.
Marius and Seraphina appeared then, their faces grim, though she was on his arm. He gently helped her lie down near her mother and went to lie next to Clavius, close to the men.
His friend toasted him. “Congratulations on your newest prowess...”
Marius smirked. “Shut up... You know nothing.”
“I know maybe enough... Marius, you have to control your temper, this is not going to end well.”
Marius rolled his eyes. “Please... could you not be my father tonight? He’s right here.”
Talking of the devil, his father turned to him. “Your slave boy has an impressive bruise on his lovely face. I can only hope you caused it?”
Marius smiled mockingly. “Yes, I did, father. Proud?”
His father smiled. “Yes. Finally, maybe you got some sense in you.”
Marius’ face darkened and his lips parted when he saw Kyle’s face.
Clavius smirked. “Yeah, you should be really fucking proud of yourself...”
Marius opened his mouth to comment when dinner was served and they started eating, the women happily chatting away. He reluctantly listened to Clavius, Gaius and Quintus discussing politics, his eyes on Kyle, who had been called over by Seraphina. Marius froze when Kyle kneeled next to her, her fingers cupping his chin.
Kyle looked at her, letting her hand graze over his bruise. Her mother and Marius’ frowned, Tertullia mortified. “Poor boy... this must hurt.”
Seraphina’s voice was soft. “Does it hurt, Kyle?”
“Yes, domina.”
“A lot?”
He shrugged, lying. “No, domina.”
But Quintus’ wife wasn’t convinced. “You must be of steel, boy, because that cheekbone doesn’t look good at all. I’ve seen it on my husband when he came back from war once. Come here.” Kyle moved closer to her, and she grabbed his jaw, pushing her thumb onto his cheekbone. A sharp pain made him yelp and jerk his head away.
He straight away lowered it. “I am sorry, domina...”
She smiled. “It’s fine... I hurt you. Yes, so it’s badly bruised, maybe cracked... it must hurt now. Don’t lie again.”
He nodded, his eyes welled up, and Seraphina paled. “Cracked?”
Her mother shrugged. “It’s not life-threatening.”
Seraphina quieted, her hand on Kyle’s shoulder. She gazed at Marius and their eyes locked.
Her mother followed her gaze. “Good thing too that he takes his temper out on his slave.”
Tertullia’s eyes grew wide. “Marius did this? Unbelievable...”
Seraphina didn’t comment, but her stomach clenched, and her fingers dug into Kyle’s shoulder. He lifted her eyes to her, and she looked at him, her large brown eyes soft. “You should retire, Kyle. Let somebody else do your job tonight.”
He shook his head. “Thank you, domina, but I’ll be fine.” He rose then and left them to walk over to the men to assist them, Lis taking over with the women.
Quintus looked at Kyle and waved him over. “So, my good wife has been playing the doctor? Let me have a look at your face.” Kyle kneeled next to him, his face pale, but Quintus was surprisingly gentle, just probing the bone lightly with his fingers. “Good, it’s not broken, just a bad bruise.” He looked at Marius. “Impressive blow, though. It is fortunate that this sturdy guy got it and not one of the females.”
Marius sighed, irritated. “Can we just get over this?”
