“How fortunate indeed.”
Neither of us spoke for a moment, then finally she asked, “Whatwasyour plan?” She finished wiping her hands and clutched the rag in one fist. “Were you going to frame someone else for the murder of Valerius tonight?”
“No.”
“Then how would you get away with it?”
“You are quite serene and calm for a woman who just murdered a man.”
I wasn’t comfortable giving her my reasons for murdering Valerius. Specifically since what had truly set me off tonight had nothing to do with political machinations and everything to do with her. After the confrontation at the party and the fight with Quintus, I needed blood. And I knew whose to spill. I wasn’t going to wait one more night to take Valerius out of this world. I moved on to another topic.
“You were worried for your lover in the consul’s house,” I continued. “When I said I’d have to kill the household.”
Her frown was back. “I have no lover.”
The tightness in my chest loosened somewhat. “The blond man. Andreas, I believe was his name.”
“Andreas.” She said his name with affinity and care. “He is a dear friend. He is likely the only reason I’m still alive.” She stepped closer to me, but I kept still. “What will become of him? To the rest of the consul’s slaves now that he’s dead.”
“Since the consul was unmarried and has no close kin, everything and everyone he owns will become the property of Rome. They’ll all be sold.”
“And fill Caesar’s coffers,” she said with disdain.
“Yes.”
She grunted with disgust and turned her face toward the twinkling lights of the city below. “What happens to me now?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly.
She stared pensively. “You can pretend you won me in a game of dice and add me to your household. Valerius has done that before.”
“No. All those in my household know that I don’t gamble. And it will be awfully suspicious that I’ve added a handsome woman to my house after the praeco announces Valerius’s death in the forum tomorrow. When it is known his prized beauty Lela is the likely killer and now gone.”
She turned her head to me. “They will announce tomorrow, won’t they?”
“Undoubtedly. Caesar will want all eyes in Rome looking for you.”
And that was going to be a problem.
“Does Caesar know of your powers?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Valerius told me that Caesar would take me from him if he knew. He only told Quintus and Leto what I could do.”
“Didn’t others wonder why you wore that thing over your mouth?” I couldn’t help the spark of anger rising in my voice at the memory of her wearing that atrocity.
“Of course not. They assumed I had done something awful to be punished in such a way. No one bothered to ask.” She held my gaze. “Only you did.”
I could hardly believe that so many had gawked and stared at her at Valerius’s parties or even on the street and no one had asked more about her. By the gods, this Rome must fall.
“What will you do with me?” she asked without fear.
“For now, nothing. You’ll have to hide here in my bedchamber. I don’t want anyone in my household to know you’re here. I’ll tell my man Koska so he can get what you need.”
“Who is he? Your body slave?”
“Koska is an employee. He handles business for me.”
“You don’t trust your slaves to keep quiet, but you trust a free man? There will be a ransom on my head.”
