“Today,” he drew out the word angrily, “I was summoned to the emperor’s palace.”
My pulse jolted with fear. “What did he want?”
“To put me in my place. To be sure I was a true and loyal Roman.”
There was disdain in his voice. That was unexpected, odd.
“Aren’t you a true and loyal Roman?” I asked.
“I’m hiding you, aren’t I?” he snapped and gestured toward me.
There was also the cause mentioned in Julian’s letters. He was conspiring. But for whom and for what, I wasn’t exactly sure yet. Only that he still wrote letters to the traitorous nephew of the emperor. And that he’d planned to kill Valerius the night I’d done it myself. What was his end goal exactly? Political gain? Or something more?
I’d been so overwhelmed by what I’d done, by my need to survive, I hadn’t given too much thought to Trajan’s motives. Until now.
“What happened tonight, Trajan?”
He snapped his head toward mine, a myriad of emotions pulling his expression tight, his eyes burning with dragon fire.
“I killed a man to perform for my uncle.” He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing. “Because that man was going to die a painful death anyway. And if I didn’t, Caesar would doubt my allegiance.”
“Should he doubt it?” I asked, noting the pain tightening his expression.
He clamped his mouth shut, staring at me.
“Whyareyou hiding me?” I stood straighter. “Are you afraid I might report that you’d shown up at Valerius’s home planning to kill him yourself before I beat you to it?” I scoffed. “It wouldn’t matter if I did. They wouldn’t believe me.”
“You’re right. They wouldn’t. They wouldn’t listen to anything you said.”
“Then what am I doing here?” I hissed, suspicion deepening my voice. “You’d be executed if they discovered that you were harboring me. I’m a liability.”
“Indeed. You are.”
“Then,why. Tell me.”
“You have a powerful gift, Lela. Perhaps I have plans to use it.”
I huffed a laugh. “What makes you think I’d allow it? That I’d use my gift to help you. For some political machination to empower yourself in this godsforsaken place.”
This entire conversation, he’d been brimming with fury, seething with it. His eyes had taken on that luminescent quality when his dragon seemed present in the conversation. Whatever had happened, it had ignited a flame of rage. And it wasn’t directed at me.
So when he took two large strides closer, I wasn’t afraid. He towered above me, radiating his wrath, then he bit out low and clear, “Because I’m going to kill the emperor.”
I flinched at his words, because they beat against me with the truth of them.
“And you’re going to help me.”
Abruptly, he pulled away and stormed back into the bedchamber just as Koska entered, carrying a platter of food and a carafe of wine. I followed and stood right inside the archway, taking a seat on a chaise, my heart beating wildly in my chest.
Trajan was serious. He planned to kill Emperor Igniculus. I couldn’t believe it, but I was certain he meant it.
“I have news, Tribune,” said Koska, after setting the tray down and glancing my way. “Shall we go to your study?”
“No,” Trajan answered. “Whatever you have to say, I want her to hear it.”
Koska’s eyes widened with surprise, examining me closely before he asked, “Are you sure, Tribune?”
“Tell me all you’ve found, Koska. She is part of it now.”
