Another figure approached, and Lea lifted her head to catch a glimpse of a woman perhaps a few years younger than the emperor, with the same light-brown hair and hazel eyes, just as richly dressed. This must be the sister he’d mentioned.
The lady caught the emperor’s arm in a light, casual grip. “Oh, don’t be such a bore. How could we outlaw something so exciting? And as for dignity, well, I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so noble!” Her voice rang with enthusiasm, and Lea dared one more glance up at the young woman’s face, finding a brilliant smile blazing.
“Perhaps you’re right, Drusilla,” the emperor replied, his voice warming as he addressed her. “In any case, such skill deserves a reward.” He made a quick gesture, and an attendant appeared at his side, proffering a fat silken bag. Gaius took the bag, then handed it to Lea.
Not the rudis, then. Her brief hope deflated, though she hadn’t truly expected it. She would have to keep working toward her freedom the usual way, saving every coin that came into her hands until she had enough to buy herself free.
Lea released her grip on her wounded arm to take the heavy purse. Coins clinked within. The fabric of the bag was the finest she’d ever touched. Grimly, she hoped her bloodied fingerswouldn’t ruin it. She bowed her head. “Thank you very much, sir.” It felt like an inadequate display of gratitude for what was surely a fortune, but her mind was still struggling to function.
Drusilla ventured a step closer. “Is your wound very painful?” She cocked her head, studying the bloodied bandages with polite interest.
Lea’s cheeks flushed. She wished she’d taken another moment to clean herself up. Surely she could have spared the time to properly bandage herself. “It’ll—it’ll be all right,” she stammered. “Our physician will patch me up.” She was already dying for a trip to the baths to scrub the sweat and blood from her skin and relax her tired muscles.
“A physician!” Gaius exclaimed. “We have one of those. Surely better than whatever hack your ludus employs. Kallias!”
Lea wanted to protest that the ludus physician was quite competent, but a tall, dark-haired man appeared at the emperor’s elbow. The newcomer’s eyes skimmed over Lea, coming to rest on her wounded arm.
He didn’t look like someone who dirtied his hands tending injuries and illnesses. Instead, he looked as sophisticated as any of the patricians who filled the emperor’s box.
“Kallias, I want you to see to her wound,” Gaius pronounced. “Make sure she’s returned to fighting shape as quickly as possible.”
Lea blinked. “I don’t need—” she began. It was just a stab wound; she certainly didn’t need some fancy imperial physician to tend to her. Did he even know anything about combat injuries?
“Of course, sir,” the physician—Kallias—said smoothly, interrupting her. “I’ll see to her straightaway.” Before Lea couldfurther protest, his hand was on her unwounded arm, and she found herself being escorted from the box.
“Is there somewhere quiet we can sit?” the physician asked as they navigated down the stands. “Ideally with decent light. I assume that wound needs stitching.” As he spoke, she detected an accent—Greek, if she wasn’t mistaken. He wore a tunic of light green, the linen weave fine and even, and the strap of a leather satchel rested over one lean shoulder. She guessed he was in his late twenties or early thirties.
“You don’t have to do this,” Lea said. “We have our own physician.” She stumbled on an uneven step, her head still spinning from the pain and the shock of coming face-to-face with the most powerful person in the world.
“Careful.” The physician’s hand tightened on her arm, steadying her. “Are you going to faint?”
“No,” she scoffed. Likely the only women he ever dealt with were the sort who swooned if the wind blew too strongly. Even so, she did quite want to sit down.
She tried again to deter him. “Surely you have better things to do than treat someone like me.”
“Firstly, the emperor’s order was quite clear,” he replied. “Secondly, we don’t get many stab wounds at the imperial palace. This will be the most interesting thing I’ve seen in quite some time.” A jovial note entered his voice.
She grimaced. “Glad I can provide more entertainment.”
As they entered the back area of the arena, Lea sank gratefully onto the first stool she saw. Kallias crouched next to her, showing no hesitation about the dirt that must be getting on his finetunic. Maybe she’d been wrong about him not wanting to get his hands—or clothing—dirty.
He opened his leather bag and rifled through it.
Lea closed her eyes. Somehow, the spinning in her head was worse now that she was at rest. She tried to take a deep breath, but the bindings around her chest didn’t let her fully expand her lungs. She needed to get these off as soon as possible.
Lea suppressed a hiss as he unwrapped the messy wad of blood-soaked cloth. “You bring your medical supplies to the games?” she asked to distract herself.
“A physician never knows when his services may be needed. I like to be prepared,” he said.
Footsteps approached, and Lea opened her eyes to see her friend Jason, a fellow gladiator, approaching. Jason glanced from Lea’s wound to Kallias. “Are you all right? And who is this?”
“I’m fine. This is, er, a physician.”
“Hello,” Kallias murmured as he inspected the torn edges of her flesh.
Jason gave Kallias a suspicious glance. “We have a medicus.”
“He was sent, er, by—fuck!” she yelped. Kallias was currently dabbing at her wound with a cloth soaked in something that felt like fire. “What in Tartarus is that?” she demanded, trying to pull her arm away.
