But it had worked. The moment his lips touched hers, the crowd had gone wild. She’d tried to block it out, play the part, and then his words had registered in her mind. He was not playing. And she felt it in his kiss, in the way he cradled her as close as he could, as if she were the finest pottery, the rarest of treasures. As if he would not let her go without a fight. It had mended something inside her and broken her heart. Because no one came out of this arena unscathed.
Adel had not seen him since they’d disembarked from the chariot and been herded below. The pale green dress whispered against her ankles as she paced. They’d not stripped her of the finery after the parade. Would they send her out to fight in this gown? The bulk of it would be a detriment worse than the collapsing sword.
“Sit, Adelgard,” Berit urged. “Save your strength. You can do nothing by pacing.”
It was true. The anxious race of her thoughts would change nothing about the day. She dropped to the ground and forced her shoulders to relax against the coolness of the stones. How many others had satawaiting death in this very spot, feeling terror or peace? Felix was right. All that was left for them was to follow the plan and trust that God’s will would prevail in the end. Whichever end that would be.
Trust had never been her strength. Praying with Felix last night had brought a peace she was already lacking again, but knew where to source.
She shut her eyes and lowered her head onto her knees.Lord, make a way for us. End this fighting for good.
The jingle of keys and the scrape of footsteps lifted her chin. Had she slept? Adel pushed to her feet and met Ignacio at the door. Why Ignacio? Why not a monk disguised?
“What are you doing here?”
“It’s time.” He gave a nod and worked an L-shaped key into the lock.
The other gladiatrices clustered around Adel as Ignacio swung the gate open.
“Now?” Berit breathed at Adel’s shoulder.
Adel gave a sharp shake of her head. “What took so long, Ignacio?”
He waved them into the hall and shoved the door shut behind them. “The beasts did not want to be hunted today. We had to send in the eques to finish the job on horseback.”
The thought sickened her.
Ignacio directed them up the tunnel, past cells of gladiators from the other ludi, as well as criminals waiting to be executed for their crimes.
“The laquerarii from the Ludus Matutinus are out now with secutors from the Great School while the arena is reset. We’ve got to get in our places. Up these stairs.”
Adel pivoted and bunched up her skirts in her fists as she climbed. “Places for what? We never go out so soon.”
“I have to use the latrine,” one of the Hildas announced.
Not yet, Brunhilda.
Ignacio groaned. “We don’t have time.”
“You left us locked in that cell for hours. I can’t wait.”
“The latrine is just there.” Tilla spoke up as they emerged from the underground. “Where’s our cell from here? I’ll see that we get back in time.”
Ignacio bit back a growl of frustration. “Fine, you two go in. I’ll be back in a moment to fetch you.”
Tilla grabbed the Hilda’s arm and jerked her across the crowded hall and through the doorway opposite the stairwell. Adel felt the tension lift slightly. Two down. Was this really going to be so easy?
“This way. Stay close together. There’s a lot of activity on this level.”
He wasn’t lying. Slaves and magistri clogged the walkway, along with armed guards, uniformed amphitheatre workers, and gladiators moving from one cell to another.
“Make way! Make way!”
Adel and the others shuffled toward the edge of the hall, allowing several medical slaves to rush past balancing a stretcher containing a bleeding laquerarius still clutching his lasso. Would he be among the first to escape? And would the escape of a few dozen gladiators truly change anything? For the first time, the thought niggled at her mind. According to Felix, the return of Visigoth captives might soothe Alaric’s anger and stay his attack on Rome, but would the ludi not be refilled with others?
How do we stop this forever?
“Through here.” Ignacio waved an arm, ushering the gladiatrices ahead of him.
