Gladiator Heart (41 page)

When the guards drew their swords and surrounded Gaius, taking deadly aim, Valeria was overcome with relief and gratitude. The Gods appeared to be on her side this day.

“Drop your weapon,” one of them commanded.

Gaius shook with rage, but did as they ordered.

“Tell your men to release them.”

When Gaius said nothing, the sharp tip of a blade was brought over his heart. “We’ll run you through.”

“Drop your weapons,” Gaius ordered his men.

The men clearly had no wish to challenge the Guard on their master’s behalf and obeyed the command, tossing their swords to the ground.

“You’ll be punished for this.” Gaius started backing away, his eyes wide with fear and disbelief.

“We’re only following our orders,” one of the Guard answered.

“What orders?” Gaius demanded. “From who?”

Valeria stepped through the men and into the center of the room to face Gaius. “From me.”

His face twisted with rage and the tendons in his neck bulged. “You cannot do this. You are my wife!”

“Not yet,” she mused. “You seem to keep forgetting that.”

“I order you to call off this farce.”

She narrowed her eyes and raised her sword, pointing it at him. “You order me to do nothing.”

“You’ll never get away from me,” he insisted, his voice high and reedy, full of panic. “I’ll find you. Wherever you go, I’ll find you.”

“I hope you like the cold,” Tristan said, his hands draped casually through the bars of his cell.

Gaius erupted with rage and charged towards Tristan. Rufus caught his foot and tripped him, sending him crashing to the ground. The great warrior stood and stared down at Gaius.

“Where are the keys?”

“What keys?” Gaius spat on the ground beside him, then stared hatefully up at Rufus.

“Vorenus,” Rufus barked. “Cut off his hands.”

When Vorenus charged forward, his eyes glittering like menacing steel, Gaius abruptly produced a ring of metal keys. Rufus snatched them up and tossed them through the air to Valeria.

She hurried up to Tristan’s cell, fumbling with the keys, trying desperately to find the one that opened the lock while he ran his hands over her hair, cupping her face and mumbling tender words of love.

“I can’t believe you came for me.” He pressed passionate kisses to her cheek through the bars.

She looked up and caught his stare. “You rescue me, I rescue you.”

When Valeria found the right key and the lock clicked open, she swung open the door. Tristan burst out of his cell and swept her up in his arms, taking her mouth in a claiming kiss.

“No time for love,” Lucia interrupted their moment. “Both of you have to get out of this city tonight or I’m going to lose my mind. I’ve had enough surprises from the two of you. You’re going to give me grey hairs.”

“What about Gaius?” Valeria wondered when Tristan set her on her feet.

Rufus wrapped his hands in the front of Gaius’s toga and yanked him to his feet. He tossed him into Tristan’s empty cell. The Guard forced the rest of his men into the cell with him, and Rufus closed and locked the door.

“You can’t keep me in here.” Gaius ran up to the bars and pressed his face against them. “How long do you think it will take before someone lets me out?”

Valeria was stunned by the mad, crazed look on his face, the muscles straining in his neck, his knuckles going white as he closed his fists around the bars of the cell. He was terrifying to look at, and she was glad to see him in a cage.

“I imagine it will be at least a day or two before anyone comes looking,” one of the members of the Guard said. “It’ll be a shame when they find out we had the wrong man locked up this whole time.”

“You won’t get away with this!” Gaius yelled, putting his arm through the bars and waving his fist in the air.

“Watch us,” Tristan said, turning away and heading out of the arena.

Valeria looked to the long, dark road stretching ahead of them. It would be hours before dawn arrived, and she and Tristan would be far away from Rome when his execution was scheduled to take place. It was just her and Tristan now, side by side on horses, nothing else in their lives but each other, and maybe one more. Valeria suspected she was carrying his child. She could read the signs.

Lucia, Rufus and Vorenus waved goodbye as they rode out of the city gates, and as sad as she was to leave her old gamily behind, she had a new one to start. Though she was embarking on the greatest journey of her life, she was not afraid, and she knew in her heart she would see those she loved again. Let the Gods bless them and keep them safe until that day.

Tristan reached out to take her hand as they rode out of the city. She didn’t know where they were going, but for once in her life, she knew exactly in what direction she was headed. She was following love. And she would let it take her to the farthest reaches of the world, for surely the heart knew no bounds.