City on Fire by Tracy L. Higley

Author:Tracy L. Higley
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2013-07-01T04:00:00+00:00

26

Cato was still posturing before the crowd when Ariella made her escape. She ran from the sand, grateful that her injuries were all in her upper body so that she was able to flee the arena without limping, or worse—being carried out.

In the corridor beyond the arena, Floronius waited, fuming. “What was that? Do you suppose I am going to allow you to be declared the victor—”

But Ariella did not want to hear it. Wanted none of it, this life of a gladiator, this life of slavery. She dropped her trident and net, ran past Floronius, past the other fighters waiting to be called to the sand, and up the ramped exit to the city. The arch ahead streamed light into the dingy hall and she flew toward it as though chased by demons.

Her left arm throbbed where it had been sliced open and she dared not look. Her ribs burned and every muscle seemed as though it had been stretched over a fire.

Still, she ran.

And as she ran, the truth pounded up through her sandals and into her heart.

You will never be a true fighter.

Never make a name for herself as an opponent of anything more than dwarf or beast.

You will never be free.

There was nothing for her but to be killed in the arena. Or to run away, be found, and be executed.

And Portius Cato, what of him and his threat? No doubt he would have her scrubbing the barracks latrine and serving porridge to her former colleagues.

At the thought of slavery in the barracks, her heart and mind turned to Jeremiah, and her feet soon followed. Through the city, drained of people by the games at the end of town, she ran, then walked, then stumbled to reach the house where she had left Jeremiah some nights earlier. She had only this one friend in Pompeii. Where else would she go?

She reached the massive doors set so close to the street, leaned a weary hand against the wood, and panted. Her arm was a bloody mess, and she had no legitimate right to be here, as she had the night Jeremiah had directed her to this door. Why would they even open the door to her?

And yet she knocked. Would Jeremiah still be here? She would beg to see him.

The house slave who greeted her that night again opened the door. She swallowed, searched for the words, but he seemed to recognize her. A glance at her bleeding arm and he pulled the door wider and yelled for someone else.

A younger woman, the adopted daughter, Flora, appeared. Ariella staggered across the threshold. Flora caught her around the waist and led her forward, into the spacious atrium, to a bench beside the impluvium, where water sparkled above the blue and green mosaics of the basin.

And then she was there, Europa, whom Ariella only now realized she had been longing to see. The woman bustled out of nowhere as though Ariella were an expected guest, directing slaves to bring water, to bring rags, to move Ariella to a front room.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.