The Deadly Gladiatrix: A gripping murder mystery from the Roman Empire (Murder in Antiquity Book 4) by Alex Wagner

Author:Alex Wagner [Wagner, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

XXIII

The afternoon had long since arrived. I had not actually wanted to miss the gladiator fights announced for today, but first there was still another interrogation to be conducted at the ludus. Business before pleasure, as the saying goes.

Layla and I sought out the cell wing, where Telephus was now locked in one of the tiny chambers owing to his escape attempt.

The guard who was on duty—a fellow whose name I didn't know—didn't want to unlock the gladiator's cell for us, but he let us talk to him through the barred door, while he himself retreated to the other end of the corridor. He watched us from this vantage point with suspicious glances. Above all, he did not take his eyes off Layla; he must have wondered what a legate's mistress was doing in the cell block of a gladiator school.

At least we could talk to Telephus undisturbed. Or rather, we first had to convince the veteran to talk to us at all. He was leaning against the wall of his chamber as if turned to a pillar of salt and staring at the ceiling.

"I have nothing to say to you," he grumbled when we approached him.

"I think you do," I replied. "Tell us why you escaped. Are we to suppose that it was you who released the beasts? To continue your murderous work with them? That you did not yet have enough men on your conscience?"

He did not answer me, but merely eyed me in confusion.

"Don't tell me you didn't notice it," I continued. "A number of men have been murdered in the last few days, among them two brave gladiators like yourself. We want to find out who killed them, and I expect you to help us, to tell us everything you know in order to bring the culprit to the cross. Or to the arena," I added.

"I don't know anything," Telephus said lamely.

He looked like a broken man, no longer fearing anything, not even possible execution.

I noticed how he eyed Layla: she seemed to embarrass him, but not merely because of her beauty. It occurred to me then that he might be more likely to talk to me if she weren’t there, that he didn't want to humiliate himself in front of her by revealing the real reason for his escape.

Even though I couldn't be sure if I was right in guessing this—I leaned over Layla's shoulder and asked her in a whisper to let me try talking to Telephus alone.

She immediately understood and quickly moved aside.

When her footsteps had faded away, I stepped closer to the iron bars and called out to the gladiator: "How is it now, Telephus? A man-to-man conversation? I give you my word that I'll keep anything you tell me to myself."

With a soft groan, the fighter detached himself from the wall against which he had been leaning and came to the bars. He examined me closely, his eyes marked by dark rings, his eyelids heavy.

"It was the gladiatrix who poisoned Mevia and Nicanor," he told me with a suddenly-awakened passion.

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