I know this chapter is short, but longer ones will be coming, I promise!
Tessa strode with Candace and Lucilla into their brother's chambers where he was signing papers for the Senators hovering at his side. It had been difficult to convince Decimus to part from her to rest after the games. She had done her best to hide how distressed she was after seeing Maximus, but it was hard to hide anything from Decimus's sharp eyes. He had clung to her all the way back from the Colosseum, as though trying to offer her some sort of comfort.
"Why is he still alive?" Commodus demanded.
"I don't know," Candace answered.
"He shouldn't be alive," Commodus said. "It vexes me. I'm terribly vexed." He handed the papers off to the Senators, who took their leave with bows. He tried to look at Tessa as he leaned back in his chair, but she avoided his gaze. "I did what I had to do. If Father had had his way the empire would have been torn apart. Do you see that?"
"Yes," Tessa murmured.
Commodus moved forward to lay his arms across the desk as he stared intently at Tessa. "What did you feel when you saw him?" he asked.
Tessa raised her eyes to stare into her brother's with equal strength. "I felt nothing," she said. She ignored the incredulous snort that came from Lucilla at her words.
"He wounded you deeply didn't he?" Commodus said.
"No more than I wounded him," Tessa replied.
"They lied to me in Germania," Commodus said. "They told me he was dead. If they lied to me than they don't respect me, if they don't respect me then how can they ever love me?"
Lucilla moved forward to the front of the desk, her tone dangerously smooth. "Then you must let the legions know that treachery will not go unpunished."
"Oh, sister, I wouldn't want to be you're enemy," Commodus said.
Lucilla must have been able to sense the hidden meaning behind these words for she lowered her eyes. "What will you do?" she asked.
Maximus was eating in the slave quarters when the guards ordered him to follow them. He could sense the eyes of the other men watching him, but he ignored them. He followed the men into a small chamber where he was chained to the wall.
It wasn't until the men left that he noticed the cloaked figure standing in the corner. The person turned as the door closed, lowering the hood to reveal none other than Tessa. She moved towards him with a small wry smile on her lips. "Rich patrons pay well to be pleasured by the best champions."
"Why have you come here?" Maximus demanded. He moved forward until the chains wouldn't allow him to move any farther. "Did your brother send you?"
"Of course not," Tessa said. "No one knows I've come here."
"My family were burned and crucified while they were still alive," Maximus said. He could tell by the look of horror that swept over her face that she hadn't known about what Commodus had done.
"I have wept for them," Tessa murmured.
"Like you wept for your father?" Maximus snapped. "Like you wept for your father?"
"I have been living in a prison of fear since that day!" Tessa shot back. "To be unable to mourn your father for fear of your brother, to live in terror for your son is an heir to the throne. Oh, I have wept."
"My son was innocent," Maximus growled.
"So is mine," Tessa hissed. "Must my son die too before you trust me?"
"It doesn't matter if I trust you or not," Maximus said. He turned away from her to face the wall, trying to gather his thoughts. "You should return to the palace before someone realizes you're missing."
There was nothing but silence from behind him for some time until there came a soft sigh. "I suppose you're right," Tessa said. "Just do me a favor, Maximus."
"And what is that?" Maximus asked. He felt a jolt run through him as a hand was laid on his shoulder.
"Don't die," Tessa whispered. Then she was gone, shooting out of the room so quickly that she didn't notice Lucilla lurking in the shadows.
