On the morning of her wedding, Cassia felt nothing at all. She'd resigned herself to her future, if only for Helena's sake and the sake of all the other slaves who unknowingly depended on her for their lives. Cassia knew Corvus and knew his threat was real—what else could she do but go through with the ceremony?
Helena helped her prepare. Usually, the bride's mother would do the honors, but Cassia was alone except for her loyal maidservant. Besides, she doubted Corvus would care about tradition, anyway. He'd made sure to invite all the right people and prepare all the right dishes, but it was only for show, to emphasis his authority and influence. He was not a romantic at heart.
Helena tried to comfort her mistress as she helped Cassia into the beautiful silk gown made especially for that evening. "Marriage isn't terrible," she started hesitantly. "All women get used to it."
"Get used to being owned by a man who cares more about trophies than human beings?" Cassia spat out, but she softened when she saw Helena's expression. "Helena, I'm sorry, I'm not angry with you. It's just so heartbreaking. This isn't how I imagined my life…"
"I know," Helena said quietly. "But it isn't so bad. You'll always have security and authority—Corvus is gone so much, you'll be in charge most of the time. And soon, you'll have your children to love and nurture." The thought of bearing Corvus' children was almost too terrible to contemplate, and Helena saw it in Cassia's eyes, so she pushed on quickly, "And you'll only have to deal with him when he comes back from campaigns. Men are ardent with new brides, but it wears off quickly."
"But what about…?" Cassia stopped, struggling to ask the question that was on her mind. But Helena guessed it easily.
"The wedding night?" she offered. "The first time is always hard and uncomfortable. It can be painful. But the trick is to imagine with someone you truly care about. Picture his face instead."
Instantly, a vision of Milo jumped into Cassia's mind.
"It always works for me," Helena finished softly.
It took a second for Cassia to understand the terrible meaning. "What? Why do you have to imagine? I didn't even know you had someone…"
Helena paled, eyes filling with mortification. "I'm sorry, m'lady, I didn't mean to talk about my personal life…"
"No, tell me," Cassia commanded.
It took a few minutes for Helena to steady herself. "The senator always visits his new female slaves," she finally forced out.
Cassia felt horror wash over her, horror for her only friend and everything she had been through. "He's—he's… been… with you?"
"It isn't so bad," Helena repeated, trying to convince her mistress but also herself as tears started forming in her eyes. "He's brusque and to the point and once he's done, he leaves you alone. If you just do what he says, he doesn't hurt you."
Cassia's mind threatened to retreat deep into itself as she tried to process just how terrible Helena's story was. But as her heart broke afresh for her friend's suffering, she mentally froze it mid-shatter.
"No more."
Helena eyed her quizzically. "What do you mean, mistress?"
"I'm not going to let Corvus hurt you anymore," Cassia said firmly. "I'm not going to let him hurt anyone anymore."
"What are you talking about?" Helena asked, worry coloring her voice. "You can't do anything."
"But I can," Cassia replied, a plan already forming in her sharp mind. "Who better to finish him than the woman who shares his bed? He'd never suspect any danger, and when he's asleep, he'll be completely vulnerable."
"It's treason to even speak like that about a senator," Helena whispered, but her eyes were already starting to fill with something that looked a bit like hope.
"What if there's no sign of foul play?" Cassia countered. "What if he drinks the wine he's so fond of, but this time, there's something in it? There are poisons that cause natural-looking deaths."
"How do you know these things?" Helena asked, both in fear and admiration.
"My old nursery maid was an Etruscan, and she knew the ways of plants and animals," Cassia explained. "I used to beg her to teach me, and she finally taught me how to make some medicines—and some poisons."
"I'll bring you what you need," Helena offered, almost inaudibly.
Cassia was filled with overwhelming love for her friend, reaching out to embrace her warmly. "We'll get through this," she whispered. "I'll make things right."