Arena Shifters (A Paranormal Romance Novel) (19 page)

Just
when she was sure it was her end she suddenly became aware of other fighters in
the battle. She recognized their clothing instantly. They were the same band of
slaves that had attacked her caravan several months ago. Help at last? It was
none too late. She took another slice, this time to her left forearm and the
shock of it caused her to drop her blade in the dirt. That was going to cost
her. As she continued to spin, slice, parry, and block she noticed fewer and
fewer strikes came her way, and then suddenly she slipped on some bloodied
rocks and fell to the ground in a bloody heap.

Just
when things were going her way. She relaxed her body waiting for the death blow
that was surely about to come her way, but instead a bloody had reached down to
her. She looked up. The owner of the hand was one of the freed slaves that had
apparently come to her aid. He accepted the hand, not because she trusted its
owner, but because that was the only way she was going to get back on her feet.
He hauled her up. He was a dark skinned, handsome man, built more like an
athlete than a gladiator. The usual layer of muscles that gladiators put on
from daily abuse in the Ludis were absent on the man and she kind of liked it.

She
looked around her. Both twins lay motionless not far from her. That was
unfortunate. Beside the man, there were three other freed slaves cleaning their
weapons. She also noticed a man dressed like them was lying motionless nearby.
Looks like they had not quite escaped unscathed.

He
hauled her up. He had long dark brown hair, ragged from a life of being on the
run. He reached down and picked up her weapons that had fallen from her hands
and she accepted them without comment.

Then
she thought of Lucius, but someone was already tending him. A similarly dressed
woman was working on his many wounds, cleaning and suturing where necessary. To
the boy’s credit, he didn’t make a noise although it had to hurt like Hades.

“You
are familiar to us,” the dark man began. “I believe we have met…so to speak.”

Suddenly
Petronia felt ashamed. They certainly had met on the battlefield when she had
sided against them to protect the boy, and she would still. Suddenly she
thought of Primo. She looked around before spotting his body a few meters from
where she stood. He was very much dead. She only wished she could have dealt
the death blow.

She
knelt down beside Lucius. He didn’t look as bad as she had expected. The woman
was doing good work.

“What
would you like us to do with the boy?” The man asked.

“What
do you mean?”

“What
I mean is, if we set him loose he could report us to his father and that would
be trouble for us. We cannot do that. It would be wiser to just dispatch him
right here but my friend there has a soft spot for youngsters.”

“But
you can’t do anything to him. He’s my friend. My only friend.”

“No
son of a Dominus and Lanista, especially a son of Gaius Gracchus Tiberius will
ever be a friend to slaves.”

“You’re
wrong!” It was Lucius. He was lifting himself up on an elbow. Though it was
costing him severely, he brought himself up to a sitting position; it was all
he could manage.

“How
can we trust you son of the Dominus?”

“I
will tell you a secret, so delicate it would bring ruin to my father’s house.
But if it will at least guarantee my friends life I am willing to break my vow
I made as a child. And if you could find it in your heart to let me go… Well
here it is.”

Slowly
with great effort Lucius stood up. Then, taking a deep breath he shook his
head, then his whole body began shaking and convulsing right in front of their
eyes. By now Petronia knew what was to come next, but it was still a shock to
her. Right in front of their eyes he turned into a black wolf. Hearing an
audible gasp, Petronia turned to see how the others were taking it.

The
man who had helped her up and had spoken to her was simply shaking his head
from side to side. “Well that explains a lot.” He said to no one in particular.

“What
do you mean?” She asked.

He
looked at her for a minute before speaking. “That I think I will keep to
myself. But I understand how this information, we could use it to bring great
harm to the boy’s father.”

Petronia
looked over at Lucius just as he was shifting back to his human form before he
collapsed on the ground again, even weaker for his efforts.

“What
is it you seek, boy?” The man asked in a softer tone.

“I
wish to leave my father’s house and make a life for myself…and Petronia if…” He
trailed off. He had never really expressed how he felt towards her, but this
wasn’t the place either. Instead he reached out to her and she took his hand in
hers.

Petronia
looked to him, understanding him at last. Maybe one day, when he was much
older… Yes, one day…

# # #

Thank you for reading!

Glossary of Terms

Dominus/Domina: Title given to slave owners male or female.

Doctore: The lead trainer of the gladiators and is usually a
slave as well.

Lanista: The man who purchased slaves for Gladiators and was
responsible for them.

Praetor: One who commanded Roman armies and sometimes served
as judges.

Gladius: Short stout sword used frequently by Roman soldiers
and often gladiators.

Pugio: Dagger.

Subligaculum: The equivalent of underwear

Rudis: Wooden sword given to a gladiator who has achieved
freedom in the Arena. Must keep it with him always to prove he is no longer a
slave.

Primus: The main event of the day in the Arena.

Pulvinus: The royal box in the Arena where important
dignitaries sat to view the games.

Murmillo: Popular gladiator fighting style.