Guardian of Rome (#2 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

 

 

Gaius’s eyes flickered to the two bodies of unconscious guards sleeping soundly on the ground.

Outside of this tent, no one knew that Rome’s number one enemy was holding a sword to the commander’s throat.

It should have made be fear her but Gaius was confident in his own skills enough to not be afraid.

But he was also aware that rushing into a fight would do neither of them well, especially as his eyes gazed upon the swollen stomach of the Gladiatrix.

It seemed life out of slavery had brought more obstacles for the Gladiatrix to overcome.

Gaius turned his back on Krista, drinking the contents of his chalice before setting it upon the table.

“Are you here to stab me in the back like Commander Niclaus?” Gaius asked as he sensed her unease, remembering how she had killed her previous owner with cowardice.

She did not like him turning away from her unafraid and hated how he called her honour into question.

But she too was smart, Gaius thought as she was reluctant to be pulled into an argument of wits.

“Do you have nothing to say before you go down this path?” Gaius looked at her over his shoulder.

With her hair falling in waves down her back and her eyes fixed sternly on him, she appeared fearless.

The flames from the torches danced across her flawless skin and shimmered against the roman armour that she stole, making her presence dominate the tent.

Gaius did not like to think where she had acquired the uniform from, knowing that another of his soldiers was most likely lying dead in a ditch somewhere.

But Krista did not speak; her brown eyes were hard and resolute.

She came to kill him and Gaius knew that she would not leave until she had succeeded.

“Well, may I just say this,” Gaius sighed as he removed his sword and raised it in front of his face, his eyes gazing lovingly at the beautiful piece of art that had been forged specifically for him, “I saw you fight in the arena,”

Krista tilted her head slightly.

“I was impressed,” Gaius chuckled softly as he turned to face her, swinging the blade in his palm as he did so, “Lazarus would have been proud.”

Her heart skipped a beat as Gaius simply smiled at her.

Krista’s nostrils flared as her eyes grew wide and she flew into action upon hearing her dead friend’s name.

In hindsight, Krista knew that he was goading her but she could do nothing against the torrent of emotion she felt as he spoke Lazarus’s name, reminding her that he was no longer here.

But it also made her feel guilty for being there.

Sneaking into his tent and assassinating him. It made Krista feel like she was hitting below some imaginary belt.

That a man of Gaius’s standing should have had the right to die in glory on the battlefield.

Gladiators at least had the right to die with glory and honour, why not a commander of a Roman Legion?

Because he slaughtered innocent people, Krista reminded herself, that’s why.

Feeling her resolve harden once again, Krista sent her sword swinging towards Gaius’s throat.