Descendants of Rome (#3 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Krista laid her husband gently down upon the grass.

Knelt beside him, Krista could almost fool herself that he was simply sleeping. With his head turned to the side, Krista could not see the blood that stained his chin.

His eyes were shut to dreams, Krista told herself. He wasn't dead.

None of them were dead. They couldn't be- This was just a trick.

But maybe it was her that was asleep. Perhaps this was just one long nightmare that she just had to awaken from.

Yes, that was it. She would wake up in a minute and be back in Greece with Cassia and Zeph at her feet, and Lazarus and Artorius would be toiling in the fields.

Frieda and Diomed would be back in Britannia with their children, and Leonidas . . . Leonidas would be with Cato still.

As she sat there in the grass, her fingertips brushing Artorius's cheek, hoping he would open his eyes and shout 'Tricked you!', she felt reality trying to seep back in front of her.

She didn't want to go. She wanted to stay with her husband, by his side waiting for him.

A lock of his black hair fell in front of his eyes and Krista hurriedly brushed it back, her fingers combing through his hair as her heart twisted in pain once more.

How many times had she done that in the past? Ran her fingers through his hair? How much had she taken it for granted and now he . . . he was no longer there- No!

He couldn't be dead. He couldn't be. She was supposed to die first.

She was the one who was meant to die in the arena, she was meant to die in the forest that time, she was meant to die and save them.

But instead everyone else was dying for her.

No, Krista argued with herself, he isn't-

­"Artorius!" Leonidas's voice cut through her pain and hit her like a carriage.

His voice was angry, as if he could not believe that Artorius was dead, that Artorius was just tricking.

"Artorius, get up!" Leonidas shouted again.

Krista slowly turned her head to the side, her fingers still brushing his hair, and looked at Leonidas.

He was no longer bound but he was not free either as two guards prevented him from coming over to her.

"He's. . ." Krista closed her eyes as she tried to bring herself to say the word.

But she had to say it. If she was to get out him out of here, she had to say it. She had to believe it.

"He's dead, Leonidas." Krista turned back to look at Artorius. Maybe her words would stir him to wake up and say that she was wrong.

But it didn't, and his eyes remained closed.

Krista let her eyes travel down to his chest and gaze upon the arrows there for the first time.

So, there were archers in the trees.

Krista remembered how Octavia had signalled them.

She guessed she should not have been surprised; after all, she had put Frieda in a tree when she faced Octavia with Argyle . . .

Thinking of Frieda brought a new wave of pain across her chest.

"You killed him!" Leonidas turned and advanced on Octavia.