by Tanya Bird
‘But still beautiful.’
‘Much too late.’
He put a hand on her leg, the action cautious. ‘I was thinking. The fish we ate a few days ago came from a different vendor. It didn’t taste as fresh as usual.’ He shook his head. ‘I know where he lives. I’m tempted to go to his house, drag him from his bed—’
‘Please do not do that.’ She almost laughed. ‘It is not the fish. I am pregnant.’
He stared at her as though she had spoken another language entirely. ‘Pregnant?’
She shifted nervously. ‘Yes, I am going to have a baby. We are going to have a baby.’
‘Pregnant?’
She nodded, trying to read him.
‘Are you sure?’
She would have laughed if she did not feel so ill. ‘The physician seemed fairly sure, yes.’ Apparently he had not considered that possibility. ‘Please say something. I feel as though you are about to run out the door and never return.’
His hand went over her belly. ‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘Because you are surprised?’
He leaned forwards, touching his forehead to hers. ‘Because it’s amazing.’
‘This is a happy reaction, then?”
He drew a shaky breath. ‘Of course I’m happy. Look at everything I have.’
She closed her eyes, her overwhelming affection for the man momentarily distracting her from the nausea. ‘I think it is time to go to India, be with family.’
He did not reply straight away. ‘Rana is going to be devastated.’
Dulcia could not hold in the laughter. ‘She really is.’ Pulling away to look at him, her hand went over his. ‘I know it is hard for you to believe sometimes, but you deserve this. Me, the baby, to be unapologetically happy—you deserve all of it.’
He swallowed, his free hand going up to stroke her pale cheek. ‘I keep waiting for it to be taken away.’
Her head returned to his. ‘That is never going to happen.’
‘I hate seeing you sick.’
She leaned into his touch. ‘Forget today. Focus on tomorrow, next week, a year from now.’
He brought her hand to his mouth, a lazy smile on his lips. ‘I’ll never forget this day.’ He pulled her into his lap, and she curled up against him. Strong arms went around her, gentle fingers stroking her arm. ‘What do you need?’ He whispered the question into her hair.
Her answer was always the same. ‘I have everything I need.’
Where to now?
Book three in the Roman Hearts series is due for release in July 2019. A Legate’s Pledge tells Nerva’s story, and it is not for the faint of heart. Make sure you join my mailing list for updates.
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Author’s note
There are a few things I wanted to mention about the writing of this book, the first being that all the characters are fictional, with the exception of Emperor Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla.
I thought long and hard about the type of story I wanted to tell next in book two. After bringing the colosseum to life in A Gladiator’s Oath, I decided it would be fun to introduce readers to chariot racing at the Circus Maximus—in all its glory and brutality. My mind is blown wide open by a sport where basically the only rule is that the first charioteer to cross the finish line wins.
There were some other aspects of Roman life that I wanted to explore in this book, one being the city’s most relentless enemy: fire. Fires were frequent in the city, spreading fast due to highly flammable constructions built in close proximity. In July 64 AD, a fire erupted in shops near the Circus Maximus. Flames raged for six days, spreading to the slums and destroying over 60 percent of the city. We can only imagine the devastation.
The Vestal Virgins are also worth mentioning. After extensive research, I finished with more questions than when I started. I assume they would have formed close friendships with one another, but what about friendships outside of the house? Sometimes an educated guess is all we have, and I feel such relationships would have been frowned upon. That doesn’t mean they didn’t exist, only that the priestesses would have been very discreet. As Mila points out in the beginning, they may have been independent, but they were at the mercy of the very men who granted them that independence.
Finally, I have used some modern phrases in instances where I felt the reader would not understand some words in a particular context. The last thing I wanted was readers coming out of the story to google terminology. You might also have noticed that the dialogue is not a true representation of that period, and that’s intentional. I wanted the story to be accessible to a wide audience.
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I truly hope you enjoyed this blend of history, action and romance.
Acknowledgments
I would like to express my gratitude to the many people who contributed to this book. My biggest thanks always goes to my readers. Without you guys, I wouldn’t get to do what I love. Next, a huge thank you to my rock star husband who supports and encourages me even though my writing takes time away from him. I love you to bits. A big thank you to Joanna Walsh for your ongoing feedback and support. A shout-out to my beta readers, who each brought a unique perspective. Your comments were so helpful. Thank you to Kristin and the team at Hot Tree Editing for polishing the manuscript into something beautiful, and to my proofreader Rebecca Fletcher for catching everything I missed. A round of applause for my cover designer, Domi, from Inspired Cover Designs, for this gorgeous cover. And finally, a huge thank you to my Launch Team for your encouragement, honest reviews, and being the final set of eyes on my work. You guys are amazing.
Also by Tanya Bird
The Companion series
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The Royal Companion #1
The Common Girl #2
The Majestic Impostor #3
The King’s Obsession #4
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Roman Hearts series
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A Gladiator’s Oath #1
A Charioteer’s Promise #2