by P J Mann
“What does Caius have to do with this?”
“He helped me put my plan into action. You don’t get it, do you? He is the man who offered me the human warmth I couldn’t get from you. He is the man who rescued me from the endless loneliness you condemned me to, and he is the man who kidnapped you. But it wasn’t him who killed the slaves traveling with you; he got help from someone else. I didn't order their deaths. I just asked the men to keep you away while I took care of Saul,” Claudia said, relaxing her body as strength abandoned her.
Flavius tried to understand something about the entire story, and then burst into hysterical laughter.
“Is that funny?”
“No, it's pathetic. I thought Caius was a friend, but maybe you have better incentives than I to make him do what you want. If you think I would be jealous that you shared a bed with him, you are wrong; I don’t give a damn. What bothers me is your selfishness. Certainly, Caius wouldn’t hurt me, but you knew nothing about the other man, the one who coldly killed my slaves and threatened to do the same to me. You didn’t consider the probability that something like that could happen to me as well.” His voice rose again. “Or did you consider ordering them to kill me too?” He raised his fist.
“NO! I would have never order anyone to harm you in any way.” wondering if it was time to leave that house and Flavius.
His hand unclenched and lowered to his side. “You disgust me. How can you say you love me? How could you lie to me the way you did? How could you lie to my father?”
Her eyes avoided his. Silence was her answer, as her hands went limp.
Flavius came closer to her, and she feared that he would hurt her. She turned unexpectedly against him and hit him on his face, trying to give herself time to run away.
His mind went blank, then burned with rage. He didn’t have any intention of hurting her but his hands, of their own volition, wrapped around her neck. As if hovering overhead, he watched his grip tighten. Through a pinkish haze, he watched her arms flail on either side of his legs as she struggled to breathe. Watched her face blush. Watched the last feeble flutter of life as it left her.
It was then he realized it was over. Claudia lay dead beneath him on the floor. He could do nothing but cry for himself. He was no better than the woman he killed; the cold-blooded assassin able to take life away from anyone who dared to cross her path. He had become an assassin, just like her.
Useless were his tears over her cold body. She wouldn’t come back to life. She won. She won again, leaving him to live forever with the grief of knowing he had killed another human being. He tried to call her name, but no sound emerged.
He shifted his body and cradled her head against his, rocking her body as if she were a hurt child. After all the tears he had inside were shed, he screamed so loud that even the gods could hear his pain. He prayed they would have mercy on him and give him another chance.
In a nearby room, Nara and Saul hugged each other. Nara had never heard such a desperate scream. Was it the same scream that had escaped from his mouth when his Master, his lover, had died? Was Claudia, dead? He didn’t dare to move a muscle, or to leave Saul. He feared for his fate, as he would have cared for the fate of his brother.
They cried silently, holding each other in their arms. After what seemed a lifetime, they heard the sound of Flavius’ sandals on the floor outside the room, but then the steps stopped.
Flavius fell on his knees. He felt hopeless like there was no more life in his body.
“Saul…” he said, almost whispering.
Saul walked toward him, guided by the sound of his voice, and let himself fall on the floor to hold Flavius.
“Master, I'm here,” he said, holding his hand.
“It is my fault. Forgive me. You are free. There is no longer any slavery that binds you to me or to anyone else. You are released to go wherever your heart belongs, whether in Rome with Cassandra or in Jerusalem to find your roots,” he said with a broken voice, releasing the collar around Saul’s neck. “I give you Nara as your slave, and I will give you one of my farms to sustain your life.”
Saul didn’t know whether to be indescribably happy or deeply sad; both warred within his heart.
“Flavius, I am grateful for the freedom you offer me, but I know that my place is where my heart is. I am not going to leave you alone, my friend, in the hour you need me the most. I am going to be by your side for as long as you need, and for as long as we both please.”
Raising his eyes to Saul, Flavius tried to smile. “That’s why my father ordered you not to tell me the truth; he knew I would do something like this. You should have obeyed him. I am going to be exiled from Rome.”
“We could not forecast what would happen. Marcus Tiberius had his reasons for asking me not to tell you, and I had my reasons to tell you. I don’t know whether I was wrong or right. This was what your gods wanted for you, and there was nothing you could do to avoid it. Maybe your gods wanted me to tell you the truth. From now on, we need to rebuild our lives. Concerning punishment for the murder of your wife, perhaps you will face only temporary exile. You have to stand on your feet and walk your path, but you won’t be alone. I will always be by your side if you let me,” he said, holding his hand tightly in his.
“What are you going to do with Caius?” Saul wondered.
“I don’t want to think about it anymore. He will meet the destiny the gods have reserved to him, and I hope our roads will never meet again, Flavius replied mumbling exhausted.
A long path strewn with obstacles stretched ahead for Flavius. —to forgive himself for what he did and to explain it to the world—His strength lies in the blind youth next to him—his friend, sent by the gods to light his way.
One Last Thing…
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About The Author
Hello! This is the end of the book, and I hope you enjoyed it.
I was born in 1973 in a small town in Italy. In my career, I’ve edited and wrote several scientific papers on geology and engineering, with emphasis on final disposal for spent nuclear waste. However, I come from a very complex background. I graduated from the Art Institute of Perugia (Italy) but pursued further studies in geosciences and environmental geosciences. I am passionate about photography, and I love observing nature and human’s societies from every perspective.
Through my novels, I aim to propose a new way to look at human relationships, cultures, and beliefs.
You can find me also on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/paperpenandinkwell
https://www.facebook.com/PJ.Mann.paperpenandinkwell
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/PjMann2016
And of course, my website:
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Other Books
A Tale of a Rough Diamond:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XQ3CH9Z
The Ghosts of Morgan Street:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C9RJVK6
Deadly Deception (trilogy):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M6T64MF