Season of the Gladiatrix

by David Adkins

  “What are they?” I inquired.

  “You will protect me from Gracchus before, during, and after the trial. You will bring no charges against me. You will give me safe and secret passage out of Rome.”

  “I will put your offer to Paulinus, the Praetorian Prefect.”

  “Make sure he accepts it and I will need to be certain that he will keep his word. Now, Hylas, tell me why you are not dead.”

  “I only took a sip of your poison and although it paralysed me it did not kill me.”

  “I see,” she replied thoughtfully. “Did you ever hear what become of Decarian and Sotan?”

  “Sotan, your so-called husband, was killed by the Dacians but Decarian turned up in Singidunum. I gave him some of your wine but he took more than a sip. In fact he downed half the flagon.”

  “That was resourceful of you.” She showed no emotion at the loss of her two comrades.

  “Did you hit me over the head?” I asked.

  She laughed mirthlessly. “No, it was not me. If it had been me I would have cut your throat afterwards. Poor Felix, he was so in love with me. He did not want me to fall into your hands so he crept up on you and hit you over the head. When I got to the gate he asked me to run away with him and leave Rome. I refused, of course, and I easily persuaded him to take me to your love room where I disposed of him. Felix did not tell me that you were unconscious somewhere in the palace gardens – his passion and lust allowed him no coherent thought except to get me into his bed.”

  “I told her,” explained Aria.

  Glyca continued. “I think you probably know the rest. If you had come just minutes later you would have been too late to save Solanus.”

  I turned to Aria. “Keep her prisoner and watch her carefully. I will return to Paulinus and tell him you are holding her at the school, and I will put her deal to him.”

  We stepped out of the cell leaving the incarcerated Glyca to her misery and Aria’s colleague closed the cell door after us. “We need no deal,” exclaimed Aria firmly.

  “I think we might. Only the promise of her life might be enough to encourage her to tell everything,” I said.

  Aria shook her head in disgust. “I want to cut out her heart, not make a deal with her.”

  “As do I. She not only tried to murder me but she has murdered two of my fellow guards and friends back at the palace, but I feel I must tell Paulinus of her offer.”

  She shrugged. “Have it as you wish.”

  “Where is Corelia?” I asked, thinking once again of the enticing gladiatrix.

  “She is not at the school at the moment. She and her father have gone somewhere on business. I do not know where they have gone or when they will return,” she replied.

  “I hoped to see her.” My reply was tinged with disappointment. “Now I will return to the palace and you must look after her well and keep her healthy. I expect I will return tomorrow.”

  She nodded reluctant agreement and I was soon once again on my way back to the palace but still suffering from an ache in my head.

  *

  Paulinus was alone when I entered his office and I sat down opposite to him at his invitation. Macro apparently was in another part of the palace complex supervising the guards responsible for the safety of the Emperor. “What news, Hylas?”

  “Glyca has been captured and is a prisoner,” I informed him.

  “I thought you were looking pleased. Your gladiatrix friend caught up with her then?”

  “Yes, she apprehended her in a cobbled alleyway close to the gladiatorial school. Glyca did not put up too much of a fight and Aria escorted her back to the school. She is now a prisoner in a cell there.”

  “I hope it is secure,” he frowned.

  “It is very secure,” I assured him. I was surprised by the worried expression that had crossed his face. “She wishes to offer a deal,” I continued.

  “What sort of deal?”

  “She will testify against Gracchus and tell the court everything she knows, plus how she was hired by Gracchus to assassinate Solanus Fuscus so that he could not give the court his evidence.”

  “What does she want in return?” he asked thoughtfully.

  “She wants a guarantee of her safety before, during, and after the trial, and safe and secret passage out of Rome. She wants to be sure that no charges will be brought against her.”

  “I should have her executed for what she has done, but her life is a small price to pay for the destruction of Marcus Gracchus,” he mused.

  “Do you wish me to tell her that you agree?”

  “No, I wish to speak to her myself. I am not happy about her being a prisoner at that school.”

  “She is being well looked after.” I tried to ease his concerns.

  “It is now late in the day but tomorrow morning I want you to select three guards, go to the school, collect the prisoner, and bring her back to the palace. I will be happier when she is safely locked away in my prison. Be careful – Gracchus has spies everywhere.”

  “Perhaps then it would be better to leave her where she is,” I suggested.

  “No, I want you to bring her here and then I will talk to her with Pedius about what she can do for us and what we can do for her. If you have any problem with Petronius, the owner of the school, then you should tell him you act on the instructions of the Praetorian Prefect and that Glyca is a prisoner of the state and not a miscreant gladiator.” Paulinus had decided on the course of action and so it was down to me to simply carry out his orders.

  *

  The next morning I selected Macer, Vinicius, and Casper to accompany me to the gladiatorial school. We set off early, straight after breakfast, because Paulinus wished us to waste no time in bringing Glyca back to the palace. Since I had returned to Rome it had seemed that I was forever going back and forth on the short journey between the palace and the school. We were dressed in full uniform to emphasize our authority, though I could not understand why there would be any difficulty.

  We soon arrived at our destination and I peered through the gate at the guard on duty, sitting alertly within the compound. “We have come to escort the prisoner Glyca, who is being held in a cell within your school, back to the Imperial Palace,” I informed the guard.

  “I do not know of that and I am to let no one in,” he replied assertively.

  “If you consult the gladiatrix, Aria, she has full knowledge of the prisoner that you are holding here,” I continued.

  “Aria has no authority here,” he stated.

  I was starting to feel just a little uneasy. “Who has authority here?”

  “Petronius, and it was Petronius who ordered me to let no one in.”

  “Then fetch Petronius and tell him that members of the Praetorian Guard are here on official business.”

  I thought he was about to protest but in the end he shrugged and went about his errand. We waited several minutes and then we were being scrutinized by Petronius as he advanced slowly towards the gate. He was a tall, thin man with grey receding hair and a scar on his left cheek. I remembered Corelia’s father from the time I had seen them together on the Via Sacra at the time of the trial. “You have a prisoner in one of your cells by the name of Glyca.”

  He interrupted me before I could continue. “I do not.”

  I was now getting frustrated. “I saw her in your cell yesterday.”

  “That prisoner,” he said, smiling. “I released her.”

  “You did what?” I exclaimed.

  “My cells are for gladiators who have misbehaved and I had no reason to hold her,” he explained, still smiling.

  “She was a prisoner of the state.”

  “How was I to know that?”

  “Aria would have told you.”

  He shook his head. “Aria has recently been out of order and I have told my daughter to discipline her before she gets into serious trouble. Now if you do not mind I have business to attend to.”

  “Open the gates,” I ordered. “I will search y
our cells for myself.”

  “On what authority?” he demanded.

  “On the authority of Paulinus, the Praetorian Prefect,” I replied.

  He shrugged. “As you wish, but you will find no prisoner because she left last night.”

  I marched to the cell block closely followed by my three guards. I went straight to the cell where she had been held previously but it was empty. “Search all the cells,” I said to my three colleagues. There was no sign of Glyca and we soon returned to the courtyard where we were once again greeted by a smiling Petronius.

  “I did tell you,” he said.

  I looked around at the vast complex. I was sure that if they wished to hide her here they would have put her in a place in which we had no hope of finding her. It was probable, however, that she had left the night before as soon as she was released by Petronius. “I will not trouble you further,” I said to Petronius curtly.

  “That is wise, for you will not find her and you would be wasting your time. I have told you she is not here. Now if you will leave,” he indicated the gate, “I have some pressing business to attend to … you did not offer your name.”

  “My name is Hylas and I know your name – and will not forget it.” I tried to intimate a threat; I did not like Corelia’s father. He took no notice and walked away.

  I headed back towards the exit still followed by my three guards. At the exit there was a woman waiting for me and I recognized her as the gladiatrix who had opened the door to Glyca’s cell the previous day. She spoke to me in a soft voice as I passed through the gate. “Go straight to the Tiber alone. Corelia is waiting for you.” She then hurried away before I could reply.

  *

  I promptly sent Vinicius, Macer, and Casper back to the palace. I told them to simply tell Paulinus what had happened – that Glyca was no longer at the school when we got there – and that I would make a full report when I returned. I then made my way across the city to the bank of the river Tiber where I had met Corelia twice before. When I arrived I saw her sitting on the grassy bank on exactly the same spot as last time we had met but this time Aria was sitting next to her.

  I sat down next to Corelia and Aria was on the other side of her looking as subdued as I had ever seen her look. Corelia herself looked absolutely beautiful and she took my breath away as she always did. It was as if each time I saw her she had managed somehow to become even more beautiful. “I thought you would be here but not with Aria. Have you waited long?” I said, and nodded to my little sister who continued to look sombre.

  Corelia smiled at my obvious admiration. “Not long, Hylas. We saw you arrive at the school and while you were searching the dungeons we left after leaving instructions that you should follow us.”

  “What happened to Glyca?” I asked both of them.

  Corelia answered. “I am sorry, Hylas.”

  “What are you sorry for?” I asked anxiously.

  “My father released Glyca.”

  “Did you not try to stop him?” I looked at Aria.

  “I did try,” said Aria apologetically.

  “It was not Aria’s fault. She did protest but she had no idea of the implications in holding Glyca prisoner,” Corelia stated.

  “What implications?” I asked.

  “I am trying to keep everyone I love safe. I am trying to keep my father safe and I am trying to keep Aria safe and I am even trying to keep you safe, Hylas. It is not easy.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “If Glyca gives evidence at the trial then it could be more damaging to Gracchus than the evidence of Solanus. That could not be allowed and she was therefore released.”

  I was bemused. “Why could that not be allowed?”

  “I have told you all I intend to tell you. Aria has given me her word that she will not try to find Glyca and now you must give me your word, Hylas.”

  I could see now why Aria looked crestfallen. Yesterday she had wanted to cut out Glyca’s heart and now she must not even try to find her. “I am not sure I can give you my word on this, Corelia.”

  “Aria trusts me and now, Hylas, you must trust me. Will you trust me?” She looked at me sternly with those stunning blue eyes and kissed my forehead.

  I was lost. I would have ventured into Hades for her if she had asked me to. “I trust you, Corelia.”

  “Do you give me your word not to try to find Glyca? If Paulinus orders you to find her then appear to try but you would be unsuccessful. Do you understand?”

  “I understand.” I had submitted to her will and I believed that Aria must have done the same.

  “I trust you both too,” said Corelia. “However, I must insist that you do not try to see each other until after the trial. I trust you both individually but when you get together you become like an unpredictable force of nature.” She laughed at our open mouths. “It is only days away and it is perhaps better if you, Hylas, stay away from the school during that time.”

  “Are you not going to give us any further explanation?” I asked.

  “I am in the middle, trying to keep all around me safe. I bargain with one side and then the other. In the meantime I have to keep the Emperor happy and train to fight Amina. At every turn my position is difficult so please do not ask me for any further explanation at this time. Just please do as I ask.”

  I nodded. “I will do as you ask.”

  “You had better get back to the palace, Hylas. Simply explain to Paulinus that Glyca could not be held by Petronius because she did not belong to the school and therefore he had no grounds for holding her. So go now – Paulinus will be getting impatient. He will want to hear from you.”

  I stood up and smiled down at the two exceptional women who both remained seated on the grass and I made my way back to the palace.

  *

  Macro was waiting for me in the gardens when I returned and spoke to me as I entered through the gate. “Where have you been?” he stormed. “The other three returned with the bad news hours ago.”

  “I had to meet someone to find out what had happened,” I offered.

  “I suppose it was that Aria girl.”

  I nodded. “She could not speak to me at the school.”

  “We had better not keep Paulinus waiting. He is not happy and I advise you to agree with everything he says.” He stormed off and I followed, feeling rather nervous because I had let Glyca slip through my fingers again.

  Paulinus indicated to both of us to sit down. “I am waiting for an explanation as to what happened and why Glyca is not in my custody.” His expression invited a satisfactory explanation.

  I took a deep breath. “When I arrived at the school I was informed by Petronius, the head of the school, that she had been released.”

  “I know who Petronius is,” he interjected.

  I continued. “Petronius believed that the only prisoners he had the authority to hold in his cells were offending gladiators and that he had no authority to hold Glyca.”

  “So he released her. Do you believe that rubbish, Hylas?”

  “I do not know what to think,” I replied, sheepishly.

  “Where did you go after you left the other guards?”

  “Aria got word to me that she wanted to meet me outside the school to explain to me what had happened.”

  “Did she have anything of interest to say?” he asked.

  “They released Glyca last night and when Aria protested she was ignored. She felt guilty that my prisoner had been set free but there was nothing she could do about it. She wanted to explain that to me.”

  Paulinus looked pensive. “This confirms my suspicions.”

  “Which are?” I was curious.

  “That the knight, Petronius, is an agent of Marcus Gracchus.”

  “Is there nowhere his tentacles do not reach?” muttered Macro.

  “It seems not,” replied Paulinus. “He has the wealth to spread them far and wide.”

  I was deep in thought. I now understood what Corelia had hinted at.
She was protecting her father from Paulinus. If Gracchus was convicted then Petronius would be in grave danger. Perhaps equally she was using her influence with her father and hence with Gracchus to protect me. I liked to think that she cared enough about me to do that.

  Paulinus continued. “It is now just four days to the trial and we have lost our best witness. You will spend the next four days searching for her, Hylas. However, I do not expect you to find her because Gracchus will have her well hidden. If you do not find her then you will be a witness at the trial. You can tell the story of how Glyca was hired by Gracchus to assassinate Solanus. It would have been much better coming from Glyca but that luxury has been denied us. Do you understand, Hylas?”

  “I understand.”

  “We still have Solanus as our main witness to the plot against Caesar so all is far from lost.”

  “Surely the testimony of Solanus will mean that Gracchus is convicted,” offered Macro.

  “You would think so but do not underestimate their lawyer, Nerva. He does not lose cases.”

  “Pedius is good too,” I said.

  “He is, but is he good enough?” said Paulinus, sighing. “Be sure not to tell anyone that you are to be a witness.”

  “I understand,” I said. I realized more than ever that any witness at this trial needed to be careful so I would tell no one, not even Aria or Corelia.

  “Tomorrow you will have a session with Pedius. Now you are dismissed to start your search for Glyca. Good luck, Hylas. You will need it.”

  I stood up to leave feeling gloomy. “I will do my best.”

  “If it is any consolation to you, I am also at fault. I should have sent you straight back to the school that evening to collect the prisoner and not left it to the following morning.”

  His words made me feel a little better. I stepped out into the palace gardens and into the bright sunlight. What would I do now? I had absolutely no idea where to search for Glyca. I had also given my word to Corelia that I would not even try.

  *

  I did little for the rest of that day except ponder over whether to do a token search for Glyca. My decision was made easier by the fact that I did not know where to begin. Instead I went for a walk through the forum and wondered what I would do if I saw the female assassin among the crowds. In view of my promise to Corelia I would, of course, do nothing. I wandered around for a while and then returned to the palace. I did not sleep well that night.