Read Online Seduced by the Gladiator by Lauren Hawkeye - Free Book Online

home. Christus finished his game, then rose to his full height and faced the much smaller man.
    “Just some sport, Bavarius.” He let his training sword fall to his side, but did not leave. “Training is done for the day.”
    “Why do you feel you need extra sport, extra training, new brother ?” Bavarius was clearly trying to antagonize, and I saw again that slight stiffening in the otherwise rod-straight spine of Christus. “Is it that a woman stands to hold the title of champion? Do you not feel yourself equal to our Lilia?”
    I should have been pleased, perhaps, by the offhanded compliment. I knew that words that fell from Bavarius’ lips, however, contained vinegar rather than honey. I could not trust anything that he said—and I found that I did not care for the insult to Christus.
    “Am I not permitted to do as I wish in my free time, Bavarius? Do you begrudge me that?” Christus did not make reference to the insult, instead speaking far more calmly than he ever had to anyone else, that I had seen.
    “On the contrary, new brother.” Bavarius stepped closer still, closer than was normal, and the invasion of space was yet another insult. I expected Christus to strike him, to reach for the sword that still hung at his hip. “You have not yet gone through the rites of passage, have not been initiated into our brotherhood, no matter how much the dominus has paid for you. You should take all the practice that you can, for soon enough you will be tested.”
    Christus did not move. He spoke instead, and his words were deadly calm.
    “Very well.”
    Christus turned to face the stocky man who challenged him. The shadows cast over Bavarius’ face made him look like the spawn of the underworld.
    Bavarius feinted forward, hoping, it seemed, to make Christus flinch. When the newer gladiator did not move even a whisper, the glower on the shorter man’s face became yet more pronounced.
    “I can make your life here hell.” Spittle flew as Bavarius spoke, spraying into the air like drops of poison.
    Christus allowed the merest sneer to curl his lips before finally, slowly, raising that sword. I watched, fascinated, as the shadows that were so unflattering to Bavarius served only to accentuate Christus’ muscles.
    “The dominus has reassured me that he demands no rite of passage upon entrance to his ludus, no trials, no branding.” Absently he rubbed his forearm, and when I squinted, I saw a faded section of skin that may have one such marking. “Any rite that you speak of must be of your own devising. Very well; let us get on with it. I will undertake whatever trial you set before me, if it means only that you will cease with your incessant chatter.”
    There was no such trial; this I knew firsthand. This was an open challenge from Bavarius, but he had been a fool to issue it at that moment, alone on the sand with Christus. Bavarius was brave only when he had a half-dozen cronies to back up his words, his muscle.
    He would never have intended to face off with a man who, from the look of it, could best him in under a minute.
    While I was the top ranked in the ludus, Bavarius hung somewhere in the middle. If challenged one on one, even I would not be scared of him, though I was a fraction of his size.
    Bavarius seemed to be taken aback. “It is mealtime, new brother.” He cast an uneasy look toward the area where the men ate, which had a roof but was free of walls. Though the food was not overly appetizing, I knew that for a glutton such as him, not being able to finish his meal would be a major punishment.
    He should have thought of that before interrupting his dinner to taunt Christus.
    My own stomach grumbled, empty and craving nourishment, though at that moment I did not think that I could force down even a bite. I would regret it tomorrow, but Bavarius had so upset me that I had not been able to eat.
    The smaller, unctuous man continued, seeming not to like the direction in which the encounter had gone.