Read Online The Gladiator's Goddess (The Gladiators' Gifts) by Amy Hearst - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amy Hearst
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the crowd’s acclaim. Wild cheering sounded throughout the amphitheater.
Nardine let out a long breath. She was one step closer to her dream of freedom. Abedi was still alive and had won a victory for the house of Marcus Antonius. She briefly wondered how the lanista would react to Abedi’s victory. Then, she refused to be distracted. She had to find her way to Abedi. Now. While they could still escape.
*****
Abedi tried to catch his breath. He’d defeated Hebides, killing him as he’d been instructed. He waved to the crowds as he strode off the arena floor. Next, he would collect his winnings. The master of coin distributed it to gladiators immediately after a victory at the match. Then the doctore collected it, and gave it back to the gladiators at the ludus .
After he walked off the arena floor, he searched out the man who paid him. Runners, gladiators, and all of those who provided medical help crowded the area. When Abedi reached the bench occupied by the master of the coin, he did not see the doctore . Abedi saw a chance and quickly walked up to the man, his hand outstretched for his payment. The master gave him a bag of coins without any comment, and then turned to speak with a gladiator he’d been arguing with.
Abedi picked up his bag of weapons and slipped out into the back hallway of the amphitheater. He calmly walked into an anteroom and quickly donned the white tunic he’d stored. Abedi shoved the coins into the weapons bag. He walked at a normal pace, out to a back exit of the amphitheater. Then he strode out of the amphitheater, and began to run.
Chapter Eleven
Nardine found her way to the bowels of the amphitheater. The baby cried and Nardine tried to quiet her, growing frustrated with all the noise surrounding her. She must find Abedi among all these people, or she might never have the chance again. She reached a gate to the area where the gladiators waited for the matches, and saw a guard. A hulking man with greasy black hair, he might have been a gladiator himself at one time.
“What do you want?” he asked her.
“I am searching for a gladiator. I must find him.”
“You can’t go back there,” said the guard. “You are not allowed anywhere near the gladiators. And what are you doing with that baby?”
“I need to find Abedi. He is a black-skinned gladiator. He just won the last match.”
“I have not seen any black skinned gladiator. I can give him a message if you like.”
“Tell him — tell him Nardine was here.”
A hand came down on her shoulder. “Nardine. How —interesting to find you here.”
Nardine ’s heart dropped into her abdomen. She turned around to see Cornelia staring down at her. All hope fled as the mistress glared at her and at her daughter.
“A baby. I see you have borne your child. All the better. Now we get two slaves back for the price of one.”
A guard Nardine recognized from the ludus accompanied Cornelia. “Hold her, along with the child,” said Cornelia. “I will summon help.”
Nardine slowly let out her breath and stared at Cornelia as she hurried away. Defeat filled her again, this time in a more permanent way. Now she had lost not only Abedi, but also her baby daughter Firi. She would be beaten and perhaps sold, never to see her child or Abedi again. How could this have happened? She had been certain the gods would have helped her find Abedi, and some happiness in this life.
*****
Abedi ran the entire way to Joseph’s home after leaving the amphitheater. He would not be a welcome guest, but he had a few things he wanted to say to Joseph. Joseph had allowed Nardine to leave his home. Abedi wanted answers.
“You cannot stay here,” Joseph said to Abedi as soon as he arrived at the back entrance of his home. “They will remember me from the ludus and come looking for you.”
“They don’t know where you live, Joseph ! It will take them a while to find you, if they find you at all. By that time, I will be long
Nardine let out a long breath. She was one step closer to her dream of freedom. Abedi was still alive and had won a victory for the house of Marcus Antonius. She briefly wondered how the lanista would react to Abedi’s victory. Then, she refused to be distracted. She had to find her way to Abedi. Now. While they could still escape.
*****
Abedi tried to catch his breath. He’d defeated Hebides, killing him as he’d been instructed. He waved to the crowds as he strode off the arena floor. Next, he would collect his winnings. The master of coin distributed it to gladiators immediately after a victory at the match. Then the doctore collected it, and gave it back to the gladiators at the ludus .
After he walked off the arena floor, he searched out the man who paid him. Runners, gladiators, and all of those who provided medical help crowded the area. When Abedi reached the bench occupied by the master of the coin, he did not see the doctore . Abedi saw a chance and quickly walked up to the man, his hand outstretched for his payment. The master gave him a bag of coins without any comment, and then turned to speak with a gladiator he’d been arguing with.
Abedi picked up his bag of weapons and slipped out into the back hallway of the amphitheater. He calmly walked into an anteroom and quickly donned the white tunic he’d stored. Abedi shoved the coins into the weapons bag. He walked at a normal pace, out to a back exit of the amphitheater. Then he strode out of the amphitheater, and began to run.
Chapter Eleven
Nardine found her way to the bowels of the amphitheater. The baby cried and Nardine tried to quiet her, growing frustrated with all the noise surrounding her. She must find Abedi among all these people, or she might never have the chance again. She reached a gate to the area where the gladiators waited for the matches, and saw a guard. A hulking man with greasy black hair, he might have been a gladiator himself at one time.
“What do you want?” he asked her.
“I am searching for a gladiator. I must find him.”
“You can’t go back there,” said the guard. “You are not allowed anywhere near the gladiators. And what are you doing with that baby?”
“I need to find Abedi. He is a black-skinned gladiator. He just won the last match.”
“I have not seen any black skinned gladiator. I can give him a message if you like.”
“Tell him — tell him Nardine was here.”
A hand came down on her shoulder. “Nardine. How —interesting to find you here.”
Nardine ’s heart dropped into her abdomen. She turned around to see Cornelia staring down at her. All hope fled as the mistress glared at her and at her daughter.
“A baby. I see you have borne your child. All the better. Now we get two slaves back for the price of one.”
A guard Nardine recognized from the ludus accompanied Cornelia. “Hold her, along with the child,” said Cornelia. “I will summon help.”
Nardine slowly let out her breath and stared at Cornelia as she hurried away. Defeat filled her again, this time in a more permanent way. Now she had lost not only Abedi, but also her baby daughter Firi. She would be beaten and perhaps sold, never to see her child or Abedi again. How could this have happened? She had been certain the gods would have helped her find Abedi, and some happiness in this life.
*****
Abedi ran the entire way to Joseph’s home after leaving the amphitheater. He would not be a welcome guest, but he had a few things he wanted to say to Joseph. Joseph had allowed Nardine to leave his home. Abedi wanted answers.
“You cannot stay here,” Joseph said to Abedi as soon as he arrived at the back entrance of his home. “They will remember me from the ludus and come looking for you.”
“They don’t know where you live, Joseph ! It will take them a while to find you, if they find you at all. By that time, I will be long
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