55. Chapter Fifty-Five

Chapter Fifty-Five

M arcus Fabius Varro

The candlelight flickers, casting a warm glow across Laura’s face as we sit in a cozy corner of the restaurant. My heart races, not from the unfamiliar surroundings, but from the sheer beauty of the woman across from me. This “date,” as Laura calls it, is my attempt to navigate the strange customs of courtship in this bewildering new world.

“Is this… acceptable?” I ask, gesturing to the table I’ve just led her to, after carefully pulling out her chair as she instructed earlier.

Laura’s smile is radiant. “It’s perfect, Varro. You’re doing great.”

Her reassurance washes over me, easing some of the tension in my shoulders. Since arriving in this future world, Laura has been my anchor, my guide through a sea of strangeness. Every question, no matter how simple, is met with patience and understanding.

I glance down at my new attire—a crisp shirt and what Laura calls “slacks”—part of my recent “makeover.” The clothing feels foreign against my skin, a constant reminder of how out of place I am. Yet Laura’s approving gaze makes me stand a little taller .

“You look very handsome,” she says, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. “How are you feeling?”

I hesitate, then decide on honesty. “Overwhelmed,” I admit. “Everything is so… different. The lights, the sounds, even the scent on the air.” I pause, a familiar doubt creeping in. “Laura, are you sure I’m not holding you back? This is your world, and I’m just… stumbling through it.”

Her eyes soften, filled with an emotion that makes my chest tighten. “Oh, Varro,” she murmurs. “You’re not holding me back. You’re my adventure, my link to a world I’ve only read about in books. I love you more than anything.”

Her words soothe my fears, at least for now. I lean in, savoring the closeness, the scent of her perfume mingling with the aroma of our meal.

As we eat, Laura gently guides me through the unfamiliar utensils and dishes. Each new taste is a discovery, a small delight in this world of wonders. But nothing compares to the joy of watching Laura’s face light up as she describes how she yearns to fly across the world to meet her family, her passion for her work, and her dreams for our future.

“Oh, my God.” Laura moans and rolls her eyes, doing such a good imitation of how she expresses her pleasure in bed that people at nearby tables turn to stare. It doesn’t seem to bother her; she simply crams another bite of steak in her mouth and moans again. When she finally swallows, she reaches across the table to grip my hand. “After half a year of seal meat, rabbits and fish stew, that was amazing.”

“You make me wonder what you enjoy more, steak or… my sword of flesh.”

She pops another bite in her mouth and says, “Toss up.” After she swallows, she flashes me a brilliant smile and amends, “Not really.”

“You’re a terrible tease… and beautiful.” I smile at her and she returns it, her eyes shining with love. I glance out the window at the glittering cityscape. “The electric lights all over town remind me of how much time has passed.”

“Yes. We have so much yet to explore. I wish we could spend the next few years visiting a dozen places on Earth. There’s so much we both need to see. It’s just that we need to find the helicopter, retrieve the gold, and locate the other half of the Fortuna . What if, by some double-triple-quadruple miracle, another of your comrades is in a block of ice somewhere else in that trench?”

My system jolts as though I’m struck by lightning. “Do you think that’s possible? There were eleven other gladiators on the ship, along with Zakur, the swarthy Phoenician captain. Plus, there was Sulla, the Roman ludus master who made our lives a living hell.”

“A year ago, if you’d asked me if I’d ever find the Fortuna , I would have said no—if I was being honest. I knew it was simply a pipe dream. Six months ago, if you’d asked me if a two-thousand-year-old man could be resurrected from the dead, I would have called you crazy. Today? Anything is possible. Our love is the proof.” She beams at me with so much affection it rocks me to the core.

In this moment, despite the chaos and confusion swirling around us, I feel a sense of peace. The future may be uncertain, filled with marvels and challenges I can’t begin to comprehend.

As we make our way back to our temporary home, I steal glances at the woman beside me. Her patience seems endless, her love a constant in the midst of all this change.

I may not understand this strange future, with its flashing lights and miraculous devices. But I understand love. And as long as Laura and I have each other, I know we’ll find our way.