CHAPTER 43

Vita

VITA PULLED HER CLOAK tight around her shoulders, shivering from the chill in the damp cell. She'd been alone for many hours, perhaps even a day; it was difficult to tell between the lack of light and the restless naps she tried to take on the hard stone floor.

Her stomach was grumbling when Spurius had returned with a tray in his hands. He'd left it just outside her cell, and then exited without a word.

A stale piece of bread and a small cup of water, meager, but better than nothing. Still, her stomach clenched with a combination of hunger and dread, her mouth dry from dehydration.

Whatever was going to happen to her, she wished she could just get it over with. Exhaustion seeped into her bones, her entire being, and she was ready for it to be done. If it came to it, she would try to fight, but she had little hope against a mage like Spurius.

She was curled up in a ball when the door creaked open a couple of hours later. Vita crawled to the far end of the cell as Spurius appeared, that wicked gleam in his eyes complemented by the sneer he always seemed to wear.

"The Praetor is ready for you," he hissed, almost giddy with glee.

She winced, the cold of the metal bars pressing against her. "Why are you doing this? Why do you serve a man like that, when you can do as you please?"

"I am doing as I please. It pleases me to see pretty little things like you in pain, punished . And Amulius always lets me have my turn when he's done."

Terror iced her veins as if someone had poured a cold bucket of water over her.

So many implications behind his cruel words. Vita wasn't the first? Would he kill her after he had his way with her, after Spurius had his way with her? Panic gripped her chest, replacing the resignation from just a moment ago.

She would never see Verian again, or Renatus, or Aurora, Petran, Livia, Drusus, Gaius…

Spurius waved a hand, and her whole body clenched with control. She could feel his magic roiling through, wrapping itself around her bones, her muscles, her skin, pulling her towards him. One step at a time, she made her way across the cell until she stood in front of him, only the metal bars separating them.

"I'm going to have fun with you. Take my time so I can enjoy every beautiful scream."

His grin was too large, taking up so much of his face it seemed unnatural.

With a flick of his wrist, the cell door screeched open. Tears rolled down her face—the only thing her body still seemed in control of—as she followed him out of the dank room, down a dark hallway, and through another door.

This room was better lit than her cell had been, braziers flickering to life on every wall, though no less damp and stale. A wave of panic washed over her, a grim bed and gray mattress the only furniture in the bare space.

Still without dominion over her body, Vita walked to the bed, plopping onto the mattress with a creak, shivering from the cold of the room and the fear gripping her heart. She said a prayer to the Gods to let this be over swiftly, whatever was to happen.

Then he was there, Amulius himself, entering the room with a grin rivaling Spurius' in vile wickedness. He glanced at the mage, who stood in the corner, before approaching her.

"If you can be a good girl for me, then Spurius will loosen his grip." He placed a hand on her throat, jerking her head up to look at him. "Can you do that?"

Vita just blinked, unable to speak or move, until she felt the tension in her body lessen. With a small bit of control returned, she nodded, hoping it would make things easier on her.

Amulius just smiled, his predatory gaze lingering on her lips before he smashed his mouth against hers.

The stale scent of coffee washed over her, his hand still on her throat as he assaulted her with his vindictive kiss. He bit down on her lip, metallic blood flooding her mouth.

A second later, he forced his tongue inside, moaning against her.

When he pulled back, his dark eyes were glimmering with lust. "You belong to me, Vita. Do you understand?"

She nodded an assent, even as she reached for her power. Spurius would have to melt her damned bones before she let this go on further. But there was nothing, no welling of magic, no burning hands or electricity.

Nothing.

With one hand, Amulius started to unlace his pants and panic took hold, her mind racing though she tried to calm herself enough to find a small surge of energy, tried to remember Aurora's words.

"You must pull the power from within."

But there was no magic to be found. Like a wine amphora at the end of a long celebration, Vita was empty.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Spurius take a step closer to the bed, the wicked grin mixing with heavy lids, glazed with lust. Perhaps he wanted a better view of the show he was about to get as Amulius succeeded in his task, exposing himself and gripping her thigh underneath her dress. He pulled her into another kiss and she slammed her eyes shut.

Please, let this be over swiftly .

A repeated prayer, though without a hope of answer.

Suddenly, there was a noise, something beyond the disgusting sounds Amulius made as he moaned into her mouth. He pulled away and all three of them looked at the door, a rattling of metal ringing from the hallway beyond.

Then it burst open, slamming against the wall as Verian and Renatus pushed their way inside. Renatus whipped to the Praetor with inhuman speed, but before he could sink his fangs into him, he froze in his spot, inches away. Verian had his sword drawn and was rushing Spurius, but a second later, he was frozen as well.

Neither man moved, eyes wide with confusion, Renatus staring right at her with his jaw clenched tight.

"High Consul! What a pleasant surprise. Well, not quite a surprise. I figured you'd come for her. In fact, I was counting on it."

Amulius pulled his pants up, taking a step away from Vita so he could observe Renatus.

He glanced over at Verian, then back at the High Consul. "And you brought a friend. One of my own guards… what a pity. I may have to get rid of the lot and start fresh. Loyalty can be so difficult to come by."

Amulius leaned in close to observe Renatus' stationary face, and dread seeped through Vita, coating her muscles and bones just as Spurius did with his magic. She had gotten her wish—to see them one more time—but now it just meant they would all die down here.

"You would sacrifice everything, High Consul? For her?" Amulius shot Vita a disgusted glance. "A siren sorcerer, one who can't even control her own magic?"

Now he turned his attention to her in full. "Yes, Vita, I know all about your surges. You think my servants don't talk? You really thought you could hide it from me? When I found out… oh, that only made me more eager to have you."

A rough hand squeezed her breast, the other gripping her thigh so hard that it hurt, forcing a whimper from her mouth.

"How easy it was to lure the High Consul down here… all because of you ." The last word was spat with the vitriol of a hissing snake, his eyes darkening as he looked down his nose at her. "And now I will get exactly what I want. The High Consulship that should have been mine years ago."

Amulius turned his head, speaking over his shoulder as he pulled down his pants.

"As much as I'd love for you to see this, High Consul, I think I'll enjoy your pain even more," he simpered with a nasty smirk.

He nodded to Spurius, whose eyes focused, clearly controlling the magic that stopped Verian and Renatus.

Spurius reached out his arms, curling his hands into fists. The effect was immediate, Verian and Renatus letting out bloodcurdling screams which echoed through the small room. Verian fell to the floor with a clatter of armor, on hands and knees as pain twisted his expression. Fangs glinted in Renatus' open mouth, tears streaming down his face.

"Please, stop!" Vita finally yelled, Spurius' grip absent now that his attention was on the others.

"Should I fuck you while they die? Would you like that?" Amulius growled, reaching both hands under her dress and grasping at her undergarments.

The well of power awakened, electricity jolting through every one of her nerves, her fingers tingling with energy and her hair standing on end. Amulius had just a moment to tilt his head in confusion, Spurius' eyes widening with understanding as Vita pressed a palm to his chest and raised her other arm, letting out a terrible scream.

Two bolts of lightning shot from her hands, aiming right at Amulius and Spurius. The Praetor flew backwards, slamming against the wall of the room and collapsing in a simmering heap. Spurius received an indirect hit, though no less deadly if the scent of burning flesh meant anything.

Verian and Renatus were still unmoving, mouths gaping, though no longer from the spell of the mage. Renatus reacted first, reaching down and pulling Vita into his arms as tears stained his face. Verian heaved over to the bed, clearly still in pain from whatever Spurius had done, wrapping powerful arms around the both of them as he pressed his lips to her cheek.

"You… Vita… that was amazing," he murmured, refusing to let her go.

The tears fell now, ones she had contained while Amulius loomed over her, ones she held in even at the threat of certain death. She peeked at the bodies, smoldering messes of nude flesh, her bolts having burned away the fabric of their clothes.

Matching red scars marked both of them, twisting across their bodies like the limbs of a gruesome tree.

Icy fingers were at her chin, pulling her gaze away from the dead men.

Renatus' voice was soft. "It's over, darling. It's all over."

Everything had happened so quickly that the memory was already blurring, fading. But Vita knew one thing for certain.

The Gods were listening after all.