Page 102 of Eternal Craving
“Why have you never talked about this before?”
“Because I want to forget.”
“What happened?”
“After several years of fighting in the coliseum?—”
“Roman coliseum?”
“Yes.”
God, you are an ancient creature,teetered on the tip of my tongue. I was grateful it stayed there.
“When I refused to fight anymore, he punished me.”
“You hated your master for what he made you do?”
“He drew me in with the promise of a glorious life. Immortality.”
“And the fact that you never died, the audience, they didn’t catch on?”
Her expression told me she was remembering her past. I wondered if she could still hear the cries of the crowd.
“And when you killed your master?” I finally said, breaking her trance.
“I had, after all, been taught to fight bloody.”
“The Creda gave you that tattoo?”
She nodded. “It’s meant to be a mark of distinction. An honor to serve them, but I’ve never really been one for following orders.”
“I’ll talk with them.”
“They don’t negotiate.”
“I’ll buy you off them.”
“It doesn’t work like that.”
“Everyone has their price.”
“The Creda don’t care about money.”
“So you’re meant to go back to them and?—”
“Serve.”
“Is there something else you’re not telling me?”
“Like what?” She avoided eye contact.
I tried to read her, reach into her mind and extract the truth.
She peered up. “I belong to you now.”
“We belong to each other.”
She approached her trunk, opened the lid, and peered inside.
