“It sure was sweet. I met him after I was betrayed by the man I thought was my true love.” My stomach squeezed into a knot at the thought of Tristan.
Emily stayed quiet, letting me sort through my thoughts.
“It was surprising to find love in an unexpected place. It took me a long time to trust him—I carried the wound of betrayal with me for a long time. I love Roman with all my heart and soul.” I sniffled.
“That’s a beautiful story, Olivia. Don’t worry. You’ll find him again. Love always finds a way. Keep the faith.”
She reached up and fished a necklace free from beneath her soiled dress. She gave it a squeeze, then tucked it back inside her collar.
“What’s that necklace?” I asked.
Emily’s gaze grew wistful. “It’s a part of me. It reminds me of my mother. Father said it was hers, and she wanted me to have it. He gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday.” She rolled on her back, pressed her hand to her sternum where the necklace lay, and fell into her memories.
I rolled over, too.
It had been two days since I’d seen Roman, but it felt like a lifetime. The thought of never seeing him again, feeling his touch, or waking up next to him felt as heavy as a coffin stone over my chest.
Oh, Roman. I thought I was doing the right thing by sending us together somewhere, but all I did was separate us.
I wiped my eyes with my grimy, blister-covered hand. I was in pain, inside and out.
“Olivia?” Emily said in a small voice.
“Yes?” I said, still watching the sky.
“What are we going to do next? I’ve never had to survive on my own.”
I thought of all my survival training and my time in Rome, where I had to start over. “I have. Let’s get some rest and then clean up a bit. Maybe there’s a town nearby where we can find an inn or something.”
“I don’t have a way to pay for an inn. Do you?” Emily said.
“No,” I said glumly. Even if I had money, it would all be coins from 208 A.D. “But we’ll figure it out.”
I hoped we would. If I could survive ancient Rome, I could find a way to endure 19th-century America.
“Let’s get some rest before we make any decisions. Then, we’ll forage for food. After cleaning up.”
What I would give for a hot shower. Oh, well. A creek will have to do.
I fell fast asleep with one thought on my mind
Where is Roman?
Roman
I listened as the guards discussed our fate from outside the hopper windows. Things didn’t look good for Marcellious and me.
Ideas were tossed about like hanging us from a tree and disemboweling us to warn other traitors of the fate due them. Apparently, they didn’t believe a word I’d said about getting drunk and swimming before the Kiowa attacked us.
Another fellow suggested they bind our hands and feet and drag us behind the wagons until the skin ripped from our flesh, and we finally succumbed to death.
I didn’t care for either option. So, armed with my dagger and a flint striker as my only means of escape, I nudged Marcellious’ sleeping form.
“Hey,” I said. “Wake up.”
He mumbled something unintelligible.
“Hey,” I said again, poking him with my foot. “Wake up.”
