“Amara’s daughter?” I said to Marcellious. “Wait a minute. You and Amara’s daughter were together…as in lovers?”
Marcellious shuddered, and he clenched his hands into fists like he was going to pummel someone. “She was my life! She was my world! She was everything to me, and now you have separated me from her!”
Roman drew back in surprise. “You and Theadora?”
“Yes, me and Theadora,” Marcellious yelled. “She gave me joy once until she was taken from me—both her and my unborn child. I wanted to remain in Rome, just to be close to her.”
“But...but…she’s dead, Marcellious,” Roman said.
“I know she’s dead! But I knew her in Rome, not here. This is the last place I want to be—I was miserable here. Everyone I knew betrayed me. I’d rather be anywhere but here.”
Emily emerged from the trees, her arms laden with greens.
I lowered my voice and said, “Marcellious, I’m sorry for your losses and pain. I never meant to cause you more trouble and sorrow. I didn’t know how much she meant to you. But we need to know what you were doing here. It sounds like you used to live here. How did you end up in Rome? What happened here that was so despicable?”
Marcellious spun in my direction like a trapped beast, fangs bared and claws extended. “Why should I tell you anything? What good will it do me to tell you?”
Spit flew from his mouth as he shouted.
“You, me, and Olivia are all Timebornes. We shouldn’t be fighting but come together as allies,” Roman said. “Keeping secrets about your life and who you are will get you nowhere.”
Marcellious sneered and looked away from Roman.
“Marcellious, I need answers from you,” I said. “If it wasn’t for the crazy chants you sang when you captured me and me finding your dagger in a prison cell, we wouldn’t be here. Instead, you and Roman would be dead by now. I saved you, Emily healed you, and we only want answers.”
Marcellious started to stalk away, but Roman caught his arm.
“Look,” Roman said. “You’ve been acting like an ass ever since we got here. If you don’t start talking, I will make your bullet wound feel like the best thing that ever happened to you. I’m sick of you. In Rome, you held Olivia captive. You forced me to be in servitude to the emperor. You made me kill my best friend. Now, we’re here, like it or not. Give us some answers, damn it!”
Marcellious took a swing at Roman but missed him. His face contorted with pain.
Emily dropped her bundle of greens and ran toward us. “Stop! Stop!”
Roman swung at Marcellious and connected with his jaw.
Marcellious stumbled backward, falling into Emily.
Emily screamed as they both fell to the ground. She pushed Marcellious off her. “Stop this! You’re still badly injured!”
Marcellious rolled over and pinned her to the ground. “Don’t you dare tell me to stop! You arenothingto me.”
I was so wrong about Marcellious. Nothing was redeeming inside him, and I regretted bringing him here. It had all been a big mistake.
I charged toward Marcellious at the same time as Roman. I grabbed Marcellious’ jacket and tried to yank him off of Emily.
Roman pushed me aside, seized Marcellious by the waist, and hauled him to his feet.
Something rocketed past my head and struck a nearby tree with a thwack.
I whipped my head to see what it was. My eyes widened in alarm at the quivering arrow stuck in the side of the tree trunk.
“Oh, God! We’re under attack!” I cried out as another arrow flew toward me. I threw myself to the ground, avoiding the strike by the deadly barb.
“Savages!” Emily screamed.
“Go for cover!” Roman yelled.
We all scrambled for the trees.
