Mark of Mars Page 9

  “Did you want me to head over there?”

  “It’s getting close too night, I don’t want you out alone on the streets. I’ll go.”

  After Cassandra left, Amelia set about lighting the torches in the temple, then outside. She spotted Augustus hanging around in the shadows and waved him over.

  “Has the Marshall got you on guard duty?”

  “Yes. He wants an update on Jenna’s condition.”

  “We don’t know yet what she has, but I don’t think it’s anything too serious.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “We’re immune to most of the diseases you can contract here.”

  Augustus looked at her strangely. “You are immune? Only Gods cannot contract illnesses.”

  Amelia gave a tentative smile. “Our physicians are highly advanced and we are given the cure for many illnesses to stop us contracting them.”

  Augustus’ brows knit together, he clearly was not understanding her.

  “I should head back inside to check on Jenna.” She looked up at his confused expression. “We won’t know anything further until Gaius has been, so there is no need for you to wait.”

  “Gaius is a physician?”

  “No, but he has worked closely with many and will be able to make a skilled diagnosis. If you come back early tomorrow morning, I should be able to let you know more.”

  “Fine, but I am not leaving until Cassandra has returned. You should not be alone in the temple at night.”

  Amelia scurried back inside, pleased that she had her own personal guard on duty outside. The temple was a lonely place on her own; not that she was actually on her own, but Jenna was well and truly out of it. She glanced into the back room to see how the patient was doing; she was much the same.

  CHAPTER 11

  Jenna opened her eyes sleepily, the lids were incredibly heavy. Her head was fuzzy and her body felt like she’d been hit by a truck. She yawned and got unsteadily to her feet, wondering why Cassandra or Amelia hadn’t woken her. Then she remembered, she’d gotten sick yesterday and Marcus had brought her back.

  She splashed some cold water on her face and attempted to tie her wild hair back. A quick change into her robes and she was ready for duty.

  Cassandra and Amelia thought otherwise. “You should be back in bed,” Cassandra scolded.

  “Nonsense, I’m fine. All I think I needed was a good night’s sleep.”

  Amelia laughed. “You’ve been asleep for almost forty-eight hours, Jenna.”

  “Two days?” she asked in disbelief.

  “Yup.”

  “What the hell did I have?”

  “Full on flu. Gaius got McVale to test a blood sample and they gave you some rather powerful drugs.”

  “I guess I have even more reason to get up and about,” Jenna yawned again. What she would do right now for a strong coffee.

  “Very well, but light duties only until Gaius gives you the all clear,” Cassandra gave in begrudgingly. “Now eat something first before you fall over.”

  Jenna retreated to the back room to eat some fruit and sweet bread. She was actually famished. She could not believe she had been out of it for two days. Her eyes settled on her pewter bracelet, had she imagined it or had Marcus really killed the two guys who had stolen it from her? She felt incredibly guilty if that was the case, but they should know the price for theft.

  She was annoyed Cassandra would not let her venture out to the baths, but then it was a reasonable distance to walk and she was not sure she was really up to it. She had to make do with the water supply in the temple.

  It was a fairly quiet and uneventful day. Jenna was surprised when Amelia started to pack up her basket to deliver food to the children.

  “You can’t possibly be going out alone?”

  “No. I have my own centurion to accompany me,” she grinned.

  “Really?”

  “Marshall Vilnus kindly assigned Augustus to accompany me as you were incapacitated.”

  “You lucky girl.”

  “Yeah,” Amelia beamed. “In return I obviously had to give him some rather juicy titbits of gossip concerning you.”

  “You what?” Jenna gasped.

  “Just kidding. He only wanted to be updated on your health.”

  “I guess that’s only fair as he brought me back.” Something sparked in the back of her memory. “Marcus said you ran into trouble finding Luke?”

  “Yes, Axia. For some reason he thought I would find him irresistible after a vat full of wine. My knee helped correct his misguided view.”

  Jenna laughed. “Perhaps we should have a health warning stamped on your back.”

  Amelia picked up her basket. “I will see you later.”

  “No dawdling.” Jenna wandered to the front as she saw a glimpse of red. “Perhaps I should ask Augustus if his intentions towards you are honourable?”

  “Ooh, I hope they’re not,” Amelia flashed her a mischievous smile and headed down the steps.

  A short while after Amelia had left Jenna had a package delivered by a young boy. “I had instructions to deliver this to Apollo’s temple.”

  Jenna took it from him and gave him some food for his trouble. The small basket was tied with a black ribbon and had her name inscribed on a small piece of parchment. From the colour of the ribbon, she had a pretty shrewd idea it came from Marcus. Nervously, she pulled the ribbon and lifted off the lid. Inside were three exquisitely decorated amphorae. Jenna removed the stopper from the first one, it was filled with rose oil. The second contained lavender oil, the third lemon oil. The heady scents permeated the air and instantly gave her mood a boost. Aromatherapy really did start this far back, she thought. She turned the small parchment over. Inscribed was a simple message: I hope the aroma from one of these will aid your recovery. Marcus.

  Cassandra glanced over her shoulder. “That is one expensive gift,” she sighed wistfully. “The Marshall must really have a weakness for you.”

  Jenna didn’t think he had any weaknesses. “I’m not sure whether I can accept this. Isn’t there a rule about handmaidens accepting personal gifts?”

  “Yes, but when it has come from the Marshall of the Peace, it is not really an item you can return. Besides, we can all benefit from the scents in the temple.”

  She noticed the young boy sitting on the temple steps still chewing on his bread. “Can you take a message back to the Marshall?”

  He nodded eagerly.

  “Tell him to stop by the temple at sundown tonight, if he has time, so I can thank him.”

  She watched the young kid scuttle off, wondering if Marcus would indeed pay her a visit. But she had to thank him.

  Jenna carried the basket to the back of the temple, dabbing a little of the rose oil on her wrists. It really did smell divine.

  She was lighting the torches on the temple steps when he appeared. He looked awesome riding up on his black horse. Jenna went to meet him as he dismounted.

  “Your horse is quite magnificent,” she patted its neck. “What is his name?”

  “Hercules.”

  Jenna looked at him curiously. “Why a Greek name?”

  “An old family joke,” he responded. “I’m glad to see you are looking far better than the last time I saw you.”

  “I certainly feel it. And thank you for bringing me back that day.”

  “I was glad to be of service,” he bowed theatrically.

  Hercules bunted Jenna with his nose, he was not happy she had stopped stroking him. She rubbed his nose. “You’re quite the attention seeker, aren’t you, handsome,” she cooed.

  Marcus shook his head. “He’s a war horse, Jenna. Not a pampered pet.”

  “Don’t listen to the nasty Marshall,” she said softly, scratching Hercules’ ears. “Besides, I would very much like to ride you one day.”

  “Regrettably, I’m the only one he’ll allow on his back,” Marcus responded.

  “I sense another challenge coming on,” Jenna grinn
ed. “So far we’re up to one sword fight and one horse race.”

  She gave Hercules one last pat then sat down on temple steps. Marcus dropped down beside her.

  “I must thank you for your gift. As a rule I do not accept gifts, but it will benefit all of us in the temple.”

  “It was nothing. I just want you back to full health as quickly as possible.”

  “I seem to recall, you also retrieved my stolen bracelet.” She unconsciously twisted the pewter band around her wrist. She might not have approved of the Marshall’s methods of retrieving it, but it had to be returned. It belonged to McVale and contained technology not available for another two millennia.

  “I am sorry that you were robbed whilst you were so sick. How did Gaius cure you in such a short space of time?”

  “We are medically advanced in Arula. Gaius gave me a very strong drug which not only would make me sleep for many hours, but would kill off any infection in my system. Something so powerful does leave us weak for a couple of days afterwards.”

  “We could benefit from medicine like that in Rome.”

  “Unfortunately a drug of this nature would probably kill most Romans instantly. Your bodies are not used to such medicines whereas in Arula, we are well practiced in taking such potions.” The conversation was going down a route that could get tricky. It was time for Jenna to turn the inquisition to him. “You mentioned your family. Do they live in Rome?”

  “My parents do, and a brother and sister.”

  “How many siblings do you have altogether?”

  “Three brothers and three sisters.”

  “Growing up in large family must have been noisy. But fun.”

  “Not really,” he scowled. “My family and I never really got along.”

  Jenna gasped. “How can you not get along with your own parents?”

  “My father is not an easy man to please, and my mother always favoured my younger brother.”

  “I still envy you. I was an only child and would have loved to have had a brother or sister.”

  “I’d be willing to hand over one particularly irritating sister, if you’d still like one?” he offered. Minerva sprang to mind, she always managed to get under his skin.

  Jenna laughed. She could actually see Marcus as a moody child, he was probably a nightmare to try to discipline. “Do you see much of your family now?”

  “Not really, the less I see of my father, the fewer arguments we have.”

  “If he has the same temperament as you, then that is probably wise.”

  “And what do you mean by that statement?” he gave her a hard look.

  “I’m sure you’ll work it out,” Jenna giggled and rose to her feet. Marcus followed suit. “I should get inside, it’s almost dark.”

  “Will you be out and about tomorrow?”

  “I hope so.” She was beginning to feel the awkward parting stage after a date. “Thank you again for the gift.”

  Marcus took her hand and kissed it. “That is how we say thank you in Rome. How is it in Arula?”

  Before she could stop herself, Jenna leant in and kissed his cheek. God he smelt good, all manly and musky, just delicious. It got her sluggish pulse racing. “That’s how,” she murmured in his ear, before hurrying up the stairs into the temple.

  Marcus stared after her departing figure. For the first time in almost a millennia, he felt like an adolescent boy. One kiss on the cheek had him harder than marble. He rubbed the spot where her lips had touched his skin, her touch had quite literally shot sparks through him. He gave a deep groan as he jumped back onto Hercules, what he would do to actually feel her lips on his, her body under his. He gave his head a shake. He had to clear his head and fast. He was Rome’s Marshall of the Peace and needed to act with cold ruthlessness.

  CHAPTER 12

  Luke called by the temple a couple of days later. “How’s the hurling handmaiden?”

  “Fully restored,” she hugged Luke. “So what brings you this way? I can’t believe Gaius would actually give you time off?”

  “You’re right,” he chuckled. “He thought I could take you and Amelia down to the Colosseum.”

  “Yuk, to see the fighting?” Amelia looked horrified.

  “No, just to watch the gladiators at practice. No killing of our countrymen is on the menu today.”

  “So we’re watching scantily clad blokes swinging swords around?”

  “Something like that, yes.” Luke rolled his eyes.

  “Well, let’s go then,” Amelia beamed.

  “You’re such a floosy,” Jenna snickered, grabbing her head scarf. She couldn’t wait to see the gladiators at practice, being a keen swordsman herself, nothing to do with the way they were dressed.

  The Colosseum took their breath away, it was truly magnificent. All of them had seen the ruins, but to see the building in its original form was overwhelming. It really had stood the test of time. At the main entrance was a statue of Nero, the emperor who ordered its construction. They walked around the entire outside of it, stopping to marvel at the entrance to the Emperor’s box.

  Finally they came to the gladiators’ practice ring which was located next door to the Colosseum. The large iron bars gave them an excellent view of what was going on in the practice arena. A fairly large crowd had gathered but they managed to worm they way to the front. There was a group of new recruits, being given what was probably their first lesson in sword fighting. Jenna’s heart went out to them, it was like lambs to the slaughter; she doubted one would last beyond their first day. But then by the looks of it, they weren’t there for their gladiatorial skills, they were just to be killed for the amusement of the crowd. She hated this barbaric city at times.

  “Now those two are most definitely buff,” Amelia sighed appreciatively, pointing to two sparring gladiators.

  “You’re telling me,” Jenna puffed out her cheeks in admiration. The muscles on their thighs and biceps were staggering. But it was the way they moved that really got her attention; every movement was so fluid and effortless. It was quite beautiful to watch.

  “Have I got you two at a particularly hormonal time of the month?” Luke grunted.

  Jenna and Amelia both punched him simultaneously on the arm.

  “No, we are just admiring beauty in motion,” Jenna responded tartly.

  “It looks like you’ve got their attention, they’re coming over,” Luke grinned, knowing the girls would turn bright red. They did.

  “We don’t usually have such a captivating audience,” the taller of the two spoke as he approached. They were both wearing leather skirts and boots. Their chests were bare.

  “What are your names, gladiators?” Luke asked.

  “Dracus and Faustus,” they nodded their heads towards the ladies, removing their helmets.

  “I’ve heard of you,” Luke was impressed. “You’re supposed to be the best in Rome.”

  “I am the best in Rome,” Faustus grinned. “Dracus is merely second.”

  Dracus snorted. “Something we will dispute in the arena one day, friend.”

  “How long have you both been fighting?” Jenna’s curiosity was peaked. She was a metre away from a real-life gladiator, how could she not ask questions.

  “About two years now,” Faustus answered.

  “All in Rome or the provinces?”

  “Most of us start in the provinces and make a name there. Then it’s on to the main attraction,” he nodded to the building behind him.

  “Do you practice every day?”

  “Most days. We need to stay agile, that’s if we want to carry on living.”

  “Are you ever allowed to retire?”

  “A few get that privilege. My owner says I only have to win ten more matches before he will make me a free man,” Faustus gave a heavy sigh. “Then Dracus can take my spot.”

  Dracus gave him a dark look. “I only have to win eight more matches. What does that tell you about who is the best?”

  Jenna chuckled. Male rivalry
was the same the world over.

  Dracus leant nonchalantly against the bars and eyed both her and Amelia up quite outrageously. “You know, top gladiators are allowed to entertain ladies the evening before their fights.”