She frowned, obviously skeptical. “Just like that?”

“No, not just like that. I have to be sure my sister is safe, and I hope that Valerius will help me get my freedom from the emperor. Then Horatio won’t be able to touch me.”

“Horatio is the presiding magistrate of the Senate. If anyone can convince the emperor to spare your life, it’s him. I’m sure he can help you.”

My eyes narrowed. “Don’t pretend to care about what happens to me. All you want is the money. Well, you’ll get it. But you have to help me first.”

Her eyes shifted to the bulla folded in my palm. “What happens to that?”

“I don’t know.” Radulf would kill me for it, the emperor too, and probably Horatio. Which meant Aurelia might do the same, especially if we ran into any problems on our way to finding Valerius. I shrugged and said, “I’ll keep it until I find my sister. I might need it, especially if Radulf tries anything else. But when this is all over, I’ll be glad to get rid of it. It’s brought me nothing but trouble.”

Aurelia bit her lip while she thought about my proposal. “Valerius is a senator, so I can find him. But once we do, getting close to him will be your problem. Runaway slaves can’t just walk up to senators. For that matter, neither can plebian girls.”

“He’ll see me.” That part of the plan didn’t concern me at all.

“And once your sister is safe, you’ll come with me to see Horatio? You promise me that?”

“You’ll get your money, Aurelia.”

Then her head tilted. “What about Radulf? This could be dangerous.”

I barely held back a mischievous smile. “Yeah, I figured you wouldn’t have the courage.”

She lightly punched my arm — my injured arm, but I probably deserved that much. “I’m in.”

It turns out that I’d already worn these very manacles once before. Aurelia confessed that this was the same set Felix had made me wear in the caravan. Instead of returning them to Felix, she merely kept them.

“You mean you stole them,” I corrected her, only half teasing. “Was this one of those choices you had to make to survive? Or are you also a thief?”

“I’m a girl with a knife, so be careful of your accusations,” Aurelia shot back. Not half teasing.

We were hurrying toward the venatio, hoping to get there before it was light enough for many people to be around. She believed Felix would have another key.

“He won’t give it to you,” I said. “Especially if he knows why you want it.”

“Then I’ll have to steal it.” She caught the playful gleam in my eye and immediately followed that with, “Don’t say another word.” But this time, I was sure I saw a hint of a smile. Barely, but it was there.

No matter how quiet the city was in the predawn hours, the venatio workers were already hard at work. Other animals were being transported to the amphitheater, which likely meant more games were coming soon. The animals clamored for attention as the workers shouted orders to one another about filling the animals’ needs.

Only days ago, I had been one of them. Moving about in a haze of blindness, thinking that even if life in bondage was bad, it was still tolerable. But no more. From behind the copse of cypress trees where we hid and watched, I already felt apart from that world. I repeated in my mind the same vow as before, that I would never again fall into chains. I was my own person now. My own master.

“There he is.” Aurelia pointed at Felix, who was crossing from his home to the amphitheater.

We darted out into the street, and then ran up to Felix. He heard us coming and started to yell for help, but Aurelia drew her knife. “None of that,” she said firmly. “We need the key for these manacles. My copy was lost.”

Felix looked from me back to her. “After what happened in the amphitheater, now you’re helping this slave boy? He could’ve caused thousands of deaths. He’s a fugitive of the empire, not to mention a runaway slave. I paid good money —”

“I’m free now,” I said. “I don’t care what you paid.”

Felix shook his head. “Ah. So slaves can declare their own freedom now? Why not make yourself a patrician, or a senator?”

“Because I don’t stink as bad as they do,” I retorted.

“The key,” Aurelia repeated.

Felix produced a ring full of dozens of keys and handed them to me. As I started poking each one into the manacle lock, hoping for a match, he said, “All of Rome knows you performed magic, and those who know how you did it will kill to get that bulla. Do you think Aurelia is any different?”

I glanced sideways at her. The very opposite was true. Despite the fact that I needed her help, nobody seemed more dangerous right now. What if we couldn’t find Valerius? Would she become impatient and try turning me over to Horatio early? What if someone else — such as Radulf — offered a greater reward? Would she lead me to him instead? And if she tried, could I stop her? I had a bulla I scarcely knew how to use. She had a knife. At least her bow was gone. Considering the possibility that she’d try using it against me, I was glad I’d broken it.

Still looking for the right key, I said, “Why did the emperor have to make this a fight? I was on his side.”

“I warned him you’d find your magic in the arena, but he didn’t believe it.” Felix clasped his hands together. “You’re a threat to him, Nic.”

“I’m not!”

“You nearly brought down the amphitheater with a stroke of your arm, while holding a bulla that would be useless in his hands. You frighten him, and for good reason.”

“He should be frightened, but not of me. He has an enemy —”

“He has many enemies, and if they get the bulla, they can use it against the entire empire. You proved that in the arena.”

“I didn’t control any of what happened!”

“Exactly my point!” Felix gestured in the direction of the amphitheater. “If you caused destruction like that without having control of the bulla, imagine what an enemy who controlled it could do.”

“The enemy is General Radulf,” I said. “Emperor Tacitus must have him arrested.”

“On what charge?”

“Illegal sheepherding, for all I care!” I shrugged angrily. “If he made up charges against me, then he can do it for the general.”

Felix snorted. “The general cannot be stopped. As I’ve told you, all the emperor can do is hope Radulf does not turn against him.”

“He already has! I’ve told you what he said!”

“Give me the keys, you’re too slow.” Aurelia took them and knelt at my feet, working first at the manacles there.

“What if I get evidence against Radulf?” I offered.

Felix’s eyes narrowed. “What would you ask in return?”

“For my life. The emperor must forgive all criminal charges against me. And I want my sister’s freedom.” When I found her. “And I want five hundred denarii.”

Still at work with the keys, Aurelia muttered something under her breath. It shouldn’t matter to her where she got her money. This way, I could avoid Horatio forever.

“Those are heavy demands,” Felix said. “But I might be able to persuade Emperor Tacitus if you give him the bulla as part of that agreement.”

“I will trade the bulla for my freedom. But until Radulf is defeated, he can still get at me, and I need the bulla for defense.”

Curious, Felix tilted his head. “What do you mean Radulf can get at you?”

“He’s got magic, Felix.” I had seen it, and felt it, and still had the echo of his voice in my head.

Felix’s expression changed. It wasn’t one of surprise, but rather, as if I had spoken a truth he had refused to acknowledge until now. “Are you sure?” For the first time since we began talking, he sounded as frightened as I felt.