Before I’d finished, Aurelia’s hands were on my shoulders and she was saying something. Radulf smiled. “You know the truth about her, don’t you?”

That caught me off guard, but only for a moment before I threw what I had gathered back to Radulf. The storm left my hands with the strength of the bulla, making it far worse than what he had done to me. It knocked him backward, and when he sat up again, a long scratch was on his cheek.

“Thank you, Nic,” he said calmly. “Now I know exactly what you’re capable of. I will be ready when we meet in person, and I promise to bring the whole of my powers against you.”

And then he disappeared.

I lowered my arms and only then turned to Crispus and Aurelia. Their faces registered horror when they saw me. Behind them, the families stood in clumps, frightened by what I’d done, maybe angry too. A fallen plank of wood was lying across the ditch, which they must have used to get across. With the wind Radulf had created, it could never have remained in place … unless the storm was invisible too. Nobody felt it, or saw anything other than my standing in front of them, fighting something they could not perceive.

“Your face!” Crispus said.

I felt with my fingers the cuts and bruises I already knew were there. But I tried to smile through it and said, “I’ve looked worse before.”

Aurelia shook her head. “No, you haven’t. The corpses of Pompeii look better than you do.” But then she smiled too, a little.

I put my hand on the bulla, which was beginning to cool, and though we remained in the moonlight, its glow was fading. Perhaps because I had faded too.

Crispus offered me his arm for support and said, “Whatever that was, Nic, it looked like you were attacking those homes, all of these people.”

“I wasn’t,” I whispered.

“We know.” Aurelia drew out her knife and yelled to the crowd, “Everyone get back. Let him pass through!”

They did. With me leaning on Crispus, we waded past them through the muddy waters. His wagon was waiting near the baths, which, thankfully, wasn’t far away.

“Where’s Caela?” I wanted to bring her to Valerius’s home. For her sake, and mine.

“She flew away.” Aurelia’s voice was gentle now. “We couldn’t stop her. I’m sorry.”

I pressed my lips together and gazed over the skies, hoping to see her. It would’ve been nice if she cared for me as much as I did for her.

“Let’s go,” Crispus said. “When people get a good look at their homes, they’ll be angry with you.”

“I made things worse. For all of us.”

“At least we know what your magic can do,” he said.

So did Radulf.

He had promised to come back at me with the whole of his magic. Tonight’s display only came from a shadow of who he really was. I lowered my head and let Crispus help me into the back of the wagon. Before getting in, I said, “Radulf knows my limits now, while I only know a piece of what he can do. What I have won’t be enough to defeat him.”

After returning to the senator’s home, I went directly into my room, so tired that in my final moments before falling asleep, I wasn’t entirely sure whether I’d chosen the bed or the floor. I slept for a while, but the night was so warm, I eventually gave up and wandered outside to practice again, alone.

Shortly after sunrise, I returned for the morning meal, but hesitated in the doorway, not sure how Valerius would greet me. I was prepared for anything from a sharp scolding to full arrest.

Actually, the arrest seemed most likely. So really, I was prepared to run.

But when he saw me coming, Valerius stood and greeted me warmly, and invited me to sit beside him. Certain it must be some sort of trick, I glanced behind me for the closest escape, but then I saw Crispus and Aurelia already reclined comfortably around the table, and figured everything must be safe.

“Your face looks better than I expected,” Valerius said. So he knew.

I touched my cheek. The tenderness of bruising had disappeared and I only felt one remaining scratch along my forehead. Even that wasn’t as bad as it ought to have been. “I think I heal faster … than usual.” Looking over the group in front of me, I said, “If I’ve put any of you in danger —”

For a moment, Valerius’s eyes seemed to redden, but then he shook it off and said, “You’re a good person, Nic. Too good for this net you’re caught up in, and I’m sorry for that. Now come and eat.”

I sat between Valerius and Aurelia. As a kindness, she already had piled my plate with food and set it down in front of me. I dug into it immediately.

“I explained everything to Father,” Crispus said.

“And I believe it’s good news,” Valerius added. “Your magic is growing in strength and in control. You directed the water over those fires, and it obeyed.”

“More than I wanted. I might’ve put out the fires, but I also flooded their homes.”

“Who cares about their homes?”

“I care! And you’re a senator, you should care too!”

“Nic, my only concern right now is what you can do, and you showed progress last night.”

“Radulf wasn’t really there, only a whisper of him. It will be different once we come face-to-face.”

Valerius stared directly into my eyes. “But I believe in you. I believe your strength will grow to match his. After all, you have the bulla, and he does not.”

“You’re asking too much of Nic,” Aurelia said. “Learning magic takes more than a few hours in a field.”

Valerius’s features hardened when he faced her. “But it’s better to fight Radulf on our timing, not his.”

“Not if this is your timing. And not if Nic has to go back into the arena. It’s not an equal match.”

“When would it ever be equal? Besides, fighting Radulf is Nic’s plan, not mine. He knows what he’s up against better than anyone.” Valerius shook his head. “I want him to win, Aurelia, just as you do.”

“Do you?” she asked. “Because there are other ways —”

“If there were an easier way, I would’ve found it already. But no fears, I have a plan. Crispus, show us the banner.”

Crispus reached behind him, then stood and unrolled the large maroon banner of Rome. In vertical gold letters across the top were the letters SPQR, standing for Senatus Populusque Romanus. The Senate and People of Rome. A picture of a sickle and pruning knife had been emblazoned in the center of it, and the family name, Gens Horatius, was stitched along the bottom.

“For generations, this banner has represented the house of Senator Horatio,” Valerius said. “At tomorrow’s games in the amphitheater, I will hold this banner high and ask the people to cheer Horatio for his support of the empire. Once he sees the people on the emperor’s side, he won’t dare join Radulf.”

“Join Radulf?” Aurelia sniffed angrily. “Horatio is no traitor. He’s the presiding magistrate of the Senate. Second only to the emperor.”

“Which is why he must be stopped!” I turned back to Valerius. “Do you think this will keep Horatio from acting?”

“I hope so, though I’m afraid it won’t stop Radulf. Once he sees you in the arena, he will attack.”

“And then the people will understand what a monster he really is.” I shrugged, ignoring the growing pit in my gut. “It sounds simple enough.”

“Which is reason to doubt this plan,” Aurelia said. “Please forgive me, Senator Valerius. I know you are older and wiser than me, but you are wrong about Horatio’s loyalties, and it’s a foolish plan.”

“I am older and wiser,” Valerius said indignantly. “My plan will work.”

Aurelia stiffened at that. “You didn’t see Nic last night! He didn’t win. Nic barely held his own, and that was only because Radulf was testing his limits. Now Radulf knows exactly what Nic can do. How can we be sure you’re not trying to get Nic killed?”