Page 65 of Thawed Gladiator Thrax

“What do you think?” she whispers.

“She’s not wrong about how helpful the tech has been,” Skye offers. “And having a powerful ally couldn’t hurt right now. Especially with Victor missing.”

Laura unmutes the call. “Ms. Hobson, before we agree, there’s something you should know.” She takes a deep breath. “During the incident in Rome, one of our gladiators was taken. We’re keeping it quiet for now, but…”

The woman interrupts, taking charge of the call, asking pointed questions as she efficiently collects facts.

“Thanks for that info. I have enough data and think I might be able to help. I have connections in high places. Let me make some calls. Sometimes unofficial channels work best.”

The offer of help sends a ripple of hope through the room. My grip on Skye’s hand loosens as the first real possibility of finding Victor emerges.

“That would be incredibly helpful,” Laura says. “We’ll give credit where it’s due for the translation technology, and we welcome any assistance in finding our missing friend.”

“Agreed,” Dara responds, her tone softening slightly. “My team will be in touch with the details. And… good luck. You’re making history here.”

As the call ends, a nurse pokes her head in. “He’s awake,” she says softly.

My heart races as we make our way to the recovery room. Cassius lies pale but alert in the hospital bed, his green eyes widening as they land on Varro.

“Varro?” he croaks, his voice weak. “Is it really you?”

Looking at him, the bitter irony strikes deep in my chest. One brother gained while another is lost. But we’ll find Victor. We must.

As I watch Cassius begin his journey into this new world, memories of my own awakening flood back. But rather than dwelling on the fear and confusion of those early days, I focus on the joy I’ve found, the love that’s blossomed against all odds.

The challenges we face are daunting—finding Victor, protecting the others, building a new life. But our family is growing, bridging the gap between past and present, writing a new chapter in history with every breath we take.

And we won’t stop until we’re all together again.

Chapter Fifty-One

Skye

The days after Cassius wakes are a whirlwind of activity. I watch as Thrax and Varro patiently explain our situation to the confused man, his bottle-green eyes wide with disbelief. The weight of Victor’s absence hangs heavy in the air, but we’ve agreed to wait before telling Cassius about the abduction. He needs time to adjust to everything else first.

“So, we’ve slept for… two thousand years?” Cassius asks for what must be the tenth time, unable to hide the hint of rising anxiety in his voice.

I nod, offering a reassuring smile. “I know it’s a lot to take in. But you’re safe here. We protect our own. We’re all figuring this out together, one day at a time.”

As my English words translate to Latin in the device he now has in his right ear, he again reaches a shaking finger to feel the hard little nodule, a look of child-like wonder on his face.

As Cassius becomes more lucid, it’s clear that his memory before he boarded theFortunais a blank slate.

“I… I remember waking up on board theFortunaand the hellish weeks on the water. I couldn’t keep food down and wondered if every day would be my last.”

“But nothing before that?” Laura asks.

He shakes his head and looks between the two men, confusion evident on his face.

Laura’s voice is gentle. “It’s not uncommon for trauma to affect memory. We’ll help you work through this, Cassius. You’re not alone. We have lots of resources ready to help you. Dr. Diaz is the medical director. She’ll call in a specialist.”

As Cassius rests, Dr. Diaz joins us to discuss this update.

“Before we boarded the ship,” Varro’s voice is low, serious, “on the docks at Ostia, a woman, a priestess, approached us.”

Varro and Thrax exchange a glance that hints at secrets they’re reluctant to tell. It’s only when Thrax gives the slightest dip of his head that Varro continues his story.

“She offered a libation—good luck, for a price. It surprised me when Sulla, ourludusmaster, sprang for it. He’s a cheapbastardis—”

---