Page 16 of City of Secrets and Shadows
The Rat’s Nest wasn’t hard to find once I neared the eastern wall. A steady stream of rough-looking men and women flowed into a building that looked more like a warren than a tavern, its entrance half-underground, accessible by stone steps worn smooth by countless feet. I joined the flow, paid the entrance fee to a man whose broken nose had healed, crooked, and descended into the smoky interior.
The basement tavern was packed wall to wall with bodies, the air thick with smoke and the smell of unwashed flesh. A fighting ring had been cleared in the centre, nothing more than packed earth surrounded by a press of shouting spectators. I found a place against the wall where I could observe without being noticed, scanning the crowd for any sign of Livia.
Two fights came and went – brutal, graceless affairs that ended quickly. Nothing like the arena, where combat was elevated to spectacle. This was raw violence for coin and entertainment, no different than dogs fighting in a pit.
“Next up,” shouted the tavern keeper, a barrel-chested man with arms like tree trunks, “we have the Butcher against ... the Wolf!”
A massive bald man entered the ring to cheers, facing off against a leaner opponent who moved with a grace that immediately set him apart. My breath caught as recognition hit me. Even in the dim light, I knew that fluid movement, that controlled stance. Not Livia, but perhaps the next best thing – the half-breed who’d escaped with her. Tarshi.
I pressed forward through the crowd for a better view, heart hammering against my ribs. If Tarshi was here, Livia couldn’t be far. My search was nearly over.
The fight began, and any doubts I had about the man’s identity vanished. Tarshi fought with the same measured precision I remembered from the training yard, conserving energy, using his opponent’s weight and momentum against him. It wasn’t the desperate brawling of the previous matches but the calculated fighting of a trained gladiator.
He won, of course. The outcome was never in doubt, not to anyone who’d seen him fight before. As the crowd roared and money changed hands, I searched the crowd again, but there was no sign of her. I waited until Tarshi moved toward the exit as well, then followed at a careful distance, keeping to the shadows. The streets were dark now, lit only by occasional oil lamps that cast more shadows than light. Perfect for following unseen.
Tarshi moved with purpose through the twisting alleys, occasionally pausing to ensure he wasn’t followed. I hung back, using skills honed through years of arena training to move silently, to blend with darkness. He led me to a small tavernseveral streets away, unremarkable except for the carved snake above its door.
Through the grimy window, I could see Livia and Septimus already seated at a corner table, heads bent close in conversation. The sight of her – alive, unharmed, fierce as ever – made my chest ache. Her hair had grown longer since the ludus, falling in dark waves around her face. Even at this distance, I could see the determined set of her jaw, the intensity in her eyes as she spoke.
I circled around to the tavern’s side entrance, slipping inside and finding a seat in a dark corner where I could hear their table but remain unnoticed. Tarshi joined them moments later, sliding onto the bench beside Livia with a familiarity that sent a spike of jealousy through me.
“Did anyone follow you?” Livia asked him, her voice so achingly familiar that I had to grip the edge of my table to keep from going to her immediately.
“No,” Tarshi replied. “But we’re drawing attention. We can’t keep fighting for coin like this.”
“We might not need to.” Septimus leaned forward, lowering his voice. I strained to hear his next words. “I’ve heard something that might interest you, Livia. Something about getting close to your mark.”
My heart stuttered. Her mark. The Emperor himself, if my suspicions were correct. Octavia had filled me in on what had happened to Livia’s village, how imperial forces had slaughtered everyone on suspicion of harbouring rebels. How the order had come directly from the Emperor.
“What have you heard?” Livia asked, tension vibrating in her voice.
“The Imperial Elite Academy is holding trials next month to recruit for its new intake,” Septimus said. “The cream ofthe Empire’s youth, training to become the next generation of imperial officers.”
Livia’s laugh was bitter. “That dream died long ago, Septimus. Why would I dream of serving the man who had my whole village wiped out?”
“That’s not the point,” Septimus shook his head. “The point is, if you could get into the academy and pass the training, the award ceremony is presided over by the Emperor himself. He personally congratulates each warrior. Face to face.”
Even from my shadowed corner, I could see the moment Livia realized what Septimus was suggesting. Her back straightened, her eyes widened, a transformation sweeping across her face like dawn breaking.
“You’re saying I could get close enough to kill him,” she breathed. “Close enough that even his guards couldn’t stop me.”
“It’s suicide,” Tarshi cut in, his voice hard. “Even if you succeeded, you’d be surrounded by hundreds of elite troops. How would you escape?”
“The dragon,” Livia replied immediately. “I would have him with me, I could just escape on his back, like from the ludus.”
“In the middle of the Imperial City?” Tarshi’s voice rose slightly before he controlled it. “They’d shoot it down before it got a hundred yards from the city.”
“Not if the chaos was great enough,” Livia argued. “Not if the Emperor himself was already dead.”
The determination in her voice sent ice through my veins. This wasn’t just vengeance she was planning — it was a suicide mission. She didn’t expect to survive it.
“There’s one major problem,” Septimus said, his voice gentle. “Only nobles are allowed to compete in the trials.”
Livia frowned. “That can't be right. It was always open to everyone with skill. That’s why Tarus and I trained — we thought we could join one day, rise through the ranks.”
“Back then, yes,” Septimus agreed. “But the Emperor has grown more paranoid. Now it’s limited only to those of noble blood. And they check lineages carefully.”
Silence fell over their table. I could see Livia’s mind working, refusing to let go of this new hope. Tarshi was the first to break the silence.
