Gone Again

"They're loud today," Dael said.

"Fresh blood. Girl. Non-citizen. Condemned for killing a citizen. They said she was defending a slave." Avery huffed. "I saw her, as they led her and the other prisoners out. One gladius, no armor. She doesn't stand a chance."

"I thought the gladiatrix had their own rules and opponents," Dael said. His throat closed. Flavia. The crowd must have been cheering her death.

"This girl upset some important citizen, so --" Avery shrugged, winced. "Whatever you did hurt like hell, but it worked."

Dael sat back. He'd just gotten Flavia back, and now she was gone again.