Lucius (ONC 2021)

11

The lamp fell from Decius' hand as he staggered backward, eyes widening in shock. The ceramic shattered, spilling flame and oil onto the floor. Decius looked down on it in shock, stomping on it until he somehow managed to put it out.

Then he ran to the bed.

Sinking down on the side of the bed, Decius touched Minerva's neck, already knowing from her bloodied corpse, coating her dress from the stab wound in her chest, that she was dead. Her skin was cold beneath his touch, her eyes closed.

"No," Decius moaned. "No, Minerva, no!" Gently, he pulled her toward him, cradling her lifeless body in his arms. "No!"

Hot tears stung his eyes as the scream that had been building up in his throat tore free, ricocheting around the room. Minerva was dead. His wife, the woman he loved, was dead. Dead. An irrevocable move, an irrevocable wound. Minerva had been snatched away from him, stolen, ushered down into Gravium's throat, by his own brother.

"I'll Lucius for this," Decius raged. "I'll kill him. I swear it, Minerva, I swear it, Lucius will die for what he did to you and to our son."

As the words fell from his mouth, the thought struck him. Diana. Straightening, Decius cast his gaze about the room but saw no other body, no sign his daughter had been placed there to taunt him. There was no sign of Diana at all.

Where is she?

"Imperator."

The voice was low, apologetic. Decius twisted around on the bed, still holding Minerva. Octavius stood in the doorway, his head bowed. "I come to offer my life to you, for failing in my duty."

"What happened?" Decius demanded. "What happened?"

"We escorted them to Vican's villa, per your request," Octavius said quietly, eyes downcast. "We arrived there safely, but it wasn't long before the king's soldiers attacked us. They outnumbered us twenty to one, at least. Vican fell shielding Minerva and then they cut her down. I grabbed Diana and ran, hoping to at least save her."

"And did you?"

Octavius nodded, meeting Decius' gaze for the first time. "I rode to Marquin's shrine and gave her into the Forelooker's keeping. I told her to keep Diana safe and hidden. I believe she will. She knew what I was riding from. She's Ascantal herself, the Forelooker."

Decius felt an immense relief settle over him. Diana was safe. His daughter was safe, in a place Lucius couldn't reach her if he had any fear of the gods.

You know he has very little.

He doesn't know she's there, he told himself. Diana will be safe. After this is all over, perhaps I can retrieve her. And if I don't survive...she will continue to be safe, sheltered by Marquin.

"Thank you," Decius said quietly, looking at Octavius.

Startled, Octavius looked up. "Your wife was killed while under my protection, sir. I swore an oath I would die defending her or else –"

"Deliver yourself into my power, I know," Decius said heavily, gently placing Minerva's body on the bed. He would bury her soon, next to her son in the gardens. Rising from the bed, he faced Octavius, who still looked bewildered. "And I choose not to kill you, not to waste a promising young life. Enough blood has been spilled already. There's only one more who need die to end this; it need not be you."

"And that one?"

"The king," Decius said, anger settling in his bones. As a child, he had lost everything, and then lost almost everything again when Sipio had been murdered. Now, for the third time, just when things had been calm, the past finally behind them, Lucius had tried to kill everyone he loved, only failing to kill his daughter.