Free The Gladiator's Goddess (The Gladiators' Gifts) by Amy Hearst

gone. What I don’t understand is why you let her go. You knew I would be here, that I never would have sent her here if I didn’t plan to come afterward.”
    “It took longer than we anticipated. Myriah was getting tired of her, especially after the baby was born. And what I told you at the ludus was true. We did not throw her out. She ran away. But the biggest news is that she did not carry your baby. It was a white baby. You were not the sire.”
    “That is not news,” Abedi said. “I knew it had another father.”
    “Well, I’m not going to question you about why you are running after a girl who bore another man’s baby. But it did take you a long time to get here. We weren’t certain she was telling the truth after so much time had passed.”
    “You are right, Joseph. It did take a long time for me to get here. But I must find her.” Abedi had to acknowledge the truth. His leg had stubbornly resisted complete healing.  He originally planned to follow Nardine to Joseph’s house after only a few weeks, but it had taken months for him to prepare to go back to the arena. And the doctore had been against it. “Where would she go? Have you looked for her?”
    “We did look around the marketplace,” said Joseph. But she spent most of her time here. She wanted to remain hidden. We had no idea where she would go. I gave her small amounts of coin. Maybe she went looking for you. Maybe she was at the arena today, watching your match. The neighbors knew of the event.”
    Abedi wondered about that. “If she went there, she could not have found me. They would not have left her in to see me.  I hope she did not run into anyone else she knew. That would be quite dangerous.”
    Joseph nodded. “I don’t know how you will find her, Abedi. They will be looking for an escaped African gladiator, and you will be easy to spot. You must be very careful.”
    Abedi smiled. “I am always careful, Joseph. And I will do what I can to find my second goddess. I already have the first one.” He lifted the amulet up from his neck to show Joseph. “She will help me locate Nardine.”
    *****
    A shiver of terror rocked through Nardine. Locked inside a cell, not far from where the gladiators lived, she pondered her future. This time, she had no chance of escaping. Nardine had been jailed since she arrived at the ludus two days ago. Her baby had been taken from her and she would be whipped before the ludus the next morning. Then, according to Cornelia, she would be sold. No one could help her, or her child. Tears rolled down her face as she looked at the moon, full once more, through the tiny window in her cell. Abedi walked somewhere under that same moon, she told herself. If only they could be together.
    A rustling noise distracted her. Nardine could not imagine who would be up at this hour. She could not see into the darkened hallway, but she could hear someone fiddling with the lock.
    “Who is there?” she asked. “What do you want?” She walked up to the cell door and looked at the man standing there. She could not believe what she saw. Joy filled her heart.
    “Abedi?” she whispered. “Is that you?”
    “It is me,” he answered. “Now keep quiet. We must not be heard.”
    “But how did you get in here? How did you get the key?”
    “Let us just say I have friends in high places. I heard of your plight from the medicine woman, whom I saw leaving the ludus yesterday. I knew they would be keeping you down here.”
    “But where are you planning to take me? I cannot leave here without my baby. They are going to beat me tomorrow, but I will not leave here without Firi.”
    “There is no time for that, Nardine. We must be away as quickly as possible.”
    “No,” she decided. “I love you Abedi, but we must at least try to get the baby. She is in the upper rooms somewhere. Better that you just leave me here than take me without the child.”
    Nardine could feel him staring at her, even if she could not see his