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

gurgling when he picked her up. He walked out of the room as the nurse turned over, groaning. Abedi raced down the main hallway and into the narrow one, where he came face to face with the lanista .
    Antonius picked up a torch from a wall sconce. “Abedi! What are you doing here, with that baby ? Where did you go after the match? We thought you had run away.”
    “I did run away, master. And I plan to run away again.”
    “Get back down to your cell, Abedi, before I call the guards. And give me that baby. I have no idea what you want with it, but it belongs in its bed.”
    Abedi pretended to hand the baby to the lanista , but then rolled her to the floor as gently as he could and grabbed the lanista around the neck with his left arm. The lanista began jerking his arms and legs, trying to pull Abedi’s arm off him, but Abedi overcame him.
    He used his right hand to cover Antonius’ nose and mouth. The master slowly began to weaken, and dropped the torch to the floor. Fire spread along the rug down the hallway. Abedi tried to keep an eye on the baby, who remained silent, as he crushed the life out of the lanista .
    Remarkably, no one seemed to be aware of what transpired. When the lanista died, Abedi threw his body to the floor, picked up the baby, and ran down the hallway. Smoke whirled around him as he ran. He reached the wooden door and pushed through, scurrying down the three flights of stairs and into the jail area, where he fled to the back entrance.
    In what seemed like no time, he dashed out the back gate and ran into the copse of woods. He saw Nardine almost immediately, who clasped him in her arms, kissing him as well as the now crying baby.
    “You found her,” she said. “I am so, so glad, Abedi. Thank you.”
    “You should be glad, my princess. It was no easy task. I had to kill the master to get her. We must leave. We will go to Joseph’s. There is a fire inside, so they will be distracted for a while. But we must leave now, and leave no trace. Only Claudia saw me. So they will think you somehow got the baby, killed the master and escaped.”
    Nardine quieted. “So be it. Let us be off. Is Firi well?”
    “She is fine. I dropped her when I had to fight off the master, but I don’t think she is injured.”
    “She looks fine. And she is crying. Let us leave.”
    Abedi led her through the trees to the other side of the copse, where he had tied a donkey to the tree. He helped Nardine mount, covered her with a cape, and handed her the baby. He put his own tunic on and began to lead them to the Via Appia and Joseph’s house.
     
    Joseph’s astonished look when he opened the door made Abedi laugh. “I told you we would come back,” he said. “All three of us.”
    The baby squalled just then, and Nardine hushed the child. “We are sorry to inconvenien ce you, but it will only be for the day. We had a long night and are exhausted.”
    “Do not worry,” said Joseph. “Myriah and I do not mind. We are happy to see you again, Nardine. We are happy you are safe , both of you, and the child.”
    He led them to a back room, carrying the cradle the baby now slept in. “There,” Joseph said. “Now you will all have a chance to rest for a while.”
    He left the room, and Abedi smiled again. “Now, finally, we will have some time together. And the freedom to do whatever we like with each other.”
    Nardine smiled up at Abedi. Now that they were alone, she shuddered a bit, wondering what would happen.
    “You are shaking, my little goddess,” said Abedi. “There is nothing to be frightened of.”
    Abedi picked Nardine up and carried her to the narrow pallet beside the cradle. “We will find room for the both of us,” he said, laying her down and then crawling in beside her.
    Both of them paused for a moment. Finally they had the time and space to make love. The silence echoed above their ragged breaths.
    Nardine put her hand on Abedi’s cheek. She kissed him, quietly and deeply, and he responded. He put