For those of you who have been waiting for a preview of the first book in the Last Road to Rome trilogy, I’m posting the first three chapters below. If you’d prefer to read them through a book app, you can download the file via BookFunnel at the link below. Just be warned that it also includes the dedication, so under no circumstances should you peek at that. Skip past it. I was in a snarky mood when I wrote it.
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/9ajanne8kr
Also, my editor has not received the manuscript yet. I’m due to send it to her at the beginning of August, so there may be some minor changes before the final version. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1
The roar and chant of thousands of people inside the Roman Colosseum nearly deafened me. I stood on top of an orange car in a floral sundress and sandals, bleeding and frantically brandishing a spear. Dozens of armed and angry legionaries swarmed my way. The famous place appeared to be in perfect condition, instead of the ruins I’d seen in the twenty-first century.
A loud trumpet sounded, startling me, and I nearly dropped my stolen weapon. My gaze shot toward the most prominent seat on the north side of the amphitheater. A man I assumed to be the emperor stood in his luxuriously decorated box on the lowest level of the podium, where he had a prime view of the arena. His stiff posture gave me the distinct impression I’d upset him when I’d hit his soldiers with my car. In my defense, they had been in my way, but what was the punishment for such an offense in this period?
Death, probably death.
Okay, maybe I should go back a few hours and explain how I got myself into this impossible situation. Visiting Rome had always been a dream, and I’d finally made it happen. My solo vacation started great, with trips to ancient sites and delicious food. That had taken my mind off matters back home. I’d even been able to pretend my personal life wasn’t a disaster, telling myself that my problems back in small-town Kansas could wait.
The actual trouble began while I was savoring bites of pasta I’d ordered from a food stall in Mercato Centrale. It should have been a harmless outing and not my last decent meal. Everything I’d eaten since arriving had been mouth-watering, though I’d promised myself I’d get back to my jogging routine soon.
I wasn’t petite. My body type was more like Xena, the Warrior Princess—minus the “warrior” part. I was taller than average for a woman and toned easily, but carbs weren’t kind to me if I didn’t exercise and watch my diet. I hadn’t been doing much of either while on my vacation, except being careful with how much I spent. As I tried to avoid thinking about my various problems, my life was about to take an unexpected turn.
“Excuse me,” a tall woman with long, perfectly styled blonde hair said, her accent evident. “Is this chair taken?”
I’d been lucky to grab a table just as a couple was leaving. I smiled and gestured toward the only empty seat in sight. “Um, no. You can have it. How did you know I speak English?”
By my estimate, she was in her mid-to-late forties, but she had an ageless appearance, with only a hint of lines around her eyes and mouth to give her away. I hoped I looked that good in a couple of decades.
“I overheard you placing your order.” She pointed at the food stall where I’d grabbed my meal. “Your Italian is terrible, so it wasn’t difficult.”
She wasn’t wrong. I’d struggled through my two years of high school Spanish, and my college Latin professor probably passed me so I wouldn’t come back to give him nightmares the next year. All my Italian phrases came from a tourism guidebook, which provoked more laughter from locals than appreciation for my attempts to speak their lingo. If I had one wish, it would be for masterful linguistic abilities. Was that so much to ask?
“I know, typical American who can only speak English,” I said with a grimace as she settled elegantly into the chair across from me.
While many people dressed well enough in the market, this woman’s wardrobe spoke of money and privilege without being flashy. Her makeup was perfect, highlighting high cheekbones and ocean-blue eyes rimmed with dark eyeliner. The only hair out of place came from a breeze, but it returned to its proper position the moment the wind died. The scent of her perfume nearly overwhelmed my senses. It was rich and floral, and probably worth more than my last paycheck. To be fair, that wasn’t saying much, since I was currently working as a freelance accountant when I wasn’t helping my parents on their farm.
She laughed and shook her head. “It’s fine. I enjoy practicing my English at every opportunity. You may call me Valonya, by the way.”
While she had an accent with an Italian note, something else lay beneath. She also spoke every word to me perfectly. I seriously doubted Valonya needed practice.
“I’m Grace,” I said, shaking her hand. Her palm was soft and smooth, as if she’d never performed hard labor. We couldn’t be more different.
She sat back with an enigmatic expression on her face. “What brings you to Rome, Grace?”
“I needed a vacation and always wanted to visit,” I said, shrugging. She didn’t need to know the full story of everything that had gone wrong this past year. The highlights alone would take until sunset.
Valonya cocked her head. “Hmm, you came alone, by the looks of it, and there is no ring on your finger. Trouble with your love life?”
I darted a look around me, comforted by the crowd surrounding us. She was getting personal way too fast. Could she be someone scouting for women to kidnap for a trafficking ring? Maybe checking to see if anyone would miss me?
At twenty-eight, I was probably too old, but many people underestimated my age. Despite all the hours I spent in the sun and a perpetual light tan, I had great skin like my brothers and parents. We were anomalies, too, because we all had various shades of red hair, yet we usually only burned at the beginning of summer before darkening a bit.
“I’m single for the moment.” I paused and took a sip of water. “But I’m close with my family and call them every day.”
She gave me a reassuring smile. “I have made you nervous. My apologies, as that was not my intention. I rarely speak to strangers at all, but something about you stood out.”
I stiffened. “What do you mean?”
“You say you always wanted to visit Rome, but can you tell me why?”
The full reason for that would have her thinking I was crazy, so I’d keep it simple. “This city has always fascinated me, but I had a recent dream that inspired me to finally come here.”
There. That was mostly truthful without revealing too much. I hated lying and tried to avoid it. She didn’t need to know there’d been many unsettling dreams that had driven me to study the land and its past in my spare time, trying to understand the glimpses I saw. My history teacher mother certainly hadn’t minded helping me.
She nodded. “A dream. Hmm, that’s interesting.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. I was a breath away from fleeing with half my lunch sitting uneaten. That was practically a crime in Italy.
Valonya opened her clutch purse and drew out an oval onyx stone that fit in her palm. She held it out to me. “You’re looking for something, even if you don’t know what it is. Always keep this with you, and it will lead you to it.”
That sounded odd…and prophetic.
I hesitated. “Thank you, but—”
“Take it, and I’ll leave you alone.”
“I…” An urgent expression crossed her face, though I couldn’t imagine why taking a simple rock mattered so much. Then again, what could it hurt? It would be one of the few souvenirs I could afford to take back, and it would come with a strange story to tell my friends and family. “Okay.”
She dropped it into my palm. The stone was surprisingly warm, though it didn’t seem life-altering in any way. Still, something about it felt right, like it belonged to me. How…strange.
Valonya stood and came around the table. “Good luck to you, Grace.” She squeezed my shoulder. “Perhaps we’ll meet again sometime.”
Before I could ask what she meant, she left.
I tucked the onyx stone into my purse, took a deep breath to put the woman out of my mind, and dug back into my pasta. By the time I finished and left the market, clouds had formed overhead. They were dark and ominous, threatening rain. A slight chill also filled the air despite it being July. I’d worn a knee-length green floral dress with one-inch shoulder straps that did little to keep me warm.
Thankfully, I’d parked my rental car nearby. Hurrying through the streets on my wedge-heel sandals, I made my way a block over. Rain began to pour shortly before I reached the orange Opel Corsa sedan, which stood out easily with its bright color. It was the cheapest vehicle they had available and fit my tight budget. I wouldn’t have rented it at all, but I’d wanted to explore some of the city on my own, without a tour group or public transportation. Tomorrow, I’d have to return it and go without it for the last three days here.
I practically dove into the driver’s seat, cursing as I slammed the door. My long, cherry-red hair hung in limp strands down my chest, and my dress clung to me. Why didn’t I bring my umbrella to the food court? I’d known there was a chance of rain, which was why I’d put it in the car. Twisting around, I spotted it lying across the backseat, probably judging and laughing at me.
The rain continued to pour as I made my way down the streets, heading across the city toward my hotel. I planned to dry off and change. With luck, the weather would clear by the time I finished, and I could get back to my itinerary for the day.
My windshield wipers worked ruthlessly to keep the glass clear, but I still struggled to make out street signs. My stupid cell phone was acting up and wouldn’t give me directions. After what seemed like hours, I spotted the Colosseum rising through the downpour. I hadn’t meant to get so close to it, but my hotel was on the other side, so at least it was a sign I was going in the right direction.
A large black car pulled out in front of me, and I had to slam on the brakes. Damned idiots. My purse on the passenger seat fell over, and the onyx stone toppled out. After shifting gears, I felt a compulsion to grab it, but I resisted. I needed to focus on the road.
As I followed the street around the Colosseum, someone dashed in front of my car. I jammed my foot on the brake pedal and swerved. The car spun out of control. Ancient, high walls loomed before me. My heart thundered in my chest as I jerked the wheel, trying to avoid hitting the historic site, but then the stone beside me began to glow. It became brighter and brighter until I went blind. I screamed as I thought for sure I’d crash.
A terrifying, weightless sensation came over me, and time seemed to stand still. I couldn’t see or feel anything, and my voice cut off. A whooshing sound began, as if the car and I were being pushed through water. Had I died instantly when I crashed, and this was me traveling to whatever afterlife awaited me? It seemed to last forever, growing louder until I couldn’t concentrate on anything else.
A bright light flashed before my eyes again as I clutched the steering wheel, finally feeling its solid presence again. The car bounced as it hit hard ground, and my vision finally cleared. Two men wearing thick loincloths and holding spears stood a hundred feet from my vehicle. A golden lion with blood coating its shoulder paced a short distance before them. Were they doing a reenactment today?
Wait. Something wasn’t right. How did they get the floor in the arena reconstructed so fast? Except for a small section, it was usually wide open, revealing the old catacombs beneath.
The two men stared at me as I pressed my feet to the clutch and brake, skidding across the sandy ground to come to a complete stop ten feet from them. I dragged in deep breaths, grateful to be alive, but reasonably certain I’d just created an international incident. Would anyone be surprised that it was an American?
Dragging my gaze from the men’s shocked expressions, I looked for the authorities that would surely be coming for me. Instead, I found the Colosseum didn’t appear anything like it had when I’d visited it two days ago. It was filled with marble seats, had awnings overhead to provide shade, statues stood in the fully intact arches, and the spectators all wore tunics or togas typical of the ancient Roman style. Some people on the upper levels hardly wore anything at all, and for some odd reason, that was the only level where I saw women.
None of the fencing meant to restrict tourists was visible. It looked—a tremble ran through me—it looked exactly like it should have nearly two thousand years ago.
But that was impossible.
Shouts rose that I couldn’t understand but recognized as vaguely Latin. Roman soldiers, armed with spears and swords, came running for me. They couldn’t have been actors with those murderous expressions on their faces.
My heart thundered in my chest as I realized this was real—too real. Even the awful stench of rot and body waste coming through the car’s vents was nothing like what I’d experienced in modern Rome. Only a city of one million people that lacked modern plumbing, excluding bath houses, could smell so terrible. All those truths struck in the few seconds it took me to get my bearings.
Chapter 2
In the rearview mirror, the soldiers rushed closer.
“Shit, shit, shit!” I cursed, confusion and desperation sweeping through me. Staying calm when the neighbor’s cows broke the fence and came straight for me was one thing, but nothing had prepared me for this. These guys had sharp, pointy weapons and intentions to kill.
I jerked the car into gear and took off, veering around the pair of animal fighters and big cat, barely able to shift into second before I needed to make a hard turn to avoid a wall. While the arena was large, oddly, it wasn’t designed for a frantic car chase. All the gates were closed, so I couldn’t drive straight out. I wasn’t ready to ram the Opel into them and test Roman engineering. This place was still standing, at least mostly, nearly two thousand years after it was built. Even earthquakes couldn’t bring it fully down.
Maybe the soldiers would get tired of chasing me before my car ran out of gas, and they’d pass out from exhaustion. I tried to be optimistic whenever possible, and it sounded like a reasonable possibility. I checked my fuel gauge and saw it was at a quarter full since I had been doing a lot of sightseeing the last few days. Hmm, what kind of stamina did ancient Romans have? Under any other circumstances, I might have followed that train of thought further, but now wasn’t the time.
Glass shattered from behind me, and a spear thunked, lodging into the passenger seat headrest. I squealed as I kept steering the orange car along the outer edge of the arena. The damage would cost me if I ever made it back to my own time. How would I even explain it to the rental company? They would never believe ancient Roman soldiers attacked me while I drove.
I came back around to find the lion in my path. Not wanting to hurt an innocent animal that was already injured, I honked my horn. To my relief, it shook its mane and moved away quickly. That wasn’t such a great thing for its fighters, because it headed toward them at the center of the pit. Ah well, their problem, not mine. I was trying to buy myself minutes as I frantically searched for a way out of this mess.
More soldiers raced into the arena from side gates as I climbed the Roman Empire’s most wanted list. I’d never even been inside a jail, and now I was creating an international timeline incident. Was that the right terminology?
I hit the brakes when I found fierce men lined up directly in my path, armed and determined to stop me. Unsure what else to do, I revved the engine. A few took a step back and glanced at each other. The sound wasn’t as fierce as a classic muscle car could have made, but it was still foreign and threatening from their perspective. One of them shouted something, and they stiffened their spines.
Too bad for them that I had a strong will to live with nothing left to lose. I floored it. They tossed their spears, but in their haste, one went past the car and the other over it. I winced as I smashed into them, two flying onto the hood before rolling off to the side. Gearing down quickly, I made the next turn, wondering how NASCAR drivers could keep this up for so long. I was on my third lap and already over it.
For the next few trips around the arena, they stayed out of my path, but another spear struck the passenger side of my car and protruded a few inches into the interior before becoming lodged. If I’d known I was coming here, I would have rented something with armor and bulletproof windows, expensive or not.
At some point, the lion disappeared, but in its place, an elephant had somehow gotten into the arena. Were they serious? The damn thing was huge, letting out an annoyed trumpet sound as they nudged its hind legs with their spears. Few things annoyed me more than seeing animals abused.
I veered the car around the huge beast and hit both the guys poking at it. They screamed and thudded against the hood as they flew off the side of my car. A third got struck by the protruding spear on the other side of the Opel and did some kind of awkward flip that probably didn’t end well. I didn’t have time to look back and check.
As I worked my way around the arena again, I caught a glimpse of the mysterious black rock sitting on my seat. My purse had flown to the floorboard, but somehow, the smooth stone had stayed there. While it tried to appear innocent, I knew better. It had emitted a brilliant glow right before I was sent back in time. It was the only thing that made sense—as much as anything could make sense—so maybe I could return to the twenty-first century by holding it.
After making the next turn, I scooped it up, risking a glance at the rock. It didn’t glow like before, but it did warm my hand, and a buzzing sensation ran through my arm. Suddenly, the shouting voices outside didn’t sound as strange and foreign. I could understand them a little, and they were calling commands as they tried to maneuver the elephant to block me. In the next moment, the stone disintegrated into dust, with the traces spilling between my fingers.
“Noooo,” I screamed.
Why? It had sent me back here and then waited until I touched it before self-destructing? This was all that woman’s fault. Valonya must have known it would happen, even hinted at it in a roundabout way, but I couldn’t have predicted the stone had time travel capabilities. Why would she have wanted to send me here? For what purpose? Why not at least have the decency to warn me so I could stock up on weaponry and chocolate first?
Thundering footsteps approached as the soldiers finally guided the elephant where they wanted it. There was a wild, terrified look in its eyes, and blood dripped down its legs and sides. I could hit the massive animal or the men. They’d added a dozen gladiators, along with even more soldiers, to fill much of the arena. My time was up.
Several dodged out of the way before I struck the guys to the right of the elephant near the wall, but one stray soldier to the left tossed a spear. It broke the glass, shattering it across me as I flinched, and sliced through my upper arm before lodging in my seat.
I screamed, losing control of the car as I accidentally pressed the gas pedal too hard. The wall appeared ahead, but I couldn’t make my arm cooperate to steer away through the shock of pain. My vehicle slammed into solid rock. Metal crunched, and the airbag exploded in my face as the engine died. I coughed and rubbed my neck where the seatbelt had dug into it.
An irate soldier in full armor appeared at my door, jerking the spear from the seat so he could reach me more easily. He grabbed my forearm, attempting to pull me out, but I wasn’t about to unbuckle yet.
I punched him in the nose, grateful for the boxing lessons I took this past spring. As he fell away with blood gushing down his face, I twisted in my seat and snagged the umbrella in the back. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but it would have to do until I could find something better. A machine gun would have been particularly helpful right now.
Sitting in the car at this point wasn’t a good idea. Several of the windows were broken, and the soldiers were converging on me. I needed to get free while I still could. Maybe it was ridiculous to keep fighting, but why would they let me live after all of this? I had to try escaping even if my chances were dismal.
Wincing as I used my injured arm to finally unbuckle my seat belt, I used my good hand to spring open the umbrella at a soldier’s face to keep him back. He shouted in fear as I lost sight of him, and I managed to free myself.
Two men wearing heavy armor came next, knocking my makeshift weapon away, so I pulled the handle and kicked the door open, sending them careening backward into the sand. Luckily, one of them dropped their spear. I grabbed it before using the driver’s seat and door as stepping stones to climb on top of the vehicle.
Catching my breath, I took in the arena. The crowd was on their feet in the stands, shouting and cheering as if all of this had been planned. The elephant had run to the far end while soldiers and gladiators headed straight toward my car, where the front end had smashed into the wall near what should have been the gladiator entrance if I recalled correctly. Smoke drifted from the crinkled hood.
As I brandished my spear to keep them back, a gust of wind swept toward me and lifted the skirt of my dress. It was still damp from the rain, but not so much that it clung to my skin anymore. The fabric lifted so high that I was pretty sure I’d pulled a Marilyn Monroe. Just great, as if things weren’t going badly enough, I had to flash half of Rome with my purple lace underwear.
I cursed and shoved the fabric down with my injured arm. More than a few men below wore expressions that said they’d caught a glimpse and were eager for more. They even lowered their weapons a little. I suspected making a bunch of Roman warriors horny wasn’t going to end any better than pissing them off.
What would my family and friends think of me now, standing in a green floral sundress, bleeding from my left shoulder, and brandishing a spear in my right hand, while standing on top of an orange rental car I’d crashed inside the ancient Roman Colosseum’s arena as dozens of armed gladiators and legionaries converged around me?
Well, in this case, the place wasn’t ancient and appeared to be in perfect condition. Regardless, if my ex saw me, he’d have been livid. Clay hated me drawing attention to myself or making a scene. Too bad he wasn’t here to sacrifice to the Roman soldiers, so I could get away.
A loud trumpet pierced the air. The sound startled me so much that I nearly dropped my stolen weapon. Locating the source, my gaze shot toward the most prominent seat on the north side. A man I assumed to be the emperor stood in his luxuriously decorated box on the lowest level of the podium, where he had a prime view of the arena. His stiff posture gave me the distinct impression I’d upset him when I drove over his legionnaires.
He was older, easily in his sixties, with tight, gray, curly hair. He wore a voluminous purple toga and a gold-embroidered tunic. My mind raced as I considered which one he could be, since it had to be after 80 CE, when the Colosseum opened. Unfortunately, I hadn’t memorized the features of each emperor during their rule. I was better with names and basic facts — such as years and ages—for the most famous of them. I could only hope it was one of the good ones up there and not one of the crazy, sadistic ones.
It took a moment for the crowd to settle, and even then I couldn’t understand him well at the beginning. The words were first translated exactly as spoken, in a completely different order from English, before my mind rearranged them to make sense to my native tongue.
After a minute, I could finally get a handle on what he said. I had to marvel that I understood Latin perfectly, even though I’d always struggled with it before—not that it made this journey worth it. Damn that stone. When I’d secretly wished for better language skills, I didn’t mean adding time travel to the bargain.
“You,” he said, pointing at me. “You will surrender now or die.”
I gulped as everyone’s gazes turned my way. It was a little awkward having thousands of pairs of eyes focused on me now that no one was actively trying to kill me. I’d loved taking part in school plays and even did cheerleading for a couple of years, but I’d never sought a lead role.
My hands trembled as they gripped the spear shaft. At this point, I had to recognize defeat, especially since it sounded like he might keep me alive if I cooperated. Otherwise, why give me a choice? He could have just said “off with her head” and been done with it. I blinked back tears of frustration. This shouldn’t be real. It was insane!
As the stadium grew eerily silent while everyone waited to see what I’d do, an idea struck. Something that might improve my chances if documented history and movies held any truth. Romans loved good entertainment, and a red-headed woman appearing out of thin air and leading a wild chase could very well have been the greatest spectacle of their lives. I’d given them the show they craved, but a little humility could go a long way, too.
Harmless. I needed to seem as if I no longer posed a threat, and maybe those silly school plays would come in handy now. Only this time, I was the star role and my life depended on it. Yeah, that wasn’t terrifying at all.
I lifted my chin, squared my shoulders, and hoped that my next act would buy me some goodwill, despite all the men I ran over with my car. They would probably heal. I hadn’t been driving that fast, and I didn’t totally run over any of them. More like I knocked them out of the way, which wasn’t nearly as bad. Right?
I took a deep breath, then knelt on one knee and held out the spear like an offering, bowing my head. A soldier yanked it from my hands, while others dragged me by the arms off the vehicle. My sliced deltoid screamed in protest, but somehow, I managed not to let out a sound.
The crowd cheered as they led me away. I cast one final look at the emperor, finding a broad-shouldered man with blond curls speaking to him. They both kept glancing in my direction. I had the distinct impression that they were discussing my fate…but what would they decide?
Chapter 3
I shivered and swallowed the lump in my throat, reminding myself not to cry and be brave. The cell they put me in was small, damp, and nearly pitch-black, with only faint torchlight filtering through the bars from down the passage. They’d shackled my wrists and ankles, tossing me onto the floor without a word about what would happen next. The wound on my upper arm throbbed sharply, but at least it had stopped bleeding. If I didn’t take care of it soon, though, it was going to get infected in this nasty place.
I cursed my choice to wear a sundress today. The temperature outside had been hot, like modern Rome, but in the catacombs beneath the arena, it was cooler. I tucked my knees into my chest, trying to conserve body heat. The cold stone and manacles biting into my skin made it hard.
Shouts and cheers periodically rose from the arena above my head. The murmur of voices and various animal noises in the underground chambers also reached me, but hours had passed since anyone came near my cell. As I grew thirsty and more terrified of what would happen next, I tried to console myself that they had kept me alive. That had to be a good sign. I would not die in the disgusting bowels of ancient Rome, probably.
Footsteps sounded outside my cell door, and two shadowy forms appeared. Keys jangled as one slid into the lock. I struggled to my feet, chains clanking. Fear twisted my gut. I had no idea what to expect, yet I was glad the wait was over. The unknown bothered me the most—and my throbbing arm.
A guard with dark hair and a stern face peered in first, holding an oil lamp and squinting at me. He moved back, and a taller man took his place. It was the one with loose, curly blond hair, long enough to dust his brows, that I’d seen speaking to the emperor. He wore a white, short-sleeve tunic with a brown leather belt that stood out in the darkness, and he appeared even larger up close.
I hadn’t seen his face clearly at the arena, but I had no doubt he was the same person. He took hold of the lamp and held it up higher. It blinded me at first, until my eyes adjusted, but at least now I could see him better, too. The man looked to be mid-to-late thirties. As I fully took in his strong features, aquiline nose, and cold green eyes, I barely held in a gasp.
I’d seen him before, but I couldn’t place him exactly. All I knew for certain was that he’d been in a few of my recent dreams. Unfortunately, I could only recall the details immediately upon waking, but without context to understand them, they grew hazy within hours. Only vague impressions and feelings remained. Some were good, a lot were bad, and many repeated themselves before happening in real life. I’d suddenly remember them as they played out. Over the years, only one thing was certain. I was never the subject of any of them. They were always about other people, familiar and unfamiliar, and only some of them could be acted on in time.
“You don’t look so proud now,” he said with a deep timber, stopping before me. “That’s disappointing.”
I took a deep breath, noting he brought the scent of sage and musk to break the foul stench of this place. “Everything that happened out there wasn’t planned, if it helps.”
“That only makes me wonder what you’d do if you had a plan. Take down the whole Colosseum? Overthrow the empire?”
Well, at least he had a sense of humor.
“I swear if I had a choice, I’d go home, clean up, and then crawl into my bed and not leave it for a week. You’d never see me again,” I replied honestly. Forget Rome. I’d rather go straight back to Kansas, where the biggest dangers were grass fires, tornadoes, and politicians—not necessarily in that order.
He circled around me, brushing my uninjured arm in the tight quarters. “That sounds dull. Nearly a dozen soldiers and two gladiators left the arena with significant injuries. Your horseless chariot was quite effective as a weapon, and I do believe you’re the first woman ever to injure so many men in a single contest. That shows promise for true cunning and ruthlessness.”
I scowled because I hadn’t thought of it that way and didn’t like what he implied.
“They were in my way, and I thought they would kill me,” I said defensively.
He let out a deep chuckle from behind. “That argument only works if you didn’t intend to be here.”
“Well, like I said before, I didn’t.”
He came to my other side and paused to examine my wound, pulling my elbow up with his calloused hand. “How did you appear suddenly in the stadium?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” I said, wincing when he dropped my arm.
“Do not assume anything about me.”
Fine, if he really wanted to know, I’d tell him for a good laugh. “A strange black stone somehow transported me here. It’s ridiculous, I know, but I’m still trying to figure it out myself.”
“You traveled through time,” he said matter-of-factly.
My jaw dropped because I hadn’t expected him to believe me, much less put those pieces together. “Um…yes, but how do you know that?”
“Your odd conveyance tells me you came from an advanced civilization that doesn’t exist yet. Also, you’re not the first, though such occurrences are rare.”
This man was smarter and more knowledgeable than I’d expected, which only made me more suspicious. He knew how I’d come here, yet he still looked at me like I was a criminal. I also wondered who else had traveled to this time, but I wouldn’t trust him with any critical information just yet. Who knew how much I’d already altered the timeline with my arena theatrics?
“Maybe I come from a distant land your people can’t reach. It’s possible.”
He gave me a sardonic look. “That is doubtful since any place that can build a conveyance such as yours would be advanced enough to reach us well before now. Not to mention you simply appeared, and I know of no other way it’s possible. How far in the future are you from?”
“Who is the current emperor?” I asked.
“Marcus Cocceius Nerva.”
A light bulb went off in my head, and I finally knew exactly “when” I had arrived. Nerva was the first of the five good emperors, whom I studied more thoroughly than most. His reign only lasted a little over a year, with him dying of natural causes in late January. Given the hot temperatures, it was summer here, so it had to be 97 CE—though they didn’t count years that way yet. If I had to travel back this far in time to the Roman Empire, I’d come at one of the better points. That was a relief.
The man narrowed his gaze on me. “You recognize the name, and some of the fear has eased from your eyes. I take that to mean there is nothing dire in store for us soon.”
Damn, he was astute. “Nothing significant enough for me to know about.”
“Such an answer indicates centuries separate this time from yours, or is it millennia?”
I pressed my lips together. He was deeply curious about what I knew, which meant I had cards to play. The man might be clever, but I had my moments as well. “I’m not answering any more of your questions until someone has treated my shoulder and I’ve had some water.” A thought occurred to me. “Clean water, preferably.”
The stench down here was the worst I’d ever smelled. Considering I lived on farmland with a small stock of animals, plus all the nearby cattle ranches, that was saying something. My nose still hadn’t adjusted much to it in the past few hours. Every breath burned my lungs. I couldn’t imagine water or anything else was clean in the catacombs. It was a miracle I hadn’t thrown up my lunch, but I’d always had a strong stomach.
He looked me up and down. “You’ll need a change of clothes as well. Did something happen to the rest of yours, or do women in the future lack the funds for more cloth?”
I rolled my eyes. “At least our clothes aren’t plain and have pretty designs on them.”
“Hmm, yes. I will certainly be studying your garments and footwear once you’ve changed to something more appropriate.”
“You’re not taking them from me,” I said, immediately plotting his murder even though I’d told myself that I needed to appear harmless and put these people at ease.
“The only way you’re leaving this cell alive…” he said menacingly, stepping so close I could feel his hot, minty breath. “…is if you agree to my proposal, and that will include relinquishing your attire once you have something more suitable to wear. You have no idea what I had to do to prevent the emperor from ordering your execution in the arena today, but it leaves little room for you to negotiate.”
“I bet you’re one of those arrogant men who think all women are stupid and submit easily,” I said through gritted teeth. Like I needed another man around who was anything like my ex. If I must suffer through first-century Rome, I should at least be free of that.
He narrowed his eyes. “On the contrary. I wouldn’t have bothered negotiating for your life if I hadn’t seen intelligence and bravery in your actions. What is your name?”
His odd compliment helped ease some of my anger. As for his question, even prisoners of war in the military were allowed to say their names, and it wouldn’t really reveal much about me. “Grace Ember King.”
I hadn’t translated my name, so he was hearing it in exact English.
Still, surprise flickered in his eyes before he stiffened. “That’s…interesting.”
“And yours?” I asked.
“Arack Labienus.”
I pondered his answer for a moment. “Don’t most Romans have multiple names?”
“Most, yes, but I only have those two.” He worked his jaw. “It’s complicated.”
“Is it because you’re not from this area?” His light golden skin and blond hair gave it away, but also his first name. It wasn’t common in this region as far as I knew. I could only guess that he took on a Roman last name after arriving here.
“Smart woman, but enough questions about me.”
I tried to cross my arms, but it was too awkward with the shackles and my wound. “Fine, deflect if it makes you feel better. Tell me the deal you’re offering.”
“You’ll train to become a gladiator, and I’ll sponsor you.”
I blinked. “You’re joking, right? Until today, the only person I’ve ever fought and intended to harm was my older brother.”
Not including the odd punch to get a malicious man out of my way.
Jared and I were only thirteen months apart in age and had always been at odds. I had a younger brother as well, but we got along great most of the time. Braden was born three years after me, with a lighthearted personality and a sense of humor that matched mine. Jared was serious, arrogant, and bossy, which drove me crazy.
“You must realize that you have no hope of leaving this place free. Even if I wished it—which I don’t—I can’t negotiate that for you. It leaves few choices. They either execute you or enslave you. At least as a gladiator, you have a chance of winning your freedom someday. I negotiated the number of games you’d need to participate in to twelve.” Arack’s lips crooked in a wry smile as my eyes widened. “But you must win half of them, and of course…survive.”
My knees grew weak, and I barely kept myself standing. It was one thing to plow a rental car through soldiers and gladiators. That didn’t require much skill, but to actually fight in the arena face-to-face with an armed opponent was different.
It meant likely getting injured every time I stepped onto the sands, and possibly badly, and aside from my brief boxing classes and Jared teaching me a few martial arts moves the hard way, I didn’t know how to fight. Still, it was better than immediate death. My optimistic side reminded me of that point.
“Who would they put me up against?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper.
“We’ll start with other women and see how you do.” Amusement filled his eyes. “After your stunt in the arena, there is talk of testing you against stronger opponents, and I don’t disagree. With the right training, I think you could handle it.”
They actually thought that was a good idea? “You’re insane.”
Arack shrugged, not a hint of sympathy in his expression. Cold calculation was all I saw in his gaze. “When I arrived in this land twelve years ago, I signed a contract to become a gladiator for five years. It was a way to make a name for myself and earn a fortune. I’m doing you a favor by granting you the same opportunity, though perhaps I was wrong and you don’t deserve it.”
Screw him. I’d had a shitty day, and he acted like I shouldn’t be shocked by everything.
“Are there really no other options?” I asked, though I knew it was futile. I just kept hoping he’d think of something else, anything except execution.
“If you want to live, I suggest you train hard and give them a good show. The only reason the emperor agreed to let you try being a gladiator is that you’re going to be all anyone discusses for a while. You are chaos in a red-haired parcel—quite the novelty. When you return to the arena for your first official event, the stands will be filled to see how you do without that horseless chariot. Keep us entertained during every fight, and you’ll win your freedom—and enough coin to start a new life here. Fail…” he paused for emphasis, “and you’ll die.”
My stomach clenched. I’d thought my life was bad before. Coming here had proven me wrong. I’d gone from the frying pan into the fire with no way to escape except through the inferno. I was so fucked.
“Aren’t they going to wonder how I ended up here in the first place?” I asked. I seriously doubted the rest of them would buy the time-travel excuse the way Arack had.
He nodded. “I’ve already come up with a story that we’ll pass around to the others.”
This man, with his planning and scheming, was scary.
“Okay, what is it?” I was too tired and in too much pain to come up with anything beyond—Oops, did I do that?
“The gods sent you, of course. Only through their powers could you have guided a horseless chariot the way that you did and harmed so many men. They commanded you to come here to participate in the games, and made it clear with your spectacular arrival,” he said, speaking as if it were a fact already. “Most women in the games are a novelty no one takes too seriously, but you will be something else entirely once you’ve proven yourself.”
I snorted. “Using their religion against them. One of the oldest tricks in the playbook.”
His brows drew together. “I have no idea what a playbook is, but yes, I have found religion can be used to manipulate people if one handles it right. Make certain to consider how you’ll explain your version of events, assuming you accept my offer.”
I was standing inside a dank, nasty prison cell with shackles binding me. The only way out was through forced servitude to the Roman Empire, where they would have complete control of me and my body. How could my life have taken such an impossible turn when, a matter of hours ago, I’d been eating delicious pasta in the twenty-first century and being annoyed that my cell phone couldn’t get a signal?
But now, the only way to survive beyond a couple of hours in the first century—when Jesus was crucified only a few decades before my arrival—was to agree to becoming an actual gladiator. I really didn’t want to get eaten by animals or have a sword cut through me. Neither sounded the least bit pleasant. Surviving would be the only way I might ever find a way back home.
“I accept,” I said calmly and clearly. What else could I do?
Arack nodded. “Good. Someone will be by soon to collect you and take you to Ludus Magnus. They’ll take care of you there.”
“The gladiator school?” I asked, stunned. The ruins of it were just east of the Colosseum in my time, but I recalled that in this period, a tunnel connected the two places, so I wouldn’t even have to go above ground to reach it.
“Excellent, you already know of the ludus. That saves me from having to explain it to you, but as your sponsor, I expect you to work hard and show no weaknesses to anyone there. I’ll tell them to make your life twice as difficult if I find out otherwise.”
Too many thoughts raced through my mind. I couldn’t put any one thing together because I had a million questions, yet I didn’t want to give away how much I did or didn’t know. From this point forward, I needed to watch my words. He’d said to work hard, but I’d make certain he’d also want me to stay alive for the information I held. Only one other potential problem remained that I couldn’t ignore.
“Won’t my presence in the past change the course of the future? It could mean I’m never born and that the whole timeline changes,” I argued.
Arack shook his head. “The onyx stones only work for those destined to time travel. Your fate was already written long before you arrived here, but as a female gladiator, it will be easy enough to keep your name off the records. The emperors don’t like the women’s stories told with any significant details.”
“You’re not from this time, either, are you?” I asked bluntly.
He stiffened. “No.”
I hadn’t expected him to answer honestly, but I forged ahead. “Did you come from the future?”
Somehow, I doubted it based on all his questions.
“I am from the past, but that is all you need to know,” he replied tersely.
“Okay,” I said, dying to find out more, but willing to wait for the information. Somehow, someway, I would eventually get Arack to tell me the rest of his story.
“I’ll check on you in a few days, Grace.” After one hard look, he left, ordering the guard to lock the cell behind him.
It wasn’t until a few minutes later that I realized the last half of our conversation hadn’t been in Latin. It had been in English. I wanted to ponder that more, but I needed to concentrate on coming up with a story for how I arrived here. It would have to blend seamlessly with his explanation, so I would have to be careful how I wove the details. My mother would have been better at this. An ache formed in my chest as I realized I might never see my family or home again. I was well and truly alone.
Thank you so much for reading the first three chapters of A Time of Gladiators and Fate. This novel releases on October 12th, 2026. You are welcome to ask questions about the book in the comments, and I’ll be happy to answer them.
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