reflection ● jason grace

Nathan might be a murderer

 They reached camp the next morning.

Daria looked around when they reached the Forum. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits, though Daria wasn't sure why. They were facing impending doom. Not that anyone knew it.

She waved to Jess and Marcus as they passed – the two had obviously just finished training. "They're in the principia?"

Jess seemed to know who she was referring to. "Yeah," she tilted her head. "You two got anything interesting to report?"

"No."

"Yes." Daria said at the same time, shooting a glare at Michael. "Is Leila in a good mood?"

Jess raised an eyebrow from where she was sitting. "That's your praetor you're talking about."

Marcus snorted, his brown hair messy with dirt and leaves. "Yeah, the same praetor that fired her primus pilus. She's allowed to be mad. We are."

"You first cohorters," Jess snapped. "Think you know everything."

"And that's our cue to leave," Michael announced backtracking. His gaze swept their surroundings as they walked. "I wonder where our idiot friends are."

"Up to no good," Daria shrugged. They would find each other eventually. They always did. "Except for Clara."

"Who's probably trying to stop them," Michael agreed as they reached the steps of the principia. "You should let me do the talking."

Daria scoffed. "Yeah, that's what's going to happen."

Michael groaned as Daria pulled open the giant marble doors. Typically, you would knock. Daria assumed her presence wasn't too big of an interruption.

Several heads looked up at Daria and Michael, who was trying, (and failing) to hide behind her. Really, the guy was nearly six feet tall, you would think he understood how dimensions worked.

"Sorry to interrupt," Daria said, in a tone that made it clear that she wasn't all that sorry. "We've just come back from our quest."

"I can see that," Leila said dryly. Her hair was neatly braided and she wore her cape, so it was clear that this was official Senate business. Had Daria mentioned that the Senators had fired her from her job?

"We're done here," Daniel announced. He looked a bit thankful for the interruption, though he wasn't trying too hard to hide what he thought. Someone must have said something stupid, because he was, as always, scowling.

"But-"

"Done," Daniel interrupted one of the men with a beard. "I trust that you will follow my orders to pay our teachers more."

"Favoritism," someone muttered, probably thinking they couldn't be heard. Unfortunately, they were wrong. Daniel glared at the offender. And you didn't want to be on the receiving end of Daniel's glare.

"May I remind you," he said through clenched teeth. "That I am your praetor. And as such, I am ordering you to get out."

They scrambled. Daria heard the door swing shut.

Leila glanced at Daniel with a frown. "That was harsh."

"I hate them," Daniel declared petulantly from his golden chair. Daria took that as her cue to sit in the seat across from him, dragging Michael along with her. "I hate them so much, Leila."

Ever since Mitch's disappearance, Daniel had blatantly given up on trying to keep the peace between him and those who disagreed with his ideas, which were often right. The citizens of New Rome respected him and the elites were afraid, but either way, Daniel always won.