Daughter of Death

IX

LATE BUT WHATEVER
YAY
I actually wrote this last week so I forgot what it was about but enjoy—
ALSO IF THERE ARE ANY MISTAKES, ANYTHING AT ALL, TELL ME—
I'M NOT THE BEST AT PROOFREADING

When she had been with the praetors, Ian and Fiona, she had felt like she wasn't a complete stranger. That feeling evaporated as soon as she set foot in Rome Ultima.

Apparently, rumors travel fast from the Castra to the city, because Hallez heard some people whisper to each other:

"That's the daughter of Death!"

"Why did Terminus let her through?"

"She's a walking embodiment of back luck."

"Death never has demigod children! She'll bring on doomsday!"

However, the daughter of Death stayed silent. The comments hurt—more than she would admit, even to herself—but she pretended she didn't hear them. (Besides, she couldn't disagree with them. Wherever she went, Luck just wasn't on her side. She'd seen enough from her mother's friends to know that...) She kept her head down, her gaze casually studying the city around her.

Rome Ultima was a lot like the Castra, in the way that it was both old-fashioned and centuries ahead in terms of technology. And, of course, there was also magic. But, if Hallez was being truthful, she wasn't entirely sure how to distinguish magic from the advanced technology. She saw one person wearing a huge black top hat, black tuxedo, black trousers, and black dress shoes, like a typical magician's outfit. He stood on a small stage, with a small crowd of audience below. Hal watched, as he beckoned a small girl, who looked about nine, and tapped her on the head with his fake wand—at least, she assumed it was fake. The girl disappeared in a cloud of red sparks. The crowd of mostly small children gasped and ooo'd. Parents smiled and chuckled fondly from the sides.

Hallez thought of the note in her pocket as they moved forward, walking briskly through the large city, heading towards a mini Colosseum-like building, with a domed, pristine glass roof, that reflected the sunrise like mirrors. Could she show it during the meeting? What was the Senate meeting about anyways? Sure, the Ancile was in the hands of a possibly evil force, and if they destroy it, Rome will fall. But must there be a meeting about it? Wasn't it obvious that they should just start searching for it? It's been nearly twenty-four hours... What if...something happened?

Hallez wished she could just start searching for them immediately. The Ancile and Cade. Maybe it was a daughter of Death thing, but she somehow knew Cade wasn't dead, which made the knowledge that Cade was captured feel even worse. But if Cade was in there—wherever there was—for so long, who knew what was happening to him? Even if he wasn't dead, he could be hurt, badly, or tortured, and it would be her fault. Who knew how long she had to save him? Maybe if this Senate meeting was quick...

If you don't show what you want, they will give you what you want. She knew she needed to pretend to not care. She had seen what cruel things Fate could and would do, when she made a wish during her birthday, or upon a shooting star, back when she was innocent—well, more innocent than she was now.

It was her code, her...philosophy, but that didn't mean it was easy. Far from it.

Hallez exhaled, and tried to break her line of thought. She studied the city around her closer.

From the alley in between two buildings, a group of half a dozen kids were playing Uno. One threw down a card, and started laughing aloud, as her friends started arguing and scratching their heads in confusion and also laughing. Another pair were blowing bubbles and jumping up to pop them.