Chasing Blue- The Final Saga (Book 4)

Chapter 24: Love Games

"I have to go," I mumbled.

Julia shook her head. "You are not staying for dinner with the family?"

"Maybe another time," I answered quietly. It was not like I was a part of the family anyways. I was accustomed to being alone. Most of the times.

"Tomorrow maybe?" she replied with a twinge of excitement in her voice.

I shrugged. "Maybe."

"Goodness! You are so mysterious," she replied, trying to stifle a laugh. "Are you always this secretive?" she asked.

"Not all the time. Some secrets are better left unsaid. Only a few can handle it," I answered in an undertone as I heard her mother calling for Claudia in the background.

"I can handle anything. You just have to start trusting people," she replied in an undertone. I flashed a reassuring smile to quell her troubled face. I hated to see her frown. I was so used to building walls because it made me feel safe. How could she ever understand my past; a past I had tried to forget? I was tired of carrying the burden of my mistakes. Why did she have to bear it when all I wanted to do was to protect her from the scars?

"So how did it go?" Clitus asked sheepishly when I got back inside; away from the steady assault from the cold rains.

I shrugged. "It went fair I suppose."

"Did she read the whole letter?"

"I believe so. She said some parts were 'hard to read' but what she did read was that the 'writer' seems to really know her."

"What does she mean that some parts were hard to read?" Clitus asked. I was not used to Clitus asking all these questions. He usually only asked one question and nodded the whole exchange.

I shrugged. "The letter was clear to me when I read over it. Maybe all of this was a surprise to her and she just needs time to digest the words." Clitus nodded as he watched me wipe away the beads of water dribbling down my forehead. Then it hit me. The letter was damp! The ink must have smeared! How much of the letter did she actually understand? I had no clue!

Clitus must have been satisfied with my answer for he remained silent as we headed to the triclinium for a meal with Claudius and his family. It was the last night his sons would spend here before returning to their own homes. Maxis would return home with his wife Porcia. She looked no older than Julia and even slightly resembled her but with wavier hair. I noted she was awfully silent and aloof, as Claudius chattered with his sons about the great disturbance at the stadium. I tried to dismiss the thoughts of Julia as I sipped my cup of sweet wine.

"They are trying to blame it on the Blues, as if we started the unrest. I do not care if I have to speak to the Emperor himself. Our team does not deserve to be penalized!" Claudius shouted, pounding his fist against the table.

His wife Ofelia tried to stroke his arm but Claudius continued raging over how the other teams felt threatened and tried to sabotage our chances at winning the remainder of the Games.

Octavius was the first son to break his silence. "One of the Red fans pushed Julian first, causing him to bump into Magnus. I saw it with my very eyes." He added, "Their fans started it. Troy was an eyewitness too. Is that not right, Troy?" he said turning to me. All eyes were on me just as I filled my mouth with a chunk of bread.

I nodded gulping down the partly digested chunks. I swallowed hard. "I saw one of the young men throw a long nail at Clitus' chariot."

"See!" Claudius exclaimed, rising from the couch. "That is all the testimony I need to give to those stupid officials!" he snapped. I watched Porcia rolled her eyes as if this whole discussion bored her to tears. Behind Claudius outburst, was the frustration and anger that he carried. First his son was left injured earlier this year, then Cato sprained both his ankles, and now our team's right to compete in the remainder of the Ludi Games was being questioned. Granted I had won and so did Clitus but everything seem to be taking a turn for the worst!