Gladiator of Rome (#1 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 24

Chapter 24 

Krista was in a state of shock as she was dragged through the palace and down towards the dungeon.

The scene kept replaying in her head, immobilising her body with shock. She saw Pompeia, with a face twisted in anger, stabbing her brother through his tunic, his blood soaking them both in red.

And now Krista was being blamed for his death, the way Pompeia had planned.

Pompeia had set her up.

This had been her goal all the while, she had recruited Krista to take the blame for something she had not done.

And as this realisation began to sink in, it felt like she had been dumped in a frozen lake.

Her body struggled until she was standing, her eyes absorbing everything in around her, assessing where she was and what was happening. 

Finding herself outside in the courtyard, Krista realised that this was going to be the last fresh air she would breath before she would be executed for a crime she did not commit.

Krista will die, and Pompeia will triumph.

Anger simmered in her chest and Krista felt doomed to only feel anger for the rest of her existence, was Artorius right about her?

Was Krista incapable of feeling anything but anger and pain? 

Krista did not know but this was not the time to question herself.

Frantically looking around for an escape, she had survived too long to be killed for something she did not do.

There were only a handful of slaves in the courtyard as they went about their jobs, their eyes glued to the ground, too afraid to look at her.

None of these house servants would pose her a threat and as she was dragged closer to the doorway, Krista knew she had to make her move.

Surrounded by guards, two in front and two behind, with her hands bound in front of her, Krista glanced at the sword bouncing against the soldier’s thigh closest to her, and knew that this was her chance.

Barely ten feet from the door that would carry her down into a cage, Krista struck and kicked the guard in the knee behind her.

The guard was surprised, leaning off balance, before Krista quickly spun and thrashed her bound fists into his face.

Her strike knocked the solider into his colleague, the pair crumpling to the floor under his weight.

As the last two guards turned to see the commotion, Krista raised her leg again and booted the man square in the chest.

The third guard toppled to the ground as the last soldier drew his sword, shouting at her to stop.

But Krista had never taken orders very well and she wasn’t about to start now.

With her hands useless, Krista knocked the tip of her boot against the botttom of his clasped hands.

The brunt of her boot against his fingers forced him to release his sword as it hurtled into the air leaving him defenceless.

Without hesitating, Krista swung her bound hands over his head, squeezing his neck tightly before he fell unconsious in her grip.

The sword clattered to the ground behind her as she laid the man on the ground, but she wasn’t interested in the sword, not yet.

Bending down by his unconscious body, Krista whipped the dagger from his boot and cut the rope around her wrists.

Turning on the heel of her boots, still crouched on the ground, she heard soft grunts reach her ears and when she looked she saw that the others guards were slowly getting to their feet behind her.