The emperor turned his attention back to the fallen gladiator, then lifted his thumb in a sharp gesture toward his breast. Margo started to relax
The gladiator with the trident stabbed the weapon straight through the other man’s throat.
NO…!
Margo sat transfixed. She didn’t understand. Then a whisper of memory came to her in Malcolm’s voice. “Study the body language, it’s different here …”
Somehow over time the thumbs-up/thumbs-down gestures had become reversed
It was symbolic of the whirling mess her life was in.
Margo found herself stumbling out of the stands, shoving past shocked spectators. She had to get away, had to get out of this madhouse of sudden death and inexplicable cruelty … . She finally gained the street.
Quintus Flaminius and. Achilles had followed. Her host took her arm, asking questions she didn’t understand and didn’t want to answer. Margo stood panting heavily for several minutes. Her knees shook. She still felt as though she’d be ill any moment All she wanted to do was find the Time Tours inn and hide until the gate reopened.
She didn’t get the chance. Flaminius’ slaves, dismissed to wait outside the Circus for their master, reappeared with the sedan chairs. Margo found herself stuffed into a seat, lifted, and carried away from the Circus before she could find the wit to argue. She slumped in the chair. Great. Now what?
She found herself back in her room, alone with Achilles, whose eyes were wide with concern as she sank onto her hated bed. He fussed over her until she wanted to scream at him, but that wasn’t fair, so she just held silent and let him fuss. Poor kid….