She sleeps immediately. Taking the sheeting, I pull it up and over her to hide her nakedness. Bending, I touch my lips to her shoulder again.
“Somnum, melculum,” I whisper against her skin before I straighten and leave her to her sleep.
While we were eating this evening, I had a servi take my personal clothing items out of my chambers and place them in the bedroom across from Drucilla. I may not be able to sleep next to her, but I will be as close as I can get in case she needs me for whatever reason.
Slipping out of my chambers and into my temporary ones, I turn up the candlelight and let out a sigh. I do not know how long I will be able to do this, but I will do all that is within my powers to make this prophecy come to its fruition, even if that means hiding myself from my empress for as long as it needs to happen.
DRUCILLA
Reaching out beside me, I run my palm over the sheets and pout before I open my eyes. Alone. Cold sheets and I’m alone. I don’t know why, but I thought that he would stay. No, I take that back.
I do know why.
This is his room, I had no doubt that I would wake up next to him, see him in the sunlight, maybe make love again before we ate some breakfast in bed.
I’m disappointed at being alone. Rolling onto my back, I lift the sheets over my naked breasts and stare at the stone ceiling above me. It’s quiet and I take a moment to just breathe and think.
Tiberius is not the man I talked and danced with last night. There is something going on here and I hope that whatever it is, it doesn’t turn ugly. Biting my bottom lip, I can’t help but wonder why I’m not totally panicking.
Why do I feel completely at peace here, almost as if I belong?
I start to dissect the way that I feel and try to decide if I’ve been drugged, if I’m crazy, or if I’m just doing the whole Stockholm Syndrome thing, because I believe in that shit, and after last night and the sex that I had with Tiberius, I could see how that could definitely be a thing.
Last night was the best that I’ve ever had, every single time, and after the sixth orgasm, I didn’t think that I was going to be able to breathe. He was amazing, my entire body aches from being with him, but I can’t deny that I already crave him again.
Just as I’m thinking about everything that happened and imagining his rough, calloused fingers against my skin, the door flies open. My eyes widen and a strange woman walks into the room. She isn’t dressed the way that Cassia or even Petronia were dressed yesterday, instead, she’s dressed very, very plainly.
She smiles as she approaches the end of my bed. “I have been told that you speak, Bunafidian?” she asks.
“Well, I speak English,” I say slowly, knowing that the man I ate and danced with who was pretending to be in charge, last night said the same thing. I don’t have the first flying clue what Bunafidian is, but apparently, it’s a form of English.
I watch as she licks her lips and nods her head once. “I am to be your famulus for as long as you need me,” she says.
“Famulus?” I ask.
“Your slave,” she says.
My heart stops beating. It completely stops in my chest at her word. Slave. What the actual hell? She takes a step toward the side of the bed and stands there, her gaze focused on mine.
“I see this upsets you, do not allow it to. I know in Bunafi there aren’t slaves, but here it is normal, as it is in Wolfjour Ail. I am lucky, not only because I am a famulus in the emperor’s home, but now I have been chosen to be a famulus for the future empress. It is a great honor.”
Honor.
I almost snort at the word.
Honor, my ass.
“Well, what happens if I don’t want a slave?” I ask.
She looks down to her feet, then lifts her gaze to meet mine. “I will probably be sold,” she breathes.
Well shit.
“What’s your name?”
“Laurentia,” she says.
“Okay, Laurentia, I am Drucilla. And if this is going to work, you’re going to be my friend. I don’t want to hear that disgusting word, famulus, again.”
Her eyes widen and she opens her mouth, then snaps it closed. “Yes,” she says as she nods.
“Drucilla,” I remind her.
“Drucilla,” she whispers.
My lips curve up into a grin. “Now, what happens next?”
“I’ve been instructed to take you to the baths, and by the time you have bathed, it will be time for your prandete—to break your fast.”
My stomach rumbles at the mere thought of food. “That sounds like heaven.”
She nods her head, then scurries over to the wardrobe. I watch as she flings the doors open and my heart sinks. They’re gone. All of his clothes have been removed and there are only girlie things in there.
He never planned on staying the night and he doesn’t in the future either. He’s going to hit it and run. I don’t know why, but the idea of not waking up with him, of not seeing him in the light, of being his dirty little secret, that makes my heart squeeze and ache.
Chapter Six
TIBERIUS
Instead of staying in my office all day, I decide to go out and practice with my men. I am not surprised to see Brutus leading his group of elite warriors. Walking up to them, my gladius in my scabbard, I jerk my chin.
“You are not with your intended?” Brutus asks on a chuckle.
“You know that I am not,” I mutter.
Brutus is my cousin, but he is also my brother in war. We traveled, fought, conquered, and bled together many times
