Raucous laughter rang out through the room, and I fought with myself to avoid turning and walking away.
I had miscalculated when I thought I could fool these men into teaching me, and now they were laughing at me for my attempt.
I swallowed a lump in my throat and stood a little taller as one of the men stood up from where he had been lying on his bunk and walked slowly toward me.
He was a muscular giant with bronzed skin and piercing eyes; the epitome of a Roman Gladiator, despite the fact he understood my mother tongue.
He loomed over me, and I felt like a helpless kitten as I stared up at him and dug my nails into my palms to stop myself from trembling.
“My Emperor wants me to train you, does he?”
He grabbed one of my breasts as his comrades laughed at his mocking response to me.
