"You don't have to do this, Talia..."
Caius rested his hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes with an expression that was so tender that I didn't expect it when other people might see.
It was in stark contrast to the sounds of men fighting to the death in the Arena and the ringing of metal hitting metal and, eventually, a cry of anguish as the final, fatal blow was dealt.
I was no longer fazed by it, and I moved passively out of the way as the gates to the Arena were opened and the body of a young man was dragged past us.
I was pretty sure I'd seen him around the barracks before, and I imagined he had been swaggering around town earlier in the day looking for attention from the women who chased after Gladiators.
I raised my eyebrow at Caius, glancing from the body back to him,
