《Rogue of Taurus》


 Chapter 1

    Cornelia Africana college was set out like an old Roman Forum. At the very head stood a temple-like structure that housed the student center. Livia Fabius charged up the steps, wanting to beat the lunchline so she could get to her 1:00 class on time. She lifted her eyes up and froze halfway up the staircase.


    Corvin Tullius stood to the right of the entrance, dressed casually, instead of in his Legionnaire uniform. If he wasn¡¯t wearing his navy cargo pants and sky-blue TARP shirt then he wasn¡¯t on duty or he was undercover. Livia assumed the latter. His long legs were clad in dark-wash jeans that hugged his narrow hips in a way that made Livia¡¯s gut lurch. He wore a yellow polo that contrasted against his dark brown hair and made his hazel eyes look greener. She hated seeing him when she wasn¡¯t prepared. It made those irrational feelings she had for him flare up again. Livia had told herself over a million times and in a million ways that she needed to be over him. Yesterday.


    Livia took a breath, bracing herself for when he¡¯d turn and see her. Why was he here? She hadn¡¯t caused any trouble. She¡¯d lived outside Caesarea for ages before she¡¯d discovered her House and their accompanying powers. She didn¡¯t need a minder. She was angry at the lack of trust but infuriated by the lack of privacy. She should have at least been informed that a TARP officer needed to check up on her.


    Corvin turned. Upon seeing her, his eyebrows rose. His eyes shifted, taking her in head to toe. Then he tilted his head in the way he did, puzzled. ¡°You look upset, Livia.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. That would be the first thing out of his mouth. He was so condescending. Did he really expect her to believe the concerned acquaintance facade? ¡°Look, I can take care of myself!¡±


    His chin drew back. ¡°Did I imply you couldn¡¯t somehow?¡±


    Livia glared at him. Now, he was acting all offended. As if she didn¡¯t have any right to be upset. She¡¯d been glad to leave the backstabbing, gossiping, judgemental Caesareans behind her. Now, they¡¯d followed her here. Livia stomped the rest of the way up the stairs. She stopped right in front of Corvin, ignoring that he stood much taller than her, and snarled directly into his face. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to be here. Tell Justin or whoever sent you to leave me alone!¡±


    Corvin¡¯s affront melted into amusement. ¡°Oh, you think I¡¯m here on assignment.¡±


    ¡°Why else would you be here?¡± Livia demanded. Why couldn¡¯t he act even a little bit intimidated by her? She was Taurus after all and stronger than him because of it. She slipped past him, slamming the door open so hard it smashed against the wall. Whoops. Livia grabbed it and pulled it away--now there was a dent. She needed to calm down. She looked back at Corvin.


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    He was giving her a try-being-more-discrete look.


    She clenched her fists and bit out her words between clenched teeth. ¡°Go home. I don¡¯t need you to watch me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here as a student,¡± Corvin said, putting a hand on his hip.


    Livia tried to reign in her emotions. Here she was insisting that she didn¡¯t need a minder and within seconds of Corvin showing up she was putting holes in walls. She one upped Corvin and put both hands on her hips. She inhaled slowly three times. Corvin watched her with that infuriatingly calm look that he always wore. Professional. Robotic. Cold. That was Corvin to the core.


    ¡°You expect me to believe that?¡± Livia asked. ¡°You already have a degree--¡±


    He cut her off, a touch of anger in his voice.¡°I¡¯m getting Masters of Science in Organizational and Leadership development,¡± he said.


    Livia¡¯s body responded immediately to the hint of anger in his tone. Heat rushed along her arms and her heart raced. Her shoulders pulled up toward her ears. She ignored her anxiety and demanded, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°So, I can transfer into training,¡± Corvin explained. His voice had returned to passivity. He repositioned his arm to hang straight along his side.


    Livia hesitated. She removed her hands from her hips and crossed them over her chest. An emotion had flashed across Corvin¡¯s face so briefly she didn¡¯t know what to name it. He spoke in an unemotional manner but three months ago, he¡¯d been called to a domestic dispute. His squad hadn¡¯t been able to prevent an enraged Aquila man from killing his three-year-old daughter and then killing himself. She heard from Alia, Corvin¡¯s little sister, that Corvin blamed himself. It¡¯d been a hard case for the entire community, but the man had been drunk and so it had brought back particularly bad memories for Livia¡¯s entire family.


    It had triggered weeks of nightmares for Livia that had only just started to go away. She inhaled a deep breath. She really didn¡¯t want Corvin here. For some reason, his presence always dredged up some baggage or another.


    Livia debated on whether or not she should believe him. He had a legitimate motivation to seek another position in his department. However, he was a Caesarean security patrol agent in a specialized unit. This wouldn¡¯t be the first time she¡¯d interacted with him while he was on special assignment. That was how Livia found out she was Taurus house in the first place.


    Livia needed details to verify Corvin¡¯s story. ¡°So, what classes do you have today?¡±


    ¡°At three, I have an Executing Strategic Change course,¡± he said.


    ¡°Where?¡± Livia demanded.


    ¡°In the Scipio building--¡± he looked amused again.


    That checked out. ¡°Room number?¡±


    ¡°Are you really quizzing me?¡± Corvin asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Are you deceiving me?¡± Livia countered. She knew the building only had three levels. She¡¯d


    gotten lost there when she¡¯d tried to find her healthcare policy class.


    ¡°315,¡± he said. ¡°Professor Hodgson.¡±


    Livia huffed, annoyed she couldn¡¯t call him out.


    Corvin grinned at her. ¡°It ends at five. Want to meet me there? I¡¯ll pay for dinner.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia turned on her heel and marched toward the cafeteria.


    By the end of lunch, Livia learned you had to pay 25 cents extra for ranch sauce--lame--and that a Professor Alan Hodgson was indeed employed at Cornelia Africana College.

 Chapter 2

    Livia expected to meet her new roommate when she got home, instead, she found a lizard on the kitchen floor. It was a light sandy color with a flat belly that spread on the floor like a disk. It wasn¡¯t tiny either, definitely over a foot long. Livia¡¯s throat tightened as she tried to determine if it was poisonous. Was it a neighbor¡¯s pet or had it wandered in from the wilds somewhere? Maybe it had snuck in when Livia left the door open to move in.


    ¡°Ares,¡± a voice called from the next room.


    Livia looked up as a girl with sandy hair, flip flops, and shorts walked in.


    ¡°There you are,¡± the girl bent over and picked the creature up.


    Livia bit back the warning shout she¡¯s wanted to let out. ¡°That¡¯s your pet?¡±


    Blue eyes shot toward her. She smiled. ¡°Oh hey! Yeah, this is Ares. He¡¯s a bearded dragon.¡±


    ¡°Is he allowed?¡± Livia asked.


    The girl¡¯s smile fell. Livia didn¡¯t want to get on the wrong side of her new roommate in less than five minutes.


    ¡°Tell you what,¡± Livia put out her hands in a placating gesture. ¡°You keep that thing out of my kitchen and I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut.¡±


    The girl grinned. ¡°Your kitchen?¡±


    ¡°I like to cook,¡± Livia said. ¡°And no matter how tame that thing is he¡¯s covered with germs.¡±


    The girl stroked the lizard¡¯s head with her fingertip. ¡°I¡¯ll keep him out of the kitchen, promise. I¡¯ll only let him out in my room. Okay?¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s quite sweet,¡± the girl said, continuing to stroke the creature¡¯s head. Livia watched in disbelief as the lizard tilted its head to the side, clearly enjoying the affection. The girl disappeared to put the creature away. When she returned she held out her hand to Livia and said. ¡°I¡¯m Whitney, your roommate.¡±


    Livia took a step back. ¡°No offense or anything but...wash your hands.¡±


    Whitney laughed and went to the sink and washed and dried her hands. She came back and Livia shook her hand. ¡°Livia.¡±


    ¡°Where are you from?¡± Whitney asked.


    ¡°Montana,¡± Livia answered.


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s only a few hours from here,¡± Whitney smiled. ¡°I¡¯m a local.¡±


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    ¡°What are you studying?¡± Livia asked. ¡°You know yet?¡±


    ¡°Ancient Civilizations--Latin Emphasis,¡± she answered. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Diagnostic Sonography,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s one of the most popular programs here,¡± Whitney said. ¡°You must have had an impressive application to get in.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t think she was all that impressive. She had to work part-time all through high school so she needed to take a gap year to pad her application. She''d completed an internship with TARP and volunteered at the medical clinic on the weekends to gain enough hours of related experience to apply.


    ¡°Probably, one of the less impressive ones,¡± Livia said.


    Whitney smiled. ¡°Probably, more impressive than you think.¡±


    Livia and Whitney swapped tales about their first day of classes. Then Livia retreated to her room and googled bearded dragons and started researching.


    Livia woke up the next morning worried. Bearded dragons were high-maintenance creatures. She didn¡¯t want to be complicit in animal neglect. If the creature was going to stay here, it needed to have competent care. She waited until nine to knock on Whitney¡¯s door. Her roommate opened it moments later still in her pajamas.


    ¡°Hey, sorry I woke you up,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Whitney yawned. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± Livia cleared her throat. ¡°I have another stipulation if Ares is going to stay here--¡±


    Whitney¡¯s friendly face stiffened and suspicion came into her eyes. Livia¡¯s heart lurched as she realized her roommate was expecting blackmail of some sort.


    ¡°You have to take care of him--¡± Livia said quickly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to sit here and let some animal get neglected--¡±


    Whitney¡¯s face softened. ¡°I do take care of him--¡±


    ¡°So, he has the right sized tank?¡± Livia challenged. ¡°And a heat lamp, and access to water--¡±


    Whitney stepped back. ¡°Come see, he¡¯s fine.¡±


    Livia followed her to the cage. Their rooms weren¡¯t big, more like closets than actual bedrooms. Whitney had put her bed up on stilts and placed the cage and supplies in the space under the bed. They knelt in front of the cage and Whitney showed her the heat lamp and a heating pad that kept the cage warm. There was a forked climbing branch that Ares was currently sunning himself on. There was also a shaded area under a hammock with some water and greenery to hide under.


    Relief made Livia¡¯s muscles relax. She went down the bearded dragon care checklist she¡¯d made in her head. Whitney''s pet had exactly what he needed.


    ¡°He¡¯s okay,¡± Livia observed.


    Whitney smiled. ¡°Want to hold him?¡±


    Now that she knew that the lizard wasn¡¯t dangerous Livia was curious about him. ¡°Sure. As long as he¡¯s not aggressive--¡±


    ¡°Nah, he¡¯s got a good temperament.¡± Whitney pulled the lizard out of the cage and placed him carefully on Livia¡¯s lap. Livia lifted her finger and stroked him the way Whitney had last night. Ares''s head tilted again and Livia laughed.


    ¡°He likes that,¡± Whitney said. ¡°So, I¡¯ll go home on the weekends sometimes. Would you be willing to watch him?¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°Yeah,¡±


    Whitney sighed with relief. ¡°Thanks! My mom said as soon as I went to college she wouldn¡¯t let him in the house anymore. I was worried I¡¯d have to get rid of him and I love him, you know?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia said. ¡°He¡¯s pretty amazing.¡±


    They put the lizard away, washed their hands, and got ready for classes that day.


    After dinner, Livia stared at her roommate Whitney as she gushed about her Roman history class about the founding of Rome. ¡°I wish I could go back and be a real live actual Roman!¡±


    Livia had to school her expression. First, being a woman in ancient Rome would suck. Second, a thousand words buzzed inside her, wanting to come out. Livia couldn¡¯t say-- the next best thing happened to me! I found out my family came from an ancient Roman House and that¡¯s why I have a freakish amount of strength, can ignore the extreme cold and heat. I can even keep going for days with little to no sleep. The sleep thing wasn¡¯t pleasant though--possible, but extremely unpleasant.


    Livia had even moved to their little city, Caesarea, in an abandoned part of Montana after high school. The forum had been amazing and so had some of the festivals, but Livia hadn¡¯t fit in there. She planned to make a new life outside Caesarea. So, as long as she avoided Corvin and the other Caesareans here she¡¯d be fine. Livia figured she might run into them once in a while but as long as they kept a distance from each other things should work out the way she wanted them to.


    Whitney continued her enthusiastic recap of her Roman history class, moving on to the Kings of Rome. Her blue eyes shone with an eager light that Livia was sure she¡¯d never manage. Livia was too jaded to show that much excitement. It felt like tempting the universe to strike her down. Better to keep a level head so when things went wrong, as they usually did, you didn¡¯t get disappointed. So it was easy to move on and start over again.


    Livia repeated the maxim that was a source of comfort since she was a child. ¡°The only guarantee in life is change.¡±


    Livia wouldn¡¯t miss Caesarea for long. She¡¯d moved to new places, adapted to new circumstances dozens of times. She would be fine.

 Chapter 3

    Livia inhaled a deep breath and approached Whitney. ¡°So, I need your advice¡­¡±


    Whitney lit up, pleased to be a confidant. ¡°About what?¡±


    Livia looked at her phone nervously. ¡°This boy--¡±


    ¡°Ooh,¡± Whitney suddenly sat up straight and pulled her knees into her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. ¡°Do tell.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°He¡¯s in my chem class and we¡¯ve formed this study group. So, we exchanged numbers and he said, ¡®Call me if you¡¯re bored this weekend.¡¯¡±


    Whitney laughed. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°So, is that a friend type of thing or¡­¡± Livia shifted her hands, uncertain. ¡°Or is that like a dating type of thing?¡±


    ¡°Do you want it to be a dating type of thing?¡± Whitney teased.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°I am not looking for a boyfriend.¡±


    Whitney shrugged. ¡°Just tell him that. Is he hot?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s cute,¡± Livia said. ¡°But he¡¯s just nice...clean-cut, good.¡±


    ¡°Boring,¡± Whitney said, making a face.


    ¡°I like that,¡± Livia said, firmly.


    She lifted an eyebrow. ¡°As in you¡¯d consider dating him?¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t want a relationship right now but I wouldn¡¯t mind hanging out with him.¡±


    ¡°Then call him,¡± Whitney said. ¡°No harm in getting to know him some more, right? No pressure.¡±


    ¡°I might,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going home on Saturday and won¡¯t get back till late Sunday. Spending time with the fam,¡± she said. ¡°So, go hang out with him.¡±


    Livia hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. But you think I should just tell him I¡¯m not into boyfriends right now?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Whitney said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia nodded.


    ¡°Can I show you how to take care of Ares before I go?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia said and they spent the rest of the evening chatting and playing with the bearded dragon.


    ###


    ¡°It¡¯s just me and you Ares,¡± Livia said, as she placed water in his cage. She put a pile of kale and some mealworms next to it. Livia closed the cage door and watched the lizard amble over and snatch up the mealworms one by one. It wasn¡¯t the most pleasant of sights but Livia was satisfied that the creature¡¯s needs were met. He¡¯d be fine until Whitney returned.


    ¡°What do you think? Should I call this boy, Oliver?¡± Livia asked the lizard. She¡¯d already cleaned the entire apartment and baked fresh bread and a dozen muffins. She needed to get out of the house. Livia scrolled around on her phone, procrastinating.


    She pulled up the social media site closed to everyone that wasn¡¯t directly related to one of the four Caesarean houses--Lupus, Taurus, Rattus, or Aquila. Livia didn¡¯t visit tabula often. She always had rude comments or messages. She was surprised to find that she had recent friend requests.


    There was a Felicity from Rattus house. Livia studied her photo, frowning. She had no memory of ever interacting with Felicity and she didn¡¯t look familiar. Livia deleted the friend request. There was a second request from a Terrance, also from Rattus house. Livia deleted his request immediately. She¡¯d learned not to interact with guys on Tabula. She¡¯d been propositioned via message more times than she could count. After breaking up with her boyfriend the offers for non-platonic comfort had poured in leaving Livia with a vile taste on her tongue.


    She hovered over her messages icon. She had 5 new ones. It was possible they were nice notes.  In her experience, it was more likely harassment or complaints about how she didn¡¯t know how to be a proper Caesarean. She wasn¡¯t really in the mood to deal with it. Everyone important to her knew how to get a hold of her off of Tabula. She sent the messages to the trash without reading them.


    She checked a couple of her friends'' pages and then Corvin¡¯s page. He¡¯d posted a stunning photo from a hike he¡¯d gone on earlier in the week. It was captioned--Nice views out here.


    He predictably got a lot of likes and supportive comments. Corvin was popular and well-respected in Caesarea. It helped that his father was Paterfamilias of Lupus house--a position that Corvin would inherit one day.


    Livia observed that many of their mutual TARP acquaintances posted on how much they missed him. She pursed her lips. He probably wasn¡¯t undercover then, but it also didn¡¯t prove he was in school necessarily.


    Corvin was tagged in another photo from Friday night. He was at an ice cream parlor and he was with the two people that had requested to be her friends earlier.


    Livia felt her cheeks heat. They were probably going to school here and had wanted to connect. Livia debated sending a request back now that she knew their friend requests were probably genuine. If she did that she¡¯d have to explain she thought they were going to harass her.  That would require explaining her troubled history with tabula. She didn¡¯t want to get into it with strangers. She decided to log out instead. It was all too much manufactured drama.


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    Livia pulled up Oliver¡¯s number and pressed send.


    He answered, gruffly, ¡°Hey, who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Uh, Livia,¡± she answered. ¡°From class. Is this a bad time?¡±


    He laughed. ¡°You called? Have you heard of text?¡±


    ¡°I can hang up if you want,¡± Livia growled.


    He laughed again. ¡°No, don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep this short. Want to hang out tonight?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Sure. What¡¯s the plan?¡±


    Livia panicked for a moment. ¡°Ice Cream?¡± popped out.


    ¡°I¡¯m game. Do you need a ride?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a place on center street,¡± he said.


    ¡°Okay, text me the address and I¡¯ll meet you there,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°What time?¡±


    ¡°Seven?¡± Livia offered.


    ¡°Excellent. See you, Livia,¡± Oliver said.


    ###


    When Livia walked into the ice cream shop she recognized it from the tabula picture she¡¯d seen. Corvin had been here last night. Inexplicably, she regretted not crossing paths with him. Livia took a deep breath and shook the feeling off. Her first impression of him was difficult to shake off, but Livia was two years older and wiser now. Livia didn¡¯t know if it would be possible to forget the connection they¡¯d formed the week he¡¯d intervened in her life, but she¡¯d learned that Corvin was not the same person that had captured her teenage devotion.


    Oliver interrupted Livia¡¯s musings when he walked in. He grinned and strode over. ¡°Hey!¡±


    Livia smiled back. ¡°How are you?¡±


    ¡°Good, you?¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°Looking forward to the ice cream.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he gestured toward the counter. ¡°Let¡¯s get some.¡±


    They chatted about classes as they stood in line together. There was an awkward moment at the register when Oliver tried to pay for both of them. Livia insisted on paying for her own way. The cashier looked between them. Livia insisted again she¡¯d be paying for her own. Oliver didn¡¯t contradict her.


    They sat down at a table together. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind paying, you know.¡±


    ¡°I know but this is hanging out,¡± Livia emphasized. ¡°Not a date.¡±


    Hurt flashed across Oliver¡¯s face. ¡°Why not?¡±


    Livia decided to be blunt. ¡°My last relationship ended in disaster, okay? Nothing personal.¡±


    Understanding flashed in Oliver¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re still smarting from your ex. How long ago did you break up?¡¯


    Livia thought back, surprised to realize how much time had passed. ¡°Almost a year¡­¡±


    Oliver nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty long time. Maybe...if we take things slow? You can warm up to the idea?¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want a boyfriend.¡±


    Oliver took a few bites of his ice cream in silence. ¡°Friends for now, then?¡±


    ¡°Friends for now,¡± Livia agreed.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Oliver gestured with his spoon. ¡°Fess up. What happened?¡±


    Livia shook her head and pressed her lips together. It would be difficult to explain how her breakup with Arik had impacted her unless Oliver understood how Caesarea worked. She had to have permission from the Senate to reveal any details about Caesarea to a non-civ. ¡°Not up for discussion.¡±


    Oliver¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise. ¡°So, what do you want to talk about then?¡±


    ¡°My roommate has a lizard,¡± Livia said.


    Oliver laughed. ¡°A lizard?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s huge. Over a foot long.¡± Livia approximated Ares'' size with her hands.


    He gasped. ¡°Serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a bearded dragon.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Livia explained about bearded dragons and the intricate care routine required to keep them healthy.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re feeding the thing mealworms while she¡¯s at home?¡± Oliver sat back and ran his hands through his hair in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡±


    Livia thought the gesture made him rather handsome. She smiled. ¡°He¡¯s not too bad. I kind of like him.¡±


    Oliver hooted. ¡°You like him! Not me! No way! Creepy crawlies are not my thing.¡±


    ¡°I like animals,¡± Livia said. ¡°They¡¯re fascinating.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well a dog is one thing--a lizard? Some creatures aren¡¯t meant to be pets.¡±


    ¡°Well, I agree with that,¡± Livia said. ¡°I¡¯m not super into keeping animals as pets. I¡¯d rather observe them in nature.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my thing,¡± Oliver said.


    ¡°What¡¯s your thing then?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I have a twitch channel,¡± he explained.


    Livia frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that? I¡¯ve never heard of that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a live stream for gamers,¡± he said.


    Livia didn¡¯t have a positive opinion of gamers in general, but Oliver broke all her expectations of someone that gamed frequently. He wasn¡¯t socially awkward or overweight. He was smart and confident and had good hygiene.


    ¡°So, this is a hobby?¡± Livia asked.


    Oliver¡¯s lips twisted to the side. ¡°A part-time job--¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°That would require making money.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°You do? Playing games?¡± Livia asked in disbelief.


    ¡°They actually require a lot of skill.¡±


    ¡°Then why do college at all?¡± Livia asked.


    Oliver sighed. ¡°Parents, partly. Also, competition is tough. It¡¯s getting harder to monetize my audience and well...it¡¯s not fun anymore.¡±


    ¡°Well, jobs aren¡¯t meant to be fun,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Yeah, but if it¡¯s not going to be fun why not get a normal job?¡±


    Livia shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d get a normal job.¡±


    Oliver¡¯s chin drew back and a sad look entered his eyes. Livia realized she made a mistake.


    She cleared her throat and straightened up. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to tell you to fight for your dream.¡±


    Oliver rolled his eyes. ¡°Yeah, but you know reality and all--¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good at being realistic,¡± Livia laughed. ¡°My specialty.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, huh?¡± he asked.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve never played a video game so¡­¡± Livia shrugged.


    Oliver looked surprised.


    ¡°You might figure out a way to make it work,¡± Livia said. ¡°I can¡¯t advise you what to do.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t we do something together next weekend?¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re asking for volunteers at the elementary school. They need people to help them move books into their renovated library. Want to go help?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia said. ¡°I¡¯d love that!¡±


    She pulled out her phone and prepared to put it in her calendar. ¡°What time should we be there?¡±

 Chapter 4

    Livia decided to walk to the elementary school that was only a few blocks away from her dorm. She met Oliver there, who had also walked from his apartment nearby. He greeted her with a half-hug. Livia hugged him back awkwardly and pulled away. She wasn¡¯t good at affection. She always misjudged how long she should hold on to someone. Whenever she tried to give someone a quick hug it was too quick, and whenever she tried to give someone a longer hug it was too long. Her ex, Arik, was pro at physical affection and she¡¯d thought that would be a good thing. It hadn¡¯t been. Livia had only frustrated and annoyed him. She swallowed down her regrets over that and focused on the present.


    She was actually excited about this activity. This was her thing. Hauling books was her specialty. Being Taurus house made her strong and durable and she was ready to work. That was until Oliver could barely heft a box of books, leaving Livia wondering how to play her cards. Did she pretend she was weaker than him to hide her exceptional strength so he didn¡¯t ask questions? Or could she pull off being stronger than him?


    Livia didn¡¯t look muscular. She was about average height and her arms were lean and slim. She held most of her muscles in her thighs, which seemed to be a Taurus house trait. They were noted for their brawny legs. Something the plebian Taurus house members were allowed to show off, but since Livia was patrician she¡¯d been held to a different standard. At least, that¡¯s why she thought people freaked out the first few times she wore a short dress in Caesarea. She didn¡¯t know any other reason why she¡¯d attract so many negative comments. It wasn¡¯t something that had ever happened to her outside Caesarea. Livia stopped the insane comments by wearing things that people didn¡¯t comment on.


    Livia realized that she hadn¡¯t reverted to her pre-caesarean way of dressing. Being Taurus house meant she wasn¡¯t sensitive to changes in temperature. Wearing long pants and sleeves in hot weather didn¡¯t bother her. She watched Oliver struggle with his box with a sinking heart. She¡¯d forgotten about this part of being outside of Caesarea. She was going to have to pretend to be a weak girl, who couldn¡¯t haul a box by herself. It stung. It really did.


    Livia resigned herself to her fate and pasted on a fake smile. ¡°Oh, let¡¯s carry them together! That way I can help.¡±


    Oliver looked at her with relief, as Livia lifted the opposite side of the box. The boxes were small so it was awkward to walk and carry at the same time. It made things so slow that Livia¡¯s excitement for the project ebbed away.


    There was only one thing that made it worse. She looked away after faking another smile for Oliver as they carried their fourth box inside. She caught sight of Corvin, Terrance, and Felicity giving her confused looks. Livia¡¯s eyes fell to the pavement as her cheeks flooded with heat. She was caught participating in this embarrassing charade. It was humiliating. She dreaded them posting videos on Tabula and having to endure savage mockery for months.


    ¡°You need a break?¡± Oliver asked, breathless.


    He was out of shape. He wasn¡¯t asking for Livia¡¯s benefit but his own.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you find us some water?¡± Livia asked.


    When he disappeared she hauled in a box all on her own. The guy on the truck handing boxes down laughed. ¡°That guy was slowing you down!¡±


    Livia hesitated, not wanting to draw attention to herself but she didn¡¯t see a way to back out now. She¡¯d committed. ¡°He must not work out,¡± she said.


    Livia felt anxious carrying the box to the school library, which was ridiculous. What if Oliver ran into her and called her out? What if someone noticed she was stronger than she should be?


    ¡°Ditched the guy, huh?¡± Corvin said behind her.


    Livia jumped, heart pounding. ¡°He¡¯s getting water.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia noticed he handled carrying a box without strain. His arms weren¡¯t extremely muscular but they were well-defined nonetheless. Livia let her eyes linger on his attractive muscles a tad too long. She told herself it was to avoid looking into his eyes.


    ¡°How are you, Liv?¡± Corvin asked.


    Her eyes shot up to his. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±


    She walked through the doors of the library and set her box down. Corvin followed and put his box on top of hers.


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    ¡°Who was the guy?¡± Corvin lifted one eyebrow, playfully.


    Great, he was laughing at her. ¡°A kid from one of my classes.¡±


    Livia tried to see if slipping out into the hallway would end the conversation. They followed her, though, and she turned to face them when she came to a clear space.


    ¡°Are you dating?¡± Terrance asked, leaning casually against the wall. His bright purple hair looked awful under the fluorescent light. Livia disapproved. Hair color like that would make it difficult to get a decent job.


    Livia glared at him. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°We tried to invite you to ice cream over tabula,¡± Terrance said. ¡°We all left you messages but you didn¡¯t respond.¡±


    Livia¡¯s cheeks heated again. She cleared her throat. ¡°I-I deleted them on accident without reading them.¡±


    Terrance¡¯s eyes narrowed. He exchanged a look with Felicity that revealed he didn¡¯t believe her. Livia looked at Corvin but instead of looking suspicious, he looked concerned.


    ¡°Well, this Friday maybe?¡± Corvin asked.


    Oliver rushed up before she could answer.


    ¡°Liv! I got water!¡±


    He handed her a mini water bottle. As soon as he¡¯d handed it off to her, he broke the seal on his and drank the entire thing. Everyone watched him in silence. Oliver gestured after he finished drinking.


    ¡°Friends of yours, Liv?¡± he asked. The trio tensed.


    Livia remained relaxed and explained, ¡°They¡¯re from back home.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how nice!¡± he held out a hand. ¡°I¡¯m Oliver. Livia and I met in class.¡±


    Corvin reached out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Corvin. Livia and I used to work together.¡±


    ¡°Sweet,¡± he grinned. He greeted Felicity and Terrance with equal warmth and friendliness.


    ¡°Liv,¡± Oliver bumped her hip with his playfully. ¡°How come you never told me about them?¡±


    Livia realized too late that she was supposed to give way when Oliver bumped her. She tried to imitate being knocked into and looked ridiculous. Terrance¡¯s lips pressed together and his eyes danced with a laugh. Felicity didn¡¯t hide her chuckle. Oliver shot her a baffled look. There was no way she¡¯d be able to ever try and explain her weird reactions to him. It would mean revealing she was Taurus house.


    Livia wanted to disappear. She had reached her embarrassment quota for the entire week in a handful of minutes.


    She looked Corvin in the face and she found that he wore no expression. Typical. But at least he wasn¡¯t mocking her. That was a relief.


    ¡°Unless, one of these guys is the ex you refuse to discuss,¡± Oliver joked.


    Right when she thought it couldn¡¯t get worse. ¡°No,¡± Livia said, irritated.


    Oliver took in her expression. ¡°You don¡¯t even like to joke about hating him?¡±


    ¡°Hate is too strong a word,¡± Livia said, glancing in Terrance and Felicity¡¯s direction. She didn¡¯t particularly want other Rattus house members to know how she felt about Arik. She was pretty sure that word would get back to him and she wanted to remain on good terms with his family. His brothers were good friends.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t hate your ex but won¡¯t talk about him?¡± Oliver asked.


    ¡°You realize that¡¯s an extremely personal question?¡± Livia snapped, beyond annoyed.


    Oliver¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I made you angry. Sorry.¡±


    He was still curious. Livia could tell. She opened her water bottle and drank out of it hoping it would make the Caesarean trio get bored and walk away. No dice.


    ¡°Oliver has a twitch show.¡± Livia decided she could deal with them as long as they no longer talked about her. So, she threw Oliver to the wolves. Livia wanted to laugh. Corvin was Lupus so the idiom took on an amusing literal meaning. The situation was dire when you were laughing at your own internal monologue to survive an encounter.


    ¡°A twitch channel,¡± Oliver corrected her terminology.


    ¡°Makes money playing video games,¡± Livia explained.


    Livia genuinely had no idea what other Caesareans would think about this. She was curious to see others'' reactions. Arik and his family liked to play sports. She¡¯d never seen them play video games.


    There was a long silence. Corvin¡¯s face showed an expression for the first time. He tilted his head to the side and pierced her with an intent gaze. Did she interpret that as disappointment? He was so difficult to read.


    Corvin pulled his phone out of his pocket. ¡°Fascinating,¡± he said, toneless. ¡°We don¡¯t have much more time. Let¡¯s see what else they need help with.¡±


    Terrance gave Oliver a thumbs up and a smile. ¡°Good luck with that channel!¡±


    Felicity gave a wave and they followed Corvin back out to the trucks. Livia wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about their reaction. Polite and civil but unwilling to engage. Had she been snubbed? She couldn¡¯t tell and that was frustrating.


    That was how things always went with Corvin though. He was never overtly rude but he wasn¡¯t friendly either. It irritated her more than the people who were outright mean to her. At least she knew she needed to avoid them to protect herself. Corvin¡¯s lukewarm interactions made Livia feel uncertain around him.


    Livia turned to Oliver. ¡°I¡¯m ready to head home.¡±


    Oliver looked disappointed. ¡°They have pizza when they¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°You stay. Enjoy. I need to get some studying done.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± Oliver asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Talk to you in class.¡±

 Chapter 5

    ¡°Did you go to that service project with him?¡± Whitney asked first thing when she walked into the apartment.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia said.


    She squealed. ¡°Annnd?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s nice,¡± Livia said. ¡°But nosy¡­.¡±


    ¡°Nosy? About what?¡± Whitney asked.


    ¡°My ex-boyfriend came up and now he won¡¯t stop talking about him.¡±


    ¡°Uh oh,¡± Whitney said. ¡°He must sense a story there.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I saw some friends from back home too.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice,¡± Whitney said. ¡°How were they?¡±


    Livia shrugged. ¡°Same as always. Nice but kind of fake.¡±


    Whitney pulled a face. ¡°I hate people like that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know what to do. They want to hang out--¡± Livia sighed.


    ¡°Why not try it once? Sometimes when you get people in a different situation they surprise you.¡± Whitney hauled her backpack to her room. ¡°How was Ares?¡± she asked.


    Livia followed her. ¡°No problems. How was home?¡±


    ¡°Good. I missed my mom something crazy. It was nice to be back. My brothers were super excited to see me,¡± she smiled. Then she frowned. ¡°Have...you heard from family yet?¡±


    How did Livia explain? Especially, without revealing anything about Caesarea?


    Honor Pius had come to Caesarea the summer she¡¯d turned eighteen and engaged in a romantic fling with Drusus Fabius--rich, patrician class, influential, talented orator. Then she¡¯d returned home to Italy. She returned a year later with their young son--Livia¡¯s brother Hyrum-- in tow and demanded he marry her, forcing him to break off an engagement with a woman he loved. Their awful marriage had lasted twelve miserable years. Livia knew she shouldn¡¯t blame her mother for the fact that her father was an abusive drunk. That was on him. But she was furious that mom had stayed so long.  Maybe that was unfair, but Livia didn¡¯t care. She¡¯d had to suffer the consequences of her mother¡¯s life choices and that was epically unfair.


    Honor had left Caesarea and refused to ever return after her abusive Aquila house husband--Livia¡¯s father--had been put in prison for life. After that their family had been so poor, their life had been so hard. Her mother hadn¡¯t even told Livia about being Taurus house. She had even forced Hyrum to keep the secret from her and her other brother Lucas, too.


    That meant that Livia¡¯s family was considered Rogue--a status that had made her life very difficult in the past year. People in Caesarea didn¡¯t trust her and so had a very difficult time accepting her. Livia¡¯s relationship with her mother was strained before she¡¯d found out she was Taurus house. Afterward, she couldn''t call it a relationship at all.


    ¡°You know, my mom lives with my stepdad,¡± Livia shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t talk much.¡± She¡¯d let Whitney think her stepdad was the reason why she didn¡¯t talk to her mom. Livia felt guilty about it because Tad was actually a decent man. He¡¯d done right by Livia and her brothers and sometimes she missed him. She missed him more than her own mother. Livia felt the pain flash across her features.


    Whitney¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Seems like a hard situation.¡±


    Livia tried to smile. ¡°I¡¯m close with my brothers Hyrum and Lucas.¡±


    ¡°Did you grow up around here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, we moved all over,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Whitney replied with interest. ¡°Where else have you lived? Where did you live before you came here?¡±


    ¡°I lived with my brother Hyrum and his wife in Montana,¡± Livia answered. ¡°We were all over the place growing up.¡±


    ¡°Like where?¡± she asked.


    Livia hesitated. ¡°We lived in several places in California. Lived in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you moved a lot. For your parents'' work?¡± she asked.


    Livia didn¡¯t actually know. They didn¡¯t technically have to move for work. If she asked her mom now, Livia knew she wouldn¡¯t answer. Mom didn¡¯t like to talk about the past. Livia had been too young to ask why they moved all the time back then. Now, Livia guessed that they moved because Mom hadn¡¯t wanted to be found. Not by Taurus house, nor Aquila house--Dad¡¯s family. She¡¯d gone Rogue.


    Livia shrugged, deliberately not answering. ¡°What about you? Where do you come from?¡±


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    ¡°I grew up an hour away from here,¡± she said. ¡°The first time I came to Cornelia I was in middle school. We were doing a language arts competition. I fell in love with it. When I got accepted it was my childhood dream coming true,¡± she said.


    Livia smiled. It was nice to be reminded that the universe wasn¡¯t always cruel. ¡°Sweet.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± she asked. ¡°Why¡¯d you come here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Friend told me about it,¡± Livia said. This was true. Tavian Hall from Rattus house had mentioned it. Livia had looked it up and decided to apply. Livia made her decision when the school offered a half-tuition scholarship.


    ¡°Tell me about this friend,¡± Whitney said.


    Livia looked at her, startled. What could she say about Tavian? He was Rattus house, which made him an empath, but she couldn¡¯t mention that.


    ¡°He has a twin,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°A boy?¡± Whitney wiggled her eyebrow.


    ¡°No, not like that--¡± Livia said. ¡°He¡¯s only a friend.¡±


    ¡°Ummhmm,¡± she said, teasing. ¡°So this boy has a twin?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Tavian and Adrian.¡±


    ¡°Two boys?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We met in high school. I actually dated their younger brother, Arik. So, they¡¯re good friends. Very close to my other brother, Lucas.¡±


    ¡°So, you just have the two brothers?¡± Whitney asked.


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Livia said. ¡°I have a step-sister. She¡¯s nine months old.¡±


    ¡°Whoa! That¡¯s a gap,¡± Whitney said.


    ¡°Yeah, uh, my Mom almost died,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Is she okay now?¡± Whitney gasped.


    ¡°Better. Not back to how she used to be, but better,¡± Livia said.


    Whitney¡¯s face fell. ¡°Oh, no. That must have been so hard for your family.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°Very.¡±


    Livia had almost gone home to help but Hyrum wouldn¡¯t let her. He¡¯d flown out with his wife Caecilia instead and stayed for eight weeks. That meant Livia had been in Caesarea completely alone. She¡¯d had an internship with TARP--the Trauma and Rescue division of the Caesarean Security Patrol. When the chief director, Justin Aurelius, had become aware of her situation he¡¯d taken her into his home. His wife Flavia was also Taurus house and had treated Livia like family. Livia missed Flavia way more than she thought she would.


    Whitney put her arms around Livia and hugged her. Her roommate pulled away before it registered to Livia to hug back. Livia''s cheeks pinked but Whitney waved it away like it was no big deal. Livia let her embarrassment over her awkwardness fade away. Whitney wasn¡¯t the sort to hold it against her and there was no one she could gossip to about it either.


    ***


    As if Livia¡¯s melancholy over her family situation had summoned Hyrum to the rescue, he called Livia that evening.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from you so I¡¯m assuming the car didn¡¯t break down on you halfway there?¡± he joked.


    Livia scowled. Hyrum had worked hard to convince her to sell her car before she came out to Cornelia Africana. ¡°Still driving,¡± she said.


    ¡°Quin collected cars,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°I inherited four. I use one. Caecilia uses one. The other two sit around in the garage. Take one off my hands, Liv.¡±


    Their uncle Quin, the previous paterfamilias of Taurus house, had passed away almost two years ago now. His death had been the impetus behind Livia¡¯s discovery of Taurus house.


    ¡°I like my car,¡± Livia argued.


    ¡°It broke down on you last month,¡± Hyrum said.


    ¡°But I fixed it. It¡¯s fine,¡± Livia insisted.


    Hyrum sighed. ¡°I¡¯m worried it¡¯s not reliable anymore. You¡¯re too far away for me to help you out there. She¡¯s done good by you, Liv. You made a smart choice, but it¡¯s time to graduate to a new car.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t want to part with her car. She had paid money to fix it last month. It would be fine. She didn¡¯t want to change anything else right now. She had wanted one thing in her life to stay the same. That meant keeping her car. ¡°Hyrum, I¡¯m fine,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Stop being stubborn,¡± Hyrum growled. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a new car. Take it.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Livia refused. ¡°I told you my car is fine.¡±


    There was a tense silence on the line. Livia closed her eyes and waited for Hyrum to erupt into a tirade about how she was ungrateful and childish.


    Instead, he sighed. ¡°Right, you let me know if you need anything. Remember, I had to accept a lot of help from Tad to get through school. He sent me gift cards twice a month to help with groceries and he paid for my gas when I drove home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, Hyrum.¡±


    ¡°I know, but if you ever aren¡¯t--¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you for help,¡± Livia said, annoyed.


    ¡°Good. You like school?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, But...Corvin is here.¡±


    ¡°He is?¡± Hyrum asked.


    ¡°Yeah, and some other Caesarean kids.¡±


    Hyrum laughed. ¡°The tables have turned! Be nicer to them then they were to you.¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Honestly, Liv, a lot of people just need to be taught the right way to help. Imagine if more people in Caesarea knew how to help people that were new. Wouldn¡¯t it be a better place?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Hyrum,¡± Livia agreed, impatient.


    Except, Livia knew that Corvin should know how to be kind. She didn¡¯t understand why his demeanor was so cool around her. Though, she wasn¡¯t warm to him either. She didn¡¯t see that changing any time soon.


    ¡°You feel like I¡¯m lecturing you--¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your default state.¡±


    ¡°Just think about it--¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be nice,¡± Livia said. ¡°But I don¡¯t expect to see them much.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s your roommate?¡± Hyrum asked.


    Livia spent more time on the phone with Hyrum than she expected. She told him all about Ares, her classes, and her roommate Whitney. The sound of his voice was familiar and comforting. The longer they talked the more her melancholy thawed. When she ended the call there was even a grin on her face to match the warmth in her heart.

 Chapter six

    Livia got daring the next morning. She pulled out a beautiful floral dress that she loved but never dared to wear in Caesarea. The sweetheart neckline was a little revealing, but the cap sleeves made the look fairly innocent. The length hit her mid-thigh. It didn¡¯t bother Livia but maybe it looked too short?


    Livia walked over to Whitney¡¯s room and knocked on the door. It opened three seconds later.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Whitney asked.


    ¡°Is this dress too short?¡± Livia asked.


    Whitney looked her over. ¡°No. It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Livia said.


    Now, for phase two of her experiment. Livia wore the dress to class. No one gave her strange looks. No one whispered or giggled behind their hands as she passed. It was amazing. Livia felt a sense of freedom and independence that she hadn¡¯t felt for a long time. Also, validation. Caesareans were crazy. There was nothing wrong with Livia¡¯s clothing style or her strong Taurus house legs.


    ####


    ¡°Come on, Livia!¡± Whitney called, laughter in her voice.


    Livia pulled cookies out of the oven. The process of baking had always soothed her. She liked giving other people food. It was her love language. Whitney had a hard test yesterday and Livia wanted to do something nice for her.


    Whitney had spent the last several hours getting to know the girls across the hall from them. They sat in the hallway laughing and talking. It was pleasant background noise while she was cooking.


    Livia removed the oven mitts and walked out into the hallway. The cookies could wait a bit before going on the cooling racks.


    Livia walked out to see the entire hallway lined with girls. Apparently, more than just the across the hall neighbors were involved. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Whitney giggled. ¡°We¡¯re having a wall sitting contest.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Livia said. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°For fun!¡±


    Livia had to figure out a way out of this. She¡¯d win them all without breaking a sweat. After playacting with Oliver, Livia had her fill of pretending to be someone she wasn¡¯t. Livia had pretended before Caesarea as she moved through society. At that point, she hadn¡¯t actually known about Taurus house so it didn¡¯t feel like a deception. Now that Livia knew, there was no way to escape the guilt for taking unfair advantage or being dishonest.


    Livia waved Whitney off. ¡°You guys have fun. I¡¯ll bring out cookies in five.¡±


    Livia returned to the apartment and put the cookies on a cooling rack and started to clean up the kitchen. She shook off the sadness that overtook her. She didn¡¯t want to join in the competition in the hallway but a sense of isolation overwhelmed her, knocking her breathless.


    Livia would take the cookies out to the girls and she¡¯d feel better. She scooped the cookies off the cooling racks and onto a plate and carried them out to the girls. The satisfaction she usually got from feeding people didn¡¯t erase her sadness.


    The situation made her remember having a pushup contest in the staff room with one of Justin¡¯s officers, a huge Aquila guy named Alexander. He was always razzing her and she¡¯d wanted to stick it to him. She¡¯d won by two pushups after Alexander had collapsed from exhaustion. It had been one of the highlights of her time in Caesarea. It was cathartic to beat him at something but it had been one of the rare times that she¡¯d been completely herself--stubborn, determined, strong, and hellishly tenacious--and then praised and celebrated for it. Why couldn¡¯t Caesarea be like that all the time?


    ###


    Livia expected to see Corvin again by now, but she hadn¡¯t. A full week had passed and each time she left class, she looked for him. Each time she left her dorm room in the morning, she looked for him. Each time she ate at the cafeteria, she looked for him. Another week passed. The novelty of campus life wore off. Livia stopped only looking for Corvin and she started hoping she¡¯d see him. She got on with her roommate and the people in her classes were nice, but she longed to interact with someone who understood the secrets she carried.


    Livia didn¡¯t know what made her do it exactly--curiosity, mistrust, need. She expected her plan to fail. Corvin had probably pretended to be a student and now that he¡¯d gotten the information he needed, he¡¯d gone back to Caesarea. That¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t seen him in the past two weeks. Livia arranged to casually walk past room 315 in the Scipio building at 4:15 on a Monday evening.


    The door was open and she saw Corvin¡¯s face, as he listened to one of his classmates give a presentation. She froze, unable to tear her gaze from his familiar face. He was still here. She didn¡¯t know how long she stood there until one of Corvin¡¯s classmates--a woman--touched his arm and gestured to Livia in the hallway. Corvin looked startled and his gaze fell on Livia.


    Livia unfroze and she ran down the hallway to escape. Corvin came after her, catching her as the elevator opened.


    ¡°Wait!¡± he said. ¡°Livia, hold on.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have bothered you.¡± She walked onto the elevator. She pushed the button to close the doors faster.


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    Corvin hesitated a second. Then he leaped into the elevator before the doors shut.


    ¡°Corvin!¡± she shouted in frustration as the elevator jerked downward. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Now they were trapped here together.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Livia said, pulling herself into the corner of the elevator farthest from him.


    ¡°Livia, look at me,¡± he demanded.


    She looked up into his face and her frustration evaporated into thin air.


    His eyes were piercing, a mix of concern and fear. ¡°Livia, is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she insisted. ¡°Really, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± he asked, studying her face.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here, then?¡±


    There was a heavy silence. Livia struggled to come up with an answer that wouldn¡¯t make her seem pathetic or like a creepy stalker. ¡°I came to see if you¡¯d lied.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± he asked, confused.


    ¡°Being enrolled here. That you actually weren¡¯t here to just...check up on me.¡±


    Corvin sighed.


    The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Corvin didn¡¯t move out of the way. Livia looked past him. ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to talk,¡± he said, firmly.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not,¡± she said.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just run away.¡± He blocked the elevator door from closing on them.


    ¡°I can just shove you,¡± Livia threatened.


    ¡°You can,¡± he said, unafraid. ¡°Or we can just talk.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not an incentive to stay,¡± she said.


    Frustration crossed his features plain as day, then he inhaled and schooled them. ¡°Please, I¡¯m not making an unreasonable request.¡±


    Surprised that he¡¯d shown that much emotion, Livia agreed, ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± he said, as they left the elevator together. ¡°What is going on?¡±


    Livia thought about running. There wasn¡¯t anything keeping her here except her own honesty. Well, also the fact that she liked seeing him. That was a problem, but it was true. She wasn¡¯t planning on spilling her guts to Corvin, but she knew that she could. Being around someone with whom that was possible was like finding an oasis in the desert.


    ¡°So, I guess...the joke is on me. Right?¡± Livia said, rubbing the back of her neck, embarrassed. ¡°Hahaha and all that.¡±


    Corvin didn¡¯t laugh. ¡°Can I do anything for you, Liv?¡±


    ¡°What? No. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m sorry...you should go back to class. Don¡¯t let me bother you.¡±


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re not a bother. I don¡¯t mind seeing you. Next time, let¡¯s do it outside our class time.¡±


    ¡°Right, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    Corvin tore a piece of paper off a flyer that was on a billboard next to the elevator. He took a pen out of his jacket pocket. He spoke as he wrote. ¡°Here¡¯s my personal cell number and my address. Call me. Show up. I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Livia accepted the paper in shock. Shouldn¡¯t he be annoyed and irritated with her? He hardly ever reacted the way she expected. Part of why she could not like him, she tried to remind herself. ¡°Um, I--¡±


    ¡°Text me?¡± he encouraged, touching her arm lightly and looking into her eyes. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be able to get a hold of you that way.¡±


    All the breath fled from Livia¡¯s lungs at his touch. It felt so good. Not in that physical way always described in Romance novels where you got tingles running down your spine. Emotionally, though, it helped. There was a relief from the isolation she¡¯d felt. She didn¡¯t feel so disconnected from the world, from herself. All of him-- his manner, his voice, the way he looked in her eyes--filled a huge crater in her. It scared her but she couldn¡¯t deny that even this short interaction with him was good for her.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he said, softly. ¡°I know I¡¯m a pest for asking again, but you sure everything is alright, Fabulous?¡±


    Livia laughed at the old nickname. ¡°I think...I¡¯m...I must be homesick, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°Is this the first time away from your family?¡±


    ¡°No, I--¡± Livia cut off. She didn¡¯t want to talk about the month she¡¯d been in foster care. She didn¡¯t like the tremor that appeared in her voice when she said, ¡°It¡¯s just good to see someone that knows me¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he said. He gave her arm a brief squeeze and released her.


    Livia was speechless. First, he was offering emotional support? That was new. Second, she was reacting way too strongly to his presence. She needed to cool it. She wasn¡¯t the seventeen-year-old with a crush on the security officer half-a-dozen years older than her anymore. She¡¯d grown past that.


    He gave her a friendly grin. ¡°Come hang with us this weekend?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll come,¡± Livia agreed, immediately. No, you twitterpated girl.


    He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll see you then. Call if you need anything. I¡¯m excited to hear how school is going for you.¡±


    Livia withdrew back behind the walls she¡¯d constructed for herself. She needed to remember that even if she¡¯d seen Corvin was capable of kindness that he was also kind of a jerk. ¡°Go back to class before you miss something important,¡± she said, in full-on scold mode.


    He rolled his eyes and walked away. ¡°See ya, Fabulous.¡±


    ¡°Vale, bird-brain,¡± she called back. It was unimaginative to mock him for the meaning of his name, but Livia had to work with what she had.


    ¡°Ravens are very intelligent, thank you. But you know that better than me, Auspictrix,¡± he said without stopping.


    ¡°You made that word up,¡± she yelled at his back, recognizing that he¡¯d probably called her a bird watcher in Latin. Everyone in Caesarea had learned that about her.


    ¡°On the spot!¡± he called back.


    Usually, these types of arrogant wisecracks irritated Livia but she laughed. Livia told herself to walk away but she watched as Corvin got on the elevator. He turned to face her when he pushed the buttons inside the elevator. Before the door shut he imitated a phone with his hand and put it up to the side of his head.


    ¡°Call me,¡± he mouthed.


    Livia was glad that the elevator door shut before he could see the full flush that heated her cheeks at the reminder to contact him.

 Chapter 7

    The next day, Felicity sent a second friend request on Tabula. Livia hesitated a fraction and then accepted the request. She hoped she didn¡¯t regret this. Not five minutes later she got a direct message inviting her to go on a hike that weekend. Livia wanted to go. She didn¡¯t feel safe hiking alone and she might never find anyone else that wanted to go with her. Oliver wasn¡¯t the type and Whitney was away on the weekends. The weather would be perfect this weekend and with it being fall who knew when it would snow.


    She accepted the invitation. Livia wasn¡¯t a hoping person but she hoped this didn¡¯t turn on her the way everything else in Caesarea did. With her being mocked or scorned or shunned.


    Livia waited at the trailhead prepared with her TARP issue hiking boots--a gift from Justin Aurelius. She¡¯d broken them in on several department training hikes. She smiled. That was a good memory of Caesarea. Livia sighed. She was supposed to stop missing random things about Caesarea by now.


    She checked her pack. It had everything she needed: snacks, water, a rain poncho, sunscreen, and a first aid kit. A black SUV pulled into the lot and parked next to her car. Corvin climbed out and popped open the back. He handed Terrance a small pack, Felicity a small pack, and then grabbed his own, twice as large. Corvin grinned when he saw Livia.


    ¡°G¡¯afternoon, Liv,¡± he said.


    She nodded.


    Terrance sidled up to Livia. ¡°How are you doing?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t invite Oliver?¡± Felicity asked.


    Livia frowned. ¡°Was I supposed to?¡±


    ¡°We assumed you would,¡± Terrance said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d enjoy a hike so I didn¡¯t ask.¡±


    ¡°We decided that even if his job is weird that we like him,¡± Felicity said.


    ¡°You do?¡± Livia asked, confused.


    ¡°Yeah, we chatted him up after you left to go study,¡± Terrance said. ¡°Decent guy.¡±


    Livia agreed. ¡°I thought so too.¡±


    Felicity laughed. ¡°He asked us what happened with Arik.¡±


    Livia rolled her eyes. ¡°Really?¡±


    Terrance teased but gently. ¡°I think Oliver likes you.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just tell him?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain,¡± Livia answered.


    Terrance and Felicity exchanged a look.


    Livia tensed. ¡°What?¡± she snapped.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t realize it was complicated,¡± Terrance shrugged.


    Livia snorted. ¡°Arik say that?¡±


    ¡°He said you were too different,¡± Terrance said.


    ¡°Such bullsh--¡± Livia bit off her curse. She took a breath. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t care anymore. Let¡¯s hike.¡±


    Corvin approached with a map. ¡°Let¡¯s decide which trail to take first.¡±


    Livia¡¯s anger didn¡¯t disappear until they had started on the trail. They selected a trail they thought wouldn¡¯t be too hard. Felicity was nervous because hiking was out of her comfort zone. Corvin had to reassure her as they set out. Terrance took the lead and Felicity slipped in behind him. Livia waited for Corvin to go before her but he stared her down and gestured with a jerk of his chin.


    So, he couldn¡¯t even use words, then? Livia huffed and went in front of him. She wanted to be in the rear so she wasn¡¯t stuck in more conversations about Arik. Thankfully, though, neither Felicity or Terrance brought the topic up. Instead, she listened to them talk about non-civ people they thought were hot in their classes.


    Livia was quickly bored and occupied herself with studying the vegetation and looking for animals. They were being too loud to see anything good but she saw a few birds--a hawk flying overhead, and a couple of sparrows, even a black-billed magpie.


    ¡°Would you make out with Oliver?¡± Felicity asked.


    Livia snapped back into the conversation. ¡°What?¡±


    Okay, she could have not sounded so...offended.


    There was a beat of silence.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t like him?¡± Terrance asked.


    Livia answered. ¡°Look, I told him I wasn¡¯t into dating right now and I meant it. So that¡¯d be kind of cruel if I made out with him.¡±


    ¡°So, say it¡¯s non-committal,¡± Felicity said.


    Livia laughed. ¡°Right. Cause he¡¯d take me seriously after that.¡±


    Corvin chuckled behind her.


    Terrance took that as an opening. ¡°What about you, Cor? Any hot girls catch your eye?¡±


    ¡°Not that I¡¯m willing to talk about,¡± he said.


    ¡°I think if you liked Oliver enough you¡¯d date him,¡± Felicity said looking back at Livia. ¡°You must not click well even if he is a nice guy.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I am not interested in dating.¡±


    ¡°Did you ever get together with anyone after Arik?¡± Terrance asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    He made a thoughtful sound. ¡°Interesting.¡±


    Oh, now she was being analyzed by a Rattus. That was never a good position to be in. Next thing Livia knew he¡¯d either be spewing psychological advice or making drama-filled assumptions to spread to his friends. She almost groaned out loud. Who even knew what type of empath he was? The best defense was an offense.


    ¡°When was your last relationship, Terrance?¡± Livia asked.


    He laughed. ¡°You¡¯re feisty, Liv. I was together with an Aquila house girl until I came out here. We decided to break up instead of doing a long-distance relationship.¡±


    Now Livia felt guilty. ¡°Sorry,¡± she muttered. ¡°That¡¯s no fun.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it was time,¡± Terrance said. ¡°We weren¡¯t going to last. She was Patrician class and even though being related to Corvin raises my status I¡¯m plebeian. Plebeian males never marry Patrician females.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Livia asked.


    Felicity gasped. ¡°You dated Arik. You had to have known that.¡±


    That had been a huge issue in why their relationship ended. Livia was one of the only Patrician class Taurus house members left. The rest of the house were Plebeians. Livia had never grown up with the class distinction and so she¡¯d refused to abide by the rules that made the groups distinct.


    ¡°I disagree with it,¡± Livia said. ¡°It makes no sense. It¡¯s stupid.¡±


    There was silence.


    Felicity asked, ¡°So, you did...break all those rules on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Livia said.


    Terrance sucked air into his cheeks. ¡°Wow. Arik must have been...frustrated.¡±


    Looking back, Livia hadn¡¯t listened to his objections. That would have meant agreeing that they couldn¡¯t be together because of arbitrary societal rules. In Livia¡¯s mind, she had to prove to him she was willing to break the rules. Then, he''d believe they could stay together but Caesarea had won. Arik had abandoned her.


    Except, Livia felt dishonest. She was giving them the impression that she was a rebel instead of an innocent victim of ignorance, but those moments she¡¯d intentionally rebelled were rare. She acted vastly more out of ignorance than outright rebellion. So, she confessed.


    ¡°But...that was only some of the time. Like sitting with Arik when I wasn¡¯t supposed to at parades and things. I knew where I was supposed to sit. But if I had sat where I was supposed to...I...I didn¡¯t know what to do. There were expectations but I don¡¯t know what they were. I still don¡¯t understand all the rules about clothes? I experimented until people stopped reacting to what I wore. Who knows if they just got tired of talking about it or if I did something right¡­¡± Livia laughed.


    Terrance stopped walking. ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine how hard that was for you. People judge patricians so hard in Caesarea.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Arik teach you--¡± Felicity looked offended on Livia¡¯s behalf.


    ¡°There¡¯s too much he wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Corvin said. ¡°He¡¯s plebian and a non-resident. They only visit a few months during the summer.¡±


    ¡°But he knew people who knew,¡± Felicity said.


    ¡°Arik is not well connected enough,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It would have taken the Paterfamilias of Taurus house coming to one of the paterfamiliae of the other houses.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Gaius do that?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Corvin said, frustration laced his tone. ¡°Gaius is not good at communicating. He doesn¡¯t want to be paterfamilias and it shows in everything he does.¡±


    Livia agreed with that. Hyrum tried and picked up a lot of Gaius¡¯ slack but sometimes his hands were tied.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Hyrum tries¡­¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Hyrum has impressed the patrician class, even earned a lot of our respect but he can¡¯t make up for the negligence of his paterfamilias,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia sighed. ¡°Hyrum is a saint. I would have given up a long time ago. Lucas thinks they¡¯ll break him. At first, I didn¡¯t agree. Now, I¡¯m wondering how long it will take to happen. I know that I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re going Rogue?¡± Felicity asked.


    Livia inhaled and thought about how to answer that. ¡°No.¡±  But it wasn¡¯t a strong declaration. It wavered with uncertainty because Livia wondered how much difference there was between going non-resident and going rogue. Did one lead to the other? Arik managed to be non-resident but he had people in Caesarea--cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents. They anchored him there. Livia had some kind co-workers and Hyrum. It hurt not to have a place in the world, to not have a community that would accept her.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only Patrician family left in Taurus house,¡± Terrance said. ¡°If you go¡­¡±


    ¡°The house will fall--¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°But...what does that mean?¡± Felicity asked. ¡°We can¡¯t not have Taurus house--¡±


    There was silence.


    ¡°Corvin?¡± Felicity insisted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said, softly. ¡°We¡¯ve talked about raising a plebeian family. It should be simple to do. But they all refuse. We¡¯ve tried. They¡¯re proud of being plebeian and no one wants to deal with the carnage Orcus and Ancus Pius left in their wake.¡±


    ¡°Butchers,¡± Livia spat with disgust.


    Twenty years ago the Taurus paterfamilias had gone rogue and his younger brother had taken up the reigns of the house. When the elder brother returned, he demanded the position back. The disagreement led to a violent battle that had left Taurus house hollowed out.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t enough suitable patrician men for all my sisters to marry, ¡± Corvin said. ¡°So, it is inevitable in our book that one of them will  marry plebeian.¡±


    Livia stopped mid-step and turned to look at him. He had five sisters. Understandably, that was a  lot of daughters to marry off but was the number of patricians that low? ¡°Are there so few Patricians?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re directly related to most of them,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Which makes a large percentage unsuitable. The patricians of Taurus house slaughtered each other. Hyrum married a plebeian and so did Gaius. Your brother Lucas is the only Taurus patrician left. Rattus house produced more females than males in this generation. Factor in ages, temperament, politics, personality differences and it won¡¯t happen. We¡¯ve been staring down the reality for a  long time.¡±


    Terrance added, ¡°Yeah. When Hyrum married a plebian the Rattus house patrician women were furious. They thought he should feel obligated to look at them first because they have no other choice.¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been on the receiving end of that ire multiple times. It¡¯s pretty much made me swear off dating any of them.¡±


    Terrance laughed at this. ¡°Corvin, more than half of them are already your exes! That ship has sailed.¡±


    ¡°Fine, sworn off dating them again,¡± Corvin insisted.


    Livia stayed silent but she didn¡¯t like the catty Rattus house clique either. She¡¯d started referring to them as the malevolence of maidens to Hyrum. She¡¯d expected to be scolded about that but he¡¯d nodded in silent agreement, even adopted the nickname himself.


    Felicity laughed. ¡°That seems to be your Modus Operandi. You sure you can follow through on that?¡±


    Livia was glad Corvin was behind her and couldn¡¯t see her facial expression. This reputation Corvin had developed was part of the reason her closest Caesarean friend Bella Aurelius wouldn¡¯t stop trying to get back together with him. Bella was Justin¡¯s oldest daughter and she¡¯d been dumped by Corvin for about a month when Livia came to stay with them. Bella was crazy about Corvin and was convinced he¡¯d take her back eventually.


    Corvin had offered to get back together with Bella if she gave up the job that Corvin didn¡¯t like. Livia had been livid when she heard this. No boyfriend had the right to dictate where or how his girlfriend earned a living as long as it was respectable work. Livia had spent many a night talking Bella out of giving up the job that she loved and was good at to win Corvin back. Livia had pointed out how controlling it was that Corvin would even ask that. This was the main reason her opinion of him had fallen to such lows. He shouldn¡¯t need to make his girlfriend economically insecure to enjoy a relationship with her.


    ¡°It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve been with anyone, Felicity,¡± Corvin said. ¡°So, I wouldn¡¯t say my dating life has a modus operandi.¡±


    Livia detected irritation in his voice and her anxiety triggered. Corvin seldom expressed emotion in his voice so he must be upset. She suddenly wasn¡¯t that pleased to have an irate Corvin at her back. Livia knew it was irrational but her mind started to play through escape scenarios. The next time he tilted his arrogant chin at her she was going to ignore him and take the rear position she¡¯d wanted in the first place. Then she wouldn¡¯t be in this ridiculous situation.


    Terrance executed a topic change. ¡°Did you guys hear that the library is extending the hours it¡¯s open?¡±


    ¡°I did hear that,¡± Felicity said. ¡°Are you going to take advantage of being able to go in at 6 am, Corvin?¡±


    Livia felt whiplash at the friendly way Felicity addressed Corvin. It was like she had no concept of the fact that she¡¯d infuriated him three seconds ago.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°I might but I¡¯m pretty sure Terrance won¡¯t.¡±


    Livia frowned. Wait, he was teasing Terrance now? So, he wasn¡¯t angry? Why was Corvin so confusing?


    ¡°No, way. I don¡¯t get out of bed before eight,¡± Terrance said.


    ¡°I will,¡± Felicity confessed. ¡°Mornings are the worst. I get so lonely in my apartment. It will be nice to have a place to go to.¡±


    Livia¡¯s attention focused on Felicity because that sounded like a serious problem. Livia waited for Felicity to elaborate but the conversation moved forward without addressing it. Felicity didn¡¯t seem to mind. It wasn¡¯t like Terrance or Corvin were insensitive; it seemed like they¡¯d already discussed it. Livia felt on the outside of their emotional closeness. The random chatting continued until they reached an overlook on the trail.


    Livia found a place to sit with a nice view away from the others. She let out a sigh of relief and frustration. Maybe Whitney was wrong about this. Things were the same here as in Caesarea. Livia would always be on the outside of a group. A wave of sadness passed through her and instead of shrugging it off, Livia let it pass through her. The fresh air and the quiet space around her allowed her to do that.


    Then Terrance came and sat down next to her. ¡°Hey.¡±


    Livia barely managed to keep from jumping to her feet in surprise.


    ¡°Hey now,¡± Terrance spoke, soothingly. ¡°I''m only here to chat.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± she asked.


    He considered her with concerned eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Livia looked away from him. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You got scared back there,¡± he said.


    Oh no, was he an adnotator like Tavian? Adnotators could perceive other emotions by looking at them. Livia tried to remember if Terrance had looked back at her. Maybe he was an Olfactator--an empath that could sense emotions by smell. Livia had heard fear was an especially potent stench. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°It does matter,¡± Terrance insisted. ¡°What spooked you?¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t know how to answer. Rattus were hard to deal with sometimes. It wasn¡¯t like you could lie and say they misread your reactions and if you did they got offended.


    ¡°I thought Corvin was mad,¡± Livia confessed.


    Terrace¡¯s expression flashed with confusion. ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°About Felicity¡¯s comment¡­¡±


    Terrance looked thoughtful. ¡°Oh, right, he was annoyed. That scared you?¡±


    Livia looked away, trying to indicate she wasn¡¯t interested in elaborating but he waited. Rattus were so irritating.


    ¡°Your silence is saying volumes,¡± Terrance said.


    ¡°Can we not have this conversation, please?¡± Livia snapped. ¡°Some of us aren¡¯t interested in dissecting every single emotion we feel.¡±


    Terrace¡¯s face flashed with hurt. ¡°Some of us would prefer not to experience others'' emotions but we don¡¯t have a choice. So, excuse me for doing the responsible and humane thing by checking in with you.¡±


    Livia sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. She¡¯d insulted him. He made a move to stand. ¡°Wait,¡± Livia said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°What did you mean to do then?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m...afraid of everyone,¡± Livia confessed.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Terrance settled back in. ¡°If we¡¯re going to interact a lot. That¡¯s helpful to know.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I guess.¡±


    ¡°Is there any way we can make things easier on you?¡± Terrance asked.


    Livia met his gaze. ¡°What are you going to do? Rewrite my history?¡±


    Terrance blew his breath out. ¡°I guess that''s fair. But will you give us a chance to get to know you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m doing right now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Livia asked.


    Terrance grinned. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came.¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, Felicity needs people,¡± Terrance looked back at her.


    Livia followed his gaze. Felicity was sitting on a rock above Corvin talking a mile a minute. Corvin sat on his haunches and listened to everything she said. He didn¡¯t seem to be holding any hard feelings from earlier.


    ¡°It¡¯s her first time leaving home,¡± Terrance said. ¡°And she¡¯s alone. She was too afraid to request a non-civ roommate. She¡¯s extremely homesick and Corvin and I spend a lot of time with her but sometimes a woman needs another woman.¡±


    Livia studied Terrance¡¯s face. He had ridiculous purple hair but his concern for Felicity was genuine.


    He turned and caught Livia studying him. He didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by that. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go chat with her a bit? I¡¯ll call Corvin over here and give you some space to get to know each other.¡±


    Livia wanted to, but she hesitated. She couldn¡¯t hide her fear from him. ¡°You sure she¡¯d want to talk to me? People don¡¯t like me--¡±


    Terrance rose to his feet. ¡°Cor, come here, I got a question. I¡¯ll send Liv over to chat Felicity up.¡±


    So, Livia and Corvin traded places, Livia didn¡¯t look at him as they crossed paths.


    Livia sat crossed-legged in the spot Corvin left. ¡°Hey.¡±


    Felicity smiled stiffly. ¡°How are you?¡±


    ¡°Better than I¡¯ve been,¡± Livia said. ¡°You?¡±


    Felicity gave a heavy sigh and toyed with her shoelace. ¡°I miss my family.¡±


    Livia nodded.


    ¡°Do you miss yours?¡± she asked.


    ¡°A little,¡± Livia answered.


    ¡°I miss mine so bad it hurts,¡± Felicity put a hand over her heart. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to make it all semester.¡±


    ¡°Why not visit?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re planning to,¡± she said.


    ¡°When?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Fall Festival,¡± Felicity said. ¡°Will you come back with us?¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I hope you do,¡± Felicity said.


    Livia took a deep breath. ¡°You don¡¯t have a roommate.¡±


    Felicity shook her head sadly. ¡°No.¡±


    Livia smiled. ¡°Well, I met my roommate¡¯s lizard before I met her--¡±


    Felicity gasped. ¡°What?¡±


    So then Livia told her all about Ares. It was becoming her favorite story to tell. Felicity laughed in all the right places. Livia cheered up as Felicity told her about the pets she¡¯d had growing up. It was a nice conversation and Livia was surprised when Terrance and Corvin approached.


    ¡°We should head back down the trail,¡± Corvin said, his eyes lingered on Livia.


    Livia glared at Terrance. What had he told him? Corvin took the lead on the way down and Livia took the rear so she could avoid him. Livia thought she had escaped interacting with Corvin when he interrupted her before she slipped into her car.


    He was alone. Terrance and Felicity were in his car. Livia¡¯s heart rate sped up. Would he be angry with her?


    ¡°Terrance mentioned I offended you?¡±


    Livia snorted. That was the wrong word. ¡°Offended?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s head tilted to the side and his eyes narrowed as if he were trying to sort out a puzzle.


    ¡°What did I do, Liv? You¡¯re angry with me. Let¡¯s work it out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry with you,¡± she snapped.


    ¡°Then why are you acting like it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry. I never told Terrance I was angry. You misunderstood somehow.¡±


    ¡°What did I misunderstand?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I gotta run, Corvin,¡± Livia said, cutting the conversation short. ¡°See you later.¡±


    Livia got in her car and drove away.

 Chapter 8

    Monday morning Livia got an invitation from Felicity again to do ice cream that weekend. Livia sighed and ignored the message as she got ready. Livia made sure she had the right textbook for her class. Then she slung her bag over her shoulder and walked down to campus.


    Oliver waved her over when she walked into the room. Livia went to sit next to him. ¡°How was your weekend?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Funny you ask,¡± he sighed. ¡°I decided to drop out.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You did? Why?¡±


    ¡°I got a sponsor for my channel and I decided to make that my job. All this science...it¡¯s not me.¡±


    ¡°So, I won¡¯t see you?¡± Livia asked, distraught.


    Oliver was surprised. ¡°You¡¯d want to see me?¡±


    Well, that was tricky to answer. ¡°Are you staying around the area?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯d be going back to California, my home state.¡±


    ¡°Right, thanks for being a friend to me,¡± Livia said.


    Oliver looked sad. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to miss me, are you?¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± Livia said. She liked having him as a friend.


    He smiled. ¡°Maybe you can tune into my channel. Call me sometime and let me know what you think?¡±


    ¡°If I ever do, I¡¯ll let you know,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± he said.


    Livia was sad for him. He seemed lonely. ¡°Well, if you ever find yourself back in this area let me know. We¡¯ll hang out.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said. ¡°That means a lot. It will be nice to be back with my family. I miss them.¡±


    Then class started, making it hard for Livia to reply.


    ###


    Livia dithered over getting ice cream with the Caesarea folks for a few days. Then, that feeling returned. The deep loneliness coupled with the need to connect with someone that understood her. So, she wrote back and agreed to meet up with them. Oliver would fly back to California that Saturday and Whitney planned to spend the weekend with family.  Livia didn¡¯t want to be alone the entire weekend.


    Livia could only describe her feelings about the hangout as apprehensive. Why did Corvin have to confront her at the end of the hike? Why did Terrance have to misrepresent her feelings to him? She didn¡¯t imagine it would get better if Corvin knew she¡¯d been afraid of him. She was pretty sure Corvin would be bothered, a lot. He would try to fix it and Livia wasn¡¯t certain she wanted that. The status quo between them was familiar. She was fine with that. It didn¡¯t need to be fixed.


    Livia took a long time getting ready, analyzing every aspect of the way she looked. She ran her mascara wand through her eyelashes one last time. Her anxious brown eyes peered back at her. She attempted to reassure herself. She looked fine. Natural make-up. White shirt, black slacks, dark brown hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. She was probably dressed too formally for an ice cream shop but she¡¯d rather be too formal than the opposite. People from Caesarea needed to see her as competent and put-together. Livia had to prove to them that she wasn¡¯t like her mother.


    Livia hated living in her mother¡¯s incredibly long, drama-filled, shadow. It made her feel like she had to be perfect. That she could never make mistakes. Sighing heavily, she put away her makeup and grabbed her purse. She¡¯d thought about making up an excuse not to show up. Livia picked through her jewelry to delay the inevitable. She caught sight of the ring Gaius, the current paterfamilias of Taurus house, had given her as a high school graduation gift. An ancient seal ring, the golden band held an oval, onyx stone carved with the image of a Raven. Gaius had told her that it belonged to her grandmother and her mother before her and before her as long as anyone could remember. Livia picked the ring up and slid it over her ring finger. She spoke to it, invoking the spirits of her ancestors, people who were strangers but whom she felt connected to anyway. Give me courage.


    It was a silly thing, but she didn¡¯t feel so alone.


    ###


    The ice cream shop was bustling with college kids. She found the three of them sitting in a single booth. The only empty spot was next to Corvin. Livia hesitated.


    Corvin stood when he saw her. ¡°Livia.¡±


    He lowered his chin respectfully. Livia didn¡¯t know if she liked the formal show of respect or not. Sure, it was nice to be acknowledged but it made her acutely aware that he was raised patrician and she most definitely wasn¡¯t. He may as well have erected a wall between them for how estranged it made her feel.


    There was a silence that stretched heavy between them. Terrance and Felicity watched, curious, waiting. Livia got the sense she was supposed to do something specific in return. She looked back at Corvin and cleared her throat.


    ¡°Hi, Corvin, how are you?¡± she attempted.


    A surprised look crossed over Felicity¡¯s face and Livia wondered what she had done wrong. Caesarea folk were way too preoccupied with formalities.


    Corvin wasn¡¯t bothered and turned to Livia and adopted a more relaxed demeanor. ¡°I¡¯m good, Liv. How are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Ratco now that she¡¯s here--¡± Felicity stood. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to chat.¡±


    Everyone murmured in agreement. Terrance and Felicity jetted out of their booth seat. They seemed uncomfortable in the crowded ice cream parlor. Only Corvin remained, as if hesitant to move too quickly. She eased closer to him, needing to ask before she went anywhere.  ¡°Who is Ratco?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the codename for the apartment,¡± he said.


    ¡°What about getting ice cream?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Do you want some?¡± he asked.


    Livia shook her head. None of the rest of the group was getting ice cream. ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay,¡± Corvin offered, brow furrowing.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia¡¯s cheeks turned hot. ¡°That¡¯s nice, but I won¡¯t make the others wait.¡±


    ¡°Another time,¡± he said.


    Corvin gave her the address to a place fifteen minutes away. Livia pulled up to a little townhouse and found a parking spot labeled visitor and pulled in. She thought about driving away and heading home. There was a  high chance that things would only get worse if she went in. She¡¯d committed some kind of blunder when Corvin greeted her. The way Felicity and Terrance had run out of the ice cream parlor made her worry they wanted nothing to do with her.


    Livia brushed her thumb over the ring she wore. She took a deep breath. ¡°Courage.¡±


    She got out of the car and crossed the parking lot, climbed the steps, and knocked on the door. Terrance smiled when he let her in. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting. Come on in.¡±


    The first thing Livia saw when she walked in the door was a guitar. It sat propped on a stand next to a stool. Curious, she stared at it.


    ¡°It¡¯s Corvin¡¯s,¡± Terrance said, waving his hand back toward the couches in the front room. ¡°Come in, sit.¡±


    He seemed way more relaxed and pleased to see her. Livia wondered at the difference. Livia looked where Terrance gestured. Corvin sat in an armchair. Terrance closed the door behind her and sat next to Felicity on the couch. Livia had a choice between taking the third cushion on the couch or sitting on an empty loveseat.  Livia opted to take a seat on the loveseat.


    There was a silent moment.


    ¡°Did...something¡­¡± she looked around at them. She had to gather her courage. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡±


    Corvin shook his head.  ¡°We were the ones that were behaving poorly, expecting you to perform our culture in a public place. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Livia was confused. ¡°That¡¯s why you wanted out of there so fast?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Terrance said. ¡°No, it was just so crowded. As Empaths, that type of environment is difficult to concentrate. Too many emotions.¡±


    Livia decided to be blunt. "Are you an Adnotator?"


    "No, an Olfactator, which is worse in that sort of situation. At least Adnotators can close their eyes to shut the emotions out. I can''t stop smelling."


    Livia looked at Felicity.


    "I''m an Auscultatrix," she admitted.


    Livia''s eyes narrowed. "I haven''t heard that one before."


    "I can hear emotions when people speak," she said.


    Livia asked, expecting a positive answer. "Even when they imitate a happy tone?"


    "Yeah, you can''t hide from an empath," Felicity said.


    "What was Arik?" Terrance inquired. "If you don''t mind us asking--"


    "Gustator," Livia said.


    They both nodded, accepting. Livia wondered if their lack of response should be interpreted negatively. Livia knew Gustators were considered useless in Rattus house. You couldn''t go around casually tasting people. Status was more determined by familial relationships in Caesarea than by ability, but being a Gustator didn''t gain Arik any respect.


    Livia turned her attention to Corvin. "And you...what are you talking about?¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°According to Caesarean custom, You¡¯re supposed to tilt your chin up and say my name to invite me to speak to you.¡±


    Livia could only think of that as bizarre and she was sure it showed in her expression. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Corvin nodded. ¡°If you lower your chin and say ¡®Salve¡¯ that is a dismissal.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t know the person¡¯s name?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°You lift your chin up and say ¡®tell me your name.¡¯¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve been talking to people when they don¡¯t want me to and ignoring those that do invite me to speak with them this entire time?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Patrician thing,¡± Corvin said. ¡°The plebeians don¡¯t stand on formality. With them, you would have been fine as you are.¡±


    ¡°Corvin?¡± Livia couldn¡¯t hide her hurt. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me this ages ago?¡±


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Corvin winced. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t follow the rules on purpose. I only realized you didn¡¯t actually...know. That it wasn¡¯t a deliberate choice.¡±


    ¡°Who would have told me?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Gaius?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Liv,¡± Corvin said, running a hand through his hair. ¡°It has been a hard year. A hard two years. So hard, that Justin forced me into this sabbatical. Part of me wonders if he did it on purpose because he knew you¡¯d be here too.¡±


    ¡°So, he did ask you to watch out for me?¡± she asked.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°No, he wanted to deny that he¡¯d done it on purpose. He didn¡¯t speak a word until I called him to demand answers that first day I saw you on campus.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Livia gasped.


    ¡°He made me apply specifically to this program two days before the deadline. Before, we were negotiating on what my sabbatical would look like. I was going to stay in Caesarea. Then I got accepted and there was no more compromising. He literally kicked me out of Caesarea and said it was for my own good.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, really?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin shrugged as if he didn¡¯t know what was going on either.


    Livia asked, genuinely concerned, ¡°So, what is Justin plotting?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Corvin grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m particularly put out with him right now. Did he force you out here too?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia shook her head. ¡°Tavian Hall recommended the school to me. So, I applied. Justin did write my recommendation letter, though. I told him when I got in.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re here of your own free will at least,¡± Corvin said. ¡°That¡¯s a relief to know.¡±


    ¡°Do you dislike it here?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Corvin winced. ¡°It¡¯s been really good for me.¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°Justin was right?¡±


    ¡°He was so right,¡± Corvin admitted, shaking his head, ruefully.


    ¡°That¡¯s...pretty hilarious,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, everyone else is laughing about it too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re happy,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin asked, ¡°Are you happy, Livia?¡±


    Livia took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s...okay? I¡¯m okay. But it¡¯s not what I expected.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I just thought...it¡¯d be different.¡±


    Corvin frowned, concerned. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°Classes are fine. I like my roommate. No problems.¡±


    ¡°Not even with Oliver?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s left,¡± Livia told her.


    ¡°Oh no, what?¡± Terrance asked.


    ¡°He decided to go back to being a twitch player. He got a sponsor and flew back out to California today.¡±


    ¡°You sad about that?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°A little?¡± Livia admitted but changed the topic. She gestured to Corvin and then Terrance. ¡°How did you end up rooming together?¡±


    Terrance spoke up. ¡°We¡¯re cousins on his maternal side.¡±


    Livia looked at Corvin.


    ¡°My mom is from Rattus house,¡± Corvin explained. He gestured to Terrance ¡°This is our place. We call it Ratco cause he and Felicity are Rattus and well...I¡¯m Corvin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in the dorms,¡± Livia said.


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why did you decide to do that?¡±


    Livia felt her defenses rise at her poorly disguised shock. ¡°They¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°I mean...that must be hard¡­¡± Felicity stammered.


    ¡°They¡¯re fine.¡± Livia glared. She¡¯d had enough of Caesarea¡¯s inside vs outside and civ vs non-civ to last an entire lifetime.


    Felicity coughed awkwardly to break the tension. ¡°We find it hard cause their out--¡±


    Livia¡¯s interrupted. ¡°They¡¯re normal people.¡±


    Felicity flexed her wrist in an exaggerated circle. ¡°Exactly, so you have to hide who you are all the time. Doesn¡¯t that bother you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how I grew up,¡± Livia said, realizing as she said it how it would sound to them.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re okay with that?¡± Felicity asked, surprised. ¡°You seemed to not enjoy that whole charade with Oliver at the school.¡±


    ¡°I...that¡¯s...that¡¯s the way it is--¡± Livia said, flustered. She had thought it would be easier. However, Livia was realizing her emotions weren¡¯t as straightforward as she¡¯d expected. Caesarea had changed her. She thought getting away, distance, was what she needed. She was starting to wonder if she was wrong.


    ¡°We don¡¯t consider that very healthy,¡± Felicity said.


    Well, this conversation had turned on Livia rather swiftly. She didn¡¯t know what to say to that. Everything she¡¯d say would probably make them flag her for mental illness but Livia had lived a difficult life. Having healthy options was a hell of a privilege. She didn¡¯t even think like that. If there was food on the table, you didn¡¯t ask questions--you ate it. If you were sick, you ignored it--unless you were about to die.


    ¡°You¡¯re always welcome here,¡± Corvin said, firmly. ¡°You¡¯ll usually find at least one of us at home.¡±


    Terrance crossed his ankle over his knee. ¡°No big deal.¡±


    The show of support touched Livia. She tried to hide it. She brushed her nose and looked at the ground. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask to room with someone?¡± Felicity asked. ¡°I mean, we could have gotten a place together if you¡¯d posted on the board.¡±


    Livia had known about the board. Tavian had told her about it. Just like he¡¯d been the one to mention Cornelia Africana University. It was known in Rattus house as a good place for people from Caesarea to go to college, with its little classically inspired campus and strong humanities emphasis.


    ¡°I wanted to feel normal,¡± Livia said. ¡°Like a normal college freshman.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re different from them,¡± Felicity said, confused.


    Livia realized Felicity¡¯s conception of normal was likely different than hers. She experienced a sense of sharp disorientation as she realized her default definition of normal was shaped by non-civ culture and not by Caesarean expectations. A deep discomfort overwhelmed her as she wondered if she was doing everything all wrong.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Livia said sharply, trying to shake off the sensation.


    ¡°But it does,¡± Felicity said with exasperation.


    ¡°Stop being so obsessed with how people are different!¡± Livia stood, an ache tightened her throat. ¡°I won¡¯t listen to it anymore.¡±


    ¡°Livia may feel more at home in their culture than she feels in our culture,¡± Corvin broke in smoothly. ¡°It¡¯s what she is used to.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s being unfair,¡± Felicity said. Her eyes shone with a wet sheen.


    Had Livia made her cry? Livia tried to figure out if she was close to crying. Was Felicity picking up Livia''s emotions? Or had Livia genuinely hurt her? Did Livia need to apologize? Rattus were so complicated.


    ¡°Maybe, but getting upset over it will only make the situation worse,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯s okay for two people to feel differently about the same situation.¡±


    Felicity huffed and looked away.


    Terrance interrupted the spat. ¡°Tell us about your classes, Liv. May I call you that? Liv?¡±


    Livia''s hesitated. Unsure of how to fix things. She looked between Terrance and Felicity several times before answering, ¡°Livia. Liv. I don¡¯t care."


    Felicity turned toward her, conciliatory. ¡°You like your classes? Are they difficult?¡±


    Livia stared at her, annoyed that she appeared so calm. Livia¡¯s heart was still pumping heat through her veins. She kept her words as short as possible to avoid hurting Felicity again. ¡°Not too difficult.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, piece of cake after Caesarea Academy, right?¡± Terrance joked.


    Everyone laughed, except Livia. She¡¯d already graduated from high school when she came to Caesarea. So she¡¯d never attended Caesarea Academy but rumors about its academic rigor were legendary.


    ¡°How many credits are you taking?¡± Felicity asked.


    Livia studied Felicity, surprised at her persistence to continue the conversation. The joke about Caesarea Academy didn¡¯t land right but they were still trying. She deliberately took a deep breath before she spoke again.  Livia¡¯s tension eased a tad and she realized how tense she¡¯d gotten.  ¡°Fifteen.¡±


    Livia sat back down. Tentatively, they all exchanged information about how their schedules looked. Most of Corvin¡¯s classes were late afternoon and early evening. The mornings he spent studying and working out. He ran two miles and did weights in the basement of the townhouse. He still had to maintain department physical fitness standards to transfer over to the academy.


    They chatted for over an hour without any more disagreements. They decided to order pizza and keep talking.


    Felicity turned to Corvin now the atmosphere was relaxed. ¡°Um, Corvin, I need help with something--¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m signed up for the wrong section of math. So, now I need to drop it and add a new one. They¡¯re making me submit a form instead of doing it online since it¡¯s two weeks into the semester. The online registration closes down after a certain date.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°So, who do I turn the form into?¡±


    Livia laughed. Not because she thought Felicity was stupid for asking the question but because she¡¯d made the same mistake in Caesarea only in reverse. The forum was a small enclosed place, built underground to hide its existence. Overcrowding could be dangerous so lines were discouraged. That meant most paperwork was handled by Patrons who submitted it on behalf of people to keep public spaces clear. Terrance and Felicity exchanged a look over her laughter--shared disapproval.


    Corvin frowned at Livia. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Felicity. I¡¯d have to look it up.¡±


    ¡°You have to turn it in yourself,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I do?¡± she asked, surprised.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia nodded. ¡°Probably in the administration building. You¡¯ll have to stand in line.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it is done out here,¡± Livia said. ¡°When I got to Caesarea people got mad at me because I kept showing up to submit forms and papers instead of sending them to my Patron. It was awful the first month. I didn¡¯t understand why it didn¡¯t work the way it was supposed to.¡±


    ¡°Supposed to¡­¡± Felicity said.


    ¡°Of course you would manage your own paperwork,¡± Livia said. ¡°Why would you trust someone else too?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s chin drew in. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t even bother you does it?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Which part?¡± she asked, eyes looking troubled.


    ¡°Trusting people to deal with your papers,¡± Livia said. ¡°Out here, all these people are strangers. You don¡¯t know them. It¡¯s dangerous for them to have access to your personal information. They can steal your identity.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she asked in disbelief. ¡°How can anyone steal your identity? Everyone knows¡­¡± she stopped. ¡°No one knows me.¡±


    She put her hand on her chest and a look of panic filled her face. Crap, Livia hadn¡¯t meant to scare her.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s fine,¡± Livia said. ¡°Most people are indifferent. They don¡¯t care about you enough to notice you.¡±


    This didn¡¯t comfort her. It made it worse.


    Livia opened her mouth to try and fix it again.


    Corvin held up a hand. ¡°Liv, stop. You¡¯re making it worse.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help.¡±


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s not working. Let me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Felicity, what can we do for you right now?¡± Corvin asked, kindly.


    She shook her head.


    ¡°Can you tell us what you¡¯re thinking?¡± he asked.


    She shook her head again.


    ¡°Have you trusted anyone with papers or personal information here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No,¡± her voice came out quietly. ¡°But...I didn¡¯t believe people when they said...people from Caesarea get tricked out here.¡±


    ¡°But what Livia said made you realize you could?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said. ¡°What if she hadn¡¯t said anything?¡±


    Corvin spoke gently. ¡°But she did and you did the exact right thing by asking questions.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s face softened. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°We care about you,¡± Corvin said. ¡°We¡¯re here. Livia, Terrance, and Me. If you need anything we can help.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it¡¯d be so hard,¡± Felicity¡¯s eyes filled with tears and she cast a look at Livia. Understanding dawned at that moment. Felicity was so focused on the differences between being civ and non-civ because things were hard for her right now. Livia shutting her down earlier made it impossible for her to talk about what she was struggling with. Struck with guilt Livia made an offer.


    ¡°We get out of class about the same time Monday morning,¡± Livia said. ¡°I can walk with you to the admin building. Stand in line next to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡± Felicity asked.


    Livia nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± she said.


    Livia shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s hard to get used to a new place.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s tears overflowed.


    Livia¡¯s guilt quadrupled. She cleared her throat. ¡°I was unfair...earlier.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you get used to Caesarea?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Livia said. ¡°I¡¯ve moved a lot. Adapted to a lot of places growing up. But Caesarea was...hard.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you going to go back?¡±


    Livia hesitated. She thought about being honest. Thought about lying. Thought about her mom. Thought about her brother Hyrum. ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure that out right now.¡±


    ¡°Will you go rogue?¡± she asked, horrified.


    Livia sighed. This was the second time Felicity had asked her the question. ¡°That¡¯s...I know that¡¯s what my mom did. But that¡¯d mean being estranged from Hyrum. I won¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°So, how¡¯d you live there if you hated it?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°You hate it here?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Well, do you like it?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°This is a good place,¡± Livia assured her. ¡°It¡¯s a lot safer than lots of the places I¡¯ve lived. It¡¯s beautiful and clean and close to nature. Like Caesarea, it¡¯s also very close to nature.¡±


    ¡°I never thought of that,¡± Terrance said. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question. How¡¯d you deal with living in Caesarea, if you hated it?¡± Felicity insisted.


    Livia folded her arms across her stomach.  ¡°I don¡¯t think my answers are going to be your answers, Felicity.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well,¡± Livia hesitated. ¡°Have you ever starved? It was better than starving--¡±


    Felicity blinked. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Livia looked at the ground. ¡°It was better than a lot of things¡­¡±


    Livia knew that they all knew her family history. It had come up more than once during Hyrum¡¯s political fights with the senate.


    ¡°I see,¡± Felicity breathed.


    ¡°This is a good place,¡± Livia said, earnestly.


    Felicity nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Livia said, ¡°Every day will be different. It¡¯ll be hard, but good stuff happens along with the bad stuff, usually. That helps.¡±


    Felicity laughed. ¡°You¡¯re tough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Taurus,¡± Livia grinned. It felt good to say it. To own it. Happiness skittered along her skin.


    ###


    The pizza had arrived. Livia moved with Terrance into the kitchen. Felicity and Corvin lingered behind. She could hear Corvin¡¯s calm voice offering comfort and advice. Livia loaded a paper plate up with Pizza.


    Felicity decided not to stay to eat and left the house. Livia tensed, looking between her plate and the door. Should she leave too? Now that her plate was full of food, it¡¯d be weird to walk out. Corvin came into the kitchen. ¡°Everything alright, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Um, we were invited to eat pizza right?¡± she asked in a small voice.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°Please, stay, I got too much for just the two of us.¡±


    Livia looked at Terrance with mischief in her smile. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you could handle it.¡±


    Terrance laughed. Corvin smiled.


    Terrance said, ¡°Stay, Liv. It¡¯s nice to have a new face around.¡±


    ¡°We have the same conversations over and over,¡± Corvin said.


    The two of them caveman grunted a conversation about doing chores that made Livia laugh so hard her eyes teared up.


    Corvin got himself a plateful of pizza, standing next to Livia at the bar. ¡°Liv, if I may ask a personal question.¡±


    Having him so near made her nervous. She didn¡¯t know why, but her heart started pounding.


    ¡°What question?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Are you engaged?¡±


    She flinched. ¡°What? What made you ask that?¡±


    ¡°I was wondering the same thing,¡± Terrance said.


    She looked at him bewildered.


    ¡°You¡¯re wearing a ring,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Oh, oh,¡± Livia pulled the ring off and put it on the counter in front of her as if it had burned her. ¡°No.¡±


    There was silence. Livia explained. ¡°It was a graduation gift from Gaius.¡±


    ¡°May I see it?¡± asked Corvin.


    Livia nodded, her throat tight with anxiety.


    Corvin plucked the ring up from the counter and inspected it. ¡°Beautiful,¡± he said, quietly. He turned a wry gaze on her. ¡°It¡¯s a Raven.¡±


    Heat rushed to Livia¡¯s cheeks. She didn¡¯t want to admit that was part of the reason she¡¯d chosen it. The cool, black stone and the engraved image had appealed to the bird-watcher in her. She tried to shrug like it was nothing. ¡°Gaius said it belonged to my grandmother and her mother and her mother as far back as people can remember,¡± Livia explained.


    He turned to her. ¡°The safest place for it is on your finger.¡±


    Corvin pulled her hand into his palm and then slid the ring back onto her finger. Livia froze and stopped breathing, as warmth spread in her chest, and a whisper of a pleasant tingle traveled up her arm at his touch.


    Livia jerked her hand from his. ¡°That¡¯s kind.¡± her voice was short, cold. She tried again. ¡°Of you to say...nice...I--¡± Thirty seconds ago she knew how to thank someone properly.


    ¡°Are you trying to say thank you?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, if...I made you uncomfortable?¡± he said.


    Livia took a deep breath, hating how vulnerable and shaken she felt because of the attraction he''d provoked. Inhaling with him so close was a mistake. It was impossible to ignore his scent. Clean laundry. The smell immediately took Livia back to their first meeting.


    ¡°You smell,¡± Livia commented, her mind in another place.


    ¡°I do?¡± Corvin asked, easing back.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same smell from the night we met--¡±


    Corvin stopped moving backward and tilted his head to the side. ¡°Does that bother you, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°You kept me safe but--¡±


    ¡°You were hurt,¡± he said. ¡°Does it upset you to remember?¡±


    Livia closed her eyes and shook her head. She stepped back from him. ¡°I¡¯m alright now.¡±


    To prove her point she took a big bite of her pizza. Corvin continued to watch her. ¡°We can talk about it,¡± he said.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Livia took another bite.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re eating,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s a sign you¡¯re not too upset.¡±


    Livia remembered being unable to eat the night they first met. Not until after midnight when he¡¯d offered her dark chocolate that Arik had told him was her favorite. Then he¡¯d sat with her through the entire night, as she had awful nightmares. He hadn¡¯t complained when her terror had made her cling to him. When she¡¯d pressed her face into his back and flung her arms over his shoulders he remained still as a rock and let her hold him.


    Suddenly, Livia wanted to cry. That Corvin was different from the Corvin she¡¯d met in Caesarea. She missed that Corvin. She sometimes wondered if she¡¯d imagined him, and that hurt her heart.


    Terrance had stilled and watched them with concern on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she told him. But her appetite had disappeared. She took a bite and couldn¡¯t swallow it. She grabbed a napkin and spat into it.


    ¡°Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Why don¡¯t--¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go,¡± Livia flashed a smile. ¡°Nice night. Thanks for the invite.¡±


    Then she fled. She grabbed her purse, pulled out her keys, and slipped out the front door.

 Chapter 9

    Livia met Felicity at the student center after lunch. Felicity looked right past Livia. Livia had to wave and call out her name before Felicity recognized her. She looked startled and walked toward her.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you dressed so casual,¡± she said, embarrassed.


    Too late, Livia realized she hadn¡¯t even thought about dressing up. Something she never neglected to do in Caesarea. She was in jeans, a battered tee, and a pair of flimsy sneakers.


    ¡°Oh, um,¡± Livia didn¡¯t know how to respond. Saying I forgot I needed to impress you would probably backfire on her.


    ¡°Patricians never wear sneakers,¡± Felicity said. ¡°Did you know that?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Livia had adapted to wearing only ballet flats in Caesarea, though.


    ¡°Most girls wear heels,¡± Felicity said. ¡°It¡¯s a big deal you only wear flats.¡±


    Livia had noticed but she¡¯d always worked on her feet and didn¡¯t own a pair. Not only were heels expensive but they were the least useful shoe in existence. She wasn¡¯t about to parade around in a product that was a waste of her hard-earned money.


    ¡°I hate heels,¡± Livia said.


    Felicity smiled.¡±Well, the Lupus house females were fans. They stopped wearing heels all summer long. It was their way of showing support after that breakup with Arik.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡±


    Felicity nodded. ¡°I had this  whole talk with Corvin after the hike about how not knowing how the patricians communicate via fashion probably meant you missed all their shows of support.¡±


    ¡°They supported me?¡± Livia hated the emotion that crept into her voice. She cleared her throat and shook her head. Though, the ritual was useless with an empath. Livia sighed.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t notice,¡± Felicity confirmed.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Felicity looked sad. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you felt so alone.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Livia nodded. She could tell Felicity was absorbing her emotions and she didn''t want that. She decided to change the subject.


    Livia pointed. ¡°Now, the admin building is right over there. Do you have your papers?¡±


    Felicity nodded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They wandered around in the building a bit before they found the office they needed in the basement. Felicity looked around the corners with trepidation. ¡°There¡¯s no security,¡± she said, concerned.


    ¡°There doesn¡¯t need to be,¡± Livia said. ¡°I was freaked out for weeks in Caesarea because there are so many guards everywhere. Constantly felt like I was in danger.¡±


    ¡°But the guards keep you safe,¡± Felicity said.


    ¡°There are no guards out here unless there is a reason for them,¡± Livia said. ¡°No guards, safe place.¡±


    ¡°But...guards prevent bad stuff from happening. It¡¯s better to be safe and have them there than be sorry. Also, cause Taurus have super strength and Aquila super speed, way more can go wrong faster,¡± Felicity argued.


    Livia nodded. ¡°Yeah, but it took me a while to figure out that basic assumptions about security are different in Caesarea. Justin and I had this epic talk about it when I started to refuse to leave the house. He didn¡¯t understand why I felt unsafe when there were security personnel around all the time.¡±


    ¡°But...I feel unsafe cause there are no guards anywhere,¡± Felicity said.


    Livia nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re from Caesarea, yeah, it¡¯d feel weird. But I didn¡¯t grow up there so it was a shift in mindset, definitely.¡±


    Felicity sighed. ¡°Do you like it better without the guards?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Livia said. ¡°I can relax out here. Sort of¡­¡±


    ¡°Sort of?¡± Felicity asked.


    They waited in line and Livia looked around. ¡°There was a freedom in everyone knowing my House. Here, I have to  hide it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Felicity said. ¡°That is harder than I expected too. I was warned and everything but--¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Livia agreed.


    They smiled at each other. They didn¡¯t have to say anything else. It was nice for both of them to be around someone who understood. Felicity finished her business and they left the building together.


    ¡°Are you coming to Ratco again this Saturday?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°Probably,¡± Livia said. Though, she thought about not going to avoid Corvin. She was still mortified over how she¡¯d left last Saturday. She dreaded seeing him.


    ¡°Good,¡± Felicity said relieved. ¡°I like Corvin and Terrance but it is nice to have another girl around.¡±


    ¡°They get into locker room talk?¡± Livia asked.


    Felicity looked surprised. ¡°No, nothing like that. Corvin would shut that down so fast.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°Then what¡¯s wrong with them?¡±


    Felicity sighed. ¡°They¡¯re so...they¡¯re family. So, I don¡¯t feel like I belong there. Like I¡¯m a third wheel. But if you¡¯re there I don¡¯t feel so...different.¡±


    ¡°Like an outsider?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Felicity said. ¡°And I feel like that all the time here--¡±


    ¡°I know how that feels,¡± Livia said.


    Felicity looked at her surprised. ¡°You do, huh? I¡¯m so sorry. I wish I¡¯d done more to help people that were new to Caesarea now. This feeling is awful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come,¡± Livia promised her.


    The rest of Livia¡¯s week flew by faster than she expected. Then Thursday night Corvin texted her. She hadn¡¯t known he had her number this entire time.


    He wrote: Liv, you busy tomorrow night?


    Her: Why?


    If he asked her on a date...that¡¯d be¡­a no.


    Corvin: I need help.


    Livia: With what?


    Corvin: Our fridge is broken and I need to move it to fix it.


    Livia: You need help fixing your fridge?


    Corvin: Yes.


    Well, she didn¡¯t expect this but part of her liked being able to make her awkwardness up to him. Also, it¡¯d be a trial run to see if she could do Saturday or not. So she agreed.


    Corvin answered the door. Livia¡¯s gut lurched when she saw his face. She took a step back and was going to run away. Then Corvin smiled.


    It was the smile she remembered pre-Caesarea. There was something open in his face, his eyes, that drew her in. ¡°Corvin?¡± she asked, stupidly.


    ¡°Come on in, Liv,¡± he said.


    There was an inflection in his voice. That was different.


    Livia walked through the front door. She debated on saying something. Then decided to keep her mouth shut. She was here to make up for telling him he smelled and then running away.


    Livia followed Corvin into the kitchen. There was a laptop with youtube videos pulled up on it, the owner¡¯s manual, a handful of tools, a notebook full of notes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Our ice maker isn¡¯t working,¡± he said, turning to face her. A lush black curl hung across his eyebrow, not quite in his eye but close enough that Livia wanted to brush it back. Her hand clenched into a fist.


    No. Livia scolded herself not to think like that


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to call someone to fix it?¡± she eyed him. He was rich enough to do that.


    ¡°I want to try it this way first,¡± he said. ¡°I need to get to the back of it to check the lines¡­¡±


    Livia looked around, mostly to escape his direct gaze. It was giving her butterflies. ¡°Where¡¯s Terrance?¡±


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    ¡°He¡¯s taking a nap. Class was rough on him today.¡±


    ¡°Is he okay?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯s an empath hangover. He¡¯ll recover after some alone time.¡±


    ¡°Something went wrong?¡± Livia asked, tentatively.


    ¡°They were doing group presentations in front of the class,¡± Corvin explained.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Livia immediately understood. Speaking in front of people terrified her too.


    Livia and Corvin worked together to pull the fridge out from the wall. Her Taurus strength made the work smooth and easy. She tensed when Corvin sidled next to her, but she noticed that he smelled different. A sharp lemon scent and lavender. She studied him, puzzled.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Livia hesitated to bring it up. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Do I smell different?¡± he teased.


    Livia¡¯s face flamed red. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°I hoped the change would help?¡±


    It was weird, but it did. Also, what a thoughtful thing to do. Livia turned away from him as her attraction to him flared. ¡°Whatever. There¡¯s enough space for one of us to go back there. Is it going to be me or you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± he said.


    Corvin slid behind the fridge and fiddled around for a bit. ¡°It looks like the hose is fine. That¡¯s not the problem.¡±


    After a great deal more muttering and puttering around Corvin determined that they needed to replace the condenser motor. He slid out from behind the fridge and strode over to the laptop. He typed and scrolled silently until he found the information he needed.


    ¡°Okay, they have the part in stock at the hardware store on main. You up for coming along?¡± He closed the laptop and looked at her.


    Livia nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    They hopped in the car together. They had pulled out of the lot and stopped at a light before it hit her. Livia was completely alone with Corvin. A heaviness settled in Livia¡¯s stomach, it wasn¡¯t fear of him exactly. She was afraid that she was doing the wrong thing.


    ¡°You okay, Liv?¡± Corvin asked, softly.


    She didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Liv,¡± Corvin said with an edge to his tone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°This has never happened,¡± she squeaked.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked.


    She gestured between them. ¡°We¡¯re...we¡¯re alone.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been alone for over an hour. Are you scared I¡¯m not taking you where I said I would?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m scared Justin is going to find out,¡± Livia said, on a panicked inhale.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Liv, he¡¯s not our boss out here.¡±


    ¡°Right, he can¡¯t fire me,¡± Livia said, exhaling.


    ¡°No, he can¡¯t,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Because you don¡¯t even work for him anymore.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not...you¡¯re not my supervisor.¡±


    ¡°I never was really--¡± Corvin said, confused.


    ¡°But you had rank,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°True,¡± Corvin said. ¡°But all those ranks and responsibilities I had in Caesarea mean nothing out here.¡±


    Livia¡¯s heart rate slowed. ¡°Right. You¡¯re just Corvin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just Corvin,¡± he said.


    Livia honestly didn¡¯t know what just Corvin was like.


    ¡°I¡¯m just Livia,¡± she said.


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Corvin quipped.


    But the joke felt appropriate. It did feel a little like they were meeting for the first time.  She laughed.


    ¡°We¡¯re okay,¡± Corvin reassured her. ¡°No one is getting fired for picking up a refrigerator part, okay?¡±


    Livia nodded, relaxing into her seat.


    ¡°How about music?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Please,¡± Livia agreed.


    Corvin looked over at her. ¡°What do you want to listen to?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Your car, you choose.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s folksy country stuff--¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Livia said. ¡°It¡¯ll be interesting to listen to something new.¡±


    Corvin turned the music on and turned it up. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Give me a minute.¡± Livia gave him a hesitant look.


    ¡°What?¡±


    She was nervous to let down her guard around him. ¡°I¡¯m going to listen.¡±


    ¡°Go for it,¡± Corvin said, looking the other way so he could check for a car before he turned right.


    Livia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She relaxed into her seat and tried not to think of anything but the music. Corvin remained quiet. That was nice. Arik always talked when she tried to listen. To him, music was only noise.


    It took a while for Livia to relax enough to feel the music and she decided she liked the way it danced inside her head. Slow, yet still upbeat. The music was light and happy, not the usual dark and heavy stuff that dominated Livia¡¯s playlist. She opened her eyes.


    Corvin was looking ahead to adjust for traffic so he could turn into the parking lot of the hardware store.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice,¡± Livia said. ¡°Not my usual, but refreshing.¡±


    Corvin grinned. ¡°Glad you were willing to give it a chance, Liv. What¡¯s your usual?¡±


    ''Just'' Corvin smiled a lot more than Caesarea Corvin and he also was way less tense. His voice was less clipped and more mellow. The change was interesting. While they wandered through the store Livia and Corvin had a detailed conversation about their music preferences. She enjoyed their conversation but wondered the entire time why it had taken them an entire year to have it. The longer they talked, the more apparent it became that they both had a voracious appetite for music. Corvin knew most of the bands she named, even some of the more obscure ones. When she challenged him he¡¯d quote a lyric or hum a few bars. He was like a musical encyclopedia.


    ¡°How do you know all this?¡± she demanded on the way home.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lupus, Liv,¡± he said. ¡°I remember things. Also, I really like music.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± she confessed. ¡°It...comforts me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded. ¡°Music is good for that.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes...it¡¯s the only thing that does,¡± she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you have something that does that for you,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia looked out the window, feeling vulnerable at having confessed something so personal to him. She waited for him to make himself vulnerable as well, to show her that her emotional risk was reciprocal but he didn¡¯t say anything else. The sting bit deeper the longer the silence went on.


    Livia was glad when she was able to escape the car. She wanted this whole thing to be over. She felt embarrassed for having confided even the least bit in Corvin. He was only interested in being polite to her. She shouldn¡¯t have opened herself up to him. She needed to remember that he wasn¡¯t supportive of Bella so it was likely he¡¯d treat her the same way. Pursuing her attraction to Corvin Tullius would be an epic mistake. She couldn¡¯t forget that.


    Corvin put the part on the counter and pulled up a video about changing the condenser motor on his computer. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be too hard, Liv.¡±


    She nodded, not speaking.


    They watched the video together. Corvin took the condenser motor out of its package. ¡°Let¡¯s give this a whirl, huh?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Can I get you anything, Liv? We have some drinks in the fridge. Dr. Pepper? Coke?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No,¡± she said, a touch too sharp.


    Corvin hesitated a fraction, eyes searching her face. Then pulled out a coke from the fridge and opened it and took a drink. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal if you want one.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Livia said again.


    His eyes narrowed the slightest bit but he screwed the cap back on his drink and slipped behind the fridge with the motor in hand.


    ¡°Corvin,¡± Livia said sharply. ¡°Unplug the fridge!¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± his voice muffled behind the fridge. ¡°Thanks, Liv!¡±


    The whirring of the fridge silenced. Livia rolled her eyes. Good thing she was here to keep him from electrocuting himself.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s it,¡± he said, several moments later.


    ¡°Great,¡± Livia said, relieved she could be done being around him now.


    The whirring of the fridge started again. ¡°Let¡¯s push this fridge back into place.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Livia agreed.


    They pushed together. After a few slight adjustments, the fridge was black in place.


    ¡°Thank you, Liv,¡± Corvin said, sincerely.  ¡°I appreciate your help.¡±


    She nodded and grabbed her purse and keys from the counter.


    ¡°Will I see you tomorrow?¡± he asked, trying to catch her gaze.


    She shrugged, refusing to look at him.  ¡°Maybe. I might need to study.¡±


    ¡°Is everything...alright?¡± he asked, stepping closer.


    Livia drew back one step for each one he advanced. Corvin stopped. ¡°Liv--¡±


    ¡°See you, Corvin,¡± she said.


    ¡°Liv? What did I do?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she said.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Tell me why you¡¯re upset with me.¡±


    Livia turned and strode toward the front door. Corvin¡¯s hand pressed against the door as she turned the knob. Livia wanted to jerk it open and send him sprawling, heavens knew she could, but she¡¯d spent her entire life being careful about giving into such petty feelings. It was easier to school her impulses than it was to give into them.


    ¡°Corvin,¡± Livia ground out. ¡°Stop putting yourself in this situation.¡±


    ¡°What situation?¡± he asked.


    Livia jerked the door open easily, but it was a slow, controlled movement, not an impulsive angry one. ¡°The one where I have to show you that you can¡¯t stand in my way.¡±


    She slipped out the door without further fuss and pulled it shut behind her. She could feel him tug on it from the inside. She held it closed until he gave up. Then released the door and walked toward her car. Corvin opened the door when she was halfway to her car. He stood there, watching her.


    It shouldn¡¯t satisfy her so much to see the anger etched into his expression. ¡°Livia,¡± he snapped. ¡°If you¡¯re angry at me for some reason just tell me, don¡¯t play these stupid games.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to trap me ever again, Corvin Tullius. I can¡¯t promise the third time that I¡¯ll choose to control my temper.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t trap--¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡± Livia demanded.


    He took a deep breath. ¡°Okay, I didn¡¯t want you to run away like you did last time. I don¡¯t like it that I make you feel that way. Tell me what I can do to change that, Livia.¡±


    He seemed genuinely upset and Livia felt vindicated. She¡¯d showed emotion, he¡¯d showed emotion. It felt equal. Satisfying. It also felt childish and ridiculous. Was she in elementary school?


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to tell you what to do,¡± she said.


    He looked frustrated. ¡°You just did. Rule one: Don¡¯t trap you.¡±


    ¡°I like that rule,¡± Livia smiled.


    Corvin sighed but a corner of his mouth turned up. ¡°What else did I do to make you angry?¡±


    Her smiled disappeared. ¡°I wasn¡¯t angry.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s expression fell. ¡°I hurt you.¡±


    Livia was frustrated because she could feel her expression betraying the truth of his words. She didn¡¯t want that. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this, Corvin,¡± she snapped and stomped to her car.


    He didn¡¯t move. Didn¡¯t try to stop her or call her back.


    Livia opened the door, started the engine, and pulled away. She didn¡¯t like the fact that this was the third time she¡¯d run away from him this way. Why did she get so irrational when she was around him? So, he didn¡¯t respond to her emotional confession the way she expected. Why did that have to be such a big deal to her? With any other person it wouldn¡¯t even phase her. Why was Corvin this weird exception?

 Chapter 10

    Whitney was starting to be the person that Livia went to for relationship advice. Whitney was crocheting on the couch when Livia came into the living room and lay on the floor in front of her.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Liv?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I have a problem with this guy--¡±


    ¡°Oliver?¡±


    ¡°No, this is a new guy,¡± Livia said.


    Whitney made an intrigued noise. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°I know him from work back home--¡±


    ¡°Oh, you ran into him at that library service project, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia said, surprised she remembered.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    Livia took a deep breath. She couldn¡¯t tell Whitney all the details. She¡¯d spent three days trying to figure out how to navigate this conversation without spilling anything she shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had a crush on him for--¡± since I was seventeen ¡°--a while but I know he¡¯s all wrong for me.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Whitney asked.


    ¡°He dated one of my friends back home and he didn¡¯t treat her very well--¡±


    ¡°Why? What did he do?¡± Whitney asked.


    Livia sighed. ¡°She got this job she was really excited about and good at and he asked her to quit because he didn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Whitney sounded, concerned. ¡°Do you know the reason why he didn¡¯t like it?¡±


    Livia paused. ¡°No. It¡¯s not like I interrogated him about it.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t be upset unless you know the reason. What if they were asking her to do unsafe things or the person she was working for was a jerk or something?¡±


    Livia picked at the carpet anxiously. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. I can¡¯t ask him why he objected to her job.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Whitney asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to bring it up--¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Just bring it up,¡± Whitney said.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re not that close. That¡¯s the thing. We¡¯re not close and that won¡¯t change so I need to stop liking him.¡±


    Whitney sighed. ¡°You¡¯re not going to like my advice.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°There are two ways to get over a person,¡± Whitney said. ¡°One, you date other people until you find someone you like better--¡±


    Livia let that sink in and her heart sank. You didn¡¯t find many people better than Corvin--good family, financially stable, smart, professional, hard-working, community-minded. The boys in the general population wouldn¡¯t catch up for years. Livia had time, though, she could wait.


    Whitney continued. ¡°Second, you tell them you like them and it either works out or it doesn¡¯t.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t like that.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Whitney asked.


    Livia turned toward Whitney. ¡°What if it works out?¡±


    Whitney laughed. ¡°Then great! Right?¡±


    ¡°This is bad advice.¡± Livia pulled herself into a sitting position and stood up.


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s his name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you--¡± Livia said, walking away.


    Whitney laughed again. ¡°Come on!¡±


    ¡°No. You already know too much.¡±


    ###


    Livia struggled to decide to go mingle with the Caesareans that weekend. Her little spat with Corvin left her discouraged. How long was he going to put up with her attitude? She was emotionally self-aware enough to know that she needed to interact with other people to ward off one of the depressive spirals she was prone to, but she couldn¡¯t expect the others to like her if she kept fighting with Corvin.


    Were things so bad with Corvin that she shouldn¡¯t go? He hadn¡¯t deliberately done anything rude or mean. He¡¯d even changed how he smelled for her. Shouldn¡¯t that count for something? In the end, it was the smell thing that made up her mind. He¡¯d made an honest effort. She couldn¡¯t snub him because he didn¡¯t act the way she wanted him too right when she wanted.


    Livia made a batch of cookies and headed over to Ratco. Just having people to give food to improved her mood dramatically. Terrance lit up when he opened the door and saw her. ¡°Hey, we weren¡¯t sure you were coming! Come in!¡±


    ¡°I brought cookies,¡± Livia said.


    The Caesarean''s made a big deal out of this. Livia had a reputation for making good cookies. She¡¯d started working at a catering company when she was 14 and at 15 had moved back to the kitchens on the desert team. Then she¡¯d worked at a bakery for a while before she moved to Caesarea. Livia was pro at baking and it had become her trademark way to apologize to people. Everyone in Justin¡¯s department knew this about her and found amusement in it.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes twinkled when he saw the plate of cookies. He leaned in close so only she could hear. ¡°Are these the famous apology cookies?


    Livia¡¯s cheeks warmed. ¡°I, um, maybe--¡±


    He tilted his head. ¡°Maybe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Livia squeaked.


    He grinned. ¡°We¡¯re good. Thank you for the cookies.¡±


    Livia relaxed. ¡°Is the fridge working?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he grinned. ¡°Mission accomplished. Thank you for helping me out.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°No problem.¡±


    Corvin stepped back.


    The evening was full of lightheartedness and fun. No serious talk came up to Livia¡¯s surprise. They all laughed and teased each other as they played card games. It was a good evening and Livia enjoyed it fully, refusing to think about her past or her future. This was one of the good times that made the bad stuff bearable.


    Livia walked into the fall night air grinning, still alight with happiness from the evening. She hopped into her car and tried to start it. All Livia got was a clicking sound.


    Livia groaned. ¡°No, come on, I replaced your battery earlier this year.¡±


    Livia took a deep breath and tried again. Nothing. Livia could not afford another repair bill. Maybe she¡¯d forgotten to turn her lights off and needed a jump. She got out of the car and walked back toward Corvin¡¯s place. Felicity had already taken off. Livia got to the door and lifted her hand to knock when a sound made her freeze.


    Guitar music. Someone was playing.


    Livia huddled closer to the door to listen. She didn¡¯t realize how long she had stood there listening until someone walked out the door the next house over and looked at her. Livia didn¡¯t want to look like a burglar so she knocked--too hard.


    Her face heated. The person walked away without a word and got in a car. The guitar music stopped. Footsteps. The sound of the door unlocking. Corvin¡¯s face appeared. ¡°Liv?¡±


    ¡°Hey, my car won¡¯t start.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he said. ¡°Let me grab a flashlight and a jacket. I¡¯ll be out in a sec.¡±


    Livia waited on the lawn. Corvin came out a moment later with a flashlight clutched in one palm, still threading his arms through his jacket sleeves.


    ¡°Has it been giving you a lot of problems lately?¡± he asked.


    Livia sighed. ¡°One of the belts snapped this summer. I had to pay to repair some of the stuff it broke too. It was...a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°Alright, what do you think it is?¡±


    "The battery,¡± she said.


    ¡°Did you leave your lights on?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember doing that, but I must have because it won¡¯t start.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we got.¡±


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Corvin¡¯s flashlight traveled over the car. ¡°How old is it, Liv? It¡¯s a Honda Prelude. They don¡¯t even make that model anymore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a 2000.¡±


    Corvin made a clicking noise. ¡°Did the mechanic give you a hassle about replacing parts?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope that if we got a serious problem on our hands they don¡¯t charge you extra because the parts are hard to find.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°Probably just the battery.¡±


    Corvin held out his palm. ¡°May I try to start it?¡±


    Livia handed over her keys.


    Corvin tried to turn the engine over and got the same odd clicking noise. He winced. ¡°That¡¯s not a dead battery noise...but it¡¯s fairly easy to check¡­¡±


    He rotated the key a notch back. Then he tried the interior lights. They turned on. He tried the radio. It turned on. He tried the headlights. They turned on.


    Corvin sighed. ¡°I mean, we can run to Walmart in my car and get a meter to be completely sure, but I think it¡¯s something to do with your starter. Maybe the engine.¡±


    Corvin turned the car off and slipped out of the car and closed the door and handed the keys back to her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me drive you home tonight? We can deal with it in the morning.¡±


    ¡°I need this car tomorrow,¡± Livia groaned. She had errands to run.


    ¡°Want to run out and get a meter?¡± he asked.


    Livia sighed. ¡°We should make sure before we call a tow, right? That will be expensive.¡±


    ¡°It will be alright, Liv.¡± Corvin put a hand on her arm. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it all out.¡±


    Livia¡¯s mood sunk like a sputtering balloon. This was an awful way to end a good night.


    ¡°Let me run in and get my keys and check in with Terrance,¡± Corvin said.


    Terrance ended up coming with them. He slid into the back seat. ¡°Thanks for letting me come, Corvin. I¡¯ve needed to pick a few things up.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a car so I bum off Corvin whenever I get the chance,¡± Terrance grinned.


    Livia didn¡¯t respond and only nodded. She was looking out the passenger window trying to talk herself out of crying.


    ¡°You alright, Liv?¡± Corvin asked, softly.


    She nodded again. Too afraid she¡¯d cry if she spoke.


    ¡°Hey, if it¡¯s about money. We can work something out,¡± Corvin said. ¡°There¡¯s stuff that needs to be done around the townhouse, like the fridge. I¡¯d pay you.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t respond. She had no intention of doing that. Ever. She¡¯d get a real job before she ever relied on Corvin for money.


    ¡°No offense, Corvin, but I¡¯m not helpless. I can get a real job.¡±


    He was silent a moment. ¡°I¡¯m offering help, Liv, not an opinion of your abilities.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Livia looked out the window and ignored him. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean that,¡± he said


    Livia¡¯s gaze snapped back toward him. ¡°What?¡±


    Corvin took a deep breath and said calmly. ¡°I assume you think that I hold a negative opinion of you--¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°Of course you do.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± he said.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re Caesarean of course you do. I¡¯ll never be good enough for you.¡±


    ¡°You are good enough--¡¯ Corvin insisted.


    Livia laughed in sheer disbelief. ¡°You expect me to believe that?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia turned to look out the window again. ¡°Let¡¯s drop it.¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Do you know what bothers me the most? You seem to not trust me anymore, Livia.¡±


    Livia snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I ever did.¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± Corvin said.


    She turned to snap at him. ¡°Then I never should have.¡±


    Pain flashed across Corvin''s features. ¡°Why do you say that, Livia?¡±


    ¡°Cause I¡¯ve watched you this past year and¡­¡± Livia suddenly halted, realizing what she was about to say.


    ¡°And what?¡± he pressed.


    Livia turned forward, stiff. ¡°It¡¯s not important.¡±


    ¡°So, it should be easy to tell him then,¡± Terrance interjected easily from the back. ¡°No big deal.¡±


    ¡°No--¡± Livia said.


    ¡°If it¡¯s this hard, that means it¡¯s something significant--¡± Corvin infused his voice with an air of seriousness.


    ¡°It¡¯s not, I--¡± Livia¡¯s heart thudded. This was getting all turned around on her.


    ¡°Then tell me,¡± Corvin pressed.


    Livia broke. ¡°I think you pretended to be a certain person when I first met you, but you¡¯re not that person. You pretended to be another person at work, but I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re that person either. So, how am I supposed to trust you, Corvin?¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to deny that you¡¯re right. Cause you¡¯re right. I pretend a lot. But don¡¯t you pretend?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°So, why did you start wearing business casual clothes when you moved to Caesarea?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°That¡¯s not how you dressed when I met you. That¡¯s not how you¡¯re dressed now¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason I do that--¡±


    ¡°So, you assume there are not reasons why I act the way I do?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand them--¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean my reasons aren¡¯t valid,¡± Corvin said, angry now. ¡°But I get you¡¯re upset. You¡¯re not the first person to end a relationship over this issue.¡±


    Livia leaned across the space between them and spoke with a fury she didn¡¯t know was inside her. ¡°Corvin, we don¡¯t have a relationship to end!¡±


    He flinched. Livia didn¡¯t blame him. She was frightened of herself. She drew back against the door and looked out the window, wrapping her arms around herself. She was shaking and she didn¡¯t like it. She wished she could escape. ¡°Don¡¯t expect,¡± she said in a shaky voice. ¡°That you can ignore me, avoid me, and patronize me for an entire year and still call yourself my friend. That you can still have my trust. Your actions speak louder than a few compassionate words, Corvin Tullius. You showed me who you are.¡±


    ¡°That is unfair,¡± Terrance cried. ¡°You--¡±


    ¡°Terrance,¡± Corvin cut him off. Livia had never heard him sound sterner.


    ¡°Corvin, she--¡±


    ¡°Terrance,¡± Corvin raised his voice this time.


    Livia flinched, her stomach turning.


    Corvin looked at her and almost whispered. ¡°Thank you for trying to defend me, Terrance. But I¡¯d like to do this my way.¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± he spoke her name gently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I hurt you. I never wanted that. Can you believe that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said, simply.


    Livia hugged herself, feeling awful, waiting for him to say what he should say. She had no reason to expect that he should be her friend. He didn¡¯t have any responsibility for her. She tried not to cry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Corvin. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°What are you sorry for?¡± he asked, low-toned and gentle.


    ¡°I don¡¯t deserve to have you for a friend. I understand that. I¡¯m too...I¡¯m an outsider, my family is so...broken, I¡¯m poor, I¡¯m young, I¡¯m a girl. Why would you ever want to be my friend? I don¡¯t have a right to be so angry, to have expectations.¡±


    Corvin was silent. Livia chanced a glance at him. His lips were pressed together, there was a sheen in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she whispered again. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Please, stop apologizing, Liv,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been an idiot. If you¡¯ll forgive me, we can start over. We¡¯re both students at the same university. We come from the same community and we can be friends.¡±


    ¡°No. I won¡¯t be your friend here and then have you...do that thing. That thing where you change in Caesarea. I don¡¯t want to be friends if that¡¯s what I¡¯m getting into. You have to be my friend in every place and in front of anybody, Corvin.¡±


    He took a deep breath. ¡°Okay. I will agree to that.¡±


    ¡°You will?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I will,¡± he said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± she said.


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t. Not until I prove it to you, but I¡¯m willing to do that.¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said.


    ¡°Why?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin pulled into a parking spot. He was silent for a moment, hands moving on the steering wheel. ¡°Because...you¡¯ve always made me want to be a better person, Livia. I like that.¡±


    ¡°You like that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do.¡±


    Livia shook her head at him. ¡°No, you don¡¯t. Who would like that?¡±


    He laughed. ¡°I do, trust me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve established I don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    He laughed again.


    ¡°Seriously,¡± Livia opened her car door. ¡°I¡¯d rather we agree not to be friends.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Corvin looked insulted.


    ¡°It¡¯s easier.¡±


    ¡°But not as fun,¡± he teased.


    ¡°You think me yelling at you is fun?¡± Livia asked.


    He grinned. ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Livia got out of the car and slammed the door. She flinched. She¡¯d shut it way too hard and made a huge sound. Since it was metal she didn¡¯t think she could hurt it. Corvin got out and she met his eyes with apprehension, worried he¡¯d be angry.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re the perfect friend,¡± Corvin said over the roof of the car, continuing their conversation as if a Taurus slammed his car door every day.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to fake me out,¡± she said. Also, you make me slam car doors, and cafeteria doors, and even house doors.


    ¡°I¡¯m a lot of things, Liv, but a flake isn¡¯t one of them,¡± he said.


    Livia looked to Terrance. Maybe he would discourage Corvin. No true Caesarean would approve of her hanging out with Corvin.


    He shrugged. ¡°I have been disinvited from this conversation.¡±


    Well, he was no help.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Livia said. ¡°Not friends.¡±


    ¡°Okay, trial period? Thinking about being friends?¡± Corvin gave her a pleading look.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know you were capable of making that facial expression,¡± she said.


    Corvin doubled down. ¡°Please?¡±


    ¡°I will think about thinking about being friends,¡± Livia said.


    He laughed and so did Terrance.


    ¡°No promises,¡± Livia warned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Miss thinking-about-thinking-about-being my friend.¡±


    ¡°Now, you¡¯re mocking me,¡± Livia drawled. ¡°Nice start, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Never promised to be a perfect friend, just a reliable one,¡± he said.


    Livia glared at him. ¡°What is even your definition of being a good friend anyway?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it and get back to you.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not into that,¡± Livia said. ¡°Tell me now, gut feeling, without thinking about it. What does a good friend do?¡±


    ¡°Keeps your secrets,¡± he said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t ever lie to you,¡± Livia said. ¡°Not even to protect you.¡±


    Terrance interjected in a sardonic tone. ¡°Hmm, you both sound like you¡¯ve been betrayed.¡±


    Livia looked at Corvin with surprise, realizing. He looked away.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get that meter,¡± he said, stalking away.

 Chapter 11

    Corvin wouldn¡¯t look at her. Livia was okay with that. He was acting like a relatable human for once. He sighed as he leaned over her car battery.


    ¡°Liv, it isn¡¯t the battery. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Livia drawled.


    ¡°It¡¯s something else, which means¡­¡±


    ¡°Lots of money,¡± she said.


    ¡°That too,¡± he laughed. ¡°What do you want to do here?¡±


    He finally looked at her.


    Livia rubbed her forehead.


    Corvin wiped his hands off on his jeans. ¡°I don¡¯t think the car is worth fixing, Liv. If it¡¯s an engine...the car is over twenty years old. You¡¯re throwing money away.¡±


    Tears pricked Livia¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Corvin said. ¡°But the best advice I have for you is to trade it in and buy a new car.¡±


    There were very few things that Livia was impractical about, unfortunately, her car was one of them. She knew Corvin was right, but her emotions did not agree. Her heart hurt, her stomach twisted, her mouth went dry as ash. She had to reach over and place her hand on the car to stay standing. It was her car. Corvin had no concept of how hard she¡¯d had to work to earn the money to buy it. The amount of work she had to do to keep it. Buying this car had been a huge turning point in her life. She¡¯d proved to herself that her hard work could affect her situation. It gave her independence, pride, opportunity, security, and a space that belonged only to her. Livia didn¡¯t want to know what kind of person she was without this car.


    Corvin realized she was struggling. He stepped close, placed a hand along her arm. ¡°Hey, hey, it¡¯s a bad time of night to make decisions. Why don¡¯t you let me drive you home? We can figure it out tomorrow or Monday morning.¡±


    Livia couldn''t protest. She let Corvin lead her to his car, open the door, help her inside. Things she normally wouldn¡¯t allow. Terrance hopped in the back, while Corvin went around.


    ¡°Liv, you alright?¡± Terrance asked.


    Livia made some kind of vague noise.


    Corvin slid into the car. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to need your address.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Liv,¡± Corvin insisted.


    She felt like she was moving through molasses as she reached for her phone. She looked at the screen, numbly. Time passed, empty, silent, heavy.


    Corvin¡¯s fingers brushed her face. ¡°Livia, look at me.¡±


    She did.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll call Justin and Hyrum tonight after I drop you off. We¡¯ll figure something out together, alright? We¡¯ll make this a team project.¡±


    Tears welled in Livia''s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s my car.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°You¡¯re attached to it.¡±


    ¡°My car,¡± with a hint of a wail in her tone.


    ¡°It means a lot to you,¡± Corvin said, running his thumb over a tear that ran down her cheek.


    Livia broke. She tilted her head forward and sobbed.


    Corvin rested his hand on the top of her head. ¡°Liv, hun, it will be alright.¡±


    She reached out for him then drew herself back. ¡°Wait, no.¡±


    ¡°Hey, no big deal,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    He reached out and grabbed her hand and placed it on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m okay with this if you are¡­¡±


    She nodded and clutched at his shoulder. Corvin rested his hand over hers on his shoulder. Then he wrapped his other hand around the back of her head to guide her forehead to his other shoulder.


    Livia was so shocked by his tenderness that her sobs stopped. His thumb brushed feather-light across the tops of her knuckles. His hand moved in her hair, caressing in a comforting motion. There was something so overwhelming about this physical kindness. There was a relief that she could be treated such and awe that Corvin would think her deserving. Then there was the grief that she¡¯d experienced so little of something so healing. Livia''s sobs returned on a tidal wave of bittersweet emotions. She¡¯d wondered if she¡¯d fare better pulling away, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it.


    She wanted to be close to this version of Corvin. She¡¯d recognized from the first the depth of his compassion, the deep tenderness of his spirit. This was the Corvin she recognized. The one she trusted. He still existed.


    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed until her sobs ran out. She laid her cheek on Corvin¡¯s Lemon and Lavender scented shoulder and closed her swollen eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t usually do this to people,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Cry on them?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she agreed.


    ¡°You should try it more often,¡± he teased.


    Livia shook her head and pulled back. ¡°I should go home.¡±


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Tell me your address.¡± Corvin released her slowly as if she might break.


    Livia almost mocked him. Did he think a hug was going to break her? That was laughable. Resolve filled Livia. She wasn¡¯t going to let this car thing get the best of her. She¡¯d figure out how to manage. She always had. She always would.


    ###


    The next morning before Livia even got out of bed Justin texted her. She squinted at the phone and read what he wrote.


    Justin: Corvin called late last night. Let me know what you need and we¡¯ll work things out.


    Livia wondered if Corvin had called Hyrum too. If he had she was surprised that Justin had beat Hyrum to contacting her. As if thinking of her brother summoned him, the phone lit up with his name. She answered the call.


    ¡°Hyrum,¡± Livia said, bracing herself.


    ¡°You need to get rid of that car,¡± he said. ¡°Corvin called me last night and I know the car is special to you, Livia. But you¡¯ve already spent a thousand dollars on it this year alone and do you know how much an engine costs to replace?¡±


    ¡°Hyrum.¡±


    ¡°I have extra cars sitting in my garage! Sitting there, Livia. It¡¯s wasteful. I feel sick inside when I think about you out there with that piece of a crap car when I have more than I need. It¡¯s...immoral. Stop being stubborn and let me send you out a decent car.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Like it¡¯s not...wait? What?¡± Hyrum stopped his furious tirade.


    ¡°Send me the car,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Oh. Okay. Gaius is gone again. So, I have to stay around here but maybe someone is coming out that way and can drive it to you. I will call you back this afternoon.¡±


    Livia texted Justin. Everything is fine. I am going back to sleep.


    Livia switched off her phone, turned over in her bed, and enjoyed sleeping in on her Sunday morning. When she turned on her phone late afternoon she had messages from Corvin, Hyrum, and Justin that said she should call them. She would call Hyrum and ignore Corvin and Justin.


    ¡°Liv,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°Great news! The Halls are going to use fall break to give Tan a tour of Cornelia Africana College. She¡¯s thinking about applying there next year. They want to spend a weekend here with family and then they¡¯ll drive one of my cars out there instead of having to rent one.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a really good solution,¡± Livia was a little surprised it wasn¡¯t harder. ¡°So, I¡¯ll have to go for three weeks without a car.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°That alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Livia said. ¡°And there are people around here. Corvin. My roommate.¡±


    ¡°Okay, good. We¡¯re good.¡±


    ¡°What do I do with my old car?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°You decide,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Sell it. Give it away. Whatever.¡±


    Livia said goodbye to Hyrum. It was time to figure out how she was going to get her Sunday groceries. Whitney always went home on Saturday night and came back Sunday evening. So asking her was out and Livia didn¡¯t want to rely on Corvin too much. Only if she had to. So she looked up bus schedules. There was a stop about a half-mile from her dorm. It stopped right in front of a grocery store. If she hurried through the shower, she could make the three o¡¯clock bus. Then return on the last bus at six o¡¯clock that evening.


    Livia got to the bus stop five minutes early. She got on and found an empty seat. She didn¡¯t know the area very well yet and so paid careful attention to their route as they drove. They pulled onto a freeway that she¡¯d never been on before. After about ten minutes they exited off and wound their way through a separate part of town she hadn¡¯t known about.


    The houses were older, run-down in this area. The streets were dirtier and shabby-looking. Livia saw signs that it was an area that struggled with poverty and a little bit of trepidation filled her. Maybe Livia should have asked Whitney if this was a safe part of town before she did this. Livia had grown up in such neighborhoods. She knew that most people minded their own business but she¡¯d always had her family nearby if she needed help.


    Livia knew she could win a fight, but she feared hurting someone or having her powers discovered. If she didn''t keep a low profile, she risked getting punished by the Senate.


    The area around the grocery store looked much better. The mix of cars in the parking lot showed that affluent and poor mingled together in the area. Livia went in and found the store incredibly busy. The lines at the registers spilled over into the aisles. The grocery store was unfamiliar. She had to backtrack through the aisles to find the things she needed. It took much longer than she predicted to find the things she needed. She had twenty minutes to get back to the bus on time when she got in line. After a solid five minutes of not budging, Livia switched to another line.


    Thankfully it moved faster. She looked at her watch, as the cashier rang up the woman in front of her. She was pawing through an envelope for coupons. Livia¡¯s heart started to beat harder. She did not like cutting things this close. The woman¡¯s credit card was declined. She laughed and opened her wallet. She pawed through it and scrounged up the cash, bill by bill to pay her total.


    ¡°Please, hurry,¡± Livia told the cashier when she started her groceries. ¡°I need to catch the bus in seven minutes.¡±


    The cashier gave her a vacant look and didn¡¯t hurry one bit. Livia thought about running and leaving the food on the belt for the cashier to clean up. But she didn¡¯t want to go through this ordeal all over again.


    Livia feared if she urged the cashier to hurry again she would go slower. She kept her silence, though, she was giving the woman quite a tirade in her head. Livia paid, gathered her bags, and sprinted out the door to see the bus taking off--two minutes early. She¡¯d missed it.


    Livia cursed. Then she panicked. What was she going to do? She could try and remember the route they took here to get home. Except, she didn¡¯t think walking with grocery bags along the side of the freeway in the dark was a good idea. She could hear Hyrum¡¯s voice in her head saying, ¡°People get killed that way, Livia.¡± That was only the start of the trouble she could get into.


    Oh, how she wished she could call Hyrum to pick her up right now. She knew he¡¯d drop whatever he was doing in an instant to come to pick her up. She thought of Corvin. She might be able to call Corvin.


    She hated it. But she pulled out her phone and she called him. He didn¡¯t answer. Livia''s lungs pinched and her heart raced. Wha--


    Her phone rang. Corvin was calling back.


    She answered. He spoke before she could say anything.


    ¡°Hey Liv, sorry I missed your call the first time around. What¡¯s up?¡±


    Sudden anxiety struck her, making it hard to speak. She was sure once she explained Corvin would rail at her and tell her how stupid she was. She swallowed hard. ¡°I¡¯m stuck,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°You¡¯re what?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia was terrified to explain what she¡¯d done. He would call her stupid and annoying and take back his offers to be her friend. Livia took a deep breath and tried to talk herself out of her fear. Corvin wasn¡¯t her mother. He was TARP. Justin had trained all his officers to never behave like that.


    ¡°I¡¯m stuck,¡± Livia managed.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°At a grocery store.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you get there?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I took a b-bus, but I miss-missed the last one. It¡¯s not safe to walk--¡±


    Corvin interrupted. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on my way. Which grocery store? What address?¡±


    Livia managed to explain where she was to him.


    ¡°Liv, what are you doing way over there?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia¡¯s entire body flushed with heat. Here it came. The tirade. She closed her eyes and didn¡¯t answer, waiting to ride it out.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m coming. Don¡¯t move. Stay there. Understand?¡± Corvin waited for her to answer.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered.

 Chapter 12

    Livia wished Corvin had yelled at her as she waited. It was torture imagining all the awful things he¡¯d say to her. She was a screwup. She shouldn¡¯t be living on her own. What if he hadn¡¯t been around to help her? She¡¯d be in real trouble then and maybe next time he wouldn¡¯t come so he could teach her a lesson about being less stupid.


    When Corvin pulled up to the curb all her muscles were in tight knots. Corvin was out of the car the second he parked.


    ¡°You okay?¡± he asked.


    She nodded.


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    She nodded again.


    He stepped close and bent toward her. ¡°You look scared,¡± he spoke softly. ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    Livia shook her head.


    He met her eyes and said, sincerely. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you called.¡±


    Corvin helped her put her groceries in the trunk then opened the door for her to get in the back seat. Livia slipped in. Corvin shut the door and walked around the back of the car.


    Terrance was in the front seat. ¡°Looks like a rough area around here, Liv. You have any problems?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin got in the car. ¡°Let¡¯s head home.¡±


    Terrance made a silent gesture at him. Corvin nodded. Livia wondered about the interaction but was too concerned about getting yelled at to say anything.


    Corvin broke the silence. ¡°Liv, did you hear from Justin yet?¡±


    ¡°We texted.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Corvin said, casually.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to call him.¡±


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia flinched. This innocent-sounding interrogation would be the start of the verbal abuse. Livia answered as monotone as possible. ¡°Hyrum arranged for friends to drive out one of his cars three weeks from now.¡±


    To Livia¡¯s confusion, Corvin¡¯s voice didn¡¯t sound scolding in the least. ¡°Let Justin know that. He¡¯s worried about you.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have called him at midnight,¡± she snapped.


    Livia gasped at her audacity and went rigid in her seat. This was the wrong time to bring that up. She closed her eyes and waited for him to scream at her.


    ¡°You...alright, Liv?¡± Corvin sounded puzzled.


    She didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Hey, are you in pain?¡± he asked. ¡°Did someone hurt you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Did anything else happen?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Terrance looked back at her. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared, Liv,¡± he said, low, quiet.


    Heat rushed to Livia''s cheeks. That must have been what that silent conversation earlier was about.


    ¡°Talk to us, Liv,¡± Corvin encouraged. ¡°Justin didn¡¯t sound upset did he?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Corvin said. Then he went quiet. Livia didn¡¯t say anything and he didn¡¯t say anything until they reached her apartment.


    Corvin and Terrance helped her carry her groceries inside in silence. Livia expected them to go away, but they lingered. Corvin studied her. He approached. He lifted a hand to touch her.


    Livia flinched away.


    Corvin looked surprised. ¡°Is it me? Are you frightened of me?¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t answer. Corvin strode across the room and sat down. ¡°I¡¯d like to know why.¡±


    Livia looked at Terrance who was looking confused.


    Livia swallowed. ¡°I made...a mistake¡­¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°What usually happens when you make a mistake?¡±


    ¡°Depends on the person,¡± Livia whispered.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I am not your mother. I am not your father. I am not Hyrum. I am Corvin. I have my hang-ups but I tend to let go of most things pretty easily.¡±


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    ¡°Are you...mad...at me?¡± she asked, eyes lowered to the floor.


    ¡°No,¡± he shook his head. The look in his eyes was bewildered. ¡°I was never mad at you. You did your best to be resourceful and independent. I wouldn¡¯t call that a mistake.¡±


    ¡°But something might have happened,¡± Livia choked. ¡°I was stupid.¡±


    Corvin inhaled and his head tilted to the right, considering. ¡°But you went out and got information and can make better decisions now based on that information. That¡¯s how life works, Livia. You have to take risks or you never learn, and a life in which you never learn anything isn¡¯t worth living.¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t think...I¡¯m bad?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Bad? No. I¡¯d rather you not take the bus out there again, but if you do, bring someone with you and do it in the morning. You¡¯ll be fine.¡± His tone didn¡¯t change but Livia trembled. She was afraid he¡¯d rage at her the second she made the wrong move.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia whispered.


    ¡°Do you want to come grocery shopping with us next Sunday?¡±


    Livia hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother--¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bother,¡± he insisted. ¡°Your safety matters to me, Livia. I¡¯m more bothered that you felt unsafe for twenty minutes than I ever will be by you asking for my help.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she whispered. ¡°Thank you for picking me up Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Glad to be around to help, Livia,¡± he said. ¡°Call us if you need anything else, alright?¡±


    Livia blinked. He wasn¡¯t going to yell at her. She took a deep breath and the knots in her stomach eased. She could feel her features smooth and the tension across her brow disappeared.


    She nodded. ¡°I will.¡±


    Corvin dipped his head in response. ¡°Good. Text me if you want to join us to get groceries next Sunday.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Corvin stood up. ¡°See you Saturday, right?¡±


    Livia nodded again.


    ¡°Call me if you need a ride to Ratco.¡±


    ###


    Livia called Justin that evening. He answered on the third ring. ¡°Livia, I¡¯ve been anxious to hear from you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry--¡±


    ¡°You must be overwhelmed,¡± he said. ¡°I understand, but it is nice to finally communicate directly.


    What can I do to help, Livia?¡±


    ¡°Hyrum arranged for one of Quin¡¯s old cars to be sent out here--¡±


    ¡°Is he asking you to pay for it?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s giving it to me,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t know what to do with my old car. It¡¯s stuck in Corvin¡¯s parking lot--¡±


    ¡°I know someone that might want it here. Will you let me get back to you on that?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia said with relief. ¡°That would help loads.¡±


    ¡°How is school?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Corvin reports that aside from the car breaking down you¡¯ve been doing well.¡±


    Livia asked, trying to ignore how much it hurt that Justin didn¡¯t trust her. ¡°Did you send him here to watch over me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only fifty percent of the reason,¡± Justin answered. ¡°I did worry about you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the other fifty?¡± Livia asked, surprised by his honesty.


    ¡°I sent him there so you could watch over him.¡±


    ¡°What? Justin! I¡¯m not--I can¡¯t--¡± Livia exchanged verbal protest for a heavy sigh.


    ¡°You can¡¯t what?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not close to Corvin,¡± Livia answered. ¡°I can¡¯t watch over him for you.¡±


    ¡°Why not get closer to him then?¡±


    ¡°Justin!¡± Livia cried, scandalized.


    He laughed. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This is not funny,¡± she snapped.


    ¡°Tell me how he is, Livia,¡± Justin said. ¡°Is he okay?¡±


    ¡°He seems fine,¡± Livia answered. ¡°I only see him once a week. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Does he seem happy when you see him?¡± Justin asked.


    Livia thought. ¡°Not at first but he''s been more relaxed recently. He said he likes it here once.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good news. Is he dating?¡± Justin asked.


    Livia started to feel guilty about this whole interrogation. ¡°I don¡¯t like this, Justin. You can¡¯t expect me to be your little snitch. If Corvin is dating someone he can tell you himself.¡±


    Justin laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious. I¡¯m not a gossip and I¡¯m not going along with this stupid plan of yours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised but also pleased by this response,¡± Justin said. ¡°I had no idea you¡¯d react this way.¡±


    ¡°Well, stop being pleased because I¡¯m a hair away from never speaking to you again.¡± Livia didn¡¯t like feeling like Justin¡¯s lab experiment.


    ¡°Alright, Livia, we won¡¯t talk about Corvin unless you bring it up. If anything concerns you, please let me know.¡±


    Livia groaned. ¡°What have you been asking him about me?¡±


    ¡°You can ask him that,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°Right, ''cause it¡¯d be too easy for you to answer the question while I have you on the phone,¡±


    Livia said, sarcastically.


    Justin laughed heartily again. ¡°I have no pangs of conscience over obtaining information covertly,


    Livia. If I did, I wouldn¡¯t have lasted in this line of work. How¡¯s Oliver, by the way?¡±


    ¡°He moved,¡± Livia growled. Why would Corvin tell him about that?


    ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t contact him,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°Why is this a big deal?¡± Livia demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± Justin said. ¡°It¡¯s just interesting. You have people who are interested in what happens to you. Does that have to be a bad thing?¡±


    Justin was starting to sound way too much like a parent now. Livia rolled her eyes. ¡°I gotta go, Justin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get back to you about the car by this evening,¡± he said.


    Livia ended their conversation. She closed her eyes, exhausted. Why did everything have to get complicated? Because whether she liked it or not, she now felt obligated to keep an eye out for Corvin. She had to wonder did Justin calculate that? Did he know her psychology that well? Did he know that Livia liked Corvin? Was he matchmaking? Or was he trying to keep an eye on one of his agents? Justin said to let him know if anything concerned her? What did he think Corvin was going to get up to?

 Chapter 13

    Livia opted to ask her roommate Whitney for help before she left to go home for the weekend. So, on Friday they hopped into her car and headed to the store. It was a beautiful fall day and Livia updated Whitney about her last shopping adventure as they drove.


    ¡°I know what part of town you¡¯re talking about,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s safer to stay on this side of the freeway. How do you know this Corvin guy?¡± she asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s from back home,¡± Livia said. ¡°We have a little group of us that meet on Saturday nights.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so, you hang out while I¡¯m away?¡± she asked. ¡°That makes me feel better. Sometimes I worry about leaving you alone.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine really. I like to be alone sometimes.¡±


    Livia actually liked having the apartment to herself for long periods. It made her feel like she was in charge and could do whatever she wanted and that was more healing than she¡¯d probably admit to anyone.


    ¡°What did you do with the old car?¡± Whitney asked.


    ¡°A friend from back home, Justin, knew a guy that wanted it. He said he¡¯d arrange for it to be towed and transported and give me $200 for it.¡±


    ¡°Are you happy with that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah, it was a more than fair deal. It would have cost more to tow to the scrapyard than what the car was worth. So¡­¡±


    ¡°And your brother is sending a new car two weeks from now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, some more friends from home are driving it over.¡±


    ¡°Which friends are these?¡± Whitney asked.


    ¡°Tavian and Adrian, Arik and Tan,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Oh, those twins and your ex. Well, that should be a drama fest, right?¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I hope not.¡±


    ¡°Are you dreading seeing him?¡± Whitney asked.


    ¡°Not dreading...sometimes he can be easy to be around. I just hope he doesn¡¯t do one of those little sulks he gets into. I mean, it¡¯s only three days, right? He can¡¯t do that much damage.¡±


    Whitney laughed. ¡°Hopefully not.¡±


    Whitney and Livia talked as they walked. They bought the groceries and loaded them into the car and drove home.


    ###


    Livia walked up to Corvin and Terrance¡¯s door and knocked. Corvin answered and invited her in. Livia turned to wave to Whitney before she stepped in.


    ¡°Who is that?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°My roommate,¡± Livia answered. ¡°She drove me over.¡±


    Corvin waved at Whitney too. Whitney didn¡¯t drive off immediately and waved back. Corvin approached her car and Whitney rolled down the window.


    ¡°You¡¯re good to drive her back home?¡± Whitney asked. ¡°She told me she¡¯d be fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll make sure she gets home at a decent hour,¡± Corvin said, easily.


    ¡°Okay, good. You Corvin?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yeah, and you¡¯re the famous roommate that owns a bearded dragon,¡± Corvin teased.


    Whitney laughed. ¡°You¡¯re invited to come to meet him anytime.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. It was nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°You too,¡± Whitney said. ¡°Gotta go.¡±


    Whitney rolled up the window and backed out. Corvin returned to Livia.


    ¡°You talked to her?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, you can tell a lot about a person from your first impression--¡±


    ¡°And--¡± Livia drawled.


    ¡°What?¡± Corvin looked at her.


    ¡°What did you learn?¡±


    ¡°I liked that she didn¡¯t leave until she¡¯d confirmed I wouldn¡¯t be inconvenienced by driving you home.  So we can rule out her being a psychopath. She¡¯s willing to let me into your apartment so that means she¡¯s friendly and curious about people. She guessed my name so that means you talk about me--¡±


    Corvin wiggled his eyebrows. Since when did he do things like that?


    Livia sputtered. ¡°Do not!¡±


    Corvin grinned at her. ¡°Teasing, Liv.¡±


    ¡°Speaking about talking about people,¡± Livia glared at him. ¡°Have you talked to Justin lately?¡±


    ¡°Yesterday,¡± he said.


    ¡°You told him about Oliver!¡± Livia snapped.


    ¡°I did,¡± he said, shamelessly. ¡°Let¡¯s continue this conversation inside.¡±


    As soon as the door closed behind them Livia whirled on him. ¡°Why did you mention it?¡±


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t dating,¡± Livia said. ¡°So, it''s insignificant.¡±


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°It showed you were making friends here and settling in. It wasn¡¯t insignificant.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°What else does he ask you about me?¡±


    Corvin''s face creased with concern. ¡°Are you upset about something, Liv?¡±


    Livia sunk onto the couch and crossed her arms across her chest. ¡°He¡¯s spying on us both.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°I asked him if he sent you here to watch over me,¡± Livia muttered.


    Corvin grunted. ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°That was only fifty percent of the reason why you were here--¡±


    Corvin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°He was that transparent with you? That¡¯s impressive.¡±


    ¡°The other fifty percent of the reason why you''re here is so I can watch over you--¡± Livia growled.


    Corvin¡¯s lips pursed as if he were trying not to smile. ¡°You don¡¯t like that?¡±


    Livia huffed and tried to act nonchalant, but she couldn¡¯t mask the worry that came out in her tone. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± Livia insisted.


    Corvin lowered himself into the armchair across from her. ¡°You can tell Justin everything is fine here.¡±


    Livia furrowed her brow. ¡°But is it, really?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Corvin nodded. ¡°I miss my family but it¡¯s been a nice break.¡±


    ¡°Your classes aren¡¯t stressing you out?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You lonely?¡± she asked, hesitantly.


    ¡°No more than usual,¡± he smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re usually lonely?¡± Livia asked, curious.


    Corvin shrugged. ¡°Mostly romantically. I don¡¯t like being single.¡±


    ¡°Justin asked me if you were dating anyone--¡± Livia said.


    ¡°What did you tell him?¡± Corvin folded his hands over his belly and settled more firmly into the armchair.


    ¡°That if he wanted to know something like that he¡¯d have to ask you himself--¡±


    Corvin gasped. ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m not a gossip or a snitch,¡± she said.


    Corvin tried to contain his laughter by putting a hand over his mouth and failed. After he¡¯d contained himself he scolded her.  ¡°Livia, you¡¯re not supposed to talk to your patron like that!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not turning into his spy--¡±


    ¡°Livia, he¡¯ll think we¡¯re dating if you talk like that,¡± Corvin said. ¡°You don¡¯t show more loyalty to me than to Justin if you don¡¯t want rumors to spread.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re just fine with me telling him whatever I want about you?¡± Livia demanded.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s honest,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a problem with him invading your privacy?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin looked so confused that Livia put a hand over her eyes and sighed. ¡°Let me guess. Not a Caesarean thing, right?¡±


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s Justin,¡± Corvin said, splaying his hands out. ¡°The man is one of my best friends and knows all my secrets. There¡¯s no point in hiding anything from him--¡±


    ¡°Then why does he need me to watch out for you at all, then?¡± Livia demanded.


    ¡°Cause he wishes he were here to do it himself,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Patrons often ask clients to do things that they can¡¯t do themselves. That¡¯s how the system works.¡±


    Livia sighed.


    Terrance came out of the kitchen with chips and salsa. ¡°So, what¡¯s this I hear about you and Livia dating, Corvin?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Livia rounded on him and pointed a threatening finger. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! That¡¯s how those stupid rumors start. That¡¯s the last thing I need people to start in on.¡±


    Terrance adopted an innocent expression. ¡°All I heard is that Justin thinks you¡¯re dating now?¡±


    ¡°Cause she said she wouldn¡¯t snitch on me or answer the question if I was dating anyone,¡± Corvin said, heaving out a huge sigh.


    Terrance¡¯s mouth popped into a huge ¡®O.¡¯ ¡°Well, we¡¯re lucky the Aurelians have tight lips, then.¡± He turned on Livia with a look of disbelief. ¡°What possessed you to talk to your patron that way?¡±


    Livia rubbed her temples. ¡°You Caesareans are going to make me lose my damn mind.¡±


    To her surprise, both Corvin and Terrance laughed.


    Terrance turned to Corvin. ¡°So, are you going to call and explain or let him think you¡¯re secretly dating?¡±


    ¡°I better call,¡± Corvin shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll do it later. Justin is busy inducting two recruits tonight.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Felicity?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s gonna be late,¡± Terrance answered. ¡°She¡¯s on a date.¡±


    It was Livia¡¯s turn to be surprised. ¡°A non-civ?¡±


    Terrance nodded. ¡°She¡¯ll be here to report in about a half-hour.¡±


    That left Livia here alone with Terrance and Corvin and that suddenly made her anxious. She ran her hand up and down her arm and tried to think of something useful to do.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes narrowed in on her soothing gesture. ¡°What are you thinking, Liv?¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°We should do something¡­¡±


    ¡°Watch a movie?¡± Terrance suggested.


    ¡°Felicity would miss part of it,¡± Livia said. She didn¡¯t want to watch a movie either. She wanted to do something with her hands.


    ¡°Liv, what do you want to do?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Can I--¡± she hesitated. She felt uncomfortable asking to use their kitchen and their supplies. ¡°Can I bake you some cookies? I mean, if you have supplies on hand?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Terrance asked. ¡°Cause that sounds amazing!¡±


    Relief flowed through Livia. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do it!¡±


    So, they inspected the kitchen and didn¡¯t find any brown sugar or chocolate chips so they had to settle for sugar cookies, but that wasn¡¯t a problem for Livia.


    Livia mixed the ingredients while Terrance and Corvin sat on barstools and watched. They offered to help a few times but she turned them down.


    About halfway through the process, Terrance commented. ¡°This is kind of fascinating to watch.¡±


    Corvin chuckled. ¡°She transformed before our very eyes, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, also, why is it so darn relaxing to her?¡± Terrance asked.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s tactile,¡± Corvin said. ¡°The way she presses her entire palm against the curve of the bowl. She rolls the cold eggs back and forth across her palm before she breaks them. The way she taps the bottom of the measuring cups on her palm to level them--¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s like this timing in her head. It¡¯s like a dance¡­¡± Terrance said.


    Livia froze, self-conscious. ¡°Um¡­I--¡±


    ¡°You feeling alright, Liv?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°Taurus get tactile sensory cravings when they get too worn out.¡±


    Livia looked up and met his eyes, confused. ¡°We do?¡±


    ¡°You must be tired,¡± Corvin repeated.


    ¡°I had a couple of tests this week,¡± Livia admitted.


    ¡°Did you study a lot?¡± he asked. ¡°Stay up late?¡±


    ¡°A couple of nights¡­¡± Livia said. ¡°But I don¡¯t feel tired--¡±


    Corvin smiled. ¡°You¡¯re Taurus, Liv, you won¡¯t feel tired until you''re ready to pass out.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean? Tactile sensory cravings?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Means your body wants touch to compensate for something it¡¯s lacking,¡± he said. ¡°In this case probably a good night''s sleep.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to touch at all?¡± Livia asked, quietly.


    ¡°Often happens when Taurus get too hot or too stressed,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia sighed. ¡°You are kidding me--¡±


    ¡°No, but I¡¯m not Taurus. What I¡¯ve heard could be wrong...¡± Corvin said.


    Livia started baking again. ¡°No, that just would have been nice to know¡­¡±


    Terrance and Corvin exchanged a startled look. Livia started shaping dough balls between her palms.


    Corvin leaned forward and rested his elbows on the counter. ¡°Yeah, uh, my uncle Marcus complains a lot--he¡¯s a doctor--that Taurus women ignore how tired they are and make themselves chronically ill because they ignore what their body needs. So, if you¡¯re feeling like you just can¡¯t resist touching something, you might want to curl up around a pillow and take a nap instead of...is this what you usually do? Bake?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Livia answered.


    She was frustrated. First, why hadn¡¯t her mom told her? But Livia was used to being disappointed by her mother so this wasn¡¯t a surprise. Gaius, though, he should have said something, but he probably didn¡¯t know that she didn¡¯t know. So, it took Corvin observing her and doing his irritating people analysis thing for her to figure it out.


    Livia lined the cookie sheets with dough balls in silence and then slipped two pans in the oven to bake. She went to the sink to wash her hands. She was surprised when Corvin¡¯s hand shot out and adjusted the faucet. ¡°That¡¯s hot!¡± he barked.


    Livia looked at him in surprise. Livia swallowed as the surprise turned to fear. Was he angry at her?


    He froze and looked instantly sheepish. ¡°Sorry, Liv, I-I have too many little sisters. Reflex.¡±


    His fingers passed through the water. ¡°That¡¯s nice and cold. It will feel good.¡±


    He stepped away and looked across the room. He acted almost embarrassed. Interesting.


    Livia ran her hands under the water. To her surprise, the water did feel really good. She didn¡¯t realize that tension had built up in her forearms and wrists. The cold water washed it all away.


    ¡°Is that also a Taurus thing?¡± Livia asked, quietly.


    ¡°Yep,¡± Corvin answered.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°No problem, Liv,¡± Corvin said.


    The doorbell rang and Corvin left to answer it.


    Livia looked at Terrance.


    He smiled at her. ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°I thought he was mad at me,¡± Livia whispered.


    Terrance shrugged one shoulder. ¡°Nah, he just got protective. Hard not to be when you don¡¯t know basic things about taking care of yourself.¡±


    Livia''s cheeks reddened. ¡°I can take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that you can keep yourself alive, Livia. I think you¡¯re real good at that but I don¡¯t think you¡¯re good at being kind to yourself.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°Why does that matter?¡±


    Terrance sighed. ¡°It¡¯ll catch up to you sooner or later. Taurus women are notorious for it. Taurus men get violent when they¡¯re pushed too far and the consequences of that are really severe so they take care of themselves. Taurus women tend to internalize and the result of that is a lot of mental illness. That, unfortunately, causes dysfunctional families and negative patterns get passed on¡­¡± Terrance sighed. ¡°It was a huge problem in the collapse of the Patrician families of Taurus house. Taurus women just can¡¯t push themselves the same way Rattus, Aquila, and Lupus women can. They¡¯re meant to sprint, not run marathons, and the culture even just a generation ago refused to acknowledge that. We know better now but¡­¡± Terrance¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°We lost a lot of them before we learned that.¡±


    Livia inhaled sharply. ¡°That...makes a lot of sense with what happened with¡­my mother. She couldn¡¯t stay and survive--¡±


    ¡°Those parts of Caesarea are still around,¡± Terrance admitted. ¡°But there are pockets now, there are people and places that will help you. TARP does amazing work with Taurus and so does Corvin¡¯s uncle Dr. Tullius. His work has saved a lot of them.¡±


    Livia nodded.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Terrance said, intently. ¡°You are in such a crucial position right now. Your foremothers aren¡¯t there to tell you what to do and that¡¯s awful but it¡¯s also a gift. You¡¯re free from the traditions that harmed them. You have to find the courage to make new traditions. Healthy traditions that will protect you and your daughters and their daughters. You can create a new culture.¡±


    Terrace¡¯s passionate speech was interrupted by an enthusiastic Felicity coming into the kitchen. She told them about her date while they ate sugar cookies hot out of the oven. Corvin didn¡¯t let Livia clean up the kitchen and insisted that he would take care of it later. Felicity was too worn out to stay for long and left only a few minutes after their cookie binge.


    Livia looked to Corvin.


    ¡°You ready to head home, Liv?¡± he asked.


    Livia nodded. ¡°It¡¯s still early but¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± he said. ¡°I think you need the extra rest.¡±


    Terrance pulled Livia into a tight hug. ¡°See you next weekend. Be kind to yourself.¡±


    Livia closed her eyes and didn¡¯t let go of him immediately. The hug felt good, something that didn¡¯t happen frequently.


    Terrance laughed. ¡°You¡¯re Taurus tired.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Extra cuddly,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Come on. You need sleep, Liv.¡±


    Livia did get in random moods where she¡¯d want Arik to hold her forever. Those moments seemed random and unpredictable but now she knew they were provoked by exhaustion.


    After Livia and Corvin got in the car she asked, ¡°Does everyone in Caesarea know about Taurus...tired?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯s actually weird that more people don¡¯t know. Taurus aren¡¯t well understood. Partially because it was taboo to talk about a lot of things--¡±


    ¡°Mental illness,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin looked at her in surprise.


    ¡°Terrance told me,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah, and intimacy,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Taurus are often seen as invulnerable because they are so strong and so tough but they¡¯re fairly sensitive.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Arik knew,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin sighed. ¡°That¡¯s not surprising to me. I don¡¯t know that I would know if I didn¡¯t have certain people in my life--Justin and Flavia are very open about it. My Aunt Garnet had a very difficult time managing chronic pain and her marriage relationship. She begged Uncle Lucius to divorce her for about five years. She said it would be better if she were alone forever. It was hard to watch.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t divorce,¡± Livia said. ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Corvin nodded. ¡°Uncle Lucius worked through it with her and it got better. They live a really quiet, almost reclusive life out on a ranch. They¡¯re happy and content.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes¡­¡± Livia hesitated. She shook her head. She¡¯d learned not to do this already. No confessions. Corvin wasn¡¯t interested.


    ¡°Sometimes what, Liv?¡± Corvin asked, quietly.


    She laughed. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t have to listen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to listen, Liv,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia didn¡¯t say anything until they were pulling into her apartment. ¡°Sometimes I feel that way,¡± she confessed. ¡°Like it¡¯s better to live alone. Forever.¡±


    Corvin spoke quietly. ¡°Often, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Not as much as I used to--¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s been...a while. This place must be good for me.¡±


    ¡°It usually happens when life becomes too difficult to deal with,¡± Corvin said. He reached over and pulled her hand into his and squeezed it. ¡°If you ever feel that way again, you can come to tell me about it, okay?¡±


    Livia laughed. She liked the feel of his hand holding hers. That somehow eclipsed everything else.


    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°That feels ridiculously good,¡± she answered.


    Corvin smiled and squeezed her hand again. ¡°This?¡±


    Livia laughed again.


    ¡°You¡¯re so tired, Livia,¡± he said, gently. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll go in and sleep?¡±


    ¡°I promise, Corvin.¡±


    He released her hand. Livia stifled a groan of disappointment. She pulled herself out of the car and waved. Corvin waved back and started to pull out of the parking lot. She went into the apartment and ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and then went to bed.

 Chapter 14

    Livia twisted her Raven ring around her finger and peered anxiously out her window. The Halls would be here in less than an hour and she couldn¡¯t stand the wait.


    ¡°I think you like-like Tavian,¡± Whitney teased.


    Livia tossed a glare at her. ¡°Hush, you.¡±


    ¡°You get this soft look on your face every time you talk about him.¡±


    That¡¯s cause Livia worried about him. Everyone in Rattus house could sense emotions, but Tavian was an adnotator, someone who could discern emotions by sight. Livia had seen the toll it could take on him. Adrian could sense emotions through touch--a tactor.  Since he could control who he touched the majority of the time, being an empath wasn''t nearly as draining on him. Adrian was completely different than Tavian as a result--less empathetic, careless to a fault, and impatient.


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you meet them,¡± Livia said, pacing across the spotlessly clean kitchen.


    ¡°Does he know Corvin is the competition?¡± Whitney asked.


    Livia turned, surprised. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You like this, Corvin,¡± Whitney said.


    ¡°No...why do you think that?¡± Livia asked.


    Whitney shook her head. ¡°One, you can tell. Two, you told me yourself.¡±


    ¡°I did?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s your work crush,¡± she said.


    Livia pouted. ¡°You¡¯re sworn to secrecy!¡±


    ¡°Why not tell him?¡± she asked. ¡°He¡¯s cute. He¡¯s nice. I¡¯d date him.¡±


    Livia glared at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna miss your chance,¡± she said


    Livia huffed. Whitney figured it out. Livia wasn¡¯t careful enough. But she worried. Could everyone tell? Was she transparent to everyone? She wanted to stop liking Corvin. They¡¯d adopted a more friendly relationship the past couple of weeks. There were no more slammed doors or dramatic stomp offs on Livia¡¯s part. She was embarrassed to admit it, but that conversation with Corvin about Taurus needing sleep had been pivotal in managing so many negative emotions. The first week she was ready to give up on the whole experiment because she was sleeping way too much. Then Monday hit and she felt like a whole new person.


    She could concentrate better in class. She was more social with her classmates, and she didn¡¯t feel like people were judging her as much. Instead of spending a lot of energy battling dark thoughts, she was able to focus more on people¡¯s little dramas. She encouraged Felicity in her attempts to adjust to life outside Caesarea. She congratulated Corvin when he turned in a huge project. She checked in with Terrance when he¡¯d had a long day.


    Livia didn¡¯t recognize herself and she liked it. She started scheduling time to sleep. She said no to late-night movies and any activities after 10:00. Whitney was kind of annoyed with her about it and this was the first time they¡¯d had a real conversation in three days.


    Still, Livia¡¯s attraction to Corvin being obvious stressed her out. Corvin Tullius was the son of Lars Tullius, the paterfamilias of Lupus house. Corvin would be paterfamilias of the largest house in Caesarea eventually. He had a large loving, tight-knit family, who were all well off and multi-talented. There was no way they would consider her anywhere near qualified to be materfamilias one day. And if by some miracle they did, Livia wouldn¡¯t consider herself capable of filling that role.


    Livia¡¯s life had been too different from Corvin¡¯s. It would never be possible to overcome the differences in their life experiences. Though, that was small compared to what Livia really feared. What if she was just like her mother? She saw the parallels. A young girl with a rough home life falls in love with the richest, most well-connected, and prominent guy in Caesarea. Was Livia that shallow? Was she that desperate? She wanted a better life for herself and her children than what her mother had. That meant making different decisions. Corvin was a little too close to the type of man her mother had chosen the first time around, and they¡¯ll all paid dearly for that. Livia needed a guy that was safe, boring, predictable. Corvin was not that guy. Again, she needed to stop liking him. He was too complicated, too confusing, too powerful, too all the things that made a man terrifying.


    A knock sounded on the door.


    ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± Livia cried.


    She ran to the door and threw it open. Tan immediately tackled her in a hug. Livia hugged her fiercely back. ¡°Tan! I missed you!¡±


    ¡°Livia, that¡¯s too tight.¡± She laughed.


    Livia released her instantly. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Tan only grinned and stepped aside so Adrian could pull her into a hug too. She ignored the fact his hug was too tight. ¡°Liv!¡±


    ¡°Adrian,¡± she grunted. He let her go.


    Tavian smiled at her. ¡°In a mood for a hug, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said. She loved that he asked. She pulled him close, more gentle. Tavian tugged her into a perfect hug. His arms encircled her with just the right amount of pressure and pulled away at the exact right time. This guy put her soul at ease.


    Then there was Arik.


    Ooo, she¡¯d forgotten how nice it could be to look at him. Adrian and Tavian were fine, no doubt, but Arik was make-you-forget-your-own-name handsome. His dark brown eyes were crowned with an expressive forehead that puckered in the most heart-wrenching way when he frowned. His lips were so perfect it was almost unbelievable that they weren¡¯t sculpted by an artist. Arik was flawless--at least when it came to looks. The other things, the more important things--like loyalty, consistency, and fortitude, weren¡¯t his forte.


    ¡°Liv,¡± he said, reaching out for half a hug.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said, trying to smile in a way that was friendly but not I-still-like-you friendly. She pulled away from him quickly and introduced them all to her roommate Whitney, whose eyes were huge. She seemed a little awestruck and Livia tried to tease her out of it a bit and failed.


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    The Halls were amused, immensely, and they retreated to the parking lot to show her the car.


    ¡°Sorry, bout that, guys. She¡¯s usually more down to earth,¡± Livia said.


    They laughed about it.


    ¡°Not every day you see three hunks,¡± Tan said.


    ¡°Three sexy hunks,¡± Arik said.


    ¡°Served straight up to your door,¡± Adrian joked.


    Livia exchanged a mutual eye-roll with Tavian. They operated on the same bs-detecting-wavelength, thankfully.


    They handed over the keys and Livia made them all smoosh in so she could take the car for a drive. ¡°Who¡¯s hungry?¡± she asked.


    They all chimed in for food. So, Livia drove them to the best hamburger and fries place in town. They caught up over dinner and then Livia drove them to their motel and drove herself home.


    ###


    The next morning they asked her to pick them up at nine. Livia showed them around the campus all day. Exploring the gym, library, the buildings, the student center, the gift shop, a couple of the statues. It was a good time all around. That night, since it was Saturday they headed over to Ratco.


    ¡°So, who all is here?¡± Tavian asked.


    ¡°Um, Terrance and Felicity from Rattus.¡±


    ¡°Aw, Felicity is so sweet,¡± Adrian said. ¡°Tender-hearted soul. How is she?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a hard adjustment,¡± Livia said. ¡°I¡¯ve tried to help here and there, but she¡¯s still down a lot of the time.¡±


    ¡°Aw, hopefully, we can cheer her up,¡± Tan said.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s Corvin.¡±


    Tavian asked. ¡°How is Corvin?¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I never know. He¡¯s Corvin.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Tan asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s emotionless,¡± Livia said. ¡°Can¡¯t read him.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°That sounds like he¡¯s having a rough time.¡±


    ¡°It does?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tavian agreed. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s Bella or the shooting he¡¯s not over yet.¡±


    ¡°Bella?¡± Livia asked.


    Arik hooted. ¡°Bella Aurelius, Livia.¡±


    Livia scoffed. ¡°I know, Arik, but I doubt he¡¯s still upset about that.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Adrian asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Arik encouraged. ¡°Explain that.¡±


    ¡°Just the way he acted when they broke up--¡±


    ¡°How did he act?¡± Adrian pressed.


    Why were they giving her such a hard time over this? Livia huffed. ¡°He gave Bella an ultimatum that if she wanted to fix their relationship she had to give up her job, which is totally unacceptable.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Tan asked in shock.  ¡°He actually gave her that option? He is way too nice--¡±


    Livia growled. ¡°You mean he was a controlling jerk, right?¡±


    Tavian interjected before Adrian or Arik could, thankfully. His voice was calm and kind instead of short and frustrated. ¡°You¡¯re responding like you don¡¯t know what happened. Right before you came to Caesarea, she spilled Corvin¡¯s political secrets to get an unpaid position on Aquila house staff.¡±


    ¡°It paid off,¡± Arik said. ¡°She¡¯s got a cushy job now. Unheard of for a woman in Caesarea to have a full-time paid position on the staff of the consul.¡±


    ¡°Wait. What?¡± Livia demanded. ¡°What political secrets?¡±


    ¡°Corvin was obligated by family connections to donate to the political campaign of one of his cousins,¡± Adrian explained. ¡°Except, Corvin didn¡¯t agree with his platform. Instead of making a fuss over it, he donated a larger monetary amount to the campaign he supported under the name of a business he owns--¡±


    ¡°Corvin owns a business?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°He registered his own business so Justin Aurelius could hire and pay him to work on technical writing projects for TARP,¡± Tavian explained. ¡°Most of the pamphlets they pass out on mental illness, addiction recovery, and abuse are written by him.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± was all Livia could manage. She¡¯d known when she¡¯d stayed with Justin and Flavia¡¯s family that Bella was being shunned. It was impossible to ignore but no one had told her the reasons. Livia and Bella had become good friends. Livia often took her out bird-watching to get her away from all the drama in Caesarea. Bella had been patient and kind to Livia when Hyrum left for eight weeks. Livia hadn¡¯t been easy to live with--paranoid, anxious. Livia would wake the house up with night terrors, refused some days to leave her room. Justin had walked her through all that nonsense. She didn¡¯t know what would have happened to her without Justin¡¯s help and advice.


    ¡°That¡¯s not even the worst part,¡± Tan said. ¡°After Bella exposed Corvin for donating to two political campaigns, Lupus house split into factions. There wasn''t enough consensus when the votes came around to look after Lupus house interests. So they weren¡¯t given the funds from the budget to take care of needy Lupus house families. Lars has been feeding them with emergency funds for nine months. Corvin keeps trying to make amends but it looks like the same thing is going to happen this fall. There isn¡¯t enough money left to take care of those families next year without a welfare budget.¡±


    Livia gulped. If that were the case then Corvin was way too nice. Livia would have cut Bella off completely.  Livia¡¯s friendship with Bella was probably the reason Corvin had given her a cold shoulder. Livia¡¯s heart sank as she saw the situation differently. It probably looked like she had taken Bella¡¯s side. It was a wonder Corvin had offered his friendship at all. Then she¡¯d been a jerk about it. Livia felt guilt clench her heart in its fist. Why was she always so stupid?


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Tavian asked, seriously.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You were friends with Bella, right?¡± Tan asked.


    Livia shrugged. She wasn¡¯t at a high point at that time in her life. In fact, she was doing so much better now that she was almost surprised at herself. She¡¯d healed, she¡¯d changed, grown-up, and gotten tougher in ways she hadn¡¯t thought about.


    ¡°Bella never explained any of that to me. Does that surprise you?¡± she asked.


    Adrian laughed. ¡°No.¡±


    Arik asked. ¡°Probably thought you wouldn¡¯t remain her friend.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t like that she wondered about that very fact. She was extremely unsettled that the most vulnerable people of the community were punished for Bella¡¯s decision. Had Bella done anything to fix that?


    ¡°Do you think--¡± Livia had to ask. ¡°If they had gotten back together that the split in the senate would have resolved itself?¡±


    ¡°Probably better that they didn¡¯t,¡± Arik said. ¡°I think Lupus house would have considered that a betrayal of them on Corvin¡¯s part.¡±


    Tavian disagreed. ¡°Yeah, but the Aurelian faction would have thrown their support behind them and they have a lot of influence. It might have worked--¡±


    Adrian snorted. ¡°No, there is no way that wouldn¡¯t come back to haunt everyone. She sold him out for an unpaid position. She didn¡¯t love him. Better it happened last year instead of in five years. The welfare system needed reform anyway because of this exact situation.¡±


    Livia swallowed. Her heart hurt for those in Lupus house that were suffering insecurity because people valued their pride above feeding their fellow house members. She couldn¡¯t think of many things more awful.


    Tavian interrupted her thoughts, ¡°How have you been doing here, Liv? Do you like school? Things going good?¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°Not as easy as I expected it to be in some ways. But it¡¯s not bad. Some moments are good.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s okay?¡± Tan said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia nodded. ¡°I¡¯m comfortable here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Adrian said. ¡°It¡¯s nice to hear you¡¯re happy.¡±


    Livia wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d describe herself as happy--happy was a tricky state--but she was close to it.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Livia said, pulling into her visitor¡¯s spot at Ratco. ¡°We¡¯re a little early. Let¡¯s hope they aren¡¯t too annoyed with us.¡±

 Chapter 15

    They weren¡¯t annoyed at all but excited. Terrance especially, to see anyone from Rattus house. Terrance hugged each Hall member at least three times before he could talk properly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you guys live outside. I miss being with other Rattus folk so badly. It¡¯s so good to see you.¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Adrian said. ¡°We¡¯ve gotten used to it. Livia knows how it is--¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t know if she knew, though, it wasn¡¯t getting easier pretending around Whitney. This week was especially difficult. Especially since she¡¯d hurt Whitney when she chose to sleep over hanging out. Livia didn¡¯t know how to explain how badly her body needed sleep without revealing how Taurus members worked. Livia was relieved to come to hang out at Ratco tonight. She needed it.


    Everyone looked at her. She picked at one of her fingernails. Adrian waited. When Livia didn¡¯t say anything he looked surprised. She didn¡¯t know what he expected her to do. So, she walked into the kitchen and got a glass of water. Tavian followed her.


    ¡°Can I have a glass too?¡± he asked.


    Livia got a second glass and handed it to him. Corvin was in the kitchen, squinting at a recipe, deeply involved in a baking project.


    ¡°Do you want help, Corvin?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Um, that¡¯d be nice, Liv,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to do this.¡±


    He turned the recipe book toward her.


    ¡°You¡¯re making pretzel bites?¡±


    ¡°I thought it would be easy. It¡¯s not.¡±


    Livia smiled. ¡°You got an apron? We¡¯re gonna get pretty messy.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any,¡± he said.


    Livia shrugged. She¡¯d have to deal.  ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    Tavian didn¡¯t leave. ¡°Liv, you acted weird in there.¡±


    She glanced at him. Then looked away.


    He frowned. ¡°You miss Caesarea then?¡±


    Livia found a measuring cup. Then stilled. ¡°It¡¯s kind of bigger than missing, Tavian,¡± she admitted. ¡°If I just missed it. It¡¯d be easy.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s like...I don¡¯t know if I could live outside the way I thought I could. The way I wanted.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I thought I could switch back to who I used to be, but...I can¡¯t...I need people who understand me.¡±


    Tavian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s...something I never thought I¡¯d hear you say.¡±


    ¡°That I¡¯d need anything,¡± Livia joked.


    ¡°Well, that too. But you were pretty committed to doing things solo.¡±


    Livia shrugged. ¡°Maybe this is a phase. It might pass.¡±


    ¡°Are you hoping it does?¡± Tavian asked.


    Livia sighed. ¡°It¡¯d be simpler if it did.¡±


    ¡°Liv,¡± Corvin looked at her. ¡°You know it¡¯s normal, right? To need people?¡±


    Livia looked at him, surprised.


    ¡°The fact you can feel and acknowledge that need is evidence that you¡¯ve healed,¡± he said.


    Livia froze. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I like that. It¡¯s harder to need people.¡±


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s good. It¡¯s healthy,¡± he said.


    ¡°But it¡¯s hard¡­¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Yeah, but that means you¡¯re growing, you¡¯re learning. It¡¯s an amazing place to be.¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to go away,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Not in the way you¡¯ll want it to,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯ll go away when your needs are satisfied.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I hate being human.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Me too, Liv. Sometimes it sucks, right?¡±


    His openness about his feelings surprised her. ¡°You feel that way?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°A lot?¡±


    Corvin pursed his lips. ¡°Depends.¡±


    Livia considered him. ¡°Is it worse out here or in Caesarea?¡± she asked.


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Again, complicated. I think I needed a break from Caesarea. But I miss my family--a lot. It¡¯s hard.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change but Livia looked at Tavian and saw such a genuine sadness on his face. She realized he was echoing Corvin¡¯s emotions.


    ¡°That¡¯s a fierce ache, Cor,¡± Tavian said. ¡°Go visit them.¡±


    ¡°We keep talking about going the week of fall break. It coincides with the founding festival so it¡¯s perfect. Liv, you wanna come with us?¡±


    ¡°Um, let me think about it...wait, you guys will be gone that entire week. I¡­¡± need you.


    ¡°Come with us,¡± Corvin begged. ¡°I¡¯ll worry about you here all alone.¡±


    Livia worried about herself too. ¡°I need time to get used to this idea. What¡¯s the plan?¡±


    Corvin and she baked together as he gave her all the details. ¡°Felicity is struggling hard, Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°She needs it more than I do.¡±


    ¡°What else can we do, Corvin?¡± Livia asked. ¡°We met up for lunch a couple of days last week on campus.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s more you can do than that, Liv. That¡¯s already a big help. She¡¯ll figure it out, eventually. She either toughen up and ride it out or cave and learn a big lesson about herself. Either way, she¡¯ll be okay if we support her through it.¡±


    The more familiar Livia became with Corvin, the more she realized how non-judgemental he was of other people. He didn¡¯t care what Felicity decided as long as he knew she was safe and happy.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be okay?¡± Livia repeated, looking at him for reassurance.


    Corvin stepped closer. ¡°Yeah, Liv. She has a good family and friends that love her in both places. She¡¯ll find her best way.¡±


    Without thinking Livia moved into his personal space to drink in the reassurance he exuded. ¡°I worry about her.¡±


    Corvin smiled, his stance opening to invite her closeness. ¡°You worry about everyone, I¡¯ve noticed.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. You think she¡¯ll be okay?¡±


    Corvin settled his hand between her shoulder blades. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine and so will you.¡±


    Livia startled away. ¡°Sorry, I--¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fine,¡± Corvin said, voice warm.


    Livia could still feel the sensation of touch on her skin and instead of disliking it, she savored it. She regretted pulling away.


    ¡°I¡¯m slacking off,¡± she scolded herself. ¡°The pretzels won¡¯t make themselves.¡±


    Livia dedicated herself to the baking enterprise, putting space between her and Corvin. She looked up at Tavian. His wide eyes switched between them, as he suppressed a smile.


    She rambled about nonsensical things, clearly flustered. Corvin interrupted her when he stroked a flour-covered finger down her nose. Livia looked at him startled.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°Is there flour on my nose?¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°When was the last time someone told you that you¡¯re adorable?¡±


    Livia was too surprised to respond. What was she supposed to read into this? Was Corvin playing with her? Flirting? He thought she was adorable?


    Livia looked at Tavian, who was laughing openly. ¡°Is there flour on my nose, Tav?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he laughed. ¡°You¡¯re fine.¡±


    Arik took that opportunity to come in. ¡°Oh, excellent! We¡¯re baking?¡±


    He went over to the sink and washed his hands. He handed Livia the rag. ¡°Wipe off your nose, Liv.¡±


    Corvin and Tavian both chortled when she glared at them both. ¡°I am not adorable!¡±


    ¡°Of course, you are,¡± Arik said without missing a beat.


    ¡°Not cool,¡± Livia glared at him.


    He took out his phone and glanced at it and frowned.


    ¡°Something wrong, Arik?¡± Tavian asked.


    He sighed. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Expecting a call?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He placed the phone on the counter in front of him. He looked at Liv. ¡°Are you going to stop glaring at me every time I come near?¡±


    Livia jerked her chin back. ¡°I¡¯m not glaring at you--¡± That much.


    Arik raised a single brow at her. ¡°Right.¡±


    Oh no. He was in a mood. She knew if she denied glaring at him there would be a fight. It was time for a different tactic.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re being lazy,¡± she barked at him. ¡°Standing there looking at your phone when there¡¯s work to do in here.¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Yes, Liv, what would you like me to do?¡±


    ¡°Roll this dough out into strips and cut each into one-inch pieces,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Arik said and got to work.


    ¡°Corvin, will you watch over them while they boil in the baking soda?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Got it, Fabulous,¡± he said.


    Arik¡¯s head shot up at the use of the nickname. Livia tried to remember if he¡¯d ever heard it before. It was something that had started in the TARP office. She was continuously running little errands for them as the intern and they started to tease her by saying things like, ¡°That¡¯s our Fabulous Fabius.¡± Until, one day, Corvin shortened it to straight Fabulous and it stuck.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the pans all ready to go in the oven,¡± Livia said, trying to avoid Arik¡¯s gaze. Was he going to say something?


    Soon, they were a productive little assembly line. Thankfully, Arik went back to work and didn¡¯t get upset. There was a cooperative bustle in the kitchen that made Livia feel warm and pleased. She slid two pans of pretzels into the oven and released a triumphant sigh. She liked efficiency.


    ¡°Alright, we have to let those cook,¡± Livia said. ¡°When does Felicity get here, Corvin?¡±


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    He looked back at the clock as he washed his hands. ¡°Ten minutes, if she''s on time.¡±


    ¡°Does she know the Halls were coming?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°We thought it¡¯d be fun to keep it a surprise,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Think Felicity will react like Terrence?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°More excited,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia laughed. ¡°That will be fun. My roommate was struck speechless.¡±


    ¡°She was?¡± Corvin asked, drying his hands off and looking at her now.


    ¡°She might have been overwhelmed with three hunky guys in her apartment.¡± Livia grinned.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Compliments to Mrs. Hall.¡±


    ¡°She does good work doesn¡¯t she,¡± Arik joked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always liked your mother,¡± Corvin said. ¡°She strikes me as very loving with just the right amount of sternness to keep three boys in line.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tavian said. ¡°But Tan is the wild one. She tests my mom¡¯s patience to the limit.¡±


    ¡°I am very familiar with the difficulties of reasoning with females,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯m related to a strong-willed cluster of clever machinators myself.¡±


    Livia laughed. He had five younger sisters. ¡°Do they know you describe them as such?¡±


    ¡°You should hear what they call me,¡± he said.


    Livia shook her head, amused.


    At that moment a knock came at the door. ¡°Felicity¡¯s here!¡± Livia cried.


    Terrance opened the door. ¡°So, we have a surprise¡­¡±


    ¡°What surprise?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°Come see,¡± Terrance invited them in.


    ¡°Visitors!¡± Felicity squealed with delight a moment later.


    Corvin and Livia cracked up together, gazes locking.


    This provoked another intrigued look from Arik. Livia quickly looked away and stopped laughing. Corvin glanced between her and Arik, then frowned.


    ¡°Tan!¡± Felicity greeted. ¡°Are you Adrian or Tavian?¡± she asked from the other room.


    Arik and Tavian exchanged a look and grinned at each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m Adrian,¡± Adrian said.


    ¡°Adrian!¡± Felicity squealed.


    Arik and Tavian laughed outright then slipped out of the kitchen to the front room. Livia sighed in relief to be out from under Arik¡¯s scrutiny.


    ¡°Arik!¡± Felicity squealed.


    Arik took the opportunity to taunt Adrian that his name was more memorable. Livia grinned at Corvin as Tavian got the last happy Felicity greeting. ¡°She¡¯s happy.¡±


    Corvin came alongside her. ¡°See? She¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    They were alone in the kitchen now. Corvin opened his mouth to say something when Arik¡¯s phone vibrated with an incoming call. Livia¡¯s eyes widened as the caller¡¯s name flashed--Lauren. The name was accompanied by a picture of a young red-haired woman clutched in a passionate embrace with Arik. He¡¯d picked up a new girlfriend. Well, that hurt but also...she was relieved.


    Corvin swiped the phone. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    He disappeared from the kitchen giving Livia a much-appreciated space to breathe. Corvin came back a moment later. ¡°Arik slipped outside to chat with Lauren.¡±


    Livia took a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s the call he must have been waiting for.¡±


    ¡°You okay?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s a brutal way to find out your ex is dating someone new.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a little painful but also...I¡¯m relieved?¡±


    Corvin smiled. ¡°Not a bad feeling.¡±


    ¡°I mean, he moved on. It¡¯s over--¡±


    ¡°Closure?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia nodded. ¡°I think? I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Corvin shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t need to analyze it.¡±


    Livia sighed with relief. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s just...do something else.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a mess in here,¡± Corvin said, carrying a bowl to the sink and starting to scrub it out.


    Livia had the urge to give Corvin a huge hug. She couldn''t ask him directly without him assuming she was deeply upset. And she needed something lighthearted right now. She¡¯d have to settle for a playful game of revenge instead. She discreetly scooped up a handful of flour and headed toward him.


    He heard her coming and looked over his shoulder briefly. Then did a double-take and turned fully to face her.


    ¡°Liv,¡± he drawled low in his throat, head tilting toward her.


    Dang, how did he know she was up to no good?


    ¡°Corvin,¡± she said back in the same tone.


    She hesitated but he grinned and reached out a hand for her. So, she stepped closer. She should have known it was a trap! When she reached him he sidestepped so she was facing the sink. One hand found her hip while the other encircled her wrist and held it over the sink and away from him. He attempted to break her grip on the flour and failed. Due to the advantage of being Taurus, no doubt. Livia laughed and twisted her wrist to break his grip.


    Corvin hid his face in her hair and laughed as he lost their battle. The sound of his mirth vibrating in her ear sent happy tingles skittering down her arms. Corvin wrapped both his arms around her and pulled her tight against him to shield himself. Livia closed her eyes and surrendered herself to the embrace for one delicious moment. Then she set herself back to her revenge plot. She cackled and threw the handful of flour directly onto his hair.


    Corvin immediately shook his head and got flour everywhere. He nuzzled his head along her shoulders and neck getting her covered in flour too. Livia laughed and turned in his arms so she could push him away. Only to find herself lacking the will to push when her palms came to rest against his ribcage. She looked up into his grinning face and froze. Did understanding what happened between him and Bella change things between them this much? Corvin released her from his hug and placed his hands lightly on her lower back, sending tingles down the length of her spine. Yes, definitely. The knowledge had lowered her reticence dramatically.


    Corvin batted his eyelashes playfully. ¡°How ridiculous do I look, Liv?¡±


    When she saw the flour coating his long lashes, she snickered at him.


    The spell was broken.


    Corvin heaved a sigh and released her to face the sink. He turned on the tap water and splashed his face with water, washing the flower off. He put his hair under the stream and tried to finger the flour out, but he was missing spots.


    ¡°Here,¡± Livia reached out before she considered the consequences. ¡°Let me help.¡±


    She ran her fingers through Corvin¡¯s wet curls, shaking out the sticky flour. She stilled for a moment as the sensation of his hair between her fingers overwhelmed her. She enjoyed it. Too much. Suddenly, all this familiarity intimidated her.


    Corvin waited. ¡°Did you get it all?¡±


    ¡°No. I--¡± Livia moved her fingers through his hair again, washing out the flour spots. She was more careful and timid than she¡¯d been at first.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine,¡± Corvin insisted. ¡°Thanks for the help.¡±


    Corvin closed his eyes. He looked like Ares when he was getting his head scratched.


    ¡°You like that?¡± Livia whispered.


    ¡°Feels nice,¡± he said, simply.


    Livia got the rest of the flour and removed her hands from his hair, heart racing. She turned off the faucet. Corvin grabbed a dry kitchen cloth and rubbed his neck and head. He turned toward her.


    He grinned as he took her in. ¡°You¡¯re a mess.¡±


    Livia was too shy to look him in the eye. "Not as bad as you were.¡±


    Corvin reached out and placed a hand on her lower back to draw her close again.


    Livia inhaled sharply and stiffened.


    Corvin turned half away to turn the faucet back on and soak the towel. ¡°I¡¯ll be gentle, Liv. It was all good fun. No hard feelings.¡±


    Livia swallowed as he turned toward her and brushed a corner of the towel against her cheek. Livia flinched instinctively.


    ¡°Is that too cold?¡± Corvin asked, hesitating.


    ¡°No, it feels nice,¡± Livia admitted. ¡°I¡¯m just not used to that.¡±


    ¡°To things feeling nice?¡± Corvin asked, concerned.


    Livia tried to swallow down her emotion as tears flooded her eyes. Thankfully, she was able to blink them away before any of them fell but Corvin wasn¡¯t blind.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Livia whispered.


    Corvin lifted the towel again and brushed her cheek gently. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of tears, Liv, as you know.¡±


    Livia laughed, breathless. TARP agents negotiated their way through a lot of tears weekly. He brushed the flour off her other cheek and the cold rag was soothing against her skin. Livia knew her expression softened in response to his touch and she attempted to draw away, afraid she¡¯d reveal her feelings for him.


    Corvin tugged her back gently. ¡±Did you think less of me for enjoying your touch?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Livia scoffed. That was ridiculous.


    ¡°I won¡¯t think less of you,¡± he said, directly meeting her gaze. ¡°May I?¡±


    Livia closed her eyes hoping that would make it easier. ¡°Okay.¡±


    As Corvin wiped the flour off her face with the cold rag Livia¡¯s tension eased. She realized that her skin was irritated and itchy from the flour. The cold soothed away the irritation. A sigh of relief slipped out of the back of her throat. Corvin¡¯s hand lifted from her back and cradled the back of her head as he tilted it back so he could wipe the flour off her neck and shoulders.


    ¡°All done,¡± he said.


    Livia opened her eyes, and Corvin smiled. Both his hands feathered over her hair, ¡°Except, for your hair. Shall we rinse it the way we did mine?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just brush it out?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Corvin¡¯s fingers brushed lightly over the strands of her hair as he tried to dust the flour out. ¡°It looks better. But--¡±


    Their gazes met and he stopped mid-explanation. Livia wasn¡¯t thinking clearly. She felt too relaxed, too comfortable because she slid her hands up his chest and over his shoulders. She didn¡¯t have a plan or an endgame. The gesture just felt right, as natural as exhaling after inhaling.


    Corvin¡¯s expression softened and his forehead lowered to rest against hers. He inhaled deeply and his hands tangled deep into her hair.


    Livia imagined the taste of his lip against hers and inched her chin upward.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Arik said, strolling into the kitchen. Livia leaped out of Corvin¡¯s arms so fast he had to grasp the counter to keep from falling over. She turned to face Arik, cheeks flaming. His eyes went wide, flying from her to Corvin and back the same way Tavian¡¯s had.


    Arik grinned and leaned against the doorframe. ¡°So, how long are you keeping it a secret?¡±


    ¡°What a secret?¡± Livia asked, baffled.


    ¡°Your relationship,¡± he snapped. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you two the entire time and it¡¯s clear as day--¡±


    ¡°Watching who?¡± Livia asked, confused.


    Arik tsked and an impatient look crossed his face. ¡°You and Corvin, Liv.¡±


    Livia¡¯s face flamed and she cast Corvin an embarrassed look. ¡°We¡¯re not dating,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Why not?¡± he demanded.


    Livia glared at Arik. ¡°We¡¯re not dating, Arik.¡±


    Corvin said, ¡°Arik, there¡¯s no secret. Liv and I are not in a relationship, currently.¡±


    Arik was not deterred. ¡°Corvin, you should take Livia out.¡±


    Corvin coughed. Livia was suspicious it was to hide a laugh and she glared at Corvin. Corvin took one look at Livia and sobered. ¡°You-you hold that opinion?¡± he asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s hard on herself but she¡¯s amazing girlfriend material. Loyal, supportive--¡±


    ¡°Arik,¡± Livia exploded. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I am not talking to you,¡± Arik gave her a snooty look and turned back to Corvin.


    ¡°Liv¡¯s not interested,¡± Corvin said, firmly.


    ¡°She¡¯s not?¡± Arik asked, looking back at Livia. ¡°Have you asked her?¡±


    ¡°Several times,¡± Corvin answered.


    ¡°No you haven¡¯t,¡± Livia snapped. Then she remembered more than one invitation she¡¯d shot down immediately. She closed her eyes and put her forehead in her palm.


    Arik laughed. ¡°He did ask, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°He was only being nice,¡± Livia defended herself.


    ¡°Cause that¡¯s a crime,¡± Arik drawled.


    ¡°Why are you making it your business?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°I want you to be happy, Liv,¡± Arik said. ¡°Also, not a crime.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be this way,¡± Livia ordered.


    ¡°What way?¡± Arik asked, innocently.


    ¡°Meddling,¡± she said.


    ¡°Cause you¡¯d never meddle to help someone you cared about,¡± Arik said, a single eyebrow raised.


    Livia growled through clenched teeth. ¡°Arik.¡±


    ¡°Be persistent, Corvin,¡± Arik said.


    ¡°Arik, this is not cool,¡± Corvin said. ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing her and that¡¯s extremely unkind despite the fact you claim to care for her.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t understand her position, Corvin,¡± Arik said. ¡°She thinks I¡¯m a higher class than her. She thinks her status is so far beneath yours that it¡¯s impossible to bridge the gap.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Arik,¡± Livia said. ¡°Thanks for that.¡±


    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Now, stop. I won¡¯t tolerate this discussion anymore.¡±


    Livia was trembling with the effort it took to suppress her tears.


    Arik opened his mouth to speak again, a smug look on his face, but Corvin interrupted, harshly. ¡°Don¡¯t speak. Leave this kitchen. Now.¡±


    Arik looked at Livia and his amusement evaporated. ¡°Liv?¡±


    She inhaled a shaky breath and turned her back to him. There was a long, tense silence, and then she heard Arik shuffle away.


    Corvin approached her. Livia tried to breathe away the tears but only managed to sound like she was hyperventilating, as tears slipped down both cheeks.


    ¡°This is so stupid,¡± she squeaked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Corvin said, calmly. ¡°That must have hurt. He was a little too eager to hand you over to the next guy, huh? Right after you were ambushed with the Lauren call.¡±


    Livia put a hand over her heart. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What don¡¯t you know?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m crying--¡± she whispered.


    ¡°You¡¯re not hurt?¡± Corvin asked, surprised.


    ¡°I feel...so...anxious...¡±


    ¡°You scared?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to think...I¡¯m...I¡¯m preying on you--¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that, Liv.¡±


    ¡°And it does make me feel...worthless,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Cause he doesn¡¯t want you?¡± Corvin asked in a low voice so no one else could hear.


    ¡°I¡¯m not good enough,¡± Livia whimpered. ¡°Nothing I do is ever good enough.¡±


    Corvin put his arms around her. ¡°You are amazing just the way you are, Liv.¡±


    Livia cried on his shoulder. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do this again.¡±


    Corvin chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m here. Just cry all you need.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so stupid. Why do humans have feelings? It¡¯s so useless,¡± she muttered.


    Corvin rubbed a single hand up and down her back. ¡°Let it all out, Liv.¡±


    Livia was grateful that the tears passed quickly and she pulled back. ¡°Thanks, Corvin.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No problem. Let¡¯s get those pretzels out of the oven before they burn, huh?¡±


    She nodded. Corvin found the perfect balance between distracting her from her emotions and offering her support and validation at the same time. She reminded herself he did this all day for a living, of course, he was good at it.

 Chapter 16

    They carried a bowl of hot, fresh pretzels into the room. The only way to stay a safe distance away from Arik was to sit down next to Corvin, which was something Livia usually consciously avoided. Arik looked repentant and wouldn¡¯t meet her eyes when he muttered, ¡°Sorry, Liv. I overstepped.¡±


    Tavian and Adrian both gave him displeased glares. Terrance and Felicity both looked like they were waiting for something else to go wrong. Tan was the only one that still seemed chipper but Livia knew her well enough to see that it was a facade.


    Tavian offered her a way out. ¡°Liv, I saw a path outback. Wanna go explore it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia agreed.


    ¡°Want me to come, bro?¡± Adrian asked.


    Tavian shook his head. ¡°Nah, we¡¯ll go check it out for ten minutes or so and come back.¡±


    Livia sighed with relief as she slipped outside with Tavian. She was overwhelmed with all the drama.


    ¡°Arik is an idiot sometimes but he feels awful,¡± Tavian confided. ¡°I had to get out of there.¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°Me too, Tavian.¡±


    ¡°So, dating Corvin is a sensitive topic, huh?¡±


    ¡°Well, Arik is dating again--¡± Livia said, trying to deflect the conversation.  ¡°We saw the picture of Lauren come up on his phone when it rang in the kitchen.¡±


    Tavian winced. ¡°We debated telling you against Arik¡¯s wishes but he wanted to drop that bomb the last day we were here.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°He¡¯s such a coward sometimes.¡±


    Tavian sighed. ¡°So, what is up between you and Corvin? I noticed the attraction too.¡±


    Livia blushed. ¡°Corvin¡¯s not attracted to me.¡±


    Tavian laughed. ¡°He put flour on your nose and said you were adorable. He calls you Fabulous--¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a joke,¡± Livia interrupted.


    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you consider it?¡± Tavian asked.


    Livia used to think Corvin was a controlling sexist but after Tavian revealed the details behind his relationship with Bella she knew that wasn¡¯t true. One of the reasons she¡¯d been so upset about Corvin pulling that move on Bella was that it didn¡¯t fit with the values he professed in a professional setting. Now that his personal and professional values mirrored each other in her head her belief in the inherent goodness she¡¯s glimpsed in him was restored.


    She looked at Tavian. ¡°What do you think about him donating to two different campaigns? Does it make you angry?¡±


    Tavian sighed. ¡°That¡¯s a hard question, Liv. Sometimes, Corvin¡¯s life isn¡¯t fair. His position in Caesarea makes so many of his personal relationships political and that¡¯s disturbing to watch, honestly. Like how you asked in the car--if he¡¯d gotten back together with Bella would the welfare reforms in his house be resolved? Who wants to be in a position where the girlfriend you chose determines if 600 people in your house get to eat next year?¡±


    Livia winced. ¡°It would feel like political blackmail if they got back together--¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tavian agreed. ¡°So, I¡¯m personally glad he didn¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t think any relationship could remain healthy with that kind of baggage.¡±


    ¡°Yet, you ask me why I won¡¯t date him?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re in the same position, Livia,¡± Tavian said, bluntly.


    Livia missed a step. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Anyone you date will want to take advantage of the fact that you have familial relations to Gaius and Hyrum. You¡¯re patrician, Liv. That means your opinion influences the political and financial decision of Taurus house.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t get why you think I¡¯d be any different than Bella--¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Since Corvin has similar influence and power within his family the relationship wouldn¡¯t be as unequal,¡± Tavian said. ¡°I mean, being Patrician is one thing but you and Corvin are next-level Patrician. You¡¯re Paterfamilial Patrician and that¡¯s next to impossible to reconcile with Plebeian politics. Believe me, we¡¯ve all watched Corvin try. He¡¯s had many difficult breakups.¡±


    This line of reasoning irritated Livia. Part of her still wanted to be right that she and Arik could have worked things out if he hadn¡¯t bailed on her. That door was closed now, though, firmly. Arik was dating someone new and that shifted Livia¡¯s internal focus. It was a lost cause and wasted energy to hang on to it any longer.


    ¡°But Lupus house is way more powerful than Taurus house,¡± Livia argued.


    Tavian sighed. ¡°I know you see that as a bad thing but there¡¯s so much potential for good there--¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°His family is secure and strong and yours is chaotic and struggling. It would bring stability to the entire community if Taurus house had the support of the Tullian clan. Gaius and Hyrum can¡¯t do everything on their own indefinitely.¡±


    Livia knew this and it hurt. It hurt to watch Hyrum struggle. It hurt to accept that Caesarea would break him if things remained the same. It felt gross to date a man to save her brother, though. You could call it selfishness or self-preservation but Livia wasn¡¯t willing to do that. It offended her sense of integrity.


    ¡°So, it¡¯d be all about politics,¡± Livia glared at Tavian.


    ¡°Good relationships, Livia,¡± Tavian said. ¡°Are the foundation of good politics. They¡¯re not inversely related.¡±


    ¡°Your arguments don¡¯t mean we even have to date. We could just be friends!¡± she insisted.


    ¡°You could,¡± Tavian agreed. ¡°That would help Hyrum and Taurus house immensely if you were able to smooth a political understanding with Lupus house. In Caesarea, things aren¡¯t about individuals. It¡¯s about taking care of the House. He knows so much about what Hyrum and Gaius need to do. Try to learn from him at the very least.¡±


    Livia frowned at him.


    ¡°This is my best advice,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t punish Corvin for Arik¡¯s mistakes. Pretend like tonight never happened. Continue as you were before we got here.¡±


    That hit Livia hard because she didn¡¯t want to be that person. She didn¡¯t want to be the person that punished someone who didn¡¯t deserve it because she was upset. That was what her mother would do. Livia had to prove to herself that she wasn¡¯t going to be like her. She was going to be more rational. She was going to be fair.


    ¡°Okay, Tavian,¡± Livia agreed.


    They walked in silence a few moments more and then decided to head back to Ratco. Livia mulled over all the arguments Tavian gave her but it was a lot to take in. It wasn¡¯t something that she could process on a ten-minute walk or ten days even. She needed space and time and probably a long talk with her brother Hyrum to sort it all out.


    When they walked back into the townhouse things seemed less tense. Terrance was chatting with Arik. Felicity was sitting close to Adrian, who was grinning a tad more flirtatiously than usual. Corvin and Tan were slamming down cards as fast as they could, intent on their game of speed.


    Tavian and Livia both scooped up a handful of pretzel bites and found a place on the couch.


    ¡°Tav,¡± Livia asked. ¡°How¡¯s school? You like it?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± he said. ¡°My Trig class is hard but I¡¯m passing. Then I¡¯m finishing up the rest of my general requirements this year.¡±


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be an accountant, right?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said.


    Livia¡¯s brother was studying to do the same and was currently rooming with the twins while they completed the same program.


    ¡°Does Lucas see Mom much?¡± Livia asked. Tavian and Adrian had already reported that he was doing fine and that he wasn¡¯t currently dating anyone.


    ¡°No, they talk on the phone but he doesn¡¯t visit her more than once a month. Tad comes out to see him occasionally.¡±


    Livia smiled. ¡°Tad is awesome.¡±


    ¡°He is,¡± Tavian grinned. ¡°Tad went on a hike with us and I now know why you¡¯re a birder.¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°Right? He knows everything!¡±


    ¡°Seems like it,¡± Tavian agreed, finishing off his last pretzel bite.


    Livia¡¯s smile fell, as an ache filled her. She turned to look at the wall.


    ¡°You miss him,¡± Tavian said.


    ¡°A little,¡± Livia admitted.


    ¡°A lot,¡± Tavian contradicted.


    ¡°I miss Lucas too. I wish he¡¯d come out and visit,¡± Livia confessed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try and talk him into coming with us to fall vacation,¡± Tavian said.


    Livia couldn¡¯t hide her eagerness as she turned to Tavian again. ¡°I¡¯d love that. I was debating on going back but if I could see Lucas again--¡±


    ¡°You were seriously considering not going back for fall break?¡± Tavian asked, confused.


    Livia lowered her eyes. Sometimes it was hard to remember that even if Tavian could sense her emotions he couldn¡¯t read her mind. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to go back ever, Tavian,¡± Livia said, quietly.


    He studied her a long time before saying anything. ¡°But we had that whole conversation in the kitchen about--¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Livia pressed her forehead to her knees. ¡°I know.¡±


    Sometimes Livia thought that torture would be easier than dealing with this limbo she was in and then she remembered her childhood and told herself she needed to stop being dramatic. She had safety, food, and shelter. She had loyal brothers and good friends. She should be happy with what she had.


    ¡°Caesarea is a weird place,¡± Tavian said. He glanced at the rest of the room, as if he worried about what the lifetime Caesareans were going to think of him, then carried on. ¡°There¡¯s this culture there that implies because we have characteristics in common that we¡¯re all one big family. So, there¡¯s this weird messaging that you¡¯ll get universal acceptance and it¡¯s simply not true. No one in Caesarea has universal acceptance.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need everyone to like me, Tavian,¡± Livia said. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you need, Liv?¡± Tavian asked.


    ¡°I need to have a place where I can be my authentic self and have respect,¡± Livia said. ¡°Caesarea offers me authenticity with no respect. Out here I know how to gain respect but I have to hide who I am.¡±


    Tavian¡¯s expression turned thoughtful. ¡°What do you get respected for out here, Livia?¡±


    ¡°I work hard. I follow the rules.  I help people when I see a problem I can solve. That¡¯s enough out here. In Caesarea...well, I keep learning there are new rules even after a year. People don¡¯t let you help them because they have people assigned to them that do that? I don¡¯t know? I never figured it out. But on a good day it¡¯s awkward, on a bad day it¡¯s humiliating. Work in Caesarea? I guess people respect it but...they care about things that don¡¯t matter more. Like what you wear. Who you¡¯re related to. Weird things, Tavian. I don¡¯t understand it.¡±


    Tavian sighed heavily. ¡°Well, yeah, most people think your family is more important than work in Caesarea. Having a good relationship with your family is...highly valued.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m punished because my parents are messed up? Like I had any control over any of that! That was done to me, Tavian. I didn¡¯t cause any of the awful things my parents were--mentally unstable, alcoholic, dysfunctional--¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Liv,¡± Tavian spoke, gently. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, people are going to judge you because of your parents. You can¡¯t stop that. You need to let that go. Instead,  focus on the relationships you can control. People notice that you and Hyrum are close. They notice that you¡¯re loyal to and supportive of each other. That¡¯s been observed and is generally known. It¡¯s gonna take time for people to trust that lasts. Understand? Longevity is part of the deal.  Keep nurturing that relationship with Hyrum. Support him. Take care of him. People will start to let go of that history if you and Hyrum show them you treat each other differently.¡±


    ¡°I can do that,¡± Livia said. ¡°But...I can¡¯t stand not being able to help people Tavian. Like...I...I can¡¯t figure out how to make friends if...I¡¯m useless to them.¡±


    Tavian laughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not funny--¡±


    ¡°Liv, we can be friends without you doing things for me all the time--¡±


    ¡°Like, how?¡± Livia asked. ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°We just went on a walk--¡±


    ¡°So, you could help me calm down. What¡¯s the point of the walk if I didn¡¯t need that?¡±


    ¡°Maybe you wanted to show me a bird--¡± Tavian said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like birds--¡± Livia said.


    Tavian frowned. ¡°Maybe I just like walks--¡±


    ¡°Okay, physical exercise¡­¡± Livia agreed.


    ¡°We both like to exercise. You¡¯re taking care of yourself. I¡¯m taking care of myself. That¡¯s friendship. You don¡¯t have to be useful to me.¡±


    Livia stared at him.


    ¡°That makes you feel super insecure--¡± Tavian drawled.


    Livia put a hand to her forehead. ¡°I hate you.¡±


    Tavian laughed.


    ¡°Why are we friends again?¡± Livia demanded, irritated with his empath powers.


    Tavian laughed again. ¡°We talked about this. We both like walks.¡±


    ¡°For physical exercise--¡± Livia joked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°We both know that¡¯s not why we¡¯re friends,¡± Livia growled.


    ¡°Then why? For real, not pretending?¡± Tavian said.


    Livia answered. ¡°Cause you don¡¯t make me feel bad because bad stuff happened to me. And you don¡¯t get upset that I¡¯m short-tempered and impatient.¡±


    Tavian smiled.  ¡°You¡¯re my friend because you¡¯re considerate. Also, I like that you''re honest about when my empathy bothers you. You¡¯ll straight up tell me you''re inconvenienced by it. A lot of people get uncomfortable and avoid me instead.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°It is uncomfortable but...sometimes it¡¯s nice to not have to explain.¡±


    Tavian nodded. ¡°I get that. Lucas doesn¡¯t like to talk about the past either. Hyrum doesn¡¯t feel the same.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve talked to Hyrum about the past?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Once or twice,¡± Tavian said. ¡°He¡¯s processed his emotions over it a bit more. I think he¡¯s talked to a professional about it--¡±


    ¡°Justin made me do that--¡± Livia confessed.


    ¡°Did it help?¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Livia said. ¡°It helped enough for what I needed at the time. But it didn¡¯t fix everything--¡±


    Tavian shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a process.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Justin would prefer I go back--¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Tavian asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t help anymore,¡± Livia shrugged. ¡°Being here has helped me a lot more than anything has in a while.¡±


    Tavian smiled. ¡°Well, Liv, there¡¯s no way we¡¯d have had this conversation two years ago. You¡¯ve grown.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± Tavian said.


    ¡°Hard,¡± Livia grunted.


    ¡°Sure, but good,¡± he said.


    Livia pressed her hands through her hair. ¡°You think I should give it another go, Tav?¡±


    ¡°Counseling?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No.¡± She pushed his leg. ¡°Caesarea.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Liv, I do. But accept you¡¯re not going to win everyone over. You just need a team.¡±


    ¡°You guys come and go--¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Yeah, we love you but we can¡¯t be there the way you need us to be,¡± Tavian agreed. ¡°Stop focusing on being useful. That¡¯s codependent and insecure. Focus on being present and kind. Let everything flow organically from there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not good at kind--¡±


    ¡°Practice,¡± Tavian scolded her. ¡°You¡¯re kind, Liv. You like to show it instead of saying it. Start saying it.¡±


    Livia groaned. ¡°I don¡¯t have it in me, Tavian.¡±


    ¡°Yes you do, Liv,¡± Tavian argued. ¡°Stop whining.¡±


    ¡°It feels manipulative--¡±


    ¡°Yeah, cause doing favors for people to make them feel indebted to you is less manipulative--¡± he said, sarcastically.


    Corvin laughed.


    Livia looked at him, surprised. Felicity and Adrian were still ignoring them. Terrance and Arik had their faces glued to a phone screen but Tan and Corvin were watching and listening.


    ¡°Is...is that what I¡¯m doing?¡± Livia asked Tavian, honestly.


    ¡°That¡¯s what it feels like to Caesareans,¡± Tavian answered. ¡°It¡¯s just how the culture translates there.¡±


    Livia sighed, defeated. ¡°I¡¯ll try it your way then.¡±


    Livia drove the Halls back to their room late that night. They arranged a time for Livia to drive them to the airport in the morning. It was hard to say goodbye when she dropped them off but they assured her they would call often. Livia noticed that Arik never brought up his girlfriend but Tan assured her that Arik knew that she knew. Livia was frustrated with him but that was nothing new. So, she let it go and hugged them all goodbye.

 Chapter 17

    Livia texted Corvin a couple of days later. If I come by around 5 will you be home?


    Corvin didn¡¯t answer instantly and Livia wanted to take the text back. Did she really need to have a discussion with him about everything the Halls had told her? The weight of the consequences of Bella¡¯s actions settled on her shoulders. Yeah, it was important to talk about the welfare crisis in Lupus house.


    Corvin texted an hour later. Class until 5:30. Can we do 6?


    Livia¡¯s heart pounded. She could make excuses. She could decide to spend the evening watching Romcoms with Whitney. There were a million other things she could do besides having emotionally fraught conversations with Corvin Tullius. But she owed him a sincere apology and she wouldn¡¯t let herself off the hook. Not over something like this.


    Livia texted. See you at 6.


    Corvin: I¡¯ll pick up something to eat together on the way home.


    Livia wanted to protest. That seemed too much like something people in a relationship would do. That freaked her out. Especially, after all the comments Tavian and Arik had made. Before panic made her react harshly Livia took a deep breath and thought through responses that wouldn¡¯t cause conflict.


    She settled on. Let me know how much I owe you.


    There. That made it more of a friend thing.


    Livia sent prayers up to her dead ancestors again as she walked up to Corvin¡¯s door. Terrance joined them for dinner and some of Livia¡¯s nerves disappeared because Corvin had bought food for him too. It was totally a friend thing. Also, Terrance smoothed over the conversation when Livia got too nervous to think of a reply.


    After dinner, Terrance excused himself to study. He patted Livia¡¯s arm on the way out of the room.


    ¡°Relax, he doesn¡¯t bite,¡± he whispered.


    Livia glared at him.


    Terrance grinned and disappeared down the hallway.


    Corvin sat on the couch in the front room. Livia followed him. She hesitated, then blew out all her breath as she knelt on the ground in front of Corvin. He gave her a questioning look. Instead of remaining on the couch, he followed her lead and slid off the cushions until he sat on the ground too. That almost made her lose all her courage. She¡¯d liked the distance between them. Now, with his eyes level with hers, she felt her throat tighten with the heaviness of her apology.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Liv?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s on your mind.¡±


    She had been awake all night trying to figure out how to have this weird conversation. She didn¡¯t know what point to start with first, but she¡¯d decided to start with Bella. She took a deep breath and hoped she didn¡¯t offend him forever.


    ¡°The Halls told me something I didn¡¯t know,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin looked surprised. ¡°Oh? What¡¯d they say?¡±


    ¡°They told me what happened with Bella.¡±


    A resigned look crossed his face and he nodded.


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know,¡± Livia confessed, awkwardly.


    ¡°Really?¡± he didn¡¯t hide his disbelief as he would have before. ¡°She never talked about me?¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that. We talked about you. We didn¡¯t talk about...how she sold out your secrets to get that political appointment.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± he said, but his expression had gone neutral again, he¡¯d gone back into hiding.


    Livia pressed on. ¡°I only knew that she was being shunned. So, we¡¯d go out and try to forget for a couple of hours how messed up our lives were.¡±


    ¡°Justin didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°It was all Justin could do at that point to keep me functional,¡± Livia said. ¡°So, I completely understand why they didn¡¯t invite me into their drama.¡±


    ¡°Functional?¡± Corvin asked, confused.


    So, he didn¡¯t know either. ¡°I went a little crazy after Hyrum left. Didn¡¯t sleep well at night. Nightmares. Panic attacks. Didn¡¯t want to leave the house. I¡¯d feel unsafe all the time. I¡¯m surprised they even put up with me.¡± Livia looked down at her hands.


    ¡°I knew you struggled,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it got that bad, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be. None of it was your fault. My family was...my family is...My mom...she¡¯s unstable. She never makes good decisions. And when she does, it feels like good luck. But that¡¯s...not what I¡¯m here to talk about. So--¡± Livia made a motion of putting that aside.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Corvin nodded.


    Livia had to regroup. ¡°Okay, I guess, I need to ask if what they said was true. Did she betray your political secrets to get a job?¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Her motivations were more nuanced than that, but yes, that¡¯s essentially what happened. I gave her a choice to apologize and leave the position to prove that I could trust her. She chose the position over me, which hurt. She expected me to forgive her and to reconcile for a while so it was messy. But she¡¯d showed me she was more infatuated with my position than she was with me. I already know from past failed relationships that¡¯s not enough to sustain a healthy relationship.¡±


    Livia was surprised at the level of personal detail he shared. It wasn¡¯t like him to be that open. Also, what he said made a lot of sense. It reflected the situation with her mother. Maybe that¡¯s what happened. Honor was infatuated with Drusus Fabius¡¯ position and it wasn¡¯t enough to make either of them happy.


    ¡°Well, I realized yesterday,¡± Livia gulped. ¡°That it might be my fault she didn¡¯t give up the position.¡±


    Corvin lifted a single eyebrow. ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t understand what she¡¯d done, I influenced Bella to keep that job. I thought you were being unfair and...sexist. She was good at that job, Corvin. She hadn¡¯t ever had an opportunity like that before. So, I told her over and over that if you cared about her you wouldn¡¯t ask her to compromise.¡±


    Corvin sighed and wouldn¡¯t meet her gaze.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Livia whispered. ¡°Since no one told me, I didn¡¯t know that the Lupus house welfare crisis was caused by her actions. I¡¯m sorry if my actions made that more difficult.¡±


    Corvin closed his eyes. ¡°I should never have donated that money.¡±


    Livia remained silent.


    ¡°Justin hoped that if I removed myself from the situation that things would get better and they¡¯d be able to negotiate a deal,¡± Corvin said, folding his hands together.


    Livia asked, ¡°Do you feel like it¡¯s working?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I am so sorry--¡±


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°Livia, you did nothing wrong. Honestly, I¡¯m relieved you were able to be an impartial friend when no one else was capable. Justin and Flavia have told me more than once that your friendship saved her. It was an excruciating year for everyone involved.¡±


    Livia whispered, ¡°I realize how...my actions looked to everyone. I took her side over yours.¡±


    Corvin spoke sincerely. ¡°Livia, I didn¡¯t resent you for that. You made the best of a hard situation. That said, I¡¯m surprised. I thought you were going to try and talk me into getting back together with her at some point over the last year.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°No. Bella never asked me to do anything like that. I think we both knew you wouldn¡¯t listen to me.¡±


    Corvin blinked several times before he asked, ¡°Why¡¯d you both think that?¡±


    ¡°Cause, you know? I¡¯m a nobody in Caesarea.¡± Livia laughed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Then...you¡¯re blind to the way people treat me there.¡±


    Corvin sighed, as if frustrated. ¡°Liv, the power of your influence and position is not diminished by how people treat you. They¡¯d like you to think that, but it¡¯s not true. You are my peer. Custom dictates that if you had a concern that someone in my father¡¯s circle would give you an impartial audience and hear you out.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yes, you are one of the few in Caesarea that has a legitimate claim on that privilege,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°So, does that mean I always have to listen to you?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°If I made a formal request for an audience you could appoint someone to hear me out if you were uncomfortable with a direct conversation--Gaius, Hyrum, Justin--¡±


    Livia thought about that a moment. ¡°Corvin, I need to apologize for how I treated you when we first got here.  I¡¯d like to be your friend. If your offer still stands. I¡¯d understand if you don¡¯t want--¡±


    Corvin put his hand on her knee to stop her rambling. ¡°Livia, I¡¯d love to be your friend still.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Good. Um--Arik. I-I-¡±


    Corvin smiled, his hand still on her knee. ¡°Too bad he doesn¡¯t have a bit more brain to go along with that beauty, huh?¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°He reminds me of Adrian sometimes. They¡¯re clueless.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes the inexperience of youth translates as insensitivity,¡± Corvin agreed. ¡°It¡¯s a thing.¡±


    Livia nodded. She grew self-conscious as Corvin¡¯s eyes settled on her and stayed. He removed his hand from her knee then lifted the back of his fingers to her cheek and brushed them briefly over her cheek.


    ¡°You know what I can¡¯t get off my mind?¡± he asked, extending his fingers to smooth her hair back.


    ¡°What?¡± Livia whispered, finding it hard to maintain eye contact with him.


    ¡°The tears in your eyes when you told me you weren¡¯t used to affection feeling good,¡± Corvin removed his hand from her hair and placed it on his own knee.


    Livia didn¡¯t know why she confessed. ¡°I think, I¡¯m broken.¡±


    She covered her mouth with her hand and then hid her eyes in the crook of her opposite arm. She took deep breaths to keep her emotions at bay.


    Corvin¡¯s hand cupped her arm. Then moved up and down in a soothing motion. She pulled her face up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Corvin spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t be. Can we talk about it?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Were you open with Arik about how you felt?¡± Corvin asked, removing his hand from her arm.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she answered. ¡°We liked opposite things. So...I tried to make it 50/50 where we kissed the way he wanted and then kissed the way I wanted.¡±


    ¡°So, did you like it when you did it your way?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°At first, yeah, but then I started resenting him when it was his turn. I got so tired of it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hard, Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Justin is open about this. Taurus have a hard time feeling pleasure. The same abilities that make them resistant to pain also impede feeling pleasure. He and Flavia spent a lot of time figuring out how to make their relationship good for her too.¡±


    ¡°Is...is it good for her?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes sparked with amusement at the same time his lips turned up in a grin.  ¡°Famously so. They had to work hard for it and don¡¯t keep that a secret. They wanted other Taurus women to know they weren¡¯t alone.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Livia asked, feeling relieved.


    ¡°Really,¡± Corvin assured her.


    Corvin continued, ¡°My uncle Lucius and Aunt Garnet were the same. They¡¯re more discreet about it but things improved for them after they talked to Justin and Flavia. It saved their marriage.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with you,¡± Corvin said, gently. ¡°And you are not alone. Both Justin and Flavia and my aunt and uncle would be willing to answer any questions if you run into that problem again.¡±


    ¡°What if I hadn¡¯t talked to you?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°What if?¡± Corvin joked.


    Livia smiled. ¡°Thank you for telling me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do, Liv,¡± he said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I was going to try a relationship ever again,¡± she admitted.


    Corvin looked at her. ¡°Liv, more guys would be understanding about it than you¡¯d think.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Really, Liv. You should be blunt about it. You¡¯ll know right away which guys are interested and which are not.¡±


    ¡°What if they¡¯re not interested?¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the point, anyway? It won¡¯t be good for you,¡± he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s...true,¡± Livia admitted


    Corvin asked, ¡°Do you want a family, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Not if I have to give up certain things,¡± she said.


    ¡°What things?¡±


    ¡°Independence. Financial Security. I always want to be able to work.¡±


    ¡°Those things are not insurmountable challenges,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think so?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Caesarea seems...not that way. Very traditional.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re Caesarean¡¯s,¡± Corvin said. ¡°We¡¯re biased toward relationships and family and that won¡¯t change. But I think you¡¯re not looking at the whole picture of what you have to offer. There will be a man who will be willing to negotiate with you. You have a lot of power. You should not settle before you¡¯ve even gotten started. Ask for everything you want.¡±


    Livia had a lot of questions about what he meant. She opened her mouth to ask him and then shut it. She heard Hyrum saying in her head. Mom¡¯s biggest mistake was letting her value be defined by the men around her. Don¡¯t do that Livia. No one defines what you¡¯re worth except for you. She worried asking Corvin to explain what he meant would be akin to asking him to define her worth. That wasn¡¯t a trap she wanted to fall into. But Corvin had made her feel like she could ask Flavia and Justin these things. It¡¯d be safer to ask them what they thought Corvin meant.


    ¡°You have a question?¡± Corvin asked, face open with invitation.


    Livia shook her head.


    ¡°Ask,¡± Corvin encouraged.


    ¡°No,¡± she shook her head again. ¡°I should go. I have class early tomorrow.¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came over. I¡¯d love to talk like this again.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°See you, Corvin.¡±

 Chapter 18

    Livia didn¡¯t like using Whitney as a social experiment but she didn¡¯t know what else to do. She was going to Caesarea in two days and she had to start somewhere.


    She found Whitney in the living room studying. Livia deliberately didn¡¯t bring a snack with her like she usually would have. That made her anxious. It¡¯d be much easier if Whitney rejected her food instead of Livia herself.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Whitney greeted, not looking up from her textbook.


    ¡°So, fall break in two days,¡± Livia began.


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°I like having you as a roommate,¡± Livia said.


    Whitney looked up, confused.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you over fall break,¡± Livia continued.


    Whitney smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too, Liv.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we can do something together when we get back?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± she said.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m boring lately. I need sleep,¡± Livia said.


    Whitney shrugged. ¡°You can make it up to me when you get back from fall break, alright? We¡¯re good.¡±


    Livia sighed with relief. That did not go too bad. It seemed irrational to spend thirty minutes making a batch of cookies when you could say something and patch things over within thirty seconds. Maybe Tavian had a point? It was going to be an interesting break.


    ###


    Everyone piled into Corvin¡¯s black SUV, bags packed, lunch bagged, at noon Friday. They planned to arrive in Caesarea around four o¡¯clock that afternoon. They ate and chatted the first two hours of driving. Then took a quick pit stop at a rest stop to go to the bathroom. When they started again Corvin asked to listen to music. Terrance acted like a typical DJ for awhile. Then he dug into his backpack. ¡°Okay, I have a surprise, guys.¡±


    ¡°A CD?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°We¡¯re going old school.¡±


    Terrance loaded it into the player.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Corvin said two measures into the first song. ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Whoohoo!¡± Felicity cheered. ¡°Turn it up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard this song before but the voice sounds familiar,¡± Livia said.


    Felicity and Terrance laughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s Corvin!¡± Felicity shouted.


    ¡°Guys, I can¡¯t do this,¡± Corvin said and reached to turn it off. Livia leaned forward and grabbed his arm to stop him.


    ¡°Wait,¡± she said. ¡°You sound¡­¡± Livia closed her eyes and listened. Younger. But that wasn¡¯t what struck her about his voice. She opened her eyes at the end of the song.


    ¡°That Corvin is...happy,¡± Livia said.


    The car went silent. Corvin shook her hand off and turned the music off. Livia wanted to ask questions but Corvin put the blinker on and pulled to the side of the highway.


    ¡°Corvin?¡± Terrance asked.


    ¡°I need a minute,¡± he said, voice strangled.


    He parked and put his head on the wheel and a breathy sob shook his shoulders. Livia flew into action. She pushed open the car door. Livia flew to the driver''s side door and jerked it open. Livia froze. She knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to put her arms around him and cradle him the way he¡¯d cradled her. Sometimes, though, her body didn¡¯t cooperate with what she wanted to do. So, she had to gather her courage.


    She slid her palm across Corvin¡¯s back and tingles skittered up her arm but they settled as she tucked her arm around the curve of Corvin¡¯s shoulder.  There was something grounding about the shape of him huddled in the curve of her arm.


    Livia pressed her cheek to the side of his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Corvin.¡±


    It had been her fault that they listened to the entire song through.


    Corvin pulled away from the wheel and turned toward her. His arm wrapped around her middle and his face found shelter against her shoulder. Her other arm curved around him and he melted into Livia¡¯s embrace. Livia was relieved at how steady the embrace made her feel. Strength poured into her as Corvin¡¯s sobs sent vibrations into her shoulder. She wasn¡¯t sure if it felt good but it did feel right. There was no better place to be than here, offering her body as a refuge to the man who¡¯d given her the same gift in some of her darkest moments.


    She spoke into Corvin¡¯s hair. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    Livia held him until he stopped crying. She pulled away. ¡°Get out.¡±


    Livia noted the confusion on Corvin¡¯s face and realized how abruptly she¡¯d pulled away. Corvin¡¯s hand still rested lightly on the curve of her waist.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive,¡± Livia insisted. She still didn¡¯t sound comforting enough.


    Corvin pulled both his hands back over his thighs. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    Livia disliked how the lack of his touch made her feel adrift, uncertain of the right way to balance  herself. She could ignore all that for now, though, because she had a purpose.


    ¡°I¡¯m driving,¡± she insisted. ¡°If it were me, you¡¯d do the same thing, Corvin Tullius.¡±


    ¡°I can drive.¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t care! Get in the back seat. You deserve to rest!¡±


    ¡°Livia--¡±


    ¡°Do. Not. Argue. With. Me.¡± Livia said in her strongest don¡¯t-mess-with-me tone.


    Corvin undid his seatbelt and got out and slid into the backseat. Livia hopped up into the driver¡¯s seat and moved the seat forward. Corvin had extremely long legs. Now she could reach the pedals and he had more room.


    Livia took a deep breath. ¡°Okay. Anyone need anything before we start again?¡±


    Everyone chimed that they were good and Livia shifted the car into drive. Corvin¡¯s car was different from hers and it took a couple of miles to adjust to the feel of it. The car was quiet for the next half-hour and they were soon twenty minutes outside Caesarea.


    ¡°How¡¯s everyone back there, Terrance?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re both asleep,¡± he said, quietly.


    ¡°Even Corvin?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, Corvin went out first.¡±


    ¡°Is he okay?¡± Livia whispered.


    ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± he said.


    ¡°What was that? He did a CD?¡±


    ¡°He was the lead singer for a band called the Owls when he was younger. It was a different time of his life. He wasn¡¯t as serious. He wasn¡¯t always happier but more...carefree, I guess.¡±


    ¡°So was it a local thing?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, never went past Caesarea, but for a lot of us, it was the music of our teen years. Really nostalgic.¡±


    ¡°So, did he write the songs too?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, with his girlfriend, Cassia.¡±


    ¡°Where is she now?¡±


    ¡°She passed away,¡± Terrance said.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Livia asked.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°She was killed. It changed Corvin. He gave up music. Lost a year doing nothing. Then he made a friendship with Justin and they founded TARP together. Corvin finished school and went to work for him. Pulled himself back together really well but when it comes to relationships? Man, he makes bad decisions. Chooses all the wrong girls.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia said. ¡°That¡¯s a lot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Terrance said. ¡°Don¡¯t assume his life is perfect. He¡¯s done his fair share of the life sucks thing.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Livia said, getting off on the exit for Caesarea. There were miles of flat land out here interrupted only by the occasional hill or greenhouse. Caesarea disguised itself as a rural agricultural college. Most of those greenhouses were skylights for underground offices and buildings. They were coming in from the west side--land associated with Aquila house and the security patrol training facilities. They drove past the outdoor track and training fields, which were busier than Livia expected.


    ¡°They¡¯re busy--¡± she muttered.


    ¡°They¡¯re getting ready for the snatching of the Sabines reenactment,¡± Terrance said.


    Livia shook her head. She¡¯d been offended by the whole production last year and still felt the same this year. ¡°Who came up with that idea?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all good fun, Liv,¡± Terrance said. ¡°No one is forced to do anything they don¡¯t want.¡±


    Livia huffed. ¡°If you say so¡­¡±


    Livia dropped everyone off and helped them unload their luggage. They were careful to be quiet so Corvin wasn¡¯t disturbed. Livia pulled up to Terrance¡¯s house. He was the last one to drop off.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Terrance asked, looking back at Corvin.


    Livia nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll wake him up and get him to take me home.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m a phone call away and I have access to a car here so if you need anything? Ring me.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Livia went back to the car, though, and didn¡¯t want to wake Corvin up. There was something too intimate about it. She was scared to face his emotions again. Alone this time. She thought about how Corvin would treat her and the answer came immediately. Corvin was the type of guy who drove you home and unloaded your bags and saw you were safe in the arms of your family before he¡¯d leave you. Livia made the decision.


    She called Hyrum. ¡°Hey, we''re in Caesarea but there¡¯s been a complication.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I need you to pick me up at Corvin¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Lars¡¯ place?¡± Hyrum asked. ¡°Or Corvin¡¯s townhouse?¡±


    ¡°His parents'' house. Lars¡¯ place.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°See you in fifteen.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks, Hyrum.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Corvin,¡± Livia whispered to his sleeping form in the backseat. ¡°We¡¯re taking you home.¡±


    When Livia pulled into the driveway at Corvin¡¯s parents'' house there were a ton of cars parked on the street and in the wide driveway. There was even a group of people waiting around on the expansive porch around the front door. Livia immediately felt awkward. Maybe this was a bad plan? Too late now.


    She pulled in slowly and parked, careful not to hit the empty trash can on the curb. She got out of the car. People who had started toward the car froze.


    ¡°Hey, uh,¡± she said, gesturing. ¡°Corvin fell asleep. Backseat.¡±


    Livia picked out the familiar faces of Corvin¡¯s sisters. Epiphany, Mel, Alia. Epiphany made it to the car first. She opened the door.


    ¡°Corvin?¡± she asked, worried. ¡°Hey, Corvin.¡±


    He woke. ¡°Whoa, Piph?¡±


    ¡°You okay?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± he groaned.


    ¡°Home. You¡¯re home,¡± she said, gently.


    ¡°Livia drove me home?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mel chimed in. ¡°Freaked us out, a little.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, she forced me to take a break. I guess I needed it.¡±


    ¡°Forced you?¡± Epiphany said. ¡°That¡¯s a feat.¡±


    Corvin yawned. ¡°Everyone here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, come on,¡± Mel said. ¡°We¡¯re so excited!¡±


    They dragged Corvin out of the car and to the head of the driveway where he was swarmed with more hugs than Livia got in a year. Alia didn¡¯t immediately trail after them. ¡°Nice to see you again, Livia.¡±


    ¡°You too, Alia,¡± Livia said. Alia was the most friendly of Corvin¡¯s sisters and often stopped to chat with Livia when they crossed paths. She was two years younger than Livia and didn¡¯t have the same hazel eyes as the rest of her siblings. Instead, she shared the same steady brown eyes as her mother. ¡°How have things been around here?¡±


    ¡°Pretty stressful, actually,¡± she answered, honestly.


    Livia¡¯s eyes shifted toward Corvin. ¡°Yeah, I only recently realized how stressful. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Alia nodded. ¡°Thanks for taking care of Corvin.¡±


    Livia waved that off. ¡°He¡¯s done more for me. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Alia walked off and Livia was left alone. If Hyrum was going to come to get her, then she needed to get her bags. She didn¡¯t want to make Corvin or his family take care of her. She opened the back of the SUV. She tried to find her bags but they were behind Corvin¡¯s--two huge duffels that were ridiculous in size for a weekend. What had he brought home? She hauled them out easily, almost dwarfed by the size of them.


    A deep voice stopped Livia. ¡°Let me,¡± he said.


    ¡°I got it,¡± she said, firmly. ¡°Where do you want them?¡±


    ¡°In my hands,¡± the voice jested.


    Livia looked the lanky man up and down. He was tall but had more meat on him than Corvin. His hair was silver and his skin tough from exposure to the sun and elements. ¡°They¡¯re pretty heavy,¡± Livia told him doubtfully.


    The man grinned. ¡°I am married to a Taurus Miss Fabius. I can handle it.¡±


    This was Corvin¡¯s Uncle Lucius then. He was married to Garnet, who was born in Taurus house. He¡¯d have adopted her powers upon their marriage so could easily handle the bags.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Livia said, handing the bags over.


    Livia went back to the SUV and pulled out her suitcase and backpack. She noticed that the backseat had a lot of trash in it. So, when she stowed her stuff at the end of the driveway she rolled the trashcan back toward the car. She started clearing all the trash out.


    She had moved to the front seat when she heard Corvin behind her. ¡°Livia, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Cleaning up a mess.¡±


    ¡°Stop doing that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost done.¡±


    ¡°Livia, stop,¡± Corvin ordered.


    ¡°There¡¯s only three more things,¡± she said, ignoring him. She leaned into the car to grab something on the footboard in the passenger seat. Just as she grabbed the last of the wrappers an arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her up and back.


    Livia was so strong that she thought of herself as solid, immovable. Like a rock. This conception of herself wasn¡¯t shattered very often. Corvin lifting her down from his truck with one arm pretty much destroyed this illusion. She felt feminine and small and vulnerable. She didn¡¯t like it.


    ¡°Put me down!¡± she cried.


    ¡°Livia,¡± he sounded annoyed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to clean my truck.¡±


    He set her feet on the pavement. Livia grabbed his hands and tossed them off her. ¡°You don¡¯t need to touch me!¡±


    ¡°Liv, stop fussing. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Livia threw the trash in her hand into the garbage. ¡°I am not fussing!¡±


    ¡°Oh really? What¡¯s your definition of fussing then?¡±


    Livia took on the imitation of a dozen simpering females she¡¯d seen interact with him. She pressed a single hand on his chest and spoke in a falsetto. ¡°Oh Corvin, we¡¯ll just die if you don¡¯t come to this party with us. You are the air we breathe. How could we live without you?¡±


    ¡°That is not funny,¡± he snapped.


    But his family erupted in a huge gale of laughter. Livia smirked. ¡°They think it is because it¡¯s true!¡±


    Corvin glared.


    Livia removed her hand from his chest and swung the garbage can lid closed and then grabbed the handle.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Corvin asked, stopping her from pulling the trashcan by putting his hand on the other handle. Livia inhaled through gritted teeth and had to stop herself from running him over with it. This made her almost fall over.


    Corvin grabbed her again to steady her, hands splayed on either side of her waist. ¡°Whoa.¡±


    Livia gave him a defiant glare, trying to hide her embarrassment. ¡°Let me take the trashcan in.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, disbelieving.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m Livia Fabius, Corvin,¡± she snapped. ¡°I see a job that needs to be done and I do it.¡±


    ¡°Come meet my family,¡± he said.


    He still hadn¡¯t let go of her. Livia feared she was too upset to break his hold without hurting him. It made her heart beat hard and fast to be held so decisively.


    ¡°I need you to stop touching me, Corvin,¡± she begged, voice low.


    He looked surprised and immediately released her. Livia¡¯s tension lowered.


    Livia gestured at the trashcan. ¡°You can¡¯t leave this in the middle of the driveway. How are these people going to pull out later?¡±


    ¡°We put the trash can away, you agree to be introduced to my family,¡± he argued.


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    Corvin, in a ridiculous move, kept his hand on the trashcan the entire time they pulled it. Two people hauling an empty trash can up the driveway--one of them Taurus. It was a ridiculous sight. His family should be laughing, instead, they buzzed with excited chatter.


    They parked the garbage can against the side of the house.


    ¡°Happy?¡± Corvin asked, giving her an amused look.


    ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± Livia snapped.


    ¡°Are you ready for introductions?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia inhaled. ¡°Not really. Do I have to do that chin thing?¡±


    ¡°No, that is only for when you¡¯re in public. We¡¯re at my home now with my family. Things are very informal and relaxed.¡±


    Livia took another deep breath trying to calm her nerves. Getting thrown back into Caesarea like this was not part of her plan. She was scared she¡¯d offend Corvin¡¯s entire family. Her face went red as she realized she¡¯d already got in a fight with him over a trash can. Talk about a bad first impression.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Corvin,¡± Livia squeaked.


    ¡°What for?¡± he asked, leaning in closer.


    ¡°The trashcan.¡±


    He leaned back and laughed. ¡°Relax, Livia. You¡¯re fine.¡±


    Livia took an audibly shaky breath. ¡°Let¡¯s do this, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Corvin said. ¡°If you need emotional support you¡¯re welcome to slip your hand into mine anytime, alright.¡±


    Livia''s eyes went wide. ¡°Then everyone would think we were dating!¡±


    Corvin laughed again. ¡°That ship has sailed, Liv. The second you pulled in that driveway they assumed we were a couple.¡±


    ¡°Well, how do we fix that?¡± she hissed.


    He shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re smart. They¡¯ll get it when they don¡¯t see you around.¡±

 Chapter 19

    Corvin led her over to the first group of people. ¡°Liv, this is my cousin Atticus. He¡¯s Lucius and Garnet''s oldest. His wife Dulcia is Aquila house and these are their two kids.¡±


    Atticus clapped a hand on Corvin''s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re lucky she didn¡¯t run you over with that trash can, Corvin.¡±


    Dulcia gave Corvin a scolding look. ¡°You know better than to get in a determined Taurus woman¡¯s way.¡±


    ¡°She is Taurus, isn¡¯t she?¡± Corvin mused.


    ¡°How did you forget?¡± Livia asked, unsettled.


    Corvin''s cheeks went pink. ¡°Sorry, Liv.¡±


    She stared at him and confessed honestly. ¡°I did almost run you over. It scared me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t forget again, Livia,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Nice save,¡± Atticus told Livia. ¡°Mom¡¯s not that agile. She would have turned him into Corvin pancake.¡±


    Atticus slapped his hands together and laughed. Livia flinched and did not laugh. She looked away and didn¡¯t respond to the joke.


    Dulcia bumped her husband with her hip. ¡°That¡¯s not funny to her, love.¡±


    Atticus assured Livia confidently, ¡°He would have been fine. A trashcan is fairly light and so are you. Probably, no more than a scrape or two.¡±


    Livia thought it was irresponsible to underplay the risk like that. She imagined Corvin trying to catch himself to keep from falling over and spraining a wrist or an elbow. Worst scenario a concussion or fractured bone. People were a lot more fragile than they liked to think about.


    Corvin touched her elbow to draw her attention. ¡°Liv, no one got hurt. No use in worrying about what might have happened.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible you could have ended up with a concussion or--¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Corvin said. ¡°They are right to call me out for being careless.¡±


    Livia let out a sigh of relief. Corvin didn¡¯t take it lightly as his cousin. She believed he would be more careful in the future. ¡°Be less careless.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I will, Liv. We okay?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re okay,¡± she agreed.


    She was introduced to Garnet and Lucius¡¯ second daughter Azurea. Her belly was curved with late pregnancy and her husband held her close against his side.


    ¡°I would have expected a baby by now, Azurea,¡± Corvin teased. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to meeting your girl.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Trust me, Corvin. I¡¯m more eager than you.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°How are you feeling, Az?¡±


    ¡°Fat,¡± she spat.


    ¡°Own every pound of it,¡± Corvin encouraged. ¡°You¡¯re doing an amazing job.¡±


    She sighed and looked at Livia. ¡°You are Livia Fabius.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Livia agreed very quietly.


    ¡°You¡¯re at the same school as Corvin we heard.¡±


    Livia nodded.


    ¡°Do you see each other often?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Only when my roommate leaves on the weekends.¡±


    Corvin turned to Livia. ¡°She leaves every weekend?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    His brow furrowed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were alone that much¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it,¡± Livia said. ¡°There are parts of being alone that are nice.¡±


    Azurea turned to her husband. ¡°Let me introduce you to Jonas, my husband. He¡¯s Rattus house and works in the praetor''s office.¡±


    Livia knew that meant he worked in the Caesarean court system.


    ¡°Are you a lawyer?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yes, and I believe you are acquainted with my sister.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Livia asked though she had an idea. He was Rattus house, married into a patrician family, and had that style.


    ¡°Salina Antonius.¡±


    One of the maidens of malevolence indeed. Livia nodded. ¡°Yes. I hope her health has improved.¡±


    Jonas looked confused. ¡°Her health?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia spoke lightly. ¡°We both like to cook. I offered to send her recipes or invite her over to try a dish. But she had severe diet restrictions that fluctuated from week to week. I assumed she was on an elimination diet. I hope her health is better.¡±


    Livia hated using her mother¡¯s tactics. It made her stomach churn but she didn¡¯t know any other way to be both honest and civil.


    ¡°She¡¯s never gone on any sort of diet ever,¡± Jonas laughed. ¡°That¡¯s so awful. I¡¯ll have to scold her for being so rude.¡±


    Azurea shared an amused look with her husband. ¡°She hopes her health is better! It would serve Salina right if rumors went around that she was chronically ill.¡±


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t,¡± Jonas insisted, but he laughed.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let this pass. We must ruthlessly mock her,¡± Azurea said. She turned to Livia. ¡°She¡¯s a beast, Livia. She threw a fit when it turned out I was pregnant before she even got married because I¡¯m younger than her.¡±


    ¡°I hope that she has not continued to be rude to you,¡± Livia said, empathetically. ¡°Especially, not after the baby comes.¡±


    Azurea looked surprised. ¡°She won¡¯t--I should probably be prepared for that shouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    Livia shrugged, helplessly. ¡°If sending recipes would make it better, I¡¯m willing--¡±


    Azurea¡¯s face lit up. ¡°I¡¯d love that. It¡¯d be good to have some ideas after the baby comes. Please, send them. Corvin can give you my contact information.¡±


    Jonas smiled. ¡°I liked meeting you, Livia Fabius. Feel free to approach us when we¡¯re out and about.¡±


    Livia nodded and gave them a timid smile. Corvin interjected. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be so pleased with Livia¡¯s recipes. She keeps bringing the treats she makes on the weekends. Everything she touches turns out amazing,¡± he said. ¡°And it¡¯s just like her to offer. She¡¯s so generous.¡±


    Livia looked up at Corvin in genuine surprise. She didn¡¯t expect his warm praise. He looked back at her and smiled. She lowered her eyes and ducked her head to hide how much the words meant to her. Livia heard genuine praise very rarely.


    Corvin reached out and touched the small of her back very briefly. ¡°This way, Liv. I have more cousins.¡±


    Corvin was different among his family. He was a consummate conversationalist. He filled the awkward spaces in their conversations with a warm, affectionate voice that spent chills of comfort down Livia¡¯s spine. Without thinking she moved closer to him and let her arm brush against his.


    Corvin bragged about her shamelessly. Protective, caring, helpful, talented in the kitchen. Livia would have asked him to stop but she was too intimidated by how outnumbered she was. Also, she was curious. Was this the way he saw her? Was she this amazing person he¡¯d described? Her face turned warm with his endless praise.


    Corvin told his family that Livia wasn¡¯t much for hugs. Though he suspected she had exactly one reserved in her that night for his mother. Livia was so grateful for this thoughtful bit of protection, she squeezed Corvin¡¯s hand briefly in gratitude. He squeezed back before she let go. Livia looked up at him, her heart expanding with warmth for him in a way that surprised her. She couldn¡¯t hide the smile that turned up her lips.


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    Her attention was pulled away as he introduced Livia to his Aunt Garnet and Uncle Lucius. Their greeting was particularly warm. Livia was more curious about them than she cared to admit. Garnet was born Taurus after all. By the end of their exchange, Corvin¡¯s aunt promised to invite her over for dinner the next time Livia returned to Caesarea.


    ¡°That would be wonderful,¡± Livia said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to let me bring something. Maybe my mother¡¯s famous honey rolls.¡±


    Garnet laughed. ¡°We¡¯d love that. We¡¯re so proud of Honor. What a strong, independent woman.¡±


    Livia felt tears come to her eyes. It was the first time anyone in Caesarea had said anything kind about her mother. ¡°Thank you,¡± she managed miraculously without crying.


    Corvin moved on but Livia hid her face for a moment against the back of his arm to collect her emotions. Corvin paused. He lifted his arm and wrapped it around her, pulling her against him.


    ¡°You okay?¡± he asked, softly above her ear.


    Livia nodded, but she was blinking back tears fiercely.


    Corvin put up a hand to pause the introduction they were having. He pulled her into a tight hug and held her silently. Livia tried to hold herself apart but that lasted all of three seconds. She melted into his embrace and took strength from it. Corvin¡¯s kindness served as a salve for her rogue emotions and Livia pulled away ready for another round of introductions.


    Corvin urged her. ¡°Come meet my Aunt Silvia and Uncle Marcus.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re with Silvanus,¡± Livia noted.


    Silvanus was Corvin¡¯s older cousin, who was also one of Justin¡¯s officers. Livia was excited to see him again and so was Corvin. The two men swept each other into a fierce hug. Corvin and Silvanus were incredibly close and looked very similar. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for people to mistake one for the other when they weren¡¯t paying proper attention.


    ¡°How¡¯s the team?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Missing you,¡± Silvanus said, pulling away.


    Silvanus grasped Livia¡¯s hand. ¡°How are you, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good, Silvanus. How¡¯s work?¡±


    ¡°We miss you too,¡± he said. ¡°No one quite realized how much you did until you left. The new intern is not as organized. Took us a month to figure out how you made things run so smoothly.¡±


    Livia grinned. ¡°I was good at my job.¡±


    Silvanus laughed. ¡°Too good, Liv. We had to shift things around to get back to how it was when you were there.¡±


    ¡°Good to see you, Silvanus,¡± Livia said.


    Silvanus released her hand. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise to see you two together. You were both rather intent on ignoring each other at the office.¡±


    Livia shrugged. ¡°Sometimes you believe wrong things about people.¡±


    ¡°Livia thought I was a shameless sexist,¡± Corvin said, amused.


    ¡°No!¡± Silvanus laughed heartily in shock.


    Corvin continued, ¡°And I thought she was going to try and argue me into getting back together with Bella. When the entire time she was talking Bella out of it.¡±


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Silvanus said. ¡°That¡¯s a plot twist.¡±


    ¡°We have lots to catch up on,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk,¡± Silvanus said, easily. ¡°Say hello to my parents before they call us out for being rude.¡±


    Corvin grinned and gestured. ¡°This is my Aunt Silvia, my father¡¯s sister. Everyone loves her because they remember her fondly as their primary school librarian.¡±


    His Aunt Silvia laughed. ¡°Stop bragging about me, Corvin.¡±


    Corvin introduced Silvia¡¯s husband. ¡°This is my Uncle Marcus, he''s a physician at the clinic. He¡¯s revolutionized the way they do medical care there over the last decade.¡±


    Livia shook his hand and looked at them both. ¡°You¡¯re Silvanus¡¯ parents.¡±


    They nodded and Silvia caught sight of Livia¡¯s ring. Her eyes flew to Corvin, alighting with hope. ¡°Corvin, is this?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Corvin said, quickly. ¡°That¡¯s a gift from her Paterfamilias, Gaius.¡±


    The hope in her expression dimmed. ¡°Oh, the way you interact, I wondered--¡±


    ¡°Livia and I have only gotten to know each other recently. We¡¯re friends now and that took some time,¡± Corvin interrupted.


    Silvia¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°Well, you keep us updated.¡±


    ¡°Same with you,¡± Corvin said and they moved on.


    Livia tried not to giggle. Corvin bumped her with his hip. ¡°Go ahead and laugh.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should stop wearing this ring?¡±


    Corvin shrugged. ¡°Maybe switch it to another finger, instead. If it means something to you, keep wearing it.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t fit on another finger.¡±


    ¡°You can get it resized,¡± he said.


    ¡°You can¡¯t resize an heirloom, Corvin!¡± Livia insisted. ¡°It might get ruined.¡±


    Everyone took notice of the ring now. ¡°It¡¯s from Gaius,¡± Livia repeated. That seemed to increase their fascination with it.


    Finally, they met Corvin¡¯s parents. Livia had only interacted with Lars and Aurelia briefly, mostly on formal occasions. Though, she knew that Hyrum interacted with Lars frequently over house business when Gaius was visiting family in Istanbul. Livia hugged Aurelia and smiled at her.


    Aurelia smiled back at her, black hair streaked with silver. ¡°Thank you for bringing my Corvin home. That was very kind to let him get some rest. He pushes himself so hard.¡±


    Livia grinned. ¡°It was a pleasure. He¡¯s done so much for me, it was nice to even the score.¡±


    ¡°Then I introduced you to my entire family all at once,¡± Corvin said. ¡°That¡¯ll erase all my good deeds for a decade at least.¡±


    Livia laughed and so did everyone else. ¡°It¡¯s slightly overwhelming,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°Only slightly?¡± Corvin teased.


    Livia frowned. Why wasn¡¯t Hyrum here to rescue her by now? She pulled her phone from her pocket and when she saw the time her eyes flew to the road with fear. It had been 30 mins. Hyrum was punctual and she could understand him being ten minutes late. But fifteen? Without contacting her? That wasn¡¯t usual.


    ¡°Livia, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Hyrum is supposed to be here by now.¡±


    ¡°You asked him to pick you up?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Her phone pinged. It was Caecilia. We are on our way. ETA 10 mins.


    Livia put a hand over her heart. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡±


    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was Caecilia. Not Hyrum texting. Said they¡¯ll be here in 10 mins.¡±


    ¡°Hey, we would have taken you home,¡± Corvin said.


    She met his eyes. She joked, ¡°Yeah, but then I¡¯d owe you again.¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Remember, I¡¯m in the red for a decade.¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°Stop saying that or I might think you¡¯re serious and take advantage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Corvin said, warmly.


    Livia flushed at the flirtatious look on his face. She shook her head, flustered. ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I disagree,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It feels good to be needed.¡±


    Livia snorted. ¡°You¡¯ve no shortage of people who need you, Corvin.¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°But...I do have a shortage of genuine friends.¡±


    The change was subtle but Livia recognized sadness on his face. Her defensiveness evaporated. She thought about how the welfare issue in Lupus house probably cost him as many relationships as it had cost Bella.


    Livia bumped her hip against his with extreme care. ¡°Hey, me too!¡± she said with faux enthusiasm.


    Corvin laughed and responded in the same tone. ¡°I have a great idea! Let¡¯s be friends, Livia.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re already friends, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Just checkin¡¯.¡± He winked at her.


    It wasn¡¯t fair that look sent a whirl of butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She looked away casting about for a distraction and her eye settled on Epiphany.


    ¡°How did your book drive turn out?¡± Livia asked her. Epiphany had spearheaded an effort based out of the Aediles office to increase the selection of books available to the community Library. Livia and Hyrum had compiled a collection of non-fiction animal and agriculture juvenile books and donated it together.


    ¡°The librarians and teachers loved the collection of books you donated,¡± Epiphany said.


    Livia shrugged that off. ¡°Oh, they were things we would have liked to read when we were kids. I never was into fiction and Hyrum could never find enough stuff about plants.¡±


    ¡°Hyrum encouraged me to apply for several library grants. They notified us last week that we were awarded one,¡± Epiphany said. ¡°It will double the size of our science and technology section. The news brought Aunt Silvia to tears.¡±


    ¡°Did you write the grant proposal or did Hyrum?¡± Livia asked. ¡°His professor hired him as a research assistant and all he did for four years was write grant proposals. He earned his department a lot of money,¡± Livia said.


    Epiphany''s eyes widened, enlightened. ¡°Ah, that perhaps is why he was so specific in his criticism. He told me to send it to him to review before I sent it off and we revised it three times before he approved. It injured my pride, but I did it.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°Hyrum is a perfectionist.¡±


    Epiphany¡¯s face turned sober. ¡°We were surprised he¡¯d take that much time and care over it. But throughout our collaboration, I came to understand that I had very little practical knowledge of what materials normal children needed to learn. Most Lupus house children are capable of reading difficult texts at very young ages so they don¡¯t suffer for the lack. About 90% of our educators are Lupus house and since we figured out how to make do without them we didn¡¯t realize the need for the Rattus, Aquila, and Taurus house children. Hyrum was personally offended at the inequity and made sure I met each deadline.¡±


    A look of frustration crossed Epiphany''s face clear as day. Livia had personal experience dealing with Hyrum¡¯s stubbornness and offered sympathy. ¡°I hope he was not too infuriating to work with. We all learned really young that if we wanted anything we had to do it ourselves. Hyrum doesn¡¯t trust people to be reliable even if they¡¯re competent, and I¡¯m sure he saw you as competent.¡±


    Epiphany was surprised, but something vulnerable appeared in her eyes. It was as Livia suspected. Hyrum often came across as disapproving.


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Epiphany asked.


    Livia spoke reassuringly to her. ¡°Because if you were incompetent he would have diverted your attention to another project and written the grant himself. You must be a very good writer.¡±


    Surprise and relief crossed Epiphany¡¯s face at the same time. ¡°Thank you for saying that. I didn¡¯t doubt my skill as much as I assumed he hated me.¡±


    ¡°Hyrum comes across that way,¡± Livia agreed. ¡°Wait a bit; his true colors will show. He¡¯ll find some way to say thank you when you least expect it.¡±


    At that moment Hyrum came up behind Livia.


    ¡°Liv,¡± he greeted, quickly. He stepped to Epiphany. ¡°Ms. Tullius, I think congratulations are in order--¡±


    He was interrupted when Livia laughed out loud.


    Hyrum glared at her. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve turned me into a Sibyl.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± His eyes narrowed on her.


    ¡°I told her you¡¯d thank her somehow for writing the grant.¡±


    Hyrum grunted. ¡°So you know. She worked hard.¡±


    He lifted a gift bag and handed it to Epiphany.


    Epiphany took the gift tentatively. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Open it,¡± Hyrum gestured.


    Epiphany opened it and found a jar of honey and a recipe book. She read the cover and looked up surprised. ¡°Your mother wrote this?¡± she asked.


    Hyrum nodded.


    Aurelia came up beside Epiphany. ¡°May I see?¡±


    Epiphany handed over the book and the honey. Aurelia¡¯s eyes rose to take in Hyrum. ¡°This is very thoughtful. This honey is from the Caesarean hives?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Hyrum nodded. ¡°It¡¯s fresh. Jarred only this morning.¡±


    Lars took the honey from Aurelia¡¯s hand. ¡°That will be an adventure. What shall we make with it?¡±


    Aurelia handed the recipe book back to Epiphany. ¡°You¡¯ll have to select which recipe we should try.¡±


    Epiphany looked up to Hyrum with a smile. ¡°This wasn¡¯t necessary but thank you.¡±


    Hyrum lowered his head and didn¡¯t give any reply. Instead, he looked at Livia. ¡°You ready to go home?¡±


    ¡°I worried,¡± Livia said, quietly.


    Caecilia stepped past Livia to greet Aurelia and Lars.


    Hyrum sighed and his eyes fell on Caecilia. ¡°I know we¡¯re late. Caecilia, well, she...slowed us a bit.¡±


    Livia could see by the tightness in Hyrum features that he was frustrated. Her muscles instantly went tense. She looked at Caecilia. She was talking to Lars and Aurelia and exchanging an emotional looking hug with the matriarch.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Livia asked.


    Hyrum didn¡¯t get to reply before Caecilia came to Livia. ¡°Liv! I¡¯m so happy--¡±


    Caecilia¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Livia was alarmed and stepped forward to face Caecilia directly and grasped her under both elbows. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just so happy you¡¯re home,¡± she said, then burst into tears.


    Livia awkwardly pulled her in a hug then gave Hyrum the sternest glare she could manage. ¡°What did you do?¡± she mouthed at him.


    Hyrum laughed and so did Corvin and his family.


    That surprised Livia because that was out of character for Hyrum. Caecilia pulled back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we¡¯re late. I got sick, again.¡±


    ¡°Again?¡± Livia said, alarmed. Caecilia was never sick that she remembered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing that a few months won¡¯t fix,¡± she smiled.


    Livia was baffled. ¡°A few months? You have pneumonia or something?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s family laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, Livia.¡±


    Livia''s eyes widened. ¡°Oh.¡±


    That¡¯s why Hyrum was laughing! ¡°Wow,¡± Livia said. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? Oh, let¡¯s get you home. I need to feed you.¡±


    Hyrum and Caecilia both laughed.


    ¡°Her answer is to feed you,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°That¡¯s Livia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not much sounds good right now,¡± Caecilia said.


    ¡°Oh, you just need some good cookies,¡± Livia waved a dismissive hand. ¡°You can¡¯t say no to Livia cookies.¡±


    Caecila laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve missed your cookies.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll put your feet up and make you lemon ginger tea while I bake. Hyrum will put on his ¡®time to relax¡¯ playlist and you¡¯ll down an entire plate. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    Caecilia laughed. ¡°Oh, Livia! I knew you¡¯d spoil me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll if Hyrum hasn¡¯t, he¡¯s not doing his job right,¡± Livia declared.


    Caecilia tossed Hyrum a playful look. ¡°You hear that?¡±


    ¡°Loud and clear,¡± he made a show of grumbling but he was smiling.


    Livia looked at Corvin. ¡°I have to go. Caecilia needs cookies. Stat.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°See you around, I suppose.¡±


    Livia nodded. Of course, he¡¯d say that but she didn¡¯t expect to see him much. She seldom saw him in Caesarea unless they were at work and at work he ignored her. Caecilia threaded her arm through Livia¡¯s and they started toward the car. Livia looked over her shoulder and gave Corvin one last wave.

 Chapter 20

    Livia should not be so depressed about the cookies. The tea had gone over well, then Caecilia had taken three bites of a cookie and heaved it into the toilet. It didn''t help that there was a parade in two days. Gaius said her attendance was required.  She was even supposed to participate in some Taurus house ritual that she had skipped out on last year.


    Gaius thought that watching videos of past parades was enough instruction for Livia to figure out what to do. So, Livia spent two hours analyzing and trying to decipher what she was supposed to say. She could only make out only every third word. Eventually, she threw down her pencil. She tried to call Gaius to complain but he didn¡¯t pick up.


    It was almost midnight now or she would have called Corvin for help. The next morning,  she searched for Hyrum to see if he could help her. Instead, she found an exhausted Caecilia sipping ginger tea and eating a bowl of oatmeal one tiny nibble at a time.


    ¡°Are you feeling any better today?¡± Livia asked.


    Caecilia looked up. ¡°Yeah,¡± her voice was hoarse. ¡°I¡¯m keeping this oatmeal down...so far.¡±


    Livia hated to bother her. ¡°Is Hyrum home?¡±


    ¡°He went to work.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°Do you know if there¡¯s another way to find what I¡¯m supposed to say for this ritual thing? I know I¡¯m supposed to chant something before I light the pile of grain on fire.¡±


    Caecilia narrowed her eyes. ¡°Gaius should have a book, I think. It has all the ceremonies in them. Didn¡¯t he give a copy to you already?¡±


    ¡°He sent me a video?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Caecilia¡¯s face fell. ¡°The video. Hyrum had to go to Gaius¡¯ office to look at the books cause the video was bad. They¡¯re setting up for the parade tomorrow. So, there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll let you into the office--¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call Gaius,¡± Livia said.


    Gaius still wasn¡¯t answering his phone. Livia waited until ten and then called Corvin.


    ¡°Hey Liv,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Corvin, hey, I hate to bother you--¡±


    There was a low rumble of noise going on in his audio. ¡°No problem. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to do this...ritual...at the parade--¡±


    ¡°Yes, the one you didn¡¯t do last year,¡± he said.


    Livia¡¯s heart slammed against her chest as she heard disapproval in his tone. ¡°Well, I¡¯m trying to do them this year but Gaius sent me a video and the audio is pretty mangled--¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a book of ceremonies--¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s locked in Gaius¡¯ office and Caecilia says you can¡¯t get in today--¡±


    ¡°Come to my parents'' house. There¡¯s a copy in our library--¡±


    ¡°When may I do that?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Best to come right now. It¡¯ll take a while to learn the Latin--¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in LATIN?¡± That explained hardly being able to make out any of the words.


    ¡°Yeah, Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°We¡¯ll see you in ten minutes, then?¡±


    ¡°Ten minutes,¡± Livia ground out.


    Livia couldn¡¯t remember the last time a stream of curse words flowed out of her mouth so furiously. The entire car ride over to Lars¡¯ house she cursed Gaius, Caesarea, traditions, parades, and every single ancient Roman she could name. She parked on the street because the driveway was full of cars again.


    She slammed the door as she got out. ¡°Great, just great, now everyone is going to think we¡¯re dating--¡± she muttered. She¡¯d planned to avoid Corvin¡¯s house for the duration of the vacation to avoid rumors. If Livia had her car she might have driven straight out of town. But she couldn¡¯t steal Hyrum¡¯s car. Maybe she could get lost on purpose during a hike and accidentally camp out overnight?


    She felt too guilty to do that knowing that Justin and the TARP officers would be called in to find her. They would worry and spend all that time away from their families during the holiday. Livia was so upset by the time she got to Corvin¡¯s door that she had tears in her eyes. She took a couple of deep breaths and wrestled down her emotion before she knocked.


    Alia answered the door. ¡°Hey, Liv, come in.¡±


    Livia nodded. But she couldn¡¯t release the tension in her throat enough to speak. Instead, she walked into the house. She froze as the sheer size of the place overwhelmed her. The ceiling of the foyer soared over her head and contained a huge crystal chandelier. Livia hadn''t ever seen anything so fancy outside of a hotel ballroom. She suddenly felt very small and very intimidated.


    ¡°The library is this way--¡± Alia offered.


    Livia¡¯s voice had deserted her so she followed silently. If the foyer made her anxious, then she was completely unprepared to walk into the library. It was huge and had at least four leather sofas set up in the center of the room for reading. Floor-to-ceiling windows and a huge skylight flooded the entire room with light. Livia¡¯s eyes flew to the shelves on every spare wall space of the room. There had to be thousands of books. There were two stories of bookshelves and most of them couldn¡¯t be reached unless you climbed the stairs in the corner and accessed a metal walkway.


    Livia had to remind herself to breathe because she was so stunned. Real people lived this way? She heard voices and in a distant corner, she saw that Corvin was standing with his father and his uncle Marcus. They were studying a book that was as big as Livia¡¯s torso.


    Sometimes you lie to yourself about how badly you hoped for something until you¡¯re confronted with solid evidence it''s impossible. Livia knew she and Corvin were too different to ever be together but she couldn¡¯t have imagined that reality would make it this painfully obvious. She was crushed. Utterly. She did not fit into this world and she never would. She wished she¡¯d never stepped across the threshold of his door. Livia trembled with the effort it took to act like everything was normal.


    ¡°Did you find it?¡± Alia asked as she crossed the room.


    ¡°We found it,¡± Corvin answered. ¡°Come see, Livia.¡±


    Livia did not want to see. She wanted the book to spontaneously combust into flames. Since that wasn¡¯t going to happen, she stepped forward.


    Corvin came around the table, turning the book as he came. ¡°It¡¯s all right here, Liv. It¡¯s only three lines of Latin. Not too complicated either.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes wouldn¡¯t focus on the words in front of her. Corvin started reciting in Latin and the foreign sound of the language made him feel like a stranger.


    The sound of silence finally filled the space between them. Corvin turned away from the book and looked at her. ¡°Liv?¡±


    Her voice was still trapped somewhere inside. So, she didn¡¯t respond. Corvin¡¯s hand came to rest on her back. ¡°You¡¯re shaking? Are you cold? No, you¡¯re Taurus¡­¡±


    Silence fell again. ¡°You...afraid, Liv?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this!¡± Livia cried. ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± It meant everything. It meant to be his friend. It meant to be attracted to him. It meant reciting Latin in front of an entire crowd. It meant to be a good patrician. It meant to stay in Caesarea. She couldn¡¯t do any of it.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey,¡± Corvin crooned. He pulled her into a hug. ¡°You can do this.¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t. I-I wish I had my car. I¡¯d drive away and never come back. On the way here I was thinking of getting lost in the woods on purpose but I didn¡¯t want all the TARP staff to get bothered--¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Take a deep breath. I¡¯m not going to let you do this alone. We¡¯ll break it down into manageable steps.¡±


    Livia couldn¡¯t relax. She held herself stiffly in Corvin¡¯s arms. She scoffed at his reassurances. ¡°Steps? Like it¡¯s some kind of recipe? This is so beyond anything I¡¯m capable of--¡±


    ¡°Then, we¡¯re in for some personal growth,¡± Corvin said, pulling her in tighter.


    Livia usually enjoyed Corvin¡¯s touch but today his closeness felt awful. Livia shifted uncomfortably in his arms. ¡°Are you trying to keep me from running away?¡±


    Corvin released her and stepped back. ¡°You¡¯re stressed out, huh? So, that is not the slightest bit comforting, is it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia admitted, bluntly. ¡°Feels terrible.¡±


    Corvin grinned at her. ¡°Well, don¡¯t run away,¡± he joked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I remember how to get out or I would,¡± Livia joked back.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we walk around then?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°I¡¯ll show you the way out.¡±


    ¡°So, I can run?¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t feel as scared,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia looked away feeling transparent.


    ¡°This addition to the house is fairly new,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia''s attention whipped back to him. ¡°Addition?¡±


    ¡°Only been here for three years,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I did not grow up with the house this way.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Lars interjected. ¡°Aurelia and I spent three years arguing about building it but we both agree it was the best thing we did for ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Why was it built?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Work-life balance,¡± Lars answered. ¡°It takes thirty minutes to get to the forum from here and with all the traffic and congestion that can be extended to over an hour. I¡¯d leave at seven and not get home until seven. When I work from the home office I can start work at 8 and be done at five and spend the lunch hour with the family. When so many of our hours are taken up involved in the community that extra morning and lunch hour are sacred.¡±


    Livia looked around her. ¡°So, this is an office?¡±


    Lars shook his head. ¡°No. The office is the next room over.¡±


    ¡°Come see,¡± Corvin urged.


    Livia followed him through the library and let him show her around the entire addition. It was high class, no doubt, but it wasn¡¯t as huge as Livia assumed. There was the library, Lars¡¯ office, a storage closet, and some bathrooms.


    Covin took her into the foyer and led her to the french doors that were opposite the entrance. ¡°This is the old front door.¡±


    He pushed it open and the sound of laughter drifted through the door. He gestured for her to look in. Livia poked her head through the door and was surprised to find a normal house. Expensive marble flooring transitioned to wood, cushy rugs, and worn furniture. Livia could see a living room fireplace on the right and into a small kitchen on the left. The island only had three spaces at the bar and while the appliances were nice there wasn¡¯t a lot of cupboard space.


    Livia looked at Corvin in surprise. It was a normal house.


    ¡°Hey, Liv!¡± Auzeara called. ¡°You came to visit?¡±


    Oh no. She¡¯d been spotted. Her face flushed. ¡°Uh, needed help with the ceremony thing tomorrow.¡±


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    ¡°Sure,¡± Azurea winked. ¡°It must be nice to see Corvin too.¡±


    Livia ducked back into the foyer and gave Corvin a panicked look, but he thought the entire thing was funny. He was grinning. ¡°See ya, Az. We¡¯re going to hole up in the library and memorize some Latin.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she teased. ¡°That¡¯s what I told my parents when I wanted to make out with my boyfriend too.¡±


    Livia cringed. Then became aware that Alia, Lars, and Marcus were watching her. Corvin shut the door and turned to face her.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispered.


    Corvin¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What are you apologizing for?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re going to say--¡±


    Corvin waved that away. ¡°I¡¯ve had worse rumors spread about me, Liv. Besides, you¡¯re way too stressed out for kissing to be fun anyway--¡±


    He strode past her leaving her wondering what would happen if she wasn¡¯t stressed out. Would he try to kiss her? Livia suddenly remembered their almost kiss in his kitchen before Arik interrupted. Neither one of them had ever brought it up again. That must mean Corvin wasn¡¯t interested, right? Even though his reaction right now made it seem he might want to kiss her when she was relaxed.


    Livia was sure the confusion was written across her face when she turned to follow Corvin.


    Lars interrupted her. ¡°Marcus and I wanted to review some papers in the library if that wouldn¡¯t make you uncomfortable¡­¡±


    Oh, that was a relief! It took the ambiguity out of the situation. ¡°That¡¯s great! I mean, fine. I¡¯m fine,¡± Livia said, trying to rein in her initial enthusiasm. ¡°With that.¡±


    Marcus chuckled. ¡°You really aren¡¯t dating.¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not,¡± Livia said.


    Alia spoke up. ¡°None of us would be against it if you were, you know?¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh,¡± she choked out.


    Lars grinned. ¡°We¡¯d be rather pleased, actually.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t know how to respond to Lars¡¯ show of support. She was so surprised that she laughed. She wondered if Corvin knew his family was matchmaking behind his back--literally. She looked up and Corvin was leaning halfway out the library entrance.


    ¡°Fabulous, we have work to do,¡± he barked.


    She exchanged a look with the trio and they all burst out in a round of laughter together. The unexpected moment of camaraderie left Livia with a warm buzz in her chest. She exchanged a conspiratorial smile with Corvin¡¯s family.


    ¡°I do have Latin to learn,¡± she told them.


    Lars winked playfully at her. ¡°Women are renowned for multitasking.¡±


    Another burst of shocked laughter startled out of Livia. ¡°I gotta go. You lot are nothing but trouble--¡±


    Their laughter echoed in the hallway as she marched toward Corvin with a red face.


    ¡°What¡¯d they say?¡± he asked quietly.


    Livia pressed her lips together and shook her head.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What¡¯d they say?¡± he pressed.


    Livia couldn¡¯t look him in the eye. ¡°I can¡¯t say--¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Are they teasing you? I can tell them to stop¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Livia said, softly. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°You let me know, Livia,¡± Corvin insisted. ¡°If they cross a line and we¡¯ll fix it together, alright?¡±


    She nodded. She lifted her eyes to his and the sunlight streaming in behind him highlighted the warm-colored specks of amber in his eyes. Livia¡¯s breath caught and she couldn¡¯t look away.


    ¡°Come on, Fabulous,¡± Corvin said, walking into the library. ¡°We got Latin to learn.¡±


    Livia followed him to the large book. She sighed. ¡°Where do we start?¡±


    ¡°With the first three words. How¡¯s that sound?¡±


    ¡°Deceptively easy,¡± Livia muttered.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Livia, you can do this. I¡¯m going to prove it to you.¡±


    Two hours later Corvin had invited his entire family into the library. Livia hid in a corner until Corvin dragged her out. So, they were holding hands in front of his family. She shot him an irritated look but he ignored it.


    ¡°Okay, Liv, they¡¯ve agreed to the test run,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Show them what you know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is necessary,¡± she said, removing her hand from his.


    ¡°Oh, it is totally necessary,¡± he insisted. ¡°It¡¯s going to be uncomfortable reciting in front of all those people tomorrow. So, the last step is to make sure you can recite the lines while uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to make me want to do this?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t want to do this, Liv. I can¡¯t fix that. My goal is that you¡¯ll be prepared to do it.¡±


    Livia stared down Corvin¡¯s family and they stared right back at her. Even the children were oddly well-behaved like they understood their mission. She sighed and resigned herself to her fate. It was harder to remember the lines with people watching, feeling the pressure to not mess up. It took her about four tries until she managed it.


    Livia put her hands over her face. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to work.¡±


    ¡°Livia, Livia, Livia,¡± Corvin grabbed her hands so he could look her in the eyes. ¡°You¡¯re going to do fine. This is why we¡¯re practicing this way. Okay?¡±


    Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t do this, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Liv, hun, I know it¡¯s hard but there¡¯s no one else to do it,¡± he said, gently.


    ¡°What happens if I mess up in front of everyone?¡± Livia cried.


    ¡°Then you take a deep breath and start over again,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°They will hate me forever,¡± Livia whispered, horrified. ¡°They¡¯ll never let me forget it.¡±


    ¡°Liv, you won¡¯t be the first person to mess up at one of these things. It happens. No one holds it against people.¡±


    Livia laughed bitterly. ¡°That¡¯s only because they¡¯re considered Caesarean. No one thinks I belong here in the first place.¡±


    ¡°I think you belong here,¡± Corvin insisted, fiercely.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Livia snapped. ¡°Admit it. You disapproved of all the rules I broke and the people I hung out with--¡±


    Corvin looked confused. ¡°The people you hung out with? TARP? I never disapproved of that--¡±


    ¡°Arik. You thought he was beneath me--¡±


    Hesitation crossed Corvin¡¯s face.


    ¡°See!¡± Livia accused.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand you,¡± Corvin said. ¡°But that never meant I thought you should leave. You belong here as much as I do.¡±


    ¡°You say that.¡± Livia pointed a finger at his chest.  ¡°But you ignored me for an entire year. So, if that¡¯s the best I can expect from the most decent person I know, I can only imagine how others will treat me.¡±


    ¡°Livia, that¡¯s in the past,¡± Corvin insisted. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ignore you if you make a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Will you go back to ignoring me if I decide not to do this?¡± She challenged.


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Livia, let¡¯s be reasonable about this--¡±


    ¡°How am I being unreasonable, Corvin?¡± Livia demanded. ¡°What rational being places themselves in front of a hostile crowd knowing they¡¯ll appear weak and incompetent? Tell me of any other creature in the animal kingdom that would do that. Humans are INSANE!¡±


    Some of Corvin¡¯s family laughed.


    ¡°She¡¯s technically not wrong--¡± Melanie muttered. ¡°Humans are the only animal that stupid.¡±


    Corvin shot his sister a glare.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Corvin looked back at her. ¡°First, they¡¯re hostile because they believe you look down on Caesarean traditions.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous--¡±


    ¡°Oh, then what would you conclude if someone new came to live at your house and then proceeded to ignore all the rules and traditions you¡¯d established?¡±


    Livia shouted. ¡°No one taught me the rules!¡±


    ¡°Did Gaius ask you to perform the ritual last year?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Gaius didn¡¯t even find what I was supposed to say in that book,¡± Livia gestured, wildly. ¡°He said I should get up there and mumble incoherently and eventually a prompter would tell me what to say! So, you can call me disrespectful for hiding in the audience with Arik but faking my way through a ritual some people might still consider sacred was way worse, Corvin!¡±


    ¡°Did Gaius actually say that?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s what Hyrum did. Didn¡¯t you watch him last year?¡±


    ¡°Yet, Hyrum has their respect and you do not,¡± Corvin said. ¡°What does that tell you?¡±


    Livia glared at Corvin.


    ¡°It¡¯s natural to be frightened, Livia, but humans would not have survived millennia of challenges and catastrophes if we couldn¡¯t act despite our fear,¡± Corvin said, firmly.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°I just don¡¯t believe it will do any good, Corvin. And what¡¯s the point of getting up there if it makes things worse? I already can¡¯t deal with living here--¡±


    ¡°I need you to trust me--¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she quipped. ¡°Remember?¡±


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°Livia, trust me. Doing this--even if you make huge mistakes--will do so much good.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked. ¡°Why does it matter so much?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to my earlier analogy. Imagine a stranger came to live in your house and they disrespected all your rules and traditions.¡±


    ¡°Okay--¡± Livia agreed. ¡°I got that part--¡±


    ¡°What would you want them to do to make it up to you?¡±


    ¡°Leave,¡± Livia said, immediately.


    ¡°Or--¡± Corvin prompted.


    Livia thought but she couldn¡¯t come up with an answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Start following the rules and traditions,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Livia said. Then the understanding sunk deeper. ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°That''s why, Livia,¡± Corvin said. ¡°That¡¯s how you fix it.¡±


    ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t work?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s a possibility. You can¡¯t control how people will respond to your efforts or how long it will take until they decide to trust you again--¡± Corvin stopped in the middle of his thought.


    Emotions crossed over his face and at first, she thought he was upset about how she¡¯d joked about not trusting him. Then she considered the wider circumstances. Caesarea was still upset at him for donating money to different campaigns.


    ¡°But if you keep doing the same things nothing will change. You have to show up, take risks, and hope it¡¯s enough to create change--¡± he said, voice hoarse.


    Corvin¡¯s show of vulnerability gained her trust more than any argument could. Their situations were different but they were both currently in a form of exile--his political, hers social. His advice was being offered from a place of empathy.


    Plus, he was right that repeating the same mistake she¡¯d made last year was only going to make things worse. This was one of those crossroads moments. Livia could decide to ditch the parade out of fear like last year, or she could face her fear and discover if she could earn the respect she craved in Caesarea. If the entire thing backfired, she didn¡¯t have much to lose. Nothing, except her new friendship with Corvin.


    ¡°If I do this...and I mess up in front of everyone...you¡¯ll still be my friend, right?¡± Livia asked. ¡°You won¡¯t hate me?¡±


    ¡°No, Livia, of course not,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Promise?¡± she pleaded.


    ¡°I promise,¡± Corvin vowed.


    ¡°I just need one person to like me besides Hyrum,¡± Livia confessed, voice shaking. ¡°I just need one person to stand by me no matter what--¡±


    Corvin lifted his hands and gestured around the room. ¡°What else do I need to do to prove that I support you, Livia?¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°I know...I mean, thank you. I needed your help and you didn¡¯t turn me away.¡±


    ¡°You should ask for help more often,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I wish I knew sooner how awful Gaius treated you.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°He¡¯s not awful.¡±


    Corvin looked confused. ¡°You don¡¯t think so? Cause I think he¡¯s not very helpful or supportive--¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s...irritating... inconvenient even,¡± Livia admitted. ¡°But you have to do a lot worse to be awful.¡±


    Corvin gave her a look.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to disagree here,¡± Corvin said. ¡°He treats you awful. The only reason you don¡¯t think so is that you don¡¯t fully understand how much consideration you deserve.¡±


    ¡°Consideration?¡± Livia laughed like that was a joke.


    Then she realized Corvin was not amused and maybe even genuinely angry by the look on his face. She froze. ¡°Are you angry at me?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m angry at Gaius.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re angry at Gaius?¡± Livia was genuinely bewildered.


    ¡°Who sends a young woman up in front of thousands of people without teaching her what she¡¯s supposed to say? That¡¯s reprehensible, Livia. Not a single competent parent in Caesarea would stand for their child to be humiliated that way.¡±


    Livia looked away, pained. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Hyrum did it.¡±


    ¡°Does he know what to say this year?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I--Caecilia seemed to think he did. She said he found the information in the same book you looked at--¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call her,¡± Corvin said.


    Corvin pulled out his phone and made the call immediately. He confirmed Hyrum did have the right information. Then tried to see if Livia had everything she needed to wear. Finally, he arranged for Livia to come to the house again the next morning. So Caecilia only had to worry about Hyrum and not spend hours doing Livia¡¯s hair while her morning sickness was so intense.


    Livia was irritated that he was making arrangements without asking her. Then he ended his call and asked, ¡°Will we see you here tomorrow morning?¡±


    Livia''s irritation eased a tad. At least he was asking her instead of telling her. Also, his concern for Caecilia seemed genuine. Was Livia going to refuse and pile a load of work in her sister-in-law''s lap?


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, sharply. ¡°What time?¡±


    Corvin turned to his family and locked eyes with his mother. He¡¯d made plans without consulting her either Livia realized. She wished she hadn¡¯t agreed so hastily. Livia shot Aurelia a panicked look. ¡°Only if that¡¯s not a problem--¡±


    She spoke warmly, ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. Please, come at six.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain?¡± Livia asked. ¡°We could manage...somehow...I think?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s family laughed. Livia¡¯s cheeks heated. Everyone in the room knew there was no way she¡¯d manage and she hated looking so incompetent.


    ¡°The hairstyle and makeup required are quite specific,¡± Aurelia said. ¡°We¡¯d prefer that you were correctly presented this year so more important issues can be the focus of the ceremonies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer that too,¡± Livia agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll be here at six.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯re doing this,¡± Corvin confirmed.


    ¡°We are,¡± Livia confirmed. She didn¡¯t like it but Livia didn¡¯t want another big scandal. ¡°Thank you, Corvin.¡±

 Chapter 21

    The next morning Livia got up early, took a shower, and loaded her dress--an authentic roman stola--into her car. She drove over to the Tullian home.


    Alia opened the door before she knocked. ¡°Quiet, Prudence and Verity are still sleeping.¡±


    They passed through the formal atrium and through into the original house. There was a small fire burning in the front room. The kitchen counter was a mess but it smelled like fresh bread. They walked past an open eating area with a dining room table. Then they turned down a hallway and opened the first door. There was a long set of steps. They tip-toed downstairs and locked themselves into Alia¡¯s room. ¡°How are you, Liv? You looked stressed.¡±


    Livia rubbed her eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t sleep much.¡±


    Alia nodded. ¡°Nervous?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m hoping I don¡¯t mess everything up.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine,¡± Alia reassured her. ¡°Also, l will still like you even if you make a mistake.¡±


    Livia looked at her surprised. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Alia grabbed a hairdryer. ¡°Okay, Dry your hair, real fast. I¡¯m going to ask Epiphany to come help.¡±


    Ten minutes later Livia had her hair dry and opened the door to find Alia. She was in the bathroom helping Epiphany hairspray her hair.


    Alia gestured her over. ¡°Your turn.¡±


    Livia came and sat on a stool while both Alia and Epiphany took a curling iron to her hair at the same time.


    Livia heard Melanie¡¯s voice outside the bathroom. ¡°Verity! Prudence! Time to wake up. Mom wants you upstairs!¡±


    Alia and Epiphany were silent as they worked. Livia watched in amazement as they pinned and curled her hair into the same elaborate style that Epiphany wore. In twenty minutes her hair was perfect.


    ¡°You are so fast,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°We have practice,¡± Epiphany said. ¡°Let¡¯s do your makeup. It doesn¡¯t need to be fancy but you don¡¯t want to look shiny in the pictures.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Livia said. ¡°There¡¯s no way I could have done this on my own.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s Caecilia this morning?¡± Alia asked.


    ¡°She seemed okay,¡± Livia said. ¡°She was drinking tea and keeping it down pretty well--¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good news,¡± Epiphany said, and she dabbed foundation on Livia¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Mom and Dad have been worried about her. She¡¯s under too much stress.¡±


    ¡°Is she?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, Gaius isn¡¯t doing his job and so Hyrum and Caecilia have to do emergency management all the time. It¡¯s bad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not good for the baby to be under that much pressure constantly,¡± Alia said, ¡°My mom lost her last baby that way.¡±


    Livia gasped. ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    ¡°It was four years ago,¡± Epiphany said. ¡°Twelve weeks along.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why they built the addition--¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Mom has been a lot healthier with dad around more,¡± Alia said. ¡°It¡¯s been good for everyone but especially Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Is he still asleep?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s here yet,¡± Epiphany said. ¡°If he is, he¡¯ll be upstairs helping mom with the girls.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not here?¡± Livia asked puzzled.


    ¡°He sleeps at his townhouse,¡± Epiphany said. ¡°But he¡¯s here a lot of the time still. Sometimes when mom needs a break we pack up and head over there to hang out.¡±


    ¡°Is...your mom...unwell?¡± Livia asked.


    Epiphany hesitated. ¡°She¡¯s had health challenges since she miscarried. She¡¯s resolved all her physical issues currently but hasn¡¯t had the chance to catch up emotionally...if that makes sense?¡±


    Livia nodded.


    Epiphany stepped back and smiled. ¡°Your makeup is done.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Alia said. ¡°Go get dressed. We¡¯ll be upstairs. Come up.¡±


    Livia got dressed and went up to the kitchen. Corvin was coaxing his little sisters Prudence and Verity to eat breakfast. Their hair was done in adorable pigtails but they were still in their PJs. They were squirrely, giggling, and trying to balance their cereal spoons on the tip of their noses.


    ¡°Girls,¡± Corvin said, sternly. ¡°You got three seconds to use those or I will eat your cereal all up.¡±


    This caused them to jump to the business of eating again.


    ¡°Livia, did you eat?¡± Aurelia asked as she bustled around the kitchen. She was stacking boxes of rolls on the counter.


    Livia had not eaten. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Epiphany turned on her. ¡°Eat. You¡¯ll need the energy to focus.¡±


    Corvin reached over to the back of the counter and grabbed some bananas. He held them up. ¡°Want one? We also got cereal, toast, waffles, bagels, and cream cheese.¡±


    ¡°Bagel, please,¡± she asked, accepting a banana and peeling it.


    ¡°Verity,¡± Corvin glared at his little sister.


    She took her spoon off her nose and smiled innocently at him.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time, hun, eat. We¡¯ll play this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be too busy?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Swear it!¡± she said, dramatically.


    ¡°I swear.¡± Corvin leaned across the counter and crossed pinkies with her.


    Verity took a big bite with her spoon, newly motivated. Corvin went to the pantry and came back out with a bag of bagels. Epiphany brought Livia a tub of cream cheese. Corvin made the girls clean up their bowls and ordered them downstairs to change.


    Corvin looked at Livia. ¡°How are you this morning, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°You look beautiful.¡±


    Livia looked away as butterflies erupted in her stomach. ¡°Alia and Epiphany did the hair and makeup.¡±


    Corvin tried to catch her eye again but Lars and Aurelia walked into the kitchen.


    ¡°Livia, may I speak with you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± she answered.


    Aurelia smiled. ¡°Do you have your palla?¡±


    The palla was a long but narrow rectangular fabric that was worn like a shawl. Livia went over to the couch and picked it up from where she¡¯d laid it. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°Let me show you how to wear it,¡± Aurelia said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I wear it over my shoulders?¡± Livia asked.


    They were interrupted when Lars spoke. ¡°Corvin, Epiphany follow me to my office. Verity, Prudence,¡± Lars addressed his younger daughters with firmness. ¡°Go downstairs and change into your tunics and sandals. If I hear that you¡¯ve caused any trouble for your mother I¡¯ll be assigning extra chores, understand?¡±


    Both girls nodded solemnly.


    Lars smiled. ¡°When you¡¯ve gotten ready come join us in my office. So your mother can help Melanie and Alia finish getting ready.¡±


    The two youngest scampered off and Epiphany and Corvin followed Lars out of the room.


    Aurelia called Livia¡¯s attention again. She explained the palla was placed over the left shoulder, pulled under the right arm, and draped over the left forearm.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Livia frowned as they arranged the garment over her correctly. ¡°Seems strange.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it allows your right arm to be free for the ceremony,¡± Aurelia said. ¡°Also, I do not know if Corvin or Gaius explained that before you perform the ritual you must pull the palla up to cover your head?¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    Aurelia gave Livia a reassuring smile. ¡°Let me show you how and we¡¯ll practice.¡±


    Aurelia showed Livia the way to pull the palla over her head. Then requested her to recite the Latin she¡¯d memorized the previous day. After she finished, Aurelia insisted Livia practice several more times. Satisfied, she placed her hands on Livia¡¯s shoulders and looked into her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, Livia. You will do fine.¡±


    Livia nodded, surprised at the supportive words. In her experience, this kind of kindness was rare. At that moment, she recognized the characteristic goodness that Livia admired in Corvin. He had inherited some of it from his mother.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Livia said, touched.


    Aurelia left to help Alia do Melanie¡¯s hair and told Livia to make herself at home. Livia sat alone on the couch in front of the fireplace, wondering why she needed to stay longer. She should tell Corvin she was leaving but she didn¡¯t know if she was allowed to interrupt his meeting with Lars. So, Livia sat awkwardly in the silence and looked around. Picture frames full of cameo family photos instead of formal poses intrigued Livia. She walked across the room to study several on the mantel. Corvin openly laughed in one photo, which made Livia smile. Then a sense of sadness filled her as she realized she had never personally seen him look that happy. The laughter she heard was always laced with a wry cynicism. That was something they both had in common, though. Livia wasn¡¯t an optimist.


    She wondered suddenly did people feel sad that her happiness was always diluted with pessimism? It made her pause to reflect on it. She¡¯d come a long way over the past two years but maybe she had more work to do with herself.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± a voice asked.


    Livia gasped and almost dropped the picture frame she held in her hands. Corvin stood so near that Livia was surprised she hadn¡¯t heard him approach.


    ¡°I was going to come to tell you that I was leaving,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Why?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia blinked. ¡°Why would I stay?¡±


    ¡°Come in the car with us. It will be simpler to go together. The parking and traffic will be insane,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get lost in the crowds and not make it to the parade.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°You mean you want to make sure I don¡¯t run away.¡±


    Corvin grinned. ¡°Do you still feel like accidentally getting lost?¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I¡¯m resigned to my fate now.¡±


    He reached out and took the picture frame from her hands. ¡°Which one is this? Ah, I remember. I was so young.¡± He shook his head and placed it back on the mantle. ¡°Why did it make you sad?¡±


    ¡°Did I look sad?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I wondered why you never look that carefree anymore,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Life happens, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Corvin mused.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever looked that carefree,¡± Livia said. ¡°So, I¡¯m not trying to judge.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take it that way,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Life has happened to you too.¡±


    ¡°I also wondered...if it¡¯s ever possible to go the other way. Could I let go of...my cares...be happier someday?¡±


    ¡°Are you unhappy, Liv?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Less unhappy than last year,¡± she answered, honestly. ¡°Are you happy Corvin?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes,¡± he answered. ¡°I think that¡¯s okay, Liv. We don¡¯t have to be happy all the time as long as we¡¯re headed in the right direction.¡±


    Livia nodded. Her heart lightened a bit. ¡°I think I have that. I think I¡¯m headed in the right direction, Corvin. Are you?¡±


    Corvin frowned. ¡°Honestly, Liv? I feel a little lost. Not sure what my next step should be. But my relationships with my family members are better than they have been for years. So, that makes me hopeful that things will work themselves out one way or another.¡±


    ¡°Seems like things are never good all at once, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin nodded. ¡°Sometimes it does feel that way.¡±


    ¡°There was this lady who I stayed with when I was young,¡± Livia said. ¡°Gave me the most comforting advice I¡¯ve ever gotten. She said, ¡®Things always change. If you¡¯re unhappy, it will change. If you¡¯re happy, it will change.'' She said if the change was hard to deal with right now then that would change too because people get good at things that are hard to do and so they become easier.¡±


    ¡°That was comforting?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia said. Then she laughed. ¡°Arik reacted that way too.¡±


    ¡°What way?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t understand why it was comforting--¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re resilient, Livia. I might not think it¡¯s comforting but it sure makes me admire your strength and grit.¡±


    Livia looked at him in surprise. ¡°Oh,¡± she laughed, awkwardly. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that.¡±


    Corvin suppressed a smile. ¡°Arik needed to use his words more. There are lots of things to admire about you, Liv.¡±


    Livia blushed and look away. ¡°I-I admire a lot about you too, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Like?¡± he drawled.


    ¡°Like you need my compliments?¡± Livia muttered.


    ¡°Well, I was under the assumption that you hated me for most of the semester so...what exactly changed your mind?¡±


    ¡°I admire how compassionate and kind you are,¡± she said.


    Corvin made a face. ¡°People take advantage of that.¡±


    ¡°That means something is wrong with them, not with you,¡± Livia said.


    It was Corvin¡¯s turn to look surprised.


    ¡°Anyway, even when I hated you I admired your work ethic.¡±


    ¡°Did you? That is not usually what I get admired for¡­¡± Corvin mused.


    ¡°Apparently,¡± Livia said, a tad sarcastically. ¡°I can¡¯t even admire you the right way--¡±


    Corvin laughed, again with that undertone of cynicism. ¡°I don¡¯t mean you¡¯re doing it wrong. I mean, no one ever gives me credit for that. I like that someone noticed.¡±


    ¡°I had this conversation with Tavian. No one gets respect for working hard in this town,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin looked thoughtful. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right? Funny, I kind of resent it too. But no one has ever validated that for me before. Interesting. It¡¯s really that different outside Caesarea?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Corvin''s eyes drifted away from her and he appeared lost in thought.


    ¡°What do people usually admire about you?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes shot back to her. A look of mischief crossed his place. He changed his stance so that he leaned against the mantle and closer toward Livia. ¡°Certainly, you can guess?¡±


    Livia rolled her eyes and stepped away from him. ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    He laughed and there was a less sardonic quality to it. Livia liked that. Corvin played offended. ¡°You didn¡¯t fall for my trap!¡±


    ¡°Someone so accomplished doesn¡¯t need their ego inflated.¡±


    ¡°Oh, ho!¡± Corvin teased her. ¡°You¡¯re back to insulting me. Our pax has ceased.¡±


    ¡°Be prepared,¡± Livia said, wryly.


    Corvin did a double-take. ¡°Should I be worried?¡±


    ¡°Very,¡± Livia assured him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re joking or not--¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s to my advantage then.¡±


    Corvin hesitated and then laughed again without the bitterness. His entire face lit up and Livia¡¯s heart lightened. She liked seeing him happy. She couldn¡¯t stop a smile from spreading across her face and her facade went up in smoke.


    ¡°You¡¯re funny,¡± Corvin said as if it were a surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that about you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m insulted,¡± Livia drawled.


    ¡°You¡¯re so quiet and shy I¡¯ve never noticed.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m shy?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°You are absolutely shy--¡± he said. ¡°At least, around me. I¡¯ve seen you loosen up around Cam and Tavian.¡±


    She didn¡¯t have a crush on Cam or Tavian. She shrugged it off, hoping he didn¡¯t make the connection.


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Maybe one day, huh?¡±


    ¡°One day, what?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°One day you¡¯ll feel that at ease with me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe one day,¡± Livia agreed.


    That wasn¡¯t the response Corvin wanted. She could tell. She should feel guilty about that but she didn¡¯t.


    He changed the subject. ¡°I came in here to let you know that Hortensius will be here in five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Hortensius?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin smiled, pleased. ¡°He and Epiphany will be signing matched papers. You are invited to observe. We¡¯ll leave for the parade directly after.¡±


    Livia followed Corvin to the library where Epiphany stood bouncing on her toes next to her father. He spoke to her reassuringly with a file folder in his hand.


    Aurelia, Mel, and Alia came in only a few moments after Corvin and Livia. Prudence and Verity were in a corner reading books. The doorbell rang and Lars went to answer it. The whole thing wasn¡¯t very fancy. Hortensius entered with his parents and two siblings. They greeted Aurelia and Lars then the papers were laid out.


    ¡°Please, review the papers are correct, Hortensius,¡± Lars invited. While Hortensius looked over the papers Lars called to Verity and Prudence to leave their books and come over. Corvin¡¯s family bunched up together to observe. Livia felt very conspicuous as the only person in the room standing alone.


    ¡°Livia is here?¡± Hortensius asked Epiphany.


    ¡°She came to take care of some business for the parade,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Oh. Liv,¡± Hortensius gestured her closer. ¡°Come closer. Don¡¯t stand over there.¡±


    Livia stepped closer.


    ¡°Nice to see you. It¡¯s been a while,¡± he said, easily.


    She nodded. ¡°It has. Congratulations.¡±


    Hortensius grinned and looked at Epiphany. ¡°I¡¯m lucky, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get luckier,¡± Livia agreed, sincerely.


    Epiphany shot her a surprised look, but a pleased pink flushed her cheeks.


    Hortensius spoke, ¡°Lars everything is in order with the papers. I¡¯d like to sign them.¡±


    Lars nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll go first then.¡±


    Epiphany signed her name. Then Lars after her. Hortensius took up the pen and signed the paper and his father signed after him. Hortensius tried to kiss Epiphany and she ducked away.


    ¡°I--I¡¯m sorry. We¡¯re in front of all my sisters,¡± she seemed extremely embarrassed at her instinctive reaction.


    Hortensius smiled. ¡°Perhaps, a respectable peck on the cheek then?¡±


    Epiphany nodded and offered her cheek.


    Hortensius placed a polite kiss there and then put his arm around her. ¡°I¡¯m excited to start this new adventure with you.¡±


    Epiphany nodded. ¡°Me too.¡±


    She seemed tense but relieved too. Livia wondered if she liked him or if it was one of those arranged political matches that Lupus house was notorious for arranging.


    Then Epiphany peeked up at him shyly while he spoke a few words to Corvin and her infatuation revealed itself. Epiphany liked him. Livia grinned. She wished them well.

 Chapter 22

    Parking was already overflowing onto the training fields. Security patrol officers wore bright vests. They directed drivers into areas cordoned off with stakes and ropes. Signs marked the rows so people could remember what area they had parked in. The whole thing was rather ad hoc. The forum didn¡¯t usually see this much traffic all at once, but on those rare days it did, it was clear to everyone that their community had outgrown its public spaces.


    Corvin asked Livia to carry five-year-old Verity on her hip so she didn¡¯t get lost. Corvin carried his seven-year-old sister, Prudence, piggyback. Alia and Mel pressed in close and they pressed through the crowds together in a little herd. Livia pressed in against Corvin¡¯s side more intimidated by the crowds than she¡¯d ever admit to anyone. She was glad she was with Corvin and his sisters. She felt like she had a place in the mass of humanity--a shelter.


    The crowds got thicker as they approached the entrance to the subforum. When you approached it from this direction the three entrances looked like a singular glass mansion. The central entrance was the largest glass structure, built in the basic shape of a rectangle; the most interesting part of the architecture was the soaring barrel-vaulted ceiling.


    The central entrance was flanked by two smaller rectangular glass buildings. In reality, the flanks were set much further back. However, the land was so level that the illusion of them being a unified building remained. Citizens had to transverse the buildings to access the elevators at the back, which descended into the subforum.


    The large central building descended into the headquarters of the security patrol. The smaller building on the left descended directly into the Curia. You had to have a special pass to enter that way. It was reserved for senators and other government officials. The entrance on the right descended into the Department of the Treasury located in the Temple of Saturn. Parade participants entered through the treasury or Saturnalian entrance.


    Livia had never entered the forum through the Saturnalian entrance before. She didn¡¯t know what to expect. Four Security Patrol guards flanked the outside doors and verified they were parade participants. Once inside, more guards greeted them. They recorded the number of their party and assigned them to an elevator line.


    The Saturnalian entrance only had two elevators as opposed to the Headquarters bank of six. The guards assigned Livia''s group to line B. They waited their turn to ride down. The wait was so long that people requested to use the stairs. The Security Patrol guards refused their requests. They had orders to keep the stairs clear for emergencies.


    Once they reached the floor of the treasury antechamber they split into the staging areas set aside for each house. When they came to the Lupus house staging area they saw Lars, Aurelia, and Epiphany waiting at the front for them. Corvin and Livia dropped off his sisters. Then Corvin walked with Livia to find the staging area for Taurus house.


    Gaius and his wife Lauretta were waiting for Livia. Lauretta''s hair was flawlessly curled and a delicate golden tiara rested in her hair. The wheat stalk design was interspersed with diamonds. A bullhead pendant hung on a chain around her neck with bright rubies shining in the eye sockets. The ostentatious jewelry surprised Livia and she tried to remember if Aurelia had worn similar pieces. All Livia could remember the materfamilias of Lupus house wearing was an orange-colored stone carved with a she-wolf and teardrop earrings to match. Beautiful pieces but simple and practical. Nothing as ornate as Lauretta currently wore. Was Lauretta trying to make a statement of some kind?


    Livia confronted Gaius. "I tried to call."


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk later this week,¡± he said, dismissively.


    Did he think he could ignore her until later in the week? After everything was over? Livia¡¯s anger flared and she glared at him. He smirked. The situation was amusing to him. Livia walked past him and determined to ignore his presence for the rest of the day. Corvin was right about him. Livia remembered how she felt tucked up against Corvin¡¯s side with his sisters squished in around them, like a herd of ducklings taking shelter in each other. She longed for that suddenly as she approached the group standing behind Gaius and Lauretta.


    A handful of Pleblian Taurus house teens gathered together in a bunch. Livia only recognized Clara Porcius--daughter of the only Plebeian Tribune from Taurus house. Hyrum had invited their family over for dinner more than once to ask their advice on senate matters. They were polite but distant. Clara made it clear she would be civil but wasn¡¯t interested in being Livia¡¯s friend.


    Bella Aurelius stood with them, looking a tad out of place. Bella was technically a plebian from Aquila house. Same as her father, Justin, but ever since Justin became Livia¡¯s patron Bella was often included in Taurus house events. Especially since her mother, Flavia was Taurus house.


    Clara stood in the center of the group and greeted Livia cooly with reserved brown eyes. ¡°So, you decided to show up this year.¡±


    Livia¡¯s cheeks went hot. ¡°I did.¡±


    Clara muttered something indecipherable that made the teens around her laugh. Livia was used to being the butt of jokes, but it had been months since she had to confront such rudeness directly. Some of her emotional armor had fallen away and she had to look away to hide her hurt and mentally gather her defenses. Livia turned back to them, her old armor pulled tightly around her. She could compete with Corvin for showing the most emotionless face.


    Bella frowned at her, eyes still trailing Corvin as he moved through the crowd toward Lupus house. ¡°You came with Corvin?¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°They helped me get ready this morning. Caecilia has morning sickness.¡±


    ¡°You were at Corvin¡¯s house this morning?¡± Bella asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Livia was confused. Shouldn¡¯t it be a bigger deal Caecilia was pregnant?


    Clara Porcius was also visibly surprised by this. ¡°Are you dating Corvin?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia snapped. ¡°I asked him for help.¡±


    This changed the entire demeanor of the Taurus group. They gave each other hopeful glances. Clara¡¯s face conveyed sheer relief and then she smiled.


    Bella narrowed her eyes. ¡°They don¡¯t just invite anyone over before events. It¡¯s a family policy.¡±


    Livia shrugged, pretending indifference. ¡°Is it?¡±


    Bella¡¯s expression hardened and her stare turned into a glare. Was this how Bella was going to welcome Livia back to Caesarea? Livia stared back, refusing to look away first.


    Clara looked between Livia and Bella. Unexpectedly, Clara came to Livia¡¯s defense. ¡°So, they made an exception. Don¡¯t let it ruffle your feathers, Bella.¡±


    Bella turned her displeasure on Clara. ¡°Stay out of this. It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    Bella was out of line and Livia had lost all her patience. She stepped forward and put herself between the two girls. ¡°Watch yourself, Bella. She didn¡¯t do anything to deserve that kind of tone.¡±


    Clara blinked and pulled her chin back with surprise. ¡°Stay chill, Livia. I¡¯ll mind my own business. Unlike some people here.¡±


    She sent a glare in Bella¡¯s direction. Then she turned and stood in her position, waiting for the parade music to start.


    ¡°So,¡± Bella said, turning to speak only to Livia. ¡°You and Corvin¡­¡±


    ¡°Are friends,¡± Livia emphasized.


    Bella grinned. ¡°Good, because I¡¯ve been looking forward to talking to him this week about our future together.¡±


    Clara audibly snorted.


    ¡°So, stay friends with him,¡± Bella said with faux sweetness.


    Livia exchanged a look with Clara. Is she serious? For real?


    Clara shrugged. ¡°Not my business.¡±


    ¡°Has Corvin mentioned me?¡± Bella asked Livia.


    Livia wasn¡¯t sure how to answer this question. ¡°We had one conversation about you,¡± she admitted.


    Bella¡¯s face lit with hope. ¡°Does he want to get back together with me?¡±


    ¡°Bella,¡± Livia shook her head. ¡°Let him go.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Bella asked.


    Livia shook her head again, surprised at how quickly her anger turned to pity. ¡°Bella, he won¡¯t get back together with you.¡±


    She snarled at Livia. ¡°I never should have listened to your advice. I should have known you wanted him for yourself all along!¡±


    Apparently, Bella¡¯s friendship only lasted as long as Livia had a nonexistent relationship with Corvin. The betrayal cut deep because Bella¡¯s friendship was one of the things that Livia relied on in Caesarea. Now, that was no longer true.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that you¡¯ve turned on me. You have a history of stabbing people in the back,¡± Livia growled.


    Bella stepped back. ¡°He told you--¡±


    ¡°You should have told me!¡± Livia cried.


    Bella was going to argue back until Hyrum strode over and stared her down. ¡°We¡¯re not going to have any drama today,¡± he said, firmly. Then he turned his head towards Livia to include her in his displeasure. ¡°Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yessir,¡± Bella said, cowed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia answered.


    Livia could tell the other Taurus were pleased that Hyrum had intervened. Clara subtly arranged for all five of them to stand between Livia and Bella in the parade line. Livia was grateful to her. She took a deep breath and calmed herself.


    One of the Taurus boys said, lightly. ¡°Let¡¯s not embarrass ourselves, alright? All we got to do is keep our mouths shut and walk.¡±


    Hyrum guided Caecilia next to him. Then they took their place in line behind Gaius. Thankfully, the parade started and they were too distracted to say anymore. They walked through the treasury hallway and entered the dark stone chambers of the temple of Saturn. They exited the building, pouring out the front entrance and down the steep stairs. The parade route led them straight across the short end of the forum toward the Curia. After passing the Curia they marched past the Basilica of Aemilianus where trials were held. The three levels of porches along the front of the building were packed with people. The flat roof of the Curia had people sitting up on top. They walked down the length of the forum. Past the temple of Castor and Pollux the stairs of which were lined with cheering people. They reached the podium and seating prepared for the parade marchers at the opposite short side of the forum.


    This is where Livia¡¯s family split off from the others. She followed Gaius and Hyrum to the stands to sit with the patricians. She marched up onto the raised dais and sat beneath the two couples. Corvin had explained married and single patricians sat on different platforms.


    That left Livia to sit alone on the lower platform. To her right and left the chairs of the other houses were full. Livia¡¯s heart raced as she sat alone, painfully visible to everyone in Caesarea. There was no one to distract the gaze from her, no one to share the anxiety of scrutiny with. Livia tried to tell herself that she was fine but she felt abandoned. She¡¯d never been one to seek attention, staying quiet in the background had been a survival technique. Now, she was being forced to sit on display in front of this crowd when all her instincts were yelling at her to hide.


    The Aediles office had built a platform around the statue of a she-wolf feeding two young boys. It served as the symbolic setting for the theme of the parade. Lars started with a speech on providing nourishment to those who were hungry. Considering the situation with Lupus house the message was extremely political but Livia approved anyway. The young Rattus house Paterfamilias Lorin spoke on being hospitable. He was concerned about the numbers of Caesareans who were choosing to make lives outside Caesarea and the need for them to continue being welcomed in the community. Tavian had once told her that Lupus and Rattus house had the highest numbers of members who tried to make their way outside Caesarea.


    Hortensius¡¯ uncle Benedict, paterfamilias of Aquila house, spoke on growth and potential. He spoke longer than the other two and Livia shifted in her seat with impatience. He was rather boring.


    Then it was Gaius¡¯ turn. He stood and walked slowly to the rostrum. He was silent for such a long time that Livia worried he wouldn¡¯t speak. Then his voice lashed out, dark and sardonic.


    ¡°It is a pity my cousins are so prepared this year. I wish we would progress beyond this farcical display where we pretend we¡¯re going to improve ourselves each year--¡±


    Livia gasped. She turned back to look at Hyrum. He was horrified. Caecilia had the back of her hand pressed to her lips as if she might hurl at any moment. But it was the lone tear that streaked down Lauretta¡¯s cheek that brought Livia to her feet.


    ¡°I¡¯ve prepared no remarks obviously because you deserve none. Hypocrites, all of you--¡±


    She had no memory of walking down the steps but she was suddenly beside Gaius.


    ¡°Stop,¡± she commanded him.


    He looked at her. ¡°Go back to your seat.¡±


    He spoke as if he expected her to obey. He was paterfamilias after all.


    ¡°No,¡± she said loudly, clearly, defiantly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not to contradict me in public,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny that you neglect to teach me rules of conduct until it specifically benefits you!¡± Livia accused.


    He didn¡¯t even look at her. ¡°Livia, we will deal with this in private.¡±


    ¡°You lost that privilege when you pitied me in public,¡± she seethed.


    He turned to her, face red with fury. ¡°You have no right to tell me what to do.¡±


    ¡°I have every right,¡± Livia declared. ¡°You¡¯ve made your wife cry and Caecilia physically ill. I understand you hate it here and you¡¯re angry about being paterfamilias but you will show consideration and respect to the women of this house!¡±


    Gaius¡¯ jaw dropped. He looked behind him. Caecilia had a trembling hand clasped over her mouth and her face was an odd shade of white. Lauretta wouldn¡¯t look at Gaius.


    ¡°This is their home!¡± Livia cried. ¡°Don¡¯t insult it in front of all their family and friends.¡±


    Gaius turned a cold look on her. ¡°You think you¡¯re any better than me? Acting this way? In front of everybody? It¡¯s shameful!¡± He gestured at her.


    ¡°What is truly shameful is that you¡¯ve let hatred poison you so thoroughly that you¡¯ll behave this inconsiderately toward your own family!¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Gaius growled.


    ¡°Unless you have something appropriate to say we should get on with it,¡± she said.


    She turned her back on him and walked to where she would complete the ritual. She stood, chin up looking defiantly out to the crowd. She heard Hyrum descend the stairs behind her. He didn¡¯t acknowledge Gaius, a slight that everyone surely noticed. He stood silently next to Livia in support.


    ¡°Proceed with the ritual,¡± Gaius said. Then turned and returned to his


    seat.


    Hyrum went first. He recited his Latin and then poured a bottle of wine into a shallow bowl. He lit it on fire with a torch handed to him by an attendant. Then he soaked the grain in front of Livia with the remaining wine so it would burn.


    Livia swallowed and took a deep breath. I can act despite my fear. She pulled her palla up to cover her head the way Aurelia taught her. Her voice and hand shook but she managed the Latin without a single mistake. She lit the grain with a torch handed to her by the attendant and it was over. She¡¯d fulfilled her duty. Her throat was tight and her stomach churned but it was over. She turned and returned to her seat.


    Hyrum hesitated near the podium. Then he made some sort of decision. He approached the podium.


    ¡°My sister is headstrong,¡± he said, calmly. ¡°She had to be to survive the upbringing we had. I am grateful daily that even with all we went through, that she did not suffer worse. The places we lived were so unsafe¡­¡± Hyrum paused to control his emotions. ¡°I was constantly afraid for her. So, I taught her as best I could to defend herself. That meant training her not to trust anyone''s authority but her own. She¡¯ll never be a conventional woman and I accept the responsibility for that. It was not my mother. It was not my father. It was me, a sixteen-year-old child, trying to avoid having his baby sister become another statistic--missing or dead on the street.


    ¡°Having said that, I am concerned that this small family disagreement will distract from the importance of the words spoken by my predecessors. Even Gaius, for all his brashness, had a valid point. What are we doing this all for if we do not change? And there are many ways that we can change for the better. Let us set aside frivolous issues and address the lack of necessities that many in our community face. Let us work together to address inequitable access to food, education, and safe housing. Let us provide honorable work and legitimate economic opportunities. These are the issues that should concern us as a community. Dissecting Livia¡¯s mistakes will not feed a hungry family, it will not employ a father or a mother, and it will not provide adequate heat in the dead of winter. Thank you for your time.¡±


    Hyrum returned to his seat and the back of Livia¡¯s neck burned. Hyrum was making excuses for her. Livia was still furious but now she also felt guilty. She hadn¡¯t wanted there to be a fuss about her this year and now she¡¯d failed. Even if she had gotten up and done the ritual correctly, it didn¡¯t matter. It wasn¡¯t good enough. Just like always.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Livia was grateful when it was time to return to the parade route and proceed out of the Forum.


    Clara met her with satisfied glee. ¡°You embarrassed him! That¡¯s justice right there. Gaius deserved it. All those times he embarrassed Hyrum and my father because he couldn¡¯t get his act together.¡±


    But the boy that encouraged everyone not to embarrass themselves had his shoulders pulled up to his ears. ¡°You did great with the ritual, Livia. Hyrum did too. I can¡¯t believe that Gaius threw a fit about that up there, in front of everyone. Obviously, he hates you as much as he does us, but Aquila house is going to be livid. He dishonored Lauretta with how he behaved and they¡¯ll want revenge.¡±


    ¡°Forget Aquila,¡± another Taurus girl interjected. ¡°It distracted from Lars¡¯ amazing speech. I wouldn¡¯t blame the Tullians if they were pissed. Now everyone is going to be talking about Livia and Gaius fighting instead of how to solve the welfare standoff in the senate.¡±


    Livia¡¯s stomach dropped to her toes. The girl was right. Corvin¡¯s mom had said as much last night when she agreed to help her. She wanted everything to go smoothly so Lars¡¯ speech would be the focus of the ceremony. Not only had Livia failed the very people that helped her but she prevented desperate people from getting the aid they needed to feed their families. They might not leave the parade without two Taurus house females vomiting because Livia was so disgusted with herself she wanted to hurl.


    All discussion ceased when Gaius and Lauretta passed by them to take their place at the head of their procession. Gaius refused to look at Livia. Lauretta shot her a disapproving glare. Caecilia followed close behind. She clung to Hyrum¡¯s arm. She wasn¡¯t trembling anymore but she still looked pale. She gave Livia a wan smile. ¡°You did great!¡±


    Livia snorted. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°You said the Latin perfectly and completed the ritual,¡± she said.


    Livia looked away from her. She noticed Caecilia didn¡¯t say anything about her interaction with Gaius. Because even if Livia had done the right thing she¡¯d screwed it up. She felt defeated. Why did she even keep trying? She should never have come back for fall break. She never should have let Corvin talk her into appearing in public.


    ¡°You alright, Livia?¡± Clara asked, stepping close to her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll survive,¡± she whispered.


    Bella studied her but didn¡¯t offer any words of comfort.


    They marched past the Temple of Venus and the Basilica Sempronia, which held the house offices. They marched back into the temple of Saturn and stood in elevator lines to go back up top. Livia was relieved to feel the fresh air on her face. Refreshments were served in the quad that housed the primary and secondary schools.


    Livia watched the crowds for a moment looking for anyone she recognized. Clara slipped away into the crowds without saying goodbye. Livia got the distinct feeling the girl wanted to avoid her. Then Lauretta came to stand next to Livia¡¯s side. Suddenly, Clara¡¯s abrupt flight made sense.


    ¡°Shameful,¡± she hissed in Livia¡¯s ear. ¡°I¡¯ve never been so humiliated in my life.¡±


    ¡°Would you have preferred I let him go on?¡± Livia shot back, defiant.


    ¡°I regret being associated with any of you!¡± Lauretta snapped. She swished the folds of her stola with a dramatic flourish and stomped away, the click of her stiletto-heeled sandals emphasizing each step.


    Livia inhaled as her defiance melted into hurt and shame. She¡¯d been trying to protect Lauretta from more embarrassment but she¡¯d only made things worse. She watched Lauretta speak angrily to a group of her family from Aquila house. They kept shooting glares at Livia and made consoling overtures to Lauretta, who looked like she might burst into tears at any moment.


    Livia''s throat tightened with frustration. Corvin had been wrong about everything. All that work and effort could never make up for the fact that she was an outsider in Caesarea. They¡¯d never accept her. The realization should have made her sad but it settled on her shoulders with an exhausted resignation. There was no point in wasting emotions denying reality.


    Two Rattus house girls passed by shooting her sympathetic looks. Livia recognized them. They were patricians but were rarely seen associating with the malevolence of maidens. Stubbornness streaked through Livia. Was she going to give up because Lauretta threw a few mean words in her direction? Livia was tougher than that.


    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Livia said, she lifted her chin to invite them over to talk the way Corvin had taught her. ¡°What are your names?¡±


    They both froze and stared at her in shock. Their eyes scanned over the crowds around them.


    Then the taller of the two girls lowered her chin. ¡°Vale.¡±


    The second girl followed suit quickly, chin tucked. ¡°Vale.¡±


    They both scurried off. Livia hated this city. Here was proof that even when you knew the rules of polite conversation it didn¡¯t make any difference. Livia never should have let Tavian talk her into giving Caesarea a second chance.


    Alia ran over to Livia and dragged her away from Lauretta¡¯s scowling relatives with a protective look on her face. Some of Livia¡¯s turmoil melted away, touched at the show of concern.


    Alia turned and grabbed both her hands when they were out of earshot. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked. ¡°Gaius behaved abominably! I¡¯m so glad you stood up to him even if it was rude.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Livia lied.


    ¡°Slow down, Alia,¡± Mel snapped, as she came up. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to stay together, remember?¡±


    Hyrum approached them. ¡°Liv? I need to leave.¡±


    ¡°Is Caecilia alright?¡± Livia asked, concerned.


    Hyrum sighed. ¡°She¡¯ll be alright, I think. She just needs to rest. We¡¯re leaving so we can pick Lucas up from the airport. We won¡¯t be home for three hours or so. Maybe four if we stop to let Caecilia eat something.¡±


    ¡°Should I come with you?¡± Livia asked. She hoped he would say yes. It would be the perfect excuse to escape Corvin¡¯s family. Alia was nice but Mel hadn¡¯t looked happy to see her.


    Hyrum hesitated. ¡°We¡¯d planned on just us going. It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had alone time but--¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia gulped. Caecilia needed Hyrum more than she did right now. She¡¯d have to face the Tullians alone. She lied, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Corvin¡¯s family will see I get home. Enjoy your time with Caecilia.¡±


    Hyrum frowned. ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯re okay?¡±


    Livia nodded, unable to speak.


    Hyrum studied her. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Hyrum hesitated a moment but turned and walked back to Caecilia. He put his arm around her and started toward the parking lot. For an instant, Livia felt abandoned. Then Alia linked her elbow with Livia¡¯s and smiled at her. ¡°Let¡¯s go! There¡¯s food to eat!¡±


    Alia and Mel pulled Livia along through the crowds, snagging some refreshments on the way. Livia couldn¡¯t eat though. They found Corvin chatting with Justin and Flavia. Unfortunately, Bella was with them. Livia wanted to avoid them but Alia and Mel marched right up to them. Livia took a bracing breath and steeled herself for the worst.


    Corvin turned at their approach. His expression was distant and cold. She was reminded forcefully of dozens of dismissive interactions in TARP offices. Livia¡¯s heart thudded painfully in her chest. Corvin was angry with her and she didn¡¯t blame him.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you, Livia,¡± Justin grinned at her.


    ¡°How have things been Justin?¡± Livia asked, trying to pretend this was an ordinary conversation. Even as her eyes were drawn to Bella easing closer to Corvin¡¯s side. A twitching muscle in Corvin¡¯s cheek was the only tell that he was uncomfortable.


    ¡°About the same as when you left,¡± Justin answered. Livia¡¯s eyes flicked back to his face. Justin¡¯s gaze had also landed on Bella. His lips pressed into a distinct frown.


    Livia marched to Flavia. ¡°I missed you,¡± she said.


    Flavia smiled and opened her arms for a hug, which Livia had gambled on. Livia put her arms around her and hugged her briefly.


    ¡°How¡¯s school?¡± Flavia asked.


    ¡°Good,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Corvin says you¡¯ve spent a lot of time together,¡± she said, neutrally. Livia was wise to that though. She knew a trap when she saw one.


    ¡°Yeah, and his cousin Terrance, too. Along with Felicity from Rattus house. We¡¯ve had good times.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re rooming on your own?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not alone,¡± Livia insisted. ¡°I have a roommate. Her name is Whitney.¡±


    Livia then proceeded to tell her all about Whitney to distract Flavia from the topic of her and Corvin. She angled herself to include the rest of the group in her ramblings. Bella had eased even closer to Corvin. He could no longer hide that Bella¡¯s nearness made him uncomfortable. Livia took pity on Corvin.


    Livia asked the first question that came to her mind. ¡°Bella, what are your plans currently...professionally, I mean?¡±


    Then Livia realized what she¡¯d done. She¡¯d asked Bella to talk about the job she¡¯d betrayed Corvin to get. Bella leveled a glare in Livia¡¯s direction. She tried to backtrack. ¡°I mean, do you plan to leave Caesarea to go to school?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough school to last a lifetime,¡± she said, frostily.


    Livia didn¡¯t miss the look of disappointment that crossed Flavia¡¯s face. Livia recognized that Caesarea Academy had that effect on a lot of Aquila kids. It burned them out so bad they¡¯d do anything to never go back to academics.


    ¡°College would be loads easier than Caesarea Academy,¡± Livia encouraged, trying for Flavia¡¯s sake to reason with her, though she normally wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Not interested,¡± she said.


    ¡°I wish you¡¯d consider it,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your life dad,¡± Bella nearly snarled.


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened at the amount of rebellion in her tone. Justin inhaled and schooled his features. The tension between him and Bella was obvious, which meant it must be extremely bad between them. Justin was pro at staying reasonable about things. He was used to negotiating with hardened criminals and reasoning with insane people.


    Though, if Livia had pulled the same stunt with Hyrum--refusing to go to college--they¡¯d be about the same. Maybe it was time to switch topics. ¡°Gone on any hikes lately?¡± Livia asked instead.


    The furrow between Bella¡¯s eyes eased the slightest bit. ¡°Went up Whitepine trail.¡±


    ¡°See any cool wildlife?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°A beaver, actually--¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Livia was genuinely delighted. ¡°Did you know they¡¯re a keystone species?¡±


    One thing that Livia appreciated about Bella was that she was transparent. She didn¡¯t pretend to be politely interested. She was interested or not. That meant that even socially ignorant Livia could read her. The tension in Bella¡¯s face softened further and her eyes settled on Livia. So Livia kept talking. ¡°That means that because beavers build dams and create pools of water that other animals can survive and thrive. If beavers were taken out of the environment all those other animals would die too.¡±


    Bella¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really?¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°They also have awesome fur. It¡¯s designed to tolerate a whole lot of water. That¡¯s why they were almost hunted to extinction in Europe and North America, which was environmentally devastating to a lot of forests. They never recovered because the beaver is so essential to the ecosystem.¡±


    Bella¡¯s face lit up. ¡°So, I saw something amazing!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia nodded. ¡°I¡¯m jealous. I wish I was with you.¡±


    Bella looked confused, then sad. ¡°I wish you were there too. Then you could have told me all about the beaver while I was watching it build a dam.¡±


    ¡°You got to watch it build? Do you remember the trail? Maybe we can go back?¡±


    ¡°Not this time of year,¡± Justin cut in firmly.


    Bella nodded. ¡°Yeah, the trail is closed for the winter. It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Spring then,¡± Livia said, firmly.


    Bella hesitated, almost as if she didn¡¯t believe Livia¡¯s offer was serious. ¡°Maybe. Do you think it will still be there?¡±


    Livia shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s half the fun of going out. The mystery¡­¡±


    Bella smiled the tiniest bit. Livia couldn¡¯t tell if it was a smirk or not. ¡°We¡¯ll see how we feel about the hike in the Spring. Who knows what could happen?¡±


    Livia looked at Justin. He smiled at Livia, gratitude clear on his face. Livia was sure the subtle dig went over his head. Silence fell across the group. Livia looked at Corvin. His face was no longer blank and the angles of his features were sharp with anger. It made Livia¡¯s stomach lurch. She didn¡¯t know what had upset him. Had he¡¯d picked up on Bella¡¯s possessive attitude or was he angry Livia made plans to hang out with her in front of him? Maybe Livia¡¯s friendship with Bella bothered him more than he¡¯d admitted. Livia looked between them trying to swallow the tightness in her throat. She was afraid neither one of them would be her friends after everything that went down today.


    They were all startled when Silvanus walked up and put a hand on Corvin¡¯s back. ¡°How¡¯s it going, brother?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s angry expression melted away into relief. ¡°Silvanus.¡±


    ¡°Can I get a ride home with you? My shift is over.¡± Silvanus had been on duty as a guard and was dressed in his uniform.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d love the help with the girls,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± Silvanus asked.


    ¡°Right now they¡¯re with mom and dad. They¡¯ll send them over when they¡¯ve had enough of the crowds,¡± Corvin answered.


    Livia looked over and noticed that Alia and Mel had silently slipped over to their parents. Yeah, she was the only one not smart enough to avoid this minefield.


    Silvanus blew out his breath. ¡°Tell me about it. The lines got so bad this year and not everyone that came got to go down.¡±


    Corvin frowned. ¡°Really?¡±


    Silvanus nodded. ¡°I think we need to revisit bringing the parade up top like most of the other festivals.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one of the last ones,¡± Justin interjected. ¡°It¡¯s because of the symbolism of the Romulus and Remus statue.¡±


    ¡°Move the statue,¡± Livia said. Her lingering insecurity made her sound more impatient than she intended and everyone looked at her.


    Flavia tried to calm her. ¡°It¡¯d be exposed to the elements, love.¡±


    ¡°Build a pavilion then,¡± Livia snapped.


    Silvanus laughed. ¡°Make her talk to the senate, Corvin, she¡¯ll have them convinced.¡±


    Corvin leveled an amused look at her. ¡°She just might.¡±


    Livia gave him an impatient shake of her head. ¡°Doubtful.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s parents approached and dumped the little ones on Corvin at that precise moment. Silvanus picked up little Verity. ¡°Let¡¯s go find your other sisters, huh?¡±


    ¡°Piphany staying,¡± Verity told him seriously.


    Corvin and Livia looked at Lars and Aurelia.


    ¡°Something to do with Hortensius?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s ending his patrol shift now and we¡¯ll head over to his family¡¯s house to announce the match,¡± Lars answered.


    Corvin smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll see you later, then.¡±


    Corvin crouched down and instructed Prudence to ride piggyback. She pressed her cheek happily to the back of his shoulder. ¡°I want to go home,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯re headed, Pru,¡± Corvin said as he straightened up.


    ¡°So, they signed the papers?¡± Silvanus asked, excitedly.


    ¡°Right before the parade in the library,¡± Corvin said, smiling.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Silvanus said. ¡°Was she scared?¡±


    ¡°Nervous,¡± Corvin answered. ¡°But happy too.¡±


    They gathered Mel and Alia and headed home. Livia was glad Silvanus was with them this time because if the crush was bad before it was worse now.


    ¡°Stay close, Alia, Mel, Liv,¡± Corvin barked. ¡°We don¡¯t want you trampled.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Epiphany?¡± Mel yelled.


    ¡°She¡¯s staying with Mom and Dad,¡± Corvin said. ¡°They were visiting Hortensius¡¯ family on the way home.¡±


    They fought their way to the car and squished in together. It took forty minutes of traffic to get back to the Tullius house. Corvin, who was usually calm in every situation, started muttering furiously at other drivers and the car remained tense and silent the entire trip.


    When they arrived home everyone scattered. They seemed to forget about Livia, who sat on the first soft place she could find and put her face into her hands and leaned forward, forearms on her knees. In a few minutes, she¡¯d get up and drive home.


    Livia didn¡¯t know how much time had passed until Silvanus came over to sit with her. ¡°Hey, you alright?¡±


    ¡°I know I need to drive home,¡± she said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it for an hour,¡± he said. ¡°The roads are so bad out there.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Livia said. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°You seem upset. Can you tell me about it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I just...I never do anything the right way¡­¡± Livia¡¯s voice cracked.


    ¡°You upset about what happened during the parade?¡±


    ¡°I put in all that work so there wouldn¡¯t be a big issue then I just...got so angry. It¡¯s one thing to be incompetent. It¡¯s a whole other thing to maliciously sabotage an entire parade--¡±


    ¡°You honestly think it was ¡®malicious sabotage¡¯?¡± Silvanus asked.


    ¡°You should have seen the smirk on his face when I greeted him before the parade and mentioned that I¡¯d called him--¡±


    ¡°You called him to help you and he didn¡¯t respond?¡± Silvanus asked.


    ¡°At least, eight times,¡± Livia said. ¡°He never answered. I had to call Corvin at the very last minute--¡±


    Silvanus¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Wow, did you mention that to Corvin?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Livia shook her head. ¡°Then Bella was being all snobby to me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Silvanus asked. ¡°What did she say?¡±


    ¡°She said there are rules against people coming over before events,¡± Livia explained. ¡°She was mad at me for it. Said she was planning on getting back together with Corvin now that he¡¯s home.¡±


    Silvanus blew all his breath out and shook his head in disgust. ¡°I¡¯m glad you said something. He should know that.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Silvanus said. ¡°Who knows how she¡¯ll ambush him? He needs to be ready. Especially this time of year.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this time of year?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°He lost someone close to him.¡±


    ¡°Cassia?¡± Livia asked.


    Silvanus looked surprised. ¡°He told you about her?¡±


    ¡°No, Terrance mentioned it after...he broke down sobbing in the car.¡±


    Silvanus¡¯ eyes widened further. ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°On the way here. That¡¯s why I was driving. I forced him to rest in the back afterward.¡±


    ¡°We were all grateful to hear you took care of him like that,¡± Silvanus said. He looked up as if searching for Corvin. ¡°He pushes himself too hard. We don¡¯t know exactly why it¡¯s so bad this year. Maybe because of the shooting. Maybe it¡¯s that Bella hurt him but none of us can seem to comfort him.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll get back together with Bella?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Silvanus said. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have gotten together with her in the first place. He did it for all the wrong reasons. Bella, she¡¯s no better. She¡¯s acting like she has to prove something and it¡¯s destroying her and a lot of her relationships. I wish we could talk sense into her before she self-destructs.¡±


    Livia saw something in Silvanus¡¯ eyes. ¡°You...care about her.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°As long as she¡¯s interested in Corvin she won¡¯t give me the time of day.¡±


    ¡°So, Bella¡¯s going through...a thing,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Silvanus said. ¡°It¡¯s starting to get to Justin and Flavia. They¡¯ve tried everything they can think of and then some.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that stupid school,¡± Livia said.


    Silvanus looked surprised. ¡°Say what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it in the other Aquila kids too. Caesarea Academy crushes them. Bella is smart and likes to learn but the second you mention a book she turns up her nose.¡±


    Silvanus blinked. ¡°I¡¯ve never had that type of interaction with her. What does she like to learn about?¡±


    ¡°Animals, nature, science, the environment. All of that stuff fascinates her.¡±


    Silvanus looked intrigued and thoughtful. Corvin came up from downstairs changed into regular clothes. ¡°So glad to get out of that toga. Those things are awful. Liv, you did so well! I¡¯m so proud of you!¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t think she deserved his praise. She was waiting for the ¡®but¡­¡± part of the statement to follow any moment now.


    The doorbell rang at that moment. ¡°That¡¯s the crew,¡± Corvin said.


    He walked to the front door and opened it. ¡°Come in!¡±


    A chorus of giggling preceded a line of tiny kids entering the house.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Everyone will come over, stay until dinner, and then leave. It¡¯s a family tradition,¡± Silvanus said. ¡°Usually, this is when significant others and big announcements are introduced to the family. It¡¯s hard to get us all together otherwise. I¡¯m sure Epiphany and Hortensius will make their announcement later.¡±


    Corvin led the kids to the backyard to play. Their parents followed after and settled on the nice patio that was visible through the windows. Silvanus and Livia trailed after them. Livia laughed as Corvin got pulled into playing the horse for the kids.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go change, Liv?¡± Silvanus suggested. ¡°Take a few moments?¡±


    Alia offered up her room for Livia¡¯s privacy. She changed out of her stola. She sat down on a chair and carefully pulled the pins from her hair one by one. A few stray tears fell onto her cheeks and she brushed them away.


    ¡°Here one moment, gone the next,¡± she whispered the maxim Flavia often chanted to her children. Livia didn¡¯t have a brush to tame her wild hair so she had to finger-comb her tangles into submission and then braided her hair to hide them.


    She took her time. She let the stillness and the quiet steady her battered emotions. She might be able to take a chance on leaving now. The worst of the traffic would have worked itself out by now. Livia gathered her things and carried them upstairs, planning to leave.

 Chapter 23

    The low drone of voices reached Livia as she climbed the stairs, warning her that the house was full of people. As she walked through the kitchen and into the front room she saw groups of people gathered in various parts of the house chatting eagerly, laughing. Everyone was happy and calm.


    Aurelia noticed her and came straight over. ¡°Livia, darling, is there anything I can do for you?¡±


    ¡°I should go home,¡± she said.


    Aurelia gave her a look full of compassion. ¡°I understand you¡¯re upset about what happened at the parade but Lars and I don¡¯t hold it against you. You¡¯re welcome to stay in our home for as long as you like.¡±


    Relief flooded Livia. As well as apprehension. She had a feeling that Aurelia spoke only for herself and her husband deliberately. Corvin probably had his own set of feelings on the matter.


    Livia nodded. ¡°Thank you. And I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    Aurelia smiled. ¡°You conducted yourself well today and those that say otherwise are trying to twist the situation to their favor. You remember that. Don¡¯t allow anything they say to convince you that you are anything less than wonderful.¡±


    What a kind thing to say and Livia had a feeling that Aurelia meant it. She almost cried again. Corvin had an amazing mother.


    Aurelia smiled at her and patted her arm. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to say goodbye to Corvin and the girls before you go.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°Where is Corvin?¡±


    ¡°Outside with the children. They are playing something fierce. Hurry, go out and be with them.¡±


    Livia went to find Corvin and the girls. Her stomach flipped with nervous anticipation. When Corvin caught sight of her would his eyes flash with anger? Would he refuse to speak to her? Would he be disappointed in her?


    Livia watched Corvin through the window. He was laying flat on his belly while he grinned up at Prudence. Verity stood in front of him, face in a pout. She stomped her tiny foot dramatically and he laughed at her. It was probably safe enough to go out and say goodbye.  Livia opened the door.


    The roar of a dozen tiny children trying to prod Corvin into being their horse overwhelmed her at first. Corvin put his cheek flat against the grass and looked exhausted. ¡°I¡¯m too tired,¡± he whined. ¡°No more.¡±


    Livia laughed.


    His head popped up to look at her. ¡°Oh look! Livia¡¯s not exhausted.¡±


    Livia froze as a pack of children rushed at her. ¡°Be our horse,¡± they pleaded.


    Livia turned panicked eyes to Corvin. He looked amused at her predicament. Livia wasn¡¯t sure if this was his idea of punishment.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she said, intending to go home.


    Then Verity grabbed Livia¡¯s hand and looked directly up at her with the same gold-flecked, green eyes that Corvin had. ¡°Please, Miss Livia?¡± Verity begged. ¡°Please play with us?¡±


    ¡°I really can¡¯t,¡± Livia tried to explain.


    Verity¡¯s hopeful expression turned genuinely sad.


    Livia couldn¡¯t bear it. She caved. ¡°Because I¡¯m a pony, not a horse.¡±


    Tiny little faces lit up with joy and excitement and a cheer went up.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Epiphany said, amused.  ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    She was back with Hortensius. They sat next to each other, lightly holding hands. He laughed at Epiphany¡¯s remark.


    Livia was a pony for a half-hour and then gave airplane rides for another hour. Placing the children on her feet and lifting them into the air while she held their little hands. Livia had never been in a position before where having strength and endurance meant she was the most fun. She loved it and didn¡¯t ever want it to end.


    Eventually, Corvin made them stop. ¡°It¡¯s time to come in. It¡¯s announcement time.¡±


    Livia panicked. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I stayed too long.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Livia studied him. He didn¡¯t seem offended at her mere presence but he wasn¡¯t warm either. He looked exhausted and a little frustrated. Was that because of her?


    ¡°I should go,¡± she insisted.


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°Stay for Epiphany¡¯s announcement. She¡¯ll like you to stay.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia agreed, hesitantly.


    Everyone knew where to sit, except Livia. They sat in a huge circle divided into family groups. Aurelia called Livia over when she noticed her confusion. ¡°Come sit next to my Alia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯ve stayed too long,¡± Livia blurted.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Aurelia waved a hand.


    Lars grinned. ¡°We¡¯re just glad you entertained the small ones so long. They wear the rest of us out. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Livia said in surprise. ¡°I got caught up in the fun. I wasn¡¯t going to stay this long--¡±


    ¡°I told her to stay for Epiphany¡¯s announcement,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°We¡¯d be pleased,¡± Lars said. ¡°We¡¯re so excited. Come sit here next to Alia as Aurelia asked.¡±


    Livia squeezed in next to Alia. There was room but it was tight. Epiphany was glowing with excitement. She could hardly sit still.


    ¡°Now, our family will go first,¡± Lars said, smiling at his daughter. ¡°We¡¯d like to announce that Epiphany has made a match with Hortensius of Aquila house.¡±


    Hortensius smiled at the murmur that filled the room.  He was one of Justin¡¯s agents and known for being one of the most adept healers in all of Caesarea. Livia was sure the family all considered him a great catch. Livia was happy for Epiphany and him.


    ¡°How long until the betrothal?¡± Silvia asked.


    ¡°Six months,¡± Epiphany said.


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    A chorus of oohs filled the room.


    Was that significant somehow Livia wondered. If a match wasn¡¯t an engagement as she assumed, what was the difference between a match and a betrothal?


    ¡°Are you upset, Livia?¡± Epiphany asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Livia flinched. ¡°No, I like Hortensius. I think you have very good taste. Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°Why are you frowning?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m...confused.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I thought...a match was a betrothal but you talk about them like they¡¯re different?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably confusing if no one ever explained it to you,¡± Epiphany said, with a tone of inquiry.


    ¡°Well, Hyrum was barely even engaged, and with Gaius, it was the same. And everyone knows that my parents didn¡¯t get married the convenient way either--¡±


    There was a burst of slight laughter then awkward silence since they didn¡¯t know if they should have laughed or not. Honestly, Livia didn¡¯t know either. Epiphany looked at her father. ¡°They stopped requiring matches during world war two?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. It used to be how all marriages were done,¡± he said.


    ¡°So, how is a match different from a betrothal?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just an approved boyfriend,¡± Melanie said. ¡°Like your parents agree and his parents agree. Then they sign a paper saying you¡¯ll date this long and do these certain things to prepare for your engagement.¡±


    ¡°Sign a paper? Like a contract?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Lars said.


    ¡°So, what does your contract say?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Am I allowed to ask that? Or are they private?¡±


    Lars looked at Epiphany. She looked at him. He nodded at her. ¡°It is at your discretion.¡±


    Epiphany looked at Hortensius. He nodded. ¡°We have nothing to hide.¡±


    Epiphany explained, ¡°Ours was very basic. We agreed to be exclusive with each other for six months at which time we would either decide to sign a betrothal contract or split up. That all gifts above a certain monetary amount exchanged between us would be returned if a betrothal contract was not signed. Then¡­¡± Epiphany hesitated. ¡°We agreed that if we had an illegitimate child and Hortensius refused a betrothal contract that full custody would revert to me and the child would be considered Lupus house.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Does everyone agree to that?¡±


    Epiphany shook her head. ¡°Everyone makes different arrangements. Some men stipulate the woman agrees not to get an abortion in the case of an unwanted baby. In most of those contracts, the men negotiate to take full custody of the child and pay for all medical expenses in exchange. Some contracts only stipulate what will be the house of the child in those circumstances.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Livia inhaled a big breath. ¡° As I understand it, you sign a match contract, a betrothal contract, and a marriage contract?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± one of the younger children said. ¡°That¡¯s why they call them three-scrolled women.¡±


    There was a silent pause, then a burst of laughter.


    ¡°Astute observation,¡± Corvin said, wryly.


    ¡°That¡¯s a thing?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Epiphany said. ¡°It¡¯s a phrase to describe a woman who is traditional, upper class, and a rule-follower.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Livia said. ¡°What if you are a two-scrolled woman?¡±


    ¡°Then you only signed a betrothal and marriage contract,¡± Lars said. ¡°It¡¯s quite common now, as that¡¯s how it is done in the world at large these days.¡±


    ¡°Sans the lawyers,¡± Livia joked.


    ¡°Point taken,¡± Lars dipped his head.


    ¡°Really is an expensive endeavor,¡± Livia said. ¡°What if you¡¯re poor?¡±


    ¡°The house provides free representation for all marriage contracts,¡± Lars said.


    ¡°All houses?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Lupus and Rattus house,¡± Lars said.


    ¡°So, a rich Lupus man can pull a fast one over on a naive working-class Aquila girl?¡± Livia asked.


    Lars looked uncomfortable. ¡°Aquila house doesn¡¯t provide free representation but they have a list of things they won¡¯t agree to. So, you can¡¯t get away with just anything.¡±


    Livia''s eyes narrowed. ¡°That is not good enough. Why doesn¡¯t the senate set up free representation for every Civ instead of tolerating unequal access to legal advice?¡±


    Lars coughed. ¡°You¡¯d have to ask them. I¡¯ve done the best I could by the woman in my house. And many Aquila house fathers hire lawyers or pull connections with their Patrons to hire Lawyers at affordable fees. Aquila women are not as defenseless as you suppose.¡±


    Lars tossed Aurelia a look and she suppressed a smile, eyes dancing. Livia decided it was time to change the subject before she offended someone.


    ¡°If you¡¯re Caecilia, are you a one-scrolled woman, then?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Ah, ah,¡± Lars made a contradictory noise. ¡°I made Hyrum and Gaius wait sixty days for her. She has two scrolls and a fair contract. Lauretta, however, only has a marriage contract. Something I vigorously objected to, as technically illegal. Though the other paterfamiliae outvoted me and merely called it unprecedented.¡±


    Livia was horrified. ¡°Did a competent lawyer advise her before signing their contract?¡±


    ¡°I do not know,¡± Lars said. ¡°That information was never revealed to me.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t know what to think. Did she bring it up with Gaius? She didn¡¯t want to be seen as insufferably nosy but it¡¯d be better to know now if she was going to have to fend for herself if she ever decided to marry. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask him,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯d be wise to let him know how you¡¯d like your arrangements to go,¡± Lars said.


    Livia nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Better to know now how helpful he¡¯ll be.¡±


    ¡°I have a question,¡± one of Corvin''s cousins raised a hand.


    Lars looked at him. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Is Livia dating Corvin?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Corvin said, swiftly. ¡°We¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± he quipped.


    The family laughed. Livia¡¯s face flammed.


    Corvin said, with an irritated glare. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you dating?¡±


    ¡°Can I date Livia?¡± he asked, hopefully.


    Everyone laughed.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said. ¡°It is officially time for me to leave. I¡¯m excited for you, Epiphany. Thank you for your help, Corvin. Alia, I¡¯ll miss you if we don¡¯t see each other again before I leave.¡±


    Alia smiled. ¡°Miss you too, Livia.¡±


    Livia looked at Mel. ¡°Try to boss Corvin into relaxing some.¡±


    Mel laughed. ¡°Will do.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll love that,¡± Livia joked. ¡°Right, Verity? Prudence?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Both girls agreed.


    Corvin interjected. ¡°Livia, I get this sense that you¡¯re plotting against me.¡±


    ¡°Corvin, I¡¯m never not plotting against you,¡± Livia teased.


    ¡°Careful there, Liv. You make it sound like I¡¯m on your mind constantly,¡± he said, smoothly.


    Well, Livia walked straight into that one and she was more guilty of the accusation than she was comfortable with. She made an expression that made his entire family burst into laughter. She was quickly so flustered that she could not come up with a witty reply. Her cheeks heated.


    Livia drew herself up into command mode. ¡°You take good care of yourself, Corvin Tullius,¡± she barked. His family¡¯s laughter stopped. Livia adopted a playful tone. ¡°Or I¡¯ll sic Justin on you.¡±


    She turned on her heel and left the house on another wave of delighted laughter. Corvin¡¯s the loudest among them. He knew as well as she did that Justin would be delighted his name was being bandied about as a threat to encourage self-care. She remembered hearing Justin ordering Corvin to go home and spend time with his family more than once after a particularly fraught shift. He¡¯d remarked once that she and Corvin were the same--they both needed to be badgered into resting.


    When Livia walked into Hyrum¡¯s empty house the reality of her situation descended forcefully. If the Tullian clan hadn¡¯t taken her in, she would have been in an empty house, alone all day. Livia didn¡¯t like to imagine how low her emotional state would have sunk if that had been the case.


    She sighed and settled into her room to rest. She thought over her interactions with Corvin. Livia was almost certain he was mad at her over the incident with Gaius. Her memory settled on the sharp way he denied they were dating. He definitely wouldn¡¯t want anything to do with her when they got back to school. Livia should expect to be ignored again. She closed her eyes and tried to tell herself it didn¡¯t matter.


    But it did.

 Chapter 24

    Hyrum and Caecilia returned home with Lucas in tow a few moments later. Lucas crushed Livia in a long hug until she started pinching him to get him to let go. It¡¯d been a stressful day and the affection was irritating.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± he drawled, unmoved.


    ¡°Lucas!¡± Livia cried.


    He laughed and let go. ¡°I missed you.¡±


    Livia huffed at him. ¡°Apparently, it was a mistake to miss you.¡±


    Lucas laughed again. ¡°Sorry, Liv.¡±


    Livia stomped around the kitchen for a minute or two to release the irritation. Hyrum and Lucas watched her calmly but Caecilia was unused to Livia and looked concerned.


    After the dishes were secured in the dishwasher Livia was ready to talk again. She turned toward them. ¡°How was the drive?¡±


    ¡°You have a bad day?¡± Lucas asked.


    Livia rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t even get me started--¡±


    ¡°She got in a fight with Gaius in front of everyone--¡± Caecilia said.


    ¡°As in all of Caesarea, everyone,¡± Hyrum said.


    Lucas pulled out his phone. ¡°The hordes must be going feral then.¡±


    Livia assumed he¡¯d pulled up Tabula as he started to scroll and read. ¡°Ah, Corvin has come out in support of you and that seems to have chilled everyone out--¡± Lucas mused.


    ¡°Corvin wrote something about me?¡± Livia asked.


    Lucas showed her. Corvin had written a note about how important it was to correct a paterfamilias to protect the emotional and physical health of family members. He even praised Livia for her bravery and strength of character.


    She was surprised at his praise. She hadn¡¯t expected that reaction at all. An unexpected blush


    spread across her cheeks.


    Lucas grinned at her. ¡°You dating him?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Livia corrected. ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡±


    Lucas laughed. ¡°Right. So, we¡¯re finally in that situation.¡±


    ¡°What situation?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ve liked him since we met him, Liv. It was only a matter of time till you caught his eye and he fell for you--¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Livia sputtered. ¡°First--¡±


    Hyrum¡¯s laugh interrupted Livia¡¯s planned tirade. ¡°She¡¯s liked him that long?¡±


    ¡°Totally,¡± Lucas answered.


    Oh no, this was bad. Livia did not want to be on the opposite side of an argument with both of her brothers. She was in an untenable position.


    ¡°This is none of your business--¡± she snapped at Hyrum.


    Lucas and Hyrum laughed at her, unfazed by her tone.


    ¡°What signs has he shown that he likes her?¡± Lucas turned to Hyrum.


    Livia interrupted. ¡°Lucas, be serious, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d like me!¡±


    Caecilia answered, ¡°He arranged for Livia to come over to his house this morning so they could help her get ready for the parade. He also helped her memorize the Latin for the ceremony.¡±


    Livia gave her a look of betrayal.


    ¡°Ooo,¡± Lucas teased. ¡°Sounds serious.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re friends!¡± Livia shouted.


    ¡°Come on, Lucas,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°Lay off. She¡¯s already had a rough couple of days.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you think he¡¯d like you?¡± Caecilia asked, confused. ¡°It¡¯d be an extremely advantageous match.¡±


    Livia sighed. She was going to get another lecture similar to the one Tavian gave her.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hyrum asked.


    Caecilia outlined the same argument that Tavian had. Livia watched Hyrum closely to see his reaction. Would he disapprove?


    He frowned. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s all interesting...but none of that matters if Liv doesn¡¯t like him.¡±


    Everyone looked at her.


    ¡°Did you stop liking him, Liv?¡± Lucas asked.


    Livia gulped. ¡°I¡¯ve tried to--¡±


    Hyrum grinned. ¡°But haven¡¯t succeeded?¡±


    Livia grumbled at them. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡±


    Lucas grinned, looking at his phone. ¡°You look cute together--¡±


    ¡°Cute? Together? What are you looking at?¡± Livia asked, panicked.


    Lucas turned his phone around and there was a photo of them herding the Tullius sisters toward the temple of Saturn. She was tucked in tight against Corvin¡¯s side and was looking at him for direction. Alia and Mel were on their opposite side.


    ¡°There were crowds--¡± she tried to explain.


    Hyrum grinned. ¡°Ignore all the political stuff. If you like him, go for it, Liv.¡±


    ¡°Y-you don¡¯t disapprove?¡±


    ¡°Why would I?¡± Hyrum was confused.


    Caecilia spoke up. ¡°I think you¡¯d get along well. You have similarish personalities...hardworking, protective, soft-hearted but unwilling to show it--¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t think...it¡¯d make me like mom?¡± Livia asked.


    Hyrum snorted. ¡°Livia, mom had me when she was seventeen. Your life is already completely different.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯d be smart to give him a chance since you like him,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°You can¡¯t avoid relationships all your life because you¡¯re scared. You got to take a few chances.¡±


    Livia looked at Lucas.


    ¡°I¡¯m already a fan,¡± he said. ¡°Tavian highly recommends him.¡±


    Livia glared. ¡°Figures, the Halls are gossiping about me.¡±


    Lucas started scrolling on his phone again. ¡°People are mad at you but agree with what you did is the gist of it. This place is crazy! How can they insult and praise you at the same time?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t ever win,¡± Livia agreed. ¡°Never.¡±


    ¡°Ignore them,¡± Lucas said. ¡°Just apologize to Gaius and then avoid fighting with him like that in the future. No big deal.¡±


    Lucas moved on to teasing Hyrum and Caecilia about whether they wanted to have a boy or girl first. The conversation morphed into a discussion about all sorts of baby plans. It was fun to see Hyrum and Caecilia exchange warm looks and get excited after all the stress that morning.


    It got late and Lucas stood up and declared that he needed to sleep. Livia stood up to retreat to her room.


    Hyrum called to her, ¡°Wait, Liv, I have a question."


    Livia gulped. Well, this was when he was going to give her the lecture about the parade. She¡¯d hear all about how she¡¯d disappointed him and how she should have acted better. She¡¯d gone through enough years with Hyrum to know that he¡®d never be as harsh with her as their mother. Still, Livia¡¯s heart thudded in her chest as she awaited his lecture.


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering if¡­¡± Hyrum hesitated. ¡°I know it seems like Lucas has had an easier time accepting all this than you but I¡¯m worried that he¡¯s expressed so little...reaction. But he¡¯s interested in participating in the reenactment in two days. He even mentioned he had started training again. Would you consider joining him in it?¡±


    Livia groaned. This was the last thing she was expecting. She could get back on Hyrum¡¯s good side by agreeing but she didn¡¯t want to. ¡°I oppose on principal--¡±


    The reenactment was a game that recreated the snatching of the sabine women. A girl and a selected male ¡°guardian¡± stood on one side of the field to represent the Sabines. The other half of the field represented the Romans who were going to swoop in and snatch them. The guys acting as Romans had to defeat the girl¡¯s guardian to haul her over to the Roman side of the line. When they got over to the other side the guy got to kiss the girl and the game was over.


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°But this is the only time Lucas has expressed an interest in participating in the community. Gaius gifted him a full suit of Roman armor that used to belong to his brother.¡±


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Livia¡¯s heart fell. It was hard to remember the extended family. There weren''t many left after the civil war that had torn Taurus house apart. A small number of their remaining relatives secreted themselves away in Istanbul, Turkey. Mistrustful and resentful, they refused to leave their new home.


    Gaius visited often to keep up with relatives there. It wasn¡¯t a secret that he preferred it there to Caesarea, which was hard on his wife Lauretta. She went with him wherever he traveled the first year they were married but more often these days she opted to stay in Caesarea with her family.


    Hyrum and Lucas were the future of Taurus house in Caesarea. Livia would take on the house of her husband and unless there were special circumstances all her children would also. If Lucas didn¡¯t find a way to acclimate to Caesarea, then it would have permanent repercussions for the house. Livia felt obligated to smooth over Lucas¡¯ transition into the community.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Miraculously, she escaped a lecture on her behavior at the parade and retreated to her room in relative peace. Her rest was disrupted when her phone vibrated with a text from Gaius.


    Meet me in the Taurus house office tomorrow morning. 8:00 am. Be on time.


    She hadn¡¯t escaped a scolding after all. Hyrum was letting Gaius handle it.


    ***


    Livia was ten minutes late, but it wasn¡¯t her fault. She hadn¡¯t been able to find a place to park. Then the lines to take the elevators were long. She didn¡¯t understand why the crowds were still so thick now that the parade was over. Why were people up this early in the morning during a holiday?


    She stood before Gaius apologetic. ¡°The traffic was really bad...then the elevators...I tried--¡±


    ¡°Stop, Livia,¡± Gaius snapped, impatiently.


    Livia stopped talking and waited for him to say something. He only stared at her for a long uncomfortable moment. Then went to sit down at his desk.


    ¡°Can we pretend I punished you and agree never to engage in such unpleasantness in public again?¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°P-pretend you punished me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any energy to deal with it. So, let¡¯s agree that I will not insult Caesarea in public out of respect for Caecilia and Lauretta and you will not directly contradict me unless we are in private.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Livia agreed.


    ¡°Good,¡± Gaius said. He picked up a folder on the corner of his desk and set it in front of him.


    ¡°Now, I have papers to review. Unless you have anything else?¡±


    Livia stared at him in shock. ¡°Y-you aren¡¯t angry at me?¡±


    Gaius laughed, a hard, bitter sound. ¡°I¡¯m too busy doing damage control with Lauretta to spare emotions for anything else.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is she still angry?¡±


    ¡°Furious,¡± Gaius said.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing...we can do...is there?¡± she asked.


    Gaius gave her an impatient smile. ¡°No.¡±


    Livia gulped. ¡°I am sorry to bother you but I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll see you again¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°How did you arrange your marriage to Lauretta?¡± she asked.


    Gaius looked surprised. He closed the folder and then sat back and gave her a suspicious look.


    ¡°Her mother had a connection to my mother. They arranged for us to meet together several times. We determined to marry and wrote up the contract and signed it.¡±


    ¡°Lars objected?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yes, of course, he did,¡± Gaius looked, annoyed. ¡°Lars is a traditionalist.¡±


    ¡°How were the papers written up?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I told Lauretta to give me her requirements. I wrote back what I agreed to and what I didn¡¯t. She had thirty days to review the papers. She asked for a handful of things that I agreed to and then we signed them at the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°So, she spoke to a lawyer?¡±


    ¡°Her uncle is a lawyer who often writes up these contracts,¡± Gaius said.


    Livia blinked. ¡°Did you have a lawyer?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You weren¡¯t worried she¡¯d...trick you?¡±


    Gaius sighed and closed his eyes. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Gaius shrugged. ¡°What prompted you to ask?¡±


    Livia explained, ¡°I was just...with Epiphany when she announced her match with Hortensius. They explained how it all worked usually.¡±


    ¡°Right, where you don¡¯t get tricked into agreeing to lose half your property and your entire fortune when your wife divorces you.¡±


    ¡°Is...that what you ended up agreeing to?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Unfortunately. The only solution is to give it all away.¡±


    ¡°To who?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°You,¡± Gaius said.


    ¡°What?¡± Livia sputtered.


    ¡°Hyrum and Lucas too, of course,¡± Gaius said. ¡°I¡¯ve been advised by Lars already. Funny, he


    asked if you¡¯d spoken to me.¡±


    ¡°You asked Lars for help?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice if I wanted to save Taurus house,¡± Gaius said.


    ¡°So...you are getting a divorce, then?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see. I¡¯m minimizing the damage if I do. I wouldn¡¯t care really if we¡¯d had a child first. I would have considered it worth it. But to lose all my money and property and have no child? Well, that¡¯s just unendurable.¡±


    Livia stared at him. She had no idea how to respond. First, the complete lack of emotion over losing Lauretta as a person. The relationship only mattered to him if they had a child? She hated to admit she could see why Lauretta was divorcing him if that was the sum of his regard for her. Still, It didn¡¯t make sense. If he wanted a child so badly, why did he spend so much time away from Lauretta?


    ¡°Any more questions, Livia?¡± Gaius asked.


    She hesitated. ¡°I only wondered if I could arrange my marriage differently than the way you and Hyrum did it?¡±


    ¡°How do you want to do it, Livia?¡± he asked.


    ¡°If I want to sign three contracts, who will be responsible for the cost of a lawyer?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I will pay for it with house funds,¡± Gaius said. ¡°You do not need to worry about that.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Can I choose a lawyer?¡±


    ¡°If you wish.¡± Gaius grinned as if he¡¯d discovered something. ¡°Who is it that has caught your eye, Livia?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in being married right now.¡±


    ¡°In case you didn¡¯t notice,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s a rather extended process. If you match for a year and set a year-long betrothal you¡¯ll not be married for two years. That doesn¡¯t count the back and forth it requires to arrange the match in the first place. That can drag on six months. It¡¯s not a quick way to get married.¡±


    ¡°Six months?¡± Livia asked.


    Gaius shrugged. ¡°You might as well tell me.¡±


    But Livia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not certain about anyone right now. I was only curious.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Gaius asked.


    Livia figured she¡¯d pressed his patience far enough and excused herself. She stood in the hall and tried to evaluate the concerns that were plaguing her. If Livia decided to work with Gaius to arrange a match how could she stand to remain in Caesarea? If she left Caesarea how would she navigate any significant relationship without revealing her powers? Livia¡¯s mother had kept Tad in the dark for years but Livia couldn¡¯t imagine herself doing that. She didn¡¯t know how her mother had maintained the deception for so long.


    Their multiple moves took on a new dimension in her mind. Would Livia live her life running from city to city to avoid anyone finding out? How had Tad convinced mom to marry him? Maybe Livia could leave for a long time--long enough for Gaius¡¯ divorce to die down--then come back. Did leaving have to be permanent? Would people look at her more favorably when she was older?


    Then there was this divorce to consider. How much had Livia¡¯s actions yesterday affected Lauretta¡¯s decision? She¡¯d been extremely displeased with Livia. Did Livia bear some portion of responsibility for the situation? If she did, how did she fix it?


    Livia had to drive over to Hyrum¡¯s work to find him. He was in one of the greenhouses planting vegetables in the raised beds. She told him everything Gaius had said and asked him what they should do. Hyrum refused to get involved.


    ¡°If she wants to divorce him, she probably has her reasons. I¡¯m not going to interfere. Do you know how much better our life would have been if Mom had divorced dad the first time she wanted to?¡± Hyrum asked.


    ¡°What about all the money and property he was talking about?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Not my problem,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°We all have food and shelter and an honest way to make a living. Not going to worry about it, Liv.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t he making a rash decision? Doesn¡¯t he realize giving that stuff away to us is going to nuke his relationship? I don¡¯t want to be involved but if he gives everything to us then we¡¯re involved. We should at least try and stop him!¡± Livia cried.


    Hyrum sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll call him.¡±


    Hyrum stopped digging with his hand shovel and pulled out a cell phone. ¡°Gaius,¡± he said. ¡°Liv¡¯s over here upset. Maybe you should take some time before you--¡±


    Hyrum was silent. His expression fell. ¡°Gaius, no. We should discuss this first--¡±


    ¡°See,¡± Livia hissed.


    But Gaius hung up on Hyrum when he tried to protest again.


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Livia demanded.


    Hyrum shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s already done. There¡¯s nothing we can do to change it.¡±


    ¡°What did he do?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out all the details soon enough, Liv. I think I¡¯m going home. I better prepare Caecilia for the shock.¡±


    Whatever Gaius had told him, Hyrum didn¡¯t look happy. What had Lars told Gaius to do? The only thing Livia could do was follow Hyrum home and listen to what he told Caecilia.


    Lucas was on his way out the door to go spar at the fields. ¡°Wait,¡± Hyrum told him. ¡°We¡¯re all here...we should talk.¡±


    Caecilia came down the stairs a moment later. ¡°You¡¯re home early? Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°Lauretta and Gaius are probably getting divorced tomorrow or the next day,¡± Hyrum said.


    ¡°What?¡± Caecilia asked.


    Hyrum shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not the part to get upset about, love.¡±


    ¡°Then what is?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°To cheat her out of a divorce settlement he put all that land that Aquila and Taurus house have been fighting over for the last twenty years into a public trust and made the three of us the executors over it.¡±


    Caecilia sat down on the stairs. ¡°No,¡± she whispered. ¡°What will all those Aquila families do? They¡¯ll have no place to live.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Lucas asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Hyrum turned to him. ¡°He turned about 500 families out of their homes. Now that it¡¯s turned over to public lands it¡¯s no longer permitted for residential use. Aquila house stole the land from Taurus house landlords. Uncle Quin tried to litigate it back into Taurus house control and was successful to a degree but spent almost a million dollars in legal fees.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Livia sputtered. ¡°H-how is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°So, if it went to Lauretta in the divorce settlement she could have sold it to someone in Aquila house and finally ended the dispute?¡± Lucas asked.


    Caecilia said, ¡°Could have. Now? Now, we have to develop it. There are strings attached to public lands.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll do,¡± Hyrum said, wearily. ¡°We¡¯ll have to see where the chips fall tomorrow. Maybe she¡¯ll decide to stay with him when she discovers her divorce settlement has been significantly reduced.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Senate will have to give them time to move out¡­¡± Caecilia said. ¡°But wow, turning all that land to public space? Caesarea needs that too. The forum isn¡¯t big enough anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°What we need is public housing--¡± Hyrum said.


    ¡°Maybe if you did it in phases, some of the poorer families could move in right when the housing was ready?¡± Caecilia said.


    Hyrum muttered, ¡°They¡¯re all poor, Caecilia. Everyone knows those houses should have been condemned a decade ago. It¡¯s a political and logistical nightmare so everyone has refused to touch it. Gaius just threw us to the wolves.¡±


    ¡°The eagles in this case,¡± Livia joked.


    Nobody laughed.


    Lucas watched them all with wary eyes. ¡°Sounds like we¡¯re clearing out a slum.¡±


    ¡°Essentially,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°It¡¯s going to make a lot of people angry.¡±


    That sounded awful to Livia. Weren¡¯t things in Caesarea bad enough for her already? She had come here to find reasons to stay. Now, she only had a longer list of reasons to leave.

 Chapter 25

    Livia looked out on the field of people dressed in Roman armor and wondered why she¡¯d agreed to this. The weather couldn¡¯t be better for mid-October--clear sky with temps in the high 50¡¯s. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits except for her. She consoled herself with the fact that she got to be outdoors instead of crammed underground. The reenactment took place on the wide-open fields of the security patrol training grounds. She stood outside the men¡¯s locker room and waited for Lucas to come out with his armor on. She played the part of Sabine maiden and wore her stola again.


    Epiphany and Corvin crossed in front of her. Livia¡¯s heart lurched into her throat. She¡¯d wondered after reading the post that Lucas had showed her if Corvin didn''t hold the parade incident against her. However, Livia was too much of a coward to call out to him and put his regard for her to the test in front of all these people. What if he tucked his chin down and bid her a ¡®vale¡¯? Her heart couldn¡¯t take it. Then Epiphany looked over her shoulder and caught sight of Livia. She smiled and tugged on Corvin¡¯s arm. They stopped and walked over to her.


    Livia took the opportunity to observe Corvin¡¯s appearance. He wore polished lorica segmentata armor over a white tunic, which had a blue stripe around the bottom. His helmet had hinges at the temples where two long segments were attached to cover his cheeks. A fringed belt protected his front lower half but his legs were bare except for leather sandals. He carried the TARP parade shield--sky blue with a prancing deer on the bottom. A fancy garland was painted around the shield boss and the words ¡°subvenire, sanare¡± were written across the top. It was the TARP motto: to rescue, to heal.


    ¡°Liv?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°We didn¡¯t know you were doing this.¡±


    Corvin and Epiphany didn¡¯t bother with the ridiculous nodding ritual. What did that mean? Was it an insult to skip the greeting? Livia should have asked that question before now. Why did Livia never think of these things until it was too late?


    Livia shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t either.¡±


    Epiphany and Corvin exchanged alarmed looks. Oh no. What had she gotten herself into?


    ¡°Who has been appointed your guardian?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Lucas. My brother. Tell me, is there any way I can get out of kissing someone at the end?¡± she asked.


    Epiphany looked panicked. ¡°Usually, the girl asks her guardian to arrange who¡¯s going to snatch her beforehand so she gets a kiss from who she wants.  The rules are that a guy is disqualified from awards for excessive kissing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the definition of excessive kissing?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°We all know it means french kissing,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°There¡¯s that at least,¡± Livia said. ¡°Can I fight?¡±


    Epiphany answered. ¡°Some of the Aquila girls do. They go over the fight rules at the beginning so you¡¯ll have to follow those.¡±


    Lucas exited from the dressing room. Livia tried to ignore the pit of dread in her stomach. She forced a smile for her brother. ¡°Hey, look at you!¡±


    Lucas looked good in his armor, and it was obvious he¡¯d been working out. His arms were defined with muscle and his shoulders were broader than the last time she saw him.  He hadn¡¯t been able to talk about anything but the reenactment since yesterday.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Lucas said, grinning. ¡°You ready to do this?¡±


    ¡°As ready as I¡¯m going to be,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin extended his hand. ¡°It¡¯s been two years, hasn¡¯t it, Lucas?¡±


    Lucas accepted his hand and shook it. ¡°Corvin, nice to see you here.¡±


    ¡°Liv has mentioned missing you. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here,¡± Corvin said.


    Lucas nodded. ¡°Livia was nice to agree to this last minute.¡±


    Corvin grinned and glanced at Livia. ¡°Too bad I can¡¯t join the other side. I¡¯d steal a kiss.¡±


    Livia gasped. Friends? Right? She didn¡¯t want to think about this going into a fight. She glared at him. ¡°Not without a fight you wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡±Don¡¯t fight too hard. It¡¯s a game.¡±


    ¡°A game where I get kissed against my will,¡± Livia muttered.


    Corvin¡¯s brows furrowed in concern. ¡°I can do some last-minute arranging. Do you want me to put in the word with anyone?¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Livia asked. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to admit to you that I want to kiss somebody--¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a crime,¡± Corvin said, eyes twinkling. ¡°I¡¯m willing to put a word in with someone.¡±


    Lucas frowned. ¡°Liv, I thought you were okay with this.¡±


    Livia backtracked. Lucas needed her to be on board with this. She didn¡¯t want to ruin his fun. ¡°Oh, I am totally okay with this! We are doing this!¡±


    ¡°If you are okay with this then tell Corvin who you want to kiss,¡± Lucas challenged.


    ¡°Tavian Hall is here?¡± she squeaked, face bright red.


    ¡°They flew in the same day you got here,¡± Lucas said.


    Livia looked at Corvin. ¡°Tavian Hall.¡±


    Corvin nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡±


    ¡°Is there a way she can avoid getting kissed?¡± Lucas asked Epiphany.


    ¡°She¡¯d have to defeat all the fighters,¡± she said.


    ¡°How would that work?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°Well, the rounds last 8 mins each,¡± Epiphany said. ¡°Once you catch a girl you take her to Rome base and sit out. Most guys go three rounds to have some fun fighting before they catch their girl. You can also get pulled out if you get a ¡®kill¡¯ hit. The judges watch on the sidelines and pull you out.¡±


    ¡°So, how many rounds are there?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°As many rounds as it takes to catch all the girls,¡± Epiphany said.


    Lucas gave Livia a grin. ¡°Wanna try for last man standing, Liv?¡±


    Relief poured over Livia. ¡°Really?¡±


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    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°And if you decide after round four or something that you¡¯ve had enough we can call Tav over. It¡¯ll be fun.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°That sounds good to me.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± Lucas studied her eyes.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Livia looked at Epiphany. ¡°Okay, where do I get a weapon?¡±


    ¡°You have to win it,¡± Epiphany said. ¡°Guys get automatic weapons. Girls have to win them from someone else.¡±


    ¡°You have got to be joking me,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°This game is rigged,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Um, that¡¯s kind of the point?¡± Epiphany said.


    Corvin returned right before the horn for round one blew. He came to Livia. ¡°Alright, I told Tavian that you wanted to get snatched by him.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d he say?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°He was agreeable to the idea.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t even want to ask for the details. It was way too awkward. Instead, she glared at Corvin. ¡°Do you realize that I have to win my weapon?¡±


    Corvin smirked. ¡°I did know that.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any advice for me on how to do that?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t get the guys with the red bandanas around their arms until after the third round. That means they¡¯ve got a girl waiting on them and there¡¯s an unspoken agreement to lay off until round four.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so the guys without a red bandana are free game?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but each guy wears a stripe on the bottom of his tunic according to house colors. Red is Taurus. Blue or Silver is Lupus, Green is Serpens, yellow or gold is Aquila. Go for Green or Blue. Aquila will probably be too fast for you.¡±


    An announcer called for everyone to take their places on the field. Once the crowds had settled they went over the rules. There were only two sparring weapons allowed--foam practice swords and pugil sticks. Strikes to the face and head were forbidden. Strikes to the limbs were not considered kill hits but any tap to the trunk of the body with a weapon or hand to hand combat would tag you out of the game.


    Then the horn sounded.


    A shouting mass of men ran across the field pell-mell and jumped right into the fighting. There was a lot of yelling, but there wasn¡¯t a whole lot of hard fighting. Laughter filled the air as playful taunts were exchanged over mock battles. Most of the girls were ignored at this point. They stood and laughed and gossiped as they watched.


    Livia, however, was trying to select a target. She was looking for someone with a standard patrol infantry shield--red with a single lightning bolt down the center and two crossed spears. They were the gear for basic, first-year recruits and most likely to have the least training. She spotted one carried by a green-striped tunic youth.


    The guy hadn¡¯t expected her to approach because she was a girl. It was obvious that he was hesitant to hit her. It was too easy. When he swung down with the pugil stick Livia grasped the center pole in her palm and yanked. She broke his grip easily and claimed the weapon as her own. It was sweet to be Taurus.


    ¡°Hey!¡± the kid cried and tried to attack, but Livia had the pugil stick now. She spun it around, took a fighting stance, and tapped his chest within three seconds. A whistle blew. A ref called, ¡°Green-stripe out!¡±


    Livia laughed and made her way back to where Corvin and Lucas were sparring. The horn blew to end the round and the Romans retreated.


    ¡°Got your weapon, I see,¡± said Lucas.


    ¡°Yep, the kid was scared to take a full swing at me. Too bad for him,¡± Livia said. She put her stick down to tie up the folds of her stola so she could move more freely.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Epiphany said. ¡°First round? Really?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re going down,¡± Livia said, lifting her pugil stick to the sky. ¡°Bring it on Romans!¡±


    Corvin said, ¡°You¡¯re gonna have fans by the end of this.¡±


    Livia rolled her eyes. ¡°Highly doubtful.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t doubt me, Fabulous. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    Livia scanned the crowds that surrounded the field. The Aediles office had erected temporary seating around the field. So spectators sat on multiple levels. Two white tents sat opposite each other in the middle of the field. The first was a media tent where a mass of photographers and camera operators camped to film the event. The second was a medic tent, Livia spotted several healers in TARP blue. Others wore bright orange shirts signifying their association with FORMICA, the other specialized unit of the Caesarean border patrol. The two units had an ongoing rivalry, which often expressed itself in humorous ribbing whenever the two interacted. Livia was sure the med tent was an interesting place to be right now. She felt bad for the standard clinic healers in white who had to be in the crossfires.


    The Cornicen blew the horn to start the second round and Livia turned her attention back to the battle. The second round passed much as the first had. Except, Livia hovered near Lucas. He had the advantage of wielding a shield, an ancient circular one that differed from the rectangular shields around them with Caesarean insignia on them. Livia noticed a few more Aquila women had snagged weapons, but there were only a handful. The light sparring continued and no one got snatched away. Livia was grateful for the chance to warm up and remember how to fight again. It had been a long time since she¡¯d sparred with anyone seriously.


    Then the horn for the third round sounded. The atmosphere of the entire field changed. Some serious fights went down in front of the crowd. Guys hauled girls over their shoulders or pulled them up into their arms to carry. They all screamed with laughter, smiles on their faces.


    Hortensius came in for a fight with Corvin. It made sense that he was slated to capture Epiphany. Both men grinned at each other wielding shields of sky blue and short foam swords.


    Livia was distracted from their fight when a trio of Lupus house guys approached her and Lucas. They were in an arrow formation--pugil stick wielder flanked by two swordsmen. Livia almost snorted. Of course, Lupus house would be the tacticians.


    ¡°Lucas--¡± she muttered. ¡°What do we do?¡±


    Lucas¡¯ eyes were darting back and forth looking for a weakness. ¡°He¡¯s holding his shield on the wrong side--¡± he muttered.


    ¡°He¡¯s what?¡± Livia whispered.


    ¡°Limits their mobility. That¡¯s where we need to strike. On my count hit the center of the right swordman¡¯s shield.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Livia hissed. ¡°How hard?¡±


    ¡°Enough, to knock him over but not enough to hurt him,¡± Lucas said.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t practiced enough to do that!¡± Livia hissed, ready to revolt. Livia had no idea what type of damage she could cause with the pugil stick since she¡¯d never sparred with one before. Even a practice weapon could be lethal if you used enough force and Livia wasn¡¯t going to experiment on a random kid.


    ¡°You can kiss him then,¡± Lucas glared at her.


    ¡°Fine. Count,¡± she growled.


    ¡°--three!¡± Lucas cried.


    Livia disobeyed Lucas¡¯ orders. He needed a man down. She¡¯d get him down. Her way. She hurled the pugil stick like a spear. Her mark blocked easily with his shield but the point was to distract him. Livia dove towards his feet, ignoring the dust that puffed into her mouth. She snatched his ankle and pulled it out from under him. He fell to his back instantly but Livia had enough experience with hand to hand combat that she knew how to keep herself from injuring him. She took a hit from his sword on her forearm then snaked her wrist around the dull weapon and stole it from him. She tapped his chest with the flat side twice and he froze. He was out.


    Lucas had taken the second guy out somehow and was sparring with the third. Lucas'' shield clashed with his opponents. Lucas shoved, not at full strength but hard enough that his foe caught air. The Lupus kid yelped. He managed to keep his stance when he connected with the ground again but he was so spooked that he ran away.


    Livia spat the dirt out of her mouth. Livia glanced toward Corvin and Hortensius. From what she could tell Corvin was pretty proficient with the sword. Corvin let his guard down in a way that made it obvious he did it on purpose, and Hortensius made a solid hit. The ref called Corvin out. He tossed a grin at Epiphany and walked off the field.


    Hortensius scooped Epiphany up into his arms. She laughed as he spun her around in a circle. She wrapped her arms around Hortensius¡¯ neck.


    Epiphany encouraged him. ¡°You don¡¯t get a kiss until you cross to Rome¡¯s side, hero. Hurry up!¡±


    Hortensius laughed and proceeded to carry her across the field. Maybe, this isn¡¯t so bad Livia told herself. The boys get to show off their fighting skills. The girls got to have a fairy tale moment of being carried off and kissed by a strong man in armor. There was a certain romantic appeal there she recognized.


    There was a fifteen-minute break after the third round ended. Livia went to the water table and swished around a mouthful and spat it into the grass. Most of the grit was out of her mouth now. She had a few bites of a banana and some Gatorade. Lucas downed an entire bottle of Gatorade.


    He glared at her. ¡°You didn¡¯t listen, Liv.¡±


    ¡°I did too. You wanted the guy down. I did my job,¡± she insisted.


    He shook his head. ¡°Liv, no more going rogue. We¡¯re a team. You want to pull something like that, tell me first.¡±


    Liv nodded. ¡°Okay, but you have to listen when I don¡¯t want to do something--¡±


    Lucas gave her a nod back. ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Livia said, looking around. ¡°They like this three-round thing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well it¡¯s been about 30 mins of fighting,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re in that stola thing you tied up but I¡¯m in heavy armor. It¡¯s starting to suck.¡±


    The horn sounded.


    Livia shouted, ¡°For Taurus!¡± and ran forward twirling her pugil stick. She¡¯d hung the sword she¡¯d captured on the tie that circled her waist. It rested against the small of her back until she needed it. Lucas followed quickly on her heels. The fourth round of fighting was a lot tougher. There were more Aquila opponents and they were extremely hard to fight. Livia had to do all kinds of acrobatic moves to avoid getting hit.


    In the beginning rounds, she didn¡¯t fight directly next to Lucas, but as the fighting got tougher she tucked in closer to him. They held together fairly well until Lucas got tossed on his back. Livia stepped over him and took the hit on her pugil stick that would have ¡®killed¡¯ him. She nailed his opponent out. She hauled Lucas up to his feet, even though he was still out of breath. He¡¯d gotten the wind knocked out of him.


    ¡°Stay with me, Lucas,¡± she said. ¡°Watch my back.¡±


    She pulled him around so they were standing back to back. Lucas leaned against her while he caught his breath. Livia took on an approaching Aquila kid while Lucas recovered on her back. By the time the ref called a kill hit she was panting with exertion.


    Lucas swung them around and he took the lead while Livia caught her breath.  The horn sounded for the end of the round. Livia and Lucas were both exhausted.


    ¡°Wow, Liv,¡± Lucas said. ¡°This is rough.¡±


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get some water,¡± she said.


    They both guzzled down the liquid and then returned. Livia surprisingly was having a good time. It was refreshing to face a challenge that tested her strength and skill to this extent. Also, it had been a long time since she¡¯d felt so connected with her brother. She liked feeling like she was on the same team as him.  Livia and Lucas marched back out together. The field was mostly empty on their side now.


    The horn for the next round blew. The last dozen or so girls had been captured. Only Livia and Lucas were left. Most of the Romans didn¡¯t attempt to come to the fight. They milled around on the other side, resting. Those that were still up for a fight came jogging over.


    ¡°Hey! Um, you¡¯re outnumbered!¡± a guy called. ¡°About 50 to two.¡±


    Livia cursed.


    Lucas laughed. ¡°We¡¯re snowed.¡±


    ¡°You can take them Fabulous!¡± a voice yelled on their right.


    Livia looked. It was Alexander from TARP. He wore a TARP t-shirt to show his support for his department. He was surrounded by a handful of other TARP agents too--Cam, Silvanus, Luccia, and Pallas.


    They punched their fists into the air and started a chant--¡°Fab-u-lous!¡± Soon, huge swaths of the audience were joining them. Chanting her name and punching their fist into the air in a show of solidarity.


    ¡°Look at that,¡± Lucas muttered, amused.


    Livia had to blink back tears as a wave of acceptance washed over her. She was part of them even if some people didn¡¯t like it. She still belonged here on the field next to her brother. She kissed the top of her fist and punched it into the air in response to the audience and everyone cheered.

 Chapter 26

    The sounding of the horn brought a strange hush over the crowd. Lucas and Livia settled into their stances and prepared for the fight to come. Then a group moved in from the left--Rattus tunics with basic shields.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got it!¡±


    Livia recognized Adrian Hall¡¯s voice. She smiled. This was the perfect time to let Tavian take her in and give her an awkward kiss to end the game. Livia and Lucas had a good run and everyone on the field was worn out now.


    The other guys held back as Adrian, Tavian, and Arik all approached. Lucas took point against Adrian and Tavian, holding them both off. They were all laughing at being able to spar with each other. That left Livia to face Arik.


    He had a pugil stick too. His blue eyes looked concerned. ¡°Hey, Liv, come on in, kay?¡±


    Hold up, didn¡¯t he know that Tavian was supposed to do this job? Livia shook her head. ¡°No, Arik.¡±


    Arik spoke with a patronizing calm. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re outnumbered. Think this through.¡±


    Livia glared at him. ¡°You think you¡¯re going to sweet talk me into cheating?¡±


    ¡°Cheating?¡± Arik asked, confused.


    ¡°You¡¯re dating Lauren,¡± she said.


    The ref standing behind Arik pulled a disbelieving face. The soldiers standing by to watch started muttering to each other and shaking their heads.


    Realization crossed Arik¡¯s face. His eyes darted to the people listening in on their conversations and his face went bright red. ¡°Liv, this is...an exception.¡±


    Livia snapped. ¡°No exceptions are necessary, Arik!¡±


    This response was met with mutters of agreement and respect. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t take her in.¡± ¡°She deserves better than that.¡±  But there was also frustration. ¡°Then how is this going to end?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t they have a plan?¡±


    Livia launched into an offense. Arik was experienced with the pugil stick and held Livia off without trouble. She was worn out enough that she¡¯d accepted she wasn¡¯t going to make it to the last man standing. But she wasn¡¯t going to let Arik be the one to kiss her.


    The ref whistle blew as Lucas and Adrian took each other out. Livia made the mistake of looking over, hoping to catch a glimpse of Tavian. That was all the distraction it took for Arik to spin the pugil stick out of Livia¡¯s hands and toss her over his shoulder.


    Livia was so stunned for a second she didn¡¯t react. Then Arik started back to the Roman side and she realized what was happening. Arik probably didn¡¯t know that she wanted Tavian to be the one to take her in. Or simply ignored her request entirely. She refused to kiss Arik.


    Enraged, Livia grabbed his belt and dragged herself down his back. For an instant, it felt like she was going to fall face-first into the ground. Livia could hear the crowd give a collective gasp, but Arik caught the back of her knees before she fell. She was lucky. It was an extremely dangerous move.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Arik growled. There was a strain in his voice. The move had cost him.


    But Livia was exactly where she wanted. Her arms could reach low enough to trip Arik up. A second later they both went crashing to the ground. Livia rolled away and ran back to her side of the field.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me,¡± one guy said as she ran past. ¡°No way. She got right back up after that?¡±


    Arik was right on her heels. She dropped flat on the ground, hands over her head. Arik had to leap over her to avoid tripping. He swung back around and Livia leaped to her feet to engage him in hand-to-hand tactics.


    ¡°Liv, seriously,¡± Arik said. ¡°Let¡¯s end this.¡±


    They danced around neither one of them willing to actually hit the other person. Livia was thinking that she didn¡¯t want to accidentally hurt him. Even if he was a jerk. Someone called out the time. Two minutes left in the round. If she could last that long, this could end peacefully.


    ¡°Liv, what are you going to do if you knock me out? Think about it,¡± Arik said. ¡°You know me. I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    Livia snorted. ¡°Right. Do you miss me Arik? Is that why you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to help!¡± Arik tried to come in close.


    ¡°Right, you¡¯re so much help,¡± Livia snarled, pivoting out of his reach.


    ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable,¡± Arik cried, frustrated.


    Unfortunately, frustration made Arik reckless; he closed in and reached for her. Livia spun out of the way and then delivered a roundhouse kick to his chest. Arik went flying and crashed straight into Tavian. They both fell to the ground. Livia was horrified. Arik wasn¡¯t the only one letting his emotion make him reckless. Under normal circumstances, Livia never would have pulled that move on anyone but Hyrum or Lucas.


    ¡°Arik! Tavian!¡± She ran to them, hands shaking. ¡°Are you okay? Are you okay? I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Tavian hissed. ¡°Pay attention!¡±


    Livia wheeled around just in time to avoid being grabbed by a huge Aquila guy. The round ended. Livia ran back to Arik. He was gasping and holding his side. ¡°Oh no,¡± Livia''s eyes filled with tears. ¡°Arik.¡±


    ¡°Nice kick, Liv,¡± Arik laughed. He was putting on a brave face. ¡°Really got me.¡±


    Livia was filled with guilt. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the game, Liv. I¡¯ll be alright,¡± he groaned in pain.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be okay,¡± the medic with him said. ¡°But he cracked a few ribs.¡±


    Livia ran her hands into her hair that had come completely out of her bun. She didn¡¯t know where her hair tie even was. She turned to Tavian. ¡°I¡¯m out, Liv.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m out. They counted Arik slamming into me as a kill hit.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Livia asked. Tavian was cradling his hand into his belly.


    ¡°Broke a couple of fingers.¡±


    Another wave of guilt washed over her. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Three minutes with a healer and I¡¯ll be good as new. Livia, you need to focus. You have another round to fight and there are 27 guys. Some of them are not nice people. Avoid the FORMICA crowd. They consider you associated with TARP and taking you in will be a score for them in their rivalry. The Aurelian Aquila guys will be good to you. The Lupus guys too.¡±


    ¡°How do I tell if a guy is Aurelian?¡±


    ¡°They wear gold bands, not yellow. They won the distinction because of their clan¡¯s military service.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m screwed.¡±


    Tavian didn¡¯t comfort her. ¡°Go drink lots of water.¡±


    There was a fifteen-minute break. They made her drink Gatorade and fussed over her. Livia thought the whole thing was overkill. Until she got back out on the field and a wave of dizziness passed over her.  She felt like she was going to puke. Somehow she had to take down 27 guys.  She didn¡¯t know how to go about that as she watched a line of them approach slowly. If she¡¯d felt a little bit better, she might have laughed. They looked like they were trying to catch a skittish deer.


    Livia noticed straight off that the Aurelian and Lupus house guys had banded together and were on her right. Everyone else on the left was all tough-looking Aquila guys. The majority of them carried orange FORMICA shields on their arms. The ones Tavian warned her about. Livia thought about going straight to the right and surrendering. Except, what would that say about Livia? That she folded when things got dicey?


    Determination filled her. Livia was a fighter. She pushed through, she dug down, and she fought until she couldn¡¯t give anymore. Livia twirled her pugil stick in her hand and waited for the horn to sound. She didn¡¯t hesitate. She charged straight into the left flank. She used every dirty trick Hyrum ever taught her. She had five guys down but she had awful bruises to show for it and she lost her weapon. Livia tried to back out to catch her breath and got pulled up onto a guy''s shoulders.


    There was laughter as he carried her toward the other side of the field. Livia froze with pain. She hurt everywhere. She tried to shake it off and come up with a plan but her body ached bone-deep. The guy was spinning her around in celebration, displaying her like some kind of trophy. Infuriated, Livia ripped his helmet from his head and hurled it at his feet. The guy tripped up and she grabbed his foam sword while he was unbalanced. When he straightened up she had it against his throat.


    ¡°Put me down,¡± she hissed.


    A whistle blew. ¡°Put her down. That¡¯s a kill,¡± The ref called.


    The guy swore and flipped her off his back. Livia slammed to the ground. She cried out in pain.


    The ref got in the guy''s face and screamed at him. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? You¡¯re red-flagged! You don¡¯t treat her like that. You could hurt her!¡±


    A medic called a timeout and ran over. ¡°You okay?¡±


    Livia pulled herself to her feet. The pain from before had gone numb. She could walk but there was a heat in her hip. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°I need you to think about that question again,¡± the medic said, his voice taking on a commanding quality. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re injured and you¡¯re out. You don¡¯t have to fight anymore and this will be done.¡±


    Livia shook her head.


    ¡°Please?¡± he said, looking her in the eye. ¡°Nobody wants to see you lose this one or worse, seriously hurt.¡±


    Livia shook her head again. That wasn¡¯t the rules of the game. She wasn¡¯t going out on a technicality. That would be cheating, but she needed to change tactics. Her hip wasn¡¯t going to hold up. She wasn¡¯t going to be able to fight all these guys off. She needed to end this thing intact and that meant surrendering.


    They waited for Livia to set herself up again. She didn¡¯t know what to do. She leaned into her hip. There wasn¡¯t a sharp pain but there was discomfort and heat. Part of being Taurus meant being able to endure a lot of pain, however, that made it hard to tell how badly you were hurt. Taurus men usually went into rages and passed out. Taurus women only reacted when someone touched them and the pain crashed in all at once.


    Justin called it grounding. He and Flavia often worked out together in the mornings. At the end of every session, he touched her shoulder or her hand and asked if she¡¯d hurt herself at all. Flavia had needed Justin to train her how to exercise within her limits to avoid random injuries.


    This knowledge had been one of the most useful things about discovering she was Taurus. It freed Livia from a lot of childhood anxiety around being touched. Right now, though, she didn¡¯t know how she¡¯d endure a kiss. She didn¡¯t want to repeat the pain that had crashed over her when she was on that Aquila guy''s shoulders. When she had felt all the bruises and injuries she¡¯d collected over the last hour all at once. Plus, that was before she¡¯d been hurled to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Livia shifted her weight back off her hip. She sighed in frustration. There was no way to tell how badly she¡¯d hurt it.


    They should have blown the horn by now. There was some kind of delay on the other side. An announcer came over the speaker.


    ¡°Lupus house has forfeited their house points to transfer a player from side Sabine to side Rome.¡±


    The horn blew and Livia braced herself for the line to advance. Instead, they split down the middle and parted for a figure clothed only in a white tunic and crimson cloak. Livia wondered briefly if she¡¯d hit her head so hard she was hallucinating. She rested a hand on her forehead, trying to remember if her head had slammed into the ground when that Aquila guy had flipped her off his back. The most disorienting thing was that she couldn¡¯t tell. It was aggravating to not know such a crucial thing about herself. She almost wanted...the only way to solve this mystery was to touch someone.


    The white tunic guy was still approac--Corvin. It was Corvin. His house had forfeited points to send him out to her. Livia¡¯s eyes blurred with tears. He was in front of her now.


    ¡°Livia, no more fighting,¡± he commanded, stern.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m hurt?¡±


    ¡°We know,¡± he said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how bad it is¡­¡± she dropped her hands to her sides, exhausted. ¡°I can¡¯t tell.¡±


    ¡°We know that too, Fabulous,¡± Corvin said. ¡°No one else could have stood back up that fast after being thrown to the ground like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± she confessed. ¡°I¡¯m so scared.¡±


    Corvin started untying the knot of the cloak at his throat. He spoke calmly, without emotion, but his eyes were soft. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to be afraid. I¡¯m not here to hurt you. I want to help. Will you let me do that?¡±


    Livia nodded.


    Corvin¡¯s cloak came loose and he flung it around her and pulled it closed in front of her. ¡°Can you walk?¡±


    The thick heavy wool sat on her skin comfortably. She hadn¡¯t realized she was cold, but she¡¯d been exposed to the 50-degree weather for over an hour now. It was nice to have a shield from the breeze.


    ¡°I can,¡± Livia said. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure...I should.¡±


    Corvin tugged on the cloak urging her forward.  ¡°Let¡¯s see how it goes.¡±


    He pulled again. Livia stepped forward. Livia¡¯s knees were wobbly but she walked without trouble. She pulled back against the pull of the cloak. ¡°Corvin.¡±


    Corvin stopped. ¡°Yes, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I wanna know how bad it is--¡±


    His brow furrowed. ¡°And that would require¡­¡±


    ¡°Put your hands on my shoulders,¡± Livia ordered.


    ¡°You sure?¡± he asked, doubtful.


    Livia nodded.


    Corvin still hesitated.


    ¡°Please,¡± Livia begged.


    Corvin took a deep breath. His expression cleared of any hesitation and he seemed to be steeling himself. ¡°Okay.¡±


    He cupped her upper arms with his hands. The first onslaught of pain was intense and Livia¡¯s knees almost buckled under it. Probably, would have if Corvin hadn¡¯t held her up. Then the strength came back to Livia¡¯s legs and the pain leveled out as she grew familiar with her ache. She groaned but something was satisfying about it too. Knowing the shape and weight of her pain made her feel steady and secure.


    ¡°Are you alright, Livia?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she panted. She closed her eyes and acquainted herself with her pain. Her hip throbbed fiercely but the pain was dull, not sharp and piercing. She put her hand against Corvin¡¯s chest and pushed him back so they could keep walking. The pain in her hip didn¡¯t get any worse or better. Another wave of relief poured over her.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m okay,¡± she said.


    ¡°You¡¯re okay?¡± Corvin asked, still walking backward.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia nodded. ¡°I¡¯m okay to walk. It¡¯s okay, Corvin.¡±


    She smiled up at him. He didn¡¯t smile back. His eyes were wide with surprise.


    ¡°A-are you sure?¡± he asked. ¡°There¡¯s no pain?¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s pain,¡± Livia laughed. ¡°But it¡¯s the satisfying kind. I earned all these bruises Corvin,¡± Livia said, proudly.


    Corvin laughed in a startled way like it was torn from him unwillingly. He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m glad then. I expected the worst.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡± She grinned.


    Corvin¡¯s expression turned playful. ¡°We¡¯re on Rome¡¯s side now, Fabulous.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you kiss me?¡± she asked, uncertainly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave that decision entirely up to you,¡± he said.


    Livia grabbed a handful of his tunic and pulled him to a stop. ¡°Then, yes.¡±


    Corvin smiled. His hands left her shoulders and resettled on her cheeks. He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers slowly. His kiss was like being struck with lightning. Her lips throbbed with the beat of her pulse. She registered for one glorious second the exquisite softness of his lips. Then her legs refused to hold her weight. Corvin caught her with an arm around her waist before she fell to the ground.


    ¡°Fabulous?¡± he asked.


    Livia was able to grasp the fabric on his shoulder. She attempted to pull herself upright but her body rebelled. Her fingers went limp, her arm went slack, falling to hang limply at her side.


    ¡°G¡¯night, Corvin,¡± Livia slurred. Then her head lolled back and everything went black.

 Chapter 27

    When Livia opened her eyes she was in a hospital. A stream of curses flooded from her mouth. She hated hospitals. No, loathed. No, abhorred. There weren¡¯t words strong enough to express exactly how much she hated hospitals. She¡¯d gotten some kind of infection when she was little and needed an IV. She had tried to refuse and ended up breaking the nose of the nurse who held her down. Doctors were awful at figuring out what was wrong with her. Once, it had taken three weeks for them to figure out she¡¯d broken her arm. By then they had to rebreak her arm and reset the bone.


    Choked laughter made her aware she wasn¡¯t alone in the room. She turned. Hortensius was trying to hold back his amusement and failing. Dr. Marcus Tullius watched her with an expressionless face but his eyes were lit with a soft amusement.


    ¡°If it¡¯s any comfort,¡± Dr. Tullius drawled. ¡°We¡¯re not thrilled you¡¯re in here either. We¡¯d much prefer you had avoided any injury.¡±


    Livia snorted. ¡°Right, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be happy with your bank account after I¡¯ve been here the sixth time and you still can¡¯t figure out what is wrong with me.¡±


    ¡°Is that how things usually go for you?¡± he asked.


    Livia turned away from him and glared resentfully at the wall. ¡°Just make sure I don¡¯t have any broken bones,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Funny you say that,¡± he said. ¡°Hortensius insists that you¡¯re only bruised but I want to recommend an x-ray to make sure. Will you consent to my precautionary recommendation? ¡±


    Livia turned her head back around to study Dr. Tullius. ¡°Consent?¡±


    She didn¡¯t remember ever having this type of conversation with a doctor before. Usually, he talked with her mom and mom texted Hyrum. Mom always ended up doing what Hyrum said even if Livia disagreed. It used to make her furious, but mom wasn¡¯t here and neither was Hyrum.


    Marcus Tullius nodded. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re over the age of eighteen and in charge of your own medical decisions. If you¡¯d like to counsel with your family we can arrange for you to communicate with them--¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want them involved. Yes, I¡¯d like an x-ray of anything you think is broken.¡±


    He nodded, pleased. ¡°Hortensius, please take Livia to get her x-rays. Then set her up with an IV after you¡¯ve returned. We¡¯ll take things from that point.¡±


    Livia eyed Hortensius.


    He teased her. ¡°Liv, you¡¯ve never looked at me so mistrustfully before.¡±


    She huffed. ¡°The last person who gave me an IV ended up with a broken nose--¡±


    He laughed. ¡°How recently was this?¡±


    Livia thought. ¡°I was six? Seven?¡±


    He grinned at her. ¡°Hopefully, you¡¯re a more cooperative patient today?¡±


    Livia agreed, genuinely worried. ¡°I hope so too.¡±


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s all grand to be Taurus until you get injured. We know how it is around here, okay? We¡¯ll be good to you.¡±


    Livia swallowed against the tightness in her throat and nodded.


    ¡°Liv,¡± Hortensius asked. ¡°Are you in any pain? Dr. Tullius didn¡¯t think you¡¯d need any interventions but I can get some meds for you if you¡¯re hurting.¡±


    ¡°Meds don¡¯t really ever work,¡± Livia¡¯s voice wobbled.


    ¡°We have a couple of specific combinations that work for Taurus house. We¡¯ve experimented a lot since Dr. Tullius took over and we now have effective methods. Are you in pain?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just hot. And I feel sick--¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re gonna start off without drugs first. Taurus respond well to ice. It¡¯ll take about three minutes to get a bucket in here.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t expect the size of the bucket they brought in. It was huge and the nurse who brought it in helped Hortensius shovel it into plastic bags and tie them off. They laid a thin linen blanket over her body then settled the ice down the entirety of her left side.


    The chill against her skin sent a wave of comfort spiraling through her. Livia¡¯s eyes filled with tears and she was embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t repress them. They spilled down her cheeks and into her hair.


    ¡°Aw, Liv,¡± Hortensius said, gently. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. I¡¯m gonna call up some meds. Okay? It¡¯s gonna take longer but the ice should hold you over--¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she choked, through her emotion.


    ¡°Nah,¡± he said. ¡°It''s the protocol to medicate Taurus if icing produces emotional distress. Means you¡¯ve been in pain too long.¡±


    ¡°What--what are you giving me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll start with a muscle relaxer. That usually helps and then we¡¯ll add a mood stabilizer to keep you happy.¡±


    ¡°A mood stabilizer?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Are you giving me morphine?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re anxiety meds. Dr. Tullius will need to sign off on which one he wants to give you. This is the bad part about you not growing up in Caesarea. Most Taurus women know by this age which ones they respond well too--¡±


    ¡°What happens if I don¡¯t respond well?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll cry. Hysterically. Usually, we¡¯ll administer a sleeping med if you can¡¯t calm down after an hour or two. We prefer that to restraining Taurus. They hurt themselves and break our equipment if they flip into a rage.¡±


    ¡°I thought only men did that--¡±


    ¡°No, women do too under the right circumstances but we¡¯re going to treat you too well for that to happen, alright?¡± Hortensius said. ¡°We know what we¡¯re doing here. We aren¡¯t going to hurt you and we aren¡¯t going to allow you to hurt us.¡±


    Livia hoped he was right. Dr. Tullius ended up coming in with the nurse to deliver the meds.


    ¡°Icing produced tears?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yep,¡± Hortensius said.


    ¡°How¡¯s the ice feel, Livia?¡± Dr. Tullius asked.


    ¡°It feels good,¡± she said. Then two more tears ran down her cheeks.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± His kind hazel eyes peered directly into hers. ¡°I¡¯m going to get you better as fast as I can, promise. Hang in there.¡±


    Dr. Tullius turned to Hortensius. ¡°I¡¯m going to hold off on administering an anxiety med until after the x-ray, Hortensius. If she has a fracture somewhere we¡¯ll administer it immediately. I¡¯ll have the nurses waiting in here for when you come back. If she only has contusions we¡¯ll stick with the muscle relaxers. I¡¯ve called down and Clara will be waiting at the rad desk.¡±


    Hortensius grunted. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Dr. Tullius looked at her. ¡°Do you want me to invite your brothers to be in here when you get back? They¡¯re both in the waiting room.¡±


    Livia shook her head frantically. Dr. Tullius looked concerned by her refusal. ¡°You¡¯re always allowed to ask for them to come in.¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°Hyrum will try to tell me what to do. I don¡¯t want him involved. I want to decide what happens to me.¡±


    Dr. Tullius nodded. ¡°I understand. I will tell them they are not permitted until our treatment course is completed.¡±


    Hortensius spoke up. ¡°Liv, Justin is training some new recruits in the ER today. We could page him to come down. Would you like to see him?¡±


    Livia hesitated. She wanted to be strong enough to say no but she wasn¡¯t. Her emotions betrayed her. ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Dr. Tullius looked at the nurse. ¡°Will you please make sure Justin gets contacted in the ER department?¡±


    ¡°Yessir,¡± she said.


    The Clara Dr. Tullius mentioned was none other than Clara Porcius. Her black hair was smoothed back in a high ponytail and she wore a set of scrubs. She greeted Livia with a wry grin.


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the Bellatrix of Taurus house,¡± she drawled quietly.


    Livia laughed. "What are you doing here?"


    "I''m doing an internship here for school credit."


    Livia nodded. She''d done a similar internship under TARP. "How''s it going?"


    "Pretty great," she said.


    "You like it?"


    "Yeah."


    "I liked my TARP internship too," Livia said.


    "Word is you were better than most experienced people they hire," Clara said.


    "They''re the only people that like me here," Livia looked away.


    "You okay if I go let the techs know we''re here?" Hortensius asked.


    Clara smiled at him. "Yeah, we''re good. I''ll keep her comfortable."


    "Great," Hortensius said and stepped away.


    Clara returned her attention back to Livia. "What happened with the fight today? You didn''t have someone picked out to kiss you?"


    ¡°Tavian was supposed to kiss me.¡±


    Clara¡¯s nose scrunched up. "Your ex messed that up.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an idiot,¡± Livia agreed.


    ¡°Is it true he was dating someone else?¡±


    Livia nodded.


    "Lame," Clara said. "When you get back from school we should hang out."


    "You''d hang out with me?" Livia asked.


    "Yeah," Clara said.


    "You wouldn''t hang out with me last year," Livia said.


    Clara sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I should have given you a chance. I see that now, but...you know...people change their minds."


    "Sure, we''ll hang," Livia agreed.


    Clara smiled. "Good."


    There was silence. Then Clara asked, ¡°Is it true Gaius and Lauretta will divorce?¡±


    Livia closed her eyes. The divorce had been made official the previous evening. ¡°Yes, and he arranged to cheat her out of the property she would have gotten in the settlement.¡±


    Clara snorted. ¡°It¡¯s what she deserves. Lauretta¡¯s disloyal to Taurus house and more concerned with her family¡¯s interests. She sabotaged the relationship between Gaius and the Taurus plebs from the very beginning.¡±


    Livia opened her eyes. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    Clara said, ¡°I assumed you had the same attitude as her at first. But when you told Gaius off I realized you were just as frustrated as the rest of us.¡±


    Livia hadn¡¯t realized that her reception by the plebian factions in the house were influenced by the actions Lauretta had taken. It was relieving to know that not everything was her fault. There was also a tiny bit of hope that things might get better with Lauretta gone.


    Hortensius returned. "Alright, they should call us back any ti--"


    A woman came out and called Livia¡¯s name.


    ¡°Time for your x-rays,¡± Hortensius said. ¡°Let''s get this done."


    The x-rays went smoothly and whatever drug she¡¯d been given had kicked in. Livia¡¯s body felt light and limp. Her thoughts drifted through her head, hazy and soft. Hortensius bid Clara farewell.


    "Call me next time you''re in town, Liv," Clara called.


    Livia gave her a lazy wave that looked so lame that both Hortensius and Clara laughed.


    Justin sat in a chair along the wall outside her room. He stood when Hortensius wheeled her near.


    ¡°How are you feeling, Liv?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°Floaty,¡± a spacey quality had transformed her voice.


    Hortensius and Justin chuckled as they maneuvered her back into her room.


    Hortensius grinned at her. ¡°I¡¯m going to pull your ice now the drugs have kicked in.¡±


    He started removing the bags of ice they had packed around her. Justin approached the opposite side of her bed. ¡°They treating you well, Livia?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re allowed to complain, alright?¡± Justin said, patting the back of her hand.


    ¡°Justin, did I--¡± Livia stopped, unsure if asking the question would make her sound crazy. But everything was starting to feel fuzzy.


    ¡°Did you what, Liv?¡± Justin encouraged.


    ¡°Did I kiss Corvin?¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Yes, you did, Liv.¡±


    ¡°I remember thinking I¡¯d hit my head when he started walking out. He did walk out, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he did come to get you off the field,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember how I got here,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t conscious. You fainted,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°Is he mad at me?¡±


    Justin¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Are we talking about Corvin still?¡±


    ¡°Yes, is Corvin mad at me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. He¡¯s out in the waiting room with your brothers.¡±


    ¡°He is?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, he won¡¯t go home until he knows you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Livia let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s a good friend.¡±


    ¡°You falling asleep, Livia?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°You tired?¡± Hortensius asked.


    ¡°Umhmm,¡± she nodded.


    Hortensius said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to get you started on an IV. Stay just the way you are and it¡¯ll be easy and quick.¡±


    Livia''s eyes opened when she felt a pinch on the back of her hand. She looked at Hortensius.


    He smiled. ¡°You¡¯re done. We¡¯re gonna run some fluids into you. Nothing funny. We just need you really hydrated before we start healing.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t know how long they waited for Dr. Tullius because she drifted in and out of a light sleep.


    When he returned he was grinning. ¡°I have good news. Hortensius was right. No broken bones. Healing should go easy and you¡¯ll be home tonight.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Hortensius stood. ¡°Let¡¯s do this then.¡±


    He made Livia turn on her side. Justin got the honor of holding a bowl in front of Livia¡¯s face. Livia knew the healing started when a tingling started deep in her hip. The sensation made her stomach lurch and she pulled the bowl closer to her face. Sweat broke out on her forehead but she didn¡¯t gag. Not until Hortensius healed her bruised ribs, then the odd tingling sensation made her heave the contents of her stomach into the bowl.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great, Liv. There¡¯s a nasty bruise on your shoulder and then we should be done.¡±


    Livia ended up heaving into the bowl a second time. Healing was not especially pleasant. The cold sweat had migrated to the back of her neck and her palms.


    Hortensius had to leave to help another patient but Justin stayed with Livia as she waited for the wooziness to pass. She was grateful for the familiar sound of his voice and his steady presence. After fifteen minutes, Justin urged Livia to sit up and drink some water.


    ¡°I think...I should warn you about the gossip,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°The gossip?¡± Livia asked.


    Justin inhaled and pulled a chair over from the wall. He settled into it when he¡¯d positioned it directly opposite her. ¡°Everyone assumes you''re dating Corvin.¡±


    Livia blinked at him. ¡°Cause of the kiss?¡±


    ¡°Yes...and other things.¡±


    Livia closed her eyes. ¡°I was photographed with him when we walked into the parade together.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not really what kicked things off--¡± Justin drawled. ¡°It was how he greeted you before the match.¡±


    ¡°Before the match?¡± Livia asked, confused. ¡°What¡¯d he do?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t greet you formally--¡± Justin said.


    ¡°Oh. Oh, you mean the chin thing?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that an insult or--¡±


    Justin laughed. ¡°No, Livia. It means you¡¯re dating. Are you? Are you dating him?¡±


    ¡°No. But he¡¯s used to not greeting me like that because of school and work before that.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s what he said but he knows better. He knows people would assume you were dating. So I wondered if...perhaps he had tried to reveal it when you didn¡¯t want him to?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not dating,¡± Livia insisted.


    ¡°Okay, I believe you, Livia,¡± Justin said easily. ¡°But...is there anything you want to tell me? I confess to being really curious.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything between you and Corvin? He¡¯s out in the waiting room--¡± Justin gestured.


    ¡°That¡¯s just the type of person he is--¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Justin shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s the type of person who¡¯d want to avoid people spreading rumors. Typically, he¡¯d keep his distance in case he accidentally conveyed an interest in you. He¡¯s careful about that sort of thing. So careful that he wouldn¡¯t be sitting in a public waiting room to hear that you¡¯d recovered unless he was in a committed relationship with you.¡±


    Livia shook her head, confused. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then I suspect he likes you,¡± Justin said, simply.


    Livia thought deeply about that. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s that thing I said to him--¡±


    ¡°What did you say to him?¡±


    Livia cleared her throat. ¡°I told him I wouldn¡¯t be his friend unless he agreed to be my friend everywhere and in front of everybody. That I wouldn¡¯t tolerate him acting like a different person at school and in Caesarea.¡±


    Justin¡¯s mouth slowly turned up in a pleased grin. ¡°Really?¡±


    Livia explained, ¡°So, he¡¯s just being a good friend.¡±


    ¡°Clearly,¡± Justin half laughed. Livia got the feeling that he didn¡¯t believe her even though he said he did.


    ¡°Is there a point to this conversation?¡± Livia snapped.


    Justin sighed and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll let Corvin and your brothers know you¡¯re alright. You know you can contact me if you need anything?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia said.


    He nodded to her. ¡°You fought well today. I¡¯m proud of you, Livia.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Then Justin walked out of the hospital room.


    Livia had hoped that Corvin would come in with her brothers but he didn¡¯t. Hyrum and Lucas fussed over her. She asked if Corvin was with them. Hyrum reported that he left as soon as Dr.


    Tullius came out and told them she¡¯d be fine.


    A nurse came in and gave them Dr. Tullius¡¯ discharge orders--lots of water and sleep--and then checked them out of the clinic.


    ¡°You won an award,¡± Lucas told her on the way home.


    ¡°Did you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah, but yours is better.¡± He laughed.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Usually, it''s called primus bellator. Since you''re a girl it will be prima bellatrix. It goes to the warrior who gets the most ¡®kill¡¯ hits in the game.¡±


    Livia laughed. Lucas and Hyrum fed Livia and sent her straight to bed when they got home. She took a quick shower and slipped into her bed. She didn¡¯t wake until late morning the next day. She took a hot bath and got dressed. When she came into the kitchen in search of food she almost felt like her normal self again.


    Lucas was sitting at the bar and looking at his phone. When Livia pulled out a frying pan, he abandoned his phone and confronted her.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I want an omelet,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Well, go sit down. I¡¯ll make it for you,¡± he said.


    Livia glared at him. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Lucas.¡±


    Lucas glared right back. ¡°How about we err on the side of caution when it comes to your health, Liv?¡±


    Livia huffed. ¡°I can cook an omelet.¡±


    ¡°So can I,¡± he argued.


    So, Lucas made Livia an omelet even though she bickered with him the entire time he did it. Then he set the plate of hot food in front of her with a fork. She took a bite and her eyes teared up.


    ¡°Does it really taste that bad?¡± Lucas sighed, defeated.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong then?¡± he asked.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Livia sniffed. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have someone do something for me.¡±


    Lucas rolled his eyes. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re impossible.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she choked.


    He came around the counter and ruffled her hair. ¡°Thanks for fighting with me yesterday. I¡¯m sorry you got hurt.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay not to be fine, Liv,¡± Lucas said.


    ¡°But I am. I¡¯m fine,¡± she insisted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back to check on you in an hour,¡± he pulled a cup from the cupboard and filled it with water. Then set it down next to her plate. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to drink some water.¡±


    Livia muttered at him resentfully and he laughed as he walked into the next room.


    Livia decided to take a chance on checking Tabula. She figured if Justin was warning her she might need to know what was going on. She pulled up her account. A distorted pinging sounded as the program tried to notify her of over 300 notifications all at once.


    Instantly overwhelmed, Livia almost shut down the window and walked away. Livia browsed before she read deeply and found that professional photos of the reenactment were posted. There were a lot of Livia as she¡¯d fought the longest and they were all embarrassing. She had dirt on her face, sweat pouring off her temples, her hair was askew, and the worst? She looked like she was wearing a potato sack. She tied up the stupid stola and made herself look ridiculous.


    Livia pressed her palms to her burning cheeks to cool them down. When the strategy didn¡¯t work, Livia downed the water Lucas set down in front of her instead. Having partially restored her composure, she continued browsing. She ran into the photos of her with Corvin.


    There was photographic evidence of her wrapped up in his crimson cloak, his lips pressed to hers. Livia couldn¡¯t stop staring at the image. His red cloak swept to her ankles so she didn¡¯t look like she was in a potato sack anymore. Her crazy hair was tamed under Corvin¡¯s long fingers, as he cradled her face between his palms. There was something so tender in Corvin¡¯s entire countenance and so eager in hers. If she¡¯d seen that photo of someone else and they tried to explain they weren¡¯t dating, Livia wouldn¡¯t believe them.


    Livia swallowed at the anxiety that tightened her throat. She¡¯d revealed her secret to everyone. She liked Corvin. Livia went to Corvin¡¯s page to see a bunch of their TARP associates and his family leaving thrilled comments that they were dating. Corvin had gone through and responded to each one clarifying that they weren¡¯t dating. Livia realized many of the comments on her page were the same, congratulations. They¡¯d been sitting there for days and she hadn¡¯t responded. It struck her in a moment how awful that looked. Corvin refuted they were dating right and left on his page and Livia remained silent. Panicked, she went through each comment and did the same thing Corvin did. It took her over an hour and by the time she was done she had sweaty palms and a racing heart.


    She was still recovering when her phone rang. She answered without looking at the screen. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Corvin¡¯s warm-toned voice traveled through the phone. ¡°I need to see you. Are you up for that?¡±


    Livia thought she¡¯d have a heart attack. She clutched the fabric of her shirt in her fist. Why was he calling? Was he mad? Should she agree to see him?


    ¡°T-tonight?¡± she stuttered.


    ¡°If you¡¯re feeling alright? I understand if you¡¯re not up to it.¡±


    Frantic thoughts pinged through Livia¡¯s brain. Sometimes you had to confront people¡¯s anger. Right now, Hyrum and Lucas were here. If Corvin wanted to have it out, she preferred to do it when her brothers were around to back her up. Maybe insisting on her own terms would be enough to discourage him from coming in the first place.


    ¡°I¡¯m only up for it if you come to me. I¡¯m not up for going out,¡± she said.


    ¡°So, if I bring over ice cream?¡± he said this with a casual tone.


    Livia hesitated. She hadn¡¯t intimidated him. Was she ready to do this?


    ¡°Liv, you there?¡± Corvin asked.


    She rushed to fill her silence. ¡°That¡¯d be fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you at 7:00,¡± he said.


    Before Livia could figure out a way to change plans, he ended the call. That evening, Livia had dinner with the family. Afterward, she kept looking at the clock and then finding something to clean.


    ¡°Stop that,¡± Hyrum snapped at her. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to rest.¡±


    Livia glared at him. Staying busy was the way she dealt with her anxiety and she was super anxious about Corvin coming over.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I have someone coming over at 7.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Hyrum asked.


    ¡°Corvin.¡±


    Caecilia''s gaze immediately focused on Livia. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No...just eating ice cream,¡± Livia said.


    Caecilia¡¯s eyes narrowed, suspicious. ¡°Whatever you say, Liv.¡±


    Livia sighed. She didn¡¯t blame Caecilia. She didn¡¯t believe herself. Livia didn¡¯t know what to do. There was dust on the black splash. Livia found a rag and went to rinse it under the water.


    ¡°Go rest,¡± Hyrum barked.


    Livia gave him a pleading look. He only glared and she had to abandon the rag in the sink. It was 20 mins of eternity until the doorbell rang. Livia rose to answer the door but Hyrum beat her to it.


    ¡°Corvin.¡± Hyrum greeted him with a handshake. ¡°Nice to see you.¡±


    Corvin grinned. ¡°We seem to keep missing each other, right?¡±


    ¡°Life has been crazy.¡± Then Hyrum added wryly, ¡°But you don¡¯t seem to have the same trouble with Livia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard Caecilia has been better?¡± Corvin said, side-stepping that conversation.


    Livia¡¯s face flamed with embarrassment. How could Hyrum say something like that?


    ¡°Yes.¡± Hyrum nodded. ¡°Cil!¡±


    Caecilia stepped out of Hyrum¡¯s study and greeted Corvin with a hug. ¡°Hey, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°You look wonderful,¡± Corvin told her.


    Caecilia snorted. ¡°Pregnant, you mean.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s face lit with playfulness. ¡°Wonderful, I mean.¡±


    Caecilia playfully smacked his arm. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy you are doing better. Mom was worried about you,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°She called me,¡± Caecilia said. ¡°Always so encouraging and kind.¡±


    ¡°You let us know if you need anything,¡± Corvin said. ¡°We¡¯d be happy to help.¡±


    Caecilia looked down. ¡°Oh, that is so kind.¡±


    ¡°I mean it,¡± Corvin said.


    Caecilia shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re all so busy--¡±


    ¡°But not too busy to help you through this pregnancy,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯ll be gone soon but I am sure the girls would run to help. The little ones are older now. Verity is in kindergarten. Mom would appreciate the companionship.¡±


    Caecilia drew her chin back. ¡°Is she lonely?¡±


    ¡°Few people understand the pressures of being materfamilias but you¡¯d come fairly close,¡± Corvin said.


    Caecilia nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll call her?¡±


    ¡°Please, do. She needs friends,¡± he said.


    ¡°Hyrum and I will be in the study here,¡± Caecilia said. ¡°Feel free to interrupt if you and Liv need anything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Corvin said. Then he looked at Livia.


    Caecilia pulled Hyrum into the study with her and closed the door, not entirely. It hung slightly ajar. Livia met Corvin¡¯s gaze across the entranceway. A spark lit in his eyes when he saw her. Livia tried to interpret what that meant. Then he stepped toward her and scattered all her thoughts completely.


    There was something about the way his body moved in a pair of jeans that sent butterflies dancing inside her. Goosebumps raised on her forearms in anticipation of his touch. Livia honestly didn¡¯t know if she was excited or scared and that made her flinch back when he lifted his arms for a hug.


    Corvin froze. His face adopted his blank mask. ¡°Still sore, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure,¡± she said honestly, looking down.


    His expression didn¡¯t change and he lifted the grocery bag he brought with him. ¡°Want some ice cream?¡±


    Livia looked at it. ¡°What type is it?¡±


    It was Corvin¡¯s turn to be flustered. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what flavor you liked,¡± he said, pulling it open so she could look inside. ¡°So, I got those single-serve ones in a bunch of different flavors.¡±


    Livia smiled. ¡°Clever.¡±


    ¡°Glad you think so,¡± he said. ¡°Wasn¡¯t sure how you¡¯d interpret it...¡±


    Did Livia see a flash of insecurity on his face? She must have imagined it. ¡°Let me get some spoons.¡±


    ¡°How was your day?¡± Corvin asked as they took their first bites. Livia had selected chocolate. Corvin had selected salted caramel.


    Livia wasn¡¯t certain how to react to how normal and friendly Corvin was acting. She¡¯d expected him to be simmering with anger and frustration. Instead, he was calm and relaxed. ¡°It was boring. Lucas and Hyrum won¡¯t let me do anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be back to normal soon enough,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Why not take advantage of the time to rest?¡±


    Livia shrugged. ¡°Gotta keep up my reputation and all--¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°I think you¡¯ve thoroughly established your reputation.¡±


    ¡°And yet,¡± Livia muttered. ¡°You¡¯re still here to yell at me.¡±


    Corvin did a double-take. ¡°Yell at you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re angry.¡±


    Corvin looked confused and Livia tried to figure out if it was an act or not. ¡°Why would I be angry?"


    ¡°I distracted attention from your father¡¯s speech.¡±


    Corvin waved a hand to dismiss that. ¡°We went over that mess with Gaius. I think the consequences were severe enough to change the way he acts from now on.¡±


    ¡°And Bella?¡± Livia challenged.


    Corvin looked displeased. ¡°What about her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s--I¡¯m her friend?¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Are you?¡± Corvin asked, an eyebrow raised.


    Livia sighed. ¡°She is mad at me.¡±


    ¡°Cause she¡¯s jealous of our relationship,¡± Corvin agreed. ¡°But that''s her problem, not ours.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°How do I fix it?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t. She¡¯s blaming you for something you can¡¯t fix,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Even if you decided to never speak to me again I still wouldn¡¯t get back together with Bella.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s going to have to get over it,¡± Corvin said, shrugging. ¡°You might have to wait for her to be ready to be friends again.¡±


    ¡°But you''re not angry with me over it?¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Livia, I don¡¯t have any reason to be angry over it. If anything, it¡¯s you who should be angry with me. Are you?¡±


    Livia¡¯s feelings swirled inside her and a thread of anger was there. ¡°You waited in the hospital to see if I was alright but you didn¡¯t come to see me? If you weren¡¯t angry why did you do that?¡±


    Corvin took a couple of deep breaths. That vulnerable look flashed across his features again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you wanted me. I had to leave, though.¡±


    ¡°To where?¡± Livia demanded.


    ¡°Cassia¡¯s parents hold a memorial every year on the anniversary. I went.¡±


    Livia¡¯s chin drew back in surprise. ¡°You were at the graveyard?¡± she asked.


    Corvin nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Livia tried to figure out if she was uncomfortable with this. It hurt to be passed over for a dead woman. Yet, it wasn''t fair to prevent him from participating in a personal tradition that brought him comfort.


    ¡°It upsets you,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia nodded. ¡°A little but I understand and it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay?¡± Corvin pressed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not something you need my permission for Corvin,¡± Livia said.


    He tilted his head to the side and looked at her. ¡°But you wanted me there at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m--¡± Livia gulped. ¡°Sorry about the kiss, Corvin.¡±


    His expression softened. ¡°I wish it had gone better for you. I¡¯m supposed to be the one apologizing.¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault--¡±


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have overestimated your endurance. It was a miscalculation on my part. I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°And, now we have those rumors to deal with,¡± Livia muttered.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± Corvin said, and a sense of purpose erased his vulnerability. ¡°To discuss the rumors.¡±


    Dread filled Livia. ¡°What rumors?¡±


    ¡°You are well acquainted with the rumors,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Since you told everyone on tabula we weren¡¯t dating...yet.¡±


    ¡°Yet?¡± Livia asked, confused. Then she pulled her phone into her hand and scrambled to sign in. She put her hand over her mouth as she realized what she¡¯d done. Over and over she¡¯d told people she and Corvin weren¡¯t dating...yet.


    ¡°Oh no!¡± she cried. ¡°Corvin--I-I was trying to fix it and I made it worse!¡±


    She put her phone face down on the counter and covered her face with her hands, mortified.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°So, Livia, let¡¯s talk about this yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t tease me!¡± Livia cried. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not teasing right now. I¡¯m making honest inquiries. Was it a mistake or did you mean something by it?¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness. I¡¯d never do that,¡± Livia said. ¡°I am so sorry!¡±


    Corvin¡¯s expression flashed with hurt. Then Livia realized he took it to mean she¡¯d never date him, which isn¡¯t what she meant to say.


    ¡°No, wait,¡± she put down her spoon and pushed her ice cream away. ¡°That didn¡¯t come out right--I mean¡­¡±


    Corvin¡¯s face was a mask. ¡°What did you mean, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I mean to say that I¡­¡± Livia hesitated. Her mind was racing so fast words wouldn¡¯t come to her. ¡°I¡¯m trying to say that¡­¡±


    Corvin let the silence stretch out a long time.


    Livia bit her knuckle. ¡°Okay, I can do this...I don¡¯t want to be the girl who says things online that...makes you feel like--¡± Livia tried to explain a different way. ¡°My mom she manipulated my father and I don¡¯t...I wouldn¡¯t play games that make you feel stuck...with me. So, I¡¯m saying it was a mistake. It wasn¡¯t intentional to trick you or part of a twisted strategy--I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin tilted his head to the side. ¡°So, you¡¯re bothered by the idea that I¡¯d interpret it as a deliberate ploy to get my affection.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s not the type of person I want to be." Livia gestured with her hands to emphasize her point.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not saying that you¡¯d never date me,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°I was not trying to say that,¡± Livia confirmed.


    Corvin pushed his ice cream aside and leaned onto the countertop with his forearms. ¡°So, you might date me?¡±


    Livia¡¯s heart thudded in her chest so hard she was certain it was visible to Corvin. ¡°I-¡± she whispered. ¡°T-that''s complicated¡­¡±


    ¡°In what way?¡± he asked.


    Livia decided to deflect the conversation a bit. ¡°Corvin, you can¡¯t convince me you want to date me.¡±


    ¡°I do want to date you,¡± he said, firmly. ¡°I feel like you understand me significantly better than a lot of people in Caesarea.¡±


    ¡°You think I understand you?¡± Livia asked. ¡°I find you pretty confusing, actually.¡±


    Corvin grinned. ¡°I¡¯m willing to answer questions.¡±


    He paused here as if she¡¯d start an interrogation immediately.


    Livia couldn¡¯t pluck a single question from her frantically spinning thoughts. ¡°Can this be a long-term offer?¡±


    ¡°For as long as you wish,¡± Corvin said. He studied her before speaking again as if calculating how frank to be with her. ¡°Livia, every time I spend time with you I can¡¯t wait until we get to see each other again. I¡¯m always asking myself what you¡¯d think about situations I encounter over the course of my day. Frankly, I¡¯ve reached the point where I¡¯m tired of hiding the fact I have feelings for you. Obviously, my powers of observation are fallible and so you may correct me, but I think that you like me too. Am I wrong about that?¡±


    Livia cleared her throat. ¡°My feelings are...I¡¯m not sure I trust them.¡±


    Corvin looked confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve had them a long time and--¡±


    That made Corvin smile but he didn¡¯t interrupt her. Instead, he gave her the space to gather her thoughts again. Livia wished he wouldn¡¯t because she could hardly think. Her heart raced and the thoughts in her head were blurry and hard to pin down.


    When Livia didn¡¯t immediately continue Corvin asked, ¡°How long, Liv?¡±


    Livia met his eyes and realized this was the moment of truth. It was time to tell him. ¡°Since we met. I mean...not...not the first instant we met. Not like that--¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a moment for romance,¡± Corvin confirmed.


    ¡°But somewhere in between then and when you left ten days later,¡± Livia gulped.


    ¡°So, when you reference these feelings,¡± Corvin encouraged. ¡°You mean what?¡±


    ¡°I''m not sure,¡± Livia whispered. ¡°I spend a lot of time trying not to feel them.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Why, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Well, at first, I was too young for you,¡± she said.


    Corvin nodded. ¡°Granted. But you¡¯re not too young now. I¡¯m a little older but not that much older. It¡¯s less than ten years.¡±


    Livia closed her eyes. "Then I was embarrassed because...what a cliche, right? Girl falls in love with the officer who saves her. I thought it was some psychological weakness--"


    Corvin considered that. "I understand what you''re saying. But it''s been two years, Liv. Your immediate physical safety is about as secure as the average person now. You don''t need to be in a relationship with me to meet your basic needs. So, I don''t think you need to be concerned that being with me is automatically unethical."


    Livia opened her eyes. "That''s true, isn''t it? I couldn''t get over that. That the way my attraction started...I needed you to protect me."


    Corvin nodded. "Do you feel like that still?"


    Livia sighed. "Not the same way. It is different. It''s something that sounds...nice, convenient. But I don''t feel terrified to be without you the way I did at first."


    Corvin''s brow furrowed. "You felt that way, Liv?"


    Livia nodded. "So, it scares me a little to be put in that position again."


    "I had no idea," Corvin said.


    "I wanted to beg you to stay the day you flew out," Livia said. She pressed the side of her fist to her lips. She regretted saying it, immediately.


    Corvin sighed. "I hated leaving. The squad was broken up about it for weeks afterward. We didn''t want to make it harder for you to get along with your mother when you were still a minor, though. She''d asked us not to contact you."


    Livia nodded. "I know."


    "I wish you''d said something," Corvin whispered. "I could have written letters. Maybe that would have been enough to ease your fears..."


    Livia shook her head. "That might have been worse."


    Corvin looked into her eyes. "We can sit around all day and intellectualize all the circumstances but it won''t change the fact that emotionally I abandoned you."


    Livia looked at her hands and didn''t say anything.


    Corvin said, "I can understand if a romantic relationship is too hard an ask after all that. But at the same time...will you give me a chance to be there for you now? To regain your trust, Liv?"


    Livia inhaled. ¡°But I''m not even done with my list yet."


    "What list?" he asked.


    "The ''why we can never be together list''."


    Corvin smiled a bit. "What else is there, Liv? I mean, what you just told me is already a lot."


    "I worry we grew up too different,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°We did,¡± he nodded. ¡°But everyone does, Liv.¡±


    ¡°No, Corvin,¡± Livia said. ¡°Not as dramatically different as we did.¡±


    He leaned forward to rest on his forearms. ¡°Liv, sometimes that can be a good thing for a relationship instead of a bad thing--¡±


    ¡°How?¡± she demanded.


    Corvin hesitated before he answered her question. Then he spoke with a frankness that surprised her. ¡°I¡¯m always afraid that I¡¯ll marry a girl who won¡¯t ever question me. That she¡¯ll go along with everything I want and I don¡¯t want that, Livia. That sounds so boring to me. I crave an intellectual challenge...that¡¯s the best way I can describe it. I¡¯ve tried to make things work with traditional Caesarean women and...eventually I feel trapped...intellectually, I mean.¡±


    Livia¡¯s narrowed her eyes. ¡°So, you think fighting with me is some intellectual game--¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Corvin shook his head. ¡°No, Liv, I am saying collaborating with you will be a worthy intellectual challenge.¡±


    ¡°Only people from TARP would say something like that,¡± Livia muttered.


    ¡°Sounds like you''re already familiar with my conflict resolution strategies. I say that puts us ahead of the game, Liv.¡±


    Livia took a deep breath. She thought Corvin was being too optimistic, but she didn¡¯t know anyone else that would be as prepared as Corvin to face the challenges she worried about. Hyrum did say that sometimes you have to take a risk on people.


    Livia said, ¡°In theory, let¡¯s say I agree to this--¡±


    Corvin grinned. ¡°Continue.¡±


    Livia narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are we going to match?¡±


    Corvin groaned. ¡°Liv, that takes so long. Let¡¯s just date.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± she said.


    Corvin looked alarmed. ¡°To date? Or you don¡¯t want it to be informal?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be informal,¡± Livia clarified.


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Look, you were the one complaining about lawyers and inequality before. Being informal is the most equal way to do this. We¡¯re dating right now, not getting married. Let¡¯s keep the complications out of it.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not serious about dating me,¡± Livia challenged.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. Look, Liv, there¡¯s a lot of pressure and serious discussions involved in signing a match contract. I don¡¯t see the point of putting you through that when it¡¯s not necessary. So unless you can explain what benefit you¡¯ll get out of the situation I won¡¯t do it. It¡¯s not fair to you.¡±


    ¡°First,¡± Livia said, putting up a finger. ¡°I¡¯m already an outsider in Caesarea. If I¡¯m going to be part of this community I need to follow the traditions and rules of the community.¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Using my words against me now, are you?¡±


    Livia smiled. ¡°Second, we both know there are people in Caesarea that aren¡¯t going to be happy that I¡¯m dating you.¡±


    ¡°Forget them,¡± Corvin slapped his palm against the counter.


    ¡°I want to show them that I¡¯m not going to mess around with you. That I¡¯m serious about respecting you and your family. That I¡¯m not irresponsible like my mother.¡±


    Corvin quipped, ¡°Liv, you¡¯re the complete opposite of irresponsible.¡±


    Livia ignored his teasing. ¡°Third, if we¡¯re going to do this I want to have the serious discussions. I¡¯m not going to be played, Corvin. You¡¯re not going to wish-wash your way into this relationship because you''re lonely and then leave me high and dry. You¡¯re going to prove to me that I¡¯m worth your time and effort,¡± Livia insisted.


    Corvin stiffened. His eyes widened and his lips parted to say something but nothing came out. Livia was sure she¡¯d offended him.


    ¡°Are you still in?¡± she asked.


    He laughed. ¡°I said I wanted this, didn¡¯t I? Someone who¡¯d stand up to me? Way to not disappoint, Livia.¡±


    She grinned but there was little mirth or flirt in it. ¡°Well?¡±


    Corvin leaned in his close, his hazel eyes intent on hers. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ll agree if--¡± Corvin paused for emphasis-- ¡°you talk to Gaius about it before we leave for Cornelia tomorrow.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°So we have an idea straight off how he will work with you. If you have a bad experience bringing it up with him we¡¯ll reevaluate, deal?¡±


    Livia figured that was fair. ¡°Deal.¡±


    Corvin inhaled, and his eyes roved her face. ¡°Let me know how your discussion with him goes.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°I will.¡±


    Corvin said, ¡°You don¡¯t have much time to talk to him. We leave for Cornelia tomorrow at 2:00.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin nodded. He reached out to touch her.


    Livia flinched away.


    Corvin froze and pulled his hand back. ¡°Too soon?¡±


    Livia swallowed a knot of emotion. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry--¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s okay. You deserve time to recover. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. You keep taking care of yourself, okay?¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°Thanks, Corvin.¡±


    ###


    Livia texted Gaius almost immediately after Corvin left. Remember when you asked if I had anyone I was interested in matching with?


    Gaius responded instantly. Yes.


    Livia: I want to talk.


    Gaius: Right now is the only time I can talk


    Livia: I am at Hyrum¡¯s


    Gaius: I¡¯ll be there in 10 min.


    Hyrum got to the door before Livia did. ¡°Gaius? I didn¡¯t know you were coming over. Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°Livia and I have a matter to discuss.¡±


    Hyrum gave Livia a concerned looked.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Hyrum. I asked him to come over,¡± Livia said. ¡°If we need you we¡¯ll call you in--¡±


    Hyrum¡¯s eyes narrowed at being dismissed this way, but he didn¡¯t object.


    Gaius removed his jacket and took a seat in the front room. Livia sat down across from him, feeling nervous.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Gaius said. ¡°How are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing fine.¡±


    He raised a single eyebrow. ¡°Are you? Really?¡±


    ¡°I have a question--¡± she hedged.


    ¡°I have one too,¡± he quipped, grinning.


    ¡°What¡¯s the procedure to start a match?¡± Livia asked.


    Gaius folded his hands together. ¡°You tell me who you have an interest in and I make the appropriate inquiries and then it goes from there.¡±


    ¡°Goes from there? How?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°If the response to our inquiry is positive, the woman submits her request first and the man responds,¡± Gaius said. ¡°So you¡¯d submit a letter stating interest. The man would respond with a letter of reciprocal interest. Then invite you to submit a match contract proposal and they¡¯d accept it, reject it, or ask us to negotiate.¡±


    Livia inhaled a deep breath. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell me his name?¡± Gaius asked.


    ¡°I like Corvin Tullius.¡±


    Gaius grinned, pleased. ¡°I like Corvin too.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡± Livia asked.


    He nodded. ¡°Tell me about him. Do you talk often?¡±


    And soon an hour had passed and Gaius had dragged out the entire story.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with Lars if you¡¯ll permit me,¡± Gaius said. ¡°It sounds like Corvin knows the letter of interest is coming so there¡¯s no point in delaying.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia said. ¡°Should I arrange to be with you while you talk?¡±


    Gaius shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Livia agreed. ¡°Let me know what they say?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Gaius stood. ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch.¡±


    ###


    Livia was in the thick of studying for finals three days later when Gaius forwarded an email from Lars.


    Livia,


    Gaius Pius the Paterfamilias of Taurus house has communicated your interest to pursue a match with Corvin Tullius. This serves as notice that Corvin holds a reciprocal interest in pursuing a match. We look forward to receiving your match proposal. We request to receive your offer by January 31st. If circumstances prevent submission by that date, please notify us in writing and a new date will be negotiated.


    Highest regards,


    Lars and Aurelia Tullius


    Livia hit reply to let Gaius know she received the news. Then she sat back and let the happiness wash over her. Corvin had been serious about dating her. He''d called her last night to chat. When he only asked her questions about her plans and how her studying for finals was going she doubted he would follow through. He did though and Livia got ready for her day in a distracted haze. She grabbed her purse and bag and set out for lunch. She crossed campus. She came to the staircase in front of the student center. She looked up and froze. Corvin stood at the top of the stairs as if he was waiting for her.


    Livia climbed the stairs eagerly. She stepped in front of him.


    ¡°I thought you were holing up in the library to write a paper today,¡± she said.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d take my lunch break with the strongest woman on campus,¡± he teased.


    Livia rolled her eyes but she laughed.


    ¡°As long as that¡¯s alright with her?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Livia agreed.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell me what¡¯s good to eat,¡± he said.


    Livia took a deep breath. ¡°I got an interesting email today.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t reveal anything. He asked with an emotionless expression. ¡°Was it good news?¡±


    Livia laughed at him. ¡°Corvin, stop doing that!¡±


    He didn¡¯t break. ¡°Doing what?¡±


    ¡°Pretending like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about!¡±


    A slow smile spread over his face. ¡°You heard from mom and dad?¡±


    Livia couldn¡¯t help smiling back. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°So, it went okay?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°Mom and Dad said Gaius was pleasant to work with, surprisingly.¡±


    ¡°He was really supportive of the whole thing,¡± Livia said. ¡°So, now what do we do while we wait? What are we between now and then?¡±


    ¡°Whatever we want to be,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Of course, I think we should be a couple to make the most of it. If you feel different I¡¯d like to accept the challenge to become better friends.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like both,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin jerked his chin toward the door. ¡°Let¡¯s start with lunch then.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Livia stepped closer to him. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I want.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia lifted her hands to his cheeks and went up on her tiptoes. ¡°A do-over?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s hands rested lightly on her waist. ¡°Granted.¡±


    Corvin lowered his lips to hers. Livia braced herself for another lightning strike but she experienced only softness. Livia pulled away a moment to breathe, to put down her defenses. She leaned up to press her lips to Corvin¡¯s again and met once again with his tender mildness. Livia tangled her hands into his curly hair and lingered over the kiss as long as she dared in public. When she pulled back she couldn¡¯t suppress the smile that turned her lips as she stared into Corvin¡¯s golden-flecked hazel eyes. Her heart thudded with a dozen emotions. Happiness and excitement sent chills down her back but there was a deeper sense of rightness taking root in her. She was willing to take risks to be with this man. Even if it meant rooting out and facing all the demons from her past.


    ¡°Much better,¡± she murmured, as she pulled away.


    ¡°You¡¯re still conscious,¡± Corvin teased. ¡°My appeal must be wearing off.¡±


    Livia stepped away and flicked his bicep. ¡°Not funny.¡±


    He was laughing though, ¡°For the record, I liked the second time better.¡±


    Livia took his hand and tugged him toward the cafeteria. ¡°Come on before I turn into a hungry Taurus.¡±

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea

    The first thing that Livia did after she finished her last class of the semester was head over to Corvin and his cousin Terrance¡¯s place. Felicity wanted to study for finals together, still relying on their companionship to ward off her homesickness. So Livia came prepared with her books and a plate of cookies.


    ¡°Brain food,¡± Corvin said as he snatched a cookie and took a bite out of it. He made a noise of pleasure. ¡°You make the best cookies, Livia.¡±


    ¡°How can I help you study?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Flashcards?¡±


    Her ex, Arik, liked the flashcards Livia made for them when they were in Chemistry together. They always aced the tests in that class.


    Corvin looked surprised. ¡°I¡¯m writing a final paper. So, while I find your offer sweet, it will slow me down.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Livia¡¯s cheeks heated, embarrassed.


    He probably didn¡¯t need study aids. His Lupus House intelligence would eradicate any need for things like flashcards. Corvin smiled in an attempt to soften his words. His head tilted to the side, and one of his brown curls fell over his eye. Livia¡¯s heart did a flip. She¡¯d wanted for ages to push that curl back over his ear. They were dating now, so there was no reason to stop herself. She lifted her hand. She froze in mid-air when Corvin¡¯s expression turned hesitant.


    Now he looked confused. ¡°What are you doing, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I-your hair is¡­in your eye¡­¡± she explained awkwardly.


    Corvin tilted his head forward. Livia took that as an invitation. She pressed the stray curl behind his ear, but the brief touch of his hair wasn¡¯t enough. Livia ached to feel his hair¡¯s silky softness against her skin. She toyed with the curls behind his ear, realizing her Taurus sensory cravings had awakened with a vengeance. That only happened when she was exhausted. They called it Taurus tired.


    ¡°I need a haircut,¡± Corvin admitted.


    ¡°I like it.¡± Livia enjoyed the opportunity to give him a compliment.


    Corvin rested his hands on her waist, easing her closer. Goodness, his touch felt like heaven. Automatically, Livia pushed her hand into the hair at the nape of his neck, letting her fingers card through the long strands there. She¡¯d worked so hard on her classes this week, but this simple contact melted away days of built-up stress in moments.


    ¡°What final are you studying for tonight?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia didn¡¯t answer at first. She was so absorbed by the feel of his hair that she didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d asked her a question. Corvin laughed. He eased her against his body. Livia found that so delicious that she closed her eyes and savored the contact. Yet, she found it a little disconcerting too. Livia would find it hard to turn Corvin down if he pressed for more intimacy. She sensed her vulnerability acutely but didn¡¯t want to pull away. Livia forced herself to open her eyes. That¡¯s when she realized she¡¯d forgotten to answer his question. She opened her mouth and then realized she couldn¡¯t remember which class she was studying for¡ª


    ¡°It has lots of vocabulary words to memorize,¡± Livia said, trying to jog her memory.


    Corvin was flirting now. He lowered his head so his nose brushed her cheekbone. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re making flashcards?¡±


    ¡°,¡± Livia barely managed. His closeness was so pleasant. She pressed her hand further into Corvin¡¯s hair, lightly massaging his scalp. The pressure against her fingertips was amazing. She tilted her head back and took in a shaky breath. She wished he would lower his lips to her skin and set every inch of her ablaze.


    Corvin inhaled a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°That feels really nice.¡±


    His face was so close to hers now. He could kiss her. Livia could feel her expression begging him to do it. She could feel her exhaustion now, pulling the energy out of her. Livia wanted to fight it by pulling Corvin¡¯s lips down to hers to erase the fatigue with pleasure. Livia should never let herself get this tired again. It was dangerous to tempt irrationality to this extent. Terrance and Felicity were on the couch, attempting to ignore them. Livia bit her lip and denied herself what she desperately wanted. ¡°Anatomy.¡±


    ¡°Anatomy?¡± Corvin murmured.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m studying tonight. It¡¯ll be my hardest final, so I¡¯m taking it last. Then I¡¯m driving home to Caesarea¨C¡±


    ¡°On Friday, right?¡±


    Livia slid her hand from his hair and removed herself from his embrace. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s when I¡¯m leaving,¡± Corvin said, easing his hands into his back pockets. ¡°We should leave together.¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No?¡± Corvin blinked in surprise. Then his eyes roved her face, searching for answers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait till Friday,¡± Livia said. She¡¯d planned to return to Caesarea by mid-week if she could manage it. Corvin didn¡¯t like her answer. She could tell. His disapproval made her eyes sting with moisture. Livia was filled with frustration over her fragile state. She¡¯d let herself get too tired.


    Corvin backed down at her show of emotion. ¡°We can discuss this another time.¡±


    Livia returned to her bag, gathered her flashcard-making supplies, and got to work. The repetitive action of drilling flashcards numbed her profound exhaustion. For the next two hours, Livia was quiet and industrious. Terrance and Felicity took frequent breaks, chatting often. Corvin sat on the couch, silent and focused. The clicking sound of his fingers against his computer keys was a steady background noise.


    Livia was so focused she didn¡¯t realize that Felicity had packed up her stuff until the sound of the front door closing startled her. She had left. Only a few crumbs remained on the plate of cookies Livia had brought. Terrance had curled up on the couch and fallen asleep. The sound of typing had stopped. Livia¡¯s gaze shot to Corvin, panicked.


    ¡°How late is it?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You can stay as long as you want.¡± Corvin put his computer aside. ¡°Do you want me to quiz you?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to¨C¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to,¡± he said.


    Without waiting for her answer, Corvin sat before her and grabbed some of her homemade flashcards. Corvin shuffled through them. He didn¡¯t even have to look at the backside.


    ¡°These are the cards you made for the   and ,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia was immediately intrigued. ¡°You know anatomy?¡±


    ¡°A lot of it is Latin,¡± Corvin gestured to the cards. ¡°The fibula, for example, was a pin used to hold folds of cloth together. The shin bones look similar to a safety pin. The tibia is the Latin word for flute because, in the prehistoric and classical era, flutes were carved out of animal shin bones.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin smiled. ¡°Well, now you do.¡±


    Livia pulled her textbook into her lap and studied the lower leg bones. ¡°It does look like a safety pin. That¡¯s fascinating. What else is Latin?¡±


    Corvin shifted through the cards. ¡°Here. The . The cavity of the hip joint.  is the Latin word for vinegar. An  was a small bowl used for vinegar. It¡¯s confusing because the  is formed by three hip bones¨Cthe , ilium, and pubis.¡±


    Livia asked, ¡°When did you learn anatomy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s part of the training to become a TARP agent. We serve as first  on search and rescue missions. We have to be able to identify and describe injuries. Often healers aren¡¯t available, so we¡¯re trained in emergency wilderness medicine too.¡±


    Livia was about to ask another question when Corvin¡¯s phone rang. He frowned at the screen.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize the number, and no one told me to expect a call. So that means something crazy is about to go down.¡± He sighed, resigned, and answered the call. ¡°Corvin, here.¡±


    Hesitation and confusion warred for dominance of Corvin¡¯s features. ¡°¡­from Lupus House?  family?¡±


    Livia thought that name sounded familiar. Wasn¡¯t that ¡¯ last name? He was from Aquila House. Corvin winced the next second, putting a hand over his heart. ¡°Oh, ! Benedict¡¯s grandson. I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t recognize your voice. How are things going? We haven¡¯t talked¡ª¡±


    Corvin listened for a long time.


    ¡°Oh, no, can she do that? I thought  was still seventeen. And wasn¡¯t she matched with ?¡±


    ¡°On her birthday! You want me to tell Ancus?¡± Corvin¡¯s voice rose in volume.


    Livia had never seen Corvin so shocked before. As the voice on the phone spoke, Corvin only grew more agitated.


    ¡°Who did she elope with?¡± Corvin asked. ¡° ? , I¡¯m pretty sure that  is a plebeian family.¡±


    Dismay was all over Corvin¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll call Ancus, but I¡¯m pretty sure trying to talk your grandfather around is useless. I¡¯d try to talk  into an annulment first.¡±


    Corvin winced. ¡°Look, I am being supportive. I¡¯m informing Ancus, remember? Unless you want to do that¡ª¡±


    When Corvin hung up, he put his phone aside and ran his hands through his hair until it looked wild.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Livia whispered.


    ¡° is the grandson of Benedict, Paterfamilias of Aquila House. His little sister eloped on her eighteenth birthday, which caused a mess. Ancus planned to marry her¡ªit was the ideal match. They were both Patrician, similar age, similar temperaments.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to call him now?¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Might as well try. Last I heard, he was in Rome on vacation. It¡¯s 5 here? It¡¯s shy of midnight there. That might be the best time to get him at home¡ª¡±


    Fifteen minutes later, Corvin had Ancus on a video call. The young man had a sophisticated haircut and handsome features. His brown eyes peered anxiously into the phone screen. He looked younger than Corvin by several years.


    ¡°What terrible thing has happened?¡± Ancus asked first thing. ¡°For you to video call, Corvin?¡±


    Corvin laughed. Then he sighed. ¡°I have some bad news.¡± Then he rushed to add. ¡°Nobody has died or been injured.¡±


    Ancus nodded. ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if this is a bad time. Are you still in Rome?¡±


    ¡°We just got in for the evening, so it¡¯s pretty good timing,¡± Ancus said.


    ¡°How is the trip?¡± Corvin asked, hesitant.


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to delay telling me? My heavens, what is going on over there, Corvin?¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°Have you heard anything from ?¡±


    ¡°She sent her matched papers the day before her birthday,¡± he said.


    Corvin¡¯s eyebrow rose in surprise. ¡°Did you respond yet?¡±


    ¡°We planned to when we returned from Rome.¡±


    ¡°Well,  eloped with   on her birthday¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ancus was in disbelief.


    ¡°Do you need me to repeat it?¡± Corvin asked, but gently.


    ¡°She eloped? With¡­?¡± Ancus repeated, confused.


    ¡°He is plebeian.¡±


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s she going to do? She¡¯ll be exiled for a year. Did she make plans for her finances? I¡¯d ask if we could talk her Paterfamilias into leniency, but we all know that won¡¯t happen with Benedict.¡±


    ¡° is working on it. He asked me to call you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, , ha! That coward? He couldn¡¯t stand up to a fly. He¡¯s a passive, .¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s doing his best,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯ll deal with Benedict. There¡¯s no use in exiling. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay, Ancus?¡± Corvin asked.


    Ancus sighed. ¡°You know, Cor, we both had our doubts. We didn¡¯t feel strongly about each other one way or another but figured why not give it a chance? You know? But now¡­well, I guess I don¡¯t have to take that risk. On to other pastures and all that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ancus,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Well, I better take care of this as soon as possible. Thank you for delivering the news, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°You can call anytime for anything, Ancus. I mean that. I¡¯m here for you,¡± Corvin said.


    Ancus laughed. ¡°Thanks, Cor. It is nice to talk again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry these are the circumstances¡ª¡±


    ¡°Better this than nothing, I¡¯d say,¡± he said.


    ¡°I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip,¡± Corvin said.


    Ancus laughed. ¡°Not likely, but thanks for the sentiment anyway. Ciao, as the Italians say.¡±


    ¡°Ciao,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Corvin,¡± Livia asked after the phone call ended. ¡°What happens when you¡¯re exiled?¡±


    Corvin heaved a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s a temporary exile for the length of a year. You can¡¯t live in Caesarea, buy or sell property within a certain radius, or receive scholarships, grants, or House funds. If you have an account with the  Bank, they freeze your assets there. Often that tanks your credit, so you can¡¯t apply for any loans or housing outside Caesarea. It makes survival hard unless you¡¯ve established finances outside Caesarea.¡±


    ¡°If they can do that? Why does anyone deal with the  banks?¡±


    ¡°Cause that¡¯s the only way to receive the funds for Senate and House-sponsored scholarships, grants, and welfare. I established a small savings account outside of  control while engaged to Cassia.¡±


    ¡°Did you plan to elope?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°She mentioned it. I started to plan, but it was unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°Because she¡­died?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No, our parents approved with the condition we had a 12-month engagement, but then she died before¡­.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t make Corvin finish that thought. ¡°So, did you close the account, or does it still exist?¡±


    ¡°It still exists. I haven¡¯t added anything more to it since then. Unfortunately, sometimes political exiles happen, and I erred on the side of caution.¡±


    ¡°Hyrum told me never to mix my finances with the  bank. Everything is outside their system,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°Where did you get your paycheck deposited?¡±


    ¡°In my regular bank account,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°No one said you couldn¡¯t do that?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°That¡¯s not standard practice. I¡¯ve always thought they can¡¯t pay you unless you have a  account.¡±


    ¡°Gaius had to sign off on it. Hyrum had Caecilia figure out the paperwork, and Gaius signed it.¡±


    ¡°And he didn¡¯t have a problem with it?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said. ¡°He was fine with it.¡±


    ¡°Did he understand what he was doing?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I think so¡­he knew that¡¯s what I needed to get paid.¡±


    Corvin closed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I agree with this or not. Usually, the benefits of being part of the financial system in Caesarea outweigh the risks of participating. The vast majority of exiled people have committed crimes against the community. Most people targeted for political exile have the connections to avoid¡ª¡±


    ¡°Taurus House doesn¡¯t have those connections¡ª¡± Livia said.


    Corvin caught her eyes with his. ¡°You know I¡¯d never let that happen to you, right?¡±


    ¡°Would you have said that to me a year ago?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Corvin answered without hesitation.


    Livia doubted his confidence. ¡°I don¡¯t think you would have.¡±


    ¡°I would have,¡± Corvin insisted. ¡°But depending on what Caecilia did, you have no access to  aid, and Gaius does not influence your finances whatsoever.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin tipped his head side to side, hesitant. ¡°It¡¯s a double-edged sword. He can¡¯t give you a scholarship or a grant.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I got a scholarship without relying on  funds. They don¡¯t have a monopoly on scholarships and grants.¡±


    Corvin inclined his head to acknowledge that point. ¡°Most  don¡¯t have credentials that those institutions would recognize and find it hard to qualify. Since you grew up outside Caesarea, you have a degree of independence many of us never manage.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t use  funds for your degree, right?¡±


    ¡°I am not the typical ,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯s easier for Lupus to pass outside Caesarea because our peculiarities are not physical, and we pass tests easily. Also, being the son of a Paterfamilias gives one access to wealth that¡¯s not common. Granted, I¡¯m not as wealthy as Ancus. Most of my finances are tied up in assets, but I know my situation is privileged.¡±


    Livia admitted, ¡°Sometimes when I have to confront how wealthy Quinn was¡ªit¡¯s bizarre. I don¡¯t know if it will ever stop being disturbing to me. We were so poor, and there was all this money over here.¡±


    ¡°Does it make you angry?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Yeah, and¡­I¡¯ll never make the same decisions they did. I¡¯d give aid where it wasn¡¯t deserved because no one deserves to grow up like I did. No matter what.¡± The steel that entered Livia¡¯s tone didn¡¯t put Corvin off the way she expected.


    He looked impressed with her, proud. Shouldn¡¯t he be angry instead? Offended? Livia rechecked his expression. Hadn¡¯t changed. He¡¯d liked what she¡¯d said.


    He reached out an arm.


    Livia stared at him, not trusting the gesture. It was late, and she was exhausted. She should go home.


    ¡°Come here, Liv,¡± he urged.


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I want to hug you.¡±


    ¡°Only hug me?¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Yes. How does that sound?¡±


    Still studying his expression, she eased into his arms. He wrapped her tight in his embrace. He whispered against her hair, ¡°I¡¯m sorry life wasn¡¯t better, but I admire the goodness I see in you.¡±


    The compliment took her by surprise, lowered her defenses, and softened how she held herself in his arms. Livia closed her eyes and relaxed into the delicious sensation of security that enveloped her.


    ****


    A couple of days later, Livia parked outside Corvin¡¯s place to drop off the baking pan he¡¯d let her borrow. She had surprised her friends with a cake when their studying days had ended, and finals began. Returning the pan was the last thing on Livia¡¯s list before she drove back to Caesarea. Livia completed her anatomy final this morning. Today, she planned to drive back to Caesarea to spend extra time with Hyrum.


    It would be a relief to escape her empty apartment. Her roommate, Whitney, moved back home when classes ended. She wanted to spend more time with her siblings, who had flown in for the holiday season. Livia hadn¡¯t seen or heard from her in five days. It was part of the reason she had hustled so hard to complete her finals. She didn¡¯t want to be alone in the apartment anymore.


    Cradling the baking pan under her arm, Livia approached Corvin¡¯s door. She wanted to see him but considered leaving the pan on the doorstep without ringing the bell. She could text him to let him know the pan was there. There had been tension between them the last few days. Corvin still wanted her to wait to leave after he finished his last final on Friday. Livia couldn¡¯t stand another two days of complete solitude in her apartment.


    Before she could make her decision, the door opened. Corvin stood there, hair mussed and clothes askew. Livia wondered if he¡¯d recently woken up.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll let you get back to¡­resting¡ª¡±


    ¡°I just finished my last paper. I¡¯d appreciate the opportunity to take a break,¡± he said. ¡°You returning the pan?¡±


    Livia held it out to him. He refused to take it. Instead, he took a step back and gestured her inside. ¡°Will you put it on the counter in the kitchen?¡±


    It absolutely was one of those psychological tricks. Invite a person inside. Convince them to stay a little longer. Until it¡¯s too late in the day to make the drive home¡ªLivia saw it clearly. Livia also found the idea of staying tempting. Being alone all week had made her desperate for company.


    She should drop the pan on the side table next to the door and say she didn¡¯t have the time to chat. She had a long drive to make. Instead, she was looking past Corvin into the kitchen. The memory of their near kiss in front of the sink weeks ago flooded her mind. She climbed the porch step and stepped inside.


    Her brain told her she was stepping right into Corvin¡¯s trap. She reassured herself that she¡¯d leave soon. She¡¯d still make the drive. ¡°You¡¯re tricking me¡ª¡± she murmured.


    Corvin shut the door behind her. ¡°Am I? Into what?¡± His tone was playful.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Is it a crime to want to spend a little time with you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not denying it,¡± Livia said. ¡°You¡¯re going to ask me to stay again.¡±


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± he said without shame.


    Annoyed, Livia walked to the kitchen and set the pan on the counter.


    ¡°Can I take your coat?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not taking it off,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Can I get you some water?¡± he offered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty.¡±


    ¡°What about a hug? Are hugs forbidden, too?¡± he asked.


    Livia huffed. That seemed reasonable enough. She could hug him goodbye. She stepped toward him and opened her arms. Corvin pulled her against him and then didn¡¯t release her. Instead, he held her in his arms.


    Livia needed to be held, and she didn¡¯t push him away. The cold December air still lingered on her skin. His body was warm in contrast. He smelled musty¡ªlike dusty books and paper. Livia turned her face into his neck and nuzzled into his curly hair. After a moment, Corvin drew back enough to lower his lips to hers.


    Livia only half-yielded, hesitating. She could feel the heat of his lips against hers, and she didn¡¯t want to resist or push him away. The fact they wanted different things didn¡¯t make his kiss feel any less good. That didn¡¯t change the fact they wanted different things.


    Corvin eased away, meeting her gaze. ¡°Is kissing too much, Liv?¡±


    Livia bit her lip, admitting, pained. ¡°I like it so much.¡±


    Corvin lowered his head again.


    Livia shied away, panicked. ¡°I¡¯m not agreeing to stay¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Corvin whispered. ¡°This kiss is not an agreement. It¡¯s just nice. I like you. I¡¯ve missed you.¡±


    Livia swallowed, trying to relax. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too.¡±


    Corvin tested a kiss on her cheek first before he tried again. When Livia didn¡¯t pull away, he whispered his lips over hers. The touch of his lips seared through her. Livia held his bottom lip between her teeth to blunt the sensation. Corvin pressed his hand into her hair and drew his chin down to escape. Then nibbled her bottom lip in return. Livia¡¯s eyes slid close as everything else disappeared.


    Corvin kissed her carefully, switching between gentle teeth nibbles and brushes of his lips. Livia responded tenderly, letting herself be drawn into the sweet moment. Livia didn¡¯t know how long they kissed, but she pulled away the moment it wasn¡¯t pleasant anymore.


    ¡°I¡ªI need to go,¡± she said brusquely, pulling away.


    ¡°Hold on, hold on.¡± Corvin, to his credit, didn¡¯t physically prevent her from stepping away. Instead, he held his hands out between them in a pleading gesture. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­time is up.¡±


    ¡°Was it nice? Was it good?¡± he asked.


    Livia lowered her eyes. ¡°For a long while¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then it wasn¡¯t. So you pulled away,¡± he clarified.


    Livia nodded.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Corvin accepted that without any drama. ¡°But Liv, Hun, I¡¯d love to drive home together.¡±


    ¡°Did you think kissing me would change my mind?¡± Livia asked, defiant. She recognized assuming the worst intentions of Corvin was unfair. Those assumptions came from a place of mistrust that Corvin simply hadn¡¯t earned. However, Corvin wasn¡¯t some magical being that always had pure intentions and zero self-interested motives. She never figured out how to manage that gap with Arik. He¡¯d call her out on not trusting him and¡ª


    ¡°Can we keep our kissing and our disagreements separate, Hun?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia blinked in shock. She¡¯d been preparing to defend herself from angry accusations. She didn¡¯t expect calm questioning. ¡°Is that possible?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like it to be. I didn¡¯t kiss you to keep you here. I kissed you because it was enjoyable.¡±


    At that moment, Livia¡¯s perspective shifted. Corvin might have tricked her into coming inside to kiss her, not trick her into staying. He might have even thought that was what she was implying earlier. He thought she was flirting and not accusing him of being controlling. Livia lifted her eyes to his, feeling less suspicious and less defensive.


    Livia mirrored Corvin¡¯s tone and calm demeanor. ¡°Corvin, I drove to Cornelia alone, and I was fine. I don¡¯t need to drive with you.¡±


    Corvin nodded. ¡°I know, but the weather is different this time of year and¡ª


    Livia gestured to the windows. ¡°The weather is fine. The roads are dry.¡±


    Corvin took a deep breath. The confusing thing about that was that Livia didn¡¯t think he was doing it to hide his anger. Instead, he hid fear, even though his tone didn¡¯t betray any. ¡°I¡¯m still worried about the possibility of black ice.¡±


    Livia reassured him. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    ¡°Accidents happen even when people are careful,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°I¡¯m tough. I¡¯m Taurus,¡± she said.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make you immortal,¡± Corvin argued.


    Livia pursed her lips together. She¡¯d never thought Corvin was anxious, but he had campaigned against her plan since she told him about it. He wanted her to wait and drive with him. Corvin had even offered to let her live with him and Terrance for two days. Livia wasn¡¯t comfortable with that and told him she was going home.


    ¡°I¡¯m going home, Corvin,¡± she insisted the same way she had the last time they had this conversation.


    ¡°You can stay here with Terrance and me¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Livia said bluntly.


    Corvin¡¯s lips tightened together, and the light left his eyes. Livia didn¡¯t want to hurt him but wanted to go home. Hyrum was trying to put on a brave face, but his recent negotiations with the Senate had brought out his cynical side. Caecilia was emotionally and physically exhausted from being pregnant. Livia had grown up with a lot of poor girls with older brothers. She considered the fact that Hyrum had held steady for her over the years, refusing to turn to crime, drug addiction, or suicide as a way out of their situation, as a personal miracle. That wasn¡¯t something she ever took for granted. If Hyrum needed support, he¡¯d earned the right to have her there. She had finished her responsibilities here. She wouldn¡¯t put off helping Hyrum for two days to lounge around Corvin¡¯s house.


    ¡°Corvin, look, Hyrum¡¯s negotiating with the Senate right now. Caecilia is pregnant and sick. I¡ªI need to be there for them right now.¡±


    Corvin looked concerned. ¡°Is everything alright, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Currently.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re worried about Hyrum?¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t expect to get emotional, but she couldn¡¯t maintain the even tone that Corvin always managed. ¡°He¡¯s had to be strong, Corvin. For our entire lives and¡­I want to be there for him right now.¡±


    ¡°So, I haven¡¯t done anything¡­.¡± Corvin trailed off.


    ¡°What?¡± Livia hadn¡¯t even considered that Corvin would blame himself for her leaving early. Like he¡¯d done something wrong. ¡°No! We¡¯re fine if you let me go the way I want. That¡¯s all I need, Corvin.¡±


    Corvin swallowed, muscles in his neck tight, before he answered, ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡±


    ¡°Corvin!¡± Livia laughed. ¡°We¡¯ll see each other in two days.¡±


    ¡°Call me halfway and when you get there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll text you halfway and call when I get there.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Livia walked out of Corvin¡¯s house, knowing she¡¯d won their argument, but it didn¡¯t feel like victory. It made Livia nervous. Was this going to be how Corvin always acted? Was he going to worry and fret over her every time they were apart? She was an independent person. Part of the reason she insisted on driving alone was to force Corvin into accepting that.

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea: Chapter 2

    Livia turned the key in the ignition and started her long drive home. The weather was the best it was going to get this time of year. She did drive past the remnants of an accident from hours before. She took a deep breath and drove more carefully than she would usually have, keeping Corvin''s warnings in mind. He did know these roads better than her.


    Relieved to arrive at the rest stop, Livia purchased a soda from a vending machine and used the bathroom. She sat on a bench and ate the peanut butter and honey sandwich she¡¯d packed for lunch. She took out her phone and texted Corvin.


    Livia: Made it halfway. Eating Lunch.


    Corvin: Any problems?


    Livia hesitated and didn¡¯t mention the accident she¡¯d passed. Nope.


    Corvin: Excellent. You¡¯re close enough to Caesarea now that Justin could send some TARP personnel out to help if you run into trouble. I¡¯ll let him know you¡¯re about two hours out.


    Livia: Corvin that¡¯s overkill.


    Corvin: Phone reception is nonexistent starting about a half-hour after you leave the rest stop until you¡¯re 10 miles out of Caesarea


    Livia didn¡¯t like how nervous that made her. She was also offended that this is how Corvin saw her, as someone who couldn¡¯t do things on her own without him interfering. She wasn¡¯t weak or incompetent.


    Livia: Stop it! Stop worrying about me!


    Livia turned the phone off before he could answer. It wasn¡¯t going to work most of the way anyway. She hopped into her car and told herself that Justin knew she was coming. There was no reason to be anxious, but she resented that an ordinary drive now had turned frightening to her.


    Livia pulled up to Hyrum''s house two and a half hours later. Thirty minutes later than usual, due to being more careful than normal. She turned on her phone.


    Corvin had texted a few times.


    Corvin: It¡¯s my job to worry about you. Who else is here to do it?


    Corvin: Liv, you mad at me?


    Corvin: Fine. Be mad. Let me know when you arrive home.


    She also had a text from Justin. Send me a text when you get in, Livia.


    She called Justin. He picked up immediately. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± she yelled at him.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m in front of Hyrum''s house,¡± she growled. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Alright, call Corvin and let him hear your voice. He¡¯s worried.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to call him. He¡¯s been a pain for the last two days.¡±


    ¡°Livia, please, be patient with him over this.¡±


    ¡°Also,¡± Livia challenged. ¡°Did I see TARP people trailing me?¡±


    ¡°December through March TARP agents patrol that highway daily, Livia. Everyone in Caesarea knows that it¡¯s a precarious and isolated stretch of road. I¡¯m proud of Corvin for restraining himself. In the past, he would have dropped everything and driven you there and then back on the same day to finish his finals.¡±


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    ¡°What?¡± Livia sputtered, flabbergasted.


    ¡°Livia, I¡¯m proud of you for showing him that you value your independence, but please show him the same compassion that you¡¯d want when facing your fears.¡±


    Livia swallowed hard, feeling like she was being scolded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± Justin asked firmly, obviously a tad impatient with her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia repeated. She¡¯d gotten this decision wrong somehow. Shame warmed her cheeks.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m here if you need anything else. Please, don¡¯t hesitate to call.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Justin,¡± Livia said.


    Livia took a deep breath and called Corvin.


    ¡°Liv?¡± he sounded panicked.


    ¡°Corvin?¡± Livia wasn¡¯t sure what to say to him. She felt guilty but didn¡¯t understand what she¡¯d done. She¡¯d tried so hard the last several years to subdue her temper and process her traumas so she didn¡¯t overreact to the slightest trigger. She¡¯d felt so confident that she was doing the right thing by taking care of herself and driving out here alone. Now¡­well¡­she was discouraged that after so much work she could get something so basic, so wrong.


    ¡°Liv, where are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m at Hyrum''s house.¡±


    ¡°Is everything alright? You sound upset.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to be mean to you, Corvin,¡± she said.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Livia admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I did wrong. Justin seemed mad at me and said I wasn¡¯t understanding enough.¡± Livia hated how weak her voice sounded. She pressed a fist to her forehead, feeling like a screw-up.


    ¡°What did you say to Justin?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°That you were annoying about me driving out here and that I thought I saw TARP people trailing me.¡±


    ¡°They were probably on patrol,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°That¡¯s what he said and that I needed to be more compassionate¡ª¡± Livia let the confusion seep into her voice.


    ¡°Livia, Hun, my fiancee was murdered walking home with my sister one night after a festival¡ª¡± Corvin said.


    Livia gasped. ¡°It wasn¡¯t an accident?¡±


    ¡°No. It was a brutal attack.¡±


    ¡°What happened to your sister?¡±


    ¡°Epiphany spent some time in the hospital, and it was an extremely rough emotional recovery.¡±


    ¡°Corvin, I didn¡¯t know any of that¡ª¡± Livia said, horrified. She noted he chose not to describe Epiphany¡¯s injuries, and a knot formed in her stomach. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°I wish I hadn¡¯t felt terrified to let you make that drive, but I¡¯ve patrolled that stretch of highway in the winter. I¡¯ve helped rescue crews pull people out of wrecks. Not all of them still alive¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± All the breath left Livia¡¯s lungs. Had she been too impatient? Had she made a mistake? It was possible. However, many things, experiences that affected Corvin before she came along, weren¡¯t her fault. She understood what Justin meant now about being proud of Corvin. In context, Corvin had shown a tremendous amount of restraint.


    ¡°Corvin, I¡¯m safe. I¡¯m okay,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe. Have you seen Hyrum and Caecilia yet?¡±


    ¡°No. I called Justin the second I got here and then called you.¡±


    ¡°Well, get some rest, and if you¡¯re in the mood, call and give me an update about the family after you¡¯ve spent some time with them.¡±


    Corvin''s voice was light and friendly, but Livia could still hear the strain in it. It probably hadn¡¯t been easy to tell her those things. It would be good to let him decompress from the last several hours.


    ¡°Thanks, Corvin,¡± Livia kept her tone light and friendly, too. ¡°Talk to you later.¡±


    Livia heaved a sigh and ended the call. She didn¡¯t get out of her car immediately. She evaluated the situation. What was she supposed to have done? Was there any use in asking that question at this point? She made the decision. There wasn¡¯t any way to change it now. She could only consider how she would decide differently in the future.


    Livia got out of the car and trudged up to the house. She knocked and then tried to walk in. The door didn¡¯t open. She knocked again. Rang the doorbell. There was no answer. Livia was locked out of the house. She had forgotten to tell Hyrum she was coming. She assumed they¡¯d be here when she arrived.


    Embarrassed, Livia took a deep breath and tried to figure out the best next step. She called Caecilia and didn¡¯t get an answer. She tried Hyrum and got a similar result. Livia had a couple of options. She could hang around the forum for a couple of hours, ask Justin for help, or she could show up at Hyrum''s work and volunteer to help somehow.


    She didn¡¯t want to go to the forum. Crowded with people, walking the forum was always asking for gossip. Justin already scolded her today. She didn¡¯t want to repeat the experience. She¡¯d come home early to help Hyrum, so why not get started right away?

 Book 2 Citizen of Caesarea: Chapter 3

    Livia got back in her car and made the fifteen-minute drive to Hyrum¡¯s work. The cabin that housed the offices for the Department of Public Agriculture was tiny and old. Livia had helped Hyrum build an addition on the side last summer to make it more functional. They had also replaced the entire bathroom from top to bottom together, but the place still needed a lot of work.


    To her surprise, when she arrived all the parking was full. More cars had even pulled off into the grass. With no other option, Livia pulled into the grass too. When Livia entered the cabin, it swarmed with people¡ªhalf of them official-looking adults, and the other half looked like a group of school kids. Hyrum looked like he might start yelling at both groups at any moment. She considered it a serendipitous arrival and didn¡¯t hesitate to walk up to her brother.


    ¡°What can I do, Hyrum?¡±


    ¡°Liv! What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m done with finals. Surprise! What are these kids doing here?¡±


    Hyrum ran his hand over the top of his head. ¡°My partner, Alivinus, called out sick today. He planned to deal with the Senate committee, and I planned to give a tour to the school kids¡ª¡±


    Livia grinned a bit.    was one of Hyrum¡¯s favorite maxims. It seemed to be good advice here.


    Livia offered, ¡°You deal with the Senate committee, and I¡¯ll take the kids over to the hives and give them a spiel. No big deal.¡±


    The relief was clear on Hyrum¡¯s face. ¡°I owe you, Liv. Big time.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s what family is for,¡± Livia patted his arm and stepped in front of the school kids. She waved her arms over her head. ¡°Hey! Guess what I know that you don¡¯t know?¡±


    The kids quieted.


    Livia whispered dramatically, ¡°Everything about bees. Let¡¯s hike over to the beehives, and I will answer every question you can think of¡ª¡±


    After 30 minutes of being in the cold, the kids weren¡¯t interested in bee facts anymore. Livia had answered all their questions and showed them some of the basics of beekeeping, so she considered it a win. She marched them back to the office.


    Hyrum had things settled down in there. The Senate committee was sitting and reading from file folders. Hyrum came to her when they trooped back in. ¡°I need to show the kids the greenhouses. The plan was to give them hot cider when they got back, but I didn¡¯t get here early enough¡­.¡±


    ¡°Go,¡± Livia pushed him. ¡°I can mix up a batch¡ª¡±


    Livia slipped into the full industrial kitchen Hyrum had installed in the addition they¡¯d built that summer. She surveyed the situation. Hyrum had abandoned the cider ingredients on the counter beside the stove top. The senators had interrupted him in the middle of making the cider. Livia finished up the recipe and put it on the stove to boil. She cleaned up the mess in the kitchen and set up the serving center, placing dozens of paper cups in straight rows. Then she went and stirred the cider. The warm aroma was starting to fill the kitchen and waft out into the office. Livia prepared a tray with the nicer cups from the cupboard and surprised the Senate committee with hot drinks.


    They were grateful and mentioned how cold it was in the office. Livia hadn¡¯t noticed the chill, but she was Taurus, so she wasn¡¯t surprised. She knew there were a couple of space heaters in here. She searched and found them in the utility closet. She set them out and plugged them in, directing the heat vents toward the Senators.


    She stood up straight. ¡°Is there anything else I can help you with?¡±


    They waved her away, but she frowned. All the window shades were closed. The room was dark, and the view of the public lands was hidden. She remembered how bright and open this room felt when all the windows were open in the summer. The Senators had dismissed her, but she went through the room and lifted all the shades so they could read by natural light and enjoy the view.


    Then she opened the partition between the office and the kitchen. Now, the kids could have space in the kitchen instead of crowding the Senators. She moved some of the tables around so that crowd control would be easier. She peered out one of the windows and noticed Hyrum was on his way back with the kids. So she started filling paper cups with hot cider.


    When Hyrum returned, he praised her. ¡°Thank you, Liv, this is perfect. I forgot about heating the place. I¡¯m going to get another heater for the kitchen area. The kids are cold.¡±


    Livia kept the kids in the kitchen and handed out hot cider as Hyrum set the heater on high. Hyrum retreated to speak to the teacher. ¡°I am so sorry¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, no, they¡¯re happy and the cider is very good. We learned so much about bees, and those new greenhouses are exciting. It was almost like summer again to be inside.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so grateful Livia showed up. She knows so much about animals¡ª¡±


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    The teacher agreed. ¡°She was quite knowledgeable, yes. She said you all were responsible for hives since she was small.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my mother learned the art of beekeeping here in Caesarea on those hives Livia showed you. Later, she used that knowledge to start a small business.¡±


    ¡°Amazing how things come full circle,¡± the teacher smiled.


    ¡°Raising up the next generation and all that¡ª¡± Hyrum said. ¡°But I am hoping to improve so many things¡ª¡±


    Livia watched as the Senators lifted their heads and listened to Hyrum speak about his plans without reservation. Livia doubted he¡¯d be as open with them as he was with this teacher.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll have to come back in the spring,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°I want to expand the tour to include the vegetable gardens and orchards. And we¡¯ll have some hens and chicks by then. I¡¯ll try to get some of the local farmers to display some baby goats and sheep at the same time. We¡¯ll even send you home with some peas to plant.¡±


    The teacher was thrilled. ¡°Wonderful! It¡¯s so hard to find educational programs that appeal to all children. Most educational experiences focus on the aptitudes of Lupus house. I hope we can come back. I didn¡¯t know that beekeeping could be so complex. Since the educational board approved your internship programs in agricultural and apiary science, the kids need to visit. Then they can be familiar with the place and make informed decisions later on. You¡¯re going to do a world of good here, Hyrum.¡±


    ¡°Fresh air and hard work do everyone a world of good,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°So does knowing the practical realities of providing for yourself. I hope we can prepare people to do that here.¡±


    The teacher gathered up the kids shortly after that and loaded them onto a small bus parked at the backside of the cabin. Livia cleaned up the place while Hyrum saw the children off. Hyrum returned.


    ¡°Liv, you saved me,¡± he said, overwhelmed. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Glad I was here.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you,¡± he said.


    ¡°I got so busy with finals I forgot to call.¡±


    ¡°Did you drive all morning?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and when I got here, the house was locked.¡±


    Hyrum pulled his keys from his pocket. He removed his house key and pressed it into her palm. ¡°Go home and rest.¡±


    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t need¡­¡± Livia gestured to the Senators. ¡°Someone to take care of the cleanup?¡±


    ¡°No. Thank you, Liv. I can take care of it. The rest of the afternoon should be slow.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s ?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°She went to visit her sister. Get away from the stress for a while. She¡¯ll be back for dinner.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°Will you be back by then?¡±


    Hyrum often worked late into the evening. ¡°Yes. Today, I¡¯ll be home for dinner.¡±


    ¡°See you then,¡± Livia said.


    She returned to her car and then drove back to Hyrum¡¯s house. She opened the door with the key and sighed in relief. She rolled her suitcase through the door and locked the door behind her. Hyrum lived in a small three-bedroom house that he¡¯d inherited from Quinn. The downstairs had a living area, a bathroom, and a den. The upstairs had two bedrooms and a master suite. Livia opened the door where she usually stayed and froze.


    A crib stood in the corner of the room. The twin bed she slept in was still in the corner. The dresser and trunk she used to store her things were still in the room, but they¡¯d been moved only to take up half the room. Livia swallowed down the emotions that slammed through her. She pulled her suitcase into the room and sat down on the bed as reality hit her. After the baby came where was she going to stay in Caesarea?


    She needed to find her own place for the next summer. That meant staying at Cornelia or finding roommates here. Livia quelled her alarm, but that was a huge change.


    Change is the only thing in life you can depend on.


    For the first time in a long time, Livia¡¯s favorite maxim did nothing to comfort her. She didn¡¯t like it. She wanted to talk things out with someone. She decided to call Corvin to give him an update. Even if he were still upset with her, it¡¯d be a distraction.


    Corvin answered right away. ¡°Liv, how are Hyrum and Caecilia?¡±


    ¡°I went to help Hyrum out at work. It was complete chaos. There was a school bus full of kids there and a Senate committee.¡±


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°He was there alone. Can you believe that? His partner called in sick that morning.¡±


    ¡°So what did you do?¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°I took the kids over to the hives and taught them how to take care of the bees. Then I went back in and made hot cider while I heated the place for the senators.¡±


    ¡°The place wasn¡¯t heated?¡± Corvin asked, surprised.


    ¡°Hyrum and I didn¡¯t notice until the senators said something¡ª¡±


    Corvin chuckled. ¡°Taurus.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, so then after we took care of the kids and sent them off, Hyrum sent me home.¡±


    ¡°What a wild day, Liv,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°There¡¯s a crib here in the room where I stay.¡± Livia¡¯s voice quavered.


    ¡°Do you have a spot to sleep?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°My stuff is still here. I guess the bed, not my bed,¡± Livia corrected. She smoothed out a crinkle in the coverlet.


    ¡°You feel like you don¡¯t have a spot there anymore, Liv?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t for long. This might be the last time I stay in Hyrum¡¯s house.¡± Livia paced in the small room, distressed at the appearance of a problem she hadn¡¯t considered. She didn¡¯t react well to stressful surprises.


    ¡°That¡¯s hard,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Tell me what you¡¯re thinking about your options.¡±


    ¡°Do I stay at Cornelia? I didn¡¯t think about this. I didn¡¯t plan to pay for summer housing. I¡¯m going to need a job.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find something,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little relieved about that part¡ª¡±


    ¡°Which part?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Hyrum said I should do the first semester without a job to adjust and cause¡­it might be the only time I ever had the luxury. I don¡¯t like it, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Not having a job?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, I hate not having a job. It was fun the first four weeks, and since then¡­.¡± Livia didn¡¯t know how to describe it.


    The past semester had been the only time Livia hadn¡¯t held down a job of some sort. She had thought about spending time over the next four weeks of winter break finding a part-time job on campus for the next semester. She wanted to work again. She didn¡¯t like living off her savings. It made her count every cent she spent with an unhealthy amount of obsession.


    During finals week, she started having a recurring dream about adding up a ledger only to find she¡¯d overspent by hundreds of dollars. Then she¡¯d wake up in the middle of a panic attack. Livia put a hand over her heart, remembering.


    ¡°You anxious about it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia said. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll be there tomorrow, and we¡¯ll figure it out. There are a lot of temporary jobs in Caesarea this time of year. There is a job board on Tabula. Check there first.¡±


    Livia was skeptical of the warm encouragement in Corvin¡¯s voice. They had cleared up the whole misunderstanding around Bella¡¯s job. She¡¯d believed for so long that he didn¡¯t support women working that it was hard to figure out where he really stood on the matter.


    ¡°I¡¯ll check. Thanks, Corvin.¡±

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea: Chapter 4

    The exterior of the Basilica Sempronia was not as beautiful as the temple Venus Genetrix next to it. The temple had morphed into a sort of veteran¡¯s memorial. Originally, it had honored the first founders of Caesarea¡ªall European refugees from World War Two. Many of the men and women had fought in a battle or survived one. There was a recent memorial to recognize the Taurus House Patricians lost in ¡®The Succession Conflict.¡¯ Livia didn¡¯t appreciate the Cesareans trying to pretend it hadn¡¯t been a Civil War that involved all the Houses. Blaming the 565 Taurus deaths on Taurus aggression was only 80% accurate. Blaming the dead ones, who couldn¡¯t speak for themselves, was a tactic to avoid admitting responsibility. The whole thing made her sad and angry.


    The temple interior was a quiet place people went to mourn those lost or maimed in combat. It wasn¡¯t only the stillness and quiet inside that unsettled Livia while visiting. It was the lack of accountability. She¡¯d visited twice and planned never to return. She wouldn¡¯t support partial truths.


    Livia focused her gaze on the basilica in front of her, equally unsettling but the opposite of quiet. The place bustled with people going in and out. Perhaps that would be to her benefit today? Livia stood at the bottom of the stairs, mentally preparing herself to press through the crowds. People coming down the stairs passed her with respectful glances, but no one stopped to speak with her. She lifted her foot to ascend the steps when someone spoke to her.


    ¡°Good Morning, Livia.¡±


    Livia turned and found Lars and Alia on her left. ¡°Oh, hello.¡±


    Alia cleared her throat and tilted her chin side to side while she eyed the crowd around them.


    Livia inhaled and lifted her chin, cheeks flushing with heat. ¡°Lars, Alia, good morning.¡±


    Alia smiled as if she were proud of Livia and lifted her chin to say, ¡°How nice to run into you here.¡±


    ¡°We can talk to each other now?¡± Livia whispered.


    Lars laughed. ¡°We¡¯re meeting Corvin here.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Livia grinned. The idea of getting to see him in person made her happy. ¡°He arrived late last night, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lars answered.


    ¡°Is he already inside?¡± Livia asked, looking toward the entrance.


    Lars opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted.


    ¡°Livia, Alia, Father,¡± Corvin drawled, gesturing with his chin. ¡°My favorite people all in one place.¡±


    Livia turned to find Corvin on her right. She lifted her chin to him, welcoming his presence. ¡°Corvin.¡±


    He winked. ¡°Look at you being so polite.¡±


    Livia tried to smother a laugh and failed. It ruined the effect of being polite, but she didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Where are you headed, Livia?¡± Corvin asked, stepping in close to her now.


    ¡°Gaius wants to see me,¡± she answered.


    ¡°May we walk together?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia answered. She gave Corvin the side-eye. Sometimes he was so oddly formal. She wondered if all those months she¡¯d considered him distant and uncaring, she¡¯d misunderstood his character. Maybe he appeared that way because he¡¯d been raised patrician.


    ¡°What?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Corvin curled his hand around hers, giving her a tentative look. ¡°May we?¡±


    Livia laughed again. ¡°Are you asking permission to hold my hand, Corvin?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± he said as if that were normal.


    Livia answered by nestling her hand more securely in his and giving a light squeeze. Her heart raced in her chest, but a sense of reassurance settled over her shoulders. She closed her eyes as the physical connection sent a rush of relief through her. It was evidence that he wasn¡¯t still angry with her over the drive.


    Corvin started up the stairs with Livia. Lars and Alia trailed after. Alia had taken Lars¡¯ elbow and supported him as he walked. He minced as if he experienced some sort of pain.


    Livia hesitated. Corvin paused with her.


    ¡°Do you need help?¡± she asked the Paterfamilias.


    Lars looked up, surprised. ¡°I¡¯m well. Thank you.¡±


    Livia turned forward again, confused.


    Corvin leaned in and spoke into her ear. ¡°He has a bad knee.¡±


    She nodded and kept her pace leisurely. Corvin smiled at her.


    ¡°Liv, how has the job search gone?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No luck yet,¡± she said. She had applied for one or two jobs but hadn¡¯t heard anything back.


    Corvin nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find something. Did you get your grades back?¡±


    ¡°I passed all my classes,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Congratulations, tonight we can celebrate together¡­.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be fun,¡± Livia agreed. ¡°When and where?¡±


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    ¡°Come over to my townhouse at five. We¡¯ll see what we¡¯re in the mood for.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the address,¡± Livia said, hesitant to agree to such vague plans.


    ¡°I¡¯ll text it to you,¡± he said.


    They¡¯d reached the top of the stairs now. Lars paused at the top and took a deep breath before he continued.


    Livia tugged Corvin close, speaking into his ear. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he take the elevator from the basement?¡±


    ¡°He does when the pain is too bad,¡± Corvin whispered.


    Livia should have eased away from Corvin, but instead, she lingered, inhaling the lavender and lemon scent clinging to him.


    ¡°I missed you too,¡± he teased.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I missed you,¡± Livia said to ward off embarrassment over her transparency.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t have to.¡± He smiled. ¡°It¡¯s on your face.¡±


    Livia tugged his hand so they weren¡¯t standing at the top of the stairs blocking traffic. They entered the loud, bustling basilica. They dodged and were dodged until they reached the elevators that led up to the House offices.


    The traffic thinned out on this side of the building. People bustled up and down the central staircase that led to the second-floor courtrooms and offices. Most visitors usually didn¡¯t come up to the House offices until the late afternoon when they had public hours. The mornings were reserved for private appointments and small council meetings.


    When the elevator doors closed on the four of them, Livia sneaked a glance at Corvin. The back of her neck heated as she remembered the last time they were in an elevator. Corvin met her gaze, appearing impassive as ever, and she looked away. Although he still held her hand, his cool demeanor made her wonder if she¡¯d imagined it all. The kisses, the intimate conversations.


    Livia looked down at her feet as a wave of discomfort passed through her¡ªa sense of losing him. It was hard to endure the heaviness that slid into her stomach. She pulled her hand from his, and the sensation eased but didn¡¯t disappear.


    When they exited the elevator, Corvin gestured her over to the side. He spoke to his father and Alia, ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to Liv for a moment. I¡¯ll catch up in five.¡±


    Alia and Lars offered them farewells and disappeared down the hall. Livia gave Corvin a questioning glance; the heaviness in her belly transformed into a flutter of nerves. What had he held her back for?


    He got straight to the point. ¡°Are you still mad at me?¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°Am I acting mad?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s head tipped to the side. ¡°Not particularly. That doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not still upset.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The drive to Caesarea,¡± he said.


    Livia met his eyes, uncertain. ¡°Are you bringing it up so you can scold me over it?¡±


    He shook his head and spoke gently. ¡°No, Fabulous. I¡¯m only glad you are safe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad as much as I am¡­troubled. Justin said¡­he said you would have driven me home and back.¡± Livia¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have done that, right?¡±


    ¡°If the situation required, I would have. To keep you safe,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia inhaled. ¡°But that¡¯s so¡­Corvin¡­you realize that¡¯s extreme?¡±


    His head tilted to the side. His voice remained calm, but there was still a challenge in it. ¡°Is it?¡±


    Livia was immediately flustered. She didn¡¯t like that, and she didn¡¯t like how Corvin¡¯s helpfulness felt threatening. ¡°I am completely capable of taking care of myself. You don¡¯t need to offer help¡ª¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t offer, Livia,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°You offered to let me stay with you and Terrance,¡± Livia hissed.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Did that offend you? Were you worried it¡¯d be inappropriate?¡±


    ¡°Would you have been offended if I hadn¡¯t wanted to be inappropriate?¡± Livia challenged.


    ¡°No. By inappropriate do you mean intimate? Because I want to start by rejecting using inappropriate as a euphemism for that. If I wanted to be intimate, I would have asked to be intimate.¡±


    Livia looked around the foyer, afraid to find people listening. ¡°Can we not have this conversation in public? And the reason I¡¯m upset has nothing to do with that!¡±


    ¡°Why were you so upset then?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not helpless!¡± she snapped.


    Corvin¡¯s expression turned confused. ¡°I know that.¡±


    Livia knew that she needed to redirect this conversation. She was close to letting anger get the better of her, and that wouldn¡¯t solve anything. She opened her mouth to argue. Then she clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and visibly stopped herself. Part of her was proud of herself. She¡¯d never been able to hold back that way with Arik. She had grown.


    Corvin watched her as she struggled.


    ¡°I¡ª¡± she said moments later, trying to find the words. ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologize for driving myself.¡±


    Livia¡¯s only clue to Corvin¡¯s emotion was an audible inhale and exhale. Livia found herself swallowing convulsively to work up the courage to say the next part. She¡¯d done the part where she stood up for herself, but she didn¡¯t think it was fair to dismiss his fears completely. She was grateful that Corvin hadn¡¯t jumped in to defend himself the way Arik would have. Indeed, he was being patient in the way he waited for her to speak.


    ¡°B¡ªbut I don¡¯t think I realized how much it would scare you. So, maybe we need to do better next time? Somehow?¡± she offered.


    He looked surprised, and she could sense something rigid in his posture relax. ¡°In the winter, Liv, we¡¯ll drive together from now on,¡± he said.


    ¡°Only in the winter?¡± she asked, eyes narrowed. She didn¡¯t love that, but he wasn¡¯t asking for unlimited surveillance. He was asking for one season. It terrified Livia to be constrained by his fears, but was this what compassion looked like? Compromising some independence to give a traumatized person comfort? At the very least, it was worth trying, and she didn¡¯t find it unreasonable. Sometimes, hiking trails were too isolated and dangerous to do alone, especially during certain seasons of the year.


    ¡°That¡¯s when it is most dangerous,¡± he said as if reading her thoughts.


    ¡°In the winter,¡± she conceded. ¡°For you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Liv,¡± he said, smiling a bit. ¡°I know I¡¯ve been irritating.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you have,¡± she agreed. ¡°But there are things about me that will be irritating.¡±


    ¡°Relax, Hun,¡± Corvin said, his smile coming easily now. He grazed her clenched fists with his fingertips.


    Livia released her hands, surprised that when she released them, they were trembling. Corvin noticed and intertwined his fingers with hers. The touch was physically steadying, but it made her stomach twist with nerves. Livia was torn between accepting the support and pushing him away.


    ¡°You okay?¡± he asked, studying her.


    Livia nodded.


    Corvin took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to your House office. Then we¡¯ll see each other tonight.¡±


    Livia¡¯s heart dropped to her toes as she imagined an intimate night alone with no way to hide or distract him from how much anxiety she could experience over physical closeness. If holding his hands made her this anxious, how was she going to react when he asked for more? She swallowed. What if he decided she was broken and left her?


    Oh goodness, Livia, stop being so afraid of every little thing. Get over it.


    ¡°Alright, Corvin,¡± she agreed.


    He hesitated, almost as if he sensed her resignation. ¡°Do you have any opinions on what you¡¯d like to do tonight?¡±


    Livia looked at him in surprise as another vision came into her head. ¡°I¡¯d like something fun¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s fun to you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Games¡ªwith friends,¡± she said.


    ¡°Board games?¡± he asked.


    Livia blinked. ¡°No. Outdoor games¡­like steal the flag or sardines¡­.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Kickball or Four Square?¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°Four Square is a little too grade school, but kickball would be interesting.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see if any of the TARP crew is up for a game,¡± Corvin grinned, excited.


    ¡°Really? I¡¯ve missed them,¡± she said. ¡°That would be so great. Thank you, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure,¡± he said easily. ¡°I¡¯m excited to see them too. It¡¯s been too long. Even better, there will be no work stress when we catch up. Great idea, Liv.¡±


    Their eyes met, and a connection zinged through the air between them¡ªexcitement and anticipation. It was a moment that lightened Livia¡¯s heart and the weight of fear evaporated.


    ¡°Thanks for being up for something different,¡± Livia said with a genuine smile.


    ¡°Nah, I love spending time outdoors,¡± he said. ¡°Even if it¡¯s a tad cold.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin walked her to Taurus¡¯ House office and then walked on down the hallway and ducked into Lupus¡¯ House office. Livia didn¡¯t take her eyes off him until he disappeared.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 5

    Livia greeted the Taurus house receptionist, a woman from Lupus house that Lars had recommended to Gaius. Livia had always found her extremely helpful and professional and this time was no different.


    She greeted Livia with a smile. ¡°How are you, Miss Fabius?¡±


    Livia smiled back. ¡°I¡¯m well. How are you Tabitha?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also well.¡± She gestured smoothly with her hand. ¡°Gaius said to send you right in so don¡¯t keep him waiting.¡±


    Livia nodded. She felt strange just opening the closed door to his office so she knocked lightly.


    ¡°Is Livia here?¡± he called.


    Livia opened the door. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    He stood to greet her. ¡°How did finals go?¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°I passed all my classes.¡±


    ¡°Excellent, now you still wish to write up papers with Corvin?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gaius gestured for her to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of his office desk. Walking behind the desk, he started to explain as he sat down, "A match contract has three main parts. First, the length of the contract--how long you intend the agreement to extend. Second, the property clause determines guidelines for gifts. Third, breaches of contract, or the conditions under which you''re released from the agreement.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Livia sat forward. ¡°What about illegitimacy clauses?¡±


    Gaius sighed and steepled his fingers together. ¡°That¡¯s a common addendum. It is not required. I¡¯d really advise you to keep it as uncomplicated as possible.¡±


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s required then?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Name the length of the match period.¡± Gaius said. ¡°How much time do you think it would take you to get to know Corvin enough to consider an engagement?¡±


    ¡°A year,¡± Livia said firmly.


    Gaius wrote that down. ¡°Next, the property clause.  What monetary amount are you willing to invest in the relationship without a chance to recoup it?¡±


    ¡°Is there a standard amount?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°$1000 is fairly common.¡±


    Livia¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°What could you possibly buy someone for that much?¡±


    ¡°An iPhone,¡± Gaius lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Jewelry, concerts, expensive clothing--¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± she lifted her hands. ¡°$1000 dollars is way too much to lose. I can¡¯t afford that.¡±


    ¡°What do you feel like you could afford?¡± Gaius asked.


    ¡°$300 dollars,¡± Livia said. ¡°I mean that is reasonable. That covers a birthday, Christmas, and something small for other little holidays.¡±


    Gaius looked thoughtful. ¡°Let¡¯s see what happens¡­¡± then he wrote it down.


    He continued. ¡°The breach of contract wording isn¡¯t negotiable. The Senate standardized it. If you want to have the option to easily break up for other reasons you¡¯ll need to forego a match contract all together,¡± Gaius said.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°What are the reasons?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Infidelity, abuse, neglect, criminal behavior, and addiction to illegal substances.¡±


    ¡°Illegal,¡± Livia repeated.


    ¡°Illegal,¡± Gaius confirmed. ¡°Can¡¯t quit a match contract on someone for smoking.¡±


    ¡°Drinking?¡± Livia asked, rubbing her palms across her thighs.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Gaius said. ¡°Unless it causes the relationship to become abusive.¡±


    Livia leaned back and gripped the arms of her chair. ¡°That¡¯s pretty...restricted.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Gauis agreed. ¡°So, you may want to ponder if a year...is genuinely the length you wish to have your choices curtailed.¡±


    ¡°What is the typical length?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Six months,¡± Gaius said.


    ¡°That¡¯s hardly any time,¡± Livia said anxiously. ¡°What do you do if you¡¯re not ready to decide if you want to marry someone in that amount of time?¡±


    ¡°Well, you could decide not to sign a match contract,¡± Gaius said. ¡°Then there are  no rules. You can do what you like. You can add in an addendum that either party can end the contract at will for a certain amount of financial compensation. Then you have to pay someone to end the relationship, Livia. It¡¯s rather ridiculous.¡±


    Livia rubbed her brow, aggravated. ¡°Okay. That¡¯s...extreme.¡±


    Gaius smiled. ¡°It¡¯s possible you could get Corvin to agree to the minimum fee which is $150 dollars. But most want to be compensated for the legal and processing fees which in sum are around $2000.¡±


    ¡°Wait--what¡¯s the processing fee?¡± Livia asked, alarmed.


    ¡°I will pay all of it with house funds. It is not your concern,¡± Gaius said. ¡°However, I will not pay for an early termination of the contract. So, it must be an amount you can cover on your own.¡±


    ¡°This is all...a lot of money,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Gaius said. ¡°It¡¯s more of a way to prove your status these days than anything else.¡±


    ¡°What about children?¡± Livia asked.


    Gaius sighed and shook his head. ¡°Livia, I¡¯m two minds about this. You¡¯ll have to decide what strategy you want to pursue. If you refuse to allow an illegitimate clause, he¡¯ll, in theory, one, assume the match will be platonic and two, conduct himself in manner that doesn¡¯t risk him having an illegitimate child with no protections in place. If you allow an illegitimate clause, it opens the possibility of the relationship to produce a child but at the same time allows you to discuss opinions on serious topics that would make you incompatible upfront.¡±


    ¡°What would you do?¡± Livia asked.


    Gaius shrugged. ¡°My opinion should be obvious. Postpone the clause until the betrothal contract. Matches should not be so serious. They¡¯re about becoming acquainted, not playing at cohabitation. But I cannot make this decision for you. I am not going to have to live by the contract.¡±


    ¡°Can I have time to think about it?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I will have the House lawyers draw up what we¡¯ve decided so far. One year. $300 dollars. Correct?¡± Gaius drawled with one eyebrow raised.


    ¡°Put in the addendum for financial compensation for early termination to the contract,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°For $150 dollars?¡± Gaius asked.


    Livia nodded to confirm.


    ¡°It¡¯s not likely they¡¯ll agree to that,¡± Gaius said. ¡°Are you sure you wouldn¡¯t rather agree to six months?¡± Gaius asked.


    ¡°What if I want more time?¡± Livia asked.


    Gaius insisted, ¡°Six months is enough to know. If it is right, you¡¯ll know.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°You just do,¡± Gaius said.


    ¡°Did you know with Lauretta?¡± Livia asked.


    Gaius looked away. ¡°To be honest? I didn¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t care?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°She met all the basic requirements and agreed to marry me. I thought...I didn¡¯t need more than that.¡±


    ¡°But you did,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Obviously.¡± Gaius turned and looked Livia straight in the eyes. ¡°Livia, I hope if you¡¯re doing this it means you really like him.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Livia insisted. ¡°And that means I¡¯m going to do this right. One year. Early Termination addendum.¡±


    Gaius sighed, resigned. ¡°It will be done as you direct, Livia. What about the illegitimate clause. Shall we leave it out?¡±


    Livia hesitated. ¡°I¡¯d like to think about it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll let me know?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then make an appointment with Tabitha when you come to your conclusions,¡± Gaius said.


    Livia took that as a dismissal and left. Livia drove home, thinking deeply. She wanted other opinions besides Gaius¡¯ but she couldn¡¯t very well consult Corvin¡¯s family. That left Hyrum, who¡¯d never done a match, Justin and Flavia, who she¡¯d have to consult without Bella knowing; and the Halls?


    One thing was certain, Livia needed a job. She didn¡¯t have cash floating around so she if she was going to go through with this match thing she needed to have the funds to end the match contract in case it went south.


    Livia thought about removing the option to opt out of the contract. There was something comfortable about binding Corvin to her. The guarantee of his commitment eased deeply buried fears of being abandoned by him again. She could arrange it so that he couldn¡¯t leave her for an entire year. She reveled in that thought a moment.


    Then disgust welled up in her. Wanting to force someone to stay with her for selfish emotional reasons was wrong. Agreeing to that would make her exactly like her mother. The opt out was non-negotiable. Livia wasn¡¯t going to manipulate Corvin into a relationship even if the idea of him leaving terrified her.

 Bk2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 6 part 1

    When Livia and Corvin showed up to play kickball together that night, Valerius and Camilla gave them confused looks.


    ¡°You came together?¡± Valerius asked.


    Camilla joked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a secret agreement not to talk to each other?¡±


    Corvin and Livia exchanged a look, and she could see he was as undecided as she was about revealing their status.


    ¡°Liv needed a ride,¡± Corvin offered.


    Everyone accepted this comment without question. Then proceeded to sort Livia and Corvin onto different teams like it was a personal favor to them. Livia¡¯s shoulders slumped. She never imagined spending the afternoon separated from Corvin. This whole situation was her fault, but she wasn¡¯t sure how to fix it. Livia worried that the TARP team would disbelieve or disapprove if they told them the truth. She didn¡¯t want to make Corvin endure the disapproval of his friends.


    He sent her a text. Want to tell them?


    She texted back. What do you think?


    Corvin: This is your call.


    Livia: Let¡¯s not shock them. Let¡¯s show them we¡¯re friends tonight and then tell them next time we¡¯re together. Okay?


    Corvin: Agreed.


    Alexander had walked over and looked over her shoulder. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re going to play¡ª¡± he stopped. He lifted his eyes to Corvin. Then back to Livia.


    He was discreet for once in his life. He whispered, ¡°Is there a problem with Corvin?¡±


    ¡°No, but we don¡¯t hate each other,¡± Livia said.


    Alexander found this comment way too interesting. ¡°Ah. I can¡¯t pretend I didn¡¯t see¡­.¡± He gestured to her phone with a jerk of his chin. He gave her a grin. ¡°You have something to tell us?¡±


    Livia smiled, taking a little pleasure in taunting him. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡±


    She shoved her phone into her pocket and clapped her hands together. She shot Alexander a grin. ¡°Let¡¯s play.¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t hate, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a new development,¡± he mused.


    Livia frowned. ¡°You all thought I hated him?¡±


    Alexander tilted his head to the side, eyeing her. ¡°Either that or you were in love with him.¡±


    Livia tried not to show an expression, but she swallowed audibly. Alexander studied her, and she could feel the heat rise to her cheeks. A slow grin developed on his face.


    ¡°Blushing,¡± he teased. ¡°Interesting.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± Livia snapped.


    He let out a burst of laughter that had everyone¡¯s eyes on them.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Livia hissed at him. Alexander always excelled in reading people. There were times it made her hate him. Like right now.


    ¡°Oh, this is going to be fun,¡± he said. Then he turned to start the game. ¡°Let¡¯s play, folks!¡±


    Livia was on Alexander¡¯s team, and they were in the field first. He invited her to be a shortstop, which ended up being a bad idea. Livia was pretty decent at catching a ball. She worried she¡¯d hurt someone if she threw the ball back, though, so she¡¯d never figured it out.


    She opted to roll the ball back to Alexander, which irritated him the second time she did it.


    ¡°Liv, it¡¯s faster to throw. Just throw,¡± he grumbled.


    Thankfully, they got their third out before it became an issue again. Livia passed Corvin on the way in.


    ¡°Alexander knows,¡± she muttered.


    Instead of being angry, Corvin laughed. ¡°He would. Doesn¡¯t miss anything.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Livia made an uncertain motion with her hands.


    ¡°Roll with it,¡± he said and gave her a friendly rub on the shoulder as he went past. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Livia took her place in line and could feel Camilla, who was standing next to her, evaluating her.


    ¡°Things changed with Corvin,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia answered.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s nice. Corvin is a good friend.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is,¡± Livia agreed.


    ¡°So, how¡¯d it happen?¡± she asked.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Got to know him while we were at school together,¡± Livia answered.


    She smiled. ¡°So, any chance you might become more than friends?¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t know how to answer that without lying. All of Justin¡¯s officers were body language experts, so there was a high chance she¡¯d be called out. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Camilla looked shocked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯d be more than friends with him,¡± Livia said.


    Silvanus and Irene stopped their chat and looked at them. ¡°Wait,¡± Irene hesitated. ¡°Does Corvin know this?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia answered. She stomped her feet and tried to pretend this wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    Silvanus laughed. ¡°You¡¯re dating!¡±


    ¡°You probably already knew that,¡± Livia muttered.


    ¡°Last I heard, you two were still friends.¡±


    ¡°We are still friends,¡± Livia insisted. ¡°We didn¡¯t magically stop being friends.¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Camilla said. She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled to Corvin way out in the left field. ¡°Are you and Livia dating?¡±


    Corvin cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled back. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Alexander hooted and laughed. ¡°Liv, you can¡¯t keep a secret to save your life!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a secret,¡± she insisted. ¡°We were trying to ease you into the idea so you weren¡¯t all shocked.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m shocked,¡± Irene said. ¡°You two are serious? You hated each other¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Alexander said. ¡°Liv was trying to hide it, and Corvin was being an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Well, she was good at hiding it,¡± Irene said.


    Livia blushed. ¡°You¡¯re the only person that¡¯s said that¡­except I know how to hide my feelings at work. It¡¯s a life skill.¡±


    ¡°So, you saw them outside of work?¡± Irene asked Alexander.


    ¡°Nah, I worked more with Liv. Learned her tricks for hiding how she feels at work.¡±


    Livia scowled at him. ¡°More like you goaded me into lecturing you about professionalism once a week or so¡ª¡±


    Alexander laughed. ¡°You take life way too seriously¡ª¡±


    ¡°Life is serious,¡± Livia said furiously.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Camilla inserted herself between them. ¡°This is not the time for one of your philosophical fights. I am ecstatic. Congratulations, Liv!¡±


    Livia looked at her, surprised. ¡°You¡¯re happy for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I am,¡± Camilla said after covering her surprise at Livia¡¯s response.


    ¡°I am too, kid,¡± Alexander said. ¡°Congrats! I¡¯m happy for you both.¡±


    Livia tried to hide how much this meant to her. She looked off into the distance. ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    ¡°There she goes again. Trying to play it cool, but we¡¯ve warmed her heart,¡± Alexander drawled.


    ¡°Congratulations, Livia,¡± Silvanus said. ¡°I¡¯m excited! It¡¯s been so long¡­anyway. I wish you the best.¡± ¡°Be good to him,¡± Alexander said. ¡°He acts all serene, like you, but he¡¯s pretty . Needs a little extra TLC when he gets down.¡±


    ¡°Noted,¡± Livia nodded.


    Irene laughed. ¡°She¡¯s got it on her list, Alex. Like she¡¯s taking Justin¡¯s orders. I think¡­I like this. This could be¡­amazing.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Silvanus said.


    Livia looked at him, amazed. ¡°You¡¯re happy for us?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yeah, Liv.¡±


    Livia heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Everyone¡­was so angry about Arik and I being together.¡±


    Silvanus rolled his eyes. ¡°Yeah,  have a hard time minding their own business over stuff like that. But you¡¯ll find it easier this time. You and Corvin make sense in a lot of traditional ways.¡±


    Cam shook her head. ¡°They¡¯ll be some that don¡¯t like it, of course.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Livia agreed. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything without someone complaining about it¡­but¡­it means a lot you guys approve.¡±


    The team all reassured her that they approved of the match. It shouldn¡¯t matter so much, but it helped Livia feel more at ease about the whole thing. Gaius had made her feel so anxious, but now a huge part of her fear eased.


    When it was Livia¡¯s turn to kick the ball, she was surprised at how fast the team got her huge kick in-field. Where she usually would have made a home run, she only got to second base. The thrill of the competition made her heart pound with excitement. It was nice to have a physical challenge. Three turns later, she had scored a goal right as Corvin¡¯s team got their third out.


    Alexander insisted Livia be shortstop again. She warned him she was better at catching than throwing. Still, he insisted that was why she needed to be closer in-field. Livia shrugged and accepted his reasoning.


    When Livia rolled the ball back to him again, Alexander called a timeout. ¡°Liv, serious, who taught you how to throw a ball?¡± he demanded.


    She glared at him. ¡°No one!¡± she yelled back. ¡°No one ever taught me how to throw a ball!¡±


    Alexander wasn¡¯t cowed by her anger. ¡°Then I will.¡±


    Alexander showed her how to hold the ball against her chest and launch it outward with a thrust from the elbows. Livia held the ball against her chest. Though Alexander encouraged her, she couldn¡¯t release the ball. She shook her head.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he coaxed. ¡°You can do it.¡±


    Livia took a deep breath and was going to do it even though it felt wrong. Then Corvin called out, ¡°Wait, Livia!¡±


    Livia froze and watched him jog over.


    He came up beside her. ¡°My uncle wrote this paper about Taurus, and he has this theory¡ª¡±


    Alexander threw his hands up in the air. ¡°Corvin! It¡¯s not rocket science,¡± he growled.


    Corvin glared at him. ¡°Chill, Alex, unless you want a ball to break your nose?¡±


    Alexander folded his arms across his large chest and leveled a flat look at Corvin, but he muttered, ¡°Continue¡­.¡±


    Corvin looked at Livia. ¡°His theory is that Taurus have an internal gauge for how much damage certain actions can do. Because all the ER visits are from Aquila families¡­¡±


    Alexander looked insulted. ¡°That¡¯s not true¡ª¡±


    ¡°Unless,¡± Corvin glared at him. ¡°There¡¯s some kind of cognitive-depressing element involved¡ªalcohol, that sort of thing¡ª¡±


    Corvin hesitated and looked at Alexander, giving him room to object again, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, Alexander turned pensive.


    Corvin turned his gaze back to Livia. ¡°Anyway, most of them get strong aversions to doing things that can hurt people. Unless they¡¯ve practiced enough to know how much force to use.¡±


    ¡°So, what am I supposed to do?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Well, maybe we need to lower the force behind the ball even more?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°You can do the same pass with a wrist motion. You can¡¯t put as much force behind the action that way¡ª¡±


    Corvin took the ball. ¡°Alex, get ready!¡±


    Alex unfolded his arms and got ready to catch the ball. Corvin snapped the ball to him with only his wrists. Alex caught it and snapped it back. The two men tossed back and forth a few times until Corvin caught the ball and handed it off to Livia. ¡°Test it, Liv? How does it feel?¡±


    Livia wiggled the ball using the motion of her wrists. To her surprise, her internal resistance eased. She turned to Alexander in surprise. ¡°You ready?¡±


    He took a stance.


    Livia tossed the ball to him with a flick of her wrists. He caught it.


    ¡°Too hard?¡± Livia asked.


    He shook his head. ¡°Just right.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It was a great pass, Liv. Let¡¯s do it again,¡± he said.


    They tossed back and forth until Livia¡¯s cautiousness disappeared in a burst of excitement. ¡°It works! I can throw the ball to you!¡±


    Alexander laughed. ¡°You Taurus,¡± he said with both irritation and affection.


    ¡°Great job, Liv!¡± Corvin said and rubbed her back quickly and then ran back to his place in line.


    Livia shot a grateful look at his retreating back. Alexander rested the ball on his hip. ¡°He¡¯s a good dude, Liv.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she whispered. ¡°He is.¡±


    Alexander¡¯s lips turned in a slow smile. ¡°You ready to keep playing shortstop?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia agreed.


    They played for another hour until the team started to complain about the cold. They called the game and headed home. Livia had happiness prickling up and down her skin. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time she¡¯d laughed so much or played so hard.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea Chapter 6--Part 2

    Livia met up with Corvin as they walked back to the car. She slid her hand into his and smiled up at him. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to bump her shoulder against his. She enjoyed indulging in spontaneous affection.


    Corvin smiled back at her. ¡°You look so happy. You have a lot of fun?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She nodded.


    ¡°Even with Alex giving you a hard time?¡±


    Livia rolled her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s always like that. I¡¯m used to it now.¡±


    ¡°He means well,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia laid her cheek on Corvin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sorry about them finding out about us.¡±


    ¡°They took it rather well,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I was a little nervous.¡±


    ¡°I was, too,¡± Livia admitted. ¡°But they were happy for us¡­.¡±


    Corvin squeezed her hand. ¡°I have told you they like you, right?¡±


    ¡°They do?¡± Livia asked, lifting her head off his shoulder to look into his eyes.


    ¡°Oh, yes. You¡¯re our Fabulous,¡± he insisted.


    Livia laughed. ¡°You¡¯re the one that started calling me that.¡±


    ¡°Cause you were an excellent member of the team,¡± Corvin said.


    She gently bumped her hip against his to ward off the compliment, which made him laugh. He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, letting his hand rest on the curve of her hip. He eased her so close that their thighs rubbed together the next time they took a step. That sent a flash of heat to Livia¡¯s cheeks and a swoop straight to her belly.


    Livia fumbled her next step, and Corvin had to adjust to keep her upright.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡ªsorry,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Corvin said.


    Indeed, he seemed to enjoy playing the rescuer. Her weight didn¡¯t inconvenience him. Livia realized how slight her frame was in comparison to his lanky, broad one. Despite his slender build, Corvin was a physically powerful man.


    This realization made her shove him away. This time the gesture wasn¡¯t at all playful. Livia¡¯s heart dropped into her stomach as she realized what she¡¯d done. She could have hurt him.


    Corvin laughed. His reflexes kicked in, and he caught his balance smoothly. He turned toward her, grinning. Livia backed away, tripped over her own feet, and fell hard on her bottom.


    Corvin¡¯s mirth evaporated. ¡°Liv, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± snarled out of her mouth.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Liv, Hun¡ª¡±


    Livia had backtracked years within the space of two seconds. She clapped her hand over her mouth, and tears filled her eyes. Corvin lowered himself to the ground next to her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Livia shook her head. She was too afraid to remove her hand from her mouth. She had no idea what would spill out.


    Corvin tapped her knee. ¡°Come on, Fabulous, spill.¡±


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    Livia shook her head again.


    ¡°You hurt?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a soft fall.¡±


    Livia shook her head.


    ¡°I thought we were playing,¡± Corvin said. ¡°But you weren¡¯t, were you? You got scared, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Tears spilled onto Livia¡¯s cheeks, which only made the entire situation more humiliating.


    ¡°Take your hand off your mouth, Liv,¡± Corvin instructed. ¡°Take a breath in your nose and blow it out your mouth. It¡¯ll help you calm down.¡±


    Livia listened because it was more reasonable than anything she¡¯d come up with at that moment. Corvin gave her a good long while to breathe before he spoke again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, Livia,¡± he said. ¡°What scared you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not rational!¡± she cried. ¡°I¡¯m stronger than you.¡±


    ¡°But I am bigger,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Arik is your size.¡±


    Livia swallowed. ¡°I never pushed him. I only yelled.¡±


    Corvin nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said.


    ¡°Liv, it¡¯s okay,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯s okay to push me out of your space.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not! I could have hurt you!¡±


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°No. You wouldn¡¯t. You knew exactly how much force you needed to use. Even if it wasn¡¯t conscious, it was not a violent shove. It was a ¡®pay-attention¡¯ shove. I thought we were still playing, Hun.¡±


    Livia wiped tears off her cheeks and looked down at the ground.


    ¡°What happened, Liv? Why¡¯d you push me?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia whispered. ¡°I¡­felt small.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s expression fell. ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re strong. I-I-you can hold my body and¡­I¡¯m small.¡±


    Corvin didn¡¯t smile, but his expression lightened. ¡°It¡¯s kind of cute.¡±


    Livia snorted in shock. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so adorable,¡± Corvin said. ¡°You have this intense personality tucked into a compact frame. You¡¯re lucky we didn¡¯t start calling you General Fabulous.¡±


    ¡°Corvin!¡± Livia was torn between laughing hysterically and being furious. ¡°I don¡¯t feel small.¡±


    Corvin laughed, holding his side. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°So, I don¡¯t like when¡­you remind me I¡¯m not.¡±


    Corvin laughed louder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­by the look on your face¡ª¡±


    Corvin looked at the ground and took three deep breaths to contain his amusement. His face was smooth when he looked back up. ¡°I understand the disconnect between how physically powerful you are and how your frame is perceived at large can be frustrating at times.¡±


    Livia exhaled a harsh breath from her nose, frustrated. ¡°Outside Caesarea, everyone treats me like I¡¯m physically weak, and I have to pretend I¡¯m helpless.¡±


    ¡°I saw that. I could tell that it made you unhappy,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not helpless!¡± Livia said.


    Corvin studied her face, absorbing her words with studious hazel eyes. As Corvin¡¯s gaze lingered, Livia had a sense of  . Hadn¡¯t she insisted on the same thing this morning?


    Corvin said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s important to you that I see you as capable and strong.¡±


    ¡°Cause I am,¡± Livia insisted.


    Corvin asked, ¡°When you stumbled and I held you up did that make you feel helpless?¡±


    Livia looked away.


    Corvin saved her from answering that one. ¡°I have another question. Did you pretend to stumble to encourage my physical affection?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Livia cried.


    ¡°You¡¯re clumsy¡­.¡±


    ¡°I felt¡­your touch¡­all the wires in my brain got crossed up.¡±


    Corvin smiled. ¡°Is that a compliment?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Corvin laughed again.


    ¡°It¡¯s not funny.¡±


    Corvin looked at the ground and took deep breaths again. He looked up, face smooth. ¡°Liv, Hun, I¡¯m sorry I took your clumsiness as flirting. I¡¯ll be sensitive that¡­making you feel small¡­is uncomfortable.¡±


    Livia huffed, still upset.


    ¡°Also, I¡¯m sorry about laughing about my touch making the wires in your brain get crossed up. I can understand that¡­processing sensations is not as straightforward for you.¡±


    Livia should feel better. Instead, she slumped into a huddle of despair. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of things you have to make considerations for¡­.¡±


    ¡°Well, we drive in the winter together now, remember?¡± Corvin said gently, reminding her she¡¯d made a concession too.


    Livia looked up, heart lighter, hopeful. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay,¡± he told her.


    Livia frowned. ¡°What if¡­do you think¡­I can get¡­less sensitive?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Livia bit her lip.


    ¡°No buts yet, Liv. Give me some time to work with you,¡± Corvin said. He reached out his hand. ¡°Now, come over here and help me up.¡±


    Livia sighed and pulled herself to her feet. She brushed her bottom off and tromped over to Corvin. She grasped his palm with hers and pulled him into a standing position.


    It wasn¡¯t until he was towering over her that she realized what he¡¯d asked. ¡°Wait¡­¡± she whispered.


    She gestured to him. The taller, bigger one. Then to herself. The slighter one.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty strong,¡± he said, lifting an impressed eyebrow. ¡°Didn¡¯t even struggle to pull up my weight.¡±


    Livia glared at him. She didn¡¯t feel tricked exactly, and she wasn¡¯t mad, but she felt the backwardness of the entire situation and how it would look and appear from the outside. The gender swap, the size difference.


    The corner of Corvin¡¯s mouth turned up.


    Livia¡¯s lips turned up too.


    She was the first one to laugh.

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea-Chapter 7

    Later that evening, Livia was scrolling through the jobs board on Tabula while she got herself an evening snack. Hyrum strolled into the kitchen for a drink of water.


    ¡°What are you up to, Liv?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Looking for a job,¡± she said.


    ¡°Last I heard, Delores was hiring¡ª¡± he said.


    Livia looked away from her screen. ¡°Really?¡±


    Delores was a florist that Justin frequently ordered from. One of Livia¡¯s jobs as an intern was to oversee deliveries. He liked to send flowers as a way to comfort people after injuries, relapses, funerals, and disappointing trial outcomes. Livia was naturally interested in the plants since her mother was a beekeeper and Hyrum worked in agriculture. Livia had developed a rapport with Delores and even helped her resolve a waterline issue in one of her greenhouses.


    ¡°Yeah, you should apply. Word is she¡¯s stretched for competent help,¡± Hyrum said.


    Livia nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go in tomorrow morning and see if she¡¯s still accepting applications. She¡¯s not listed on the job board. Thanks, Hyrum.¡±


    He gave a half-smile. ¡°No problem.¡±


    Hyrum''s half-smile meant he wasn¡¯t happy about something. Livia studied him. ¡°How¡¯s work going, Hyrum? You¡¯re gone a lot.¡±


    ¡°I hope that¡¯s no longer true once this week is over,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to convince the Senate to provide funding for several agricultural projects that will help the community.¡±


    ¡°Are they being difficult?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°As always,¡± Hyrum said.


    Livia frowned. ¡°That¡¯s stressful.¡±


    ¡°How are things with Corvin?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Good,¡± Livia nodded.


    ¡°And the contract?¡± Hyrum asked.


    Livia sighed. ¡°Is giving me lots to think about.¡±


    ¡°You should ask a couple of people from each House what¡¯s standard,¡± Hyrum said.


    The stairs creaked, and Caecilia shuffled down the stairs. Livia worried she wasn¡¯t feeling well. Then, Caecilia gave them a soft smile. ¡°Mind if I watch the news?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, Love,¡± Hyrum said.


    ¡°They should have an announcement on the budget,¡± she said, hopefully.


    Hyrum sighed. ¡°We thought that last night too.¡±


    They were waiting to hear if the Senate inspection had resulted in any funding for Hyrum''s work.


    Caecilia settled on the couch and turned on the television. Hyrum''s face softened, and he strode over and settled on the couch next to Caecilia. Livia hesitated to join them. Caecilia had settled her head against Hyrum''s shoulder, and they looked cozy together. She worried her presence would ruin that. So, she stayed in the background, returning her attention to the job board.


    There her focus stayed until, to her surprise, the news turned to a report on Hyrum''s proposal to the Senate to fix the dairy. Did they impress them enough to win a grant?


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll approve it, Hyrum?¡± Caecilia asked as they went over the details of the proposal.


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    ¡°No,¡± he said bitterly. ¡°They¡¯ll reject it.¡±


    Livia¡¯s heart clenched in sympathy for her brother. It wasn¡¯t even his job to entertain the Senators that morning. His partner had called out sick. It wasn¡¯t Hyrum''s fault.


    ¡°The Senate has decided, in an unprecedented decision, a partial approval.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes remained riveted to the screen as the reporter explained the Senate had refused to cover the first-year operating expenses for the dairy. However, they had approved all the funds necessary to repair and upgrade the dairy to federal and state operation standards.


    Caecilia jumped to her feet and squealed. ¡°Hyrum! This is wonderful!¡±


    Hyrum wasn¡¯t excited, but he rose to his feet to stand next to his wife. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. I have no idea how I¡¯ll afford to hire and pay workers. They might as well have said no.¡±


    Caecilia threw her arms around his neck. ¡°No, we¡¯ll find a way. You¡¯ll see. Everything will work out.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± he asked, placing an arm around her back.


    Livia offered, ¡°You¡¯ve already had people come and work on the gardens in exchange for taking food home. Maybe they can work in the dairy in exchange for butter and milk or whatever.¡±


    Hyrum frowned. ¡°No one will agree to that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Livia sighed. ¡°Corvin and Lars¡¯ welfare budget was just turned down¡ª¡±


    As if mentioning Lars summoned him, a video clip of Lars appeared on the screen. His deep, resonant voice was rough with frustration as he spoke of the difficulties that faced those of lower income in his House. Often they had multiple degrees and qualifications, but there was no industry in Caesarea to support these types of workers. So they were migrating out of the community. He feared that if they weren¡¯t appreciated for their skills, they would go rogue.


    Hyrum sighed. ¡°They need to create more jobs, and then when they get the chance to do that.¡± He gestured to the screen. ¡°They refuse to put out the money. They¡¯re doing the same thing to his House that they are to the dairy. We could put so many people to work if we had the money. Livia saw it when she visited the office. I can¡¯t be the farmer, the tour guide, the janitor, the secretary, and the hostess all at the same time!¡±


    ¡°Maybe if we promised Lars some of those jobs would go to Lupus House, he¡¯d help us get educational funding,¡± Caecilia said. ¡°They don¡¯t get awarded unless the Tullian family is involved. It¡¯s a different process, but you¡¯ve already worked with the school board to set up those internships and are running school tours. It makes sense you¡¯d bring some of their talent in to manage the paperwork involved and to expand your educational programs.¡±


    Hyrum sighed. ¡°Cil, we¡¯ve talked about this before. Lars has been super kind but he¡¯s not interested in my ideas. He¡¯s made that super clear since the moment we got here.¡±


    ¡°I could ask Corvin,¡± Livia offered. ¡°See if he¡¯d ask Lars if he¡¯s interested in talking¡ª¡±


    Caecilia froze. She looked at Hyrum hopefully.


    Livia backtracked, wondering what she¡¯d done wrong. ¡°Unless that¡¯s not something I should do¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s actually how things are done here,¡± Caecilia said. ¡°Corvin wouldn¡¯t think it was weird, and neither would Lars. Hyrum wants to do it his way because our way seems unethical to him.¡±


    Hyrum glared. ¡°It was unethical. You wanted me to ask Alia, a child, to take a message to him outside her typical page duties. You shouldn¡¯t use children as business pawns. At least not until they are of age.¡±


    Caecilia sighed.


    ¡°But I¡¯m of age, and Corvin is¡­so that¡¯s not a problem, right?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°At least Corvin isn¡¯t afraid of me and can stand up for himself. Unlike some people connected to Lars.¡± Hyrum glared at his wife.


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Alia is not a pushover. Livia contact Corvin,¡± Caecilia ordered. ¡°We¡¯ll sort it all out, Hyrum. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    Livia decided to slip up to her room when Caecilia wrapped Hyrum in a lingering hug. She crawled into her bed and got as cozy as she could. She was going to text Corvin and then realized the conversation required a call. Corvin answered after a few rings.


    Livia dove right in. ¡°Can I ask you something Businessy?¡±


    ¡°Businessy. I¡¯m interested. Go on.¡±


    ¡°So, we saw that your welfare plan got rejected on the news.¡±


    Corvin sounded discouraged. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Have you come up with another plan?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Believe me, Liv. It¡¯s on the agenda.¡±


    ¡°We saw your Dad was stressed out over it.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It has been the worst problem he¡¯s had to deal with this year,¡± Corvin agreed.


    Livia thought over her phrasing and then offered, ¡°Hyrum has a problem too. He needs workers, and he needs a way to pay them.¡±


    ¡°Liv, we don¡¯t have the money,¡± Corvin said, frustrated.


    ¡°Hear me out.¡± Livia pleaded. ¡°Hyrum doesn¡¯t have cash, but he will have product. If people work for him, he can pay them in milk, produce, and honey. It¡¯s not much, but it might be enough to keep people from going hungry. Is it that bad yet?


    ¡°Let me have a conversation with my dad,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯ll text you back his answer.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Livia said, excited. ¡°Thanks, Corvin.¡±


    Later that night, Corvin texted: Dad is interested. He¡¯d like to talk to Hyrum. He¡¯ll contact him tomorrow probably.


    Livia sighed with relief. She texted back: That will be great. Thanks. I¡¯ll let him know.

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 8 Part 1

    Livia walked into the Florist shop early the next morning. She found Delores at the front counter filling out order forms. She smiled when she saw Livia. ¡°Justin told me you¡¯d gone to school.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m back for winter break,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°You have a flower order?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No. I heard you need seasonal help and wanted to apply.¡±


    Delores¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Can you start today? I have two Aquila boys out with the flu, and it¡¯s going to be a rough day¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to. How much do you pay an hour?¡±


    Livia expected minimum wage, but Delores paid a few dollars more. Livia figured that was a pretty good deal for a seasonal labor job. ¡°I can do that,¡± she said. ¡°How many hours do you expect to need me per week?¡±


    ¡°Between 20 to 30,¡± Delores said.


    Livia nodded. ¡°Alright, what paperwork do you need me to fill out?¡±


    Delores sighed in relief. For the first two hours, Livia filled out the necessary paperwork. Then Delores asked her to fill dozens of small containers in the greenhouse with potting soil.


    As Livia worked, she listened to several other employees chat while they unloaded a truck full of poinsettias. They spoke with lighthearted banter about the arrival of a holiday-themed photo booth in the forum. Livia had learned last year this was an annual tradition, but she¡¯d never understood why it was so popular.


    ¡°Number one way to announce you¡¯re dating right about now,¡± A male voice teased. ¡°How about you, Clara? Are you going to snag a man and drag him down there?¡±


    Livia perked up as she heard Clara Porcius say, ¡°No, not on my list of things to do in December.¡±


    Since Clara¡¯s father was a tribune, her Plebeian family was considered one of the highest-ranked in Taurus House. When Livia first came to Caesarea, Clara ignored her. After the fall festival, however, she showed interest in becoming Livia¡¯s friend.


    ¡°Are you going to stay single forever?¡± he ragged on her. ¡°It¡¯s not a secret Taurus house needs babies.¡±


    Livia paused in her work and gasped. What an awful thing to say!


    Clara answered with a brag. ¡°Taurus House awarded me an educational grant.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± the young girl with them spoke in a disbelieving tone. ¡°An educational grant? You¡¯re going to college, Clara?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to college,¡± Clara insisted, glaring at the girl. ¡°Why do you sound so surprised?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re¡­not the brainy type,¡± she said.


    Livia clenched her fists and reined in her temper. Who did this girl think she was to talk to another person that way?


    ¡°Yeah, and neither are you,¡± Clara snapped back.


    ¡°At least I accept that,¡± she said as if that fact made her better than Clara.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Clara snapped. ¡°Some of us can decide we want more than day labor jobs.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing shameful about day labor jobs,¡± one of the guys responded defensively.


    Delores¡¯ voice called from the back door of the shop. ¡°Livia! Livia!¡±


    Livia brushed off her hands and exited the greenhouse. Clara stood with three other workers. They all looked shocked at her sudden appearance. Clara turned a deep red.


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    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Livia said.


    Delores laughed, embarrassed. She waved Livia¡¯s deference off. ¡°Delores, please. Just Delores. I need you to watch the register for a moment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be glad too,¡± Livia said. She stepped across the gravel-strewn ground between the greenhouses and the shop. Her crunchy steps were especially loud, as four sets of eyes followed her as she stepped into the shop.


    ¡°I need to step into the side office to return some phone calls. Please, assist any customers.¡±


    ¡°What if I have questions?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Ask Clara,¡± Delores told her.


    Livia wondered why Clara wasn¡¯t called in to do this job. Livia had worked several cash registers, but she wasn¡¯t trained on the specifics of the one in the shop.


    ¡°Will do,¡± she said.


    Delores disappeared, and Livia stood in the silent shop and wished she had something to do other than stand there. Soon, the team assigned to poinsettia duty rolled in the plants on flat dollies.


    Livia approached the others. ¡°Can I help?¡±


    Clara looked at her. ¡°Did Delores hire you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, like an hour ago.¡±


    Clara shook her head. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good because I don¡¯t think the other two are coming back.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°They said they¡¯re sick, and maybe they are, but they came to work drunk last week.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°Delores will probably fire them,¡± Clara said. ¡°Now that you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Is this¡­considered a bad job?¡± Livia asked. ¡°I know people are looking for work.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty cold this time of year,¡± Clara said. ¡°And most people looking for a job are Lupus. It¡¯s considered a bad job for them. Do you consider it bad work?¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No. This is what I grew up doing. I did food service when I got older because the pay was more reliable. Landscaping/gardening work is seasonal.¡±


    Clara nodded. ¡°After Christmas, Delores will lay us all off. She doesn¡¯t hire again till May.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only working until I head back to school again in mid-January,¡± Livia said.


    Clara nodded. ¡°Still single, then?¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± Livia hesitated, feeling awkward about the question. Shouldn¡¯t Clara ask what Livia was studying instead? ¡°I¡¯m dating someone.¡±


    Eyes widened all around.


    ¡°Corvin,¡± Clara guessed.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Livia asked.


    Clara grinned, pleased to be correct. ¡°Well, there were all the rumors, but¡­he waited for you in the hospital after the games.¡±


    ¡°We weren¡¯t dating then, but a couple of days after that, we had a conversation and¡­¡± Livia gestured with her hands awkwardly.


    Clara laughed. ¡°Well, I hope things work out. Corvin deserves a break after what his last girlfriend, Bella, put him through.¡±


    Livia inhaled. ¡°Congratulations on getting the educational grant, Clara. Hyrum is not easy to impress. So, you should be proud of yourself.¡±


    Clara¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°What industry are you planning to go into?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Uh,¡± Clara cleared her throat nervously. ¡°I want to be an RN.¡±


    She said it like she¡¯d never confessed that to anyone before. Livia wondered if anyone had asked. Caesareans fixated so much on relationship status that they often ignored everything else.


    Livia grinned. ¡°That¡¯s awesome! That¡¯s why you¡¯re volunteering at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Are you still doing that?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I am.¡±


    ¡°Do you enjoy it?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Most days,¡± Clara said.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably the best you can expect from most jobs.¡± Livia smiled. ¡°Can I help with these poinsettias?¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± Clara looked at the others. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Clara, can you introduce me?¡± Livia asked.


    The two boys were both Aquila. They were named Calvin Atticus and Florian Rufinus. The girl¡¯s name was Irene Tatius and she was from Rattus House. They regarded Livia with a suspicious wariness.


    Livia tried to shake off their cool reception and continued to chat with Clara. ¡°So, I¡¯m studying diagnostic sonography.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, you¡­don¡¯t want to¡­¡± she seemed confused. ¡°Talk about Corvin?¡±


    Livia paused and studied her. She didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°You don¡¯t want to talk about college?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No, I do. I mean, yes? I¡ªit¡¯s just weird. Most girls wouldn¡¯t stop talking about Corvin. It¡¯s weird you¡¯re focused on school,¡± she explained.


    ¡°I find it a little strange that you¡¯re so bold about discussing such personal topics,¡± Livia admitted.


    Clara¡¯s chin drew back. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, not trying to offend you,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to offend you either,¡± Clara said, alarmed. ¡°What did I say wrong?¡±


    ¡°I mean, are you asking how Corvin''s semester went? He wrote an excellent paper¡ª¡±


    Clara started laughing. ¡°No, you¡¯re supposed to tell me how wonderful he is to you, and how happy you are, and that type of stuff.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°He is very good to me, and I am happy we are together.¡±


    Everyone laughed.


    ¡°We need details,¡± Irene said. ¡°Gossip.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to disappoint you then,¡± Livia said. ¡°I don¡¯t gossip.¡±


    Livia watched the uncertainty enter their faces. The silence fell heavy and thick between them.


    ¡°We wanted someone to treat him better, right?¡± Florian spoke up. ¡°This is what that looks like.¡±


    Livia decided a major icebreaker was needed. ¡°Did I tell you the story about my roommate¡¯s lizard?¡±


    This was provocative enough to capture their attention. Livia rattled on about Ares while she helped to unload the poinsettias. They were still wary and a little distant, but they were curious and listening. They were giving her a chance.

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 8 part 2

    That evening, Livia¡¯s phone rang as she walked through the door of Hyrum¡¯s townhouse. Corvin. She answered.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Corvin greeted. ¡°You didn¡¯t come with Hyrum.¡±


    She froze. Since Hyrum and Caecilia planned to dine at Lars and Aurelia¡¯s house that evening, Livia went to a nearby soup buffet for dinner. ¡°Was I supposed to?¡±


    ¡°We expected you to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Should I come now?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No, Hyrum just left, but I missed you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know I was supposed to go¡ª¡± Livia dug the heel of her hand into her forehead.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. The meeting went well. We¡¯ll be able to work something out to help both our Houses, which is a relief. But I want to talk about your day. What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± Livia¡¯s hesitated. ¡°I-I got a job.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exciting. Where?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°With Delores at her florist shop,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Are you happy about it?¡± Corvin sounded uncertain. ¡°Can I come over there? I want to see your face while we have this conversation.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that. I¡¯m fine. Really,¡± Livia insisted.


    ¡°Please, I missed you tonight,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°You must be tired,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I can deal with being tired much easier than I can with missing you,¡± Corvin argued.


    Livia melted. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll see you?¡±


    ¡°In fifteen,¡± Corvin confirmed.


    Hyrum got home before Corvin arrived. Her brother looked like a new person. Livia hadn¡¯t realized how heavily things were weighing on him. There were lines on his face that had disappeared, and how he carried himself conveyed lightness and relief.


    ¡°Lars helped,¡± Livia observed.


    Hyrum laughed. ¡°Yeah, I think¡­ I¡¯m excited. What we¡¯re talking about is going to do a lot of good. It will help so many people.¡±


    ¡°I should have come¡­.¡± Livia said.


    ¡°No,¡± Hyrum shook his head. ¡°I left you out of it on purpose. You need to be a kid, Liv. Be a normal college student that isn¡¯t worried about crazy things like feeding 2,000 unemployed people.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, that¡¯s a good thing to worry about,¡± Livia countered.


    ¡°Nah,¡± Hyrum waved that away. ¡°You¡¯ll have time later.¡±


    Livia would have argued with him if the doorbell hadn¡¯t rung. Instead, she huffed past Hyrum and opened the door.


    Corvin raised an eyebrow the instant he saw her face. ¡°Everything alright, Liv?¡±


    She inhaled and exhaled. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    A gentle smile curved his lips. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about it?¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s why you¡¯re here,¡± Livia grumbled.


    Arik would have gotten all tense at her mood. Corvin stepped forward eagerly. Almost like he was excited to talk with her, even if she was grumpy. Livia almost laughed. She wondered if she¡¯d ever get used to how unexpectedly he reacted to things.


    Hyrum had disappeared somewhere when Livia returned to the kitchen. Livia pursed her lips, annoyed. Then, she glared around the kitchen like it was its fault Hyrum had disappeared.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Liv?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°Are you expecting a bear in here?¡±


    ¡°No, just Hyrum.¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡± Corvin prompted. ¡°He did something to deserve contemptuous glares?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t invite me to the dinner on purpose because he wants me to be a normal college kid who doesn¡¯t have to worry about people going hungry.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Corvin mused. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°What do you see?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°That your brother cares about you,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s insulting that he wants to protect me from worrying about people. There¡¯s no shortage of tragedy in the world today. There¡¯s no protecting me from it. Might as well face it.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s hand rested on her back. ¡°Let¡¯s find a place to sit, and you can tell me everything.¡±


    ¡°There are couches over there in the living room.¡± Livia pointed.


    They settled down on the couches together. Corvin eyed her when she let him sit down first and avoided sitting too close to him when she did sit. Livia despaired. Would it ever feel natural to sit next to somebody without thinking about it? Was she always going to play these ridiculous avoidance games habitually?


    Now, she worried that she¡¯d offended Corvin. Livia swallowed and tried to play it cool. ¡°Are you working during the break?¡±


    ¡°A little. I¡¯m not on active duty, but I¡¯m doing a lot of writing and office work,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I work from home, go in for a few meetings, and then process the records in the evenings.¡±


    Corvin seemed comfortable. He let his arm stretch out along the back of the couch. At ease, he didn¡¯t attempt to scoot closer.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Livia asked, noting he said the last bit with some awkwardness.


    Corvin tilted his head side to side. ¡°I like the writing. I hate processing records. I also miss working with a team.¡±


    ¡°Why are you processing records at night?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin inhaled. ¡°To avoid the desk staff.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Justin hired someone I don¡¯t get along with¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Salina Antonius,¡± Corvin said. ¡°So, I avoid her as much as I can.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Livia nodded. She understood. Salina Antonius was a challenging person to get along with. Livia liked to avoid her whenever she could too. It surprised her that Salina was rude to Corvin, though. Livia assumed Salina treated her poorly because Salina considered her an outsider.


    Corvin changed the subject. ¡°But you got a new job today?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s hazel eyes took on that piercing quality as he waited for an answer. Livia was nervous about confiding in him. All those talks with Bella about Corvin¡¯s sexist attitudes about work made her wary. What if she¡¯d been right about him? This conversation would directly confirm or deny her assumptions about him.


    Livia lowered her eyes and twisted her hair around her fingers. ¡°I did.¡±


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°With Delores?¡± Corvin¡¯s fingers twitched on the couch.


    Livia¡¯s eyes hyper-focused on his fingers. Was he angry? Irritated? Why did she care? She shouldn¡¯t care that he had an opinion on her working choices. She was working whether he liked it or not. It wasn¡¯t up for discussion.


    Corvin took a deep breath, and his fingers went still.


    ¡°Did you feel good about working with her?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia¡¯s eyes were still fastened on his hand. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Liv, Hun, look at me,¡± Corvin urged.


    Livia tore her eyes away from his fingers and looked him in the eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s got you so nervous?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not talking me out of working,¡± she said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t plan on it. You were fortunate to find something.¡±


    Livia¡¯s nerves lessened. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± Livia shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t need your approval.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Corvin said. ¡°But I do. I do approve as long as you feel comfortable and safe there.¡±


    And bit by bit Livia¡¯s hesitance disappeared as she told him about her shift. Who she was working with, some of the things she¡¯d done, and conversations she¡¯d had. When she ran out of words, a warm, connected feeling hung in the air between her and Corvin.


    Corvin smiled. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, Liv. I hope it goes well for you. Now, there¡¯s this guy I know that wants to hug his girlfriend but isn¡¯t quite sure how she likes to be held. How do you recommend he talk to her about it?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia laughed. ¡°Do I know this guy?¡±


    ¡°Um-hmm,¡± he said.


    ¡°You sure?¡± Livia gave him a suspicious look. ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like anyone I know.¡±


    ¡°Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°This guy is you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing fine,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin lifted a skeptical brow. ¡°Am I? Last time I got shoved, and now I¡¯m being avoided¡ª¡±


    Livia looked down. ¡°I¡¯m ¡ª¡±


    ¡°No apologies,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Instead, communication.¡±


    ¡°So, I did make you angry,¡± Livia muttered.


    ¡°No anger, Livia, just curiosity,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia studied Corvin¡¯s expression for a long time before she took the risk to answer. ¡°What if¡­I don¡¯t know how to answer this question?¡± Livia whispered, heart pounding.


    ¡°Can you take a moment and talk with me about a time a hug felt good to you?¡±


    ¡°I like Tavian¡¯s hugs,¡± Livia said. Then her face turned red. ¡°But I¡­I don¡¯t like Tavian the way I like you¡ªhe¡¯s just¡ªI-I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Liv, I¡¯m glad you have a friend you feel physically safe with,¡± Corvin said. ¡°What is the best thing about his hugs?¡±


    Livia was grateful that Corvin didn¡¯t tease her or react to her embarrassment. ¡°They¡¯re not too soft or too hard¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a sweet spot,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia laughed nervously. ¡°And¡­ he¡¯s¡­he doesn¡¯t pull away so fast¡­he holds on a bit. But not too long¡ª¡±


    ¡°Another sweet spot,¡± Corvin said. ¡°They say holding someone in a hug allows your brain to switch out of ¡®fight or flight¡¯ mode. So, it¡¯s likely that you do feel better after a welcomed hug.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how he figured it out, but¡­he does it every time,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Some people have that gift,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Arik did, too,¡± Livia pointed out with a degree of bitterness.


    ¡°I am not Arik,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to brag here, but I¡¯m smarter than a Rattus.¡±


    Livia snorted. Then she laughed. ¡°You think being smarter will fix it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t support your phrasing¡ªfix it. There¡¯s nothing to fix¡ªit¡¯s more about adapting to your needs. Also, Rattus aren¡¯t very compatible with Taurus.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s considered a bad match most of the time. Rattus are free-spirited and spontaneous. Taurus are more schedule bound and conscientious. I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s impossible. There have been successful Rattus/Taurus pairings, but it takes a certain type of Rattus and advanced relationship skills.¡±


    Livia blinked. ¡°So, what is the best Taurus pairing?¡±


    ¡°Taurus tend to do the best with other Taurus,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Though, Aquila and Taurus is an extremely favored pairing. They tend to make decisions the same way. That¡¯s the contention with Lupus/Taurus pairings. They say mutual decisions are hard because Taurus will choose based on instinct and Lupus on logic.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think relying on instinct is the best way to make decisions.¡±


    Corvin nodded. ¡°I have observed that. It factored into my decision to pursue a serious relationship with you. Life experiences shaped you into a Taurus who wants to confirm her intuitions before proceeding.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Livia muttered. Uncomfortably true even. Sometimes Livia felt like a coward. She didn¡¯t take a lot of risks without studying it out.


    ¡°But the point of bringing that up is to caution you not to internalize the hard parts of your relationship with Arik as your personal failure,¡± Corvin said. ¡°You are fine the way you are. Some people are like oil and water. They¡¯re both good liquids, but they don¡¯t mix well together.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes filled with tears. She couldn¡¯t remember when a person said something, so¡­it was more substantive than mere kindness or a compliment. Corvin gave Livia the words she needed to step away from the past and move forward with strength and confidence. A wisp of hope unfolded in Livia¡¯s heart, easing some of her fears. Maybe things could be different with Corvin.


    Corvin¡¯s brow creased with concern. ¡°You okay, Hun?¡±


    Livia nodded and blinked the tears away. ¡°So, we¡¯re figuring out¡­how I like hugs.¡±


    Corvin stood up and stepped into the middle of the room. He turned back and held out a hand to her. ¡°Come, teach me.¡±


    Livia put her hand into his and let him pull her to standing and pull her into the center of the room with him. Corvin dropped their hands and stood facing her.


    ¡°So, pretend you¡¯re Tavian, and I¡¯m you,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Hug me the way he hugs you.¡±


    It took Livia a while to think about it. She stood thinking for a long time, consciously pulling out the small things Tavian did when he pulled her close. Corvin didn¡¯t rush her.


    Finally, Livia was ready to step closer to Corvin and wrap her arms around him. It wasn¡¯t perfect. Corvin was taller, so it didn¡¯t quite work, but it was enough for Corvin to work with. He stepped back, nodding.


    Corvin paused a moment, eyes calculating information. Then he reached out and pulled Livia into a fabulous hug. One forearm encircled her shoulder blades. The other forearm pressed against the sway of her back. Livia rested against him, placing her forehead against the slope of his neck.


    ¡°Too soft or too hard?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Harder,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin¡¯s arms tightened around her, and his cheek pressed to the top of her head. ¡°More or less?¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Livia whispered.


    Corvin held her until Livia lifted her head from his shoulder. Then, finally, he released her and stepped back. ¡°Too long?¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°I-will you hug me again?¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°With pleasure.¡±


    He wrapped Livia in his arms again. She closed her eyes and savored the exquisite feeling that flowed through her. ¡°I¡¯m Taurus tired, I guess, ¡®cause that feels good.¡±


    Corvin spoke close to her ear. ¡°Does that mean we can cuddle?¡±


    Livia¡¯s lifted her head and met his gaze, eyes wide. ¡°We could, and it¡¯d be nice.¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± Corvin said. He guided them back to the couch. He sat down and slid Livia into the crook of his arm. Corvin wrapped both arms around her and settled her against his chest.


    He whispered into her ear. ¡°Can I tell you a secret?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Cuddling is my favorite,¡± he said.


    ¡°More than kissing?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°More than kissing,¡± he confirmed.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°,¡± he made a pleased sound that sent a shiver down Livia¡¯s spine. She laughed.


    ¡°What¡¯s your favorite?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia had never considered this question before. ¡°I don¡¯t know. One thing that is nice one day isn¡¯t nice the next day. It¡¯s frustrating.¡±


    ¡°Well, tell me right now if you like this?¡± Corvin trailed his fingers up her arm and then back down lightly.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said. ¡°I hate that. I always hate that¡­.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Corvin muttered to himself, stopping. ¡°What about this?¡±


    He ran his fingers through her hair. Livia pulled her head away. ¡°Stop making this complicated. Just hold me.¡±


    ¡°You like things simple,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Yes, I never understood the need for people to pet and stroke each other. Isn¡¯t being close good enough?¡± Livia¡¯s tone turned hurt without her meaning it to.


    ¡°It is good enough,¡± Corvin said. Then he settled his hands on her back and was still.


    Livia was suspicious that he¡¯d try something else, but he didn¡¯t. They held each other in silence and stillness. Livia relaxed as each peaceful moment passed. Arik could never stay still long enough for Livia to relax. He always had to talk or move, but he¡¯d done better near the end. He¡¯d end up falling asleep and be embarrassed for being rude. Livia didn¡¯t mind, though. It was peaceful that way. She tried to tell him that, but he never stopped apologizing.


    Oil and water. Livia told herself. We were oil and water. Her mind wandered to the feel of Corvin¡¯s hands on her back, the rise and fall of his chest, and deep contentment settled over her. This was a nice moment. The loveliest moment she could remember for a long time. She hoped Corvin was happy too.


    ¡°Corvin,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Yeah, Liv?¡± he whispered back.


    ¡°Are you happy?¡± she asked.


    His arms tightened briefly and then relaxed. ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°I love this,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Me too. You have such a calming presence,¡± he said.


    ¡°I do?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, life is so busy¡­but this? It¡¯s so restful. You¡¯re like a sanctuary.¡±


    Tears pricked Livia¡¯s eyes, and emotion clogged her throat. She buried her face in Corvin¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he soothed. He lifted one hand and cradled the back of her head. ¡°You¡¯re tired. Why don¡¯t I leave and let you get some real rest?¡±


    ¡°No, a little longer, please?¡± Livia begged.


    Corvin chuckled. ¡°Okay, Liv, but why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°I just¡­oil and water, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Arik didn¡¯t like this?¡± he guessed.


    ¡°He¡¯d fall asleep and feel guilty and never stop apologizing. I wouldn¡¯t mind if you fell asleep. I¡¯d enjoy watching over you while you rest.¡±


    ¡°See? I told you,¡± Corvin teased. ¡°You¡¯re steady and calm. At your best, you make people feel safe and at ease.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t feel that way a lot¡ª¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Which is why you¡¯re so good at helping others feel that way,¡± Corvin said. ¡°You are considerate and thoughtful, Livia.¡±


    His gentle praise was like a balm. Livia¡¯s tears dried, and her body relaxed. Corvin tilted his head down and pressed his lips to her forehead. He let his lips linger there on her hairline as he inhaled and exhaled. Initially, the kiss irritated her. Then the contact settled into her skin. The longer his lips lingered, the more pleasant the sensation became.


    Corvin pulled away and settled back into the couch. Livia missed the touch of his lips, but she didn¡¯t complain or ask for more. Instead, she accepted the moment and enjoyed the silence and stillness that descended between them again. She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed before Corvin tapped her back several times and said, ¡°Liv, I gotta go. I have an errand to run before I go to sleep tonight.¡±


    Livia sighed and pulled away. ¡°Thanks for coming over.¡±


    Corvin left her with another lingering forehead kiss that warmed Livia for a long time after he went.

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 9 part 1

    The florist shop was full of vivid red poinsettias. The warm interior was a haven from the freezing temperatures outside. The bright red flowers almost tricked a person into forgetting they were in the midst of winter. Delores had gathered them for their morning staff meeting to divvy out work assignments for the day. Livia was hoping to plant seedlings in the greenhouses again, but Delores liked to rotate duties to keep things fair. So, Livia would likely be in the shop manning the cash register or doing deliveries.


    Delores went over to a binder and turned several pages. ¡°We have two deliveries today. Calvin, will you and Florian take the first one? Oh hey! We have an order from Justin in the TARP offices. They want 15 poinsettias. Liv, you want to take that over today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll man the register,¡± Clara nodded.


    Delores nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll have to drive, Livia. Take Irene with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good with that,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Irene protested. ¡°TARP always orders decorating¡ª¡±


    Delores smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll have to be the creative lead on this one, Irene.¡±


    Irene¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make it beautiful,¡± Delores said.


    Irene clenched her fist. ¡°I will.¡±


    After loading up both the flowers and supplies into the florist truck, Livia drove to TARP headquarters. When Livia strode into the lobby of TARP, a wave of nostalgia brought her to a standstill. She had to stop her brain from shifting into intern gear. Remembering she was here to deliver flowers and put up Christmas decor, she tossed Irene an uncertain smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure we have to check in?¡±


    Irene nodded. ¡°They have to sign this paper.¡±


    Livia accepted the clipboard and approached the front desk. She didn¡¯t recognize the desk agent. He must be one of the new recruits that Justin had hired after Livia left. His hair was tight and curly but cut close to his head in a sharp military cut. The look was distinctive against the sharp angles of his masculine face.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡± he asked Livia.


    ¡°We¡¯re here from Delores¡¯s Florist shop. TARP ordered poinsettias and decor services. But we need our forms signed before we can begin,¡± Livia said.


    The desk agent turned to the woman filing papers with her back turned to Livia. ¡°Salina, do we have them on the schedule?¡±


    Livia¡¯s heart sank to her toes as Salina Antonius slammed the drawer shut and turned to face her. Her dark eyes evaluated Livia with arrogant impatience. ¡°I¡¯ll have to check.¡±


    Livia took a deep breath, preparing herself for poor treatment. Her eyes darted to the desk agent, who looked impatient. Then, Livia looked back at Salina again. There was tension hanging between them. She had a sense they were not getting along before Livia got there.


    Salina took her sweet time ¡®checking¡¯ the schedule. Livia was sure she was being ignored. Livia wanted to say something but didn¡¯t want a complaint filed against Delores. So, she waited, focusing on the feel of the ground beneath her feet, the expansion of her chest each time she inhaled. It was hard, though, after being the master of the command desk for an entire year, to approach as a petitioner and be treated this way.


    The agent finally snapped. ¡°Salina, the schedule!¡±


    She huffed and threw the man a glare. The agent didn¡¯t even conceal his look of rage, which a TARP agent would only indulge in on shift after extreme provocation. Livia looked at the door to Justin¡¯s office, wondering if he knew the situation out here. She knew this whole display would make Justin angry. This wasn¡¯t how he trained his staff to run the office.


    ¡°Don¡¯t glare at me. This is your deal,¡± the man spat.


    Livia looked behind her and saw five people waiting in line. Justin was strict about making people wait in lines. He did not like it. He wanted all walk-ins to be greeted promptly. It irked her to see the unprofessionalism. She¡¯d taken a great deal of pride in making sure TARP ran like a well-oiled machine.


    She wouldn¡¯t stand here and watch that reputation tarnished by spiteful incompetence. She drew herself up and spoke with authority. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to report to Justin that he now needs to contact florists in Trent. My employer doesn¡¯t pay us to stand around in lobbies. We have a schedule of deliveries to complete. If this is an inconvenient time for the desk staff, you¡¯ll have to reschedu¡ª¡±


    Salina¡¯s eyes snapped up with rage. ¡°Give me the papers. I¡¯ll sign for the delivery of the poinsettias.¡±


    ¡°I see we are on the schedule,¡± Livia said with a tone that implied that Salina was too incompetent to look up the information.


    The agent¡¯s shocked look held Livia back from saying anything else. Salina ripped the clipboard out of Livia¡¯s hand and signed the papers. Livia reached out her hand to accept the forms, but Salina held them against her chest.


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± she said, with an edge to her tone. ¡°I heard you were dating Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Livia said, with the same edge in her voice. She didn¡¯t see the point in holding the line up with pretend pleasantries. She put her hand out again, silently demanding Salina to hand the papers over.


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    ¡°Welcome to the club of girls who hoped he¡¯d love them. But Corvin has only loved one woman. And will only love that woman until he dies.¡±


    Livia scoffed, ¡°Like you know what you¡¯re talking about¡ª¡±


    ¡°I loved him before you even knew his name,¡± Salina spat. ¡°He¡¯s not even the same person anymore.¡±


    Livia froze, uncertain how to respond. There was a genuine pain in Salina¡¯s eyes. Indeed, her face held a vulnerability Livia had never seen before. Salina even looked like she might cry. Livia¡¯s eyes turned suspiciously to the desk agent. Had he done something to turn Salina into this fragile version of herself?


    Livia decided not to throw more instability into an already volatile situation. Instead, she was proud of how she held her composure and, for the third time, gestured for Salina to hand the papers over.


    The desk agent pointed to Salina. ¡°This is not my fault. She¡¯s always like this¡­.¡±


    Livia spoke coolly, perfectly calm. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s none of my business. Especially since you have work to do.¡±


    An embarrassed look came over his face.


    Salina pinned Livia with a fierce look. ¡°You think I¡¯m wrong, but I¡¯m not. If I¡¯m wrong, why hasn¡¯t he sung since Cassia died?¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Alexander¡¯s big voice boomed from the hallway. He entered with Silvanus at his side. ¡°We got a line in here. What can we do to speed things up?¡±


    Salina finally handed over the signed papers. Livia turned away; lips pursed with frustration. Alexander caught her gaze before she completely turned around. Livia tried to hide the anger in her expression but knew that Alexander saw it. ¡°Silvanus, see that Livia has everything she needs. I¡¯ll give Salina and Apollon a hand over here.¡±


    Silvanus followed Livia back to Irene. ¡°Liv¡ª¡±


    ¡°Go back to the desk, Silvanus.¡±


    ¡°You sound upset,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡±


    ¡°Liv¡ª¡±


    ¡°Really, Silvanus, your time is better spent helping Salina. She¡¯s not okay.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve known that for a while now. Doesn¡¯t make it right for her to mistreat you.¡±


    Livia growled. ¡°She¡¯s ruining my department.¡±


    Silvanus laughed. ¡°As I understand, Justin had his arm twisted to hire her. It has been an adventure, but we¡¯ve made progress.¡±


    ¡°Let me do my job, Silvanus.¡±


    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to come back to TARP?¡± he teased. ¡°Justin would be so happy he¡¯d probably promote me if I talked you into it.¡±


    ¡°And work with Salina?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Not on your life!¡±


    Silvanus looked concerned. Livia waved him away.


    When he left, Irene greeted her with a worried look. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Salina is just being herself,¡± Livia muttered.


    Irene sighed. ¡°Her life isn¡¯t that easy, you know?¡±


    Livia pinned her with a dark look. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about having a hard life.¡±


    Irene¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Livia took a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯re here to do a job. So let¡¯s do it.¡±


    Irene and Livia walked out to the truck and started carrying the poinsettias and decorating supplies inside. Irene kept shooting her glances and acting like she wanted to say something.


    ¡°What?¡± Livia finally asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± But her eyes traveled to Salina at the desk. Livia followed her gaze. The line was gone now. Alexander and Silvanus were nowhere in sight. Apollon was making himself busy working on paperwork. Salina was watching Livia with a dark look on her face.


    ¡°What now?¡± Livia muttered.


    Irene sighed. ¡°She¡¯s been planning to get back together with Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Back together?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°They dated before Bella,¡± Irene said.


    That explained so much. But why hadn¡¯t Corvin mentioned this when she¡¯d come up the other day? Livia didn¡¯t enjoy feeling like he¡¯d deceived her.


    ¡°He broke it off with her like he always does,¡± Irene said. ¡°He says he wants to be married and have a family, but he never commits¡ª¡±


    Livia looked at Irene. Her tone sounded like a warning. ¡°Do you know what reason he gave Salina?¡±


    ¡°Not the details, but everyone assumed it was a done deal,¡± Irene said.


    ¡°Did they sign papers?¡± Livia asked.


    Irene sighed. ¡°No, Salina was willing to agree with everything he wanted, and then he backed out of signing them at the last minute.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t try to renegotiate?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s still trying,¡± Irene said in frustration. ¡°Corvin won¡¯t even have an honest conversation with her about it.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he knows they aren¡¯t compatible,¡± Livia said.


    Irene shot Livia a sharp look at this statement. ¡°His mother is the same type of empath as Salina. His parents have an amazing marriage. If Corvin married Salina, he¡¯d be replicating the same magic formula.¡±


    Irene said this with a heavy tone of disapproval as if she thought Corvin was insane not to want the same type of relationship that his parents had. Livia studied her face and wondered if people knew that Aurelia struggled. Had Livia¡¯s interactions with Corvin¡¯s family over the fall festival provided her with privileged information? Was Aurelia and Lars¡¯ relationship really considered a ¡®magical formula¡¯ that would lead to happiness?


    ¡°I see,¡± Livia said, deeply empathizing with Corvin¡¯s entire family.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t bug you,¡± Irene said with surprise.


    Livia shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine Corvin would want to marry his mother. That¡¯d be disturbing, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I never thought of it¡­¡± she pulled a face. ¡°Now I feel¡­ehhh¡ª¡±


    ¡°Probably healthy,¡± Livia commented.


    Irene glared. ¡°So, you¡¯ll be healthier for him, then?¡±


    Livia studied her face, trying to understand the girl¡¯s resentment. ¡°How about we leave that determination to Corvin and talk about something else?¡±


    Irene looked surprised. ¡°I expected you to brag. Say you were better than Salina.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be able to hide the fact I dislike Salina,¡± Livia admitted. ¡°But she¡¯s better than me at a lot of things.¡± But not at running the TARP front desk.


    ¡°So why would Corvin choose you over her?¡± Irene whined.


    Livia glared at her, completely done with the conversation. It was odd for a Rattus to be so wholly obtuse. She must be trying to hurt Livia on purpose.


    Livia had to look away to disguise her hurt. Probably futile with a Rattus. ¡°Again, I¡¯d rather not discuss Corvin with you. At all.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Irene snapped.


    They decorated most of the time in silence. Livia handed bows and ribbons up to Irene and made sure the ladder she used was steady. Eventually, Irene said, ¡°I¡¯m an empath, you know?¡±


    ¡°You are Rattus,¡± Livia said with as little emotion as possible.


    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re upset with me.¡±


    Livia closed her eyes. Rattus. She¡¯d had her fill of them for the day. What rude thing would Irene say next?


    ¡°I think you should feel more compassion for Salina,¡± Irene said.


    ¡°Why?¡± Livia asked, trying to be as toneless as Corvin would in this situation.


    ¡°Cause she¡¯s my cousin, and it¡¯s not fair that she won¡¯t get to marry someone just because she¡¯s patrician.¡±


    Livia rolled her eyes. And Livia? Wasn¡¯t she also patrician? How was she any less deserving than Salina? Livia shouldn¡¯t be cynical, but she couldn¡¯t help herself when faced with this much disrespect. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Irene, she¡¯s probably better off without a man.¡±


    This earned Livia a stern glare from Irene. ¡°If you¡¯re against men, let Corvin date someone who deserves him.¡±


    ¡°Are you deliberately provoking me?¡± Livia spat. ¡°Or are you really this stupid?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth,¡± Irene said. ¡°Salina deserves to be with Corvin more than you do. Eventually, Corvin will come to his senses. It¡¯s only fair to warn you. He¡¯ll realize being with you is a mistake.¡±


    Livia dropped all the decorations in her hands. ¡°Have your cousin drive you home. I¡¯m done.¡±

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesrea--Chapter 9 part 2

    The word ¡®mistake¡¯ was still ringing in Livia¡¯s ears when she pulled back into Delores¡¯ Florist shop. She felt heavy as she walked inside and approached Clara.


    She turned, expression bright, then frowned with confusion. ¡°Where¡¯s Irene?¡±


    ¡°I left her,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°You left her?¡± Clara asked. ¡°Livia, why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t listen to another word that came out of her mouth,¡± Livia clenched her fists at her side. ¡°She kept telling me the entire time how Salina was better than me and deserved to have Corvin date her¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a stupid reason to abandon a 14-year-old.¡±


    ¡°Technically, I left her with family. She¡¯s Salina¡¯s cousin,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Clara growled. ¡°You are an adult. You don¡¯t abandon a teenager! No matter what stupid thing they say! I can¡¯t believe you! I¡¯m going to get her. Stay here.¡±


    Livia throbbed as Clara brushed past her. Irene¡¯s words hurt her, but Clara¡¯s scorn made a wave of shame and self-loathing wash over her.


    Livia was stupid, and she was worthless. Why did she ever think someone like Corvin could like her? She let a fourteen-year-old get under her skin. Of course, this entire relationship with Corvin was a mistake. Livia¡¯s entire existence was a mistake. An accidental pregnancy that kept two people who hated each other together for another five miserable years. Since then, she¡¯d been a burden to her mother and excess baggage to her brother Hyrum.


    Livia clutched her head with trembling hands to stop the torrent of awful thoughts, but they trampled all her attempts. Tears escaped her eyes, and she whimpered as she attempted to repress her sobs.


    That was how Florian and Calvin found her.


    ¡°Liv?¡± Florian whispered. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Livia opened her mouth, and only sobs came out.


    Calvin looked at Florian with worried eyes. ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Irene?¡± Florian asked. ¡°Is Irene okay?¡±


    ¡°I left her at TARP,¡± Livia managed. ¡°Clara went to get her.¡±


    ¡°Why did you leave her?¡± Calvin asked.


    ¡°She was mean to me¡ª¡± Livia knew how ridiculous this made her look. ¡°Everything is a mistake. My family. Mistake. Corvin. Mistake. Mistake. Mistake.¡±


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Florian said. ¡°Calm down. This isn¡¯t that big a deal. Clara probably got all huffy on you, but Irene should learn there are consequences to making people upset. She¡¯s an ass.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Calvin said. ¡°She¡¯s one of those Rattus that gets off on making people upset. She¡¯s said things that have made me want to smack her.¡±


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Florian said. ¡°Clara was probably glad she got to pawn Irene off on you for an afternoon. She¡¯s mean to her too.¡±


    ¡°Delores will be angry,¡± Livia whispered.


    Florian laughed. ¡°Let me take care of this¡­.¡±


    He disappeared into Delores¡¯ office and started talking. Livia¡¯s eyes grew wide as he adeptly painted Irene as a spoiled brat who had forced Livia to leave her because she was being so bad.


    Delores came out in a huff, saw the state Livia was in, and turned matronly. ¡°Livia, I can¡¯t believe that girl! What did she do?¡±


    ¡°I told her to stop talking to me about Corvin,¡± Livia said, trying to steady her emotions. Every three words came out on a shaky breath, but she managed to explain. ¡°But she kept saying Corvin would realize what a mistake he was making not getting back together with Salina. That I was incompetent at everything¡ª ¡±


    Delores snorted. ¡°You are one of the most competent women I¡¯ve ever had a conversation with. That ridiculous child.¡±


    This firm declaration repaired Livia¡¯s emotions more than she thought possible. She stood up straighter and removed her hands from the top of her head.


    Delores said, looking at Livia with compassion. ¡°She must have been truly awful to make you that upset. That woman probably put her up to it.¡±


    ¡°That woman?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Salina,¡± Delores hissed. ¡°So help me, that woman will not do her dirty work under my nose.¡±


    Delores was in a rage by the time Irene walked in with Clara. She marched up to the teenager. ¡°If you say one more word about Corvin during work hours, you¡¯ll be fired. Consider this your only warning. I won¡¯t tolerate this behavior. If you¡¯ve grown up enough to say cruel things, you¡¯re grown up enough to be punished for them.¡±


    Irene¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve treated all of your coworkers with disrespect. I have heard no end of rude things you¡¯ve said and even brushed off a few barbs against me. If it ever happens again, you¡¯re gone immediately. ¡±


    Tears appeared in the girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°Livia left me!¡±


    ¡°What did you say to her?¡± Delores asked, putting both hands on her hips.


    Irene pursed her lips and lowered her chin. That¡¯s when Livia knew she wasn¡¯t a stupid child. Irene had hurt Livia on purpose. She knew what she¡¯d said was wrong. She refused to answer when pressed again.


    Her refusal to answer made Delores furious. ¡°Let your cousin deal with her own affairs, or you will suffer the consequences.¡±


    Irene fled from the shop, sobbing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in my office,¡± Delores said. ¡°Waiting for the onslaught.¡±


    Livia was left with her other coworkers. Clara¡¯s face was lined with tension. ¡°I am glad Delores finally stood up to her, but they¡¯re going to throw such a huge fuss.¡±


    ¡°The onslaught?¡± Livia asked.


    Florian shrugged. ¡°The Antonius clan whines a lot. They¡¯ll be up in arms and out for blood.¡±


    ¡°My blood?¡± Livia asked.


    Nobody answered.


    ¡°Did the TARP lobby look okay?¡± Livia asked Clara.


    Clara nodded. ¡°Irene did a nice job. She really does have an artistic flare.¡±


    It was admirable that Clara was still able to offer the girl compliments. Perhaps, it was Clara¡¯s way of trying to keep the peace. When it came down to it, Irene ensured that the job got done, which was the most important thing. Something that Livia had forgotten in the heat of the moment. That stung, admitting that Clara was right. Livia had acted unprofessionally, and that filled her with shame.

 Bk 2:Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 10

    Irene was silent at work the next day. Everyone was subdued. Livia did everything she could to avoid idleness. She ran from task to task without taking a break. That way, she couldn¡¯t think about what Irene and Salina had said about Corvin. She could prove to her coworkers that she was a reliable employee.


    Delores heard from Justin, who was just ¡°checking in.¡± Delores deflected his interference, rolling her eyes. Livia also got a text from Justin inviting her to speak with him as soon as her shift ended. She decided it was better to face the situation head-on and accepted the invitation. At the end of her shift, she headed to TARP headquarters.


    Livia was glad Salina was gone on her lunch break when she came in. Instead, Apollon was manning the desk with Cam. He nodded when he saw her as if he was expecting her. ¡°Follow me,¡± he said.


    Then he strode out from behind the desk and started down the hallway opposite Justin¡¯s office. Livia gave Cam a startled look. Where was Apollon going to take her? Cam gestured at Livia for her to follow Apollon.


    Livia hesitated.


    Apollon turned back. ¡°Are you coming?¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Justin is waiting for you in the training gym,¡± he said.


    Livia needed clarification. ¡°Not his office?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Livia tried to figure out what that meant. Why would he meet with her in the training gym? Was there going to be some physical punishment involved in this whole thing? Livia doubted Justin would actually hit her. That didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t make her do 1000 push-ups or something similar. Livia suddenly felt like a small and frightened child. She didn¡¯t like that because that was the number one reason she went into fight mode. She always regretted her behavior when she went into fight mode.


    She took a step backward, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯ll see him later¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, Liv,¡± Corvin said from behind her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Livia turned. Corvin and someone she didn¡¯t recognize were walking toward her with huge hiking packs on their backs. The second man toted a clear rolling bin with loads of supplies.


    ¡°She scheduled to meet Justin in the training gym,¡± Apollon said.


    ¡°We¡¯re headed there,¡± Corvin smiled. ¡°I¡¯m co-teaching my first training class. So we¡¯ll walk with you.¡±


    Livia gave him a look that couldn¡¯t be described as anything else besides terrified.


    Corvin froze. ¡°Liv, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Why are we meeting in the training gym?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Are you scared of Justin?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what he wants,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°There¡¯s a track above the gym floor,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯ll be closed because of the training. Justin calls people up there to walk with him all the time. So he can supervise the training and resolve staff issues.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯re going to walk?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve walked up there with Justin dozens of times,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Everyone has. Did something happen, Liv?¡±


    Livia did not want to bring up what Salina had said before his first training class. Corvin should be able to focus on what he needed to do and not on Livia¡¯s drama. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Small thing. I¡¯m sure the talk will go quickly.¡±


    Corvin evaluated her. ¡°Then¡­ there¡¯s no reason to be scared.¡±


    Right. Livia needed to put on a tough face for him. ¡°Let¡¯s walk over then. Together.¡±


    Livia¡¯s heart was beating so hard she was sure someone would hear it and call her out. She looked at Apollon. He only quirked up a single eyebrow at her about-face and turned to lead them to the gym.


    Corvin seemed to tell she was nervous because he kept up his warm chatter as they walked through the hallways of the TARP building. She¡¯d never gone this deep into headquarters before. She¡¯d never needed any physical training for her position. She¡¯d watched a few videos in the basement beneath the collection of conference rooms and offices that made up TARP headquarters, but that was it.


    She¡¯d often run errands while the staff was in the training gym. She¡¯d never come down this way with them before. They came to a long, narrow passage labeled ¡®pons secundus.¡¯ She looked back once. They were leaving the building that housed the TARP offices and crossing into security patrol territory.


    Livia knew they had arrived at the gym because a poster on the door said, ¡°TARP TRAINING. GYM & TRACK CLOSED 8AM-6PM.¡±


    Apollon strode to the door and held it open for them. Livia saw Justin first thing. He was waiting for them. He greeted Livia first.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Livia, I apologize that this was the best time and place I had to meet with you this week. Thank you for coming.¡±


    She gave a tiny nod of acknowledgment.


    He gestured to a few seats along the wall. ¡°Please, sit, and I¡¯ll be with you in a moment.¡±


    Livia sat and watched Justin greet Corvin with a big grin and hearty handshake. ¡°You excited?¡± he asked.


    Corvin nodded. ¡°Can¡¯t wait.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ready to start?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°As soon as you are,¡± Corvin said confidently.


    Justin turned to the other man with Corvin and thanked him for being there to help with the training. Then, the three walked out into the gym and greeted the trainees. Livia noted that Apollon was among them. That¡¯s why he¡¯d escorted her. He needed to attend the training today.


    It only took a few moments for Justin to introduce Corvin and his partner to the agents and turn the meeting over to them. Then he turned and strode toward Livia. He didn¡¯t stop but passed by her, waving her after him with a broad arm. ¡°Come this way.¡±


    There was a staircase that led to the track above the gym. Justin and Livia climbed it together. Livia followed him to the railing, where Justin waited a moment, observing Corvin as he started training the agents. Corvin listed all the items required to go into a wilderness survival pack.


    He smiled as he watched Corvin. ¡°How are you, Livia?¡±


    Livia could only manage a swallow and a brief look at her companion. She looked away and stared at the gym before them, awaiting her punishment.


    ¡°You¡¯re very quiet,¡± Justin said.


    Livia didn¡¯t say anything.


    Justin turned away from the sight of the gym below them and studied her. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m angry?¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°I acted unprofessionally¡ª¡±


    ¡°You were treated unprofessionally,¡± Justin countered. ¡°I apologize as director of TARP and assure you that action has been taken to ensure such a scene does not happen in my lobby again.¡±


    Livia looked at him in surprise. ¡°I¡ªyou¡¯re apologizing to me?¡±


    ¡°Apollon told me how well you dealt with Salina¡¯s tantrum. I¡¯m proud of you. She didn¡¯t say kind or appropriate things. I didn¡¯t hear anything about you acting unprofessionally?¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I left Irene in the lobby¡ª¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he took on the aspect of one listening. A heavy silence fell between them, and Corvin¡¯s voice echoed up to them from below.


    ¡°She said things¡­similar to Salina and¡ª¡±


    ¡°You left,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Irene¡¯s family called me this morning upset. I wasn¡¯t certain what happened¡ª¡± There was still a question in Justin¡¯s tone. ¡°I reviewed the video and assumed there had been a miscommunication. That you¡¯d told her that Clara would come for her.¡±


    Livia shook her head.


    ¡°You left her,¡± Justin confirmed.


    Livia nodded, near tears.


    ¡°What did she say?¡± Justin asked.


    Livia looked at him, silently pleading to let the answer to that question pass.


    ¡°Tell me, Livia,¡± he said.


    ¡°That Corvin should be with Salina,¡± Livia said. She tried to be stoic, but she couldn¡¯t hold back the hurt that infused each word. ¡°That he¡¯d realize he¡¯d made a¡­mistake.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk,¡± Justin said, gesturing to the empty track. The dim lights up here made Livia feel a world away from the brightly lit gym below them.


    The walking helped release some of the tension in Livia¡¯s muscles. She was relieved Justin wasn¡¯t angry with her. They had almost completed a full lap before Justin spoke again.


    ¡°So, Livia, do you believe what she said?¡± Justin asked.


    Livia looked at Justin in surprise. ¡°I-¡± she drew out the word as she tore her gaze from Justin¡¯s to look at Corvin on the gym floor.


    ¡°I hope not,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°While your compatibility with Corvin remains to be determined. I can assure you of one thing¡ª¡±


    Livia drew her gaze back to Justin as he said, ¡°Corvin should not be with Salina. She treated him poorly and didn¡¯t support his career or personal goals.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Corvin¡¯s career?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°He does not make enough money to suit Salina,¡± Justin answered.


    Livia knew TARP agents made decent money, enough to house, feed, and care for a reasonably sized family. She looked at Justin in disbelief. If Livia were making a TARP agent¡¯s salary, she would consider herself more than comfortable.


    Unbelieving, she asked, ¡°How much more is she expecting?¡±


    ¡°Do you consider my agents¡¯ salary good, Livia?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Justin looked pleased. ¡°Salina has different expectations. The Antonius branch is one of the most wealthy in Caesarea. She¡¯d have to lower her lifestyle expectations if she married Corvin.¡±


    ¡°If I had to work to stay with Corvin, I wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± Livia said.


    Justin smiled at her. ¡°Livia, most patrician women do not have a similar mindset. Financial restraint is not even on their radar.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Livia said very quietly. ¡°It¡¯s an asset that I¡¯m frugal¡ª¡±


    ¡°Very much so,¡± Justin said. ¡°It won¡¯t make you very popular with the other patricians, but the peace that quality will bring to your home is worth its weight in gold.¡±


    Livia inhaled a deep breath. She could do frugal. That was one of her top skills.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite pleased with how the lobby was decorated despite the fact it¡­ruffled some feathers,¡± Justin praised her. ¡°However, as your patron, I need to ask you a favor.¡±


    Livia glanced at him. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Be kind to Salina, please.¡±


    ¡°She makes that rather difficult, Justin,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Livia, I need peace in this department,¡± Justin said calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m only half the equation in this problem,¡± Livia argued. ¡°Tell her to stay away from me!¡±


    Justin looked concerned. ¡°Livia, tell me the story with her.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no story¡ª¡±


    Justin interrupted. ¡°But there is, I can tell.¡±


    Livia was quiet for a long time. ¡°She just never liked me. I knew she was someone I should get along with from the very first.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°She was patrician, influential, the same age, the same House as Arik¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who you were dating at the time,¡± Justin mused. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°So, I tried, but she sabotaged me at every turn. In these quiet ways that I couldn¡¯t call her out on.¡± Livia shook her head. ¡°She made it impossible to be her friend.¡±


    Justin looked sad. ¡°Corvin felt the same way at the end. She¡¯s a difficult person, Livia, with a complicated past.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of hearing how her past should require me to feel sympathy for her¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because your past was so difficult,¡± Justin acknowledged. ¡°I know. I understand your point. However, I¡¯m not asking for your sympathy. I¡¯m requesting your restraint. If you can¡¯t be nice to her, then ignore her.¡±


    ¡°I will agree if you tell her the same thing,¡± Livia muttered.


    ¡°Thank you, Livia. I will have a similar conversation with Salina,¡± Justin said. ¡°Now, how is Hyrum?¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°He¡¯s working with the Senate to get things in the agricultural department turned around and reform the welfare system, which means he¡¯s often frustrated and discouraged.¡±


    ¡°I rather admire his grit,¡± Justin said. ¡°Would he be interested in partnering with TARP?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Livia admitted.


    ¡°You could speak to him over the next few days. Tell him I¡¯m not terrible to work with and see if he¡¯s open to a partnership.¡±


    ¡°I can do that,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Good, then come for the staff lunch on Friday to let me know how he responded to our invitation,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia agreed.


    They¡¯d come back around to the stairs. ¡°Do you need help to find your way back out?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Then I will see you Friday,¡± Justin closed their conversation and sent Livia on her way.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 11

    Livia arrived at TARP headquarters on Friday to speak with Justin about collaborating with Hyrum. The previous night, Livia had broached the topic with Hyrum. Hyrum told Livia to invite Justin to dinner so they could discuss things. When she walked into the TARP lobby, Livia prepared herself not to react when she ran into Salina. When she arrived, however, Apollon was alone at the front desk.


    He gestured for her to go back. ¡°Justin¡¯s waiting for you in the staff room.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Justin stood outside the staff room door, reviewing some papers in a file. When he noticed her arrival, he closed the file and slipped it under his arm.


    Justin gestured to the staff room. ¡°I promised you lunch.¡±


    Livia entered, hesitant. Food was set out on long tables at the head of the room. Three circular tables with chairs were set out nearby. Livia recognized the setup from when she was an intern.¡°You¡¯re having a staff meeting after lunch.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Justin said.


    Livia looked around the room. Hortensius and Silvanus were sitting at a table together, chatting. At another table, Cam and Apollon were seated on either side of another woman Livia did not recognize, another recruit. She didn¡¯t see Corvin or Alexander.


    Justin pulled out a chair at an empty table and sat down. ¡°Please, sit where you¡¯re comfortable, Livia, but join me at this table.¡±


    Livia sat across from him, so the expanse of the table was between them. ¡°Corvin¡¯s not here,¡± she said.


    ¡°He¡¯s with Alexander running some papers to the Aediles¡¯ office. We¡¯re trying to reserve building space for some programs we¡¯re setting up. So they should be back shortly.¡±


    ¡°Salina?¡± Livia asked, curious. Livia had always stayed for lunch before staff meetings. ¡°She didn¡¯t stay for lunch?¡±


    ¡°I gave her the rest of the day off,¡± Justin said.


    That seemed odd. ¡°Was she sick?¡±


    Justin hesitated. ¡°She was a little under the weather today.¡±


    Livia evaluated Justin. He didn¡¯t seem too concerned about the situation. However, that didn¡¯t mean something wasn¡¯t wrong. Justin was cool and level-headed. He could stay calm even if Livia combusted into flames.


    ¡°Did you speak to Hyrum?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m interested in supporting Hyrum¡¯s work and helping Corvin pass the legislation to resolve the welfare crisis in Lupus House.¡±


    ¡°He wants you to come over for dinner,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Did he mention any ways that we could work together?¡± Justin asked.


    He hadn¡¯t. Their conversation hadn¡¯t gotten that detailed. Livia wondered if she¡¯d somehow failed in her assignment. So she asked, ¡°Hyrum needs help, but I¡¯m unsure what he could offer TARP. What do you need?¡±


    ¡°It would be nice to have food to offer those that came in for services. So often tragedy overlaps with poverty in especially destructive ways.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°I understand. How¡¯d you like that delivery to look? Hyrum has the Patres Familiae send individuals over with certificates¡ª¡±


    Justin looked thoughtful. ¡°I want something more personal.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°So, food assistance on-site, at TARP headquarters?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Livia considered. ¡°I have no idea what kind of response Hyrum would have to that. But¡­I don¡¯t think he¡¯d have the manpower to transport even if he had the vehicles.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not against scheduling out that duty to my officers,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell him that,¡± Livia said, feeling out of place. ¡°But perhaps, I¡¯ll let you two work out the rest of the details at dinner. Who else needs to be present?¡±


    Justin smiled and gave her a nod of approval. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a list.¡±


    Livia felt a wave of relief at not having screwed the whole deal up. ¡°Do you want to request anything for dessert? My treat?¡±


    Justin laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone could say no to anything after eating your lemon meringue pie.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal,¡± Livia said. ¡°Well, almost¡­a deal. You¡¯ll get a pie out of it!¡±


    Justin laughed again. He gave her a warm look. ¡°Livia, I treasure our association in many ways. Thank you.¡±


    She nodded. Making a pie was a small price if it helped resolve the thorny issues that Lars and Hyrum were trying to work through the Senate. The welfare crisis would only get worse the longer it went on. Giving people another location to get food assistance was a good idea. She was happy to support Justin in getting it set up. Then she got distracted from the conversation when Corvin walked into the room.


    Corvin asked, ¡°Liv, what are you doing here?¡±


    Livia threw a questioning glance at Justin. He gave her a shake of his head. He didn¡¯t want Corvin invited into the conversation. That was odd. But since it was his department, Livia would have to abide by his timing.


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    ¡°Justin wanted to surprise you,¡± Livia joked.


    Corvin looked taken aback. ¡°He did? With what?¡±


    ¡°Um, me, being here,¡± Livia said awkwardly.


    ¡°Yes, for the staff meeting,¡± Justin said.


    Livia looked at him, annoyed.


    He pressed with a slight smirk. ¡°Livia was telling me she was available to stay.¡±


    Corvin grinned. ¡°Cam¡¯s in charge of team-building games today.¡±


    Livia hated team-building games. Usually, they required uncomfortable trust exercises or group challenges. Livia felt her eye twitch. ¡°Right. Fun times,¡± she managed.


    ¡°You hate team-building exercises,¡± Alexander said.


    Livia looked at Justin, looking for a way out. Instead, with a pleased smile, he drawled, ¡°Just like old times.¡±


    After finishing lunch with Corvin, Livia turned her attention to Camilla as she explained how to play a card game called Spoons. Everyone was supposed to grab a spoon out of the center of the circle when they got four of a kind. In each round, someone was eliminated.


    Livia settled uneasily into this physically competitive game. She eyed the circle for similar signs of discomfort. Apollon caught her eyes, giving her a confused look. He probably wondered why she was even here. Livia thought about throwing down her cards and storming out. But then someone would chase her down and check on her. She didn¡¯t want that sort of attention, so she decided to deal with the situation.


    Livia tried to relax and enjoy the game despite the fact she kept losing. Unfortunately, she was in a suboptimal strategic position. Camilla, who had lightning-fast reflexes due to being in Aquila House, sat on her left. Corvin sat on her right, and he was all lank. His arms and legs outreached her by a significant number of inches.


    ¡°I¡¯m out again!¡± Livia groaned and threw her cards into the discard pile. It was clear that she wouldn¡¯t ever get a spoon unless she did something drastic.


    So, when the next round came around, Livia launched toward a spoon and sprawled over Corvin¡¯s left knee.


    He grunted. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re tackling me?¡±


    Livia sat up red-faced but with a spoon in her clutches. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it a tackle.¡±


    ¡°What would you call it then?¡± he asked, a single brow lifted. He was trying to look stern but failing as he kept breaking into a chuckle.


    ¡°It was more of a¡­sprawl.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±


    ¡°A sprawl is definitely less forceful,¡± Livia argued.


    ¡°So, that makes it better?¡± he grinned.


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    He shared a laugh with the rest of the crew. The back of Livia¡¯s neck burned with embarrassment. She should be more careful. Since she was Taurus, she could unintentionally hurt someone. Livia didn¡¯t want to hurt Corvin or Cam on accident.


    Corvin¡¯s hand brushed up her back, then back down in a casual touch that conveyed he held no hard feelings. The gesture both eased her discomfort and sent butterflies whirling in her stomach.


    Livia blew out a breath and focused on the next round. She was still in for the first time in the last half hour. Her eyes kept darting up towards the center as cards passed around the circle. Then Apollon got four of a kind and snatched a spoon out of the center. Livia and Corvin went for the same spoon. Instead of trying to grab it before him, which would be almost impossible, Livia flicked the spoon out from under his hand. The spoon skittered across the carpet. They both lunged for the spoon simultaneously and ended up in a tangled heap. Livia grabbed the bottom half of the spoon at the same time Corvin grabbed the top half.


    Livia panicked. ¡°Did I hurt you? Are you okay?¡±


    Corvin laughed. He was lying on his back with Livia half on him, half off him. He tried to tug the spoon out of her fingers. Livia clutched onto the spoon tighter and laughed too. What was she doing? She was lying on top of Corvin in front of the entire TARP team to get some spoon neither intended to use for anything. The situation was ridiculous.


    Usually, she¡¯d let go of the spoon and run away, terrified she allowed herself to get into such a risky situation. This time her body dealt with the fear by laughing instead, apparently. Livia wondered if she had finally lost it. Her laughter consumed her, making her unable to extricate herself from the awkward position.


    Corvin relinquished the spoon, letting his fingers caress the back of her hand. He seemed to realize something was going on with her because he remained quiet while she laughed into his chest.


    At least it¡¯s Corvin, she told herself. If she went insane, he¡¯d probably know how to fix it. He¡¯d stick around and figure out a way to put her back together. His other hand came up and cradled the back of her head. The same way he did when she sobbed on his shoulder. Livia wondered if a switch would flip, and that would be what happened. Laughter turned to tears? Instead, something weirder happened. Livia carried this tightness inside her, cobwebs tangled around her heart. The laughter shook them all out, and a lightness entered her chest.


    She inhaled a deep breath, and her laughter stopped. She relaxed against Corvin¡¯s body and exhaled.


    ¡°Are you alright, Liv?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± she asked, breathless.


    ¡°No,¡± he answered softly. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Beyond the risk of death by laughter? No.¡±


    Corvin chuckled. ¡°You sure you¡¯re alright?¡±


    Livia nodded her head, cheek moving against his chest. ¡°I got the spoon.¡±


    Everyone in the room laughed. Including Livia, but this time it wasn¡¯t uncontrolled or hysterical. It was her usual laugh, but it felt more open and genuine than ever. She felt different, transformed. It was more than a little unsettling.


    She leveraged herself onto her elbow, lifting herself off Corvin¡¯s chest. He removed his hand from the back of her head, releasing her. She sat up, exhausted and uncharacteristically calm. She still had the spoon clutched in her fist. She released it. ¡°I¡¯m done with spoons. I¡¯m going to go get some water.¡±


    No one contradicted her when she stood and walked across the room to the sink. Livia found a glass in the cupboard, filled it at the sink, and gulped it down. When she turned around, Corvin was leaning against the counter.


    ¡°Wanna talk?¡± he asked.


    She felt so relaxed. She couldn¡¯t get over it. ¡°About what?¡±


    Corvin tilted his head and studied her. ¡°You seem¡­ there¡¯s something different. Am I imagining it? Are you really okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she reassured him.


    He studied her. ¡°You sure?¡±


    Livia took a deep breath and turned her back on the room, facing the counter, trying to pretend they had more privacy. Corvin followed her lead and turned to face the same direction.


    Corvin exuded that calm, accepting demeanor she recognized as non-judgment instead of indifference.


    ¡°I was¡­¡± she gestured with her hands. ¡°Laughing, obviously. But¡ª¡± she put a hand to her chest. ¡°Inside me¡­I can¡¯t explain it.¡±


    Corvin waited, listening.


    ¡°Some of the pain went away,¡± Livia whispered. ¡°I feel lightness.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s face transformed with joy. ¡°Healing.¡±


    Livia looked down at her hands as she folded them in front of her on the counter. ¡°It feels strange.¡±


    He put his hand over hers. ¡°Liv, this is perfectly normal.¡±


    Feeling vulnerable, Livia lifted her eyes to his. ¡°Really? Cause¡­ it¡¯s really weird.¡±


    ¡°No, really,¡± he insisted, hand tightening over hers briefly. ¡°The human mind has an amazing capacity for healing. Trauma can linger for a long time, but if you¡¯re put in the right moment, in the right place, with the right people, recovery happens, and it¡¯s easy. The hardest part is finding the right places, times, and people. I am so happy for you.¡±


    ¡°I keep waiting for it to come back,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°It might,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It might not. Sometimes it¡¯s one step forward, two steps back. Right now, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and accept it.¡±


    Livia took a deep breath and listened to him. Finally, she let herself still and stopped fighting against the change. She opened her eyes and met Corvin¡¯s happy hazel eyes.


    ¡°Thanks, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem, Liv. Will you come back to the circle with me?¡±


    Livia looked over her shoulder. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to stay long. The meeting is over in 5 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Livia said, relieved. ¡°It¡¯s been a day.¡±


    Corvin took her hand into his. ¡°A good day.¡±

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 12

    Saturday morning, Gaius demanded that Livia come to his office. So, Livia woke early, pushed her way through the basilica crowds, and up to Taurus House office. As she stepped out of the elevator, someone carrying stacks of paper bumped into her.


    White sheets scattered across the floor, several flying into the air. Livia blinked as she watched them settle back on the carpet. Finally, her eyes landed on the person responsible for this mess.


    He wore slacks, a buttoned-up shirt, and nice leather loafers. A single strand of his slicked-back hair had defied the pull of his woody-scented gel and hung down in the center of his forehead.


    ¡°O rem indignam,¡± he muttered in Latin. His brown eyes looked up at Livia. ¡°Sorry¡ª¡±


    Then he did a double take. ¡°Livia.¡±


    Livia wondered if she should know him. He looked familiar. She¡¯d seen those features somewhere. She remembered. She¡¯d seen him on a video call with Corvin. He was the one Pinaria had betrayed to elope.


    ¡°Are you Ancus?¡± she asked.


    He grinned. ¡°You know me.¡±


    ¡°You know me,¡± Livia countered.


    He rolled his eyes, grinning. ¡°It¡¯s impossible not to know you. Bellatrix.¡±


    Livia ducked her head, abashed. People were making too big a deal out of the snatching of the Sabines'' fight.


    ¡°How did you recognize me?¡± Ancus asked.


    ¡°I was there when Corvin called you about Pinaria.¡±


    Ancus¡¯ face fell. He turned to pick up the papers. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Livia knelt down and started straightening the stack of paper nearest her. ¡°What happened, anyway? Was she banished?¡±


    ¡°For a year,¡± Ancus sighed. ¡°Benedict wouldn¡¯t see reason.¡±


    ¡°Is she okay?¡± Livia asked, concerned.


    ¡°We got her to California. She and Spurius are both working full time and claim to be the happiest they¡¯ve ever been¡ª¡±


    ¡°You doubt that?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No, not really. I can¡¯t imagine it being as smooth a transition as she claims. But she chose her lot. Not my problem anymore. You must not listen to any gossip¡ªI thought everyone knew.¡±


    ¡°I avoid Tabula,¡± Livia said. ¡°And¡­well¡­people don¡¯t talk to me.¡±


    A flash of empathy crossed Ancus¡¯ face. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve tried it and found it enjoyable.¡±


    ¡°What enjoyable?¡± Livia asked, confused.


    Ancus gave her a soft smile. ¡°Talking to you.¡±


    Livia felt a blush come to her cheeks. She doubled her efforts to collect scattered papers. There was a single one left. She and Ancus reached for it at the same time. Livia withdrew before their hands touched.


    Ancus stilled and looked at her. He spoke low, his voice a soft murmur. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared,¡± Livia snapped.


    Ancus lifted a skeptical brow and stared her down.


    Livia sighed. Rattus were perpetually irritating. She straightened the papers on her lap, preparing to hand them over to Ancus.


    ¡°What are you doing here this morning?¡± Ancus asked.


    ¡°I have a meeting with Gaius,¡± Livia explained.


    ¡°And does your Paterfamilias treat you well?¡± Ancus asked.


    ¡°He treats me fine,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ancus repeated. ¡°That¡¯s not a glowing recommendation.¡±


    ¡°Stop trying to analyze everything,¡± Livia snapped. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ancus repeated again, hesitant as if he didn¡¯t believe her.


    Livia was even more irritated than before. ¡°Ancus, I¡¯m not lying. He¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fine. Everything is fine. Nobody is hurting me!¡±


    Ancus¡¯ gaze pierced her. ¡°But is anyone helping you?¡±


    Livia huffed and slammed her papers on top of the ones he¡¯d already stacked. She hesitated a moment to ensure they¡¯d stay stable when she let go. ¡°Corvin helps me. I¡¯m going to be late. Be more careful around elevators.¡±


    Livia stood, stepped around Ancus, and strode to her Taurus House office without looking back. Gaius¡¯ secretary sent her straight in to meet with him. Gaius looked irritated at the stack of papers in front of him.


    ¡°Livia¡­¡± was the sum of his greeting.


    ¡°Gaius.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like an update on the status of the matched papers. We should get the bulk of the work done before the holidays¡ª¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°What progress have you made?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still thinking.¡±


    ¡°What can I do to help you progress past that stage?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Figure that out,¡± his clipped words conveyed his annoyance.


    ¡°Is¡­that all?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Livia slipped out of his office, feeling guilty for not working on the papers harder and for inconveniencing Gaius with her indecision. To stave off a spiral of self-recrimination, Livia determined to finish the match papers this week. She parked outside Hyrum¡¯s house. Livia remained in her car and stared at her phone. It might be a good time to call Tavian and ask about match contracts.


    After the drama with Salina, Livia wanted her match proposal to be perfect. If she worked hard and offered a good proposal, Corvin would be pleased, and this match would go through, no matter what Salina or Irene said. Livia shoved away her fear and pushed the call button. Tavian answered right away.


    ¡°Livia?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you said that thing where I could call to chat¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not busy?¡±


    ¡°Nah, chat me up.¡±


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    Livia laughed. ¡°I¡¯m in this surprising situation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, do tell.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­sending a match proposal to Corvin.¡±


    Tavian made a cheering sound. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m doing this the right way¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am not an expert, Liv,¡± Tavian said. ¡°But I can give you a general perspective. Well¡­general perspective of a Rattus.¡±


    ¡°What do Rattus House people put in them?¡± she asked.


    ¡°For matches? Hmm, there¡¯s always the gift clause, the length of the contract, what conditions make the contract void¡­.¡±


    Livia knew all that already. ¡°What about children?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that illegitimate clause? Those are controversial. If you can leave them out, it¡¯s better.¡±


    ¡°Epiphany had one¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Tavian drawled out. ¡°Lars is Patrician and Paterfamilias. He probably has solid opinions on the matter. He won¡¯t want a grandchild that can be used to manipulate him.¡±


    ¡°What do I do?¡± Livia asked, realizing she was way out of her league. Gaius was trying to influence her to back off match papers altogether. Still, Livia didn¡¯t think retreating from the reality of the situation was going to help her case. In fact, it made it critical that she faced the issues head-on to protect herself.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Tavian asked.


    ¡°Most definitely never to have an illegitimate child.¡±


    Tavian laughed. ¡°That¡¯s a good solution. Until it¡¯s not anymore.¡±


    ¡°Really, you¡¯re supposed to help me here, Tavian.¡±


    ¡°Okay, well, you know the whole birth contr-¡±


    ¡°Yes, Tavian! Yes, I don¡¯t need that lecture.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Okay, well, list the options. Get married. Share custody with Corvin. Put the kid up for adoption.¡±


    Livia noticed immediately that Tavian didn¡¯t list abortion as an option. That really shouldn¡¯t surprise her. She knew how Arik felt about these things. She always considered Tavian different, but apparently, he was not.


    ¡°Do people abort or share custody and pay child support?¡± she asked.


    ¡°If Corvin has any say about it, he won¡¯t agree to an abortion,¡± Tavian said. ¡°I can tell you that right now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so custody arrangements? That¡¯s a lifelong nightmare.¡±


    ¡°Can be,¡± Tavian said.


    ¡°What would you do?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Best case? Get married. Worst Case? Deal with the custody arrangements,¡± Tavian said.


    ¡°Really?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Worth it in the end,¡± he said.


    Livia didn¡¯t automatically believe that. Some custody situations were brutal. ¡°So, would you be anxious about paying child support?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s a kid. Kids cost money. The state of your relationship with your partner comes secondary to the kid¡¯s needs. Corvin would say the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia said. Tavian spoke awfully confidently about how he¡¯d deal with difficult situations. Livia didn¡¯t feel any of that confidence. Indeed, his easy assurance made her feel awful for not having any stronger conviction beyond doing what was needed to survive.


    ¡°You don¡¯t agree?¡± Tavian sounded surprised and even offended.


    ¡°I am just thinking about everything right now. Haven¡¯t come to any conclusions,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°You know you can request copies of any match contracts over two years old, right?¡± Tavian asked.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Livia asked. ¡°How?¡±


    Tavian gave her instructions on how to get to the archives and request public information.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to do that,¡± Livia said. ¡°Thanks, Tavian.¡±


    ¡°Nice to chat with you, Livia,¡± he said.


    Livia ended the call and rubbed the back of her neck. Was she ready to do this? Shouldn¡¯t she feel¡­something more than this urgent sense of self-preservation when discussing things like this? Remaining in her car, Livia looked up the archive office on her phone, verifying Tavian¡¯s instructions, and discovered they wouldn¡¯t be open until Monday morning. She sighed, frustrated at the delay. She exited the car and walked into Hyrum¡¯s house.


    Hyrum was in the kitchen with Caecilia when Livia walked in. They had their heads huddled together as they studied a notebook on the counter in front of them.


    Hyrum asked, ¡°Livia are you making a pie for tomorrow?¡±


    They were planning the dinner with Justin Aurelius. Livia had received a text message with a list of Aquila senators Hyrum needed to invite. She wasn¡¯t familiar with the men, but the list excited Hyrum.


    Livia answered, ¡°Yeah, Lemon meringue. I¡¯ll do it tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so the budget vote is on the 31st,¡± Hyrum said to Caecilia. ¡°Since we made the dairy deal with Lars, he quoted a lower price to the senators. I¡¯m excited because it has a real chance to pass, especially if this meeting with Justin goes well. It was only voted down by a dozen votes last time. Gaius is staying here, so he¡¯ll actually vote. After I talked to him like Lars asked, he agreed to vote in favor.¡±


    Caecilia looked relieved. ¡°Hyrum, this is the best chance that Lupus House has had to pass the welfare reform budget. I hope you¡¯re right about getting it passed.¡±


    ¡°So, Cil,¡± Hyrum rubbed his hands together. ¡°What are we going to feed these senators¡ª¡±


    Livia slipped over to the counter to join the conversation about dinner with Hyrum and Caecilia. Her phone pinged right as she got there. Corvin had texted.


    Want to come to a family dinner tomorrow night?


    Livia looked up at Hyrum with panic. She hadn¡¯t seen Corvin all week since she worked during the day and he worked at night. Today, he¡¯d taken his sisters out Christmas shopping for his parents. ¡°Corvin invited me over to dinner at his house¡ª¡±


    ¡°You should go,¡± Hyrum said without hesitation.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°But you need my help.¡±


    ¡°You can help with the pie and some honey rolls in the morning. There¡¯s no need for you to stay,¡± he said.


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Livia looked at Caecilia. ¡°Will Justin be offended if I¡¯m not here?¡±


    ¡°Just ask him,¡± Caecilia said simply.


    ¡°Ask him?¡±


    ¡°Ask him if he¡¯d prefer you to be here or to spend time with Corvin¡¯s family,¡± Caecilia said.


    Livia texted Justin. Do you want me at the dinner Hyrum set up?


    Justin: Do you have a conflict?


    Livia: Corvin invited me to a family dinner.


    Justin: You shouldn¡¯t turn him down. Go to the family dinner.


    Livia: But we arranged this first.


    Justin: It¡¯s fine. Please tell Corvin about the meeting while it is happening. That would be convenient.


    Livia: Why?


    Justin: I can prevent him from interfering without making him think I prevented him from interfering.


    Livia: Why would Corvin interfere?


    Justin: They are people he won¡¯t compromise with.


    Livia: Should I tell him who is at the meeting?


    Justin: Yes. Just stay at Lars¡¯ house. Don¡¯t bring him to Hyrum¡¯s.


    Livia: Please, explain why this is a thing.


    Justin: I¡¯ll let history stay history.


    Livia frowned. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was going to like this mission. She looked up at Hyrum and Caecilia. ¡°Justin told me to go to Corvin¡¯s and tell him about the meeting while it is happening.¡±


    Caecilia nodded. ¡°Classic move. Make it so he can¡¯t interfere but also can¡¯t complain he was left out of the loop.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he want Corvin interfering?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°They got history with the founding of TARP,¡± Caecilia said. ¡°They criticized the program with ad hominem attacks on Corvin ¡®cause he¡¯d just finished rehab.¡±


    ¡°Rehab?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Caecilia''s face fell. ¡°You didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Livia demanded. ¡°Know what?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been sober five years this fall, Liv,¡± Caecilia said.


    ¡°Sober from what?¡± Livia asked.


    Caecilia looked over at Hyrum briefly. ¡°Alcohol.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said. ¡°No. No way. I can¡¯t do that. Never again. I have to text him now and¡­.¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Hyrum spoke sharply. ¡°Calm down. He¡¯s not Dad.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not guaranteed!¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Hyrum repeated. ¡°He. Is. Not. Dad.¡±


    ¡°Hyrum, you think I should keep dating him?¡± Livia asked, shocked.


    ¡°Liv, I¡¯m not saying you shouldn¡¯t discuss it. It should be a conversation, but at least hear him out. Give him a chance¡­.¡±


    ¡°Give him a chance?¡± Livia looked at her brother like he¡¯d grown two heads. ¡°You¡¯re the one that made us all swear that stupid oath never to drink so we all didn¡¯t become like Dad¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not Dad!¡± Hyrum snapped.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Livia, do you want a husband that wants to drink a beer to chill every night? Would that make you more comfortable?¡±


    Livia hadn¡¯t ever thought this out before. She had asked Arik not to drink in front of her, and he¡¯d always respected that. But he didn¡¯t often drink enough for it to become a problem. He¡¯d go out with friends twice a month. Livia recognized that his habits were tame by Caesrean standards.


    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t like that,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Then, you¡¯ll fit better with Corvin. He¡¯ll respect that you won¡¯t want a drop of alcohol in the house.¡±


    ¡°And the guy never gets pregnant,¡± Caecilia joked. ¡°So you¡¯d never stop arguing about it.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes pinged between Hyrum and Caecilia. ¡°You fight about this?¡±


    ¡°I try to tell Hyrum it¡¯s not reasonable to ban alcohol from the house¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can go out and drink at places that have alcohol there.¡±


    ¡°Then how will I drive?¡±


    ¡°You can make arrangements for a ride beforehand,¡± Hyrum said.


    ¡°Hyrum,¡± she said, irritated. ¡°Tha¡ª¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to talk about it until after the baby comes and you¡¯re done nursing,¡± Hyrum interrupted.


    Caecilia looked angry, but she didn¡¯t argue. Instead, she walked out of the kitchen and stomped up the stairs.


    Hyrum sighed. ¡°She doesn¡¯t understand how upset it makes me.¡±


    ¡°The smell,¡± Livia nodded. The smell of alcohol could set off days of horrible flashbacks. Livia hated it.


    ¡°And our kids. I don¡¯t want them to drink. If she excuses the behavior, they¡¯ll likely think it¡¯s not a big deal. Caecilia''s mother is basically an alcoholic, but since she only gets sleepy, they all ignore it like it¡¯s not harmful. People are so stupid, Livia.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know, but¡­Caecilia, is that unhappy about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to be reasonable. I don¡¯t say she can¡¯t drink occasionally. At least when she wasn¡¯t pregnant. I just don¡¯t want the stuff in our house. Caecilia doesn¡¯t want to drink in public¡ª¡±


    ¡°Maybe she doesn¡¯t feel safe. I mean, getting drunk in public is more dangerous for a woman,¡± Livia said.


    Hyrum¡¯s eyes widened. His eyes shot to the stairs. ¡°Damn. I never realized¡­.¡±


    Hyrum sighed heavily. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his finger and thumb. ¡°I hate feeling this stupid.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Hyrum.¡±


    He put down his hand and looked at her. ¡°No. I¡¯m glad you said it. I just hate that we can¡¯t find a way to compromise on this issue. I¡¯ve tried, but she just doesn¡¯t get it.¡±


    Livia had no idea what to say. ¡°I¡¯m going to text Corvin back, I guess.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to say?¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll hear him out, Hyrum. I guess¡­ we¡¯ll see.¡±


    Livia texted Corvin. I¡¯d love to come over for dinner. But we need to talk.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 13

    Livia was nervous when she parked the car in the driveway of Corvin¡¯s parents¡¯ house. She twisted the raven ring Gaius had given her around her finger. She¡¯d needed it for comfort, as her nerves threatened to convince her to turn the car around and drive straight back to Hyrum¡¯s house. The large driveway was already full of cars, but Livia found a spot near the street that would provide a quick exit if needed.


    Alia answered the door when Livia knocked.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be nervous,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re not going to eat you for dinner.¡±


    Livia laughed a little. Then followed Alia through the grand foyer and into the main house. Livia stopped mid-step at the sight before her. Corvin held a tiny infant in his arms. Livia had never seen a baby so tiny in person before. Yet, Corvin seemed perfectly at ease holding the child. In fact, he seemed more confident than usual, with a warm smile on his face. His shoulders lowered and relaxed. This demeanor she recognized as the one she fell in love with, the one that shone through most often when he was around family.


    It broke her heart. She had wondered if she needed to break things off to keep herself safe, only to be confronted with this pure version of Corvin. She wanted this moment to be her entire existence. To bottle up his goodness and keep it with her every second.


    ¡°Liv!¡± he called to her. ¡°Come meet Az''s baby. She¡¯s adorable.¡±


    Livia approached. Hands flat against her thighs. ¡°She¡¯s tiny.¡±


    ¡°Five pounds when she was born,¡± Az''s husband, Jonas, came up behind Livia. ¡°Want to hold her?¡±


    ¡°Where is Azurea?¡± Livia asked. She didn¡¯t take the question about wanting to hold the baby seriously. This was something polite new parents said. No one would look at Livia and think she was qualified to hold a newborn.


    ¡°Sleeping,¡± Corvin said. ¡°This little one is only two weeks old, and her mama is exhausted.¡±


    Livia looked at Jonas. He had dark circles under his eyes, his face lined with exhaustion. ¡°You should be sleeping too.¡±


    The new father sighed. ¡°It¡¯s hard to leave her.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re pros, Jonas,¡± Corvin teased. ¡°Trust us.¡±


    Jonas glared at Corvin. ¡°She¡¯s only two weeks, Corvin. Give me a little more time¡ª¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°She¡¯s definitely worth losing sleep over.¡±


    Corvin leaned down over the baby and cooed nonsense to her. She watched with wide eyes that took in everything around her in a very intent, serious manner.


    ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Mercy,¡± Jonas answered.


    Livia nodded. Names that were also virtues were popular in Caesarea. ¡°Has your family welcomed her warmly?¡±


    Jonas gave her a look of utter bewilderment. ¡°Of course.¡± Then understanding dawned. ¡°You¡¯re asking about Salina now.¡±


    ¡°I hope Azurea is treated kindly,¡± Livia said. She felt a fierce protectiveness over the woman since she knew through personal experience how cruel Salina could be.


    Jonas gave a ghost of a smile. Then sighed. ¡°Salina is having a hard time, but she has shown support and kindness.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Livia sighed in relief.


    ¡°Do you really have such a low opinion of my sister?¡± Jonas asked. ¡°That disturbs me.¡±


    Livia looked toward the baby so she didn¡¯t have to answer. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to hold her?¡± he repeated.


    Livia shook her head, taking a step back. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ll wait till she¡¯s a little older.¡±


    Corvin chuckled. ¡°Babies make you nervous, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I held Justin and Flavia''s twins a lot, but they were five months and could hold their own heads up,¡± Livia explained.


    Suddenly, Mercy wailed. Livia prevented herself from flinching and shot a terrified look in Jonas¡¯ direction. Corvin tried to soothe her with a few bouncing moves, but she only wailed louder.


    Jonas said, ¡°Hand her over, Corvin. She¡¯s hungry¡ª¡±


    Corvin stepped over to Jonas and eased Mercy into her father¡¯s arms. ¡°How long has Az been asleep?¡±


    ¡°About an hour and twenty minutes,¡± Jonas said.


    Corvin grimaced. ¡°I wish we could give her two hours solid rest, but even an hour and a half is a long time to keep a baby this small away from its mother.¡±


    Jonas nodded, eyes on the face of his whimpering daughter. ¡°I¡¯ll take her to where Az is resting. Maybe she can sleep a bit longer while she nurses if I watch them.¡±


    Jonas shifted Mercy in his arms and walked in an easy bouncing step toward the other side of the house. ¡°Shh, baby girl, we¡¯re headed for Mama.¡±


    Livia¡¯s heart melted with sympathy as Mercy released a piercing wail in response to Jonas¡¯ reassurances. Corvin chuckled and gave Livia a reassuring look. ¡°Knows what she wants when she wants it.¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°How are you, Liv?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia inhaled a huge breath.


    ¡°Does my family make you that nervous?¡± he asked, grinning.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°I just¡­ there¡¯s a lot to say.¡±


    Corvin reached for her hand. Livia jerked away before she realized how rude that would seem.


    ¡°I¡­sorry¡­I can¡¯t,¡± she said.


    Corvin frowned. ¡°You in pain, Liv?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I have to talk to you,¡± Livia said.


    Aurelia called out from the kitchen, ¡°Dinner is ready! Everyone to the table!¡±


    ¡°Can it wait till after we eat?¡± Corvin asked, concerned.


    Livia nodded, still holding her arms tightly against her sides. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Dinner was more overwhelming than Livia predicted, but the laughter, food, and company distracted her from her worries enough that she relaxed. She met Corvin¡¯s eyes often, sharing a snicker or a disbelieving gasp with him. She was helping to clear off the table and wash dishes when Corvin pulled Livia¡¯s hand into his. Corvin threaded their fingers together and guided her toward a back hallway.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± she whispered, pulling them to a stop.


    ¡°To the attic. To have that talk you requested,¡± he answered. He tugged to get her to follow him.


    Livia allowed him to lead her up a steep staircase to a cramped room. There was a foosball table and some beanbags in the corner. It had an abandoned air to it.


    ¡°No one comes up here?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Kind of lost its appeal once we built the library addition. But I loved this room when I was a kid. Epiphany and I played so many foosball games. Mel a little too, but Alia always cried when she lost, so we stopped playing with her.¡±


    Corvin collapsed onto a bean bag chair and gestured for Livia to do the same. ¡°Take a seat,¡± he grinned.


    If she weren¡¯t so nervous, Livia would have laughed at the picture he struck, long limbs overflowing over the sides of the beanbag. She wanted to return to the kitchen and insist on washing every last dish. ¡°Are you sure your family doesn¡¯t need our help cleaning up?¡± Livia asked.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Corvin gave her an amused shake of his head. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, Liv?¡±


    Livia should have prepared for how she was going to say things. She tried to sit in the beanbag chair, but she was so rigid and stiff that it wasn¡¯t very comfortable. She gingerly leaned back. She clasped her hands over her knees.


    ¡°So¡­I¡­.Justin said¡ª¡±


    ¡°What did Justin say?¡± Corvin prompted when Livia paused.


    ¡°He and Hyrum are having Dinner now. Right now.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re trying to encourage some senators to vote for the welfare reform bill and trying to create a food assistance program at TARP headquarters.¡±


    ¡°And who are these senators?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia pulled out her phone and read the names that Justin had texted over to her. When she lifted her eyes to Corvin, some of his easy demeanor had retreated into a familiar mask of reserve.


    ¡°I¡¯m being managed,¡± Corvin mused.


    ¡°Look, I know as much as you,¡± Livia said. ¡°They sent me away, over here, with you.¡±


    ¡°Are you mad about that?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Livia said. ¡°It feels a little insulting.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I agree,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I suspect Justin will win them over, and I appreciate that. It¡¯s good for Lupus House.¡±


    There was something clipped in his tone that clued Livia into the fact that, despite his words, Corvin was upset.


    ¡°Are you angry?¡± Livia whispered.


    Corvin tugged at the collar of his shirt. ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°At me?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No, with Justin. He¡¯ll know that. Expect it. It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll deal with it between us later.¡±


    Livia looked at her toes. She rubbed the back of her neck, anxious.


    ¡°Is there something else, Liv?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Caecilia mentioned something¡­¡± she whispered.


    ¡°What did she mention?¡±


    ¡°You were in rehab?¡± Livia lifted worried eyes to his.


    He looked stunned. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡±


    Livia shook her head.


    Corvin rubbed the back of his neck. Then he took a deep breath. ¡°I am so sorry, Livia. I should have been the one to tell you. I honestly¡­I didn¡¯t try not to tell you. I thought you knew. I assumed it¡¯d come up between us, and we¡¯d talk. I hope you don¡¯t feel betrayed.¡±


    The sting of learning about the rehab and Salina back to back did make her feel a bit betrayed. ¡°I am trying to talk this all out¡ª¡±


    Corvin nodded. ¡°You can ask anything you need to. So, don¡¯t hold back.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Livia ran her hands nervously together. ¡°Alcohol?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°I drank too much, and it became a problem.¡±


    ¡°So, if I said I don¡¯t want alcohol in our house, ever,¡± Livia¡¯s voice shook. ¡°You¡¯re okay with that?¡±


    ¡°Are you making that rule to help me?¡± Corvin asked, studying her closely. ¡°Or do you have your own issues?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t drink alcohol,¡± Livia had to pause to take a deep breath. ¡°Because my Dad did, and it turned him into a monster.¡±


    Livia put her hands over her face as her body started to tremble. She tried shaking her hands out to get the shaking to stop, and it only got worse.


    Corvin¡¯s face turned concerned. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re alright, Hun. You¡¯re alright.¡±


    ¡°So, I can¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t even smell it without¡­remembering horrifying things.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Livia, I see what you¡¯re saying. You need to keep alcohol out of our house,¡± Corvin said.


    She nodded.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he tried to joke. ¡°I need the same thing.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t laugh. She gave him a severe look. ¡°I don¡¯t ever want that poison in my life again, even secondhand.¡±


    Corvin nodded, face expressionless. ¡°We feel the same way about that. I want to stay sober. I¡¯m terrified I¡¯ll slip up and go back.¡±


    Livia looked him in the eyes, and she stopped shaking. Her voice steadied with a firm warning, ¡°I will never stand for my child to be in the same situation I was in.¡±


    Corvin looked away. She heard the sound of his heavy swallow. ¡°I got so close to being¡­that father. I wasn¡¯t an angry drunk, Livia. I never hit anyone, but¡­that¡¯s not much of a defense. Checking out, not being present, neglecting responsibilities is harmful enough.¡±


    ¡°Hyrum and Caecilia fight about this. He tries to compromise with her. Corvin¡ª¡± Livia stopped so he¡¯d look at her.


    He did.


    ¡°With me, there will be no compromise,¡± she said. ¡°You will stay sober, or I will leave you.¡±


    Corvin blinked. ¡°Okay. Thank you for being clear with me on where you stand, Liv.¡±


    ¡°Are you angry?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No. That¡¯s fair. Everything you said was fair,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little terrified to give you a chance considering my past, but you¡¯re a good person. I know that. And Hyrum says I should. That¡­you¡¯re not my father.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not, Livia,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I would never harm you or our children. I swear to you.¡±


    ¡°You never did¡­meth, crack¡­heroine?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Cause I knew people who did, and¡­that stuff messes you up.¡±


    ¡°Never tried illicit drugs. Only alcohol.¡± Corvin lifted a single eyebrow. ¡°Did you ever try those things?¡±


    Livia took a deep breath. ¡°I smoked weed for months, and then we moved. I never really fell into that type of crowd again. "


    Corvin eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Did you miss it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia whispered. ¡°But that scared me more than I wanted another high. Hyrum was clear about what he thought about drug addictions and how dangerous they could be. And well¡­I didn¡¯t want to become my father.¡±


    ¡°So you never did it again?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the right people in the new place.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t go looking?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I admire that,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never admitted that to anyone before,¡± Livia looked at the wall. ¡°Even Lucas never found out.¡±


    ¡°Did it help you in some way?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia looked back at him. ¡°At first, it was an emotional relief, then¡­it made things worse. I was relieved that it was over.¡±


    ¡°Did you experience withdrawal?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia shrugged. ¡°I had a hard time adjusting to that move. Hyrum spent more time with me. Took me out a lot, so mom couldn¡¯t rip into me.¡±


    ¡°So, he noticed something was wrong.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°But I got better and learned never to touch drugs again.¡±


    ¡°Do you ever think about telling Hyrum about this?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin reached out and let his fingers stroke her hand. ¡°Makes me a little sad you did that all alone. That¡¯s a big thing for a kid to deal with¡ª¡±


    Livia laughed. She wasn¡¯t sure if she did it to brush off his concern or his physical affection. ¡°It was small compared to other things, Corvin.¡±


    His thumb brushed back and forth over her hand. ¡°Well, I¡¯m proud of you for telling me. I¡¯m glad it¡¯s something you don¡¯t have to keep secret anymore.¡±


    Livia closed her eyes as a whisper of pleasure tickled the back of her hand. ¡°This conversation wasn¡¯t supposed to happen this way.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t judge you,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Cause I made the same choice with alcohol, and it went worse for me. Rehab was hard, and I was ill for a long time.¡±


    Livia opened her eyes and studied his face. ¡°Corvin, I¡¯m so grateful that you¡¯re better. If you hadn¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t want to think about a life without you this way¡ªbetter.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s face softened. ¡°Hun, I¡¯m going to do my best every day to stay better so I can be here for you. I promise.¡±


    Livia nodded.


    ¡°Will you promise me something?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you ever feel like you need to take something again cause it¡¯s too hard to deal with the pain, will you come to me first? Will you talk to me before you make that decision?¡± he asked.


    Livia nodded. ¡°I promise, Corvin. I¡¯ll come to you.¡±


    ¡°It just needs to be done in the right way, alright?¡± he said. ¡°You can take things to help just¡­with support. So you¡¯ll be safe, Hun.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about prescriptions, right?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Cause¡­I don¡¯t think you should support me getting involved with dealers.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Stay away from dealers. We have doctors for a reason, and I can pull strings with TARP. I can arrange it so you don¡¯t have to wait long. So, you¡¯re treated quickly and with the right things. Okay?¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Corvin asked, ¡°We ready to head back downstairs?¡±


    Livia hesitated as the things Salina said crossed her thoughts. Should she bring those things up to him? Did she complain that she didn¡¯t like how he¡¯d kept the nature of their relationship a secret from her? But this conversation had taken a toll on Livia. She¡¯d shared things with him she¡¯d never told anyone before. That made her feel insecure. She wasn¡¯t ready to bring up a whole other can of worms. She could let some things go, couldn¡¯t she? It wasn¡¯t necessary to fight with him about Salina.


    Livia stood. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Corvin didn¡¯t immediately stand. ¡°You sure, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she repeated, crossing to the door to avoid his steady gaze. Livia was afraid that her expression would give her away. She hoped he wouldn¡¯t question her and come back downstairs with her. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Corvin stood and followed her back downstairs without complaint.


    ***


    Livia asked to use the restroom before she left to go home. When she came out, Jonas had cornered Corvin.


    Worried that something was wrong with Azurea, Livia crept up to listen in.


    ¡°Corvin, I wish you¡¯d consider a conversation with Salina,¡± Jonas said.


    ¡°About what?¡± Corvin asked tersely.


    His harsh tone of voice shocked Livia more than Jonas¡¯ request.


    ¡°Livia is an attractive match for a lot of reasons, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Finish that sentence at your peril, Jonas,¡± Corvin growled. ¡°If you say one bad word about her¡ª¡±


    ¡°Salina is a very experienced socialite. Politically, you¡¯ll gain more allies¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided against a political career,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Is¡­that possible?¡± Jonas choked. ¡°You¡¯ll be Paterfamilias.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a new era, Jonas. We can¡¯t do things according to the old ways,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Look, Corvin, you know Salina will give you all the freedom you want. She¡¯s not clingy¡ª¡±


    ¡°Livia is not clingy,¡± Corvin growled.


    Jonas made a noise of disagreement that made Corvin stare him down.


    ¡°Corvin, be reasonable¡ª¡±


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°I cannot tolerate Salina¡¯s definition of partnership, Jonas. And you talk about all the freedom I want? With her rabid jealousy?¡±


    Jonas glared. ¡°Corvin, I can¡¯t understand why you¡¯re that set against her¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then you need to spend some time getting to know your own sister,¡± Corvin snapped and stalked away.


    Jonas stood there frozen, mouth agape, watching Corvin cross the room.


    Livia didn¡¯t know why she announced her presence. ¡°She¡¯s a bully, Jonas.¡±


    He turned and looked at her and flushed a deep red. ¡°You heard.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia met his eyes.


    She watched Jonas squirm as he searched for something to say.


    ¡°Corvin should consider all his options¡ª¡±


    ¡°Am I not considered an option?¡± Livia asked coldly.


    Jonas¡¯ face flushed an even deeper red. ¡°I think you know why you¡¯re an unconventional choice, and we¡¯re concerned¡ª¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m unstable?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Are you?¡±


    Livia answered, ¡°I¡¯m sane. After all I¡¯ve been through, I consider that quite an accomplishment.¡±


    To her surprise, Jonas smiled and gave her a nod of acknowledgment.


    ¡°I¡¯m not perfect,¡± Livia said. She tipped her head to Corvin. ¡°But neither is he¡­if he deserves a good life, why don¡¯t I?¡±


    Surprise entered Jonas¡¯ expression. ¡°You deserve a good life. I just don¡¯t want Corvin¡¯s to be any harder.¡±


    Livia smiled, but there was steel behind it. ¡°Good. Because I don¡¯t want mine to be either.¡±


    Jonas¡¯ eyes narrowed. ¡°I don¡¯t want this to cause a grudge between us. I didn¡¯t speak ill of you or say anything untrue¡ª¡±


    Livia considered that. ¡°I don¡¯t hold a grudge. But I no longer trust you, and there¡¯s little chance you¡¯ll ever repair that.¡±


    Jonas¡¯ chin jerked back. Livia walked past him to find Corvin. She said goodbye, and Corvin followed her outside.


    ¡°Are we alright, Livia?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re alright, Corvin,¡± Livia answered.


    He gave her a long hug and a kiss on the forehead and then let her go. He watched as Livia backed out of the driveway, brow furrowed.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 14 Part 1

    After work on Monday, Livia went down into the forum again. She walked into the dusty and surprisingly tiny archive office. A few people were sitting at desks reading, but no one stood at the counter.


    Livia walked up, trying to find a way to notify someone that she needed help. An old man sat on a chair between the rows of floor-to-ceiling file cabinets. He acknowledged her with a nod and pulled himself to his feet. Livia waited as he shuffled toward her. When he reached the counter, she asked to request old match contracts. ¡°Alright,¡± the docent said. ¡°You know the request limit is two per year unless you have special permission. Betrothal and marriage contracts are also off limits unless you have special permission or can prove familial relation to a deceased person.¡±


    ¡°Alright, um, I¡¯d like to request the first match contract of Corvin Tullius. And¡­of Justin and Flavia Aurelius.¡±


    ¡°Justin and Aurelia didn¡¯t have a match contract,¡± the docent said.


    ¡°Okay, um,¡± Livia¡¯s parents hadn¡¯t either. ¡°Just that one, then.¡±


    The docent told Livia she could stay and wait or come back later.


    ¡°How long will it take?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Twenty minutes.¡±


    Livia decided to wait. Livia left armed with copies of contract records and went home to read them. She was surprised to find herself reading the match contract between Corvin and Cassia, his former fiancee, who had been murdered.


    The illegitimacy clause in Corvin¡¯s contract horrified Livia. No abortion, zero exceptions. Full custody to Corvin. Any children took Lupus House, despite Cassia being Rattus House. The only thing halfway redeeming about the entire thing was that Corvin agreed to pay all medical costs for both mother and child during infancy.


    Livia would never sign something like this. She wasn¡¯t militantly pro-choice like some people. No one liked abortion. At least, no one should. That didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t sometimes necessary. And dating Corvin wouldn¡¯t ever give him the right to make decisions for her body. Marrying him wouldn¡¯t give him that right either, as far as she was concerned. She was going to be clear about that from the very start. No compromises. Ever. Not when it came to making decisions about her own health and safety.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    When Livia came out of her room, she ran into Caecilia, who could tell she was upset.


    ¡°What happened, Liv?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Just¡­reading¡­papers¡ª¡±


    ¡°About what? You look furious.¡±


    ¡°Corvin¡¯s old match contract¡ª¡±


    Caecilia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What? What for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never read one before, and I¡¯m preparing one¡­.¡±


    ¡°Who did they pull up?¡±


    ¡°Cassia.¡±


    Caecilia¡¯s expression went flat. ¡°She was a different person than you. So don¡¯t read that much into it.¡±


    Livia shook her head at Caecilia. ¡°But the contract¡­ it¡¯s awful.¡±


    Caecilia sighed. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t judge him for it. Instead, tell him it will be different this time. It isn¡¯t like you¡¯re forced to sign the same contract. You do get to choose what you agree to.¡±


    Caecilia¡¯s level-headed advice soothed some of Livia¡¯s panic. Her sister-in-law was right. Livia was a different person, and she could request a separate arrangement. She wondered about Cassia, though. What type of person would agree to such a one-sided contract? Did she naively believe that nothing would go wrong? In either her body or her relationships? Livia envied people with that much blind trust. Life was easier when you weren¡¯t always afraid of things going catastrophically wrong all the time. But Livia knew better. Life could be ruthless and cruel, and you had to protect yourself.


    After eating a snack, Livia went back upstairs and got on Tabula. She wandered aimlessly through archives of feeds, searching for something. Context maybe? Eventually, she came across the Owl Band page. The last update had been the 2nd anniversary of Cassia¡¯s death. A band mate had posted a video of Corvin and Cassia singing a duet together.


    Livia hesitated and then pressed the play button. The first thing she recognized was that Cassia had jaw-dropping talent. Corvin had a soothing and reliable voice, but Cassia outclassed him easily. She had a powerful voice and the persona that went with it. She oozed confidence and grace with every move.


    By the third verse of their power ballad, Cassia had entwined herself around Corvin. She exuded a fearless sensuality as the chemistry between them grew electric. After the final note, Corvin dipped Cassia and pulled her into a kiss that went on and on and on.


    Livia stopped the video and pressed her face into her hands. Her throat felt tight, and she had to remind herself to breathe. She was the opposite of this superstar of a woman Corvin had loved. First, Livia had never been graceful. Second, she¡¯d never been that confident. The best she could describe herself as was competent. Third, she¡¯d never been comfortable enough with touch in general to approach that level of sensuality. It made her both  jealous and so insecure that it was physically painful.


    She shut the lid of her laptop and curled up on the covers of her bed. She trembled as every bad thought she¡¯d ever thought about herself seemed to press in on her all at once. She was broken, not good enough, unlovable, and worthless. Her tears seeped out slowly at first until they snowballed into sobs. How could what she offered Corvin ever be enough to make up for what he¡¯d lost? Suddenly, everything Salina said made terrible sense.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 14 Part 2

    What time do you work today? Corvin texted early the following day.


    Livia actually had the day off, which was a relief. She hadn¡¯t pulled herself together after watching videos of Cassia last night. Livia was grateful to avoid listening to Irene prattle on about how she was related to the most important, well-connected, and rich people in Caesarea. Livia was trying to give the girl the benefit of the doubt and believe she wasn¡¯t doing it to make Livia feel inferior. But Livia felt inferior after a week of shameless bragging.


    As if that wasn¡¯t enough grief, she kept wondering what surprise was next. First, Corvin¡¯s relationship with Salina, his stint in rehab, and the contract with Cassia. Paranoid thoughts started creeping into Livia¡¯s mind. What if Corvin had kept these things from her on purpose? Her mother lied to her about being in Taurus House for 17 years. What if something more was going on with Salina? Maybe Jonas was in on it like Hyrum had obeyed mom and kept his mouth shut for 17 years. What other crazy girlfriends did Corvin have in his past? Could Livia trust him?


    She recognized she was in a dark place. The type of place that two years ago would have her making unreasonable and controlling demands of Arik. Indeed, the temptation to sit Corvin down and interrogate him about every last interaction he¡¯d had with every female in Caesarea was fierce.


    But her therapist had given her a tip on how to check these controlling impulses. She had to flip them around. If Corvin sat Livia down and interrogated her how she wanted to interrogate him, she¡¯d consider it unforgivable. So, that meant she couldn¡¯t do it. The conversation was off-limits.


    That meant she had to sit there with her thoughts and feelings and endure them. Treating other people poorly didn¡¯t erase the past or protect you from being hurt in the future. That was the harsh truth of existence. Livia hated how vulnerable and fragile that made her feel.


    I¡¯m off, Livia texted back.


    Corvin: Me too. What time do you want to get together?


    Livia groaned. She wanted to see Corvin, but she wanted to feel more¡­confident, less paranoid. She considered saying no, putting Corvin off, but she¡¯d have to see him eventually. Putting it off wasn¡¯t going to fix anything. Instead, she would try to do that thing where you process your feelings and get over them.


    Livia: 1:00.


    Corvin: Can we do noon, and I¡¯ll treat you to lunch?


    What was one hour earlier?


    Livia: See you then.


    Livia took a deep breath. First thing, exercise. Right? That would get her moving, do whatever it was that brain chemicals did, and get her out of this funk. So, after breakfast, Livia threw some ratty tennis shoes on and went for a decent run. She might have gotten a tad too cold, though, because she couldn¡¯t feel the cool water when she was in the shower. She had to turn the heat up to feel any sensation.


    Worried about getting too hot, Livia kept a close eye on her skin color. She got out when she started seeing pink tones. That meant she came out of the shower grouchy and annoyed.


    Livia got the big idea to curl her hair the way the ¡®refined¡¯ women in Caesarea did. After taking ages to blow dry it, she borrowed Caecilia¡¯s curling iron. It was pretty for about ten minutes and turned into a limp mess. Livia curled it again and used more hairspray. Now her hair looked more like a stiff, messy bush. She could feel the sticky hair spray on the edges of her face, making her want to scrape her nails across her skin. Her stiff hair scraped across her shoulders and neck each time she turned her head. The sensations that sent down her back made her nauseated. Livia stared at herself in the mirror, still as possible. She¡¯d be fine as long as she remained stiff as a board.


    Livia unplugged the curling iron. She turned to the shower, turned it on, put her hair in the stream, and washed it until she no longer felt sick. Once her hair was soft and flexible again, she could relax. She decided to braid it like she often did. When she finished, she looked in the mirror again. All that effort and no change.


    Livia tried to brush that off and went to deal with her clothing. Livia imagined she¡¯d put on something nice this morning, but she had lost all her ambition and courage. So she just put on whatever she usually wore. She tried to tell herself she felt better for trying to improve herself. Instead, she felt stupid and embarrassed for wasting her time.


    All the discouragement settled on her at once. Was she just fooling herself, thinking that Corvin would like her? Did she think she could compete with these beautiful high-society  women that paid people to groom them to perfection? That Corvin wouldn¡¯t eventually notice that she wasn¡¯t good enough?


    Then there was the problem with the match papers. How was she supposed to sort those out? And Corvin seemed happy now with forehead kisses and cuddles, but what did Livia do when he wanted more? She was afraid of disappointing him. She wanted to be open, spontaneous, and generous that way with him, but the hard reality was that she just wasn¡¯t.


    She tried so hard with Arik. Livia was not in any way a  person. When Corvin pulled up, Livia thought of faking sickness, but she didn¡¯t. She gave him a false smile and climbed into his truck when he opened the door for her.


    ¡°How are you, Liv?¡± Corvin asked as they pulled out of the driveway.


    Livia nodded. Silent.


    Corvin looked at her. ¡°Liv?¡±


    ¡°You know¡­the same.¡±


    ¡°The same?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°As what?¡± he was confused.


    ¡°I¡¯m just Livia,¡± she said, unable to hide the bitterness.


    ¡°And tell me about Livia,¡± Corvin asked. ¡°Who is she?¡±


    Livia looked out the window and didn¡¯t answer. Corvin didn¡¯t press. Eventually, he pulled into a parking lot, and they got out.


    They ordered food to go and returned to the car. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my place so we don¡¯t get cold,¡± Corvin offered.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Corvin,¡± Livia whispered. ¡°I should have made some excuse to stay home.¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re sad today?¡± he asked.


    Livia rubbed her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather be with you sad than not at all,¡± Corvin said. He pulled her hand from her face and held it as they drove. He let them into his townhouse. He put the food down on the coffee table and then hugged Livia.


    It was an amazing hug. It did more for Livia than the run, the shower, and the botched hair attempt. Tears ran down her cheeks out of sheer relief that something felt good and comforting to her body.


    Livia pulled back from the hug to wipe her cheeks. She looked around the room in front of her. Two couches were facing each other on either side of the coffee table. The fireplace and two built-in bookshelves on the far wall made it a cozy place to study or chat with friends.


    Corvin sat on one of the couches and gestured for her to sit with him. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Liv? Talk to me.¡±


    ¡°Corvin?¡± Livia asked, remaining standing in front of him. ¡°Do you stay with me out of pity?¡±


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    He met her eyes with alarm. ¡°Of course not. Why would you think that?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± she whispered, eyes shining with tears.


    ¡°Liv?¡± Corvin scooted forward to sit on the edge of the couch. ¡°What have I ever done to make you think that?¡±


    Livia cupped her palm around the back of her neck. ¡°Corvin, I can barely kiss you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Liv, Hun¡ª¡± Corvin sighed, hesitating. ¡°That doesn¡¯t bother me at this stage of our relationship, but since it bothers you, let¡¯s talk about it.¡±


    ¡°What is there to talk about?¡± Livia asked. ¡°I¡¯m broken.¡±


    Corvin patted the empty space next to him. ¡°Come sit, Liv.¡±


    Livia accepted his invitation. She sat, hands clasped tight over her knees.


    Corvin leaned toward her, angling himself so he could meet her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been so proud of you, Livia.¡±


    Livia scoffed. ¡°Why? That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    Corvin protested. ¡°We¡¯ve actually shared a good deal of physical affection. I¡¯ve been in relationships where I¡¯ve had less¡ª¡±


    Livia lifted her eyes to him, disbelieving. ¡°With who?¡±


    ¡°Salina¡ª¡±


    Livia shook her head. She didn¡¯t believe that. It didn¡¯t seem possible. Even if it were true, it didn¡¯t apply to Cassia. ¡°I feel like¡­ I¡¯m not as good for you as¡ª¡±


    Livia couldn¡¯t bring herself to say Cassia¡¯s name to Corvin¡¯s face. It felt wrong to do it this way. When she wanted reassurance. She should reassure him. He¡¯d been the one to lose her. She pressed her lips together and looked away.


    Corvin looked curious. ¡°Bella?¡± he guessed.


    Livia flushed. She hadn¡¯t thought about him and Bella, Justin¡¯s daughter, together in a long time. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡ª¡± Livia said, shaking her head.


    ¡°Is it Cassia?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia looked at him, panicked.


    ¡°It¡¯s Cassia,¡± he confirmed. ¡°We can talk about her, Livia.¡±


    Livia sighed and looked at her hands, defeated. ¡°It¡¯s unfair to discuss her with you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that at all,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Cassia was a big part of my life. I don¡¯t mind talking about her with you.¡±


    That didn¡¯t make Livia leap to share her concerns with him. She evaluated him, skeptical that he was as chill about this conversation as he portrayed. But what was the point of hiding it from him now that he¡¯d guessed?


    ¡°What did you hear about her?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia admitted, ¡°I watched a video.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem surprised. ¡°Which ones did you watch?¡±


    ¡°It was on the OWLS band page. You were performing¡ª¡±


    ¡°We were kissing, weren¡¯t we?¡± Corvin said. ¡°That¡¯s what provoked these feelings.¡±


    Livia turned her face away from him, ashamed. ¡°I know it¡¯s stupid and ridiculous.¡±


    Livia expected Corvin to agree with her, to call her out for being a petty female, but he didn¡¯t. He put one hand over her clasped ones and spoke tenderly to her. ¡°Liv, I loved Cassia, but anytime we were on stage, she was buzzed on alcohol.¡±


    Livia never expected him to be so gentle with her while discussing Cassia. She tried to figure out what he wanted her to gain from mentioning their drinking. ¡°So¡­¡±


    Corvin smiled briefly. ¡°She was very sensual on stage, but when we were alone, she was pretty insecure. You only saw one side of her, and it wasn¡¯t the honest side.¡±


    Livia ran a hand up and down her arm as she looked at her shoes. ¡°Corvin, I can¡¯t be like that¡ª¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Livia, I¡¯m not expecting you to. I didn¡¯t expect Cassia to either.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes shot back up to his face as she insisted, ¡°But every man wants that¡ª¡±


    Corvin interrupted. ¡°Every man wants to be loved, Livia. Love can be expressed in an infinite number of ways.¡±


    ¡°Corvin, don¡¯t pretend it¡¯s not important¡ª¡± Livia argued.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. That shouldn¡¯t be the entire focus and measurement of a good relationship.


    ¡°You cannot convince me Salina was worse!¡± Livia cried.


    Corvin looked at Livia impatiently as he explained, ¡°Near the end, we didn¡¯t spend that much time together. We saw each other once a week, often in public where affection wasn¡¯t encouraged.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t like that¡ª¡± Livia removed her hands from under his to point an accusing finger at him.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°So you can¡¯t deny that you need affection¡ª¡± Livia argued.


    ¡°Livia, you are not denying me affection,¡± Corvin insisted. ¡°My poor relationship with Salina was a symptom of another problem. It¡¯s both inaccurate and unfair to compare yourself to her. You¡¯ve shown an actual willingness to work on the issues between us. This whole conversation?¡±


    Corvin made a circular gesture with his hand. ¡°It never would have happened between Salina and me. So, I am grateful that we¡¯re sitting here talking about it. I¡¯m grateful you¡¯re upset because it means you care about me.¡±


    It hit Livia hard that he was still so calm and kind to her. She was arguing with him, being defensive and disagreeable, yet he wasn¡¯t fighting back. It made her stop for a moment. It allowed her to put aside her reactivity and be honest. ¡°I do care about you. I¡¯m so afraid I won¡¯t be able to make you happy.¡±


    Corvin smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m lucky to be with someone who cares so much about me being happy.¡±


    Livia studied him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you upset that I watched that video?¡±


    Corvin shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t stop you. The videos are out there. Cassia was amazing, wasn¡¯t she?¡±


    Livia couldn¡¯t hide the awe in her tone. ¡°She could have been famous. Incredibly famous.¡±


    ¡°She wanted that,¡± Corvin said. ¡°But it¡¯s hard to blend the traditional Caesarean lifestyle and dreams of Hollywood. I don¡¯t know how I would have kept her happy because I would have given up Hollywood in a second.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, Caesarea is who I am. It¡¯s my home. It¡¯s not perfect, but I can do good here in ways I couldn¡¯t do elsewhere. When I was with Salina¡­that haunted me. Would I have left Caesarea with Cassia? Would we have stayed together? It was a particularly gnarly tunnel of grief. It hurt Salina badly, but I had to go through it to get to the other side. To become who I am today.¡±


    ¡°Would you have left Caesarea for Cassia?¡± Livia asked him.


    Corvin¡¯s rubbed his hand over his face. ¡°Justin helped me realize the person I am now isn¡¯t the same person I was back then. We judge our past selves according to our current standards, which makes it unfair. Once I understood that I could accept that the current Corvin would have made different choices from the past Corvin. I didn¡¯t have to be a bad person because I¡¯d grown up since I was eighteen.¡±


    ¡°So, the current Corvin wouldn¡¯t have stayed with Cassia?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°The current Corvin would not pursue a serious relationship with Cassia,¡± Corvin admitted. He placed a hand over his heart. ¡°It hurts to say that, but I was so stupid at that age. We drank too much and should have given our parents more credit.¡±


    Livia thought it should bother her to hear Corvin talk about Cassia this way, but instead, it comforted her. She was okay with messiness. She was okay with ambiguity. The people who romanticized things, who saw everything as black and white, scared her. They didn¡¯t understand how swiftly things could change and what might be necessary to survive.


    ¡°Have I made you feel worse, Liv?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No, you still want to love another person, to have another life. You don¡¯t look back and say that was the best time of my life or there¡¯s nothing better ahead of me. You accept that it¡¯s messy. I¡¯m okay with that. I¡¯ve lived a lot of messy, so¡­it makes me feel safe to know that you¡¯ve had to accept messy too.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s eyes widened. Then emotions stormed through them. His eyes grew shiny. His voice was rough when he spoke, ¡°You¡¯re an amazing person, Liv. You know that, right?¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No, really,¡± Corvin said. ¡°You accept messy things, hard things with grace and bravery. It makes me feel like I can be my authentic self with you. Since the first time I met you, I have admired that characteristic in you. I hope you realize how rare and admirable a quality you hold.¡±


    Livia looked away when her eyes got teary. That felt good. After feeling so low, the compliment was a tender salve.


    ¡°Tell me more, Liv,¡± Corvin urged. ¡°Where did your emotions go after you saw that video?¡±


    Livia shrugged.


    ¡°Were you jealous?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia said bitterly.


    ¡°Because she was with me?¡± he asked, smiling as a gentle tease.


    ¡°No. Cause she was so comfortable in her body¡ª¡±


    Corvin looked surprised.


    ¡°It was so easy for her to touch you, so easy to express herself that way¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t find that easy,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Cause I¡¯m afraid,¡± Livia admitted. ¡°It¡¯s just automatic. I can¡¯t control it.¡±


    Corvin nodded. ¡°That doesn¡¯t surprise me. It¡¯s understandable, even, that you feel that way.¡±


    ¡°Arik said if I faced the fear, eventually it would fade.¡±


    ¡°Do you feel like that worked?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia sighed. ¡°That¡¯s complicated.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t work between us, but I¡¯m much better now. Because of Arik, it¡¯s so much easier to do casual things. Things that aren¡¯t romantic.¡±


    ¡°I think you pushed too hard, too fast,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia gave him a look of complete frustration. ¡°All we did was kiss. How do you go easier than that?¡±


    ¡°Part of the problem is that you have multiple issues to address,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Great, that makes me feel better,¡± Livia muttered sarcastically.


    Corvin grinned. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve got my issues; you¡¯ve got your issues. There¡¯s no point in saying our relationship should be a certain way. It¡¯s best to let things progress naturally rather than trying to control the way your healing happens. Just relax, be with me, and believe we¡¯re strong enough to face whatever is ahead.¡±


    ¡°But¡­that fixes nothing!¡±


    ¡°Livia, you don¡¯t need to be fixed,¡± Corvin said clearly. ¡°All of these things you think are wrong about you are perfectly logical responses to the situations you¡¯ve faced.¡±


    Livia looked at him, confused. ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m broken?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Livia was so stunned that she just stared at him. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really, now can I feed you, Liv?¡± He gestured to the bag on the table.


    Livia sighed. ¡°Corvin, I know I brought up a lot of painful things¡ª¡±


    ¡°Liv, I¡¯m glad you brought your concerns up. This was a good conversation.¡±


    ¡°Was it?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°But there is a time for conversation and a time for food.¡±


    Livia sighed. She was impatient with Corvin¡¯s answer. She understood that he wanted to let her know he¡¯d be patient and supportive of her. She wanted something more than empty reassurances, though. Then she remembered that he mentioned that Flavia and Justin would discuss these issues. She would ask Flavia after she finished the match papers. Having decided that, her irritation with Corvin faded.


    ¡°Now is the time for food,¡± Livia agreed.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 15 Part 1

    Livia sat cross-legged on her bed, staring at the match papers before her. She had a pen between her teeth as she thought about how to phrase them. After spending the evening with Corvin last night, she felt more clear-headed about the situation.


    A knock came at her door. She stood and opened it. Hyrum stood there. He stepped forward, and his stocky build filled the entire door frame. For an instant, Livia wondered if Hyrum was angry with her. Then she caught sight of the eager expression in his brown eyes. Hyrum¡¯s sharp features and short buzz cut made it easy to assume he was angry or disapproving when he wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Hey?¡± she greeted.


    Hyrum¡¯s voice was enthusiastic. ¡°Liv! It worked! The Aquila senators are going to vote to pass the reform bill. But we need to get one more vote! That¡¯s it! One. And I have an idea.¡±


    Hyrum gave her a speculative look.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Livia took a step back. ¡°How am I involved?¡±


    ¡°I need you to invite Ancus Sempronius to dinner.¡±


    Livia hesitated. She remembered her last run-in with Ancus Sempronius. She¡¯d been short with him, irritable. She wondered if he¡¯d hold that against her. It served him right, though, for being a nosy Rattus. Livia despaired at herself internally. Hadn¡¯t she decided she didn¡¯t want to be that way?


    Hyrum took Livia¡¯s hesitance for confusion and explained, ¡°He¡¯s the oldest son of the Paterfamilias of Rattus House and the youngest senator in the Senate.¡±


    Thanks to Irene, Livia knew a nauseating amount about Ancus now. The teen couldn¡¯t stop explaining how rich he was, charming, and handsome. It made Livia hate the man. She tried to stall while she devised an excuse to avoid this situation. ¡°How exactly am I supposed to meet up with him?¡±


    ¡°They are attending the public Saturnalia festival this weekend. All you need to do is go and talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Hyrum, I¡¯m not a public festival person¡ª¡±


    Hyrum brushed that aside. ¡°You did fine at the parade this fall.¡±


    ¡°Because Corvin helped me!¡±


    Hyrum insisted, ¡°You have to represent Taurus House anyway. Corvin will go too. Have him help you again.¡±


    Livia looked into Hyrum¡¯s eyes. How could she say no? She didn¡¯t have the luxury of having petty judgments here. There were people who needed to feed their children and provide them with shelter and clothing.


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    Livia sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Hyrum clapped his hands together, thrilled. ¡°Thank you, Liv!¡±


    Livia returned to her match papers after Hyrum left. She should be as logical as possible. The simplest thing was to reverse the phrases that Corvin had in his proposal. First, to undo the prohibition against abortions. Second, claim any illegitimate child as Taurus House.


    Livia hesitated. It didn¡¯t make sense to claim a house for a kid you were willing to abort. Livia massaged her temples. She did not feel equal to doing this. How could you write a contract for every possible contingency life throws at you?


    Livia crossed out the first line again and decided to change the wording. She gave herself the sole authority to make medical decisions for the fetus. That protected her rights and didn¡¯t allow Corvin to force her to get an abortion if he wanted one. Still, it didn¡¯t allow him to forbid her if she found the circumstances necessary. It also, she hoped, forbade Lars and Gaius from having any legal interference. Was that a thing?


    There was an ancient Roman law that the Paterfamilias controlled whether their family lived or died. How much power did a Paterfamilias have over these decisions now? And could a contract stop them?


    Livia shook off that question to continue, though the thought plagued her. Who could she ask these questions? Not Gaius or Lars. Maybe not Corvin. You don¡¯t ask the person you want to have less power over you about how exactly to do that. That would be foolish.


    The child would be Taurus House. Child support? Medical payments? What should she demand? What could she request without needing to offer something reciprocal in exchange? Custody? Visitation? Was she going to cut Corvin entirely off from his child because she wanted to control everything? Is that what was required to be safe?


    Livia put her face in her hands and sighed. Did Caesarea have different laws about custody rights? How enforceable were they? She didn¡¯t want to raise a child in Caesarea, where everyone hated her, if she didn¡¯t end up with Corvin. So, she added a line to ensure she couldn¡¯t be forced to live in Caesarea.


    Then Livia imagined raising a baby alone in a city where she knew no one. How long did it take a Taurus woman to recover from childbirth? Was everything she heard about childbirth relevant? Or were there Taurus-specific things she didn¡¯t know about? Her mother had always had difficult deliveries. Did that mean Livia would have the same?


    How did she know what assistance to require from Corvin if she didn¡¯t know the general answers to these questions? A pit formed in Livia¡¯s stomach. Should she even be in a relationship with someone if she didn¡¯t know these things?


    Livia¡¯s chest ached as the anxiety and uncertainty she¡¯d battled against all day overwhelmed her again. Why did she always need to fight so hard to learn the most basic things about her body?


    Maybe I can call Mom and ask.


    Livia knew there never was just asking with her mother. There was always some price attached. Maybe she could call Flavia? Could Livia trust Flavia? Her throat tightened as she thought about how Bella had been angry over Livia¡¯s relationship with Corvin. Getting in the middle of a mother-daughter relationship might be a bad idea.


    She could ask Clara Porcius, maybe. But that seemed weird. They didn¡¯t have that type of relationship, and could she trust Clara to keep her mouth shut? Livia¡¯s mom lived across the country and never intended to return to Caesarea again. It may be safer to keep these questions outside of Caesarea.


    Besides, Livia¡¯s mom was related to her. She could warn her about weird genetic things she should expect, right? Livia could do this.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 15-Part 2

    ¡°Livia, you¡¯ve called, finally,¡± Mom answered.


    Livia had to gather her courage all over again. Mom sounded displeased with her.


    ¡°Livia?¡± her mother asked. ¡°Are you still there?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°How are things?¡±


    ¡°The same.¡±


    ¡°Um, I was wondering? Can you tell me what it was like when I was born?¡±


    Livia¡¯s mother sighed. ¡°That was a long time ago now, dear.¡±


    ¡°I know, but¡­what do you remember?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the point of having a nostalgic conversation, Livia.¡±


    ¡°I mean, it doesn¡¯t have to be all emotional,¡± Livia said. ¡°Just tell me the facts.¡±


    ¡°What facts?¡± her mother asked, sighing.


    ¡°Were you in labor a long time?¡±


    ¡°28 hours,¡± she answered.


    Livia wondered if that was too long. Was that normal? ¡°Was it hard?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it was.¡±


    ¡°Even if you were Taurus?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Everyone says we have it so easy, but it makes you feel more alone.¡±


    ¡°What does?¡±


    ¡°No one will touch you to help you avoid the pain.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Then the pain  don¡¯t work, so you take ice baths.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but you get better in a few weeks?¡± Livia asked.


    Mom snorted. ¡°Try a few months¡ª¡±


    ¡°Months¡­like six weeks?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Six months. Taurus don¡¯t heal unless they sleep, and babies don¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­.so¡­¡± Six months. Really?


    ¡°Why are you asking about all this?¡± Mom asked.


    ¡°I want to know.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Six months? You can¡¯t be serious. That¡¯s half of an entire year,¡± Livia cried.


    Livia had always imagined herself as one of those people that would bounce back after birth and get straight back to work. Six weeks off, and then she¡¯d be back to her regular routine. But six months. No one in the US gave maternity leave for six whole months. So she might as well consider pregnancy quitting her job. That was a lot of money. How would she feed herself? How would she feed her child?


    ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± her mother asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Livia snapped.


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, aren¡¯t you,¡± her mother insisted.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not!¡± Livia insisted.


    ¡°You are,¡± her mom said. ¡°You¡¯re lying to me. Why else would you call if you weren¡¯t desperate? Just come home, Livia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not coming home!¡±


    ¡°Just admit it, Livia.¡± There was a dark satisfaction in her mother¡¯s voice. Like she¡¯d won.


    ¡°I am not pregnant,¡± Livia said calmly as she could. But she was panicking. This was the cost. What was her mother going to do? Tell Hyrum? Tell Lucas?


    ¡°Livia¡ª¡±


    Livia hung up. She didn¡¯t know what else to do. Livia knew from experience that no matter how much she insisted, her mother wouldn¡¯t believe her. She hoped that having 2000 miles between them would contain the damage.


    Livia was so upset that she couldn¡¯t sleep that night. She couldn¡¯t stop worrying about what her mother would do next. Would she go so far as to get on a plane, fly here, and confront Livia? Would she call Gaius? Last she heard, they were not speaking to each other. Would Gaius believe her?


    Livia was being ridiculous. This was the modern age. She could pee on a stick and prove it to him. She was not actually pregnant. Corvin texted. I miss you, Liv.


    Livia: I know.


    Corvin: You know? Does that mean you miss me too?


    Livia: I do.


    Corvin: Then let¡¯s spend some time together.


    Livia hesitated. Even though she was running low on sleep, she¡¯d packed a lunch and a bag like she was going on a trip. She was ready to hole up in the library until she got her answers from books that couldn¡¯t betray her for asking questions.


    Livia: Can¡¯t. Working on a project in the library.


    Corvin: What project? We¡¯re out of school.


    Livia: I am going to the library.


    Corvin: When can I see you then?


    Livia: Tomorrow.


    Corvin: When?


    Livia hissed. What did he have to be so insistent? Why did they have to figure this out now? There were a lot more important things she needed to focus on. She¡¯d answer him later. She threw her phone in her bag and drove to the Caesarean Library.


    It took Livia a while to find the legal section because she refused to ask anyone for help. It wasn¡¯t big. She started with a paperback on family law that looked reasonably modern and started reading.


    Thirty minutes later, she was searching for a book that would explain Latin legal phrases to her. Once she did that, she made a lot of progress.


    The Paterfamilias didn¡¯t have as much say over having children as Livia thought. A law from the seventies limited his power over parental decisions. So she didn¡¯t have to worry about Lars or Gaius. Then after over an hour of effort, Livia got to the end of the chapter only to discover that the law only applied to plebeians.


    Livia was a patrician.


    A separate set of laws applied to her.


    Livia should stop to eat, but she ignored that. She looked around for a book on Patrician law. She searched in vain for a modern-looking book, but all the books looked over 100 years old. Livia grabbed one and opened it.


    It was written entirely in Latin. She slammed it closed and grabbed the next one. Latin. The next. Latin. Walls of Latin text stopped her from knowing what she needed to know. There was only one book left on the shelf.


    Livia¡¯s phone rang. It was probably Corvin. She should figure out a time to eat. She answered it.


    ¡°Livia?¡± her brother¡¯s voice spoke through the phone.


    ¡°Lucas?¡± Livia asked in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Mom called last night¡ª¡±


    Livia closed her eyes. She¡¯d been stupid. Why hadn¡¯t she called Lucas first? That might have fixed this whole problem.


    ¡°Did she?¡± she asked lightly.


    ¡°She says you¡¯re pregnant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°And then Tavian said you were calling and asking about birth control¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh no, that was a separate conversation,¡± Livia said. ¡°I was asking for legal advice.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Why would you need legal advice on birth control?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m signing matched papers. I¡¯m trying to figure out what they say¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why do that? Hyrum didn¡¯t. It¡¯s not necessary, obviously.¡±


    Livia looked at the tombs of Latin in front of her. Could she backtrack? Tell Corvin she didn¡¯t want to do this? But what was the point? Wasn¡¯t it better to know now that she didn¡¯t even know the laws that organized her marriage before she got further into this whole mess?


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to get taken advantage of¡­ you know¡­the way Gaius did. So, I¡¯m researching¡ª¡±


    ¡°I mean do you trust Corvin or not?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple,¡± Livia whispered, overwhelmed.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Did you know there are different laws for patricians and plebeians?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Livia, you aren¡¯t going to distract me from the main issue here. Is the baby Corvin¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°So, you cheated?¡± Lucas was aghast.


    ¡°No! There is no baby!¡± Livia snapped.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Lucas sighed. ¡°Come on¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Livia demanded. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Liv¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why do you believe our unstable mother, who hasn¡¯t seen me in over two years, over me?¡±


    ¡°Then why are you asking all these questions then?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I have the right to know?¡± Livia demanded.


    ¡°You already know,¡± Lucas insisted.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t! Being Taurus screws up everything.¡±


    ¡°Things aren¡¯t that different, Liv,¡± he said.


    ¡°Explain why you think I shouldn¡¯t want to be completely prepared for the most painful and traumatic experience I¡¯ll ever willingly elect to go through!¡± Livia screamed into the phone.


    ¡°Livia.¡±


    A voice spoke behind her, and she jumped. She turned, and Corvin was standing there, looking concerned.


    ¡°I have to go¡ª¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Lucas protested. ¡°Just tell me the truth.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± she yelled.


    ¡°Livia, if you¡¯re telling the truth, then why¡ª¡±


    Livia hung up on her brother in the middle of his sentence. She was furious that he didn¡¯t believe her.


    ¡°Liv, who was that?¡± Corvin whispered.


    Livia shook her head.


    ¡°Liv,¡± he insisted. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°You look so upset. What can I do to help?¡±


    She shook her head again. He walked over to the table and looked over her books. ¡°You¡¯re researching¡­family law?¡±


    ¡°Those books are useless,¡± she snapped.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re about plebeians.¡±


    Corvin frowned. He pointed at the paragraph she¡¯d just read and muttered, ¡°Well, why wouldn¡¯t you put that in the first paragraph instead at the end of your chapter? That¡¯s poor writing. Who wrote this?¡±


    He picked up the book and looked at the cover. The information there made him frown more. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust this book, Liv.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, there¡¯s no one I can trust,¡± she muttered. ¡°Not even books.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s eyes lifted to hers. ¡°What do you want to know, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I just want to know the rules,¡± she snapped. ¡°Why is that so impossible?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Patrician family law. That¡¯s what you¡¯re trying to understand?¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes filled with tears. She was terrified of what he¡¯d do if she admitted it. She bit her lip.


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°Liv, you have a right to high-quality books.¡±


    ¡°These ones are all written in Latin,¡± she whispered, laughing to lessen the effect of her tears.


    ¡°Let me see,¡± Corvin strode over there. ¡°You should start with Patrician Families: A modern interpretation. It¡¯s by Lucius .¡±


    Corvin searched the shelves three times. ¡°It¡¯s not here. It must be checked out already. Come with me. There¡¯s a patrician reading room.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No. Why would there be such a thing?¡±


    Corvin shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s one of the perks that come with the responsibilities.¡±


    He returned to the table and grabbed the book explaining Latin legal phrases. ¡°Keep this one. It¡¯s an excellent book.¡±


    He placed the book in Livia¡¯s arms. ¡°Let me see your library card.¡±


    Livia squinted at him and handed it over.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the sticker.¡±


    Corvin led her to the help desk, and the librarian placed a golden eagle sticker on the corner of her card. Then Corvin led her up a set of steps at the back of the library. They went up a floor and found a tiny lobby in front of a room closed with clear glass.


    Corvin handed Livia¡¯s card to the man posted at the lobby desk.


    ¡°Good to see you, Corvin,¡± he said. ¡°Anything, in particular, I can help you find?¡±


    Corvin told him the title he wanted to look for.


    ¡°It¡¯s in,¡± the man said after checking his computer. He scribbled on a piece of paper. ¡°Here¡¯s the call number.¡±


    Corvin accepted the paper and handed it to Livia. He led her past the greeting desk and into the patrician reading room. He went straight to the book he was looking for and pulled it off the shelf. He inspected the spine. ¡°Excellent. You can check this one out. So you can consult it at your leisure. For future reference, a lot of the books must stay here. So, patricians can come in and read them at any time. If there is more than one copy in the room, the spares will have red dots on the bottom of the spine. The red dot means you can check it out.¡±


    Corvin placed the book atop the one already in her arms. ¡°Start with that¡­.¡±


    ¡°Another one I¡¯d recommend is Difficult Questions on Family Authority. But you won¡¯t understand it till you read that .¡±


    Corvin led her to another section of the library. ¡°It¡¯s here in special collections. You must sign up for a time slot to read it in one of the study rooms.¡± Corvin gestured to three small doors along the far wall. Then he showed her how to reserve an appointment to read a specific title.


    ¡°Why do you have to make an appointment¡­.¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a little radical and non-traditional. Most old people disagree with it, so they keep it locked down.¡±


    ¡°Do you agree with it?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I regret I didn¡¯t read it sooner. It helped me figure out what I believed about marriage.¡±


    ¡°What does your father think about you reading it?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°He adjusted to it,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It gave him intellectual justification to modernize some of the procedures in the House, which the younger generations appreciate.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t flip out?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin looked confused. ¡°Why would he?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he doesn¡¯t want you reading non-traditional and radical things?¡± she said.


    Corvin pursed his lips. ¡°Most radical writing is suppressed truth. And I¡¯ve learned the more we heed truth and follow where it leads, the more healthy society becomes. The healthier we become. I know my father believes the same.¡±


    ¡°What happens when people don¡¯t agree on the truth?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin smiled. ¡°We get book appointments in restricted reading rooms. But that doesn¡¯t stop the truth from changing the individual who encounters it.¡±


    Livia studied him, and he sobered.


    ¡°Liv, Hun,¡± he whispered softly. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying¡­¡± she said.


    ¡°Trying to what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to be okay¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is it hard today?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s tough today,¡± Livia admitted.


    ¡°Hey, is it because I¡¯ve done something?¡± he asked.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°So, stuff is happening?¡± he pried.


    Livia looked away.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to confide in me, are you?¡±


    Livia hesitated. Then she shook her head.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s try something else, then? When was the last time you ate?¡±


    Livia¡¯s stomach growled audibly at the mention of food. She pressed her hand over her belly.


    ¡°Will you let me feed you?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I have a peanut butter sandwich and some carrots in my bag,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin smiled. ¡°Maybe we can get some tacos too?¡±


    Livia nodded. She was too hungry to say no. Even if she suspected it was a trap.


    They walked together to check the books out. Then Corvin led her to his car, opened the door, and gestured for her to get in. Livia hesitated, but exhaustion and hunger made her pliant. She climbed into the passenger seat of his SUV.


    Livia got into her bag, pulled out her sandwich, and took a huge mouth-watering bite.


    Corvin backed out and pulled onto the road. It didn¡¯t take Livia long to finish off her sandwich. Now that she was eating, her stomach still ached with hunger. She was going to grab some carrots, but her head bobbled. The motion of the car made her eyelids heavy. She blinked.


    Corvin was saying something Livia was too exhausted to follow. ¡°¡ªhow does that sound?¡±


    Livia looked at him. ¡°I¡ªwhat?¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re falling asleep on me?


    She mumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t decide what I want more¡ªfood or sleep.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re about five minutes away,¡± Corvin said. ¡°When did you last eat?¡±


    ¡°Last night¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Corvin asked, dismayed. ¡°Liv, it¡¯s four in the afternoon!¡±


    Tears gathered in Livia¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m still hungry.¡±


    ¡°Are you drinking water?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t remember¡­.¡±


    Corvin cursed. ¡°I don¡¯t have any in the car with me.¡±


    Corvin pressed the gas pedal, and she was sure they got to the taco restaurant in less than five minutes. When they pulled through the drive-thru, Corvin asked her what she wanted.


    ¡°Whatever. But I don¡¯t love a lot of meat¡ª¡±


    Corvin ordered and pulled up to the window, and paid. He tapped on the steering wheel as he waited for the food. When the food arrived, he pulled into a parking spot and parked. He twisted off the lid of a water bottle and passed it over.


    ¡°Start with water.¡±


    Livia drank half of it and exchanged it for a meatless bean burrito.


    After she finished the food, she leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. Now she was only exhausted. She forced herself to drink some more water. Though, she¡¯d never felt thirsty. She must have drank some water this morning, right?


    Corvin¡¯s hand touched her knee. ¡°Livia, I¡¯ve let you dodge my questions today without making too much fuss. But I need you to answer my next question honestly, okay?¡±


    She glared at him. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you in some sort of trouble?¡±


    Livia looked away. ¡°I¡¯m safe, Corvin. No one hurt me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only one sort of trouble, Livia,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia looked back at him, surprised. His body faced her, and his brow furrowed with concern. She wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. Did she explain the situation to him? What parts did she leave in? What did she leave out? Since she didn¡¯t know the answers, she shook her head and said nothing, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You sure? You met with Gaius?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Gaius,¡± Livia sighed.


    ¡°But it was something,¡± Corvin pressed. ¡°I heard some of your phone conversation. So what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Terror filled Livia at the thought of Corvin thinking she was pregnant. She had to tell him something. ¡°I called my mom,¡± Livia confessed. ¡°It was¡­an epic mistake.¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Come here, Liv.¡±


    Corvin eased her into a comforting hug. Livia melted against the softness of his body and took shelter in the refuge of his kindness.


    ¡°Is this okay?¡± he asked with his lips against her hair.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia whispered. She didn¡¯t know how long she let him hold her, but she knew it wasn¡¯t a short time.


    Livia was almost asleep when Corvin pulled away. ¡°I¡¯m going to take you home.¡±


    ¡°But my car¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it if you give me the keys.¡±


    Livia placed her keys in Corvin¡¯s hand and let him take her home. He came around to her side of the car and opened her door. Corvin walked her into the house.


    Hyrum was waiting for some reason and could tell something was wrong. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Stress and lack of sleep,¡± Corvin said.


    Hyrum¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re not sick, are you?¡±


    ¡°No. Just tired,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Hyrum.¡±


    Hyrum was silent.


    Awkwardness filled the air. Corvin leaned down and pressed his lips to the center of Livia¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°You can call me,¡± he said after pulling away.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Eat. Drink. Sleep,¡± he ordered.


    Livia muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll remember.¡±


    Corvin ran the tip of his nose down the length of Livia¡¯s nose. ¡°Promise?¡±


    A smile turned Livia¡¯s lips at his playful affection. ¡°I promise.¡±


    He pulled away. ¡°I¡¯ll be checking in tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you will.¡± Livia still grinned.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes dropped to Livia¡¯s lips. She lifted her eyes past his shoulder to the watchful gaze of her brother. Hyrum frowned. Livia couldn¡¯t tell if he were worried or disapproving.


    Corvin glanced over his shoulder. He sighed. ¡°I should go. It was nice to see you, Hyrum.¡±


    Hyrum didn¡¯t respond.


    Then Livia wondered if Mom had called Hyrum too. Hyrum wasn¡¯t a warm personality, but he wasn¡¯t rude.


    Corvin hesitated. He stepped behind Hyrum¡¯s back and made a hand gesture. Asking if she wanted him to stay. Livia shook her head at him.


    Corvin slipped out and left Livia to face her brother alone.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 15 part 2

    ¡°Livia, you¡¯ve called, finally,¡± Mom answered.


    Livia had to gather her courage all over again. Mom sounded displeased with her.


    ¡°Livia?¡± her mother asked. ¡°Are you still there?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°How are things?¡±


    ¡°The same.¡±


    ¡°Um, I was wondering? Can you tell me what it was like when I was born?¡±


    Livia¡¯s mother sighed. ¡°That was a long time ago now, dear.¡±


    ¡°I know, but¡­what do you remember?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the point of having a nostalgic conversation, Livia.¡±


    ¡°I mean, it doesn¡¯t have to be all emotional,¡± Livia said. ¡°Just tell me the facts.¡±


    ¡°What facts?¡± her mother asked, sighing.


    ¡°Were you in labor a long time?¡±


    ¡°28 hours,¡± she answered.


    Livia wondered if that was too long. Was that normal? ¡°Was it hard?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it was.¡±


    ¡°Even if you were Taurus?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Everyone says we have it so easy, but it makes you feel more alone.¡±


    ¡°What does?¡±


    ¡°No one will touch you to help you avoid the pain.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Then the pain  don¡¯t work, so you take ice baths.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but you get better in a few weeks?¡± Livia asked.


    Mom snorted. ¡°Try a few months¡ª¡±


    ¡°Months¡­like six weeks?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Six months. Taurus don¡¯t heal unless they sleep, and babies don¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­.so¡­¡± Six months. Really?


    ¡°Why are you asking about all this?¡± Mom asked.


    ¡°I want to know.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Six months? You can¡¯t be serious. That¡¯s half of an entire year,¡± Livia cried.


    Livia had always imagined herself as one of those people that would bounce back after birth and get straight back to work. Six weeks off, and then she¡¯d be back to her regular routine. But six months. No one in the US gave maternity leave for six whole months. So she might as well consider pregnancy quitting her job. That was a lot of money. How would she feed herself? How would she feed her child?


    ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± her mother asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Livia snapped.


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, aren¡¯t you,¡± her mother insisted.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not!¡± Livia insisted.


    ¡°You are,¡± her mom said. ¡°You¡¯re lying to me. Why else would you call if you weren¡¯t desperate? Just come home, Livia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not coming home!¡±


    ¡°Just admit it, Livia.¡± There was a dark satisfaction in her mother¡¯s voice. Like she¡¯d won.


    ¡°I am not pregnant,¡± Livia said calmly as she could. But she was panicking. This was the cost. What was her mother going to do? Tell Hyrum? Tell Lucas?


    ¡°Livia¡ª¡±


    Livia hung up. She didn¡¯t know what else to do. Livia knew from experience that no matter how much she insisted, her mother wouldn¡¯t believe her. She hoped that having 2000 miles between them would contain the damage.


    Livia was so upset that she couldn¡¯t sleep that night. She couldn¡¯t stop worrying about what her mother would do next. Would she go so far as to get on a plane, fly here, and confront Livia? Would she call Gaius? Last she heard, they were not speaking to each other. Would Gaius believe her?


    Livia was being ridiculous. This was the modern age. She could pee on a stick and prove it to him. She was not actually pregnant. Corvin texted. I miss you, Liv.


    Livia: I know.


    Corvin: You know? Does that mean you miss me too?


    Livia: I do.


    Corvin: Then let¡¯s spend some time together.


    Livia hesitated. Even though she was running low on sleep, she¡¯d packed a lunch and a bag like she was going on a trip. She was ready to hole up in the library until she got her answers from books that couldn¡¯t betray her for asking questions.


    Livia: Can¡¯t. Working on a project in the library.


    Corvin: What project? We¡¯re out of school.


    Livia: I am going to the library.


    Corvin: When can I see you then?


    Livia: Tomorrow.


    Corvin: When?


    Livia hissed. What did he have to be so insistent? Why did they have to figure this out now? There were a lot more important things she needed to focus on. She¡¯d answer him later. She threw her phone in her bag and drove to the Caesarean Library.


    It took Livia a while to find the legal section because she refused to ask anyone for help. It wasn¡¯t big. She started with a paperback on family law that looked reasonably modern and started reading.


    Thirty minutes later, she was searching for a book that would explain Latin legal phrases to her. Once she did that, she made a lot of progress.


    The Paterfamilias didn¡¯t have as much say over having children as Livia thought. A law from the seventies limited his power over parental decisions. So she didn¡¯t have to worry about Lars or Gaius. Then after over an hour of effort, Livia got to the end of the chapter only to discover that the law only applied to plebeians.


    Livia was a patrician.


    A separate set of laws applied to her.


    Livia should stop to eat, but she ignored that. She looked around for a book on Patrician law. She searched in vain for a modern-looking book, but all the books looked over 100 years old. Livia grabbed one and opened it.


    It was written entirely in Latin. She slammed it closed and grabbed the next one. Latin. The next. Latin. Walls of Latin text stopped her from knowing what she needed to know. There was only one book left on the shelf.


    Livia¡¯s phone rang. It was probably Corvin. She should figure out a time to eat. She answered it.


    ¡°Livia?¡± her brother¡¯s voice spoke through the phone.


    ¡°Lucas?¡± Livia asked in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Mom called last night¡ª¡±


    Livia closed her eyes. She¡¯d been stupid. Why hadn¡¯t she called Lucas first? That might have fixed this whole problem.


    ¡°Did she?¡± she asked lightly.


    ¡°She says you¡¯re pregnant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°And then Tavian said you were calling and asking about birth control¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh no, that was a separate conversation,¡± Livia said. ¡°I was asking for legal advice.¡±


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°Why would you need legal advice on birth control?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m signing matched papers. I¡¯m trying to figure out what they say¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why do that? Hyrum didn¡¯t. It¡¯s not necessary, obviously.¡±


    Livia looked at the tombs of Latin in front of her. Could she backtrack? Tell Corvin she didn¡¯t want to do this? But what was the point? Wasn¡¯t it better to know now that she didn¡¯t even know the laws that organized her marriage before she got further into this whole mess?


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to get taken advantage of¡­ you know¡­the way Gaius did. So, I¡¯m researching¡ª¡±


    ¡°I mean do you trust Corvin or not?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple,¡± Livia whispered, overwhelmed.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Did you know there are different laws for patricians and plebeians?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Livia, you aren¡¯t going to distract me from the main issue here. Is the baby Corvin¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°So, you cheated?¡± Lucas was aghast.


    ¡°No! There is no baby!¡± Livia snapped.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Lucas sighed. ¡°Come on¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Livia demanded. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Liv¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why do you believe our unstable mother, who hasn¡¯t seen me in over two years, over me?¡±


    ¡°Then why are you asking all these questions then?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I have the right to know?¡± Livia demanded.


    ¡°You already know,¡± Lucas insisted.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t! Being Taurus screws up everything.¡±


    ¡°Things aren¡¯t that different, Liv,¡± he said.


    ¡°Explain why you think I shouldn¡¯t want to be completely prepared for the most painful and traumatic experience I¡¯ll ever willingly elect to go through!¡± Livia screamed into the phone.


    ¡°Livia.¡±


    A voice spoke behind her, and she jumped. She turned, and Corvin was standing there, looking concerned.


    ¡°I have to go¡ª¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Lucas protested. ¡°Just tell me the truth.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± she yelled.


    ¡°Livia, if you¡¯re telling the truth, then why¡ª¡±


    Livia hung up on her brother in the middle of his sentence. She was furious that he didn¡¯t believe her.


    ¡°Liv, who was that?¡± Corvin whispered.


    Livia shook her head.


    ¡°Liv,¡± he insisted. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°You look so upset. What can I do to help?¡±


    She shook her head again. He walked over to the table and looked over her books. ¡°You¡¯re researching¡­family law?¡±


    ¡°Those books are useless,¡± she snapped.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re about plebeians.¡±


    Corvin frowned. He pointed at the paragraph she¡¯d just read and muttered, ¡°Well, why wouldn¡¯t you put that in the first paragraph instead at the end of your chapter? That¡¯s poor writing. Who wrote this?¡±


    He picked up the book and looked at the cover. The information there made him frown more. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust this book, Liv.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, there¡¯s no one I can trust,¡± she muttered. ¡°Not even books.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s eyes lifted to hers. ¡°What do you want to know, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I just want to know the rules,¡± she snapped. ¡°Why is that so impossible?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Patrician family law. That¡¯s what you¡¯re trying to understand?¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes filled with tears. She was terrified of what he¡¯d do if she admitted it. She bit her lip.


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°Liv, you have a right to high-quality books.¡±


    ¡°These ones are all written in Latin,¡± she whispered, laughing to lessen the effect of her tears.


    ¡°Let me see,¡± Corvin strode over there. ¡°You should start with Patrician Families: A modern interpretation. It¡¯s by Lucius .¡±


    Corvin searched the shelves three times. ¡°It¡¯s not here. It must be checked out already. Come with me. There¡¯s a patrician reading room.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No. Why would there be such a thing?¡±


    Corvin shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s one of the perks that come with the responsibilities.¡±


    He returned to the table and grabbed the book explaining Latin legal phrases. ¡°Keep this one. It¡¯s an excellent book.¡±


    He placed the book in Livia¡¯s arms. ¡°Let me see your library card.¡±


    Livia squinted at him and handed it over.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the sticker.¡±


    Corvin led her to the help desk, and the librarian placed a golden eagle sticker on the corner of her card. Then Corvin led her up a set of steps at the back of the library. They went up a floor and found a tiny lobby in front of a room closed with clear glass.


    Corvin handed Livia¡¯s card to the man posted at the lobby desk.


    ¡°Good to see you, Corvin,¡± he said. ¡°Anything, in particular, I can help you find?¡±


    Corvin told him the title he wanted to look for.


    ¡°It¡¯s in,¡± the man said after checking his computer. He scribbled on a piece of paper. ¡°Here¡¯s the call number.¡±


    Corvin accepted the paper and handed it to Livia. He led her past the greeting desk and into the patrician reading room. He went straight to the book he was looking for and pulled it off the shelf. He inspected the spine. ¡°Excellent. You can check this one out. So you can consult it at your leisure. For future reference, a lot of the books must stay here. So, patricians can come in and read them at any time. If there is more than one copy in the room, the spares will have red dots on the bottom of the spine. The red dot means you can check it out.¡±


    Corvin placed the book atop the one already in her arms. ¡°Start with that¡­.¡±


    ¡°Another one I¡¯d recommend is Difficult Questions on Family Authority. But you won¡¯t understand it till you read that .¡±


    Corvin led her to another section of the library. ¡°It¡¯s here in special collections. You must sign up for a time slot to read it in one of the study rooms.¡± Corvin gestured to three small doors along the far wall. Then he showed her how to reserve an appointment to read a specific title.


    ¡°Why do you have to make an appointment¡­.¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a little radical and non-traditional. Most old people disagree with it, so they keep it locked down.¡±


    ¡°Do you agree with it?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I regret I didn¡¯t read it sooner. It helped me figure out what I believed about marriage.¡±


    ¡°What does your father think about you reading it?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°He adjusted to it,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It gave him intellectual justification to modernize some of the procedures in the House, which the younger generations appreciate.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t flip out?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin looked confused. ¡°Why would he?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he doesn¡¯t want you reading non-traditional and radical things?¡± she said.


    Corvin pursed his lips. ¡°Most radical writing is suppressed truth. And I¡¯ve learned the more we heed truth and follow where it leads, the more healthy society becomes. The healthier we become. I know my father believes the same.¡±


    ¡°What happens when people don¡¯t agree on the truth?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin smiled. ¡°We get book appointments in restricted reading rooms. But that doesn¡¯t stop the truth from changing the individual who encounters it.¡±


    Livia studied him, and he sobered.


    ¡°Liv, Hun,¡± he whispered softly. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying¡­¡± she said.


    ¡°Trying to what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to be okay¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is it hard today?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s tough today,¡± Livia admitted.


    ¡°Hey, is it because I¡¯ve done something?¡± he asked.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°So, stuff is happening?¡± he pried.


    Livia looked away.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to confide in me, are you?¡±


    Livia hesitated. Then she shook her head.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s try something else, then? When was the last time you ate?¡±


    Livia¡¯s stomach growled audibly at the mention of food. She pressed her hand over her belly.


    ¡°Will you let me feed you?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I have a peanut butter sandwich and some carrots in my bag,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin smiled. ¡°Maybe we can get some tacos too?¡±


    Livia nodded. She was too hungry to say no. Even if she suspected it was a trap.


    They walked together to check the books out. Then Corvin led her to his car, opened the door, and gestured for her to get in. Livia hesitated, but exhaustion and hunger made her pliant. She climbed into the passenger seat of his SUV.


    Livia got into her bag, pulled out her sandwich, and took a huge mouth-watering bite.


    Corvin backed out and pulled onto the road. It didn¡¯t take Livia long to finish off her sandwich. Now that she was eating, her stomach still ached with hunger. She was going to grab some carrots, but her head bobbled. The motion of the car made her eyelids heavy. She blinked.


    Corvin was saying something Livia was too exhausted to follow. ¡°¡ªhow does that sound?¡±


    Livia looked at him. ¡°I¡ªwhat?¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re falling asleep on me?


    She mumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t decide what I want more¡ªfood or sleep.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re about five minutes away,¡± Corvin said. ¡°When did you last eat?¡±


    ¡°Last night¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Corvin asked, dismayed. ¡°Liv, it¡¯s four in the afternoon!¡±


    Tears gathered in Livia¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m still hungry.¡±


    ¡°Are you drinking water?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t remember¡­.¡±


    Corvin cursed. ¡°I don¡¯t have any in the car with me.¡±


    Corvin pressed the gas pedal, and she was sure they got to the taco restaurant in less than five minutes. When they pulled through the drive-thru, Corvin asked her what she wanted.


    ¡°Whatever. But I don¡¯t love a lot of meat¡ª¡±


    Corvin ordered and pulled up to the window, and paid. He tapped on the steering wheel as he waited for the food. When the food arrived, he pulled into a parking spot and parked. He twisted off the lid of a water bottle and passed it over.


    ¡°Start with water.¡±


    Livia drank half of it and exchanged it for a meatless bean burrito.


    After she finished the food, she leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. Now she was only exhausted. She forced herself to drink some more water. Though, she¡¯d never felt thirsty. She must have drank some water this morning, right?


    Corvin¡¯s hand touched her knee. ¡°Livia, I¡¯ve let you dodge my questions today without making too much fuss. But I need you to answer my next question honestly, okay?¡±


    She glared at him. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you in some sort of trouble?¡±


    Livia looked away. ¡°I¡¯m safe, Corvin. No one hurt me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only one sort of trouble, Livia,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia looked back at him, surprised. His body faced her, and his brow furrowed with concern. She wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. Did she explain the situation to him? What parts did she leave in? What did she leave out? Since she didn¡¯t know the answers, she shook her head and said nothing, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You sure? You met with Gaius?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Gaius,¡± Livia sighed.


    ¡°But it was something,¡± Corvin pressed. ¡°I heard some of your phone conversation. So what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Terror filled Livia at the thought of Corvin thinking she was pregnant. She had to tell him something. ¡°I called my mom,¡± Livia confessed. ¡°It was¡­an epic mistake.¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Come here, Liv.¡±


    Corvin eased her into a comforting hug. Livia melted against the softness of his body and took shelter in the refuge of his kindness.


    ¡°Is this okay?¡± he asked with his lips against her hair.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Livia whispered. She didn¡¯t know how long she let him hold her, but she knew it wasn¡¯t a short time.


    Livia was almost asleep when Corvin pulled away. ¡°I¡¯m going to take you home.¡±


    ¡°But my car¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it if you give me the keys.¡±


    Livia placed her keys in Corvin¡¯s hand and let him take her home. He came around to her side of the car and opened her door. Corvin walked her into the house.


    Hyrum was waiting for some reason and could tell something was wrong. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Stress and lack of sleep,¡± Corvin said.


    Hyrum¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re not sick, are you?¡±


    ¡°No. Just tired,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Hyrum.¡±


    Hyrum was silent.


    Awkwardness filled the air. Corvin leaned down and pressed his lips to the center of Livia¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°You can call me,¡± he said after pulling away.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Eat. Drink. Sleep,¡± he ordered.


    Livia muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll remember.¡±


    Corvin ran the tip of his nose down the length of Livia¡¯s nose. ¡°Promise?¡±


    A smile turned Livia¡¯s lips at his playful affection. ¡°I promise.¡±


    He pulled away. ¡°I¡¯ll be checking in tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you will.¡± Livia still grinned.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes dropped to Livia¡¯s lips. She lifted her eyes past his shoulder to the watchful gaze of her brother. Hyrum frowned. Livia couldn¡¯t tell if he were worried or disapproving.


    Corvin glanced over his shoulder. He sighed. ¡°I should go. It was nice to see you, Hyrum.¡±


    Hyrum didn¡¯t respond.


    Then Livia wondered if Mom had called Hyrum too. Hyrum wasn¡¯t a warm personality, but he wasn¡¯t rude.


    Corvin hesitated. He stepped behind Hyrum¡¯s back and made a hand gesture. Asking if she wanted him to stay. Livia shook her head at him.


    Corvin slipped out and left Livia to face her brother alone.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 16

    Hyrum asked, deceptively calm, ¡°Why is Corvin ordering you to eat and sleep?¡±


    Livia inhaled. ¡°I got caught up in the library today studying. Forgot to eat.¡±


    Too late. She realized the books she¡¯d checked were still in Corvin¡¯s car. She couldn¡¯t prove her story. Then she remembered the sticker on her library card. ¡°Look, Corvin showed me how to access the Patrician reading room today!¡± she dug through her purse and showed the sticker to Hyrum.


    He grunted.


    They stared at each other for a moment. Since Hyrum was still standing there with a stern look, she knew he was worried about something. If Lucas had called her at the library today, Mom had likely called Hyrum too. Livia should ask him if he¡¯d heard from Mom and have a reasonable conversation with him about the issue.


    ¡°Did you know about the Patrician reading room?¡± she asked.


    Livia couldn¡¯t bring herself to face the issue directly. She was too afraid of his response. So, even though they both knew it was an act, she pretended nothing was wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯d heard about it. Never gone,¡± Hyrum answered, emotionless.


    ¡°Corvin recommend a couple of books to me.¡± Livia¡¯s back muscles tensed. What would she say if Hyrum asked for details? What would he think if he found out she was researching Patrician family law? Thankfully, Hyrum had other questions at the forefront of his mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re not nauseated?¡± Hyrum asked. If she didn¡¯t suspect he knew about her conversation with mom, she would have thought this was a standard display of brotherly concern.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll eat dinner with Caecilia and me?¡± he inquired.


    Did saying no mean revealing she was pregnant? ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll eat in ten minutes.¡±


    Livia was exhausted and wanted to sleep, but she was smart enough to know that the invitation was a test. Hyrum was going to see for himself that she had a normal appetite. Hyrum wasn¡¯t going to take the direct route. Instead, he¡¯d scrutinize her for clues and come to his own conclusions. Part of her filled with relief because she¡¯d escaped an immediate confrontation. Another part filled with a frantic fear as she realized a confrontation over the topic would happen at some point between them. Shadows of past abuses crossed her mind. Memories of violence from her father and hundreds of verbal attacks from her mother immediately sent Livia into a state of hypervigilance.


    Livia was self-conscience all through dinner. Was she eating the way she usually ate? Did she eat too much? Too little? What would Hyrum find suspicious? Livia ate everything on her plate but turned down dessert.


    Caecilia chatted with Hyrum about the news of the day. Hyrum listened but watched Livia closely. Livia¡¯s eyelids slid closed. Reopening them felt like lifting a hundred pounds.


    ¡°You¡¯re more tired than usual, Liv,¡± Hyrum observed.


    Livia explained. ¡°I had a hard time sleeping last night.¡±


    He raised a concerned eyebrow. ¡°Any reason?¡±


    Livia shrugged. ¡°One of those nights, I guess.¡±


    Some of the hypervigilance in Hyrum¡¯s posture relaxed. ¡°Go rest. What time do you wake up tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°5. I have work at 6.¡±


    ¡°More reason to get to bed early,¡± he said.


    ****


    Livia woke to her alarm the following day. She sat up in bed and stared at the wall. She had slept through the night, but she¡¯d been so tense and afraid that her muscles were stiff. She wasn¡¯t hurting, but each movement took twice as long as it should. She couldn¡¯t live like this. She had to say something to Hyrum.


    Livia took a deep breath and checked her phone. Livia groaned as she read the first text.


    Corvin: What was up with Hyrum? Your car is in the driveway. I put the keys in Hyrum¡¯s mailbox. The library books are on the passenger seat.


    Livia: Thanks, Corvin.


    She hoped he wouldn¡¯t notice that she hadn¡¯t answered the Hyrum question. She wasn¡¯t sure what version of Hyrum she would get when she went downstairs. She took a hot shower, dressed, and crept cautiously into the kitchen.


    Hyrum was waiting. Livia expected that. The smell of omelets wafted in the air. She didn¡¯t expect that.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Making sure you remember to eat breakfast. You looked too pale and tired last night.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t look pale.¡± Livia argued.


    ¡°You looked pale,¡± Hyrum said firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t skip meals anymore.¡±


    Livia observed the omelet in front of her. It was full of a bunch of things that Hyrum usually wouldn¡¯t include in an omelet. Red and white onions, three colors of bell peppers, and mushrooms. Livia sighed.


    He was still testing her. He was trying to see if strong-tasting veggies would upset her stomach. Caecilia hadn¡¯t been able to eat bell peppers for months. Livia ate every last bite. She even, a little rebelliously, seasoned generously with pepper and salt to increase the flavor. She rinsed her plate, put it in the dishwasher, and thanked Hyrum for breakfast.


    ¡°Have a good day, Liv,¡± he said. ¡°If you need anything¡­you know you can tell me?¡±


    Livia decided to pull the plug on their charades. ¡°Mom called you, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    Hyrum put aside the rag he was using to wash the counters. He leaned back against the kitchen cabinets and folded his arms. ¡°She mentioned you were pregnant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant, Hyrum,¡± Livia snapped.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    He stared at her. ¡°Look, Liv. It doesn¡¯t need to be a problem if you are, okay? Just don¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying!¡±


    Hyrum ran a hand over his face. ¡°So, you looking ill and Corvin acting all¡ª¡±


    ¡°I was upset because I wanted the answer to basic questions, and Mom thought that gave her the right to make accusations!¡±


    Hyrum took a deep breath. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe me?¡± Livia demanded.


    ¡°I believe you,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°But Liv, I mean it. Being pregnant doesn¡¯t need to be a big problem. What mom did was so bad and caused so many problems because she lied, hid, and manipulated people. So don¡¯t lie to me about this, okay? Just come clean.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying!¡± Livia insisted again.


    Hyrum nodded. ¡°I need it said between us that if you are honest with me, I can help you. If you lie to me, my hands are tied.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t sound like you believe me,¡± Livia growled.


    ¡°I believe you, but I don¡¯t want you to feel like you ever have to lie to me about something like this,¡± Hyrum said.


    Livia looked at him, hurt. She didn¡¯t think he believed her. She pursed her lips as the sharp sting of betrayal throbbed against the pulse points in her body. In short jerky movements, she took her medication and grabbed her purse. Hyrum tried to say something, but she ignored him and stomped out of the house.


    Livia grabbed her keys from the mailbox. Corvin had stuffed them in a manila envelope with her name written on the front.


    A pleasant tingle ran down her spine to see her name written in his distinctive scrawl. It counteracted some of the hurt Hyrum had inflicted. Livia ripped open the envelope and reached in to grab her keys, only to find them surrounded by dozens of her favorite chocolates.


    Livia laughed out loud. Her cheeks warmed with the pleasure of the sweet surprise. She opened her car and reached into the envelope to snack on a few chocolates on her way to work and found a note inside.


    I hope you have a better day, sweetheart. Corvin.


    Livia put her hand over her heart, overwhelmed by the sweet gesture. She picked up her phone.


    Livia: Corvin! I can¡¯t believe you!


    Corvin: What? What did I do?


    Livia: The chocolates!


    Corvin: Oh, good. I¡¯m not in trouble.


    Livia: Stop being paranoid.


    Corvin: How are you this morning? Did you eat breakfast?


    Livia: Hyrum made me an epic omelet.


    Corvin: Good. I hope he wasn¡¯t upset with us last night.


    Livia: Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s fine.


    Corvin: Call me when you get off work. We need to make plans for the Saturnalia Festival.


    Oh no. Livia remembered that she promised Hyrum she¡¯d ask Corvin for help getting Ancus on board for the Senate vote. She huffed and texted back.


    Livia: Yeah. I do need to ask you about that. I get off at noon. Are you free then?


    Corvin: Yes. It¡¯ll be my lunch break.


    Things went smoothly for Livia during work. Delores was in a good mood. She reminded everyone their last day of work for the season would also be the staff Saturnalia celebration. Irene seemed too distracted with her phone to bother anyone. The teen went through her tasks with a frown and a creased forehead. Livia should have realized that meant something had gone wrong. She didn¡¯t figure it out until she walked out of work beside Clara Porcius and found Irene¡¯s mother waiting for her.


    Clara muttered, ¡°Can¡¯t she keep her nasty patrician politics out of public parking lots?


    The woman leveled Livia with a glare. ¡°Do you think you can come here and ruin another woman¡¯s chances without consequences?¡±


    Livia stared at her, refusing to give the question an answer. She had no idea what was going on.


    Her face twisted with hatred. ¡°We had the perfect plan! Now, you¡¯ve ruined it all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my problem,¡± Livia said, still not understanding the problem.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way you will ever understand him! What he needs! What sacrifices have to be made by patrician women¡ª¡±


    Oh, this was about Corvin again, but Livia still didn¡¯t know what had happened. What had spurred this whole confrontation? Livia worried it was somehow connected to her mother spreading rumors. Did they think she was carrying Corvin¡¯s baby, which destroyed Salina¡¯s chances? If Rattus House was spreading those stories, everyone in Caesarea already knew. Terror ran down Livia¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± Clara interrupted, defending Livia. ¡°Don¡¯t give us the sob story.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea how unprepared you are¡ª¡± Irene¡¯s mother continued.


    ¡°Get out of here,¡± Clara growled.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re proud that you got Salina fired,¡± she shouted at Livia. ¡°But you¡¯ll see how little emotions matter in a patrician marriage.¡±


    The woman gathered herself and her daughter into her car and drove off. Livia was still frozen by the words that had been cast at her. Salina got fired. It had nothing to do with Mom spreading rumors. Livia went limp with relief.


    Clara nudged Livia with her shoulder. ¡°Liv, don¡¯t listen to her.¡±


    Except, she was right. Livia did have an incomplete idea of what she was getting herself into. Clara had the luxury of shrugging off the substance of the accusations, but she was plebeian.


    Livia knew there were systematic problems, or her mother would never have gone Rogue. Even Corvin had admitted his father had changed things. The weight of fear settled in Livia¡¯s stomach. She recognized she couldn¡¯t flippantly shrug off the attacks of Irene¡¯s mother. She needed to understand Patrician family law.


    Livia almost forgot to call Corvin. She¡¯d come straight home intending to scour the library books Corvin had helped her find. Remembering his help, though, reminded her to call him.


    He answered, ¡°Fabulous, I miss you.¡±


    A warmth poured through Livia as she heard his warm-honey toned voice. She loved this human. ¡°Corvin, I love hearing your voice.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re doing the Saturnalian festival together?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, but I need help with something,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°What?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Hyrum wants to invite Ancus to dinner, so I must talk with him.¡±


    ¡°Why is Hyrum inviting him to dinner?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia explained, ¡°To convince him to vote for the welfare bill.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± There was a resignation in Corvin¡¯s tone. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange things so you¡¯ll get to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­that okay?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll spend less time with you, is all.¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s just¡­this welfare bill. It¡¯s important.¡±


    Corvin said, ¡°I¡¯m grateful you¡¯re willing to help. We recognize that Hyrum has put considerable effort into resolving this budget issue. I¡¯ll do whatever you need me to do to help.¡±


    ¡°I have another question,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Ask,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°What am I supposed to wear?¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Red.¡±


    Livia snorted. He told her that she looked good in red once. She assumed he was teasing. ¡°Not being shy about what you prefer, are you?¡±


    ¡°I do love you in red. However, you need to wear your House color.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Livia sighed. ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°You should wear a modern formal dress. Do you want help shopping for one?¡±


    Livia planned to borrow a dress from Caecilia. ¡°Um, I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    Livia knew that Corvin¡¯s lunch break was close to over. She hesitated to ask him if he knew what went down with Salina today or not. Should she mention the fact that Irene¡¯s mother had confronted her after work? What did Livia expect Corvin to do about it? Getting him involved would only make the situation worse. The entire scene in the parking lot today could even be part of Salina¡¯s plans to goad Livia into an emotional response. For now, staying nonchalant about the situation was probably best. That meant keeping other people out of the situation as much as possible.


    Livia decided to let the incident go without telling Corvin. ¡°Talk to you later, Corvin.¡±


    Livia flipped through Patrician families: a modern interpretation. She found a lot of what she feared. Women trapped by the rules created by their fathers and husbands, though there was a patron loophole. Women who valued freedom above efficiency and had a high tolerance for bureaucratic nonsense pitted their Paterfamilias against their fathers and husbands and pitted their fathers and husbands against their patron. Livia hadn¡¯t realized before how much having Justin so far separated from both Corvin and Gaius had protected her. Pleblein, Aquila, Director of an entire division of the security patrol. Many patrician women didn¡¯t have the connections to secure that type of protection.


    Livia texted Justin. Hey, I heard Salina lost her job.


    Justin: I understand they will blame you, but the emotional requirements of the position were toxic to Salina¡¯s health, and it was time to accept that personal development wasn¡¯t going to fix it.


    Livia: So, you¡¯ll hire someone new.


    Justin: From Aquila, most likely. I won¡¯t put a Rattus in that position ever again. My mistake.


    Livia: Can I come over and talk to you and Flavia?


    Justin: Name a date. You¡¯re always welcome.


    Livia: This weekend is the Saturnalia festival.


    Justin: Come Monday at 5. Flavia will be thrilled.


    Having arranged that, Livia turned to her papers again. Livia tweaked a few phrases she¡¯d written and requested financial support for six months. It was the best she could do. Livia didn¡¯t know how Gaius or Corvin would react to it, but that shouldn¡¯t stop her. She emailed Gaius to let him know she had finished her match papers.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 17 part 1

    On Friday evening, to celebrate the first day of Saturnalia, Livia wore a high-necked halter top gown that curved tightly over her hips. She didn¡¯t love the cut, but it was the perfect shade of red. Livia worried about being too cold in the winter weather and worked to find a coat that would match her dress. Unfortunately, the red was too bold to go with black without looking garish.


    Alia, Corvin¡¯s sister, had offered a floor-sweeping navy cape that was the perfect shade. She¡¯d warned Livia that people would talk about her wearing blue because it was a Lupus House shade, but Livia didn¡¯t care. The next fashion hurdle was finding the perfect shoes. Eventually, Caecilia convinced her she had no choice but to wear red high heels. Resigned to her fate, Livia accepted the pair of heels Caecilia offered.


    Corvin brought Alia¡¯s cloak with him when he picked Livia up. He wrapped the warm wool fabric around her shoulders as he admired her dress. ¡°You look fabulous.¡±


    Livia smiled at the clever compliment. ¡°Aren¡¯t I always Fabulous?¡± she joked.


    Corvin looked into her eyes and stroked her jaw with his thumb. ¡°Always.¡±


    She lowered her gaze from his shyly, but the compliment pleased her. She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and came away with the strong scent of pine in her nose. Corvin had switched up how he smelled, and she liked it.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± Corvin asked, gesturing to the door. Livia nodded. The night had officially started.


    The entire subforum was decorated for the holiday. Bright red poinsettias flanked each staircase. Evergreen garlands draped over every doorway. Long strings of lights hung across the whole width of the forum, lending a soft, magical glow to the entire space. Livia slowed and pulled Corvin¡¯s hand into hers, wanting to enjoy the moment with him. He smiled down at her. ¡°Nice, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°Hurry,¡± Epiphany urged. ¡°We only have an hour until the games start.¡±


    Livia looked at Corvin in a panic. ¡°Games?¡±


    ¡°The mini-games, Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you play last year?¡±


    ¡°No. We didn¡¯t play games. We ate a lot of food, took pictures¡ª¡±


    Epiphany gasped. ¡°We can¡¯t forget the pictures!¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°The Patricians play silly games so the plebs can laugh at us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Livia said. ¡°Are they embarrassing?¡±


    ¡°Some of them are,¡± Corvin said, amused. ¡°You¡¯ll survive. Besides, Ancus Sempronius will be there,¡± he said.


    Livia sighed. ¡°No way out but through, then?¡±


    ¡°As always,¡± Corvin agreed.


    ¡°Bring it.¡±


    Corvin and his sisters laughed at Livia¡¯s declaration and then dragged everyone over to get in line for the picture booth. First, they took pictures together as a group, and then Livia and Corvin took pictures as a couple.


    They ate honey-roasted almonds while they were still warm and drank spiced cider. These were the small things she remembered doing with Arik. Then they reported to the Temple of Saturn. Livia recalled this part too. They did a ceremony to announce the start of the Saturnalia festival. The entire week would be full of parties everyone decided to throw all at once.


    Lorin, the Paterfamilias of Rattus House, stood with his wife, Irene. Once the woman had become Materfamilias of Rattus House, dozens of families had named their daughters after her¡ªLivia¡¯s coworker included. Livia could understand why as she watched the Materfamilias of Rattus House there on the stairs. The tall columns of the temple behind her enhanced the drama of her emerald dress, which sparkled with light each time she moved. The woman had an ethereal beauty and regal bearing. Lorin gave a short welcome greeting. Afterward, Irene announced an offering to Saturn, and a hymn of remembrance would precede the games.


    Tarquin Sempronius, the second eldest child of the Rattus House couple, offered a sacrifice of red fruits without any drama. Then hushed voices started singing a chant. Livia looked around to see the singers and couldn¡¯t find them anywhere. Corvin touched her shoulder and pointed. The chorus proceeded to the temple steps from paths on either side of the stairs. They each carried a candle and climbed the empty staircase, voices growing louder as they gathered more and more of their number.


    Chills rose on Livia¡¯s arms as she listened to the beautiful melody and powerful singers. They sang several songs and then departed the stairs chanting the same soft hymn as they did when they ascended the steps.


    Lorin and Irene called up the patrician families by name to participate in the games. Livia hesitated when they called the Tullian clan, wondering if she should follow. But a second later, ¡°Fabius¡± was called, and Livia walked up the steps with Corvin and his sisters.


    They went into the depths of the Temple of Saturn and saw several games set up in front of cameras. Ah, Livia remembered. She and Arik had chosen to go home instead of watching the games on the screens outside.


    Corvin pointed Ancus out to her. He stood over by half-a-dozen balance beams. He dressed in matching slacks and a waistcoat in a deep emerald hue. Stark against his crisp white dress shirt, his equally emerald tie had a diamond pattern etched out in lines of fine gold thread, complementing the gold buttons on his waistcoat. Livia looked at Corvin to compare them and noticed a formal uniform. Corvin wore a vivid shade of royal blue slacks and a matching waistcoat, the buttons a dull pewter. Corvin¡¯s sky blue dress shirt was the same shade as his tie, making his look feel more understated and sophisticated. Both men had women approach and take their coats to be hung on a rack by the door.


    When Livia approached Ancus, he gave her a dubious look, ¡°Well, are you jumping the ship, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Jumping the ship?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re wearing blue,¡± he gestured elegantly to her cloak.


    Livia fingered the edge of the wool fabric. ¡°You¡¯re asking if I¡¯m joining Lupus House?¡±


    He smiled and tilted his head, amused, as if she¡¯d given too much information away. ¡°Are you?¡±


    Livia was flustered. Was he asking if she was engaged? Already? ¡°Not¡­yet.¡±


    Why did she keep letting those little ¡®yets¡¯ keep slipping in?


    Ancus¡¯ smile widened. ¡°You dating? Corvin?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Corvin.¡±


    He lowered his chin and spoke to her with a degree of familiarity that was surprising from an acquaintance. ¡°Is he taking care of you? Cause we could talk.¡±


    Livia took a step back. ¡°Talk? Do you mean to Corvin? About what?¡±


    Ancus shook his head, frowning. ¡°No. Me and you. Did you know we¡¯re closer in age? Corvin is a little old for you.¡± His nose crinkled up in a faux display of disgust.


    Livia laughed. She shouldn¡¯t, but Ancus¡¯s sardonic tone made it impossible to repress. She knew he was joking about Corvin¡¯s age. He wasn¡¯t so much older than her to raise eyebrows.


    ¡°Ancus!¡± she scolded him for flirting with her.


    He winked at her. ¡°You are definitely the catch of the decade.¡±


    Livia turned her head away. She spoke in a neutral voice to discourage him but not insult him. ¡°Corvin treats me fine. I have no complaints.¡±


    And more baffling, Ancus looked pleased by that. ¡°Good.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Livia,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll need to remove your coat. Like everyone else. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll be criticized.¡±


    Livia undid the clasp and removed it from her shoulders. ¡°No one came to take it?¡±


    Ancus¡¯ eyebrows rose. ¡°Indeed. You¡¯ve been plotted against.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes scanned the room with a paranoid panic. Ancus touched her wrist lightly, pulling her eyes to his in surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let no harm come to you. Let me take your cloak. I¡¯ll take care of it for you.¡±


    Livia hesitated to accept his kindness. He noticed, giving her a questioning look. Finally, she surrendered her cloak to him. He strode away and handed the cloak to the girl near the coat racks. She accepted the cloak and hung it without complaint.


    Ancus returned. ¡°I compliment you on your style for the evening. Red suits you.¡±


    ¡°Corvin says the same,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°What man wouldn¡¯t?¡± Ancus quipped, flirtatious again.


    Livia pulled out her phone when it buzzed. Corvin had sent a text.


    How does it go?


    Livia: He¡¯s flirting with me. What do I do?¡±


    Corvin: Flirt back.


    Livia: What?


    Corvin: Compliment him. It makes time pass quickly when you¡¯re kind to your partner.


    Livia put her phone down.


    ¡°Everything alright?¡± Ancus asked.


    ¡°Caesarea is so confusing,¡± she blurted.


    Ancus laughed. ¡°You must explain.¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Come, do tell,¡± he said, amused.


    ¡°I do like your tie,¡± Livia said to obey Corvin and distract Ancus.


    ¡°Do you?¡± he asked, looking down at it.


    ¡°I like the fine gold threading,¡± Livia said. ¡°Very striking.¡±


    Ancus¡¯ looked pleased. ¡°Thank you. Not often a man gets a compliment for his style. Though, some of us work just as hard as the ladies.¡±


    ¡°It shows,¡± Livia said. ¡°I like that your buttons have sunbursts on them. Are you partial to Apollo?¡±


    Ancus¡¯ looked even more pleased. ¡°We share a love for the lyre.¡±


    ¡°Do you play? Really?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Then Livia found her opening. ¡°Oh, you must come and play for Hyrum. He loves music.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Ancus asked skeptically.


    ¡°Yes, he loves music,¡± Livia repeated.


    He gave her a knowing look. ¡°I suspect he also wouldn¡¯t mind speaking to me.¡±


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t, Ancus? You¡¯re charming as they come,¡± Livia teased.


    Ancus laughed. ¡°How could I disappoint such flattery?¡±


    He brushed an imaginary speck of dust from his sleeve with a certain degree of pride. Livia laughed.


    ¡°I will come to dinner and play my lyre,¡± he said, then added a condition. ¡°If you tell me about your text exchange.¡±


    Livia¡¯s cheeks bloomed with heat. Then she sighed, resigned. ¡°Corvin asked how I was doing. I told him you were flirting. I asked what I should do. He advised me to flirt back¡ª¡± Livia couldn¡¯t help the confusion in her tone.


    Ancus threw back his head and laughed. ¡°Lupus House men!¡±


    ¡°So, that¡¯s strange, right?¡± Livia whispered. ¡°Your boyfriend telling you to flirt with other men.¡±


    Ancus only laughed louder, grasping his belly. ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t say such a thing if the roles were reversed. But Lupus House is more practical about these sorts of things.¡±


    ¡°He said the time passes faster if you¡¯re nice to your partner,¡± Livia said, voice trembling with amusement now.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a jealous man, Livia. Rejoice.¡± Ancus grinned at her.


    ¡°That¡­or he trusts you,¡± Livia said.


    Ancus looked surprised. Then his expression softened. Livia knew the compliment meant more to him than any previous ones. ¡°Ah, Corvin. We grew up together, you know?¡±


    ¡°Are you close?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°We were, but time and circumstances mean we aren¡¯t as close as we once were¡ª¡± he said regretfully.


    ¡°You miss him,¡± Livia said.


    Ancus nodded. ¡°You can¡¯t replace a friend like Corvin.¡±


    Livia smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll have to have him over to dinner at the same time. Maybe you can arrange to do friend things.¡±


    Ancus smiled at her. ¡°I like the way you think. Let¡¯s plan on it. Let me know the date and time.¡±


    ¡°How shall I contact you?¡± Livia asked. ¡°On Tabula?¡±


    Ancus shook his head. ¡°No. My personal cell. I don¡¯t check Tabula personally. An assistant does it for the entire family.¡±


    Livia raised a surprised eyebrow, but they exchanged cell numbers. When they put their phones away, it was time for the games to begin.


    Livia looked over her shoulder and saw Corvin and Salina together, facing a table full of brass bells. Her heart dropped to her stomach to see Corvin with Salina. She was smiling up at him while he had picked up a bell, shook it, and listened with a look of contemplation. He placed it in front of him, then picked up another bell¡ª


    ¡°Jealous?¡± Ancus asked.


    Livia whirled and found him leaning in close. He was taller than Arik but not as tall as Corvin, so it was disconcerting to have his jaw at eye level. She took a step back and huffed. ¡°Look, I know you can sense emotions and everything, but keep that to yourself. It¡¯s not up for discussion.¡±


    Ancus gave her a look of utter surprise.


    Livia pressed her lips tight to keep herself from taking the words back as she was washed over with guilt for being so blunt and abrupt. She knew she came across as rude to Rattus House people. Corvin was a lot less prone to take offense when she was blunt. He found it refreshing, in fact.


    Ancus looked slightly hurt but seemed to brush it off as they were told they had to walk across the balance beam. It was suggested that Livia walk in her high heels as part of the party challenge. Ancus had to walk while keeping a book on his head.


    Livia wasn¡¯t that great at balance in the first place and hadn¡¯t walked in heels in years, so she wasn¡¯t exactly enthusiastic about this game. Ancus was aware of this.


    ¡°Remember, Livia, I told you I wouldn¡¯t let any harm come to you,¡± he assured her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to do it,¡± she said.


    ¡°Try,¡± he encouraged. ¡°You¡¯ll do better than you think.¡±


    Livia huffed. She¡¯d lived with herself for nineteen years now. She knew what she could and couldn¡¯t do physically. However, she didn¡¯t see a way out of the game without people complaining that she hated Caesarean traditions and didn¡¯t belong there.


    Corvin had sorted most of his bells in a single line. She wished he¡¯d look up, and she could have the support of his gaze for an instant, but he never looked up.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Ancus touched her shoulder gently.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said.


    ¡°I¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°Take a deep breath. That helps with anxiety.¡±


    Livia glared at him. But she didn¡¯t hold his perception against him. She gathered her courage and obeyed him. She took deep breaths until her mind and heart calmed. She pressed her palms flat on the balance beam and heaved herself up onto it easily.


    Ancus helped her stand, grasping her hand, and Livia thought things might not be so bad. She could sense the space around her better than she thought. She stood tall and steady. She gave Ancus a confident look.


    Then he released her hand.


    It was like being plunged into sudden darkness. Whatever sense that had made the air around her feel clear and understandable moments before suddenly muddied. Livia blinked in complete confusion. She looked down at her feet. Is this anxiety?


    She took deep breaths, but the sensation of her chest rising and falling only made Livia feel more disconnected from her feet. She tried to concentrate on her feet, but she couldn¡¯t even sense where her toes were in relation to her heels.


    Livia flexed her ankle to tap her toe. But her heel wasn¡¯t where she expected because it was three inches in the air due to standing in high heels. As a result, Livia felt she was falling backward, so she stepped back to regain her equilibrium and stepped directly off the balance beam.


    She screamed as she fell into empty air. Then she hit something solid.


    ¡°No!¡± She flailed, horrified, as arms wrapped around her, holding her.


    ¡°Livia, Livia, Livia,¡± Ancus¡¯ voice soothed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I caught you.¡±


    She kicked her foot out, trying to escape his arms, and her high heel flew into the air. She went still¡ªterrified. Would the heel hit someone in the face? Poke an eye out? Murder someone? The shoe flew up and up towards the ceiling, whispering against the elaborate stonework, and then fell straight down. Ancus took two steps to the side to avoid it. It bounced a few times on the mats and then remained still.


    Livia grasped her other high heel and threw it to the pads beneath the balance beams.


    Then she glared at Ancus, her urgent brown eyes meeting his confused ones. ¡°Put me down.¡±


    Ancus obeyed.


    The cold mats touched the length of Livia¡¯s foot, heel to toe. She was so relieved to feel connected to herself again. ¡°I¡¯m not doing that again,¡± she said firmly.


    To her surprise, Ancus¡¯ face lit with mischief. ¡°Why don¡¯t I wear the heels then?¡±


    Livia looked at him in shock. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It Saturnalia. We could make it a new tradition. Maybe if the men are inconvenienced, they¡¯ll stop doing this stupid game.¡±


    ¡°You think it¡¯s stupid?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, none of the other ones are this dangerous,¡± he said.


    ¡°Dangerous,¡± Livia repeated.


    ¡°Taurus got the balance beam act banned for a good dozen years.¡± Ancus frowned. ¡°Then it came back last year. The year you were supposed to do it, but you didn¡¯t show up.¡±


    ¡°You think it was done on purpose?¡±


    ¡°I mean, Taurus house women specifically objected because of how unreliable their balance is due to their sensory processing disorders.¡±


    Livia smiled bitterly. ¡°Sometimes I wonder if the cold welcome is all in my imagination, but this is pretty clear¡ª¡±


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Ancus said. ¡°Ice cold.¡±


    ¡°Who was in charge of the games this year?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s an inter-House thing. Last year the plebs from Aquila House were in charge, and this year it was the plebs from Lupus.¡±


    ¡°So not the Patricians?¡±


    ¡°No, we only do the opening ceremony and then submit ourselves to their embarrassing little games,¡± Ancus gestured to the balance beams. ¡°Most years, it¡¯s all fun, but occasionally something like this happens.¡±


    Livia sighed.


    Ancus slipped into her heels. ¡°Pray for me?¡± he joked.


    Then he lifted himself to the balance beam. Ancus¡¯ arms spun wildly as he stood up. Livia gasped and rushed to help him, but he managed to right himself. He gave her a smile and a wink and then took another two steps. He had to stop every two steps to rebalance himself, but he made it to the end of the beam.


    ¡°Help?¡± he said. ¡°How do I get down without breaking an ankle?¡±


    Livia rushed over and offered her shoulders. Ancus laughed. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve got 5 inches and fifty pounds on you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Taurus,¡± she said stubbornly.


    ¡°Look, just¡­help me sit down¡­then we¡¯ll take off the heels, and I can jump off.¡± He lifted an eyebrow to get her agreement.


    Livia nodded.


    She supported Ancus until he was able to sit on the beam. He swore as he took off the heels. ¡°Those things hurt!¡±


    Livia started laughing. ¡°I could offer piggyback rides for the rest of the evening as thanks for your noble deed.¡±


    Ancus snorted. ¡°Right. Then I¡¯d look extremely noble.¡±


    Livia snickered again. ¡°Take the pain, Ancus.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± he muttered. ¡°Miss Taurus.¡±


    Livia¡¯s smile fell as genuine concern sobered her mirth. ¡°Do you need some ice?¡±


    Ancus¡¯ lips quirked up again, flirtatious. ¡°Also like a Taurus to be fixated on ice¡ª¡±


    Livia found that joke more confusing, so she responded with an uncertain smile.


    Ancus took in her expression. ¡°Sorry, that one was probably over the line. Corvin would scold me.¡±


    Ancus¡¯ eyes lifted. ¡°Right. On. Time.¡±

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 17 part 2

    Livia glanced back to find Corvin coming toward them. Livia studied the set of Ancus¡¯ shoulders and the grim lines on his face and realized he was preparing to be yelled at. She didn¡¯t think Corvin would, but Ancus had known him longer.


    ¡°Ancus,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Did you roll your ankle with that trick?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think so,¡± he said, voice flat.


    ¡°Anything I can do?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Livia offered to get ice already,¡± he said, but that flirtatious lilt returned to his voice. Livia wondered why he¡¯d provoke Corvin.


    Corvin rolled his eyes. ¡°Well?¡±


    ¡°Well, what?¡± Ancus asked, confused.


    ¡°Do you need ice or not?¡± Corvin demanded, voice short but not sharp.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Ancus made a move to jump down.


    Corvin stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder. ¡°Let me check them before you make the damage worse?¡±


    Ancus sighed.


    Corvin grasped his right foot in his hand and pulled and rolled it in several directions. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Not any better,¡± Ancus quipped.


    Corvin¡¯s gaze shot up to his, displeased.


    ¡°But not any worse,¡± Ancus conceded.


    ¡°Good.¡± Corvin moved to his next foot with a similar result. He held out his hand and helped Ancus jump down.


    Ancus winced at first, but his face cleared quickly. He let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Sorry, Cor.¡±


    Corvin clasped a hand over the back of his shoulder. Corvin gave Ancus a direct look that the shorter man shrank away from. ¡°Take it down a notch, huh?¡±


    Ancus nodded. ¡°You know I¡¯m harmless.¡±


    ¡°Not everyone is familiar enough with you to know that¡ª¡± Corvin¡¯s eyes slid over to Livia.


    Livia¡¯s cheeks warmed with embarrassment.


    Ancus looked thoughtful. ¡°Didn¡¯t consider that, but I¡¯ll be playing the lyre for Hyrum sometime soon. You¡¯re invited.¡±


    Corvin smiled. He released Ancus and took a step away from him, relaxed. ¡°It¡¯s been years, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Years,¡± Ancus confirmed.


    ¡°Too many years,¡± Corvin said.


    Relief flooded Ancus¡¯ expression.


    ¡°I think you two have the bells next,¡± Corvin gestured with his chin.


    Corvin stopped Livia with a gentle touch on her elbow. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. He¡¯s been kind,¡± she said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to scold him.¡±


    Corvin smiled. ¡°He really is harmless, but sometimes he has an inappropriate sense of humor¡ª¡±


    ¡°I think I have questions about ice?¡± Livia whispered, clearly showing her confusion.


    Corvin failed to contain a laugh. ¡°We¡¯ll have that talk. For sure.¡±


    ¡°Why¡ª¡±


    ¡°Later.¡±


    Salina took the opportunity to thread her arm through Corvin¡¯s. Livia was surprised that she wore a loose, flowing gown. It was more her style to wear something that showed off her curves. Livia didn¡¯t know if it was how Salina had styled her hair, but her cheeks seemed rounder. Maybe she¡¯d put on some weight and was embarrassed. Livia didn¡¯t judge her on that score. Being an intern for TARP was stressful and fast-paced. So it wasn¡¯t a surprise Salina had put on some pounds. Salina pasted on a smile and directed it at Livia. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll see you later, Livia.¡±


    Livia rolled her eyes at being dismissed this way. Corvin barely contained a frustrated look, but catching a glimpse of it gave Livia all the confidence in the world.


    Livia caught up with Ancus, who was waiting for her to catch up. ¡°He really has changed,¡± he mused.


    ¡°Has he?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t interacted much since he went through rehab. I refused to help him stop drinking. I wasn¡¯t a good friend.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why you no longer saw each other.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I got forced into being sober.¡±


    ¡°Forced?¡±


    ¡°Got a DUI, and my parents flipped. I wasn¡¯t an alcoholic, but forcing me into sobriety for six months made it clear I was self-medicating. I went to counseling and¡­ it¡¯s a better life. A sober life is a better life. I drink on Christmas and Easter, and that¡¯s it.¡±


    Livia felt awkward giving her approval since he was basically a stranger to her. ¡°I¡¯m glad you are happier now.¡±


    They got caught up in arranging the bells in the correct order, so they made a proper musical scale. Ancus was a lot better at the game than Livia. She liked music, but she had little experience making any herself. Livia was ready to go home when the games were all done, but they had a frivolous awards ceremony.


    They awarded Ancus and Livia with the most ¡°heel-dropping¡± performance, which wasn¡¯t overtly antagonistic but still slightly embarrassing. Livia¡¯s cheeks were warm as they went up to accept their certificate and get a picture together. Ancus gave Livia an enthusiastic high five.


    ¡°They had to make an entirely new category for us. So we¡¯re heel-dropping and innovative,¡± he bragged.


    Livia laughed. At least Ancus was pleased with it. He could have treated her much worse throughout the evening, but he¡¯d been unfailingly kind and supportive. Livia was grateful for his easygoing nature and humor.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    She placed her hand on the back of his arm briefly. ¡°You¡¯ve made it a pleasant evening. Thank you.¡±


    Ancus smiled at her, pleased. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Liv. It was a pleasure to get to know you.¡±


    Livia looked for Corvin, wishing she could exit with him by her side and the evening could end. After several more awards, Corvin and Salina were nominated as the best couple. Salina was glowing with happiness and tried to pull Corvin¡¯s hand into hers for the pictures. Corvin stubbornly refused and kept his hands in his pockets.


    Salina slipped her hand around his elbow so the pictures gave the impression they were together. Livia tried not to let this spectacle get to her and failed. She felt her flaws and shortcomings at that moment keenly. She remembered Irene saying that Salina deserved Corvin more than her, and Livia wondered if everyone here thought the same thing. Maybe they were even correct. Maybe Corvin and Salina would do better together. Livia barely understood Caesarea, and the people around her did. Perhaps they knew Livia¡¯s and Corvin¡¯s relationship was doomed for disaster before it even began.


    The crowd started chanting, ¡°Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!¡±


    Salina¡¯s countenance brightened. She turned to Corvin eagerly with a hopeful look. Livia¡¯s heart sunk straight to her toes. She didn¡¯t want Corvin to kiss Salina, but she wasn¡¯t heartless enough to want Salina utterly humiliated. Though, logically, she should. Salina would be gleeful to see Livia humiliated. Instead, each second that passed was an agonizing anticipation of emotional pain.


    Corvin looked furious. ¡°I¡¯m tired of these ridiculous games,¡± he snapped.


    He turned to Salina, pulled her face into his hands, tilted her head downward, and kissed her on the top of her head like she was his two-year-old grandchild.


    ¡°There¡¯s your kiss,¡± he declared. Then he strode across the room, grabbed his coat, and exited the doors before he even put it on.


    The room was silent and full of awkward embarrassment. There were guilty looks exchanged and shamed faces that showed they knew they had pushed Corvin too far. Livia wondered if it was worse that Corvin gave Salina a patronizing kiss over no kiss.


    Salina¡¯s eyes were shiny with tears, and she looked like a single word would send her into sobs. In contrast, Livia felt oddly calm as she asked Ancus, ¡°Do they know Corvin and I are dating?¡±


    Ancus looked at her, his words delivered with a deep sigh. ¡°Yes. We all know you¡¯re negotiating matched papers. However, no one is sure if it¡¯s a match of mutual attraction or emotionless convenience. Those that believe the latter would claim they were doing Corvin a favor by interfering.¡±


    ¡°But Corvin does not like Salina¡ª¡± Livia said.


    Ancus sighed. ¡°But she likes him, and they are her friends.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m a rogue, so my feelings don¡¯t matter,¡± Livia¡¯s voice grew louder as anger overtook her. ¡°And neither does my future or my security! And we can¡¯t have Taurus House surviving now, can we? Because their friendship with Salina is more important than the existence of an entire House!¡±


    And suddenly, Livia didn¡¯t care what people thought about her suitability for Corvin. She deserved to survive; anyone who believed differently could go to hell.


    Ancus stared at her, shocked. ¡°I¡¯m sure they didn¡¯t think¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because they¡¯re no longer here? It¡¯s shameful they¡¯d forget!¡±


    Ancus looked at his shoes. There was complete silence in the room as everyone stared at Livia. She followed Corvin¡¯s example, grabbing her coat before she stomped out in a rage.


    Livia had to text Corvin to find him. He wasn¡¯t visible in the crowds. He¡¯d found an abandoned bench on the side of the basilica Sempronia. He held out a hand to her as she approached. ¡°Come here, Liv. Come sit next to me.¡±


    She felt a rush of relief that she was welcome. She draped her cloak along the back of the bench and sat down next to Corvin. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her against his side.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked.


    Livia took a moment to gauge how she was doing. His touch wasn¡¯t as irritating as she expected. She could sense her skin was cool, and his fingers matched the temperature of her skin. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax. A sensation of comfort rushed over her, and she rested her cheek on Corvin¡¯s shoulder.


    He pulled her even closer and ran his fingers down her arm. ¡°Is that uncomfortable, Liv?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No,¡± she whispered.


    Corvin cupped his palm around her arm and brushed his touch upward again. Livia liked that even better. It didn¡¯t feel light and ticklish but bold and protective.


    ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Umhmm, I¡¯ve heard,¡± he said.


    ¡°From who?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Uncle Lucius gave me some advice,¡± Corvin said. He ran his full hand down her arm again, slow and smooth.


    Livia melted against him as a feeling of security washed over her. Honestly, that felt nothing short of miraculous. Physical contact making her feel safe? Had she stepped into another dimension? Was this even real? Corvin pressed his forehead to her temple. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question, Hun.¡±


    ¡°What question?¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he repeated.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that?¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°I¡¯m still mad at Salina, but I¡¯m happier now that I¡¯m with you.¡±


    ¡°I like being here with you, too,¡± Livia said. ¡°That scene back there wasn¡¯t pleasant.¡±


    Corvin drew back to look her in the face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liv. I should have suspected they¡¯d do that. I should have prepared¡ª¡±


    ¡°How would you have prepared for that?¡± Livia asked. ¡°That sounds ridiculous.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s eyes grew distant, and his brow furrowed. ¡°I could have called in a few favors and¡ª¡±


    Livia put a finger over his lips. ¡°Corvin, they shouldn¡¯t have done that to you. Full stop. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s eyes snapped back into focus and rested on Livia¡¯s face. Livia removed her finger from his lips. A sheen of moisture covered his eyes. ¡°They¡¯ve done that to me since I was a teenager. Usually, I don¡¯t mind, but this time¡­it meant I might lose you. I don¡¯t want to lose you, Liv.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t lost me, Corvin,¡± she said. She wanted to ask him if he¡¯d come to his senses yet, and realized what everyone already saw, that this relationship wasn¡¯t smart. She was too much of a coward, though. Too selfish. If Corvin wanted her, Livia would give herself to him.


    ¡°What are you thinking, Fabulous?¡± Corvin whispered.


    Livia could tell him her worries. Her eyes fell on his lips, or she could kiss him. Right now, kissing him seemed less scary, which was rare. So, she leaned in and gave him a skittish kiss, gone almost as soon as it was given.


    Corvin smiled. ¡°Try that again, Liv.¡±


    Livia gave him another barely happened kiss, heart pounding. She took a shaky breath to ease her nerves.


    Corvin encouraged her, ¡°Again, Hun.¡±


    Feeling foolish, she leaned in a third time, but before she could flinch away, Corvin gently grasped her chin. Livia could have broken from his grasp easily. Instead, she stayed the way he wanted, letting her lips linger against his.


    She pulled away slowly, heat rising in her cheeks. Corvin met her shy look with a warm grin. ¡°How was that?¡± she breathed.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± he said.


    Livia shook her head, laughing. ¡°You¡¯ve had better. Admit it.¡±


    ¡°A gentleman would do no such thing,¡± Corvin said, acting offended.


    ¡°It¡¯s true¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hush,¡± Corvin interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m with you. That¡¯s all I want. All I need.¡±


    Livia shook her head, disbelieving.


    Corvin eased her closer. ¡°We¡¯re just beginning, Hun. Believe in us.¡±


    Livia inhaled and closed her eyes. She wanted this to work out. She wanted to believe in them. Was that all they needed? Maybe it could be enough. She opened her eyes and studied Corvin¡¯s face.


    ¡°I want to believe,¡± she whispered.


    Corvin leaned in and placed a lingering kiss on her cheek. Then he pulled away to place a similar kiss on her other cheek. Corvin ran his palms down her arms slowly, then back up.


    Livia¡¯s nerves eased as that sensation of security settled over her shoulders again. Corvin leaned in and placed his lips softly over hers the same way he had kissed her cheeks. Livia expected it and relaxed into it. What a pleasure to experience a kiss that felt so natural, so easy. Even better, there was no sense of disbelief or sensation of unreality.


    It felt real¡ªthe security, the comfort, and the pleasure were equal for both her mind and body simultaneously. Livia had never felt so whole or at home in herself. Corvin moved to ease away. Livia clung to him, pulling him back, and extended the kiss.


    Then she realized what she¡¯d done. She broke away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­oh, if you want to stop?¡±


    Corvin laughed. He sounded happy. ¡°Livia, please, don¡¯t stop.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop?¡± she repeated.


    Corvin pulled her close for another kiss. Livia tilted her head back, lifted her lips to his eagerly¡ª


    ¡°Corvin!¡±


    The urgent shout sent a shock wave of panic through Livia¡¯s system. She jerked away from Corvin¡¯s embrace to look at who shouted. Silvanus was jogging toward them. People were following him. Were they going to be angry? Were they going to try and hurt Corvin and Livia?


    ¡°Is that Livia with you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s Livia,¡± Corvin yelled back.


    ¡°Oh good,¡± Silvanus said, relieved. ¡°I¡¯ve got the girls with me. Now that we¡¯re all together let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Livia exhaled a sigh of relief. Corvin grasped her hand and helped her stand. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your cloak, Liv. It¡¯ll be a lot more chilly up top.¡±

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 18

    The tart smell of lemon filled Livia¡¯s nose as she pulled the hot pie from the oven. She got a tip from Alia that Ancus¡¯ favorite pie was lemon meringue. So, Livia made her best version, taking care to bake the recipe perfectly.


    After that, she helped Caecilia prepare the rest of the dinner. The doorbell rang as she finished setting the table. Livia turned to find Corvin approaching.


    ¡°Evening, Liv,¡± he greeted. He dropped a soft kiss on her forehead. ¡°How did your day go?¡±


    Livia smiled at him. ¡°I cooked all day.¡±


    ¡°Sounds exhausting,¡± he commented.


    ¡°Usually, I don¡¯t mind, but I was nervous about getting the lemon meringue perfect, so it was a tad stressful.¡±


    Corvin grinned. ¡°I¡¯m sure you did amazing.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope.¡±


    Ancus entered with his lyre. He greeted everyone politely. Hyrum invited everyone to the table, and dinner began.


    ¡°This is quite an intimate gathering,¡± Ancus said.


    Corvin lifted his head and locked eyes with Hyrum, seeking to support him. Hyrum gave him a calm look and remained confident.


    ¡°That¡¯s the way I like things,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°I¡¯m not one for much noise and bustle.¡±


    The topic turned to school plans. Ancus wasn¡¯t enthusiastic about leaving Caesarea to go to school. So, took online classes to complete his first year of school. Next fall, he would go in person to finish his engineering technician degree. After that, he set his sights on joining FORMICA¡ªthe engineering division of the Legionnaires.


    Corvin grinned. ¡°We always were equally ambitions in opposite directions.¡±


    Ancus laughed. ¡°Good thing, right? Or I¡¯d win everything.¡±


    Corvin scoffed. ¡°Only half.¡±


    Livia carefully watched this  ribbing between them, looking for any signs of animosity. If there was, it was too well hidden.


    ¡°We do hope you¡¯d be willing, competition and all, to help Corvin out of a rough spot and help my House in the process,¡± Hyrum said.


    Ancus looked surprised and then covered it well. ¡°Politics, so soon,¡± he murmured. ¡°Well, go on then.¡±


    Hyrum explained how the deal between him and Lars would reduce the budget burden of the welfare crisis for the Senate. Then, he asked Ancus if he¡¯d vote for the adjusted budget to pass during the first legislative session in January.


    Ancus looked thoughtful. ¡°I¡¯m not against it.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not for it?¡± Hyrum pressed.


    Ancus leaned back in his chair. ¡°See, helping Corvin will make me some enemies. So, I¡¯d like to know that I¡¯m making new friends.¡±


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    ¡°How does one become your friend?¡± Hyrum asked.


    Ancus twisted his glass and answered smoothly. ¡°Maybe one could listen to some suggestions on how to develop newly created public lands.¡±


    ¡°One is listening,¡± Hyrum looked at Livia and grinned. ¡°Maybe two.¡±


    Ancus laughed. ¡°It¡¯d be nice to build an interesting indoor space, something technical that will bring work to an engineer as he gets out of school¡±


    ¡°What about a theater?¡± Caecilia suggested, eyes bright with enthusiasm. ¡°I keep telling him to build a theater.¡±


    ¡°We need a hotel more,¡± Hyrum argued.


    ¡°I mean, why not both?¡± Ancus grinned. ¡°The more work, the merrier.¡±


    Corvin laughed.


    Hyrum and Caecilia locked eyes. Their lips quirked up in mutual smirks. It appeared they quite liked Ancus¡¯ suggestion.


    ¡°If one could depend on certain factions to favor the interests of FORMICA to fund such extravagant plans?¡± Hyrum paused. ¡°I think we could be good friends.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Ancus clapped his hands together. ¡°This is the most pleasant negotiation I¡¯ve ever experienced. Quite enjoyable.¡±


    Hyrum lifted his glass into the air in Ancus¡¯ direction for an impromptu toast. ¡°See you on the Senate floor.¡±


    Ancus returned the gesture with a smile. ¡°As friends.¡±


    ¡°As friends,¡± Hyrum agreed.


    When dinner ended, Livia served her Lemon Meringue pie. Ancus took a bite and melted into his seat. ¡°, this was definitely made today. It¡¯s so fresh.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°I made it this morning.¡±


    ¡°You made it?¡± Ancus asked, surprised.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia repeated.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing. I feel spoiled. It¡¯s my favorite,¡± he said.


    ¡°I might have been told that fact in confidence,¡± Livia smiled.


    He looked pleased. ¡°You made my favorite pie for me?¡±


    ¡°What are friends for?¡± Livia quipped.


    Ancus laughed, delighted. ¡°Indeed, Livia, indeed. I might hire you to make my birthday pie every year. This is better than ordering from Melimelum, and that is impressive.¡±


    Livia looked at Corvin and whispered. ¡°Is Melimelum Latin?¡±


    He nodded, leaning in close to speak low. ¡°For sweet apple. It¡¯s a popular bakery on the other side of the legionary practice fields.¡±


    After dessert, they gathered in the front room, and Ancus played the lyre. Caecilia sighed and rested her head on Hyrum¡¯s shoulder, eyes closed as she listened.


    The soft music made Livia relax too. She rested her hand over Corvin¡¯s on the couch, tentative, light. Corvin¡¯s hand curled around hers in a hold that was just as tentative and gentle as her own. Her heart swelled with affection for him, and she tossed him a happy smile. He reciprocated by pressing a kiss to her temple.


    ¡°Apparently, I¡¯ve been misnamed,¡± Ancus joked. ¡°I¡¯m really Cupid in disguise.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Play your lyre but hold the bolts.¡±


    ¡°No promises, Cor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tremble in my boots,¡± Corvin teased.


    Ancus drawled after a dramatic scale on his lyre. ¡°I don¡¯t recommend heels.¡±


    Livia responded in a similar tone, ¡°Pity. I was expecting another heel-dropping performance.¡±


    Ancus belly laughed. Then he strummed his fingers along the strings of his instrument. ¡°Let¡¯s try this song, then?¡±


    The sound was pretty. Then he opened his mouth and started to sing. He had a resonant bass voice that filled the room with warmth. Chills ran down Livia¡¯s arms as Ancus truly delivered a ¡°heel-dropping¡± performance for them.


    Ancus played for a half hour and then excused himself for the evening. Livia told him that she enjoyed his performance and appreciated him accepting her invitation for dinner. ¡°We¡¯ll do it again, I¡¯m sure,¡± he said.


    ¡°Corvin,¡± Ancus shook his hand. ¡°I hope we do something together soon.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s plan on playing music together the first Friday night after the Senate vote. My parent¡¯s library.¡±


    Ancus¡¯ face lit up. ¡°I¡¯d love that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Epiphany and Hortensius to join us. The girls will get a new piano for the family Christmas present, so¡­it will be exciting.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t miss it,¡± Ancus said. ¡°See you then.¡±


    After he left, Corvin clasped Hyrum¡¯s forearm. ¡°We have the votes.¡±


    ¡°We have the votes,¡± Hyrum said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I didn¡¯t do it for you. Someone needed to step in so the right thing could happen. This time, it just happened to be me. Next time, it may be you.


    Corvin grinned. ¡°You underestimate your goodness, Hyrum. I¡¯ll remember this. Thank you again.¡±


    Corvin kissed Livia¡¯s cheek. ¡°Hun, you coming with me to the TARP Saturnalia party?¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°I thought you already had a Christmas party.¡±


    Corvin grinned. ¡°We did. This is the Saturnalia party. It¡¯s less formal and more silly.¡±


    ¡°Alright, what time?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow. Late. Starts at 9:00.


    Livia nodded. ¡°See you then.¡±

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea-Chapter 19 Part 1

    Two long tables overflowed with delicious food. Livia was having a good gab with Camilla while Corvin bantered with Hortensius across the room. Suddenly, Alexander called attention to himself at the center of the room.


    He lifted a hat into the air. ¡°Party games!¡±


    He put his hand into the hat. ¡°I¡¯m drawing out names for our first victims.¡±


    Livia watched in amusement. Alex reached into the hat and pulled out, ¡°Corvin!¡±


    Corvin leaned against the wall next to Hortensius. When he heard his name, he pushed off the wall and went to the center of the room.


    ¡°What are we playing?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Not sure yet,¡± Alex mumbled. He reached into the hat again. ¡°Hey! Livia! Where are you, Livia?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me,¡± Livia muttered.


    ¡°Right here,¡± he waved the paper. ¡°Name on the strip.¡±


    Livia hesitated. Then decided to play along. She walked to the center of the room. ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay, truth or dare?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t like that game.¡±


    Corvin rocked back on his heels. ¡°Let¡¯s play Trivia roulette.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Alex thought. ¡°Okay, that¡¯ll be fun. I don¡¯t have cards or post-it notes, though.¡±


    Epiphany had post-it notes in her purse.


    ¡°How do we play this?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°First step,¡± Alex directed. ¡°You write three things you want Corvin to do for you, and he writes three things he wants you to do for him. Then we, the audience, choose three things we want you to do. We put them up on a board, and whoever answers a Trivia question correctly gets to knock one out.


    Livia didn¡¯t think the game sounded too awful. She revealed her first card. ¡°Teach me how to start a fire without matches.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Really?¡±


    There was a soft rustle of whispers across the room and some snickering. Corvin sent them all a warning look, and everyone settled down.


    Confused, Livia felt like she had to explain herself. ¡°Yeah, Cam was bragging about how good you are at it.¡±


    Corvin revealed his card. ¡°Bake me a caramel apple pie.¡±


    The audience laughed.


    ¡°Good one!¡± Alexander stuck it up on the board with Livia¡¯s request.


    The audience wanted Corvin and Livia to do a polar bear plunge for their choice.


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be too bad,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Says the Taurus,¡± Corvin muttered.


    People laughed, including Livia. ¡°You afraid to get cold, Corvin?¡±


    He gave her an exasperated look. ¡°Yeah, Liv, it¡¯s a thing.¡±


    She teased him. ¡°Nah, you¡¯re just weak.¡±


    He rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Okay? Next?¡± Alex asked.


    Corvin already had his ready. ¡°Teach me to bake a pizza from scratch.¡±


    Livia had to hurry and write hers down. ¡°Sing to me every night for a month.¡±


    The audience oohed and then roared with chatter.


    Alexander asked as he put it up on the board. ¡°You still singing, Corvin?¡±


    ¡°Not frequently,¡± he said, looking a little overwhelmed. ¡°I might be too out of practice for that to be pleasant, Liv.¡±


    Livia shrugged and looked up at Alexander. ¡°What are you guys putting up?¡±


    After a hefty debate, they suggested a ten-mile hike.


    Corvin groaned. ¡°Guys, these options.¡±


    They laughed at his protest.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like hiking either?¡± Livia asked. ¡°It¡¯s just a long walk.¡±


    The audience laughed at this. ¡°Ten miles¡ªa long walk!¡± ¡°Okay, we need to switch tactics.¡± ¡°Spoken like a Taurus.¡±


    Livia needed help to come up with a third answer. Corvin had already put ¡ª¡°Take ballroom dancing classes together¡ª¡± on the board.


    She gave him a puzzled look. ¡°Ballroom dancing? Really?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± he grinned.


    ¡°That¡¯s not something I¡¯d do,¡± she answered. Livia thought that she¡¯d be awful at it. Being graceful was not her strong point.


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    What would Livia ask Corvin to do for her? With a certain amount of trepidation, she wrote something she¡¯d always hoped for but had always been unattainable. ¡°Teach me to play the guitar.¡±


    Corvin grunted. ¡°Not sure I know how to do that¡ª¡±


    Alex let out a low whistle. ¡°Guys, this is the nicest board I¡¯ve ever seen. But, come on, we need to up the ante here.¡±


    Corvin leaned back, pleased. ¡°This is different. I like this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think she would be ruthless, right?¡± Alexander said.


    ¡°Oh, was I supposed to be mean?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No, Livia,¡± Corvin said with a grin.


    ¡°Wait! I¡¯m supposed to be mean!¡± Livia straightened up and slapped her thighs, irritated.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Can¡¯t change your answers.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Livia protested. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Too late,¡± Alexander said.


    ¡°But¡­I can be mean,¡± Livia insisted. Her tough girl credibility was taking a hit, making her feel vulnerable.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Corvin said, calling her out. ¡°You don¡¯t have a nice bone in your body.¡±


    ¡°I am very mean,¡± Livia assured him, making her feel more pathetic.


    Corvin tossed her a skeptical look. ¡°You can¡¯t fool me.¡±


    Livia tried to devise something she¡¯d be willing to inflict on Corvin. She went blank.


    ¡°You can¡­eat raw cookie dough,¡± she blurted out.


    Everyone roared with laughter. Corvin laughed so hard he had to wipe a tear off his cheek. ¡°Cruel, Liv, Cruel.¡±


    ¡°You could get very sick,¡± she defended, her neck and cheeks burning with embarrassment.


    ¡°Do you guys have your third one yet?¡± Corvin asked, still laughing.


    There was furious chatter. Several options offered. Then everyone unanimously settled on: make out.


    ¡°What?¡± Livia cried. ¡°Seriously?¡±


    This is exactly the reaction they wanted out of her. The heat of embarrassment migrated down to the center of her chest, and her stomach muscles tightened. Livia shifted to ease the increase in tension and hide her emotions to avoid any more teasing.


    ¡°Just a couple of kisses,¡± Corvin joked.


    Livia glared at him. ¡°You¡¯re going along with this?¡±


    He¡¯d gotten angry that people had done this to him a couple of days ago. Livia didn¡¯t want to be a part of doing that to him again. Not to mention her own issues.


    He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    The crowd settled, and Alex pulled up a trivia question app on his phone. Corvin got the first three answers and had crossed off the ten-mile hike, the polar bear plunge, and building a fire option.


    Livia groaned, feeling stupid. ¡°Can we stop asking obscure grammar questions?¡±


    Alexander obliged. ¡°What is the only ancient Roman lighthouse still in use?¡±


    The only Ancient lighthouse Livia knew about was the lighthouse of Alexandria. It was most definitely destroyed. She looked at Corvin, but he hesitated, unsure.


    Hortensius called out, ¡°The tower of Hercules in Spain!¡±


    ¡°Correct!¡± Alexander said.


    ¡°Our family visited last summer,¡± Hortensius explained. ¡°Cross off¡­caramel pie.¡±


    Corvin huffed. ¡°Hortensius, I was really hoping for that. Do you know how good Liv is at baking pie?¡±


    Everyone laughed.


    ¡°I miss her cheesecake, personally,¡± Hortensius said.


    Cam joined in. ¡°No way, those chocolate chip cookies, guys. Those are the best.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t there any cooking Trivia questions?¡± Livia muttered.


    Alexander ignored Livia¡¯s plea. They asked a Trivia question about the location of three ancient Egyptian obelisks nicknamed Cleopatra¡¯s needle. The audience won, and they nixed Livia¡¯s guitar lessons. Livia had to fend off a wave of disappointment. Then the audience took the following question and crossed off ballroom dancing. That, at least, was a relief.


    Now, the three options left were: make out, singing, and pizza. Corvin got the next question.


    ¡°Wait, Corvin,¡± Livia said, grabbing his arm. ¡°Wait, we have to  here.¡±


    The audience got in a great uproar about this¡ªsome hooting with laughter, others saying allowing them to plot together was unfair. Alexander allowed the conversation to continue, though. Probably, because he thought it would be more entertaining that way.


    ¡°, what?¡± Corvin asked, leaning close.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to win if we don¡¯t knock them out now. So, cross out making out.¡±


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°If I do that, you¡¯ll win.¡±


    ¡°No, you could still get pizza, but he has all the power,¡± Livia pointed at Alex. ¡°If it comes down to kissing and something else, he¡¯s going to give you some obscure military question they can all answer, and you don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Yes, they would!¡± she said. ¡°They want to win.¡±


    ¡°But I cannot commit to coming over every night to sing to you for thirty days. I can think of five evenings already where it would be impossible.¡±


    ¡°Sing to me in the morning,¡± Livia begged.


    Mutters went around the room. ¡°Romantic.¡± ¡°Over some coffee, maybe?¡± ¡°A serenade along with your breakfast in bed.¡±


    Livia turned red at that last one. The back of her neck burned with embarrassment. She had been utterly unprepared for how thick her skin needed to be for this ridiculous game.


    Corvin was unfazed by the teasing. He paused and then said decisively, ¡°No, too early.¡±


    Livia met his eyes, intent on protecting him. ¡°Corvin, trust me. They¡¯re going to screw us over.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± he said, leaning away.


    ¡°No, it won¡¯t,¡± Livia insisted, voice firm. ¡°I¡¯m telling you. They are going to trick you. They know you. They will figure it out.¡±


    Corvin hesitated. A calculating look came over his face. ¡°Nah, I can outsmart them.¡±


    How was she supposed to help him avoid the awkward mess of being forced to kiss her if he wouldn¡¯t listen to her? She didn¡¯t know how to be more direct or clear. Frustrated, Livia put both hands over her face. ¡°! You¡¯re being so stupid, Corvin!¡±


    But Corvin was confident in his ability to answer whatever trivia question came his way. So, he crossed off the singing challenge. Livia bowed her head and rubbed her temples. They were going to be making out. Corvin had essentially chosen that outcome himself.


    ¡°You are so infuriating,¡± she muttered. ¡°You think you¡¯re so smart.¡±


    Corvin smiled at Livia. ¡°I am smart. I got this, Liv.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t got this. This is not a thing you got.¡± She glared at him. ¡°They got this. They¡¯re going to trick you.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think this? These are good people.¡±


    ¡°Who want to win!¡± she gestured wildly.


    The audience was in hysterics over this argument. They could not stop laughing. Because Livia was right, and Corvin refused to believe it. Livia ended up being right. They did it play-by-play as she¡¯d predicted. It was even a military question.


    Livia gave a stunned Corvin a hard stare.


    ¡°Uh, that did not go as planned,¡± he stuttered.


    Everyone was laughing at him, giving each other high-fives for winning.


    ¡°You think?¡± Livia demanded.


    He pressed his palms together and pressed his fingertips to his lips. ¡°I should have listened to you.¡±


    Livia threw her hands up. ¡°Corvin! Seriously! !¡±


    He blew out all his breath. ¡°I understand you¡¯re angry.¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± Livia growled. ¡°I have ideas on how I can make it clearer¡ª¡±


    ¡°That is not necessary.¡± Corvin took a deep breath.


    Livia stood. ¡°Well, where¡¯s the closet?¡±


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re not going to a closet. We¡¯ll go outside.¡±


    Livia glared. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside.¡±


    Corvin gave her a grin, setting off a furious case of butterflies in her belly. ¡°We¡¯ll keep each other warm.¡±


    Livia could feel her face turn a deep shade of red. Considering the number of times she¡¯d flushed with embarrassment tonight, she wondered if the color of her skin would remain red permanently. The group all laughed. Cam came up to her and put an arm around her. ¡°Liv, relax, have fun with this.¡±


    Livia couldn¡¯t even look at her.


    ¡°Fabulous, Corvin will take good care of you. Forget we are even here,¡± Alexander said.


    Livia decided dealing with the audience was worse than getting the deed over. She turned and marched over to the coat rack. ¡°Where¡¯s my jacket?¡±


    She was so flustered while looking for it that Corvin found it first. He held it open so she could slip into it. Livia barely submitted to the kindness, muttering as she jerked her arms into the sleeves.


    Corvin grabbed his coat and put it on as he pushed open the door. ¡°After you, Liv.¡±

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea-Chapter 19 Part 2

    Livia preferred to avoid walking out the door first. It meant choices. She walked in one direction, then turned and walked in another. She had no idea where they should go! She stood in the center of the patio and crossed her arms over her chest.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s get this over with then,¡± she growled.


    ¡°Are you going to murder me instead?¡± Corvin asked as he came to stand next to her.


    Livia lifted her chin and spoke mockingly. ¡°Are you nervous, Corvin? Why didn¡¯t that pass through your lightning-fast brain before we got into this mess?¡± Livia pointed a finger into her chest and shouted. ¡°I¡¯m the one you have to make out with! And you made me furious!¡±


    ¡°Are you that upset about kissing me?¡± he asked, his voice impossibly level and composed. Livia hated that he was calm when she was so upset. She wanted to shake some sense into him.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t listen to me,¡± she said, stepping toward him.


    Corvin nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I tried to get you out of another round of these games you¡¯re so sick of, but you didn¡¯t listen!¡±


    ¡°Games I¡¯m so sick of?¡± Corvin asked, confused.


    Livia stared at him. ¡°That¡¯s what you said when they tried to get you to kiss Salina. So, I tried to help you get out of it, and you blew me off. What were you thinking?¡±


    Corvin answered softly. ¡°That I didn¡¯t want to give up a chance to kiss you.¡±


    Livia¡¯s deluge of angry words dried up. ¡°You¡ªwhat?¡±


    ¡°I want to kiss you,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Um, oh,¡± Livia managed. Livia¡¯s heart beat loud in her ears. Her eyes flitted back to the building where all their friends would watch them make out.


    ¡°Are there other reasons you¡¯re angry, Hun?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia took a step backward. She fingered the bottom edge of her jacket, trying to figure out the answer. She¡¯d like to kiss Corvin but wanted it to be nice. The nice part was so unpredictable for her that it felt out of her control. She knew her anxiety over that was fueling some of her anger. How did she explain that without hurting Corvin? Who had confessed he wanted to kiss her?


    Corvin reached out, resting his palm behind her shoulder. ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this, you know? I can walk in there and tell them we¡¯re not doing it, and no one would question me.¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°You¡¯d be embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Liv,¡± he said. ¡°I care more about your comfort than what they think of me.¡±


    Livia stole a look at him and saw that he was serious. She could imagine him strolling in, cool and unwavering, to announce they were no longer participating in the game. Then, she took a calming breath, ¡°I didn¡¯t like that game,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°You turned red an awful lot,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you embarrassed at all?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, but you are allowed to feel differently than me about the same situation.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve never teased me that way before¡­.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re dating, Hun,¡± Corvin said gently. ¡°Some amount of sexuality is healthy and natural between us. They were extremely tame, considering.¡±


    Livia rubbed her forehead. ¡°I know¡­but¡ª¡±


    Corvin slid his arm around her and pulled her against his side. ¡°It¡¯s hard for you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Many people get stuck when they can¡¯t sort out what they want because other people¡¯s expectations are so loud.¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°Yeah, my mother¡­I feel like I sometimes act the way I do not to make her mad.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you owe her that obedience still?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said. ¡°I probably owe it to myself to rebel¡ªbut that¡¯s just another reaction. That¡¯s still giving her control. So, I don¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t rebel. But that means¡­ I¡¯m trapped. No matter what I do, I¡¯m trapped.¡±


    ¡°I think we should take this opportunity to establish your own authority,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯m here to back you up. If you need to go stick it to everyone in there to feel in control of this situation? I¡¯m here for that. If you need to kiss me senseless to reclaim your power? I¡¯d enjoy that too.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s neutrality made Livia feel like she had a real choice. They were silent in the cold night air as Livia thought about what she wanted. Corvin¡¯s warmth felt comfortable on her skin, and she could feel his genuine desire to protect her, even over his personal wants and desires.


    Livia always chose separation as a defensive strategy, and she was tired of it. She¡¯d had enough of isolation and loneliness. She needed intimacy. She needed connection. It was terrifying, but she couldn¡¯t stand to push people away anymore. It was too hard.


    ¡°I want to,¡± Livia said, feeling an ache to be closer to him. ¡°I want to kiss you.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s hand slid down to her lower back. He pressed his forehead to the side of her head and whispered playfully in her ear. ¡°Let¡¯s .¡±


    Livia snorted. ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re willing to  with me.¡±


    Corvin gestured with a nod of his head. ¡°Over there? There are some chairs in front of the windows.¡±


    Yep. The crew would get a nice view from there. They were trying to pretend they weren¡¯t staring, but they crowded in small groups around the windows. The sight made Livia terribly nervous. It was a lot of pressure to have everyone watching them.


    Corvin sat in an empty patio chair. Then he eased Livia onto his lap. That was a lot of closeness for her. The sensation only increased when Corvin¡¯s hands grasped her waist.


    ¡°That¡¯s fast,¡± she said, trying to remember to breathe. She wasn¡¯t too sensitive to temperatures, but she¡¯d gotten cold enough to feel the contrast between the chill on her skin and the warmth of Corvin¡¯s hands on her waist. That wasn¡¯t a familiar sensation for her. She found it neither good nor bad, only noticeable.


    ¡°Is it?¡± Corvin asked. His hands left her waist to arrange her hair back from her face.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered. She missed the warmth of his hands.


    His eyes studied her face. ¡°Uncomfortable?¡±


    Livia evaluated. She liked it, actually. Her skin savored the warmth he provided, a rare enough event that the closeness felt like a special treat.


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    ¡°No,¡± she said. She snuggled a tad closer.


    ¡°Good.¡± Corvin¡¯s face was so close to hers. There was tension between them, the indecision of how or when to start.


    Livia attempted to lighten the pressure. ¡°So, how good are you at this kissing thing? Should I expect to be bored?¡±


    Corvin gave her a suspicious look. ¡°What have you heard?¡±


    Livia was surprised. ¡°Do you have a reputation or something?¡±


    He grinned. ¡°You don¡¯t know.¡±


    That look of mischief sent butterflies pinwheeling in her belly. ¡°Know what?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re about to find out,¡± he said.


    ¡°Whoa, wait, no. You can¡¯t do that to me,¡± Livia said, placing her hands on his shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be good.¡± He laughed at her panic.


    ¡°You can¡¯t promise that,¡± Livia objected. ¡°We haven¡¯t even tried it yet. It could end up awful.¡±


    He spoke in a low, playful voice, tipping his head forward, so the tip of his nose brushed her cheek. ¡°It could also be amazing.¡±


    Livia laughed, letting her hands slide down to his chest to give him a tiny playful push. ¡°You have way too much confidence.¡±


    ¡°Oh, excuse me.¡± He responded to her shove by tugging her against him. He turned his head in and spoke against her ear. The heat of his skin sent pleasant tingles skittering down the side of her neck. ¡°Exquisite¡­is a much more fitting term.¡±


    Livia closed her eyes to savor the sensation. ¡°Hmm, Corvin, we need to be realistic.¡±


    ¡°Do we, though?¡± he asked, his lips still on her skin.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia said firmly.


    Corvin¡¯s hands settled on Livia¡¯s hips, easing her away from him a bit. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. ¡°Tell me something¡­.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Livia asked, unnerved at how level their gazes were in this position. Much more difficult to avoid eye contact. The directness of his gaze was unsettling.


    ¡°Are you worried you won¡¯t like it?¡± he asked.


    Livia lowered her eyes. She toyed with a button on his jacket. ¡°It¡¯s better we both accept that¡¯s likely¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to pretend with me,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯d like you to be honest. I understand it¡¯s not personal, and I won¡¯t be upset or offended if you don¡¯t like something.¡±


    Livia lifted her eyes to his, trying to gauge his sincerity. It¡¯d be nice to know he meant that. But there were other methods of testing him.


    Livia tilted her chin up, taking on a contemplative pose. ¡°So, if I say I don¡¯t like where your hands are?¡±


    ¡°Tell me where to put them,¡± Corvin said without hesitation.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t know the answer to that?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make a list,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Your hair?¡±


    Corvin lifted his hands and pushed them through her hair. It didn¡¯t take Livia long to determine she didn¡¯t like that.


    ¡°No.¡± She shook her head.


    Corvin actually smiled. His fingers trailed down the back of her neck. ¡°The back of your neck?¡± he whispered.


    Livia leaned forward to avoid that. ¡°That¡¯s worse.¡±


    Corvin moved his hands to her waist. ¡°Here?¡±


    Livia tipped her head forward, despairing. ¡°That feels so awkward.¡±


    Corvin pressed his hands under her jacket to the small of her back. Livia gasped as a spark flashed across her skin. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Good?¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Much closer,¡± she answered. Hope stirred in Livia¡¯s chest. This may not turn out completely awful. Livia tried to squash the feeling. It was better that she was realistic about this whole thing.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Corvin studied her face. ¡°Let¡¯s settle on that for now.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s next, then?¡±


    Corvin kissed her cheek. ¡°What else do you like?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Why not?¡± he asked.


    Cause I¡¯m not sure. ¡°Figure it out.¡±


    Corvin inhaled a breath. He pressed another kiss to her cheek. ¡°That may take some time, Livia.¡±


    ¡°Then stop talking,¡± she ordered.


    Corvin pressed his lips to hers.


    Livia wasn¡¯t prepared for the way her body responded. She pressed her hands against his chest and clenched his coat.


    ¡°You liked that,¡± he said, pulling away.


    But maybe it was only surprise? ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Do it again.¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± he murmured. Then he kissed her cheeks, her nose, her forehead, testing her reactions.


    ¡°Corvin, you frustrate me so,¡± she whispered.


    He laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll do better.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    He trailed kisses along her jawline, taking his sweet time. Livia was so annoyed, but she ached too, a wave of desire that made all her muscles tense with anticipation. It was both sweet and torturous. Emotions were traitorous like that.


    He lifted his hand to hold her chin. Then spoke into her lips. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s lips brushed hers again and again, ever so lightly.


    Livia pressed her hands over his shoulders and pulled him into a fierce kiss. Then, checking herself, she drew her palms back over his shoulders, placed them politely against his chest, and regretfully pulled away.


    She had to catch her breath. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Corvin laughed. He pressed his hands up the length of her back, then down again. He put his forehead against hers, grinning. ¡°No need to be.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, I¡¯m no good at tame kisses,¡± she complained. ¡°I¡¯m too ¡ª¡±


    Corvin kissed the words off her lips. This time he didn¡¯t toy with her, didn¡¯t hesitate. He kissed her until she jerked away to gasp for breath. She drew away so fast he had to catch her before she fell off his lap. ¡°Whoops,¡± she said, embarrassed.


    Corvin chuckled and settled her back against him.


    Livia stiffened.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Liv?¡± he asked. ¡°Was that bad?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Livia was trying to reevaluate this situation. What was happening? It was good? She wanted more? She¡¯d planned on the opposite happening.


    Corvin tried to pull her closer again, and Livia resisted again.


    ¡°If it was good, why the resistance?¡± he asked calmly, releasing his hold on her.


    ¡°Maybe, t-that¡¯s good?¡± She looked at the windows. ¡°I mean, how much can they possibly expect?¡±


    Corvin touched her cheek. ¡°Forget about them. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I want¡­¡± Livia definitely wanted more. But if they kissed longer, would she get the negative reaction she expected? She didn¡¯t want that to happen. Logically, it made sense to stop while things were still good. However, her treacherous heart wanted this connection, ached for it, needed it. She was in an impossible situation. She couldn¡¯t decide what to do.


    ¡°What?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°A hug. That¡¯s it.¡± That was safe.


    Corvin eased her close and held her and held her and held her. At first, Livia almost cried. Then she started to relax, she began to feel safe, and she started to trust. And it felt so good. Better than any of his kisses.


    ¡°Oh, Corvin,¡± Livia melted against him.


    He rubbed her back. ¡°You like that most, huh?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°You just need love,¡± he said.


    ¡°Is that bad?¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± he said. ¡°I like it too.¡±


    ¡°Are you disappointed?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You are so sweet to worry about me,¡± he said. ¡°But I love this. This¡ª. So nice.¡±


    Corvin tightened his arms around her briefly, then relaxed again. Livia nuzzled his neck with her nose. Then placed a soft kiss there. Corvin drew back to look at her face.


    He ran a finger along her jaw, tilting her lips toward his. He kissed her lightly, gently.


    She needed to experience the right thing to understand what had gone wrong. Livia was learning lessons with each soft kiss. With Arik, she¡¯d felt like she had to perform a certain way. She worked so hard and only got emptiness in return. She¡¯d judged herself in so many ways, broke herself upon her expectations. None of these kisses with Corvin were a performance; they had left that behind them.


    Livia responded with a self that was honest and sincere. A self that wanted more than anything to convey how deeply she cared for the person in her arms.


    Corvin¡¯s lips parted beneath hers, and their soft kisses became passionate. Livia stiffened, expecting his eagerness to overwhelm her.


    Instead, sensing her hesitation, Corvin went into reverse, easing up until only their lips played against each other again. Then, he deepened the kiss slowly, slipping his tongue between her lips to caress the inside of her mouth, and retreated again. Livia¡¯s senses spun, and she found herself clinging to him beyond the reach of logic or reason. She was a fire, and he was oxygen. She was earth, and he was water. She was flesh; he was the hot, precious blood that made her feel alive.


    The only thing that tempered the passion he awoke in her was awe. She tore her lips away from the ministrations of his tongue. She cupped his face in her trembling fingers and studied his face. His closed eyes opened slowly, almost luxuriously. His hands rose to cover hers. His thumbs caressed her skin. ¡°Liv?¡± he queried low in his throat. His eyes looked into hers.


    Livia couldn¡¯t stand the intimacy of the moment and looked down.


    Corvin¡¯s lips brushed her forehead. ¡°Everything alright, Fabulous?¡±


    His warm breath spread over her skin. Livia wanted to kiss him again. But her thoughts were catching up with her. If she did that, where would it stop the next time?


    ¡°That was¡­exquisite,¡± she admitted.


    He laughed and ran the tip of his nose along the length of hers. ¡°What did I tell you, Liv?¡±


    ¡°You were right,¡± she whispered a touch of wonder in her voice.


    He tried to kiss her again.


    ¡°Wait,¡± she turned her face away.


    He pulled back, putting distance between them.


    She cleared her throat. ¡°We should go back inside.¡±


    Corvin took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡±


    They unfolded themselves from the chair, regretfully letting go of each other. They walked into the door to a roar of cheers and whistles. Corvin laughed, and Livia rolled her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re all silly,¡± she scolded them.


    The funny thing was that Livia didn¡¯t feel embarrassed or ashamed. Instead, she felt comfortable in her own skin and supported in her relationship.


    Livia couldn¡¯t keep her hands off Corvin the rest of the night. She held his hand or grasped his knee. Sometimes she¡¯d place her hands on his chest, and they¡¯d stay there, comfortable and cozy.


    ¡°Am I bothering you?¡± Livia whispered once. ¡°I can stop.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to?¡± Corvin asked, brow furrowed.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Corvin smiled. ¡°Then don¡¯t. I¡¯ll take all the affection you want to give me.¡±


    ¡°It feels weird. I¡¯m not usually like this¡ª¡± she said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Enjoy it while it lasts.¡±


    So, Livia did. She¡¯d hold on as long as she could stand it.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 20

    In the past, Livia would wake up at the same time every morning, no matter how late she stayed out at night. But, since Corvin had explained to her during the semester that Taurus craved sensory input when they got tired, Livia realized how much sleep she needed. So, she stayed in bed that morning, luxuriating in the memories from the previous night. After she turned off her alarm and went back to sleep, she even dreamed she was sleeping in Corvin¡¯s arms. It seemed so real, and she felt so safe that she didn¡¯t recognize her room when she woke up several hours later.


    A moment of panic overwhelmed her when she couldn¡¯t find Corvin. She even called out his name. The sound of her own voice snapped her out of her haze. Her memory came back to her. Corvin had kissed her goodbye on the porch last night around 2 a.m. She had stumbled up to her room in Hyrum¡¯s house and fallen asleep. She was still in her clothes from last night. She straightened her shirt, and she realized it smelled like Corvin.


    ¡°Everything alright, Livia?¡± Hyrum¡¯s voice came from the other side of the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± she called.


    ¡°May I come in?¡± he asked, hesitant.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Hyrum opened the door and looked around like he was searching for someone.


    ¡°I¡¯m right here,¡± Livia said, pulling his eyes to her.


    ¡°I heard you call Corvin? Is he here?¡±


    Livia¡¯s cheeks instantly flamed red. ¡°I was dreaming. He¡¯s not here.¡±


    Hyrum looked around again. He looked like he doubted her. Livia glared at her brother. There was nowhere for Corvin to hide in the room. Hyrum had no choice but to believe her. If he didn¡¯t, then he was ignoring reality.


    ¡°Are you unwell?¡± he asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Livia asked, confused. She felt better than she usually did. ¡°Do I look sick?¡±


    ¡°You never sleep in,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°Are you exhausted?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia answered. But her heart sank to her toes. She remembered her conversation with Hyrum in the kitchen after Mom accused her of being pregnant. Here he was looking for more evidence, and he¡¯d found it.


    Livia had changed her sleeping patterns at Cornelia and had yet to change them back when she got home. This was Hyrum¡¯s first mention of it, but she was sure he had noticed.


    Hyrum hesitated. ¡°Liv, you sure there¡¯s nothing you need to tell me?¡±


    Livia hit her duvet, frustrated. ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant, Hyrum!¡±


    Hyrum didn¡¯t flinch.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you believe me?¡± Livia demanded.


    Hyrum sighed. ¡°Why do you sleep more now?¡±


    Livia gritted her teeth, but she explained. ¡°Cause Corvin explained how Taurus feel when they¡¯re too tired. Once I figured that out, I started sleeping more. And almost everything in my life started getting easier to do. So, now, I sleep more. Like a normal person.¡±


    Hyrum cleared his throat. ¡°You smell like him.¡±


    Livia closed her eyes. ¡°Will you just go away? I don¡¯t owe you explanations.¡±


    ¡°Was it a nice night?¡± Hyrum asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Are you asking if I slept with him? Cause the answer is no. I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Hyrum studied her. ¡°Livia, the only thing I want is for you to be safe and happy.¡±


    ¡°Corvin does make me happy,¡± Livia argued.


    Some of Hyrum¡¯s of tension disappeared. ¡°He¡¯s a good man, Livia.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the best person I know,¡± Livia agreed.


    ¡°You trust him,¡± Hyrum said.


    ¡°More than most people.¡±


    The corners of Hyrum¡¯s mouth quirked up. ¡°Want to help me with a project?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Livia huffed.


    ¡°I need to hang a mirror in the master bath. I bought a new one for Caecilia, hoping I could get it up before she got home.¡±


    Livia threw aside her covers. ¡°Do I have time to shower?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you five minutes.¡±


    Livia figured if Hyrum asked her to help with a construction project, he probably believed her about not being pregnant. She rushed through the shower and helped Hyrum transform his bathroom before Caecilia returned.


    ###


    Livia thought their youngest children wouldn¡¯t remember her, but they did. They wanted to be carried around as she chatted with Flavia like old times. At first, it had been strange to Livia to hold a child on her hip, but she liked the feeling now. The simplicity of the companionship comforted her.


    Livia enjoyed carting Auster around the house. He was constantly trying to get her attention and pointing things out. Livia was fascinated by the way Auster saw the world. He liked to coax her into turning on the light switches and then made a finger-exploding gesture when the lights turned on.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s basically magic, bud,¡± Livia said. ¡°Electricity.¡±


    Flavia smiled at the easy way Livia interacted with Auster. ¡°I remember when you were scared to hold him.¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°I like him this size. When he was smaller, it was harder.¡±


    Auster looked up at Livia and babbled at her.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± Livia said to him. ¡°I like you. Don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    He babbled back.


    Livia laughed. ¡°He¡¯s so close to talking.¡±


    ¡°He says ¡®Dada¡¯ when Justin comes in the door. They adore their father.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Livia spoke to Auster. ¡°Don¡¯t tell him, but he¡¯s sort of annoying.¡±


    ¡°I heard that,¡± Justin¡¯s deep voice rumbled from the other room.


    Flavia laughed.


    Livia couldn¡¯t stop a genuine smile from spreading across her face. She loved the feel of this house¡ªthe warm, dry humor, the laughter, frequent hugs, and kindness. A river of unceasing kindness sprung from Justin and Flavia¡¯s unity.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky,¡± Livia told Auster without thinking. ¡°I hid from my dad. Sometimes I wished he would get lost on the way home and never return.¡±


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    Flavia touched Livia¡¯s arm. Livia looked at her. ¡°Do you remember a lot?¡± she asked.


    It was like plunging into icy water unexpectedly, and Livia flailed to find an answer. ¡°It¡­depends,¡± she settled on.


    ¡°Is it difficult daily?¡± Flavia asked.


    ¡°More when bad things happen. But let¡¯s not talk about this,¡± Livia said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I brought it up.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never been so open about it before, so I wondered if it was what you wanted to discuss,¡± Flavia said.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia shook her head, but Flavia was right. It wasn¡¯t something Livia could generally talk openly about, and the fact that she had was a big deal. ¡°It is weird that I could say that,¡± Livia said.


    Flavia made an interested noise and watched her face. Livia looked at Auster and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s been an interesting couple of months, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Flavia said.


    ¡°School has been good for me,¡± Livia said. ¡°My roommate goes home on the weekends, and I get the apartment to myself. It¡¯s so nice to feel like I¡¯m in charge and in control of my space. It¡¯s like when you play a board game and conquer all the territory. There are these amazing moments when I feel like I¡¯ve won at life. I never imagined I could feel that way,¡± Livia got emotional. She buried her face into little Auster¡¯s hair. He reached up and patted her cheek.


    Livia and Flavia laughed at the empathetic gesture. Flavia wrapped her arm around Livia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Justin and I are so proud of you,¡± she whispered. ¡°You deserve every good thing this life has to offer.¡±


    That sent tears cascading down Livia¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°You never forget that,¡± she whispered. ¡°Never.¡±


    What about this sort of life? Did Livia deserve a home full of kindness and love? Was such a thing obtainable for her? Suddenly, she wanted a life like this. She and Corvin could make this sort of life, couldn¡¯t they?


    ¡°At school, Whitney comes home and says I will make a great wife.¡± Livia laughed, embarrassed. ¡°Cause she walks in, and the apartment is pristine and smells like baking bread. I never thought someone would think of me as wife-material¡­but there you go, I guess.¡±


    Flavia smiled. ¡°I could see you being a very loving and supportive wife.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would ever get married,¡± Livia confessed. ¡°Then Corvin said things that made me think about it. Not with him specifically.¡± Livia added when Flavia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I mean that it was possible in theory.¡±


    Livia was sure her face was beet red. Flavia looked down at Auster, and her face softened. Livia looked down. The kid had gone to sleep on her shoulder. Livia chuckled as a wave of tenderness poured through her. What an amazing feeling. She hadn¡¯t known she was capable of such softness.


    ¡°Wow,¡± she said. ¡°He fell asleep on me.¡±


    Flavia lifted her hands. ¡°Let me take him and put him down in his crib.¡±


    Livia transferred Auster over and followed Flavia into the living room. Justin was stroking his fingers through his other son¡¯s hair with a content smile on his face.


    ¡°He¡¯s asleep too?¡± Flavia asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he handsome?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°Just like his father,¡± Flavia teased.


    Justin closed his eyes. ¡°They grow up too fast. Soon he¡¯ll be too big to fall asleep on me.¡±


    ¡°Will you put all the boys to bed so I can take a moment with Livia?¡± Flavia asked.


    ¡°I can,¡± Justin said. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier with the twins already asleep.¡±


    Flavia and Justin went up the stairs together, each cradling a toddler. Flavia came back down just as Livia wondered if she¡¯d decided to stay and help Justin put the boys to bed.


    Flavia sat on the couch and patted the seat next to her. Livia came and sat down where she gestured.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Flavia said. ¡°I¡¯m curious, what did Corvin say?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± she asked.


    ¡°To change your ideas about marriage?¡±


    ¡°He¡­¡± Livia could feel her face heat up. She had intended to ask Flavia sometime about the things Corvin told her about them, but she had no idea how hard it would be to actually get the words out. ¡°Told me that¡­Taurus women have issues.¡±


    Flavia was not surprised. She nodded. Livia took that as an invitation.


    ¡°He said you both were open about it?¡± Livia squeaked.


    ¡°We are,¡± Flavia said. ¡°Do you have questions?¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t know what else to say. So they stared at each other in silence until Flavia spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to talk to you about this,¡± Flavia said. ¡°Most people come to us after they¡¯ve already struggled and are quite familiar with these issues. So I don¡¯t know quite how to share without knowing your experiences or struggles¡­.¡±


    ¡°Is it really complicated?¡± Livia asked.


    Flavia blinked. ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°Do you have to do all these things and follow a regimen?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Flavia laughed. ¡°Livia, it¡¯s so simple that it¡¯s stupid.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, 90% of it is just getting cold.¡±


    ¡°Cold?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, when my skin is cold, I¡¯m more sensitive to affectionate touch, which makes foreplay enjoyable, which allows me to relax for the rest of it,¡± Flavia said.


    ¡°Oooh,¡± Livia¡¯s eyes widened. The memory of kissing Corvin last night flashed through her mind. The look on his face when she complained about the cold. We¡¯ll keep each other warm, he¡¯d said. The way she¡¯d instantly enjoyed sitting on his lap. How confident he was¡­ Ancus¡¯ ice jokes!


    Livia started to laugh. And couldn¡¯t stop. Flavia¡¯s eyes lowered to her hands.


    Livia gasped, horrified at her reaction. ¡°I¡¯m not laughing at you. It just¡­suddenly makes sense. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Flavia said. ¡°Are you?¡±


    Livia laughed again. That uncontrolled, hysterical laugh that had come out of her when she¡¯d played spoons with Corvin. When she regained her composure, she had to catch her breath and apologize again.


    ¡°Some people grieve past experiences when they find out,¡± Flavia said.


    ¡°Maybe things would have been different with Arik.¡± Livia shook her head. ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m okay with that. I¡¯m just so relieved. It could be so much worse.¡± Livia put both hands over her heart. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so grateful. Finally, knowing what I need to know before something awful happens. Oh, I¡¯m so grateful.¡±


    ¡°Do you have other questions?¡± Flavia asked.


    Livia studied Flavia¡¯s face. Her expression was clear, but there was something in the press of her lips, the look in her eyes. ¡°Did I hurt you, Flavia?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No, Livia, I just wish¡­someone had told me early on too. I wasn¡¯t a very good wife or mother. I was impatient and sometimes mean.¡±


    Livia blinked. She could not imagine this. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve changed then.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have regrets.¡±


    Livia put her hand over Flavia¡¯s. She admired this woman so much. She spoke kindly to her, ¡°Hyrum always says we can¡¯t undo the past, but we can change the future. Thank you for helping me change mine.¡±


    ¡°How are things with you and Corvin?¡± Flavia¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity.


    Livia¡¯s countenance sobered. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Flavia.¡±


    Flavia¡¯s eyes grew serious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Corvin¡¯s great,¡± she laughed mirthlessly. ¡°It¡¯s everything else I can¡¯t sort out.¡±


    ¡°Everything else?¡± Flavia asked.


    ¡°Patrician law and Gaius and lawyers and maybe¡­if I don¡¯t understand any of that, I shouldn¡¯t be with him.¡±


    Flavia gasped in surprise. ¡°No, that¡¯s not true, Livia.¡±


    ¡°No offense, Flavia, but you¡¯re plebeian. I wonder if your life exists for patrician women. Look at my mother or Salina¡ª¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Flavia gave her a look. ¡°What about Aurelia or Garnet? They are patrician women and have stared down challenges with security and support. Those Tullian men are good stock.¡±


    Livia gave Flavia a look of disbelief. ¡°Is Corvin a sheep now?¡±


    ¡°What does Corvin say to all these doubts?¡± Flavia asked, brushing Livia¡¯s attitude aside.


    ¡°I¡ªhe¡­ doesn¡¯t know,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Flavia was aghast.


    Livia tried to formulate an explanation. The sound of Justin¡¯s footfalls on the stairs made her lift her eyes up. ¡°The boys are asleep,¡± he said. ¡°May I join this conversation?¡±


    Flavia waved him down the stairs. ¡°Come down. It will take both of us to talk sense into her.¡±


    Justin came and sat next to Flavia and took her hand in his. ¡°What¡¯s she saying?¡±


    ¡°That she doesn¡¯t belong with Corvin because of some Patrician nonsense¡­.¡± Flavia sounded upset.


    Justin studied Livia. ¡°Tell me more about this Patrician nonsense.¡±


    Livia put her hands over her face. ¡°It¡¯s so hard to understand. I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯ve made the right decision. I just turned in my match papers to Gaius, and I don¡¯t know if Corvin will respond well¡ª¡±


    ¡°Have you discussed this with Corvin?¡± Justin asked. Livia appreciated he didn¡¯t wave away her concerns or minimize them.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Justin asked. He didn¡¯t ask the same way Flavia did with an unspoken accusation. Instead, he was soft and open. Livia felt it was the best chance to explain her problems and not be considered unreasonable.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying not to make the same mistakes my mother did. That means not giving him so much power over me, and that means telling him how it¡¯s going to be¡ª¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes widened with understanding, and his chin lifted. He took a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯re negotiating from a competitive standpoint. Where you think if he wins, you lose¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it works,¡± Livia argued.


    ¡°Livia, how do we resolve conflicts in TARP?¡±


    Livia knew the word Justin wanted her to say, ¡°Cooperatively.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± he asked.


    ¡°That problems are the problem, not the people¡­.¡±


    ¡°Annnd?¡± he prompted.


    ¡°We¡¯re on the same team,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Livia, if you want to spend your life with Corvin, you must be on the same team. You need to work cooperatively on this issue.¡±


    ¡°But I¡ªhow do I? Is that safe?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°A relationship where you keep your fears and concerns from your partner isn¡¯t safe. It might offer an illusion of safety, but it¡¯s not safe,¡± Justin said.


    Livia sighed, discouraged, as she recognized the truth of Justin¡¯s words. ¡°But if I open up¡­is that safe?¡±


    ¡°It feels terrifying, doesn¡¯t it,¡± Justin empathized. ¡°Many people don¡¯t acknowledge how much courage relationships take.¡±


    ¡°You think I should tell him,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll only make it through the match process if you do. It¡¯s common to have a competitive mindset in these matters. But I encourage you to reframe this experience. Think of yourself and Corvin as on the same team, you¡¯re co-writing a project, and then you¡¯re presenting it to your peers and families. You should tell Gaius how it will be. Not Corvin.¡±


    Livia grasped what Justin was saying, and it made her feel stupid and guilty. She¡¯d gone about everything wrong! She groaned. ¡°I¡¯m so bad at this. I¡¯ve already screwed everything up¡ª¡±


    ¡°Livia, one of the things a successful relationship will teach you to do is apologize and ask forgiveness,¡± Flavia smiled.


    But it was already too late. Livia had sent the matched papers to Gaius. She wished she¡¯d talked to Justin before. She¡¯d tried so hard not to make any mistakes. Then she just went ahead and made an entirely separate set of them.


    She gave Flavia and Justin a weak smile. ¡°I should go¡­.¡±


    ¡°Be brave, Livia,¡± Justin said as she walked out the door. ¡°Braver than you¡¯ve ever been before.¡±

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 21 Part 1

    Gaius had arranged for Livia to discuss her match papers on Tuesday morning. Livia was nervous but hopeful about the situation. Some doubts she had about being with Corvin were valid, but they felt more like obstacles than traps. She could figure out how to make things work. She would attend this meeting with Gaius, and the match papers would work out. She imagined things would require effort and work, but Livia wasn¡¯t afraid of work. Livia excelled at hard work.


    The House Lawyer was there when Livia arrived. Gaius introduced him as Leon from Lupus House. The man was round and had a balding head, but he had a laid-back air that gave her an impression of friendliness.


    Livia greeted him with a handshake. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the Illegitimacy clause is giving you fits.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what you have, Livia,¡± Gaius requested.


    Livia handed over the papers the secretary had printed out for her. Gaius accepted them. His eyes scanned over the words once, then a second time. Displeasure crossed his face.


    ¡°Livia, I¡¯d much rather you discard this. I don¡¯t think Corvin will agree to it,¡± Gaius said.


    Leon¡¯s eyebrow rose. ¡°Surely, they aren¡¯t that unreasonable.¡±


    He took the papers from Gaius¡¯ hands. As he read them, his eyebrows shot up. His eyes lifted to Livia in surprise. Then hurried down to the paper again. ¡°Bold,¡± he muttered. Then he chuckled.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think Corvin will agree to them?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Gaius shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re barely legal. They won¡¯t let you get away with being the sole decision maker in these matters¡ª¡±


    ¡°Barely legal is an exaggeration,¡± Leon interrupted.


    Gaius glared at the man. Livia watched the exchange with a feeling of unease. Gaius was trying to manipulate Livia into changing the papers with falsehoods about their legality? What was going on here? Livia had assumed she could trust Gaius, but now she wondered, could she? And if he were untrustworthy, was it out of incompetence or malice?


    ¡°I won¡¯t submit them to Lars this way. Rewrite them.¡± Gaius pushed the papers back across the desk and stood, leaving the room.


    Confused and distraught, Livia stood alone with Leon. ¡°What am I supposed to rewrite them to?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Leon mused. He looked disturbed by the way Gaius had walked out. ¡°He was not very helpful.¡±


    Livia huffed, feeling frustrated. ¡°I¡¯ve spent hours trying to figure out the illegitimacy clause. I feel like Gaius wants me to leave it out. But¡­why would he want that?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Because by default, he¡¯s awarded custody of any illegitimate children in the House that aren¡¯t protected by a marriage or matched contract.¡±


    Livia blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This clause ensures your parental rights to the child. If you discard the clause, you¡¯ll lose those rights.¡±


    That still didn¡¯t make sense unless Livia was pregnant and Gaius wanted her child. However, Livia wasn¡¯t pregnant¡ªoh no. Her mother called Lucas and Hyrum and told them she was pregnant. Did she contact Gaius too?


    Livia sighed in frustration. The situation was ridiculous. She could prove she wasn¡¯t pregnant. Why couldn¡¯t Gaius just talk to her? She suspected he wouldn¡¯t discuss the situation with her because he didn¡¯t want Livia to know until afterward that he¡¯d legally stolen her child. Livia realized Gaius was neither a good person nor someone she should trust.


    ¡°So,¡± Livia drawled. ¡°He could feign incompetence for an entire pregnancy to claim custody.¡±


    Leon¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Pardon me, but I must ask. Are you expecting?¡±


    ¡°No, I am not,¡± Livia said. ¡°But if he thought I was? He could deliberately sabotage me.¡±


    Leon¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°He could. But would he? Most Patres Familiae prioritize marrying unwed mothers as quickly as possible. So they don¡¯t have to accept responsibility for another child.¡±


    Livia hoped she was wrong about what Gaius was up to, but all it would take was a single pregnancy test to get him back on task if that was the case. She needed to work on the other side of the problem right now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s forget about that for now,¡± Livia snapped. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with Gaius later. Do you think Corvin will reject it like Gaius said?¡±


    Leon explained, ¡°This is a bold negotiation from a Patrician woman, which is rare. Gaius¡¯ concern that Lars and Corvin won¡¯t sign is valid. However, we can send it to them informally under a negotiation preview to ask for feedback. That¡¯s rarely done for match contracts, but it is standard for betrothals and marriage contracts. The move would show a degree of deference and consideration that would be rewarded.¡±


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Do you think Gaius would agree to that?¡± Livia asked. She would have to figure out a way to work around him now.


    Leon folded his hands together and rocked back on his heels. ¡°In traditional cases, a woman would have her patron submit the preview on her behalf. A Paterfamilias doesn¡¯t initiate previews except for his own children. It¡¯d be irregular for Gaius to do so for you. He may consider it illegal, but it is only a matter of precedent.¡±


    Livia¡¯s brain was trying to keep up with all the details. ¡°So you¡¯d advise me to pursue this negotiation through Justin Aurelius, my patron.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Livia, that is in your best personal interest,¡± Leon said.


    A rush of relief flowed through Livia. She could trust Justin! She might have found the perfect way to solve the problem. She¡¯d get Justin to twist Gaius¡¯ arm to sign papers with a proper illegitimacy clause.


    Livia looked at Leon. It seemed he wasn¡¯t on Gaius¡¯ side. ¡°You are not advising me to obey my Paterfamilias and rewrite my papers?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d advise you not to do that until you submit your papers for a preview and receive feedback,¡± Leon said. ¡°And you should know that Lars and Corvin will reject a contract with no illegitimacy clause. Because it means that Gaius will have a legal right to Corvin¡¯s children. So that is not an option. I will advise Gaius of that fact.¡±


    Here it was: a clear example of how playing the rights of men off of each other gave Livia the power to negotiate her safety. She grinned. She wouldn¡¯t have realized it without the lawyer¡¯s help. How useless had Gaius been this entire time?


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Do you also wish me to inform him of your intentions to submit a preview via your patron?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d do that for me?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Of course, it is my job,¡± Leon bowed his head.


    Livia felt relief pour through her. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯d appreciate that. He is not very helpful.¡±


    ¡°Well, I am always here to answer questions. So shoot me an email any time, and I¡¯ll respond within 24 hours,¡± Leon said.


    Livia¡¯s suspicion automatically reared its head. Was he being too friendly? The right amount of friendly? She couldn¡¯t tell; dread settled into her belly with a vengeance. Was he telling her to do the wrong thing? Would it get her in trouble?


    Livia put a hand over her belly, nauseated at the intensity of her feelings. Her fear could stop this whole process. She could tell Leon she¡¯d talk to Gaius privately and try to work things out. She¡¯d prove she wasn¡¯t pregnant, and then he would sign papers with an illegitimacy clause. But she thought Gaius would respond poorly to that. He¡¯d already proven he couldn¡¯t be trusted to respect Livia¡¯s rights. Now that Livia understood that, it was time to find new allies. Besides, she trusted Justin more than Gaius or Leon, the Lawyer.


    ¡°Can you prepare the papers for a preview and send them to me so I can hand them off to Justin?¡±


    Leon nodded. ¡°Yes. I will email you the moment they are complete. Indeed, can I send them to Justin at the same time I notify you they are done?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer that,¡± Livia agreed. ¡°If it¡¯s allowed.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. It is.¡±


    Livia left the House office feeling like she needed a second opinion. She walked down the hall and hovered outside the door of Lupus House offices. Should she go in and tell them how unhelpful Gaius was being? That she suspected him of not protecting her interests? That she had no idea what she was doing? That she relied on the advice of a random lawyer she had met less than an hour ago? That she didn¡¯t know if she could trust Gaius? Would Justin advise that? Is that how she requested cooperation on this issue? It sounded terrifying to put herself at their mercy that way.


    Livia looked up and saw Salina walking down the hall toward her. There was something off about her appearance that Livia couldn¡¯t put her finger on. She didn¡¯t usually wear that style of shirt. Though, maybe that was to hide how much weight she¡¯d gained.


    She recalled what Justin said about the TARP position being toxic for Salina. Livia did not feel any smugness over that point. Being a TARP intern was not for the . But she¡¯d found that the friendships and connections she¡¯d made in the position more than made up for the difficult aspects of the job. It was one of the few times Livia had felt completely emotionally supported. It had taught her a lot and helped her grow and heal tremendously.


    Salina frowned and stopped when she saw Livia. ¡°Corvin invited you to our meeting?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a meeting?¡± Livia asked.


    Salina looked smug. ¡°Did I mention a meeting?¡± she asked airily.


    Livia rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Livia, is that you?¡± Corvin asked behind her.


    Livia turned. Lars stood beside Corvin, grim-faced. She asked, ¡°You¡¯re meeting with Salina?¡±


    ¡°She requested in a manner that made it impossible to refuse,¡± Lars said.


    Livia remembered Corvin explaining that technicality of Patrician politics once. ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Lars asked.


    ¡°Me?¡± Livia asked in surprise.


    ¡°Usually, you don¡¯t wait at the door of the office of the Paterfamilias unless you need something,¡± Corvin prompted.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Livia shook her head. She couldn¡¯t confide to them with Salina looking over her shoulder. ¡°I was just with Gaius and¡­thinking. I¡¯m fine. Mostly. Mostly fine.¡±


    Livia bit her lip to stop her babbling and looked away. ¡°I¡¯ll let you attend to your business.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we could ask you to stay and speak with us after Salina¡¯s meeting,¡± Lars suggested.


    Livia hesitated. She wanted to say yes. She gathered her courage and opened her mouth to agree. But Salina stepped past Livia, interrupting her. Salina¡¯s hands curved over her rounded belly. Livia¡¯s eyes widened. Salina didn¡¯t look like she¡¯d simply gained a few pounds. She looked pregnant. Indeed, Salina was sending Livia a message with her glance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Livia has other things to do,¡± she said.


    ¡°Are¡­you pregnant?¡± Livia was shocked that the words had come out of her mouth. But she didn¡¯t react very well to the surprise.


    Salina frowned. ¡°That¡¯s very rude.¡±


    Livia shrugged and tried to salvage her pride by playing it cool. ¡°Turnabout is fair play, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Salina lifted her chin. ¡°You can¡¯t embarrass me. Being pregnant makes me a very desirable match in Caesarea.¡±


    Both Corvin and Lars gasped. Livia looked at the horror on their faces and decided that Salina might be overplaying her hand.


    Livia looked back at Salina. ¡°You say that, but the fact that you¡¯re mentioning matches tells me that the father didn¡¯t want you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Lars breathed, aghast.


    The back of Livia¡¯s neck burned with shame, but she kept her eyes level with Salina¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°That¡¯s because the father doesn¡¯t know,¡± Salina gave a sly look in Corvin¡¯s direction. ¡°But he will soon, and everything will be settled.¡±


    Livia looked between Corvin and Salina. Corvin had a puzzled look on his face, but Livia assumed that it was an act. Her stomach fell straight to her toes, and she grew light-headed. She hadn¡¯t been dating Corvin long. He might have hooked up with Salina months ago, judging by the size of Salina¡¯s belly. Maybe even before school started.


    Livia gave Lars a wide-eyed look and then ran. Her feet moved without her asking them to, and she couldn¡¯t stop if she wanted.


    ¡°Livia!¡± she heard Corvin yell. ¡°Livia, wait!¡±


    ¡°Corvin,¡± She heard Lars¡¯s firm voice say. ¡°Let¡¯s sort this out first, and then we¡¯ll deal with Livia.¡±

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 21 Part 2

    Livia had endured a lot of emotional pain, but the pain she felt now left her breathless. She paced back and forth frantically as if she could walk off the pain. There was a ceaseless throbbing in her chest, a knot in her throat that made it hard to swallow. Time seemed agonizingly slow, but it only seemed like an instant had passed when her phone started ringing an hour later. It was Corvin.


    Livia, of course, ignored him. She didn¡¯t want to hear Corvin apologize to her and say he had other obligations in his cool Patrician tone.


    Livia pressed her hand to her chest and dissolved into a torrent of sobs. Her door opened, and a frantic Caecilia came in and grabbed her shoulders.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened? Are you hurt?¡±


    Livia shook her head.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she repeated.


    Livia couldn¡¯t calm herself enough to speak. Caecilia put an arm around Livia and made Livia rest her head on her shoulder. ¡°Whatever it is, we¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Caecilia said.


    ¡°Salina is pregnant,¡± Livia managed.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Caecilia said, releasing her.  ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be this upsetting¡­unless.¡±


    ¡°She says Corvin¡¯s the father¡ª¡±


    Caecilia frowned. ¡°Oh no. That¡­are you sure you have the whole story?¡±


    ¡°What else is there to know?¡± Livia demanded.


    ¡°That seems so¡­not quite right. Why would Salina hide it long enough for him to date you? He¡¯s been away. When would they have gotten together? The summer? She¡¯d have told him before he started dating you¡ªit makes no sense.¡±


    ¡°She was pregnant, , and meeting with Corvin and Lars¡ª¡±


    ¡°So, Corvin and Lars know, you know?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Have they called?¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t answer that question. Traitorously, her phone rang at that very moment. She didn¡¯t recognize the number.


    ¡°Who is that?¡± Caecilia asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Livia said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to answer it.¡±


    Caecilia reached out, picked up the phone, and answered. ¡°Hello? Caecilia Fabius speaking¡ª¡±


    Pause.


    ¡°Aurelia! Yes, this is Livia¡¯s phone. She¡¯s unavailable right now, but can I leave her a message?¡±


    Caecilia made a few noises as she listened. ¡°I¡¯ll tell her that. Thanks for calling. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll appreciate the information.¡±


    ¡°Was that Corvin¡¯s mom?¡± Livia asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Caecilia said. ¡°Corvin¡¯s not the father. They haven¡¯t figured out who the father is yet. Salina¡¯s being evasive about the answer to that question.¡±


    ¡°Of course, they would say that,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I¡­actually believe her. There are too many questions the other way, Livia.¡±


    Livia turned on her, angry. ¡°It¡¯s not that complicated, Caecilia! They slept together this summer. She thought the pregnancy was work stress. She finally put it together and made Corvin meet with her. It¡¯s over! We¡¯re done!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s remain calm,¡± Caecilia said.


    ¡°No!¡± Livia yelled. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be rational about, Caecilia. I made a stupid mistake. I decided it was worth taking a risk, and I was wrong. Now, it¡¯s time to move on.¡±


    When Livia said this, an unnatural calm came over her. A numb acceptance of her awful situation. She wasn¡¯t upset anymore, but something inside of her shut down. Part of her was grateful, and another part was afraid the part of her that had just died would be gone forever.


    ###


    The following day Livia got an email from Corvin. She blew out her breath in frustration, but part of her recognized he still cared. So, even though Livia braced herself to disbelieve whatever Corvin said, she devoured every single word he wrote.


    Liv,


    Okay, I get it. You don¡¯t want to answer my calls. But I need you to know some things. Salina is pregnant. However, the babies are not mine. There are two. Twins. Salina and I have not had a relationship for over three years. She went to New York and did IVF with a  donor¡¯s sperm, hoping she could use the babies to manipulate me into marrying her.


    I respect the fact that you need time to process things right now. Let me know when you are ready to talk. I love you and can¡¯t wait to hear your voice, to feel you in my arms again.


    Livia stared at the email in disbelief. Corvin couldn¡¯t be serious. This story was almost too insane to be true. Except she could see Salina doing it. Desperate. Conniving. Manipulative.


    Livia stared at the screen. Corvin left out the part about what he had said to Salina? Did he tell Salina he¡¯d take care of her? Did he say that his relationship with Livia wasn¡¯t that important? That he was excited to adopt two children?


    She shouldn¡¯t respond, but she had to know. So, Livia tried to text him, but her fingers were shaking so much as she typed that she pushed the button to call him.


    Corvin answered right away. ¡°Livia?¡±


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Livia wanted to hang up, but his voice stopped her. It felt so good to hear his voice. It rose goosebumps on her forearms. A knot of emotion caught in her throat.


    ¡°Liv?¡± Corvin asked.


    She cleared her throat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to call¡ª¡±


    ¡°I have the time to talk to you,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Livia was gasping for air. How was she supposed to get words out?


    ¡°Did you get my email?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Yes. I¡ª¡± Livia¡¯s brain froze, and her words dried up. This was the worst way to have this conversation. Seconds passed away in silence. Livia knew it wasn¡¯t very long, but it felt like ages.


    ¡°Did you read it?¡± Corvin prompted.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    More silence.


    ¡°Hun, are you still upset?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What can I do for you?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to call.¡± Livia tried to explain. ¡°I t-tried t-to t-text.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t even speak right. Her breaths slammed against the back of her teeth, eking forcefully from the back of her throat.


    ¡°Do you need me to come to you?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What did you want to text me?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia should hang up. The gentleness of his voice shouldn¡¯t draw her in. Her question escaped whole, but every syllable held the weight of anguish she¡¯d felt since she last saw him. ¡°Are you going to marry her?¡±


    ¡°No, Livia. I¡¯m not going to marry her.¡±


    Sometimes between her question and his answer Livia had started crying again. ¡°Why not?¡±


    She could hear Corvin inhale and exhale before he answered. ¡°Because two children cannot change the fact that she¡¯d make me absolutely miserable.¡±


    Livia asked, ¡°But what about the children? What¡¯s going to happen to them?¡±


    ¡°We told her to give them up for adoption. Or find a different husband. I refused to capitulate to her manipulation,¡± Livia could hear the frustration in Corvin¡¯s tone.


    Livia took a deep breath. ¡°Maybe you should marry her.¡±


    ¡°Why would you say that?


    ¡°There are two babies that need you more than I do.¡± And though Livia loved hearing his voice, she feared being close to him again. She didn¡¯t know if she could trust him. How could she know if he was telling the truth? She feared she¡¯d believe him because she was desperate to be with him. Then she¡¯d find herself deceived again. It was so painful the first time. She didn¡¯t want a repeat experience.


    Corvin¡¯s voice was tight. ¡°I am not taking responsibility for Salina¡¯s choices.¡±


    Livia whispered. ¡°I¡¯m going to go¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±


    She hung up the phone.


    Corvin immediately texted. Are you leaving Caesarea? Where are you going?


    Livia didn¡¯t respond. Could she believe Corvin? IVF? New York? When she finally brought herself downstairs to eat, Caecilia was waiting for her.


    She was bursting to share the news. ¡°Lorin made an announcement.¡±


    Livia eyed her. ¡°What type of announcement?¡±


    Caecilia turned her computer toward Livia and pushed play on a video.


    Lorin¡¯s face appeared weary. ¡°There have been¡­many rumors about the health of my niece Salina Antonius the past several weeks. Unfortunately, the strength of those rumors and her unconventional choices requires a public response. We decided that we needed transparency and honesty to move forward in any constructive way. Salina does not have a terminal condition. She is not having a nervous breakdown. She does not have thyroid cancer. However, she is pregnant with twins. The father is unknown because she was impregnated via in  fertilization at a clinic in New York with an anonymous donor¡¯s sperm. I, her parents, and her close relatives did not approve of this action. Her actions were not financed with House funds. I will take the children into custody upon birth unless other arrangements are made before their arrival this March. Thank you. We¡¯d appreciate your support at this critical time.¡±


    Caecilia was aghast. ¡°I¡¯ve watched it three times and still can¡¯t believe it! She went and got pregnant all on her own! It¡¯s so¡­insane!¡±


    ¡°Is this what Caesarea does to women?¡± Livia asked.


    Caecilia gasped. ¡°No! No other person in Caesarea has done something like this. So, Salina bears the blame entirely.¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°This community created that person.¡±


    Offended, Caecilia cried, ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡±


    Livia walked out of the kitchen. Livia should feel relieved to find out Corvin hadn¡¯t lied to her. She should be ready to run straight back into a relationship with him. She should be ready to trust him again. She waited momentarily for the rush of relief, for her hope to return. Instead, she only felt exhausted and empty. She was so tired of being hurt. The only way to avoid getting hurt was to be alone.


    ###


    That night, Hyrum came to Livia¡¯s room. She was trying to pull herself back together emotionally. She rested on the bed and listened to her favorite music.


    ¡°Liv, Corvin is downstairs,¡± Hyrum said.


    Livia turned off her music and turned away from her brother. ¡°Tell him I won¡¯t see him.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Hyrum asked.


    ¡°I just won¡¯t,¡± she insisted.


    Hyrum glared at her. ¡°It¡¯s not his fault, Liv. He did nothing wrong.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t answer and refused to yield. It was unfair, but she didn¡¯t care.


    Hyrum left, and Livia felt herself relax. She let her guard down too soon. Corvin peered around her door frame a moment later.


    She gasped and jumped off her bed. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s unreadable look was back. ¡°Hyrum said I should come up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I told him,¡± Livia cried.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my text. I worried you ran off somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Livia glared at him. ¡°Maybe I should have¡­.¡±


    Corvin was clearly frustrated. ¡°Livia, do you think I¡¯ve deceived you in any way regarding Salina?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What do you believe then?¡±


    ¡°She manipulated you. That¡¯s how she is¡­.¡±


    ¡°So, are you angry at me?¡± he asked.


    Livia didn¡¯t know how to answer that. She wasn¡¯t as angry at Corvin as at the entire situation. Frustrated that she didn¡¯t know what she needed to do now. Did she leave Caesarea? Did she stay? What was the best way to keep herself safe?


    ¡°No,¡± she shook her head.


    Corvin raised a doubtful eyebrow. ¡°You aren¡¯t angry at me?¡±


    ¡°Not at you.¡±


    ¡°But are you angry?¡± he asked.


    Livia turned away from him and crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°This conversation is pointless.¡±


    ¡°We received papers from Justin today¡ª¡±


    Livia jerked her gaze back to him. She hadn¡¯t checked her email. She¡¯d been trying to avoid Corvin contacting her that way. Had Leon notified her too? She was startled at how quickly Justin and Leon had gotten the papers to him. It hadn¡¯t even crossed her mind to contact them and tell them to stop.


    Despite everything, she wondered. She was curious about what Corvin thought of them. Woven into the curiosity was a tiny thread of hope. It felt good to feel something besides anger, pain, and despair.


    ¡°And?¡± Livia whispered.


    ¡°They were very interesting,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Do you agree to them?¡± Livia asked, still curious.


    ¡°No, but I¡¯d like to fix that.¡±


    Livia¡¯s curiosity disappeared like a snuffed candle. She should have known not to hope. She pulled a cold imperiousness around herself as a shield. ¡°Not negotiable.¡±


    ¡°Not negotiable?¡± Corvin mused. ¡°Then why were they sent as a review for feedback?¡±


    Right. He was right about that. It was supposed to be negotiable. Livia flushed as she realized she sounded like she didn¡¯t know that.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore because I think¡­.¡± Livia gulped. ¡°I think we should break up.¡±


    ¡°Because of the Salina thing?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°Even though you believe I didn¡¯t cheat on you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to explain it to you,¡± Livia snapped.


    Corvin was silent for a long time. So long, Livia hoped he would give up reasoning with her and leave.


    Instead, he said scathingly, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re doing those babies some favor? Sacrificing yourself to give them parents that hate each other? That I¡¯m going to crawl back to Salina¡¯s arms now that you¡¯re out of the picture?¡±


    ¡°I think the fact you already don¡¯t agree with what I sent over means that we¡¯ll never resolve our differences and¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right; we won¡¯t. Not if you keep refusing to talk to me,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk,¡± Livia said in a shaky voice. ¡°You won¡¯t understand. We¡¯re too different. I don¡¯t belong in Caesarea. I don¡¯t belong with you. I don¡¯t even know how to be a proper patrician.¡±


    ¡°Livia, we can help you with that¡ª¡±


    ¡°No! No! I don¡¯t want help. Because I¡¯m going to turn into my Mother or do something crazy like Salina because this place is so¡­.aggravating and confusing and¡­and¡­and it¡¯s not safe!¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Corvin asked calmly. ¡°What makes you feel unsafe?¡±


    ¡°Everything!¡± she cried. ¡°So, I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°Livia, can we talk¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, leave!¡±


    ¡°Livia, please¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said to leave! Leave now!¡± she screamed.


    Corvin opened his mouth to argue. Then he took a deep breath and closed his mouth. His lips pressed into a thin line, then he turned around and walked out of her room.


    Livia walked over to shut her door and saw Hyrum standing in the hallway. His eyes connected with hers. Livia hesitated. His chin lowered, and his expression was disapproving. She closed her door and locked it to shut him and Corvin out. She wanted to be alone.

 Bk 2 : Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 22

    Hyrum approached Livia the following day at breakfast. ¡°Livia, I need a favor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to grant favors,¡± she muttered.


    Hyrum placed a stack of folders next to her plate. ¡°These papers are the contract I arranged with Lars for help at the dairy.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia said. ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re due to be signed before the 26th. This morning Corvin and his family traveled up to their family Cabin for the Christmas holiday. Lars contacted me and said it would be impossible for them to get home by the 26th because a storm is coming. So, I need you to drive these up to him, make sure he signs them, and then drive them back down to me,¡± Hyrum said.


    Livia eyed the folders. ¡°Why not have Caecilia?¡±


    ¡°Because she has family commitments to keep her busy this week, and she¡¯s already exhausted.¡±


    Caecilia had run around all week trying to arrange the holiday celebrations with her family. She¡¯d had an exhausted look on her face each night at dinner for the last three days and then gone to bed early.


    ¡°You do it,¡± she insisted.


    ¡°You know that Christmas is a tough time for families in need. I need to work a couple of long days before the holiday to ensure we¡¯ve done everything possible to help,¡± Hyrum said.


    Livia looked at the files with a growing sense of horror. There was no way she could insist that Gaius do it. Their Paterfamilias couldn¡¯t be trusted. She was not prepared to be responsible for this deal to fall through. She could not refuse such a crucial request, but she tried anyway. ¡°I don¡¯t know where the Cabin is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, call his cousin, Terrance? Ask him, because I don¡¯t know how to get there either. Then go.¡±


    Livia sighed, resigned. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Livia finished breakfast. Today was her last shift at Delores,¡¯ and they were having a small party instead of an actual shift. Livia made chocolate chip cookies with cayenne pepper in true Saturnalian spirit. Delores gave everyone an overstocked lavender-scented spray.


    When she got home, Livia called Terrance. ¡°Hey, I need a favor.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Can you give me directions to Corvin¡¯s family cabin?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Hyrum and Lars are negotiating a contract for the dairy¡ª¡±


    ¡°Right, I heard about that. The deal relieved the entire family.¡±


    ¡°So, Lars said he couldn¡¯t get back to sign the papers this week. So Hyrum wants me to drive up there and have him sign the papers and return.¡±


    Terrance gave her detailed instructions on how to get to the cabin and even emailed her a map. He ensured she knew the safest places to pull over if she needed to stop. She found the advice a little overkill. She would drive straight there and back, but she appreciated the advice anyway.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long drive, Liv,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°So I put some supplies in your trunk.¡±


    ¡°Okay, why would I need supplies?¡± she asked.


    He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a really rural area.¡±


    ¡°According to the information Terrance gave me, it¡¯s about two and a half hours away. So, I should be back around dinner,¡± Livia said.


    Hyrum looked at his phone, eyes intently studying something. ¡°You should be fine. You need to leave right now, though.¡±


    Hyrum handed her a lunch he had packed and a gallon of water.


    Livia laughed. ¡°Hyrum, you think I¡¯m going to need this much?¡±


    ¡°Means that I don¡¯t have to clean a water bottle,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Since when are you that lazy?¡± she joked.


    ¡°Since I have a full-time job, a wife, and a kid on the way,¡± Hyrum retorted, with stress lacing his tone.


    Livia decided not to cause Hyrum any more trouble and left the house. Livia shook her head as she put the gallon of water on the floor of the passenger seat. ¡°Ridiculous.¡±


    Then she slid into the driver¡¯s seat, glanced at the map Terrance gave her, and started up her GPS app. He¡¯d warned her she might lose cell service and to download the maps onto her phone, so they worked. Livia had done that, so she should be fine. She looked over her shoulder and pulled out of the driveway.


    ####


    Someone vaguely familiar opened the door. Silvia? Was that her name? ¡°Can¡­I help you?¡± she asked, confused.


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    ¡°May I speak to Lars?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Lars?¡± she asked uncertainly. Her eyes drifted to the snow falling behind her. ¡°You better come in.¡±


    Livia waited in the foyer, but Lars didn¡¯t come to her first. It was Aurelia. She looked concerned. Livia¡¯s nerves spiked so suddenly that she thought she might throw up.


    Aurelia forced a smile. ¡°Livia? This is a surprise.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Livia nodded.


    She tilted her head to the side the way Corvin did. ¡°Did you come on a matter of political or personal business?¡±


    Livia blinked. ¡°Um, Hyrum sent me with these papers.¡± She gestured to the folders she held in her hands. ¡°So Lars could sign them. I could wait in my car while he signs and then leave¡­


    Aurelia raised a single eyebrow. ¡°So, you¡¯re here on House business, not personal business?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah, I guess?¡± Livia answered. Aurelia hesitated. The awkward realization that her presence was unwelcome flooded Livia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aurelia. I¡¯m just trying to do what Hyrum asked.¡±


    ¡°Wait here, one moment.¡±


    It was a long time before anyone came to the door. Livia took in her surroundings. She was standing in a front room with a massive fireplace where a large fire was currently burning. Behind her, nestled in a bay window, stood the Christmas tree. She could see straight into the dining area, and the counters in the kitchen, but the rest of the room was hidden behind the stairway to the upstairs.


    When Corvin came around that stairwell, Livia knew he was angry. There¡¯d been a lot of times she¡¯d assumed he was angry, but now there was no mistaking it. As he approached, Livia backed up against the door and considered fleeing.


    Corvin saw this, and his jaw clenched. ¡°They said you wanted to speak with me.¡±


    He hid the anger well. It didn¡¯t come out in his tone. It was the only way Livia dared to say, ¡°No. That is not what I said.¡±


    ¡°Come,¡± he gestured, speaking sharply. ¡°This way.¡±


    Livia knew she wasn¡¯t in the position to argue. ¡°Alright.¡± She lowered her head and followed.


    They sat across from each other at one of the tables set up in the dining room. Corvin tried to mask his anger and Livia her fear. Livia tried to gather the words to speak. Her brain stopped processing as she looked into his hazel eyes that had turned a muddy color she¡¯d never seen before. Three feet of the table separated them, but it could have been a chasm.


    Suddenly, she was so exhausted. Her eyes drifted to an imperfection on her fingernail. What had been with all of Terrance¡¯s warnings anyway? The roads were straightforward and well-maintained.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Corvin snapped. ¡°Say what you¡¯re going to say.¡±


    Her eyes flicked back to his face. She remembered Justin¡¯s advice about being brave. Livia considered all the things she could say.


    She couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say to you right now.¡±


    Corvin lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Why are you here then?¡±


    Livia pressed the folder of papers across the table. ¡°To get these signed.¡±


    Corvin slid the folder across the table and flipped it open. He thumbed through the papers and stood. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Corvin returned with his parents. Lars approached Livia. ¡°Aurelia and I discussed what we needed to do in this situation. We decided you¡¯ll spend the night since it¡¯s already snowing.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Livia gasped. ¡°No, no, no, no.¡±


    ¡°That was obviously part of this plan, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Mel asked, entering the room with her sisters.


    It was then Livia realized why Terrance¡¯s warnings were so detailed. ¡°Oh no!¡±


    He hadn¡¯t been worried she¡¯d get lost. He was concerned the storm would come in before she could get here. And Hyrum! Packing the food and water? Putting supplies in her trunk? That was all in case she got caught in the storm.


    Livia pulled out her phone from her back pocket. ¡°Terrance said there was a hut I could stay¡ª¡±


    ¡°Terrance,¡± Corvin said. ¡°He sent you up here?¡±


    ¡°No. Hyrum did, but Terrance gave me directions¡ª¡±


    Corvin pulled Livia¡¯s phone from her hand without permission. He studied it. ¡°That bastard! That hut has no heat!¡±


    ¡°He mentioned that, but he told me where the supplies were stashed to start a fire¡ª¡±


    ¡°Livia, this is not okay!¡± Corvin shouted, shaking the phone at her. ¡°The fact you think we¡¯d let you stay in these conditions is insulting! I won¡¯t listen to that type of talk!¡±


    Livia flinched and scurried away from him until her back touched the wall. Her heart was racing a million beats a minute. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    Livia was shaking like a leaf. Corvin took a deep breath but couldn¡¯t hide how upset he was. ¡°Why did you agree to do this? It was so dangerous! You could have died! I might have had to dig your frozen body from a snowbank on the side of the road!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was a storm coming!¡± Livia yelled. ¡°I thought it was a hard drive cause the cabin was difficult to find. I thought Terrance was telling me what to do if I got lost. Hyrum was so insistent that I leave immediately. I don¡¯t understand. Why would he do this to me?¡±


    The entire cabin was silent as Livia¡¯s breaths became ragged. Finally, her knees buckled, and she sank to the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. Please, don¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Corvin asked calmly. ¡°How would hurting you fix anything?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mad,¡± she said. Trying to fight her uneven breathing and failing.


    ¡°We don¡¯t hit when we¡¯re mad in my family,¡± he said.


    Livia rocked back and forth, trying to soothe herself and calm down. ¡°Sometimes y-y-you c-can¡¯t unlearn-n-n-n things.¡±


    Corvin crouched down, forearms propped on his thighs. His hands hung relaxed and open where she could clearly see them. ¡°There is no need to be afraid. Take deep breaths. You¡¯re safe here.¡±


    ¡°I r-ruined your holiday. I-I s-shouldn¡¯t have listened to Hyrum. But he¡¯s never done something like this,¡± Livia shook her head and clenched her fists in her hair. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to do this for him. I¡¯m so sorry. This is my fault. You have every right to¡­be angry.¡±


    Corvin reached out a hand and brushed her cheek. The touch was soft, but it still terrified Livia. She grasped his wrist and forearm with both hands to control his movements. Corvin remained still and brushed his thumb across her cheek repeatedly. ¡°We¡¯ll make the best of it, Livia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I know. I am, too,¡± he spoke quietly. ¡°I lost my temper, and that frightened you. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Some of Livia¡¯s trembling calmed. Her breath started to even out. She squeezed her eyes shut. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m like this. Everything is so¡­so overwhelming lately¡ªit¡¯s been a long time since¡­.¡± Livia had to stop to gasp for air. ¡°this has happened.¡±


    Livia released Corvin to put her hand over her heart. She desperately willed it to stop racing. Tears spilled over her cheeks.


    Corvin inhaled a deep breath and then exhaled. ¡°Which is why it¡¯s important while you¡¯re here to relax, okay? We¡¯ll get you comfortable, and you¡¯ll let us take care of you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very, very sorry, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Livia, no more apologies. It¡¯s behind us from this moment. Let¡¯s focus on getting you comfortable, alright?¡±


    Livia nodded. Her breath was coming steadier now. Her racing heart was slowing. She¡¯d been exhausted before, but now she was limp with fatigue.


    Corvin said, ¡°I¡¯m going to have Epiphany, and Alia find you a place to rest in the girl¡¯s room. You look exhausted. Try and sleep. We¡¯ll wake you for dinner.¡±


    Epiphany gave her a kind but uncertain look as she guided Livia up the stairs. She gave Livia a spot to sleep in a room full of bunk beds. A linen closet in the hallway produced sheets, pillows, and blankets that smelled fresh and clean. Silently, they made up the bed, and Epiphany left the room. Livia climbed between the sheets and closed her eyes. She didn¡¯t think it was possible to sleep, but she did.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 23

    Livia woke alone and sat up. She brushed a hand over her mussed and frizzy braid. She could get through one night here. First, she¡¯d eat dinner, help clean up, and then sleep. In the morning, she¡¯d be gone, even before breakfast.


    Livia slid off the bed and wandered to the top of the stairs. There was a second set of stairs that led up to another floor. The sound of laughter drifted down from the rooms up there. In contrast, the house¡¯s ground floor was silent except for a soft chatter in the kitchen. Livia looked down and found that Corvin was lying on the couch in the living room. His hazel eyes were watching her.


    ¡°Come down here, Liv,¡± he said softly. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    Livia ran a self-conscious hand over her hair and descended to the ground floor. She stood in front of Corvin. She expected him to sit up. Instead, he opted to remain reclined on the couch. He gestured with his chin to the opposite couch. ¡°Sit over there.¡±


    Livia sat.


    He spoke in a monotone voice as he pretended to look at the ceiling. She could see that he kept one eye on her, though. ¡°Our last conversation in Caesarea was¡­heated.¡±


    Livia crossed her arms over her chest and looked away, knowing there was no good response.


    Corvin spoke lightly. ¡°We can¡¯t escape each other here, so¡­ let¡¯s clear the air?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be gone by morning, Corvin,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin¡¯s face snapped toward her. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave tomorrow morning when the snow clears.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Livia, we¡¯re in Montana. When it snows, it snows. So the road won¡¯t be open for ten days at least.¡±


    ¡°Ten days!¡± Livia screeched.


    A hush fell over the kitchen, and Livia felt an uncomfortable shame settle in her chest, but she was so angry. ¡°I¡¯m not staying here for ten days, Corvin,¡± her voice was hushed but no less furious.


    ¡°After Christmas, we could ask some snowmobiles to come out¡ª¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Why not now?¡± Livia snapped.


    ¡°Because tomorrow it¡¯s Christmas Eve, Livia,¡± Corvin explained, gaze on the ceiling again, voice emotionless.


    Livia rubbed her temples.


    ¡°Now, my family doesn¡¯t know about our last conversation,¡± he said. ¡°But they believe you are still upset with me about Salina.¡±


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you told people?¡± Livia grumbled. Arik hadn¡¯t hesitated to blab the second he broke up with her.


    ¡°Because I hoped you¡¯d cool off and we could have a productive conversation about the situation.¡±


    Livia remained silent. This was her opening. She should jump at the chance to fix her mistakes, to confess her fears. But, instead, she was frozen.


    ¡°Have you told anyone?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you told anyone?¡± Corvin pressed.


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to. Whose business is it?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Maybe Gaius¡¯? Justin¡¯s?¡± Corvin suggested.


    Livia rose to her feet in a panic. ¡°Is this conversation over?¡±


    ¡°If you want it to be,¡± Corvin answered.


    Livia fled up the stairs. She sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the wall. She wouldn¡¯t force herself to face Corvin, but she did have to face herself because tomorrow was Christmas Eve. There were young children involved. She didn¡¯t want them to have a bad Christmas on her account. Livia recognized she wasn¡¯t being fair, but it was one thing when that only affected Corvin. It was another when it would start affecting Corvin¡¯s siblings on Christmas. She¡¯d been the young kid who¡¯d had a disappointing Christmas. She didn¡¯t want to inflict that on other people.


    So, Livia took a deep breath and worked at reconciling her emotions. What did she even want from Corvin? Three days ago, she knew exactly what she wanted. Now? Honestly, she felt like she¡¯d regressed to the Livia of two years ago¡ªwanting to be alone, being irrational and unfair during emotional discussions, and feeling angry all the time.


    Livia realized with a sinking feeling that her trauma had reared its ugly head again. It¡¯s slipped past her notice because she¡¯d done so well these past few months and probably because she was trying to repress something. Livia let her mind wander over the past several days and searched for an explanation. Finally, she realized it wasn¡¯t what had happened with Salina. It was what happened with her Mother. Her insidious lies had reached inside Livia¡¯s relationships and started polluting them. Lucas interrogating her, Hyrum¡¯s overbearing vigilance, and Gaius¡¯ refusal to accept her match papers.


    These indirect conflicts were non-violent, so she doubted herself. Even calling them conflicts made her furious. That was why she felt no relief when she learned the truth about Salina. It hadn¡¯t been the real problem. Her mind was too occupied dealing with this pseudo-conflict with her Mother. Livia closed her eyes as shame engulfed her. Corvin hadn¡¯t deserved any of her wrath. She owed him an apology.


    At that moment, Epiphany poked her head into the room. ¡°Dinner, Liv!¡±


    ¡°Give me a minute.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Epiphany retreated. ¡°You know where to find us.¡±


    Livia took a couple of deep breaths and wended her way down the stairs and toward the kitchen. Her eyes drifted to the corner where Corvin¡ªhis back turned to her¡ªspoke with his mother. Corvin¡¯s fingers dug into curls at the base of his neck, clearly displaying his gorgeous back muscles.


    Livia almost smiled. She considered noticing her attraction to Corvin a step in the right direction. The past had loosened its grip on her the tiniest bit, allowing her to be open to other emotions.


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    Aurelia caught sight of Livia and reached out to touch Corvin¡¯s arm. Corvin¡¯s voice stilled. They were talking about her. Livia was overwhelmed with a sense of guilt and looked away. Her eyes connected with Epiphany¡¯s, who had waited for Livia to come down. Epiphany smiled and gestured Livia over. Livia accepted her invitation, walking past Corvin and Aurelia to the kitchen entrance.


    Epiphany spoke to her in a warm and easy tone. ¡°Some of the family left yesterday. Before the storm hit. Azurea was nervous about being snowed in with a newborn, so she and Jonas left.¡±


    The chatter of Corvin¡¯s family was a loud hum in the background. Epiphany led her through the kitchen, where they filled their plates in a buffet-style line.


    Epiphany pulled Livia to sit down next to her at an empty spot at a table. There was a table for the kids and one for the adults. All of Corvin¡¯s siblings were at the same table as Livia; Verity and Prudence sat across from her. Livia glanced around the room. Corvin sat with his parents, looking somber.


    Epiphany spoke again. ¡°Corvin called Hyrum. They put him on speaker since both Mom and Dad wanted to hear. Corvin was so angry. Really let him have it. Hyrum only responded by saying we¡¯d find your things in your trunk.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine that made Corvin less angry,¡± Livia murmured.


    ¡°No,¡± Epiphany agreed.


    Livia observed as she ate. Prudence and Verity couldn¡¯t stop asking questions about Santa and the presents. Epiphany answered with an amused smile dancing around her lips.


    Livia was going to spend Christmas with these people. She had no gifts with her. Hadn¡¯t even purchased one for Corvin yet. She didn¡¯t know when she planned to do that. All she knew was that she hadn¡¯t yet encountered an item that spoke ¡®Corvin¡¯ to her.


    Would Corvin think she hated him? Did Livia want him to think she hated him? That might make everything easier in a weird way. If he were angry at her, it would be easier to keep her distance. Keeping her mouth shut and hiding the entire ten days would be more comfortable. Livia sighed. She had to redirect herself from thinking that way. She¡¯d recognized that she needed to make an apology, and she needed to follow through. She¡¯d worked hard on allowing herself to get close to people. She couldn¡¯t let herself return to how she¡¯d used to be.


    Livia insisted on helping Alia and Mel clean the dinner dishes. They accepted her help and washed dishes silently until Prudence came up and begged Alia and Mel to play.


    ¡°We can¡¯t, Pru. We have to clean up,¡± Alia said.


    Prudence stomped her feet and cried. ¡°Please.¡±


    Melanie sighed. ¡°Pru, stop.¡±


    That only made the tantrum worse.


    Livia nudged Alia gently. ¡°Go on, I¡¯ll finish up. I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Alia and Mel hesitated and then ran off with a sniffling Prudence. Livia faced the sink of dishes alone, but she savored that. She finished putting the plates in the dishwasher and started it. Then she turned to the pile of pans.


    She plugged the sink and filled it with soapy water. She slid the first pan into the water when Corvin strode over.


    ¡°Mel and Alia are supposed to do this¡ª¡± he said.


    ¡°They are helping Prudence,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin pulled up his shirtsleeves to his elbows, revealing his forearms. Livia¡¯s eyes took in the sight of his well-formed muscles. ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia turned to the water and started to scrub the pan. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± she said.


    Corvin did not listen. He pulled the dirtiest pan from the counter, put dish soap on it, added a little water, and scrubbed in the empty sink beside her.


    Praying she¡¯d remain civil, Livia closed her eyes and inhaled. She almost cursed. Corvin smelled like fresh laundry again, reminding her of their first meeting. The way he¡¯d cradled the back of her head in his palm.


    She¡¯d been injured and scared.


    Livia mentally shook herself out of the memory. She needed to find something else to think about. Her traitorous mind settled on the memory of their last kiss. The way his passion seared through every inch of her slipped past every defense she¡¯d ever erected to keep herself safe. Then left her aching for him to do it over and over again.


    Livia inhaled a shuddering breath and let her mind sink into the past. It was safer there currently. Besides, they were just memories. They couldn¡¯t hurt her, could they? Why was she so bothered anyway to remember that moment? Hadn¡¯t it been a good thing, Corvin helping her?


    ¡°You okay, Liv?¡± Corvin asked easily as he rinsed his pan off and set it aside. He held his hand out for the pan she was scrubbing. She handed it over, and he rinsed it. She grabbed another one, and Corvin reached over her to grab his own.


    His body leaned close to hers, and his shoulder brushed hers. Livia inhaled again, but she remembered that aching moment in the kitchen at Cornelia after she¡¯d washed flour out of his hair. She wondered if she¡¯d ever stop thinking about kissing this man. It had been two years¡­over two years¡­since he¡¯d come into her life and changed everything.


    The sound of Corvin scrubbing his pan brought Livia back to reality¡­mostly. The smell of fresh laundry was still in her nostrils. She¡¯d been so young then. Livia had felt a lot older and more responsible than her peers. She¡¯d known she was strong and capable. And she¡¯d loved her family. She¡¯d known her Mother wasn¡¯t perfect and accepted she was sometimes a bad Mother.


    But there was a security in that they were still all together. Managing that had taken a lot of hard work and sacrifice that Livia took pride in. It was also true that Livia¡¯s mother got better as life improved. Livia had believed that if she¡¯d worked hard enough and made life perfect, her Mother would be perfect too.


    An ache centered in Livia¡¯s chest. She missed that belief. It was wrong, but it had made her world feel safe and had made it possible for her to love her imperfect family. Now, she knew the truth about herself and Caesarea, but her family was broken. She didn¡¯t even know if she could trust Hyrum anymore. He¡¯d sent her up here deliberately in a snowstorm.


    Corvin rinsed his pan off. He spoke softly, ¡°This might be a nice time to tell me what¡¯s on your mind.¡±


    Livia froze. Not only was he right, but it¡¯d be a nice distraction from thinking about her family. Livia grasped onto that mental momentum and drove straight in. ¡°Corvin, I¡¯m punishing you for things that aren¡¯t your fault, and I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m in the wrong here.¡±


    Corvin stopped scrubbing his pan and looked at her, surprised.


    Livia continued, ¡°I¡¯m just¡­so many things happened at the same time, and I acted in a way that was completely unjustified.¡±


    Corvin looked thoughtful. ¡°You had come to talk to us about something, hadn¡¯t you? Then you were still upset when the chaos surrounding Salina settled down.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Livia nodded.


    ¡°Because something else had gone wrong,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia looked at him, panicked, realizing that she¡¯d opened up a conversation she didn¡¯t want to have. She turned back to scrubbing her pan. ¡°It¡¯s Christmas Eve tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a change of topic,¡± Corvin mused.


    ¡°I think we should wait until after Christmas to discuss everything. We should make an agreement.¡±


    ¡°An agreement?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°What sort of agreement?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your family to remember us fighting on Christmas,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin put another clean pan to the side and reached for the pan Livia had. ¡°So, does that mean you want to pretend we¡¯re still dating? Am I allowed to show you affection, or am I forbidden?¡±


    That was a big question. ¡°Does your Mom know?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I also had the plan to tell them after Christmas.¡±


    Livia grabbed the last dirty pan. Corvin waited while she scrubbed it.¡°What were you talking about then when I came down?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Why Hyrum has completely lost his mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m mad at him too,¡± Livia admitted. The fact that Corvin was so upset about Hyrum validated Livia¡¯s emotions.


    ¡°Understandably,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia inhaled as their mutual anger created a sense of unity between them. The feeling was nice, blunting the sharp edges of her emotional upheaval. It allowed Livia to be blunt with Corvin.¡°I don¡¯t feel emotionally stable right now, Corvin,¡± Livia said. ¡°So I need you to be patient with me.¡±


    ¡°I can do that, Liv,¡± Corvin said, easing the pan from her hands, rinsing it off, and then putting it on the counter to dry. ¡°Will you answer my question?¡±


    Livia said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to do anything new. I want things very basic.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Corvin said. ¡°We''ll keep things simple.¡±


    Corvin place a light hand on her back. ¡°Thanks for helping with the dishes, Livia. Why don¡¯t you go up and rest a bit more? We¡¯ll do the rest of the cleanup.¡±


    The corner of Livia¡¯s mouth quirked up at how he raised his voice for the sake of his family. He removed his hand from her back, and Livia turned to go upstairs. She was grateful for the civility and kindness.


    Her phone was ringing when she stepped into the room. Hyrum¡¯s name flashed on the screen. She cursed at him before she answered. Hopefully, that would prevent her from doing it over the line.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 24

    ¡°Hyrum,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m alive.¡±


    ¡°Corvin called, so I know you got there safely.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are they treating you well?¡±


    ¡°What would you even do if they didn¡¯t?¡± Livia demanded.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t those type of people, Liv.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that? How can you be so sure¡ª¡±


    ¡°Livia, most people aren¡¯t horrible,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°You need to trust a little more.¡±


    ¡°Right, like how I trusted you when you sent me up here? That type of trust?¡±


    Hyrum sighed. ¡°Livia, I hope you patch things up with Corvin while you¡¯re there, but I needed to get you away from Gaius.¡±


    Livia was baffled. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°He thinks you¡¯re pregnant.¡±


    Right, Livia had figured that out. She ground her teeth together and growled. ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant. I can prove it!¡±


    ¡°Look, Livia, I know I¡¯ve been suspicious, and that¡¯s been infuriating. But if you are pregnant right now, because you haven¡¯t signed an illegitimacy clause, he has legal rights to dictate anything that can affect the baby, from your medical care to where you live. So, I¡¯m worried he won¡¯t let you return to school.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll take a pregnancy test and¡ª¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to do that,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°And I¡¯m concerned that he¡¯ll demand more if we do that once. What if he makes you take pregnancy tests once a month? Or get other medical examinations? I don¡¯t want you near him until I¡¯ve figured this out. So I¡¯ve been contacting lawyers who are telling me the best thing you can do is sign match papers with an illegitimacy clause in them.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that unless I¡¯m dating Corvin.¡±


    ¡°We both know that the whole thing with Salina wasn¡¯t his fault. This whole thing is about something else.¡±


    Livia hated that Hyrum had realized that before her. So, she was deliberately contrary when she replied, ¡°Maybe I should leave Caesarea, Hyrum.¡±


    ¡°So they can find your children and tell them you¡¯ve lied to them?¡± Hyrum demanded. ¡°So we can repeat this whole ridiculous cycle¡ª¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°Hyrum, how are we even going to get Gaius to sign the match papers?¡±


    ¡°You can arrange to have Justin and I sign them instead,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°Livia, there¡¯s a way we can work in this system to keep you safe. But you can¡¯t do it on your own. You have to rely on a network of people.¡±


    ¡°Which must include Corvin,¡± Livia pointed out.


    ¡°Look,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°There is something else you should know.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Livia snapped.


    ¡°Five minutes ago, Gaius and Salina signed betrothal papers. I thought you should find out from a phone call instead of Tabula.¡±


    Livia¡¯s stomach dropped to her toes. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I am hoping that makes him more reasonable about your situation. You know as well as I do that all Gaius wants is children, and now he¡¯ll have two¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hyrum, you saw what Lauretta did to the House, and now¡­Salina? Is he insane?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°He has different priorities, Liv,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°Caecilia is concerned because, as Materfamilias, Salina can have a lot of influence over the decisions Gaius makes. So we¡¯d rather you be under Aurelia¡¯s authority when it comes down to it¡­.¡±


    ¡°What? Hyrum, now you¡¯re talking about more than match papers. That would require a marriage,¡± Livia said. ¡°How do you know if Corvin even wants me?¡±


    ¡°I heard the conversation, Livia. You broke up with him. He¡¯s willing to talk.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t marry someone because Gaius decided to marry a bully¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, of course not,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°But you can decide to marry them faster.¡±


    ¡°Hyrum!¡± Livia growled.


    ¡°Also, you should make sure the pregnancy rumors don¡¯t spread¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who have you told!¡± Livia demanded.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t told anyone, but Tavian and Lucas are sharing notes. I don¡¯t know how long until Arik finds out, but he¡¯s an irresponsible gossip.¡±


    Livia ran a hand down her face. Arik absolutely was a gossip. ¡°Right. Okay.¡±


    Hyrum ended the call, and Livia groaned. Should she call Arik and threaten him with his life if he so much as breathed a word? But what if Arik didn¡¯t know? Threatening him would inform him of the entire situation, making the news getting out even riskier.


    Livia realized there was no way around it. She would have to tell Corvin, which meant¡­telling him everything.


    A knock came at the door. Livia turned. Corvin¡¯s voice floated through the door. ¡°Liv, can we talk?¡±


    Funny, his sense of timing.


    Livia walked to the door and opened it. Corvin stood before her, but his Uncle Lucius was also leaning against the wall next to the door. If he wanted to talk, why was his uncle with him?


    Corvin got straight to the point. ¡°Do you have your car keys? Hyrum said your things were in your trunk.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll walk out there,¡± Livia said, stepping forward.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°No, we¡¯ll have to dig a path¡ª¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t snowed that long¡ª¡±


    ¡°Again, we¡¯ll have to clear a path,¡± Corvin interrupted her. ¡°So, why don¡¯t you hand over your keys and rest while we collect your things.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m helping,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°We got it covered,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°It¡¯s my stuff. I¡¯m helping,¡± Livia insisted.


    Corvin looked at Lucius for support.


    ¡°We have gear she can borrow,¡± he said.


    Livia nodded. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Livia could see Corvin struggling. He didn¡¯t want her to come. ¡°Livia, this isn¡¯t something you have to do. I understand you¡¯re dealing with some things right now¡ª¡±


    Livia walked past him and down the hallway. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Lucius led the way down the hallway and down the stairs. He took them to the garage and helped Livia don all the appropriate snow gear while Corvin pulled on his snow clothes in silence.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Livia walked out into the cold and found that the world looked unrecognizable. It was dark, and all she could see were swirling white snowflakes. She hesitated, peering out into the darkness. Where was her car? Where was the front yard? Did the garage open onto the side of the house? Livia couldn¡¯t remember if she saw it pulling in.


    Corvin approached and snapped a clip onto her snow pants without asking.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked, trying to remove it.


    ¡°Leave it!¡± he ordered. ¡°It¡¯s a cord that connects you to me. So you don¡¯t wander into the dark in the middle of a blizzard.¡±


    Then Livia realized he¡¯d wanted her to stay inside because he worried about her. Irritated by his protectiveness, Livia tugged on the cord and opened her mouth to argue. Then shut it. She didn¡¯t know how she¡¯d keep from getting lost without it.


    Lucius turned on a bright light and shined it out into the darkness. That didn¡¯t improve the visibility; everything turned a blinding white.


    Livia put her hand over her eyes. ¡°That doesn¡¯t really work.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s to help us find our way back,¡± Corvin said.


    Lucius passed out shovels. He led the way, scooping up the snow as he moved forward. Livia got the patches that he missed. Corvin shoveled whatever remained after that. Livia¡¯s car already had a shocking amount of snow on it. They had to clear off the back half before she could dig her keys out of her pants pocket and open the trunk. There was a suitcase and a backpack of emergency supplies.


    Livia removed the suitcase and shut the trunk. She turned back the way they came and realized the light did help them way out here. She couldn¡¯t see the house, but she knew its general direction. Corvin guided them back into the garage.


    ¡°,¡± Lucius laughed. ¡°That¡¯s one heck of a snowstorm, eh, Cor?¡±


    Corvin tore his hat off his head and ran a hand through his curls. ¡°It¡¯s not supposed to stop snowing until tomorrow. Think we¡¯ll be able to open the doors?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to shovel every few hours to clear the entrances.¡±


    Corvin removed the clip from his pants. Then walked toward Livia, gathering the slack between them as he walked. ¡°What do you think, Liv? Have you ever been in a storm this big? Last winter was friendly compared to this.¡±


    A shiver of attraction zinged through Livia as Corvin¡¯s hand clasped the clip at her hip.


    ¡°No,¡± she answered, lifting her eyes to his. ¡°Should I be worried?¡±


    Corvin grinned and released her from the clip. ¡°I¡¯ll do all the worrying for the both of us, Hun. You consider yourself safe until I tell you otherwise.¡±


    ¡°So¡­I have to trust you,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yep.¡± Corvin walked to the cabinets that lined the garage walls and put the clips away.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been in storms this big before?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I¡¯ve been out on rescue missions in storms this bad.¡± Corvin removed his coat and hung it up.


    ¡°So, we are safe here?¡±


    ¡°Garnet and Lucius are used to this weather, so they¡¯re prepared for anything.¡±


    ¡°We even have a small tractor that removes the snow,¡± Lucius said. ¡°And a generator in case we lose power.¡±


    ¡°Do you always lose power in a storm like this?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°The lines are underground, so not often, but on occasion,¡± he said. He turned to Corvin. ¡°Can you bring a load of wood in?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Corvin said. He strode to a black door at the back of the garage. When he opened it, a light automatically turned on so Livia could see it was full of shelves lined with chopped wood.


    Corvin started gathering wood into his arms. Livia looked at Lucius.


    ¡°Do you want me to carry in a load?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°Just hold the door open for Corvin and me?¡±


    Then he went over and piled wood into his own arms too. Livia complied without complaint and held the heavy garage door open for them. She looked around the place and, not finding anything out of place, turned the light off and closed the door.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Lucius called. ¡°Go help Corvin.¡±


    Livia rushed to follow Corvin as he disappeared around the corner. He was in a room off the kitchen that Livia hadn¡¯t seen from the front room. There was a piano here, and she recognized Corvin¡¯s guitar on its stand next to it.


    Corvin was struggling to open a steel box by the fireplace so he could drop the wood into it. Livia rushed over and lifted the lid. Corvin let the wood roll from his arms into the box.


    He grunted when his load was all clear, ¡°Thanks, Liv.¡±


    He grabbed a fire poker, and Livia jumped back without thinking.


    Corvin looked at her in surprise. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, voice high.


    He took two steps and poked the logs in the fireplace. ¡°Checking the fire. The cabin has heating, but it¡¯s not very good. So we rely on fires during the night to keep the house warm enough.¡±


    Corvin put the fire poker away. ¡°We need a few more logs.¡±


    Livia watched, fascinated, as Corvin placed more logs into the fire. He didn¡¯t seem scared of the flame at all.


    ¡°How do you do that so easily?¡± she asked.


    ¡°With lots of practice,¡± he said. ¡°Epiphany and I hang out in this room often, and I¡¯m always in charge of keeping it warm enough.¡±


    He stood and looked back at her. ¡°You¡¯re still in your coat. It needs to go back to the garage.¡± He brushed off his snow pants. ¡°Same with the snow pants. The boots go in the mudroom, so they dry out faster.¡±


    Livia followed him back to the garage and tried to remove her coat. The zipper jammed halfway down, and she pulled it back up to start over. Then repeated the same process.


    Corvin stepped over. ¡°Let me help.¡±


    He grabbed the zipper and pulled on it just so¡­it came undone. He slipped deftly behind her and removed the coat from Livia¡¯s shoulders. Then hung it up on the wall for her.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said.


    ¡°Not a problem,¡± he said, untying his laces to remove his boots.


    Livia prayed her laces would untie. She cheered silently when she removed her shoes and pants without a hitch. Corvin told her to stow the pants in a plastic bin labeled ¡®adult snow pants.¡¯


    He picked up his boots and gestured with a jerk of his shoulder. ¡°This way to the mudroom.¡±


    Livia¡¯s feet padded on the wood flooring as she followed him to the door a few steps down the hallway. Corvin opened the door and placed his boots inside. Livia followed and put her boots in the room, glancing up to note it held the laundry facilities.


    Livia shouldn¡¯t have been so distracted looking at what was inside the room. Her feet slipped from under her. She prepared herself for a fall, but instead, arms wrapped around her.


    Corvin held her firmly against his chest. She grasped his shirt, afraid she¡¯d pull him down too, but Corvin remained steady.


    ¡°You alright?¡± he asked. ¡°The floor was a bit wet. The snow from Lucius¡¯ boots melted already.¡±


    Livia took a deep breath. Corvin smelled like wood and¡­wind. Her eyes flicked up to his in surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna let you go,¡± Corvin said, searching her face. ¡°You ready?¡±


    Livia nodded. However, something was alluring about the way his forearm pressed against the sway of her back.


    Ignore that, Livia told herself. Then, ready to put some distance between them, she tried to pull away too quickly. Corvin stumbled.


    ¡°Whoa,¡± he said. His hand flew out and splayed against the wall to keep them both from falling.


    The alluring part of their embrace increased tenfold as Corvin kept them both from falling to the floor. Livia¡¯s hands flew to his shoulders, and her face flamed with embarrassment. They looked like they doing one of those fancy dips in dance movies.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Livia squeaked. ¡°I¡¯m so bad¡­at¡­being human.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°You¡¯re not bad at being human, Liv. Coordination, though¡ª¡± He made a ¡®hmm¡¯ sound like he was undecided on choosing between two types of cheese.


    Livia laughed. She wasn¡¯t supposed to, but it just burst out. Then she tried to stop and made an awkward farting sound.


    Of course, that provoked another gale of laughter from the both of them. Without thinking, Livia wrapped her arms around Corvin¡¯s neck. He shifted. Suddenly, she was between him and the wall and didn¡¯t feel trapped. Indeed, she only wanted him closer.


    His face turned into her ear. ¡°Liv, Hun, am I imagining that you like this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that question,¡± she said.


    ¡°Why not?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to answer it.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°You can let go of me, you know? You won¡¯t fall.¡±


    Corvin waited.


    Livia didn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°Or,¡± Corvin whispered. ¡°We can enjoy this a little longer¡­.¡±


    Livia couldn¡¯t explain how it was possible that Corvin¡¯s hold both softened and tightened simultaneously. In an instant, his hold had turned into an embrace.


    ¡°Are you alright, Fabulous?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that,¡± she whispered fiercely.


    ¡°Why not?¡± he asked again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to answer,¡± she said. Her voice cracked on the last word.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay not to be okay, and furthermore¡­ it¡¯s okay to tell me you¡¯re not okay.¡±


    ¡°It feels safer to tell you I like this,¡± Livia said. ¡°Damn. I wasn¡¯t supposed to say that¡ª¡±


    Corvin laughed.


    Livia took in a shaky breath. ¡°I¡¯m so bad at this.¡±


    Corvin just held her in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be bad at things too.¡±


    ¡°Did your mom actually say such things to you?¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯d say everyone is bad until they¡¯ve had enough practice¡ª¡±


    ¡°What if you keep practicing and you never get better?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Then she¡¯d tell us she adored us anyway.¡±


    ¡°Adored? Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, her words.¡±


    ¡°Funny, I can see her saying that.¡±


    ¡°Fits her, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why you brag so much about everyone¡ª¡±


    Corvin chuckled. ¡°Probably.¡±


    Livia inhaled a brave breath. Maybe she could tell him everything.


    Mel¡¯s voice echoed down the hallway. ¡°Corvin! Where are you?¡±


    Corvin released Livia. She did indeed stay standing. ¡°I gotta go. I promised I¡¯d play with them. Want to come?¡±


    Livia shook her head.


    Corvin touched her arm. ¡°You can come to get me anytime, okay?¡±


    Livia nodded.


    He smiled. ¡°Also, I liked holding you too.¡±


    Livia decided to retreat to the girl¡¯s  and listen to music. She was surprised when the door swung open, and Alia¡¯s head appeared.


    ¡°Good, you¡¯re up here. We need to talk.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Do you have anything weird with you? I mean that you could give away? We have a tradition of exchanging white elephant gifts after Christmas Eve dinner.¡±


    ¡°I could look,¡± Livia said.


    Alia watched Livia go through her stuff. There wasn¡¯t anything suitable in her suitcase. Livia wondered if she would have anything in her purse. She found the bottle of Lavender spray that Delores had given her at the staff Christmas party. She¡¯d forgotten it was even there.


    ¡°This?¡± Livia showed it to Alia.


    ¡°That works!¡± she grinned. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s find a way to wrap it.¡±


    Livia followed Alia to a den behind the fireplace in the front room. It looked like a tiny office lined with shelves. It had a desk and a daybed, making it feel cramped and small. Alia opened the door to a tiny closet. Inside, they found an empty cardboard box and some red ribbon.


    ¡°!¡± Alia said, holding the box up. ¡°You can play now!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Alia.¡±


    She smirked. ¡°No problem.¡±

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 25

    Corvin was outside all morning on Christmas Eve, shoveling snow with Silvanus, his father, and his uncles. In contrast, Livia was pulled into a Christmas cookie-baking spree, which made the hours of the morning fly by so fast she didn¡¯t look up until lunch. Then after they ate, it was time to frost the cookies and eat them. Then it was clean up, and she hadn¡¯t seen Corvin except when he¡¯d scarfed down several frosted sugar cookies.


    Corvin spent the late afternoon in the music room with Epiphany. Livia played cards with Alia on the kitchen table so she could listen to the music. Corvin didn¡¯t sing, but Epiphany¡¯s beautiful voice reverberated throughout the house. Livia hummed along under her breath when she recognized a tune. She¡¯d enjoyed the day more than she¡¯d expected. She¡¯d loved showing Corvin¡¯s sisters all her baking hacks and tricks. She had a long conversation with his Aunt Garnet, who Livia had always wanted to get to know better. Christmas Eve dinner was fancier than anything Livia had ever experienced before. Gold-rimmed plates, multiple utensils, chargers, cloth napkins, two glasses¡ª


    Livia touched the fancy one filled with a dark liquid that appeared to fizz. It didn¡¯t smell the way alcohol should¡­


    Alia slid into the chair next to her. ¡°Mom has your present. It¡¯s all set up!¡±


    She caught Livia studying the glass.


    ¡°Oh, that,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s grape juice and sprite. Cause¡­you know? Corvin.¡±


    Livia relaxed. ¡°Good to know.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not annoyed?¡± Alia asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Neither Bella nor Salina liked it¡ª¡± Alia whispered.


    ¡°I thought Salina didn¡¯t mind,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°No, she minded, but she was smart enough to hide it from him. Bella didn¡¯t know how to hide her frustration.¡±


    Livia took a tiny sip. It did taste like sprite and grape juice. However, the combination was pleasant. She even decided that she liked it.


    She nodded. ¡°Good.¡±


    Alia smiled and lifted her glass for a toast. Livia clinked her glass against hers.


    ¡°Here¡¯s to you being here next year,¡± she grinned and gulped.


    Livia laughed and then took a drink. It almost felt like¡­a promise. A promise that she¡¯d be here next year. That¡¯s not what it means, she tried to tell herself. It was just a wish, a hope.


    Lars stood a moment later and offered a real toast. ¡°To all my loved ones, peace and holiday cheer.¡±


    Corvin switched seats with Melanie after the toast. So he could sit across from Livia. There was a minor quibble about glasses, and then everything was settled. A burst of nerves scrambled Livia¡¯s stomach.


    But Corvin was smiling and warm the entire dinner. There was no evidence of the anger or frustration he¡¯d shown when Livia first arrived. Clean-up was set aside in favor of doing the white elephant exchange faster.


    ¡°So, how do people choose which ones they get?¡± Livia whispered into Corvin¡¯s ear.


    Corvin leaned in toward her. ¡°We don¡¯t. Mom chooses.¡±


    ¡°Your mom chooses?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin nodded. ¡°She¡¯s in charge.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how things usually work, right?¡± Livia asked, confused.


    ¡°That¡¯s how they work for our family on Christmas Eve,¡± Corvin whispered.


    Livia nodded, and a slight warmth touched her cheeks. She hoped Corvin didn¡¯t think she was complaining about his family. She was curious about the entire tradition. Instead of saying anything else, she looked forward and waited for the game to start.


    Lars, Marcus, and Lucius set up the gift table. Aurelia waited, observing with an impatient glare that Livia noted the rest of the family found comical. Aurelia cleared her throat when they finished, and they took their seats with grins on their faces.


    ¡°It is time for the annual Tullian family white elephant gift exchange. All gifts have been entered. We welcome all the new participants this year,¡± Aurelia spoke in a very dry, formal voice as if mocking her own presentation.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Aurelia broke her faux demeanor to give Livia a genuine smile of welcome. Livia couldn¡¯t prevent the smile that answered back. The simple gesture of acknowledgment made Livia feel more comfortable about her unexpected presence.


    Aurelia adopted her demeanor again. ¡°The only rules are that I am in charge.¡±


    Lars grinned, his pleasure in his wife clear on his face.


    ¡°First, the finest offering from Silvanus to our esteemed Paterfamilias.¡± Aurelia strode to the table, plucked a present, and extended it to her Husband.


    ¡°I¡¯m first?¡± he asked, surprised. ¡°Usually, I¡¯m last?¡±


    ¡°Not this year,¡± Aurelia said, urging Lars to take it.


    Lars grasped the gift and opened it. Inside was a baby food jar filled with something Livia couldn¡¯t identify.


    Lars squinted. ¡°Are those¡­fingernail clippings?¡±


    ¡°So you will never forget me,¡± Silvanus placed his hand over his heart and spoke dramatically.


    Lars¡¯ laugh boomed into the room. Everyone laughed while Aurelia only showed her amusement with a slight smirk.


    ¡°Second, our esteemed guest has prepared something for Corvin.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes shot over to where Livia and Corvin sat together. Corvin sat up and rubbed his hands together. ¡°One question: can I eat it?¡±


    ¡°Would you want to?¡± Mel laughed. ¡°What if she put pickles in it or something else horrible,¡± Mel shuddered.


    ¡°Not a food item,¡± Aurelia said brusquely as she retrieved the box from the table.


    Livia could feel her cheeks heat as she realized she was giving Corvin scented Lavender spray. She threw him a nervous look.


    Corvin accepted the box from his mother and shook it. He frowned. ¡°That doesn¡¯t give me any clues as to why Livia¡¯s giving me that look.¡±


    His family chuckled.


    Corvin savored making a dramatic production out of opening the gift. It was funny, and Livia laughed along with his family several times. He finally revealed the bottle of lavender spray.


    His surprise was followed by a sly smile, ¡°Why, Livia, you must think I smell¡ª¡±


    Livia¡¯s face turned red at the gentle flirt in his tone. ¡°Corvin, your Mother was in charge.¡±


    Corvin read the back label of the bottle, then uncapped it and started spraying himself¡ªhis underarms, the back of his knees, the bottom of his feet, until he reeked with the smell of Lavender.


    He pulled Livia against his side. ¡°How do I smell, Love?¡±


    Did he just call her Love? It must have been a mispronunciation of Liv. Livia¡¯s nose tickled with the harsh scent of Lavender. She wiggled it to avoid sneezing.


    ¡°Overwhelming,¡± she muttered.


    This made a burst of laughter escape from his family. Then Livia sneezed. It was the perfect timing, and everyone howled with laughter.


    Corvin wrapped both arms around her. ¡°Perfect gift, love. I¡¯ll treasure it.¡±


    Livia sneezed again.


    Corvin pulled her closer and kissed her cheek. Livia stiffened in surprise. Corvin released her, a degree of uncertainty in his countenance.


    Livia wanted to reassure him, but she was so uncertain herself. It seemed forever since they¡¯d kissed at Alexander¡¯s party, yet it seemed just yesterday that they¡¯d shared their first kiss during the fall festival games. She nuzzled her nose into his shoulder, returning his affection. Corvin smiled and relaxed.


    Aurelia continued the game. Prudence gave her Uncle Lucius a frosted sugar cookie with a bite already taken out of it. His eyes twinkled as he ate the rest of it without flinching. Mel had braided a lock of her hair which ended up in Silvanus¡¯ possession. Aunt Silvia had purchased a circle-shaped blanket that looked like a tortilla. Garnet spent the rest of the game wrapped up like a burrito.


    Livia laughed every time she looked over at her. Aurelia paused as she looked at her list, confused.


    ¡°Corvin, you were supposed to give me your gift,¡± Aurelia said. ¡°It¡¯s not up here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it won¡¯t fit in a box,¡± he said.


    Aurelia gave him a look.


    ¡°Trust me, Mom,¡± he said.


    She made a decisive decision. ¡°Marcus¡¯ gift goes to Livia, and your invisible gift will go to me.¡±


    Corvin lips turned up in a pleased smile. ¡°That¡¯s perfect.¡±


    Marcus¡¯ gift was a paper towel holder shaped like a  dinosaur. It made Livia smile. She knew the exact place she¡¯d put it in her apartment kitchen. She¡¯d have Whitney help her come up with a name for it. Something that would make them laugh when they had a hard day.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Livia said. ¡°I like this.¡±


    ¡°Corvin,¡± Aurelia looked at her son expectantly.


    Corvin stood from his seat. Then disappeared into the next room and reappeared with his guitar. He lifted his chair and set it in front of his mother. Then sat and began to play a Christmas Carol.


    Aurelia smiled and seemed to appreciate the music, but there was sadness in her eyes. The last chords of Corvin¡¯s excellent guitar solo hushed the room.


    ¡°That¡¯s lovely, Corvin,¡± Aurelia said kindly.


    Corvin strummed his guitar a few times. Finally, he plunked the tune for ¡°I¡¯ll Be Home for Christmas.¡± Then his warm tenor voice sang the first line. A shock wave stirred the room. Before, everyone had politely paid attention. Now, they straightened up, leaned forward, and listened intently.


    Aurelia¡¯s face lit up as Corvin continued the song. Her smile grew, and a mother¡¯s pride beamed from her as he sang. She pulled Corvin¡¯s face into her hands when he finished and kissed his forehead.


    ¡°My sweet boy, thank you,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve heard that voice.¡±


    Corvin pulled her into a hug. ¡°Terrance talked me into it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to send him an enormous gift,¡± Aurelia said as she pressed another kiss to Corvin¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you singing so much.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I will more often, but not tonight. That was enough for tonight,¡± Corvin said.


    He stepped back from his mother¡¯s embrace. Epiphany immediately ran to him and squished him in an embrace. Tears were running down her cheeks.


    Corvin wiped them away. ¡°Don¡¯t start that. If you cry, I¡¯ll cry.¡±


    She laughed, tears clearing up. ¡°You did it! You sounded amazing.¡±


    Corvin hugged her, resting his chin on the top of her head.


    ¡°Can we sing together again sometimes?¡± Epiphany whispered.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°We can try.¡±


    The white elephant portion of the evening was officially adjourned.

 Bk2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 26 Part 1

    One of Livia¡¯s favorite things about Christmas Day was sleeping in. So she groaned when two tiny hands grasped her arm and shrieked, ¡°Santa came! Santa came! Wake up!¡±


    Livia opened her eyes, and everyone was out of bed except for her.


    ¡°Come on, Liv!¡± Alia urged.


    ¡°What time is it?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°5:30.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± she glared at them. She rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. ¡°My mother would kill me if I woke her at 5:30.¡±


    There was a whispered debate that Livia ignored. She was almost back asleep when Corvin¡¯s voice spoke quietly into her ear.


    ¡°Fabulous, I know you don¡¯t want to hear this, but we wake up for Santa at 5:30 in this family¡ª¡±


    Livia groaned.


    He laughed.


    He pressed his mouth to her ear again, amusement warming his voice. ¡°I heard you¡¯re concerned about angering the parents, but I assure you they are not homicidal.¡±


    Livia huffed and tried to motivate herself to get up. ¡°You realize extra sleep was sometimes the best thing I got on Christmas day,¡± Livia muttered.


    Corvin lifted his head and laid his cheek along the side of her head. ¡°Noted, Hun, but you can¡¯t reason with a four and six-year-old on Christmas morning.¡±


    Corvin turned his head to brush his lips over her temple. His affection didn¡¯t send zings of electricity through her or elicit sparks of passion, but there was something warm and comforting about it. Similar to the security of warm soup in your belly on a cold, blustery day.


    ¡°Come downstairs, Hun,¡± Corvin urged.


    Dread filled Livia. Christmas wasn¡¯t a happy day in her family. They slept, spent time together, ate a little more, and opened one or two gifts, but the whole thing was low-key.


    There wasn¡¯t enough money to have a special Christmas when they were kids. So most of their presents were things they needed. Even when there was more money, no one wanted to celebrate properly. It meant acknowledging what they¡¯d missed out on. So they kept things the same.


    Livia resented having her sleeping schedule hijacked by two children, but she could have overcome that on any other day of the year. However, doing Christmas the real way meant confronting everything she¡¯d missed out on as a kid. That wasn¡¯t something she could shrug off.


    Livia pulled herself into a sitting position. She put her feet flat on the ground but clutched the  with both hands.


    She explained, ¡°Corvin, Christmas is not a happy day in my family. Is there any reason I can¡¯t sleep through¡­all of it?¡±


    Corvin crouched on his haunches in front of her. ¡°Besides the fact that¡¯s unhealthy both physically and emotionally? We got gifts for you, Liv¡ª¡±


    Livia groaned, rubbing her hands over her face. ¡°I don¡¯t have¡­anything.¡±


    Corvin nodded. ¡°That¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll have fun spoiling you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be spoiled,¡± Livia snapped. Then she looked to the door in a panic, afraid Corvin¡¯s sisters would overhear. She took a deep breath. They¡¯d agreed not to fight on this day. Livia closed her eyes and tried to think.


    ¡°Please, just let me sleep,¡± she begged.


    Corvin whispered, ¡°Liv, Hun, I¡¯m not dumb. I understand this isn¡¯t easy for you, but I think it would be healing to create some happy Christmas memories.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Livia said. ¡°What if I sob or panic and ruin everyone¡¯s day?¡±


    ¡°Liv, Hun, do you think isolating yourself will prevent that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll prevent anyone else from seeing it!¡± Livia insisted.


    ¡°You¡¯re being insulting again, Livia,¡± Corvin argued. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re that heartless and cruel? To let you cry alone on Christmas day?¡±


    ¡°Corvin, this isn¡¯t fair. I didn¡¯t get any chance to prepare for this. I¡¯m just here¡­and there¡¯s no way to plan or . I¡¯m at your mercy¡ª¡±


    ¡°Liv, no one is going to punish you for being emotional¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then what are you going to do?¡± Livia asked, panicked.


    ¡°Hold you, comfort you, support you, the way I have every time you¡¯ve cried on my shoulder.¡±


    ¡°So, now this about me trusting you then?¡± Livia scoffed.


    Corvin rose to his feet. ¡°Liv, if you¡¯re that upset, then choose to stay here and sleep, but it will be the same next year and the year after. I¡¯m offering an opportunity to make a change. To look at Christmas with new eyes, to make new traditions.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Livia didn¡¯t respond.


    Corvin walked away instead of pressing her more. She was alone in the dark room. She thought about her choices. Hadn¡¯t there been enough suffering? Why did the past have to cling to you and ruin all the good moments of your future? When was it going to end? Was it that simple? Walk out of a dark room one day and choose something different? Livia doubted it.


    She did trust Corvin, though. Trust was too strong a word. Perhaps she believed him. She believed him when he told her it would stay the same until she changed. So she crept to the door and peered into the hallway.


    Lars and Aurelia were at the top of the stairs. They looked as tired as she felt. Lars pulled his wife against his side and kissed her temple. Aurelia smiled and pressed closer to him. Then they walked down the stairs with their arms around each other. They weren¡¯t upset or angry, and that made Livia feel braver.


    She heard Corvin say, ¡°Hold on, hold on! We¡¯re waiting until Mom and Dad get here.¡±


    Lars announced their arrival, and the cheer from Corvin¡¯s sisters made Livia smile. Huh, smiling on Christmas morning. It felt different. Livia tiptoed to the top of the stairs, feeling like if she was silent and careful, she could sneak up on some happiness.


    Her heart raced painfully in her chest, but she took a step and then another, and somehow, she stood at the bottom of the stairs. Epiphany noticed her straight off before she could decide to run away.


    ¡°Liv! Livia¡¯s here too!¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Alia grinned. ¡°She decided to wake up.¡± Then she tilted her head and studied Livia. ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t be scared of us.¡±


    Corvin turned and offered his hand. Livia rushed to him. She stood at his back and buried her face between his shoulder blades.


    He laughed, warm and gentle.


    ¡°You going to hide there, Hun?¡±


    Livia nodded.


    To her surprise, he didn¡¯t try to coax her to be more social. Instead, he ensured she could wrap herself around him comfortably when he sat on the ground.


    Livia laid her cheek against the back of Corvin¡¯s shoulder and sighed. She loved holding him this way. She slid her arms around his chest and clung to him. He still smelled a little bit like Lavender but also of wood. He¡¯d probably filled the fireplaces after he woke up.


    The family started opening presents, beginning with the youngest. Livia nuzzled her nose into Corvin¡¯s back to ward off feelings of emptiness and envy. Corvin lifted his hand and rested it over her hand on his chest and squeezed gently. An unexpected wave of security flowed through her.


    It wasn¡¯t the happiness or joy that Christmas promised, but it was good and didn¡¯t disappear. The longer she held him, the more deeply the feeling of safety sank into her body. Livia¡¯s body relaxed against his, and there was something miraculous about that.


    She closed her eyes and savored how each inhale gave her the sensation of being rocked. Her fingers tangled in the folds of his clothes, relaxed and loose instead of clenched and frightened. She liked it when he spoke, and she could feel the vibration of his voice with her entire body.


    ¡°Liv, Hun,¡± Corvin¡¯s gentle voice called her name.


    ¡°,¡± she said.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡± He reached back and pressed his palm up and down her thigh. A delicious warmth cascaded through her at the touch.


    ¡°Barely,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°We have a present for you,¡± he said.


    ¡°Do I have to open it?¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he laughed.


    ¡°But this is all I need,¡± she whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything else.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m so excited for you to open it,¡± Corvin said, turning back toward her.


    He was breaking her hold and pulling her to the side. Livia had been too relaxed to stop him. She pouted, displeased.


    Corvin grinned and kissed her lips lightly. That felt comfy, too; hot bread with melted butter comfy. Livia contemplated pressing her hands into his hair and pulling him in for a feast. A gleam of amusement in Corvin¡¯s eyes made her realize he sensed her intentions.


    ¡°You are Taurus tired,¡± he declared.


    ¡°You lot woke me up at 5:30.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making me not regret it,¡± Corvin teased.


    Livia¡¯s cheeks grew warm as she realized his family watched them. Part of her wanted to hide in the hollow of his neck and let his smooth skin ease the burn on her cheeks. She even moved to execute her plan, but Corvin stopped her and placed the gift on her lap.


    Livia wanted to whine like a toddler. She sighed instead and turned to open the gift. Her fingers were clumsy and slow.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, trying to untie the bow for the third time.


    Corvin pulled on the ribbon, and the entire thing came untied.


    Livia rubbed her forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me¡­.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sleepy,¡± Corvin said. ¡°That would make anyone slow.¡±


    He ran a reassuring hand along her thigh. Livia bit her lip as the same wave of pleasantness passed through her again. Corvin smiled as if he knew.


    Livia managed to get the box open. There was a layer of tissue paper to fold back. A bright red pair of beautiful silk pajamas were in the box.


    ¡°Corvin,¡± she whispered, voice hoarse.


    Livia had never been given anything so beautiful and luxurious before. Expensive clothing was only purchased for work. Her family bought pajamas and work clothes as cheaply as possible. Indeed, Livia doubted that her most expensive coat was this nice.


    Livia¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Her hand shot out to reassure Corvin. Afraid she would upset him with her crying.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate it,¡± she insisted. ¡°Thank you,¡±


    ¡°You like it?¡±


    Tears poured onto Livia¡¯s cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡±


    Corvin pulled her face into his hands and wiped her cheeks with his thumbs. ¡°Are you alright, Hun?¡±


    Livia nodded.


    Corvin pulled her into a hug. Livia was terrified her tears would escalate, and she¡¯d make a mess of everyone¡¯s day by crying her eyes out. Instead, the gentle way Corvin wiped her tears and cradled her close calmed her tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful. I really like it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Liv, I understand,¡± he said. Then mischief entered his voice. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go try them on?¡±


    ¡°Right now?¡±


    ¡°,¡± he said, pressing the box into her hands. ¡°Go on. Come back out and show them to us.¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°But they¡¯re so nice, Corvin.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to wear them, Hun. That¡¯s the point.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± Livia took the box and went to change because what else would she do?


    Livia took her time because she wanted to figure out her emotions. She wasn¡¯t sad, not lonely, not mad. She felt¡­loved.


    Livia¡¯s eyes overflowed with tears again. She wiped them away with toilet paper. She must be going crazy. Yet, there was this feeling inside her, the small, frightened girl that recognized that this was what she¡¯d wanted. A life full of security and kindness. It was sitting before her, within her grasp.


    Livia buttoned up the pajamas with her back turned to the mirror. She was afraid to look at herself. She almost walked out of the bathroom without looking in the mirror. But she wanted to check that she¡¯d buttoned it correctly.


    She turned, and seeing herself in something so gorgeous took her breath away. Tears overflowed again. Livia wiped them away. Finally, Livia faced the door, and her emotions steadied.


    She could do this.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 26 Part 2

    She crept out into the room. Corvin was opening a gift, so he didn¡¯t notice her immediately, but Mel looked up. Her jaw dropped open in surprise.


    Alia noticed and looked at Livia. She grinned and gave an approving nod and two thumbs up. That caught Corvin¡¯s attention, and he looked back.


    He froze for an instant, and then his face lit up. ¡°They look better on you than I imagined!¡±


    Livia wavered, not sure what she should do. ¡°Should¡­I change back?¡±


    ¡°Are they comfortable?¡± Corvin asked.


    Probably the most comfortable thing she¡¯d ever worn. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then come over here. Enjoy them all day long.¡± Corvin gestured her over with his hand.


    There was a pile of gifts that Livia somehow knew belonged to her. The lights of the Christmas tree reflected off the wrappings. Corvin¡¯s sisters were giggling; heads pressed together over a toy robot. A lightness warmed Livia¡¯s entire body. She relaxed before, but tense anticipation had left her body. It was nice that things were different from every other year. She liked that it was different. She sat down next to her gifts.


    ¡°Corvin, you shouldn¡¯t have spent so much¡ª¡± Livia murmured.


    He grinned. ¡°I know. But I love to give gifts. You should know that about me.¡±


    He put his hand on her back and pointed to a small gift. ¡°Open this one next.¡±


    Livia picked it up. She eyed it nervously. It was a tiny box. Almost the size of a ring box. She gave Corvin an evaluating look. Would he propose to her on Christmas? Was she getting ahead of herself, having suspicions like this?


    Corvin laughed at her suspicious looks. He leaned close. ¡°Open it, Liv.¡±


    His warm, playful tone sent butterflies whirling in her belly. She rested a hand on her belly.


    ¡°I promise it¡¯s nothing scary,¡± he teased.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes danced with excitement. He really did like this. Livia taunted him by opening the gift with exaggerated slowness.


    Finally, Livia took a deep breath and opened the jewelry box. She was surprised by what she found. It was a simple necklace. A flat, elegant script of the word ¡®Fabulous.¡¯


    She gasped and smiled, eyes flying up to Corvin¡¯s. ¡°I love it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that fancy,¡± he said.


    Livia ignored this. ¡°Can I put it on?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said.


    ¡°Help me.¡±


    Livia loved how casual the jewelry looked. She could wear it with anything, and it would remind her of Corvin. He¡¯d been the one who had given her trademark nickname in the first place.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Corvin¡¯s fingers brushed the nape of her neck as he fixed the clasp. The cool metal rested lightly against her skin. The sensation sent a pleasant shiver down her neck and over her shoulders.


    ¡°Feels good,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Does it?¡± Corvin asked, rubbing the chain between his fingers.


    Livia nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pleased you like it,¡± Corvin said.


    Corvin¡¯s fingers slid back up the chain to the back of her neck again. He caressed the nape of her neck. Livia wanted to press herself into his arms and let him hold her. People were watching, and there were presents to open. So she settled for leaning forward and dropping an appropriate-for-an-audience kiss on his lips.


    When she pulled back, she gathered her courage. ¡°I love you, Corvin,¡± she whispered.


    The corners of his mouth turned up. He spoke warmly, sending a wave of comfort through her, ¡°I love you too, Livia.¡±


    Livia smiled as her heart burst with happiness. Right at that moment, everything seemed so right. Love should be simple. She didn¡¯t need to overthink it. All they needed was to be good to each other.


    Livia also got a book from Corvin¡¯s parents, a scarf from his sisters, and a load of Christmas candy. Garnet gave her a family recipe book, which made her so excited she started leafing through it immediately, ignoring the chaos around her.


    Corvin occasionally checked in with her, but he went over to play with his younger siblings for a while, then chatted with his parents. Then he and Silvanus talked.


    Garnet came over to Livia and sat down. ¡°It appears you are interested in our gift.¡±


    ¡°I love it,¡± Livia said, looking up from the dessert section. ¡°Garnet, can you tell me? Which one of these is Corvin¡¯s favorite?¡±


    Garnet leaned forward. ¡°The caramel apple pie or maybe the salted caramel cookies.¡±


    ¡°Could I make him one today? Do you think?¡±


    Garnet smiled. ¡°We¡¯d all love that.¡±


    ¡°But we already had cookies yesterday. So, I¡¯ll make the pie?¡± Livia looked at the woman for her approval.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a bit of work, Dear¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Livia interrupted. ¡°Unless you have other plans for the kitchen. I won¡¯t get in your way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate someone else making the pies this year. I usually start after breakfast¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± Livia said. ¡°What others should I make?¡±


    ¡°We always make a  pie when everyone is up at the cabin; eggnog pie is a great favorite. The recipe is there. Aurelia favors the peppermint pie¡ª¡±


    While discussing pies, there were calls to eat breakfast. Lars, Lucius, and Marcus served pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Everyone showed signs of fatigue afterward and went to take naps. Thrilled to have the kitchen to herself, Livia started baking pies.


    It¡¯d been so long since she¡¯d cooked while Taurus tired. She missed the zen-like state she would enter. She started with pie crust, made caramel from scratch, then started on the pie fillings. Four hours later, she was pulling finished pies from the oven.


    Corvin strode into the kitchen, running his hands through his hair. ¡°What¡¯s that smell? It¡¯s like caramel.¡±


    ¡°Cause it is caramel,¡± Livia grinned as she set the pies out to cool.


    Corvin¡¯s arms came around her from behind. ¡°That is so much work, Liv.¡±


    Livia leaned back against Corvin. ¡°I made you a caramel apple pie.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    ¡°I needed to do something for your Christmas present.¡±


    ¡°Well, then,¡± Corvin kissed her cheek. ¡°Thank you. I can¡¯t wait to taste it.¡±


    ¡°Should I make ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Corvin said. ¡°You need to rest first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°You are exhausted,¡± he said.


    ¡°Well, exhaustion feels good,¡± Livia whispered, reaching back to press her hand into his hair.


    ¡°Sleep,¡± he insisted, lips brushing against her ear.


    Livia taunted him. She removed her hand from his hair and stepped away from him. ¡°I think I¡¯ll cook three more pies¡ª¡±


    Corvin eased her back into his arms. ¡°Tomorrow, you can cook three more pies.¡±


    Livia sighed, disappointed that the baking spree was over. ¡°But it feels so good to bake¡ª¡±


    ¡°It also feels good to sleep,¡± he said.


    Livia leaned back against him, enjoying how his chest pressed against her entire back. ¡°It also feels good to be in your arms,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Does it?¡± Corvin asked, pleased.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± she said, imitating him.


    He laughed. ¡°Maybe we can cuddle¡ª¡±


    ¡°What about the pie?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I can wait until later.¡±


    They snuggled up together on the couch in front of the fire. It didn¡¯t take very long for Livia to fall asleep.

 Bk 2 Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 27

    Livia snapped awake to Silvanus whispering, ¡°Cor, Cor¡ª¡±


    He stood in front of the couch and gave her an apologetic look. ¡°Sorry, I need Corvin urgently, or I wouldn¡¯t have bothered you¡ª¡±


    Livia turned her head and found that Corvin was still snoozing behind her. ¡°Corvin,¡± Livia said at normal volume.


    He snapped awake.


    Silvanus chuckled. ¡°Figures he¡¯d respond to your voice.¡±


    Corvin blinked a few times, confusion evident on his face. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Silvanus needs you,¡± Livia said.


    He ran his hand slowly up Livia¡¯s arm and back down as if processing this. ¡°Silvanus, what is it?¡±


    ¡°You need to come to the den,¡± Silvanus said, tension in his voice.


    Corvin frowned. ¡°Can this wait?¡±


    ¡°Best not to¡­.¡± Silvanus¡¯ eyes darted toward Livia and then away.


    She wondered if they needed to have a discussion about her. Corvin patted Livia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let me up, Liv.¡±


    Livia sat up. Corvin escaped and followed Silvanus around the corner and disappeared. Livia went to check on her pies. They were cool to the touch and still smelled delicious. Livia wandered upstairs and found that the older girls were chatting in the attic. Livia approached them and sat, listening to their lighthearted banter.


    Thirty minutes later, Corvin and Silvanus, with Prudence and Verity in tow, announced that everyone would be going sledding. After a quick snack, everyone, except the older adults, geared up to go sledding. Livia had a strange feeling that the entire outing was a distraction.


    Livia cornered Corvin in the garage before they left. ¡°Is something going on?¡±


    Corvin hesitated. ¡°My dad is taking care of some business, and we want it to remain private for now¡ª¡±


    ¡°On Christmas?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    Corvin gave a bitter smile. ¡°It is bad timing. But we¡¯ll work it out, Hun.¡±


    They marched out in their snow gear to a good-looking hill and started pairing off to share sleds. Corvin went down the first few times with his sister Prudence while Livia went with Alia. Then partners switched up somehow, and Livia ended up wrapped in Corvin¡¯s arms on a sled.


    Corvin pushed them off. Livia didn¡¯t know if the sudden swoop in her belly was from rocketing down the hill or how Corvin¡¯s arms tightened around her. A delighted laugh escaped her. Corvin let out a whoop.


    When they slid to a stop at the bottom, Corvin loosened his arms and asked, ¡°Wanna go again?¡±


    Livia untangled herself from his limbs and then gave him a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll race you to the top!¡±


    He laughed and jumped to his feet, charging up the hill behind her. Livia laughed when she reached the top. She had to push hard to outpace his long stride. Having a competition was fun.


    ¡°I win!¡± she cried.


    Corvin took a moment to gasp for breath. ¡°You got a head start. No fair. Let¡¯s go down again and start at the same time.¡±


    Thus began several rounds of stomach-fluttering sled rides followed by races to reach the top of the hill. They were laughing and breathless as they prepared for a fourth run down the slope. Verity and Mel slid into their path as they rocketed down the hill.


    ¡°Corvin!¡± Livia cried and dug her heel into the snow to slow them down. Instead of slowing them down, it only made them spin out of control. Corvin kicked out with his leg, too, and they flew off the sled and tumbled into the snow. Corvin pulled Livia tight into his chest and took the brunt of the impact.


    Livia was furious. ¡°Corvin, you idiot. Don¡¯t protect me! I¡¯m stronger than you! You¡¯re going to break a bone.¡± Her tone turned worried. ¡°You didn¡¯t break a bone, right?¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Liv. Are you okay?¡±


    Livia hesitated. She didn¡¯t feel any pain, but she wouldn¡¯t. Not unless Corvin grounded her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I need¡ª¡± Livia stopped.


    Corvin pinched the finger of his glove between his teeth and tore it off. He reached a hand up and touched her face. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked.


    Livia closed her eyes and exhaled. There wasn¡¯t any pain, but Corvin¡¯s touch made her aware of the energy flowing through her muscles. She felt alive, light, and full of energy. His warm hand on her cheek sent happy tingles racing through her. She inhaled and opened her eyes, looking at Corvin with all the warmth pinging around inside her.


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± she said.


    His eyebrows rose, and he spoke in a low murmur. ¡°Really good, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Did you know you can feel happiness in your muscles?¡± Livia asked, closing her eyes again and savoring the feeling.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Yeah, Liv, I know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice,¡± she said.


    His thumb rubbed back and forth across her cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll bet.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the cold?¡± she asked.


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    ¡°Just be happy,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it.¡±


    Livia opened her eyes again.


    ¡°You guys alright?¡± Epiphany yelled down.


    ¡°We¡¯re good!¡± Corvin yelled back. ¡°How are Mel and Ver?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re fine!¡± Epiphany yelled.


    That broke some of the spell, and Livia jumped to her feet. ¡°Race you!¡±


    Corvin was putting his glove back on. ¡°Wait!¡±


    Livia ignored him and started charging up the hill. When she got to the top, Epiphany told her. ¡°We¡¯re all going down once more and then will head inside. We¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sounds good,¡± she said.


    Corvin came huffing up behind her. ¡°Cheater!¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°This is the last run.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia and Corvin waited to go last, careful not to get in a situation like they had last time. When they got to the bottom, Livia untangled herself from Corvin. Before she could even issue the challenge to race him and stand upright, he grabbed her boot and yanked on it.


    ¡°No cheating,¡± he barked.


    Livia laughed and fell back against him.


    ¡°We¡¯ll count to three, so it¡¯s fair,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia waited for Corvin to count to three, but he took off running after he said the number two. Before thinking, she threw herself at him and tackled him to the snow. ¡°You said no cheating!¡±


    He was laughing but managed an offended look anyway. ¡°You tackled me!¡±


    ¡°You tricked me!¡± she cried.


    ¡°Cause it¡¯s the only way I¡¯d get a fair start,¡± he said, still laughing.


    ¡°Well, your legs give you an unfair advantage¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, and you being Taurus doesn¡¯t?¡± he demanded, still smiling.


    ¡°Right,¡± Livia said. ¡°I can¡¯t help that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, like I can help my legs being long?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia didn¡¯t know how he did it, but he shifted, and suddenly she was rolled over his hip and pinned under him.


    ¡°What¡ª¡± Livia barely had time to gasp before his lips landed on her neck.


    Livia was flooded with those happy body signals when his skin touched hers. That prevented her from completely panicking and attacking him. That didn¡¯t stop her from being confused, though. Then Corvin blew air out of his lips, creating an impolite sound.


    Her confusion turned to disbelief in an instant, and a laugh bubbled up from deep in her throat. That laugh where all your fears suddenly transform into hysterical laughter. Corvin was playing with her! He lifted his lips, gasped in a dramatic gulp of air, and attacked the opposite side of her neck.


    Livia giggled too hard to fight him off. ¡°Corvin!¡±


    His only answer was to take another dramatic gulp of air. Livia knew what was coming this time and had enough presence of mind to ward him off. She rolled them both over in the snow. ¡°I¡¯m going to get you back.¡±


    She expected some resistance, but Corvin didn¡¯t fight her. She rolled them over and over again until they came to a stop with her on top. She slipped her hand under the back of his head. The plan was to lean over, lick his cheek, and then run away, but somehow, maybe because she was dizzy or Corvin shifted, her lips brushed against his.


    She gasped, shocked. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the plan.¡±


    Corvin didn¡¯t speak, but his hands pressed into her back, pulling her closer to him, and his head lifted off her palm, seeking another kiss.


    A voice called down from the top of the hill. ¡°See you two back at the house!¡±


    Startled, Livia jerked away. Her eyes lifted to the top of the hill. Corvin¡¯s family was marching out in a line.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Corvin whispered. ¡°Do that again.¡±


    Livia looked down at his face. The sound of footsteps crunching in the snow faded in the distance. A hush fell. The only thing she could hear was Corvin¡¯s breathing. She eyed his lips and lifted her gaze to study his eyes.


    Corvin¡¯s hands rustled on her back. A glove tumbled over Livia¡¯s shoulder and fell in the snow next to Corvin¡¯s head. He ignored it and brought his bare fingers to her face. His touch was light, almost timid. He traced her jawline with a single finger, then her nose, and continued straight down, trailing his finger over her lips, parting them. The side of his knuckle tucked under her chin, and he urged her forward until her lips were a mere whisper away from his.


    Oh, curse him! Curse those quicksilver hazel eyes. Curse her own weakness. She lowered her lips to his. She lied to herself and said it would be quick, but it wasn¡¯t. She lingered over his lips, tasting them over and over. He kissed back gently, pliantly, letting her kiss him as she pleased. Curse him for that too!


    Corvin made a noise of pleasure and pressed his hands into her hair, knocking her hat into the snow. Livia found she didn¡¯t mind in the least and followed his example. She tugged her hands from her gloves and pressed them into his hair too.


    After a torrent of luxurious kisses, Corvin stopped them. He gave her a last kiss and said, ¡°We need to get back inside, Liv. It¡¯s too cold to stay out much longer.¡±


    Livia rolled off him and gathered her gloves, and put them back on. Her fingers were stiff. Corvin rubbed his hands together and blew on them before he tugged his gloves on. He grabbed the line to the sled with one hand and her hand in the other, leading them back home.


    There was something achingly beautiful in the empty white land surrounding them, a fullness in the stillness and a deep peace in Corvin¡¯s companionship. Livia was disappointed when they reached the house, and the moment had to end. They fumbled out of their snow clothes, clumsy from the cold and their . Livia laughed more than once as she almost fell over. Shivering, Corvin rushed them out of the freezing garage after they¡¯d put their snow things away.


    Corvin wrapped them up in a blanket together in front of the fire. Livia rested her cheek against his chest and let herself thaw in his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and whispered. ¡°Stay with me always, Liv?¡±


    The tone of pleading in his voice startled her. She looked up to see that his eyes were shiny with tears. Surprised that he was so emotional, Livia searched his face. Then answered honestly, ¡°For as long as you¡¯ll have me, Corvin.¡±


    Corvin pressed his forehead to hers, ¡°Forever, then?¡±


    The sweet words caused an ache in Livia¡¯s chest. ¡°I hope.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± he asked in a hopeful whisper. ¡°You¡¯d marry me?¡±


    Livia gasped. How did she answer that question? The last two days were everything she¡¯d dreamed of for a home, a family. Before that, she¡¯d wanted to be alone and walk away from Corvin. It was confusing. However, she¡¯d decided at Cornelia, when she could trust herself, that being alone was intolerable. She didn¡¯t want to choose an adulthood of isolation, but not choosing that meant choosing this¡ªchoosing Corvin. It was a terrifying and intimidating prospect. But she was willing to take a risk.


    ¡°When?¡± she whispered.


    Corvin startled eyes searched her face. ¡°When?¡± he repeated.


    Livia¡¯s cheeks heated. She hadn¡¯t answered the right way. She looked down.


    ¡°Does that mean yes?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia lifted her gaze to his, nodding tentatively. ¡°Yes.¡±


    He laughed. He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips over hers. Then he pulled away¡ª ¡°When,¡± he repeated, amused.


    Livia laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Just¡­I love you. I want to be with you. But how is this going to work out?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s amusement faded. He pushed her hair back from her face and said, ¡°I¡¯m smart. You¡¯re stubborn. We¡¯ll figure it out, Fabulous.¡±


    Livia took a deep breath. There was an avalanche of things to talk about. ¡°Tomorrow? Right? It¡¯s still Christmas.¡±


    Corvin nodded. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll talk about all the things. Should we tell my family?¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°Not until¡­we figure out if we can make things work.¡±


    Corvin looked like he wanted to argue, but he stopped himself. However, he didn¡¯t seem angry or frustrated. Instead, his eyes burned with curiosity. Livia could sense him restraining his questions.


    Dinner on Christmas day was the leftovers from Christmas Eve and the pies Livia had baked earlier that morning. Corvin claimed one for his present and didn¡¯t allow anyone else to touch it. His family didn¡¯t let him get away with it without some teasing but respected his claim to the pie.


    Everyone was in good spirits except Aurelia looked more worried than usual. After dinner, Lars and Aurelia insisted on an early bedtime for everyone, and Livia didn¡¯t blame them. Prudence and Verity were cranky despite naps, and even Alia and Mel looked grumpy. Livia helped clean up in the kitchen and then got ready for bed like everyone else. As she settled under her covers, she decided it was the most perfect Christmas day she¡¯d ever had.

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 28

    When Livia woke up the following day, everything was still and silent. The room was empty, and the sun was sneaking past the cracks in the curtains. Livia frantically searched for her phone to determine how long she¡¯d slept in. It was nine.


    She sighed and went through her clothing to decide what to wear for the day. While she was pawing through her suitcase, her phone rang. Gaius¡¯ name popped up on the screen. He was probably calling about his engagement to Salina. Livia answered.


    ¡°Gaius?¡± Livia answered. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about your engagement.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Salina and I will marry on January 31st. We¡¯ll expect you to attend the wedding.¡±


    ¡°How wonderful,¡± Livia tried to keep the sarcastic tone in her voice undetectable. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    ¡°Livia, I¡¯ve spoken with Corvin¡¯s family, and we will no longer be pursuing a match proposal¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Livia asked, alarmed. Maybe Hyrum had mentioned to Gaius that she¡¯d broken up with Corvin. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you are unhappy¡ª¡±


    ¡°I never told you that,¡± Livia said. ¡°Besides, since when are you concerned about relationships being happy?¡±


    ¡°Livia¡ª¡± Gaius did not sound pleased.


    Livia cut him off. ¡°No, we are doing the match papers. You¡¯ve heard it straight from me. I am happy with Corvin. Thank you for your concern. Stop interfering.¡±


    ¡°I am Paterfamilias¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you think I care about that?¡± Livia asked. ¡°Cause you made that mistake once before and ended up pretty embarrassed about it.¡±


    ¡°You agreed to never disobey me again, but you did,¡± Gaius growled.


    Livia was confused at the accusation. ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°You sent papers I didn¡¯t authorize¡ª¡±


    ¡°With the advice of your lawyer,¡± Livia argued. ¡°And I agreed to never disobey you again in public. Specifically.¡±


    ¡°That is not acceptable,¡± Gaius said. ¡°I am the Paterfamilias¡ª¡±


    ¡°I took advice from the lawyer you hired,¡± Livia insisted. ¡°You can¡¯t blame me¡ª¡±


    ¡°Leon is no longer employed with Taurus House,¡± Gaius interrupted roughly.


    Livia¡¯s chin drew back, horrified. ¡°What is wrong with you? You were fine with everything, and now you¡¯re objecting¡ª¡±


    ¡°I was not fine with everything! I told you to rewrite the papers¡ª¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me what to rewrite them to, so you have no right to be upset about this,¡± Livia argued. ¡°Also, you really fired him? He was the only one that actually knew what was going on¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve hired a new lawyer on the advice of Salina¡ª¡±


    Salina. She was behind this. This was unbelievable. ¡°Oh, because you think she¡¯s going to be the one that gets to dictate my romantic life now?¡±


    ¡°Livia, she will be your Materfamilias, and you will respect her¡ª¡± Gaius said.


    ¡°Like Hell I will,¡± Livia interrupted. ¡°I can¡¯t make your choices for you, but I didn¡¯t survive my childhood to let that woman make decisions for me. So, no, I will not respect her until she proves that she¡¯s trustworthy.¡±


    ¡°I will tell you the consequences for disobeying me,¡± Gaius said. ¡°All that work Hyrum and Corvin did create a consensus for the upcoming vote on the Lupus House welfare crisis¡ª¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t,¡± Livia gasped.


    ¡°I will not vote for it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a garbage human being,¡± Livia spat. ¡°You deserve Salina. I hope she makes your life miserable.¡±


    ¡°I am doing what needs to be done to save Taurus House. So, you will break up with Corvin and tell him you are no longer interested unless you want innocent people to starve.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be the one that made people starve,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not worse than what was done to Taurus House,¡± Gaius said coldly, unemotional.


    Livia knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to reason with him. Gaius was so consumed with his grief that she was sure he¡¯d enjoy taking revenge on people he blamed for not stepping in to help.


    ¡°You¡¯ll vote yes if I break up with Corvin¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Livia said. She ended the call and stared at the wall.


    This is logical, she told herself. Of course, things with Corvin wouldn¡¯t work out. She¡¯d known it since the beginning. They were way too different. Her love for him was nothing more than a crush¡ªshe didn¡¯t believe that. She really, truly loved Corvin. She couldn¡¯t deny it.


    Livia covered her face with her hands. She had to figure out a way to do this. She had to because she¡¯d gone hungry. She¡¯d been cold. She¡¯d suffered and endured, and there was no way she could live with herself if she allowed that to happen to another child. She took a deep breath. She wasn¡¯t selfish like her mother. She didn¡¯t need Corvin to survive, but nobody could survive without food. So she needed to do the right thing here, even if it was hard.


    She decided to take a shower before she went downstairs. She took off the red pajamas that Corvin had gifted her yesterday. She stared at them on the floor, feeling the despair of the moment crush her. Some days, you could pretend that your family wasn¡¯t a mess, that you weren¡¯t poor as dirt, and even believe that the future wouldn¡¯t continually screw you over. Then reality descended.


    Yesterday had been a magical day, but now that it was the day after Christmas, real life would start again. Livia stepped under the hot water, hoping that it would wash away the weight that descended on her shoulders. Instead, she only stepped out of the shower feeling worse. She picked up the beautiful pajamas and folded them neatly. She decided she would return them to Corvin. It would hurt too much to hold on to them, to remember how close she¡¯d gotten to being happy.


    Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, she slipped downstairs. The house was quiet and clean. She heard the girls giggling in the attic as she passed the door. Maybe Corvin was up there? Livia wasn¡¯t brave enough to check yet. She would eat something first. She rounded the corner to enter the kitchen and froze. Corvin was standing at the counter, eating her pie for breakfast. He slipped a bite onto his fork and made a noise of pleasure as he chewed it.


    The tingles that sent through her. Livia wrapped her arms around herself, willing herself not to have any response to him. She closed her eyes to shut out the sight of him.


    ¡°Morning, Fabulous,¡± he greeted, voice warm as honey.


    She loved it when he used that voice. It hurt her heart to think about never hearing it again. Tears stung her eyes, but she waited till they cleared and opened her eyes.


    ¡°You alright?¡± he asked. ¡°You look upset.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia said.


    He smiled, pressing his plate forward. ¡°I can offer you a bite of the best pie I¡¯ve ever tasted.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I think,¡± her voice trembled, and she paused to regain her composure. ¡°We need to break up. Again.¡±


    Corvin put down his fork, levity gone. ¡°Gaius contacted us yesterday. We wondered if¡ª¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. ¡°So, you understand.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You talked with Gaius?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°This morning.¡±


    Corvin looked more confused. ¡°Did you tell him you didn¡¯t want to marry me?¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes flooded with tears, and they slid down her cheeks. Corvin walked toward her and pulled her into a hug. She clung to him, even if it made her skin a little itchy. She had no idea how she¡¯d find the strength to let him go.


    ¡°He said you weren¡¯t happy,¡± Corvin murmured, concerned.


    ¡°That¡¯s so ridiculous,¡± she said through clenched teeth.


    ¡°So, we¡¯ll tell him you¡¯re happy,¡± Corvin said. ¡°That you changed you¡¯re mind? Did you tell him that this morning?¡±


    Livia sobbed.


    Corvin pulled her closer and held her tighter. ¡°Unless you¡¯re not?¡±


    Livia wailed into his chest. This wasn¡¯t how she planned to do this. She planned to remain calm and collected. Instead, she¡¯d fallen completely apart. Corvin pulled her aside into a large bedroom.


    ¡°Corvin?¡± Lars called from a connected room. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is Livia alright?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the uncertainty in his tone brought both his parents scrambling into the room.


    Corvin tried to pull away, but Livia wouldn¡¯t let go of him. Instead of fighting her, he laughed and dragged them both onto the bed in the center of the room.


    He managed to cup her face in his hands and look into her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t want to leave me even if you are unhappy.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stay,¡± Livia cried. ¡°It would be wrong.¡±


    ¡°Why, Hun?¡± Corvin wiped the tears off her cheeks with his thumbs.


    ¡°I can¡¯t s-s-stop Gaius,¡± she said, sending fresh tears down her cheeks. ¡°He¡¯s so mad.¡±


    ¡°Why is he mad?¡± Corvin asked, wiping her tears away again.


    A knot in the muscles of Livia¡¯s back started to prickle uncomfortably at Corvin¡¯s touch, but Livia didn¡¯t care. She pulled him closer, ignoring the irritation.


    ¡°I disobeyed him. He fired his lawyer.¡±


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    ¡°Why?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Cause he doesn¡¯t like the matched papers. He told me to rewrite them but didn¡¯t tell me what they should say. So the lawyer said I should submit them under a review¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you did that,¡± Corvin murmured.


    ¡°And he fired the lawyer ¡®cause I didn¡¯t listen. I didn¡¯t obey.¡±


    ¡°But he didn¡¯t tell you what he wanted the papers to say?¡± Corvin asked, brow furrowing.


    ¡°No. He just said you wouldn¡¯t sign them and were insulting.¡±


    Corvin laughed.


    ¡°Are¡­are they insulting?¡± Livia whispered.


    Corvin was still amused, but he said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Livia clenched her teeth and said, furious, ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Corvin laughed again.


    ¡°Why is it funny?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Because¡­ it¡¯s refreshing to be so thoroughly insulted,¡± Corvin said. ¡°How did the lawyer respond?¡±


    ¡°He said it was rare to see such bold papers from patrician women.¡±


    ¡°So he stood up for your interests,¡± Corvin confirmed. ¡°Instead of deferring to Gaius.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But I meant them. So that should make this easy. We shouldn¡¯t be together since I¡¯m so insulting¡ª¡±


    Corvin laughed again. He gave her a look that clearly conveyed his affection for her. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be with me, Livia, let me go.¡±


    That was a horribly unfair request. Livia had pulled him even closer as they talked, tangled her legs up with his, and pressed the flat of her foot against his calf. She didn¡¯t want an inch of her to be separated from an inch of him. Couldn¡¯t she hold him a little longer?


    A silence fell upon the room as Corvin waited. Livia was aware of his parents watching at the foot of the bed. Livia swallowed painfully and started slowly disentangling herself from Corvin. She couldn¡¯t hide how regretfully she did it, but she did. She had to. There was no other right choice. It was a relief that the awful tingles on her back disappeared. Her instinct to be confrontational disappeared. Maybe she was being unreasonable about the papers.


    Corvin looked sobered when Livia sat crossed-legged on the corner of the bed farthest from him. He sat up.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe we can talk this out, Hun?¡±


    Livia sighed, not feeling very hopeful. ¡°Gaius won¡¯t listen to me even if we changed the papers how he wanted them. It¡¯s too late.¡±


    ¡°When we started this process, you and Gaius were on the same page. At what point did that change?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°That morning when I was standing outside Lupus House office¡ª¡±


    ¡°The morning we met with Salina,¡± Corvin confirmed.


    Livia nodded.


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Okay, what happened that morning?¡±


    ¡°He was mad about my illegitimacy clause and wanted me to remove it. But didn¡¯t specify how he wanted me to change it. So the lawyer suggested I go around him and work through Justin.¡±


    Corvin frowned. ¡°Livia, he knows we¡¯d never sign a contract without that clause.¡±


    ¡°The lawyer said that,¡± Livia said. ¡°I think Gaius was trying to delay things¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around herself. ¡°Corvin, I need you to believe me.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he agreed. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve always believed you.¡±


    ¡°Corvin, this is different¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Livia pressed her lips together. ¡°The rest of my family doesn¡¯t. Even though I can easily prove it!¡±


    ¡°Explain, Liv,¡± Corvin urged. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember that day you found me in the library and I¡¯d talked to my Mother?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°She told everyone I was pregnant.¡±


    Corvin blinked in surprise. ¡°But you aren¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not pregnant!¡± Livia cried.


    ¡°Livia, I believe you,¡± Corvin said. ¡°But why did your mother spread those rumors?¡±


    Livia¡¯s face burned bright red. ¡°Cause I asked questions¡­.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia looked at the quilt on the bed and tugged at the tied threads. ¡°C-Ch-Ch¡ª¡± Livia couldn¡¯t even get the word out.


    ¡°Take a deep breath,¡± Corvin encouraged.


    Livia nodded and took a couple of breaths.


    Finally, Livia said it distinctly. ¡°Child. Birth.¡±


    She winced away from Corvin, expecting him to rescind his support at the answer. Her heart raced with fear. Her throat was tight, her back stiff.


    Corvin remained still.


    Livia gathered her courage. ¡°So, she called Lucas and told him, and he didn¡¯t believe me ¡®cause I¡¯d called Tavian weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°You asked Tavian about childbirth?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia flinched, but Corvin was amused. Livia took a second look at his face. Yes. Amused.


    ¡°No. I asked¡­about illegitimate children.¡±


    Understanding lit Corvin¡¯s eyes. ¡°You were trying to understand the match contract, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Livia cried with relief. Why was it so easy with Corvin and so difficult with everyone else.? ¡°I was just trying to understand what I needed to ask for because I didn¡¯t like your contract with Cassia.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You went down to the archives and requested a copy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯d never seen one before, and Tavian said I could do that, so I did.¡±


    ¡°And you disapproved?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why your negotiation was so one-sided.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Corvin took a deep breath. ¡°Livia, you don¡¯t have to agree to what Cassia agreed to. Second, have you considered asking your Mother to tell people she was mistaken?¡±


    Livia shook her head frantically. ¡°That would make it worse!¡±


    ¡°Would it?¡± Aurelia asked. ¡°Because while you have options, they¡¯re limited.¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be like this,¡± Livia cried.


    ¡°It¡¯s archaic,¡± Lars agreed. ¡°And it¡¯s Lupus House policy that consent be obtained when exercising this particular branch of  authority; however, it¡¯s proven helpful in a handful of occasions to help women get out of abusive situations or get through rehab programs.¡±


    Livia was irritated because while she felt Gaius  authority was being used unjustly against her, she could see how it could be just to interfere in those situations. She wished the world didn¡¯t need to depend on people being good to be safe. But every system of governance could be used for evil in the hands of bad people.


    ¡°What are my choices?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Who do they think the father is?¡± Aurelia asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know,¡± Livia said. ¡°Hyrum, I think, assumed Corvin by the way he was acting. I don¡¯t know what Gaius thinks.¡±


    ¡°Usually, the father pleads for custody on the condition that he marries the woman,¡± Aurelia said. ¡°But the Paterfamilias has the power to refuse the request.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s if there¡¯s no contract,¡± Corvin said. ¡°The contract is supposed to prevent the couple from being at the mercy of the authority of the Paterfamilias.¡±


    ¡°That is the reason Aurelia and I gave up our first child for adoption. I didn¡¯t want Aurelia to feel forced into our marriage the way Honor did.¡±


    Livia gasped. ¡°Wait. What?¡±


    Aurelia confirmed. ¡°We fell pregnant during our relationship with each other before any papers were signed.¡±


    Livia looked at her, feeling concerned. ¡°So, the baby?¡±


    Aurelia explained. ¡°Silvanus was our first child. My sister Silvia adopted him and he was raised as Corvin¡¯s cousin. He was the only child she ever had.¡±


    Livia looked at Corvin. ¡°Silvanus is¡­your brother?¡±


    Corvin nodded. ¡°And my cousin.¡±


    Livia looked at all of them warily. They all seemed so calm about it. Like it was a matter of fact detail and not something that was fraught with a lot of complicated emotions. ¡°And¡­everyone is comfortable with that?¡±


    ¡°It took some time,¡± Lars admitted. ¡°For everyone to feel comfortable with the knowledge, but I feel we¡¯ve adjusted to a point where we all feel, if not peace, then acceptance with the way things turned out.¡±


    Lars looked at Corvin.


    ¡°That¡¯s a fair answer,¡± he said softly. ¡°We¡¯ve all accepted that our parents are imperfect and made the best choices available to them in context of their situation.¡±


    Aurelia gave Corvin a soft look. ¡°We love all our children and are blessed to be surrounded by their love and support.¡±


    Oh, it sounded like there was a story there. A story that Livia knew was too personal for them to share with her right now. She took a deep breath to correct something that Lars had said, ¡°But my mother manipulated my father into marrying her. She wasn¡¯t forced.¡±


    Lars nodded. ¡°She manipulated him because her paterfamilias refused to support her after Hyrum¡¯s birth. She didn¡¯t have any good choices remaining.¡±


    Livia¡¯s heart sank. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡±


    Lars spoke gently. ¡°You¡¯re not Honor, Livia. You¡¯re bargaining from a much different position. You should be wary, certainly, but there¡¯s no need to be fearful.¡±


    But Livia was afraid. ¡°What if Gaius refuses to sign any contracts? What can I do to get around him if he won¡¯t work with me?


    ¡°We can make them legal with the signature of your patron and guardian,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°I¡¯m eighteen. I no longer have a guardian¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not under Caesarean law,¡± Lars said. ¡°Unless registered otherwise, men and women have their nearest male relative considered their guardian by default.¡±


    ¡°So, Hyrum?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Correct,¡± Lars said. ¡°I¡¯d advise you to discuss with Corvin what you¡¯d like your match agreement to look like and then have Justin and Hyrum sign it instead of Gaius¡¯ signature. That would give you the protection you needed and a year to determine if a marriage was agreeable to you both.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t! That won¡¯t work,¡± Livia cried. ¡°I wish I¡¯d known sooner that I didn¡¯t need to work with Gaius directly to do this. Then maybe the papers could have already been signed, but now it¡¯s too late!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°Why is it too late?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t vote for the welfare bill if we stay together,¡± Livia explained. ¡°So, you understand¡ª¡±


    Corvin looked furious. ¡°He said that to you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, didn¡¯t he threaten you too?¡±


    ¡°No, Livia, he did not try to manipulate me,¡± Corvin said. ¡°And if he thinks he can do that to you¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, no,¡± Livia pleaded. ¡°Please, Corvin, please. I can survive without you, but those people need to eat. They can¡¯t survive if they can¡¯t eat. Please, I can¡¯t be the one to do that¡­to make people go hungry¡­the way I went¡­hungry.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s anger melted. ¡°Livia¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± she begged him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you, but this is how it has to be. Please, don¡¯t make it harder for me¡­.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°Livia¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Livia begged again. ¡°Help me do the right thing.¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Corvin whispered. ¡°Do you trust me?¡±


    Livia hesitated. ¡°Sometimes. Sometimes, I trust you.¡±


    ¡°You can trust me when I say that I¡¯ll find a way for us to be together and provide a way for the people in my House to eat. So you don¡¯t have to leave me.¡±


    ¡°The vote is only five days away,¡± Livia said. ¡°It¡¯s just five days. We need him to vote for the welfare bill.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying we pretend to break up for five days?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia considered that. ¡°Will that work? I¡­how can we ever trust him to sign our betrothal and marriage papers? Can we also get around him signing those?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lars said. ¡°The betrothal, yes. The marriage, no.¡±


    Corvin said, ¡°We¡¯d have to sue for your marriage papers to be negotiated by your patron or elope.¡±


    ¡°Elope?¡± Livia whispered. ¡°Corvin, that¡¯s¡­serious consequences.¡±


    ¡°But we would support you,¡± Lars broke in. ¡°Considering the situation. Gaius is abusing his power, and it should not be tolerated. Not even for five days.¡±


    ¡°But his vote¡ª¡± Livia squeaked.


    ¡°Can be legally excluded if we press charges,¡± Lars said. ¡°And¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lars, there¡¯s not enough time for that to be approved. It¡¯s five days and the holidays,¡± Aurelia said. ¡°And I¡¯m not sure that Livia would like her personal business to become a public matter. And Gaius has shown a willingness to fulfill his role as Paterfamilias since his divorce from Lauretta. Charging him would have consequences for Hyrum and Caecilia that would be particularly difficult for them to face now.¡±


    Livia looked between Lars and Aurelia and then looked to Corvin.


    Corvin inquired. ¡°Do you want to press charges, Livia?¡±


    ¡°No. We had to press charges against my father, and¡­ I¡¯d rather die than ever have to do that again.¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°So, do you want to obey him temporarily¡­until he votes and then sign matched papers? We might be able to reason with him by the time we get married.¡±


    Livia held up her hands for silence. ¡°Let me think.¡±


    Livia closed her eyes. Corvin and his parents remained silent as she reviewed the situation in her mind. She sorted through different scenarios and discarded most of them. She kept returning to Hyrum, saying she could marry someone faster. He had understood the danger Livia was in before she had. Then offered his best advice. Livia needed to consider that advice since Hyrum¡¯s wisdom kept them alive and safe during the bad years. Livia had already accepted Corvin¡¯s proposal. They had made a decision. Livia wasn¡¯t safe under Gaius¡¯ authority, and it would get worse when he married Salina. Livia knew from experience that it was best to leave immediately when you realized you were in a bad situation. She wasn¡¯t going to stay and let Gaius bully her. It was either marry Corvin or go Rogue. Livia looked down both paths and wanted to avoid the consequences of abandoning Caesarea. So, she¡¯d have to see if she could talk Corvin into Hyrum¡¯s advice.


    Livia opened her eyes and met Corvin¡¯s gaze. Her heart pounded in her chest at what she was about to propose. Yet something inside her knew it was the correct path. She was stepping closer to the person she wanted to become. She was taking a risk but taking a chance on something she desired, something she¡¯d only dreamed of.


    ¡°I think¡­ I¡¯m nervous,¡± Livia whispered. ¡°That if¡­I obey him; he¡¯ll find another thing to separate us. Another way to force us apart. Did you mean it yesterday? When you asked me to marry you?¡±


    Both Aurelia and Lars gasped. ¡°Corvin,¡± they muttered in unison.


    Corvin¡¯s looked at his parents. ¡°We were going to wait to inform you when Livia was more sure. Though, when I asked her, her answer was¡ª ¡®When?¡¯¡±


    Both Lars and Aurelia looked at each other and laughed.


    Aurelia grinned at Livia. ¡°When?¡±


    Livia shrugged, abashed.


    Corvin pulled himself across the bed and pulled Livia¡¯s hand into his. He softly kissed the back of it. Then he looked directly into her eyes. ¡°Livia, I meant every single word. I¡¯d be honored if you agreed to spend the rest of your life with me as my wife.¡±


    Livia still watched him with uncertainty. ¡°So, if I suggested we tell people we¡¯re not dating anymore but married in secret¡­before¡­before the Senate voted?¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°So we technically would not lie. We¡¯d just be married.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Livia said. ¡°But that¡¯s so fast. That¡¯s so soon. But he couldn¡¯t do anything else to me, right? He wouldn¡¯t be my Paterfamilias anymore? Hyrum and Caecilia, they said¡­.¡± Livia hesitated.


    ¡°They said what?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°They said we should elope¡­but I worried about the consequences that would have on you.¡±


    Corvin grinned. ¡°Livia, I like the idea of showing up in Caesarea on January 1st and introducing you as my fabulous wife.¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°Salina would be so mad.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, livid,¡± Corvin agreed.


    ¡°But wait,¡± Livia put up a trembling hand between them. ¡°We need to be somewhat logical about this, Corvin. This needs to be a good decision. There are a lot of things¡­we¡¯re responsible for¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a plan together? We go through all the concerns¡­.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll cut off our bank accounts¡ª¡± Livia said, panicked. ¡°How will you make mortgage payments? How will I pay for tuition? How¡ª¡±


    ¡°Liv, Hun, I don¡¯t think Caecilia would advise you to do this without a plan. She probably had an idea of how you could mitigate the worst of the sanctions. Will you call her?¡±


    ¡°Call her?¡±


    ¡°Let her and Hyrum know what happened.¡±


    ¡°What if¡­they don¡¯t believe me?¡± Livia asked, terrified.


    ¡°Hun, I think if they advised you to take such a drastic measure as eloping, then they will believe you.¡±


    ¡°Will you stay with me? Will you hold me while I call?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Of course, Love,¡± Corvin said.

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 29

    ¡°Hyrum?¡± Livia¡¯s voice shook even though Corvin had his arm around her shoulders.


    ¡°Are you okay, Liv?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Gaius is refusing to allow a match between Corvin and me,¡± she explained.


    ¡°We¡¯re working on that,¡± Hyrum said.


    ¡°How?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Trying to get him to be suspicious of Salina and doubt her motives but¡­I think her ambitions have sold him.¡±


    ¡°Ambitions?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°She wants you to marry a wealthy Rattus House relative who owes her favors. She¡¯ll cash in on those favors after you marry¡ª¡± Hyrum explained.


    This made Livia pause. Was Salina trying to set Livia up with Ancus? Livia wanted to be horrified by this, but all she could muster up was a grim realization that, from a logical standpoint, it wasn¡¯t an offensive match. This meant Salina and Gaius would justify their actions by claiming they were generous and supportive. They would paint Livia as a defiant and disobedient child that wouldn¡¯t listen to reason. If she allowed that dynamic to play out, she¡¯d likely lose. She¡¯d lose Corvin and the life she wanted. The realization gave her the courage to tell Hyrum what Gaius had threatened her with.


    ¡°Gaius threatened that if I didn¡¯t break up with Corvin, he wouldn¡¯t vote for the welfare bill. I believe he meant it, Hyrum. He said he had to do it to save Taurus House.¡±


    ¡°Did he?¡± Hyrum asked, voice cold and angry. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t treat you that way, Livia. He¡¯s talking about the fact that he¡¯s maxed out the amount he can personally spend as Paterfamilias. He¡¯s never lived below a certain lifestyle. He¡¯ll have to come down and live like a normal person. If he stopped flying to Turkey every month, he¡¯d be fine. But he¡¯s looking at the cost of twins now, and Salina isn¡¯t making cheap requests.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t need Gaius to get more desperate. ¡°I think I should follow your advice to elope.¡±


    Hyrum¡¯s voice softened. ¡°Do you want to marry Corvin, Livia?¡±


    Livia rested her head on Corvin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I love him, and he¡¯s good to me.¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°I said to you some relationships are worth taking risks on. I meant that specifically about Corvin. He¡¯s a man worth taking a risk on.¡±


    ¡°We should still be smart about things. We should still have a plan¡ª¡±


    ¡°Caecilia said that since Gaius signed that paper for your direct deposits, he can¡¯t stop you from being paid. Since you never had an account with the Caesarean Bank, they can¡¯t freeze your accounts. You¡¯d have to live outside Caesarea for a year¡ª¡±


    ¡°But what about Corvin?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°He¡¯d have his account frozen¡ª¡± Hyrum said.


    ¡°How would Justin pay him?¡±


    ¡°He couldn¡¯t,¡± Hyrum said.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do this then¡­.¡±


    ¡°Caecilia is saying that you could have Corvin set up a direct deposit to your account once you marry. Since Gaius already signed off on that particular loophole, he couldn¡¯t stop you. The fact that Justin is your patron shields you from Gaius too. Makes it a lot harder for Gaius to stop Justin from helping Corvin after you¡¯re married. Especially if Lars looks the other way.¡±


    Livia looked at Corvin. ¡°Okay, Hyrum, I¡¯ll keep you updated.¡±


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    ¡°Livia,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°I¡¯d like to come¡ª¡±


    ¡°Come?¡±


    ¡°To the wedding,¡± Hyrum said.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll let you know?¡± Livia looked at Corvin for confirmation.


    Corvin nodded.


    ¡°We¡¯ll let you know,¡± she said. ¡°We have a lot of things to figure out first.¡±


    Corvin smiled when Livia hung up. ¡°Liv, between the paycheck loophole you¡¯ve created and my secret account. I think we¡¯ll be able to manage our finances alright.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go over the details,¡± Corvin said.


    Corvin and Livia talked until both their voices were hoarse. Aurelia had pulled out a notebook from somewhere. Now it was full of Livia¡¯s and Corvin¡¯s handwriting¡ªmath problems and theoretical budgets sprawled over the pages.


    Livia knew she had anxiety issues over money, leading her to be freakishly meticulous with numbers. She usually kept this to herself because she didn¡¯t think it was normal to walk around doing math calculations in your head for a half hour before you bought things. Trying to figure out how she¡¯d survive the year brought that side of her out with a vengeance. Putting her obsessive thoughts down on paper in front of an audience was a new experience.


    She was embarrassed, but Corvin never told her to stop. He was writing math problems alongside her. Showing her that the math worked out. When she wanted to review different scenarios, he turned to another page, and they reviewed it again. He picked up on how she preferred to count things and adapted to her logic until he spoke the secret language she had carried inside her head for years with ease.


    Their math formed into a solid plan. When Livia was finally satisfied, her mouth was dry, and her head hurt from thinking so hard. She leaned her forehead against the curve of his shoulder, exhausted.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Alright, there, Liv?¡±


    ¡°My brain hurts,¡± she moaned.


    He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. ¡°I never knew you were so good at math. Let¡¯s take a break, huh? Eat something.¡±


    Livia followed him out of his parents¡¯ room and into the kitchen. She was exhausted, but she felt good too. Numbers didn¡¯t lie. They could meet all their obligations with enough left over for unexpected expenses. Corvin was both financially secure and savvy.


    After they ate, Corvin leaned forward over his forearms. ¡°Any other concerns, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sad Lucas and Tad and¡­even Mom won¡¯t be with me. Hyrum will be here through¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get him out here even if we need to use snowmobiles,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Should we invite Justin and Flavia?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call after we have a few more things settled.¡±


    ¡°Who will marry us?¡±


    ¡°My dad is authorized to marry people, but we¡¯ll need to get a marriage license¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a dress,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to purchase one and rings. We can do a bouquet and cake, and that¡¯s probably all we can expect to arrange on short notice,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°How will we do all that? We can¡¯t get to Caesarea¡ª¡±


    ¡°The roads that way are all closed, true, but the roads that lead into the cities get cleared faster. I checked while you spoke with Hyrum, and they¡¯ll be open tomorrow morning at 5 a.m.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯ll drive there and get everything?¡±


    ¡°Then the next day, we¡¯ll prepare the house and be married in the evening after the guests arrive.¡±


    ¡°Is there some kind of Caesarean tradition¡ª¡±


    Corvin shook his head. ¡°No. We¡¯re eloping. We¡¯ll do what feels familiar to you. Our vows will be traditional, though. No messing that up. That¡¯s how we exchange one  Houses. That and the fact my father is Paterfamilias.


    ¡°Really?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin nodded.


    ¡°And¡­honeymoon?¡± Livia asked, eyes darting to the side as she avoided being blunt.


    Corvin studied her. ¡°What did you imagine your honeymoon would be like, Livia? Did you want to travel? To Rome, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± That sounded exhausting after throwing together a wedding at the last minute.


    ¡°New York?¡± Corvin asked, his tone betraying surprise that she¡¯d turned him down.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to go anywhere. I just want to be home. But wait. I don¡¯t have a home.¡± Livia lifted confused eyes to Corvin¡¯s face.


    ¡°Your home is with me,¡± he said gently.


    Livia huffed. ¡°Do you really want to spend all that money and go someplace?¡±


    ¡°All I want is to make you happy.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had other opportunities to travel. I won¡¯t be disappointed.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± Livia asked, doubt making her voice hoarse.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. What do you prefer if we stay in places familiar to us? Where do you feel the safest?¡±


    ¡°At .¡± Then Livia winced. ¡°That¡¯s your and Terrence¡¯s place¡ª¡±


    Corvin didn¡¯t bat a territorial eye. ¡°It¡¯s likely that is where we¡¯ll end up living for the semester. You¡¯ll have to move out of the dorms.¡±


    ¡°Will Terrence be angry I moved in with you?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°He¡¯ll get over it. We can have the place to ourselves for the remainder of winter break.¡±


    ¡°So, I need to get out of my housing contract¡ª¡± Livia frowned. ¡°That¡¯s going to be complicated.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes they have a waiting list, or you could call Whitney and see if she knows someone she¡¯d like to transfer to live with her.¡±


    ¡°I need to go do that¡­now, probably?¡± Livia stood, clutching her phone. Then she hesitated. She had only scratched the surface of her concerns. Not even the surface. Her roundabout way of raising the topic had taken a complete detour.


    Livia went to the girl¡¯s bunk room and started the process of switching her housing.

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 30 Part 1

    They had to get up early the next morning to drive into town so they could complete all the errands they needed. First, arrange for a marriage license, next the rings, then Livia would go with Aurelia to get a dress, and Corvin would go with Lars for a new suit. Garnet would be in charge of finding a cake and other refreshments. Corvin¡¯s sisters were put in charge of finding a bouquet.


    ¡°What¡¯s the update on the housing situation?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°The lady said I had to show them my marriage license, and they would dissolve the contract. Then I asked Whitney to write an email to them stating she¡¯d been notified. She wrote the email and already has a preferred roommate request submitted. She hopes she can get one of her friends into the contract,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°So, that sounds like it will work out?¡± Corvin confirmed.


    Livia nodded. ¡°After we show them the marriage license, it should all be taken care of¡­.¡±


    Alia stood at Livia¡¯s elbow. ¡°Livia, do you like these flowers?¡± she asked.


    Livia looked at the image she had pulled up on her phone screen, and they went through different flower combinations until it was time to ride in the car.


    Livia walked out the door next to Aurelia, who took in her appearance. She ran her fingers over Livia¡¯s hair. ¡°Maybe we could squeeze in a haircut?¡±


    Livia couldn¡¯t remember the last time she¡¯d had a haircut. ¡°Uh, sure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make an appointment for Corvin too. His hair keeps falling into his eyes,¡± Aurelia pulled out her phone. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can find a place with appointments.¡±


    The car ride was filled with discussions of wedding dresses and haircut styles. Corvin pulled Livia aside after they arrived in the city, which was more a podunk town than anything. They could walk through the entire thing in an hour, but they had three of their most important requirements: a town hall, a wedding dress boutique, and a ring store.


    ¡°Liv, Hun, I should have asked before, but what kind of identification papers do you have with you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You must prove you¡¯re a US citizen and your birth date to marry.¡±


    ¡°I-I have my driver¡¯s license. My birth certificate is at Hyrum¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯d drive it down? We have¡ª¡± Corvin looked at this watch. ¡°Two hours. He could make it, barely.¡±


    ¡°Let me call,¡± Livia said.


    Hyrum answered on the third ring. ¡°Hey, Livia, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I need my birth certificate.¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Hyrum asked.


    Livia explained where they were.


    There was a beat of silence. Then, ¡°I got the certificate. I¡¯m on my way.¡±


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    Livia looked at her phone in disbelief and then put it back to her ear. ¡°You¡¯re one your way? Don¡¯t you have work?


    ¡°Alvinius owes me for ditching me with the Senators. See you in¡­an hour and forty-five minutes in front of the town hall building,¡± Hyrum said and hung up.


    Livia looked at Corvin in surprise. ¡°He¡¯s coming. He has the certificate.¡±


    Corvin gestured at the jewelers across the street. ¡°Then let¡¯s go look for some rings.¡±


    Livia hesitated. ¡°Corvin, I don¡¯t have a lot of money¡­.¡±


    ¡°Noted. We don¡¯t need to spend much. It¡¯s more about the symbol than the expense, Fabulous.¡±


    Livia was still worried, but she followed him. ¡°Corvin, how will I afford a wedding dress?¡±


    ¡°My parents are paying for it. Consider it a wedding gift.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±


    Corvin interrupted. ¡°Livia, do you know how many thousands of dollars they saved doing it this way?¡±


    ¡°I-that¡¯s true,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°Then, allow them to spoil you a little, Hun. No stress about money today. You¡¯ll have everything you need.¡±


    Livia sighed, and Corvin pulled her hand into his, looking both ways before pulling them across the street. Livia¡¯s attention strayed to a quaint antique store that was obviously a tourist trap. Gold window paint advertised that they carried rings, jewelry, and watches.


    The jewelry store gleamed, with polished marble floors and shiny glass cases; even the walls were made of mirrors. Livia squinted her eyes to adjust to all the brightness. Every piece of jewelry was locked inside cabinets, every surface was clean, and the sales associate walking toward them was as stiff and rigid as the floor plan. A little sign on the counter said ¡®no browsing.¡¯


    Livia frowned, feeling unwelcome. These places were always closed to her as someone who never had enough money to ¡®look the part.¡¯ She wanted to leave.


    ¡°May I help you?¡± The sales associate addressed Corvin, angling her chest out and flipping her hair back over her shoulder.


    Livia saw him hesitate, and the cool mask he wore descended. ¡°Yes,¡± he said neutrally, professional Corvin now. ¡°We¡¯re looking for a wedding ring set.¡±


    ¡°What we have in stock is over here. Follow me,¡± the associate turned on her heel and walked with such a dramatic sway to her hips that Livia covered her mouth to hide her laugh.


    Corvin met Livia¡¯s eye. He gave an exasperated eye roll and readopted his professional demeanor. The rings were set up in a lit-up cabinet. They were beautiful and expensive. Livia eyed the price tags seeking the cheapest set. Once she found it, she pressed her lips together grimly¡ªit was enough to ruin the budget they¡¯d discussed yesterday. Maybe they had cheaper rings that weren¡¯t part of a set? Did they have to match? All the settings had oversized diamonds that would make it difficult to do work.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like any of them,¡± Livia complained.


    The woman scoffed. ¡°You¡¯ve hardly looked.¡±


    ¡°Excuse us,¡± Corvin smiled and then pulled Livia aside.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like them?¡± he whispered.


    ¡°They¡¯re too big to wear while you¡¯re working,¡± Livia said. ¡°And they¡¯re too expensive.¡±


    ¡°Livia,¡± he explained, ¡°I understand the cost is high, but we¡¯re buying a product that will keep its value over time. It¡¯s not like a car where it will depreciate, and we¡¯ll lose money. We plan to wear this item every day for the rest of our lives. So it¡¯s okay to spend money on it.¡±


    ¡°Where will the money come from?¡± Livia hissed.


    ¡°Livia, please, money is not an issue¡ª¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°It is! It is an issue¡ª¡±


    The associate said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, there is no browsing. We only serve customers that intend to buy.¡±


    ¡°We do intend to buy,¡± Corvin said. ¡°We¡¯ll be back. Thank you.¡±


    Corvin tipped his head to the side, gesturing that they should step outside. Livia feared he¡¯d be angry with her, so she went on the offensive when they stepped outside.


    ¡°Those rings were outrageously priced!¡± she cried.


    Corvin sighed. ¡°I agree. They were overpriced, but we don¡¯t have many options here, Livia. I can make the finances work.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°I can put it on my credit card, and we can pay it off over time¡ª¡±


    ¡°And spend even more money on them!¡± Livia cried.


    Corvin sighed. ¡°Livia, I¡¯m willing to do that for a purchase like this. Again, it¡¯s something we will wear every day and keep its value. It¡¯s like an asset. We¡¯re not losing money. We¡¯re changing it into a different currency.¡±


    Livia shook her head. She didn¡¯t feel comfortable with his reasoning. ¡°Look! If you meant what you said about this not being about money but the symbol, let¡¯s go over there.¡± Livia pointed to the antique store.


    ¡°The antique store? Livia¡ª¡± Corvin stopped himself. ¡°Okay, you know what? It¡¯s worth a look if it makes you happy.¡±

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea Chapter 30 part 2

    Livia could sense Corvin¡¯s frustration, but she was too irritated to care. The Antique store was the exact opposite of the jewelry store. There were ramshackle shelves stuffed with items. The advertised rings were set up on a long table in front of the cash registers. Some fancier items were contained in locked plastic shelving that could be cleaner. Livia ignored those.


    The rings were set out in rows in paper ring boxes. The collection was eclectic and disorganized. Corvin was curious now despite his frustration. He picked up a purple-colored stone in a silver setting. He inspected the price on the bottom. ¡°Amethysts are pretty affordable, but this one is too cheap to be anything but glass.¡±


    He studied it a bit more in the light. ¡°Yep. Glass.¡±


    He set it back down. Then picked up another ring and inspected it.


    Livia liked having a more eclectic variety of options. The stones were of different sizes and had more reasonable settings. She inhaled as she saw a single white stone set in a delicate filigree. She fell in love with it instantly. She turned it over and found it wasn¡¯t cheap as she¡¯d liked but not expensive.


    ¡°What do you have there, Liv?¡± Corvin asked.


    She looked at him. ¡°I like it, but it¡¯s probably the most expensive one here.¡±


    She went to put it down. Corvin grabbed it from her and looked at the price. He laughed.


    ¡°Livia, this is not expensive¡ª¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s expensive. It¡¯s a couple hundred¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is rose gold, and that¡¯s probably a real opal. It¡¯s a fair price,¡± he said.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°It does have a really unique setting, doesn¡¯t it? Very delicate metalworking, surprisingly feminine¡ª¡± Corvin lifted his eyes to Livia. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d choose something like this.¡±


    ¡°Cause I¡¯m not feminine?¡± she asked.


    Corvin grinned. ¡°You¡¯re definitely feminine. You just don¡¯t display that much. Can we see if it fits your ring finger?¡±


    Livia held out her hand, and Corvin slid the ring up her finger. ¡°It¡¯s a little big,¡± he said. ¡°We could resize it, but it might be wise to leave it so it¡¯ll still fit if your fingers swell due to pregnancy or age.¡±


    Livia couldn¡¯t repress her smile. ¡°I really like it. It¡¯s not too tight, so it won¡¯t irritate me. I can turn the gem around to the palm side to protect it if I¡¯m doing something with the back of my hands. Plus, the oval is pretty flat and lies along my finger. It doesn¡¯t stick up, so it can get caught on things¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright, Hun, we¡¯ll get it,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It suits you.¡±


    Livia looked at him hopefully. ¡°Really?¡±


    He laughed again. ¡°Livia, I thought we wouldn¡¯t find anything good here, but¡­this is a beautiful ring. Unique. Something we wouldn¡¯t find in a typical jewelry store. I like that.¡±


    ¡°Do you like anything?¡±


    Corvin pursued the table again, intent this time. ¡°This has a similar shape as yours¡ªoval. Possibly, Carnelian.¡±


    He lifted a dark orange stone, a warm, masculine color. He tilted it back and forth, testing it in the light. ¡°Definitely, Carnelian. Set in white gold, I think. It was the most favored gemstone in Ancient Rome. Seems¡­fitting.¡±


    Corvin turned the ring over to see the cost. He laughed.


    ¡°Is it bad?¡± Livia asked, peering over his arm to see.


    Corvin tilted the price for her¡ª$25.


    ¡°Well, do you like it?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if it fits,¡± Corvin said. He slid the ring from the paper box and onto his ring finger. It fit his finger perfectly. He met Livia¡¯s gaze, eyes dancing.


    ¡°Liv, I like it,¡± he said, voice low. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like a wedding ring, but I¡¯d like wearing it. We will get it now and find a band I like better in the future. Deal?¡±


    ¡°Deal,¡± Livia said.


    The shopkeeper came to the cashier. ¡°Did you folks find anything you like?¡± he asked.


    He did a double-take. ¡°Are you getting¡­engaged?¡±


    ¡°Married,¡± Corvin said.


    The man laughed. ¡°You know they say those people who spend the least on their wedding rings last the longest. Oh! You chose the opal. Isn¡¯t that the most beautiful stone? People come in here looking for boring diamonds, but that one is a prize.¡±


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    ¡°We¡¯ll take it and the Carnelian,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Pleased as punch, I am. Did you know the Romans favored Carnelians? Supposed to protect you from evil curses.¡±


    ¡°I did know that,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Check out our wedding gown rack in the back. Vintage gowns.¡±


    Corvin purchased the opal and tucked it away, and Livia bought the Carnelian and tucked it away. Corvin took her hand in his and lifted the back of it to his lips. He placed a kiss there and asked, ¡°Do you want to go check the wedding gown rack?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± she asked.


    What they found on the rack was too vintage or too large. Corvin encouraged Livia to look at another stand of vintage dresses. She saw something she liked when she found a rose-colored tea dress overlaid with lace.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she breathed. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty.¡±


    Corvin lifted it from the rack and held it close to her face. ¡°Liv, you should try it on. That shade of pink is perfect for your complexion.¡±


    There was a little dressing room in the back of the store where Livia changed into the dress. She wanted to press up on her toes and twirl like a little girl. The sleeve was cut to fit tightly on her wrist for several inches and then billowed over the rest of the arm. The buttons decorating those sleeves were faded and worn.


    Corvin smiled when he saw her. ¡°That is also a style I never expected you to wear. You look gorgeous.¡±


    Livia put her hands over where the fabric clung to her waist. ¡°It does remind me that¡­ I¡¯m smaller.¡±


    ¡°You mean your actual size?¡± Corvin teased.


    Livia looked at her feet. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Corvin studied her. ¡°Does that make you uncomfortable, Liv?¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°It makes me like my actual size.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s get it.¡±


    Livia showed him the buttons on the wrists. ¡°The buttons are worn down, though.¡±


    ¡°Liv, buttons are easy to replace.¡±


    Livia turned her back to him. ¡°Is everything on the back good?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still in good condition,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯m buying it for you.¡±


    Livia hesitated when she saw the price tag. ¡°It¡¯s $75.¡±


    Corvin rested his hand over her hand that held the price tag. ¡°How much would you usually spend on a dress, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Nothing over $50,¡± she said.


    ¡°Then how do you find anything nice?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I shop clearance or borrow. Most nice things you only wear once anyway¡ª¡±


    Corvin interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s not my experience. In Caesarea, it¡¯s expected of Patricians to dress formally frequently.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll get good use out of this dress,¡± Corvin said. ¡°And if it makes you feel comfortable in your body, that¡¯s worth the price.¡±


    ¡°You really want to get it for me?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yes, please, don¡¯t argue with me,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Livia whispered. ¡°I won¡¯t argue.¡±


    Corvin leaned over and pressed his lips to her hair. ¡°Thank you, Fabulous.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I supposed to be thanking you for buying me a dress?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin grinned. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, Liv.¡±


    ###


    After they exited the antique store, Corvin and Livia split up to look for wedding clothing. Corvin took Livia¡¯s new dress to his SUV while she went with Aurelia to find a wedding dress. Aurelia pulled Livia¡¯s arm through hers as they approached the dress store. They stopped dead at precisely the same time when they saw the banner across the top of the store¡ª ¡®store closing.¡¯


    ¡°We might find a deal,¡± Aurelia said.


    ¡°Or nothing,¡± Livia added.


    ¡°Well,¡± Aurelia patted the back of Livia¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯ll make the best of it, Livia. No matter what.¡±


    It was pretty clear that all the dresses in Livia¡¯s size had been cleared out within a moment of looking. Aurelia made a call to Corvin. He sent her photos of the pink dress he¡¯d bought. Aurelia led Livia over to the part of the store where they were selling what she called ¡°notions.¡± It looked like a bunch of buttons to Livia.


    ¡°Now, Livia, can we find any buttons that will match the color of your dress?¡± Aurelia asked.


    ¡°None of these shades of pink is right,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°These are pretty,¡± Aurelia said, gesturing to a package of vintage-inspired glass buttons molded into the shape of budding roses. They were beautiful and delicate, and Livia liked them.


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll match?¡± Livia asked. ¡°They¡¯re close to the same shade as the opal Corvin bought me.¡±


    Aurelia looked intrigued. ¡°Opal?¡±


    Livia¡¯s cheeks heated. ¡°I didn¡¯t like how much the sets cost at the ring store. So, I made him take me to the antique shop next door. We found this beautiful Opal ring¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get these then,¡± Aurelia said. ¡°Or we can get these golden crown buttons.¡±


    ¡°I like the roses,¡± Livia said.


    They picked out a veil and shoes and purchased the items at the register. Aurelia put a hand on Livia¡¯s arm while they waited for the cashier to come.


    ¡°Is this okay, Livia?¡± she asked. ¡°We can try to find a dress elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°I really loved that dress,¡± Livia said. ¡°Probably better than any of the ones in here.¡±


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s the dream of every girl to have the white wedding gown¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia shook her head. ¡°It¡¯d make me feel like I was pretending to be someone I wasn¡¯t. I already have to do that too much.¡±


    Aurelia¡¯s face softened. ¡°I¡¯m so impressed by your character, Livia. I am relieved my son will marry a woman as good and honest as you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a touch grumpy¡ª¡± Livia warned.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we all?¡± Aurelia laughed.


    The cashier approached, rang up their items, and they left the store. Aurelia drove Livia to check out the options for flowers. Where it turned out that Livia had the most opinions. Since they didn¡¯t have time to make an order, they would have to cobble their own together with what the shop had in stock. There was a lot of lavender, and Livia found that fitting, considering her and Corvin¡¯s history with lavender.


    The other flowers in stock were roses. To add a contrasting detail, Livia added some wheat stalks, which Aurelia found a particularly Taurus selection. After gathering the supplies needed to assemble their own bouquets, they drove to the town hall building to meet up with Corvin again.


    Hyrum waited for them there with Livia¡¯s paperwork. He pulled her into a tight hug, which wasn¡¯t very common for him.


    ¡°After you obtain the license, we¡¯ll chat,¡± Hyrum said.


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing is wrong. There are just things that should be said.¡±


    When Livia¡¯s eyes widened further, he laughed. ¡°Good things,¡± he assured her.


    Livia walked at Corvin¡¯s side uncertainly. He noticed her expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Hyrum wants to talk.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡¯¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in worrying about it. The discussion will come soon enough, and there¡¯s no reason you should expect it to be unpleasant.¡±


    After thirty minutes of waiting in line and showing their papers, Livia and Corvin had an official marriage license. It seemed unbelievable that this was really happening. Livia studied Corvin¡¯s face. He was so calm, and it wasn¡¯t one of his fake emotionless expressions. He was genuinely confident about what they were doing. Livia wasn¡¯t that sure. She wondered if she was being incredibly foolish and was about to ruin her entire life.


    That¡¯s when Hyrum snagged her and pulled her into his car.

 Book 2: Citizen of Caesarea --Chapter 31

    ¡°Am I being stupid, Hyrum?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Marrying Corvin. Is this going to ruin my life?¡± Livia asked.


    Hyrum gave her a look. ¡°Look, this is what I wanted to talk about. You need to forget everything¡ªI really mean everything¡ªMom ever told you about relationships and start from scratch.¡±


    Livia narrowed her eyes. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Okay, so let¡¯s answer your question with another question. Do you think Mom ruined her life by marrying Tad?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia answered. ¡°He makes her life so much better.¡±


    ¡°So¡­.¡± Hyrum gestured for her to take the hint.


    ¡°You think Corvin will make my life better,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure,¡± Hyrum said. ¡°But I see a strong possibility that he will. Enough that I support you eloping with him.¡±


    ¡°Hyrum, I don¡¯t know how to do this¡­be in a relationship,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have lots of learning to do. Everyone does, Liv. That¡¯s part of being in a relationship¡ªbeing willing to learn how to be a better person.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t even know¡­.¡± Livia hesitated. Her voice squeaked when she spoke next. ¡°What to do on the wedding night.¡±


    Hyrum nodded. ¡°Again. Forget everything Mom taught you¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I know!¡± Livia cried.


    Hyrum took a deep breath. ¡°Here¡¯s my advice. Be honest. You don¡¯t have to go all the way. Just try something new. Something you haven¡¯t tried together before. That will be memorable and special enough. If it feels good, enjoy it. Let things flow. Be kind.¡±


    Livia stared at Hyrum. ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say?¡±


    ¡°Sex in marriage is meant to convey your love and loyalty. That¡¯s it. Don¡¯t use it to reward or punish behavior. It¡¯s not a negotiation tactic. Just love, support, and loyalty.¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t feel good?¡±


    ¡°Stop. Try again later.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t pretend. That¡¯s insulting. It may take a while to figure out what you like. That¡¯s normal. Don¡¯t get overly emotional about that. Just be honest and develop your sense of humor. Try to have fun.¡±


    Well, that was a place to start, at least. Loads better than Mom¡¯s advice. Livia sighed. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Hyrum spoke again, ¡°Now, Liv, I don¡¯t want you to feel forced into doing this. I¡¯m here. I can take you home. You can wait.¡±


    ¡°Part of me wants to do it this way¡ª¡± she said. ¡°Because¡­the papers are such a mess, and I want to be with him. I¡¯m scared, but part of me is tired of being scared. I want the decision and the drama over with. I can¡¯t imagine dragging this out two more years, and what¡¯s to say that he won¡¯t change his mind later. I don¡¯t want that. I love him, Hyrum.¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad reason to be with someone,¡± he said. ¡°You have just as much chance at happiness as everyone else, Liv. So, you don¡¯t need me to drive you out of here? You¡¯re choosing to stay? You¡¯re choosing to go through with this?¡±


    ¡°Can you wait?¡± Livia asked. ¡°I need to check with Corvin¡­.¡±


    ¡°Sure?¡± Hyrum looked at her, questioning.


    Livia didn¡¯t explain. She hopped out of the car. She grabbed Corvin¡¯s hand, pulling him abruptly away from a conversation with his parents. She dragged him to his SUV.


    ¡°We need to talk in the car,¡± she said, gesturing to the vehicle. She peered into the windows. ¡°Alone.¡±


    Corvin unlocked the car and opened the passenger door for her. Then walked around to the driver¡¯s side. He closed the door and looked at her. ¡°We¡¯re alone.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia said, heart racing. ¡°I need to check if you¡¯re okay with something.¡±


    ¡°Shoot,¡± he said.


    ¡°Uh,¡± Well, this was difficult to say. ¡°I need¡­Are you okay if we can¡¯t go all the way on our wedding night?¡±


    Corvin looked surprised. Then he laughed. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do this now. Liv, I know everyone has these huge expectations, but many people don¡¯t make a big deal about the wedding night. They¡¯ve already had sex or expect to be tried, drunk, or traveling. So, that¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    ¡°But we won¡¯t be drunk, we won¡¯t be traveling, and we haven¡¯t had sex.¡±


    Corvin nodded. ¡°Granted.¡±


    ¡°And¡­I don¡¯t know if I can¡­.¡± Livia breathed.


    ¡°Liv, I understand this is all very rushed. If we were doing this the traditional way, we would have had time to become more comfortable with each other before this point. So, I completely understand that some of that work will have to be done after we are married. But being married doesn¡¯t entitle me to make demands for sex.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes widened. That was better than she hoped to hear. She¡¯d be a complete idiot not to marry him if he really meant that. The fact he said it at all revealed a lot about his character and his respect for her as an individual.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°But¡­I don¡¯t want to be in a sexless marriage. That¡¯s depressing.¡±


    Corvin smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t either.¡±


    ¡°So, I need you to help me,¡± Livia said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how hard it will be¡­I¡­what if it never works?¡±


    ¡°Liv, we¡¯ll figure out a way, even if it takes work.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re okay with that,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Corvin said confidently.


    ¡°I think I should be honest and not pretend,¡± Livia pressed, testing him further.


    Corvin nodded. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that, Hun.¡±


    Livia thought about anything else she needed to say. ¡°Um, if it doesn¡¯t feel good. What do we do?¡±


    ¡°Stop. Try again later,¡± he said.


    Livia studied him. She couldn¡¯t come up with any reason not to marry him. ¡°So, can we talk¡­about ideas¡­that would be nice on the wedding night? To do¡­if¡­when¡­we can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s one of the ways you relax?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I bake.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Besides baking or entertainment.¡±


    ¡°I-I exercise or shower. I like showers.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Do you know what I¡¯d really love?¡±


    A knot of dread appeared in Livia¡¯s stomach. What on earth would he ask? ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d wash my hair. It felt so good that one night you flour-bombed me.¡±


    Livia remembered the pleasure on Corvin¡¯s face when she¡¯d run her fingers through his hair that evening. Her stomach flipped. Was this feeling excitement? Anticipation, even? That was a new experience.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Livia agreed, a smile turning up her lips.


    ¡°Then,¡± Corvin¡¯s voice lowered, cajoling. ¡°Will you let me wash your hair?¡±


    Livia had settled on her decision. She hopped out of the car before she answered Corvin. She strode to Hyrum¡¯s car and gestured for him to roll down his window. As he did, Corvin came out of his car to hear her say, ¡°I¡¯m staying, Hyrum. You can go home. I¡¯m going to marry him.¡±


    Hyrum smiled. ¡°See you in the morning, Liv. Caecilia and I will drive up for the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°See you,¡± Livia said.


    Hyrum backed out.


    Livia met Corvin¡¯s gaze across the empty space between them. For a second, she thought he was mad. Then his head tipped back, and he laughed.


    When he regained his composure, he teased her, ¡°I passed the test, Liv?¡±


    Livia blushed. ¡°I had to figure out¡ª¡±


    Corvin put up a hand. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re more confident now.¡±


    Livia huffed. ¡°It¡¯s a big decision.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Corvin said. ¡°And I¡¯m proud of you for being forthright with me. I enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°Immensely.¡±


    Livia smiled.


    Corvin gave her a playful look. ¡°Now, that¡¯s all settled. How about we get haircuts?¡±


    This time, Livia laughed, giving him a significant look. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll shave mine all off.¡±


    Corvin pouted. ¡°Why ruin all my fun?¡±


    Livia¡¯s stomach flipped again. She wouldn¡¯t be shaving her hair off. Happiness sent tingles skittering down her arms. This was fun¡ªflirting, teasing, making innuendo. Such games had always made her anxious before. The fact this exchange held no fear, only play, made her feel like she was making the right decision.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 32

    Aurelia pulled Livia aside after dinner that evening. ¡°Livia, in your mother¡¯s day, weddings were strictly traditional. However, things have become more liberal recently. Some families choose to do things the modern way completely. Most weddings strike a balance between convenience and tradition. For instance, it¡¯s still quite popular to do traditional braids in your hair for the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°What does that look like?¡± Livia asked.


    Aurelia grasped her phone and pulled up many beautiful pictures of an intricate crown of braids. ¡°These are exactly what we¡¯d do for your hair¡ª¡±


    The style appealed to Livia. She wouldn¡¯t need to spend hours dealing with curling irons or blow dryers. Even better, there would be no hair spray. The low-tech option pleased her. Livia smiled. ¡°I¡¯d love that. I¡¯d enjoy the traditional braids.¡±


    Aurelia looked relieved. ¡°Now, your clothes are your clothes. Corvin does favor a suit over a toga, but that matches your dress perfectly.¡±


    Livia had discovered that Corvin had arranged for the dress they purchased yesterday to be dry cleaned. Epiphany would drive with her Aunt Silvia to pick it up this morning. He had also arranged to replace the original buttons with the ones they¡¯d purchased at the wedding store.


    Aurelia continued. ¡°Garnet has a knack for floral arranging and has most of the bouquets done. Unfortunately, a suitable cake couldn¡¯t be arranged¡ª¡± Aurelia hesitated as if she feared Livia would complain.


    Livia nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°But Corvin wanted to share some sort of cake with you. In ancient times, it was custom for the groom to crumble bread over his bride¡¯s head and then share it with her, a symbol of the commitment to care for each other¡¯s needs.¡±


    ¡°Do we want cake or bread?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Well, a cake is rather messy for the ancient way, but if you prefer cake, you can eat it the modern way. It won¡¯t make a difference to Corvin. He¡¯s flexible.¡±


    But Livia wanted to do it the ancient way, sensing that the tradition was important to Aurelia¡¯s family by the way the inflection in her tone changed.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I make cornbread?¡± Livia asked. ¡°It¡¯s easy to crumble and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s perfect!¡± Aurelia sounded so happy that Livia knew she had read her right. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to do anything¡ª¡±


    ¡°What else will I do while I wait for everyone to get here?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Well, I was going to show you the accommodations for the night,¡± Aurelia stood.


    ¡°Who will make the cornbread?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Melanie and Alia will be excited to help. I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Livia wasn¡¯t sure, but the girls jumped to their feet and rushed to the kitchen as soon as their mother made the request. Livia gave them a link to a recipe she was familiar with, and they got to work.


    Then Aurelia led her to the suite she and Lars had stayed in during the vacation. ¡°Lars and I will bunk with the girls tonight. They¡¯re so excited,¡± Aurelia said with a warm smile, letting Livia know she wasn¡¯t upset about turning the room over to Livia and Corvin.


    The large king bed at the center of the room had been stripped of all sheets and bedding. Aurelia followed her gaze and explained. ¡°We¡¯re switching out the sheets. Don¡¯t worry. It will look beautiful this evening.¡±


    Aurelia walked to a chest at the foot of the bed and opened it. Livia looked in, curious. She frowned at the empty container. ¡°There¡¯s nothing in it¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a cooler,¡± Aurelia explained. ¡°It will be full of ice and other things that Garnet and Lucius have found to make their time together more pleasant.¡±


    Livia¡¯s face flamed with heat. ¡°Corvin knows the details, so you may ask him or me now.¡± Aurelia folded her hands together and straightened. Her face was clear of any embarrassment or judgment.


    Livia studied her silently, calculating the cost of asking her questions. Would Corvin be angry or irritated? Knowing Corvin, he¡¯d be mad she didn¡¯t ask questions when she had the chance, which meant she should ask. Right? Except, she¡¯d risk that Aurelia thought poorly of her, which wasn¡¯t how she wanted to start the relationship with her mother-in-law. But would she think worse of Livia if she turned down the offer for information or accepted it?


    Before Livia could say anything, Garnet and Corvin entered the room, carrying laundry baskets.


    ¡°You make the bed,¡± Garnet said. ¡°I¡¯ll set up the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Corvin agreed. ¡°Liv! Good Morning!¡±


    ¡°I was showing her the room,¡± Aurelia said.


    ¡°And probably having a little chat,¡± Corvin grinned as if knowing exactly what they were discussing.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t get far with the chat part,¡± Aurelia admitted.


    Garnet laughed. ¡°Aurelia, she¡¯s Taurus. She¡¯s not likely to chat. She won¡¯t value information more than her anxieties like a Lupus would.¡±


    Aurelia frowned. ¡°Then how do you advise we proceed?¡±


    Garnet briefly disappeared into the bathroom with her basket, then returned with empty hands. She strode over to a dresser and opened the top drawer. She pulled out a folder and pushed the drawer shut. She walked over to Livia.


    ¡°There¡¯s no shame learning through experience,¡± Garnet said. ¡°However, if you¡¯d wish to know more, Livia, I prepared this folder of papers for you.¡±


    Livia accepted the folder. She looked at Aurelia and Corvin. They watched her with those calm, stoic faces that showed no emotion. That made her so nervous. She wanted some sort of cue that would tell her what to do. Should she open it now? Should she read it at all? Sometimes ignorance meant less worry. What Garnet said appealed to her. Why couldn¡¯t she just¡­experience things before she dissected them with dread and anticipation?


    Aurelia bowed her head. ¡°Livia, I¡¯ll check on how the cornbread is coming.¡±


    Aurelia left the room. Garnet bustled off to the bathroom, and Livia could hear her bustling around. That left her facing Corvin. She studied him, uncertain.


    He lifted the basket of sheets in his hands. ¡°Want to help me make the bed?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Livia agreed.


    Livia approached the opposite side of the bed that Corvin had selected. Was it strange that she was nervous about sleeping in such a large bed? She hadn¡¯t ever slept in a bed larger than a twin. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t fall off, but what if she felt trapped? Or got wrapped up in the blankets and panicked?


    ¡°I hope my mom didn¡¯t offend you, Liv,¡± Corvin said, shuffling through the linens in the basket. He found the bottom sheet and pulled it out.


    ¡°No, I just¡­didn¡¯t know if asking her things was a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°She might think I¡¯m stupid, or you might prefer I ask you¡ª¡± she said.


    ¡°I have no preferences in this matter,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s solely your choice.¡±


    Corvin tossed the sheet over the bed. Livia caught a corner of the fabric in the air. She discerned which corner belonged at the bottom of the bed and pulled it there.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to know anything?¡± she demanded. ¡°I¡¯ll just have even more to worry and fret over. Then I¡¯ll be more stressed out, which will make the whole thing miserable.¡±


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    Livia stopped talking when her emotions seeped into her voice and focused on straightening the corner sheet over the curve of the mattress. Then she moved to the corner at the head of the bed and fixed the sheet there. She was so involved in what she was doing that she hadn¡¯t noticed that Corvin had walked around the bed until he stood beside her.


    ¡°Oh no!¡± she cried, and she jumped back. She knocked into the bedside table and had to reach out to steady the lamp so it didn¡¯t fall over.


    ¡°Liv, I¡¯m not angry,¡± Corvin reassured her. ¡°I¡¯m here to comfort you.¡±


    She still held herself stiffly when he grabbed her hand. ¡°Liv, Hun, I¡¯m sorry if you feel we¡¯re trying to force information on you. It honestly didn¡¯t occur to me that you¡¯d prefer to ¡®learn through experience¡¯ as that¡¯s not a very Lupus thing to do.¡±


    ¡°You prefer to worry?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Having knowledge makes me worry less.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not always true,¡± Livia argued, keeping Corvin at a distance.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said. ¡°I suspect we¡¯re having our first Lupus/Taurus misunderstanding. You¡¯ve every right to decide how, when, and where you obtain information about sex.¡±


    Livia relaxed a little. She allowed Corvin to pull her closer. He eased her into a hug and held her until she melted against him. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he whispered. ¡°Everything is going to be alright. I promise I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    Livia pulled back. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to be ignorant forever. It¡¯s just not good timing. I¡¯m already worried about so many things¡ª¡±


    Corvin nodded. ¡°What are you worried about?¡±


    ¡°Am I going to be trapped in that huge bed?¡±


    Corvin looked surprised. He looked back at the bed. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so big. What if I need to get out quickly?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Why would you need to get out quickly?¡± Corvin asked, confused.


    Then Livia realized she was carrying fears from her childhood that weren¡¯t typical. It was always a gut punch when she realized something like that. She shook her head and took a step back.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Corvin said gently. ¡°Don¡¯t run away from me. It¡¯s okay, Liv. Just because I don¡¯t understand it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not valid. Talk to me.¡±


    ¡°Just¡­as a kid, it was safer to get out of bed fast¡ª¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Why?¡± Corvin asked.


    She shrugged. ¡°Sometimes it wasn¡¯t safe.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s face fell. ¡°Would someone come into your bed and hurt you?¡±


    Livia realized he meant something different than she was talking about. ¡°Not like that¡ªnot¡­touching me¡­not sexually.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then how?¡±


    ¡°Our Father would come home angry, and it was better to run out of the house. You never knew what time he¡¯d come home drunk.¡±


    ¡°Would you sleep outside?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Sometimes,¡± Livia admitted.


    ¡°What if the weather was cold?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia shrugged. ¡°Then it was cold.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Sadness passed through Corvin¡¯s expression and disappeared behind his cool mask. ¡°Liv, I promise you¡¯ll always be safe in my bed.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s big?¡± she half-joked.


    Corvin smiled. ¡°Even if it¡¯s big.¡±


    ¡°I might not sleep tonight,¡± she warned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think people are expected to sleep much on their wedding night,¡± Corvin teased.


    Livia gave him a playful shove. Corvin made a dramatic show of losing his balance. Livia let out a small yelp when he pulled her onto the bed with him when he fell over.


    ¡°Corvin!¡± she scolded him, trying to climb off the center of his chest.


    He laughed. ¡°Stay here. Get used to the bed a bit.¡±


    Livia stopped. It was good advice. She plopped onto the mattress beside him. ¡°Now what?¡±


    ¡°So, do you think it¡¯s too soft or too hard?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°What is?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°The mattress,¡± Corvin laughed.


    ¡°That¡¯s a thing people think about?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah, Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯s a big thing.¡±


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s inside and off the floor,¡± Livia said. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Well, does the bed feel firm or soft to you?¡± Corvin insisted.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s not soft enough?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I asked you first.¡±


    It should be easy for Livia to answer. But it required her to process a lot of sensations she studiously ignored to keep functioning. She wanted to get upset and stomp away from this ridiculous conversation. She might have if she wasn¡¯t coming back here tonight with Corvin as his wife.


    ¡°That¡¯s a hard question for you¡ª¡± Corvin observed.


    Livia¡¯s emotions got the better of her, and she could feel herself getting ready to cry. ¡°Corvin, I shouldn¡¯t be this messed up¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not messed up. If you cry, it¡¯s probably a good thing.¡±


    ¡°A good thing?¡± Livia asked, voice cracking.


    ¡°It¡¯ll help release some of your stress,¡± he said.


    ¡°Part of me doesn¡¯t want to do this because¡­I don¡¯t want to think of beds as hard or soft.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Cause off the floor and inside is good enough. It¡¯s a luxury to have more preferences than that¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scared to want a bed a specific way?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, it makes sense to me,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to answer the question. I get it.¡±


    Livia turned her face into the sheet and hid her face from him. She inhaled and realized the fabric smelled of lavender. She lifted her head and looked at Corvin. ¡°I thought you said your aunt didn¡¯t have detergent¡ª¡±


    ¡°I had her buy a lavender-scented type yesterday,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°For me?¡± Livia asked.


    He nodded.


    ¡°Then you washed them¡­.¡± Livia whispered. ¡°That¡¯s the nicest thing¡ª¡±


    Livia lowered her cheek against the sheet as a sweet feeling swept over her. She felt warm and cared for, and some of her defenses dropped. Her muscles let go of some of their tension. She realized the bed shifted in response to her movement. She ran her thumb along the mattress. ¡°It¡¯s soft,¡± she whispered.


    Corvin nodded. ¡°It¡¯s very soft, Liv. One of the softest beds I¡¯ve ever been in.¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± she asked Corvin.


    ¡°I prefer a medium bed. Not too soft. Not too hard,¡± he said.


    Livia closed her eyes and relaxed more. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I like this, but it feels good for now.¡±


    Livia didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when she opened her eyes next. Had she taken a nap? All she knew was that when she looked at Corvin, he looked back with a soft look.


    ¡°Did I fall asleep?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°You rested,¡± Corvin said. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t long enough to fall asleep.¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°Soft beds are dangerous.¡±


    Corvin smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you relaxed, Hun.¡±


    ¡°I like this too much,¡± Livia confessed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t wake up in the morning if I owned a bed like this.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s grin deepened. ¡°I like the idea of staying in bed with you all day.¡±


    Livia snorted. ¡°You¡¯d get bored.¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Doubtful.¡±


    ¡°What would we even do?¡± Livia insisted.


    Corvin rolled toward her. Livia should move or push him away, but she didn¡¯t. Instead, she watched him come close, let him lower his lips over hers.


    ¡°Wait,¡± she whispered, pulling back. ¡°Your Aunt.¡±


    ¡°She left to help in the kitchen for a moment,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°So, we¡¯re alone¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re alone,¡± he confirmed. ¡°For a moment.¡±


    ¡°Will you kiss me like you did at the TARP party?¡± Livia begged. ¡°It felt so good.¡±


    Corvin kissed her, parting her lips with his tongue, sending a thrill straight through her. But he stopped to ask, ¡°That way? That¡¯s what you mean?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia whispered.


    Then they were kissing, her hands were in his hair, and Corvin pulled her closer. Livia, to be quite honest, didn¡¯t know the right way to kiss back, but Corvin didn¡¯t seem to mind. His hands traveled slowly over her curves. Caught up in the storm of emotion, Livia forgot all about her limitations and reservations. Livia kissed him as long as she could before she had to tilt her head back to gasp for breath.


    Corvin lowered his lips to her neck, but Livia flinched as the sensitive skin there rocketed sensations through her, reverberating straight to her core. It was overwhelming, almost painful.


    Corvin froze. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot,¡± she admitted. ¡°So much¡­¡±


    ¡°Too much,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s still good, but¡­.¡± A sound escaped out of the back of her throat, frustration and pleasure both.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to stop now?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia nodded. ¡°Or it won¡¯t feel good anymore¡ª¡±


    Corvin kissed her forehead and then let her go.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°That was good, Liv. There¡¯s no need to apologize for that,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have problems after we try a few tricks.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get your hopes up,¡± Livia said.


    She sat up, trying to shake off the reverberations of that one kiss. She wanted to avoid all contact with everything. She slid off the bed and stood up.


    ¡°You¡¯re still overwhelmed,¡± Corvin observed.


    Livia¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    ¡°Come with me to the shower,¡± he said.


    ¡°No,¡± she snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t want wet skin.¡±


    ¡°Then cry,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia rebelled. She stuffed down her feelings and refused to cry. Yet, not crying made her feel furious. She scolded herself. This was the way she¡¯d acted with Arik. She didn¡¯t want to behave the same way with Corvin.


    ¡°Corvin, help,¡± she cried.


    ¡°Hun, will you trust me enough to try cold water?¡±


    A single sob burst from Livia¡¯s throat because the idea sounded horrible. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Livia cried the entire way to the shower. Even through her tears, Livia recognized it as one of the nicest bathrooms she¡¯d ever seen. It was paved with natural stone and contained ample counter space and a large tub. The shower stood at the far end of the room with a clear glass door.


    Corvin turned on the shower and shoved her hand into the stream of water. Livia gasped, expecting the worst. Instead, the cold water soothed all her bad feelings away.


    ¡°Corvin,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Yes, Liv?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°I know, Liv.¡±


    Livia turned her hand around in the water. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m suddenly so thirsty,¡± she whispered. ¡°I just want to drink water.¡±


    Corvin told her to stay and enjoy the water, and he¡¯d return. Livia drank the entire glass of ice water he brought to her and felt back to normal.


    Her eyes met Corvin¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m crazy.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not crazy. Don¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°This is not normal¡ª¡±


    Corvin teased. ¡°You¡¯re not normal. You¡¯re Taurus.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not funny right now.¡±


    ¡°Liv, it¡¯s not a joke,¡± Corvin said. ¡°If you grew up here, you¡¯d be used to it. You can¡¯t compare yourselves to . It¡¯s damaging. You¡¯re Taurus.¡±


    Livia closed her eyes. ¡°Corvin, you¡¯re really okay with all this? You still want to marry me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said without hesitation.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°But?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s weird¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not weird to me, Liv. It¡¯s how I grew up, Hun. This is what it means to be a citizen of Caesarea. We accept our quirks and the quirks of others, and we love ourselves and our lovers despite them.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s¡­.¡± Livia tried to find a word.


    ¡°Reality,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia laughed. How apt! Livia was constantly reminding herself to accept reality stoically. ¡°Right. I guess you¡¯re right. We¡¯ll deal with it.¡±


    ¡°We will, and we¡¯ll be happy, Hun.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Livia said. ¡°I want us to be happy.¡±


    ¡°We will be,¡± Corvin assured her.


    ¡°Corvin,¡± Aurelia¡¯s voice called from the room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your privacy, but we need to start Livia¡¯s hair to be ready for the ceremony.¡±


    Corvin switched off the shower stream. ¡°No problem, Mom. She¡¯s coming.¡±

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 33

    Livia observed herself in the mirror, her hair in braids and makeup done. She liked the results. Aurelia put both hands over her shoulders, and Livia¡¯s eyes shot up to meet Aurelia¡¯s eyes in the mirror¡¯s reflection.


    ¡°Livia, Lars would like to talk with you about papers,¡± Aurelia said. ¡°You have two hours to sort things out.¡±


    Livia stiffened, and she couldn¡¯t hide the alarm on her face. ¡°Two hours?¡±


    ¡°They arranged a video call with Leon, the lawyer that Gaius fired, so you could consult with him.¡±


    ¡°Who will pay for that?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°They¡¯ll submit a request to Gaius to use House funds. If he rejects the request because you¡¯re banished, Hyrum and Corvin agreed to split the cost.¡±


    ¡°What? It should be my responsibility,¡± Livia insisted.


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll need to work that out with Hyrum and Corvin,¡± Aurelia said.


    Livia huffed. She rose to her feet. ¡°Where¡¯s Lars?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in the front room. Your call will take place in the den.¡±


    Livia went downstairs and found Corvin and Lars waiting for her. Lars approached and gave her a paper.


    ¡°Livia, this is the contract we wrote up. It is no longer a match agreement or a full marriage contract. Since this is an elopement, it¡¯s an agreement to protect your assets until a marriage contract is agreed upon and signed.¡±


    Livia took the papers and started to read them. She was immediately overwhelmed. Corvin had a lot of assets, and there were things about the public lands that Gaius had made her conservator over. Livia had yet to learn what her responsibilities were regarding those. She looked at Lars in panic, afraid she¡¯d agree to something she¡¯d regret later.


    ¡°We recommend you review them with Leon before you sign them. His schedule is clear to advise you for the next two hours. Would you like me to set up the call with him?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia said. Even if she had to separate the bill into payments for several years, it was worth the money.


    Lars gestured to the den. ¡°Leon was provided the papers last evening and then given revisions this morning. So he is already familiar with the document.¡±


    When the video call connected, Lars left the den and shut the door. So, Livia was left to speak with Leon alone.


    ¡°Morning, Livia,¡± Leon said. ¡°I hear congratulations are in order. I hope you have a beautiful wedding.¡±


    Livia blushed. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, so let¡¯s get to the papers. I¡¯ll tell you my overall impression of them first¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I find them to be fair and written in good faith. You may want to be aware that several provisions are slightly manipulative¡ª¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Livia¡¯s heart raced. She was going to have to fight with Corvin on her wedding day. She clenched her teeth. ¡°Which ones?¡±


    Leon brought a version of the document up on the screen and had three sections highlighted. ¡°These phrases are deliberately written to reward you for staying in the marriage for over a year¡ª¡±


    Livia blinked. That wasn¡¯t what she expected. ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°They state that if you stay in the marriage for over a year, you¡¯ll receive certain benefits and assets from the house and Corvin¡¯s portfolio.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­is that bad?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a sign that the Tullian family would like your marriage stable and strong. So they are very supportive provisions. The first gives you a monetary award for completing a degree if your marriage to Corvin remains intact. This award will be paid from the education budget of Lupus House.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡ª¡±


    Leon highlighted the second phrase. ¡°The second, on your third anniversary Corvin has stipulated that you will be placed on the records as co-owner of his townhouse. According to the documentation provided, the house will be paid for that year. So, there will be no responsibility to pay for the mortgage. There is a provision that in the case of a divorce, the house will be put in your children¡¯s name. Without children, it will be sold, and the funds will be split between you. However, it makes an allowance that either of you can buy out the other¡¯s half for sole ownership. As a result, a court will not award the house in a divorce to either of you without the other being financially compensated.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia said, surprised at the generosity in that gesture.


    ¡°The third phrase regards your children. On the birth of your first child, Corvin will sell one of his stock portfolios and put that money in an education trust specifically for that child. The funds can only be accessed once they turn 18. The estimate of the sum at that time will be around $300,000.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Livia whispered. She hadn¡¯t ever thought that far ahead. She¡¯d barely considered marriage. She hadn¡¯t considered children and the costs associated with them. It did, however, seem impossible that she¡¯d ever find the means to provide that much for a college education for her child. To know that Corvin could provide that left her a little breathless. She wanted her children to have a better life than she¡¯d had. The number of resources Corvin could provide to accomplish that goal made her feel more secure in moving forward.


    Leon summarized, ¡°So, Corvin has displayed with these phrases that he has an interest in you completing your degree, staying with him long-term, and having his children.¡±


    ¡°Is there¡­anything in there you think I shouldn¡¯t agree to?¡±


    Leon looked thoughtful. ¡°The contract stipulates a timeline for the completion of your marriage papers. You must negotiate those details and sign the contract by your first anniversary. This document stipulates that the deadline for your marriage contract¡¯s financial portion should be negotiated in three months. I find that to be a little optimistic, considering the complications of your  over public lands. I¡¯d recommend we put the timeline out to 6 months.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. Lars and Corvin made no negotiations for access or influence over your land  which is a good sign that Corvin hasn¡¯t married you for access to those. That also means your marriage into Lupus House won¡¯t risk those lands being taken from Taurus House, which is good.¡±


    Livia sighed in relief to hear that. ¡°Nothing in the papers is a threat to the interests of Taurus house?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Leon said.


    ¡°This seems a lot easier than signing match papers,¡± Livia observed.


    ¡°Match papers are tricky,¡± Leon agreed. ¡°It¡¯s easier to negotiate a marriage contract because all parties come under the authority of one Paterfamilias and part of one House. Whereas in matched papers, each party retains their own Paterfamilias and House. That¡¯s difficult to navigate, especially when you bring modern sensibilities about relationships into the mix. A marriage grants a woman more freedoms under our laws, so you also enter the contract with more inherent rights, which means there is less to negotiate.¡±


    ¡°I should never have insisted Corvin sign match papers,¡± Livia muttered. ¡°He warned me but¡­I didn¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else you want to understand about this contract?¡± Leon asked.


    Livia asked a few more questions until she understood everything that was going on in the papers. It took an hour and a half, and then she was ready to sign them with Leon¡¯s single change.


    Lars and Corvin agreed to the change and had the papers altered and reprinted. However, they had to wait to sign them until Hyrum and Justin arrived to sign with Livia. That meant it was time for Livia to get dressed for the ceremony.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 34

    Livia¡¯s heart pounded as she stood at the top of the stairs. Hyrum and Caecilia had arrived moments ago, followed shortly by Justin and Flavia. Justin had scooped Corvin into a back-pounding hug first thing.


    Livia stood in the most feminine dress she¡¯d ever dared to wear. She had no illusions that she looked intimidating or street savvy. Putting those familiar pretenses aside made her feel vulnerable as a small child, but as she¡¯d never had the luxury to display vulnerability, embracing her insecurity was satisfying. She¡¯d felt like she¡¯d earned this moment. On this day, she¡¯d be open and soft in ways she¡¯d longed to be back when life had demanded her unending strength and composure.


    Livia inhaled and exhaled. She was ready to walk down the stairs. She didn¡¯t know how the marriage ceremony would go, but at the end of it, Corvin would be hers, and she would be Corvin¡¯s. Every challenge of the next several hours paled in comparison to that reward.


    There was a murmur as she appeared to the crowd below. Corvin waited at the foot of the stairs. He smiled up at her as she descended. Livia paused. She met his gaze directly and gave him a warm smile that she wouldn¡¯t have the courage to give to him on any other day.


    She watched his eyes widen, and his chest fill with a long inhale. Corvin¡¯s eyes lit with an answering warmth, and Livia¡¯s nervousness disappeared in a wave of love that sent a lightness into her tense muscles.


    ¡°Come here, Fabulous,¡± Corvin encouraged, speaking in his warm-honeyed voice.


    Livia laughed. She loved that tone! She dashed the rest of the way down the stairs and threw her arms over his shoulders.


    Corvin laughed, scooped her up into his arms, and turned her around in a circle. Livia felt like she was scattering light around the room as her toes sliced through the air. Finally, Corvin came to a stop and gently placed her back on the ground.


    Livia pressed to her tiptoes and stole a quick kiss that made Corvin splay his hands along either side of her torso.


    He made a noise of pleasure as she drew back. He smiled at her. ¡°You seem quite excited, Love.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± she said.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    They turned to face the rest of the crowd. Hyrum approached with Caecilia. His eyes wandered over her, almost like he was looking for the other her. ¡°You¡¯re different today.¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good different,¡± he said. Then his eyes teared up.


    Livia was instantly concerned. ¡°Hyrum¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being sentimental,¡± he interrupted gruff, waving her worry off. Then his voice wavered again. ¡°You¡¯re so grown up. I¡¯m so happy for you.¡±


    A tear escaped his eye. Hyrum wiped it away quickly and appeared fine. But Livia gathered him into her arms and held on. She had to gather her composure before she could say what she wanted. ¡°Thank you for all you did to get me here.¡±


    Hyrum¡¯s arms tightened around her. He couldn¡¯t disguise the sob that escaped his chest. ¡°It was worth it. Everything. To see you like this.¡±


    For a moment, Livia thought she would lose it. The darkness of her past opened in her mind and threatened to swallow her. Then Corvin¡¯s palm slid over her shoulder blade, offering support and pulling her back from sinking further into her memories. She released Hyrum and turned into Corvin¡¯s embrace. He always represented the goodness she wanted in her life. He was the light that gave her hope for her future.


    Livia looked back at Hyrum, sensing the connection between them would change the same way her relationship with her mother had. That terrified her. She didn¡¯t want them to be estranged, but Corvin still had a good relationship with his parents. He said that sometimes change meant things got better. Indeed, there was something natural about this change, a timing that coincided for both of them. Hyrum would become a father shortly after Livia became a wife.


    Livia reached out for Caecilia, squeezing her hand. ¡°Thanks for coming up here. I know you don¡¯t always feel the best these days.¡±


    Caecilia smiled. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t miss it, Liv. Congratulations. I¡¯m happy for you and Corvin.¡±


    Livia took a deep breath, still feeling emotional, haunted by her past, but beneath that, something steady was in her core. There was a feeling that said that marrying Corvin was right. The circumstances weren¡¯t ideal, but the decision would set her on the right path. She took strength from honoring that feeling and smiled up at Corvin.


    He smiled back and leaned close to her ear. Then, he whispered, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Livia nodded.


    ¡°There¡¯s no schedule. So we can take things at our own pace,¡± he said.


    Indeed, there was no sense of urgency in the air, but there was a lot of excitement and happiness. Flavia and Justin greeted them. Flavia squealed and threw her arms around Livia.


    Livia laughed.


    ¡°We¡¯re so happy!¡± Flavia said. ¡°You two will be brilliant together.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Livia said, blushing.


    ¡°I know so,¡± Flavia countered.


    Flavia asked about their plans after the wedding. Her eyebrows rose when they told her they planned to stay in the townhouse Corvin rented with Terrance at Cornelia. ¡°No honeymoon?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Not until the situation is more stable,¡± Corvin explained.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°Gaius is unhappy about the elopement?¡± she asked, surprised.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Flavia gestured to everyone. ¡°We¡¯re all here. The news will get out.¡±


    ¡°We hope to keep the news under wraps until after 5:00 pm tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°After the Senate vote,¡± Flavia said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Why?¡± she pressed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want our marriage to affect the vote outcome,¡± Corvin explained.


    Flavia sighed. ¡°It probably would cause people to shift alliances¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer to keep my marriage as non-political as possible,¡± Corvin said.


    Flavia laughed. ¡°That will last a very short time.¡±


    ¡°I will savor that short time with my entire being,¡± Corvin said.


    Justin lifted his palm to Livia¡¯s back but did not touch her with it. ¡°Come with me, Livia. I¡¯d like to have a private discussion about the contract we will sign.¡±


    Livia allowed herself to be herded through the kitchen and into the music room on the opposite side. Justin hailed Hyrum on the way through the room, and he followed with Caecilia on his heels.


    The four of them huddled before the piano as Justin opened the discussion. ¡°I¡¯ve looked over the papers and find them agreeable. What type of opportunity were you given to review them, Livia?¡±


    ¡°I spoke with a lawyer for two hours yesterday, who gave me good advice.¡±


    Justin looked pleased. ¡°Good. And you feel comfortable with the contents?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Justin looked at Hyrum. ¡°Did you have any concerns?¡±


    ¡°No, I had another lawyer look at them. Separate from Gaius and Livia¡¯s and he found nothing amiss in them. I¡¯m pleased that they are written in a way supportive of Livia.¡±


    ¡°I noted that, too,¡± Justin said. ¡°I¡¯d have no hesitation signing them as a witness for you or recommending you sign them as your patron and friend.¡±


    Livia nodded. She looked at Hyrum and Justin. ¡°How do we get this ceremony started? Corvin says there is no schedule, and I¡¯m impatient.¡±


    Justin laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s notify Lars that we wish to proceed.¡±


    Talking to Lars got the entire process started. First, he gathered everyone who needed to sign the papers. Ten minutes later, all formalities were addressed, and Livia placed her pen on the paper and signed her name. Corvin followed next. Then Lars, Aurelia, Hyrum, and Justin signed as witnesses. Corvin smiled at Livia and pulled over the marriage license. ¡°You ready for this?¡±


    ¡°We sign it?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin nodded. ¡°Then we¡¯ll do the rites accepting you into the House and do celebrations that are supposed to bring good luck.¡±


    Livia nodded and picked up the pen. She signed her name to the marriage license. After she finished signing, Corvin took the pen from her and signed. Then he  the pen into an interior pocket in his suit coat. Livia smiled as she realized he intended to keep the pen they had signed their marriage papers with.


    ¡°Now?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°We stand,¡± Lars said.


    Livia stood. They only moved a few feet away from the table. Corvin and Livia stood opposite one another. His parents stood on either side of him. Hyrum and Caecilia stood on either side of Livia.


    ¡°Who will serve as the ?¡± Lars asked.


    ¡°I will,¡± Caecilia answered.


    Lars nodded. ¡°Then let us begin.¡±


    Livia looked over at Caecilia. ¡°What does that mean?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s my job to lead you over there,¡± she whispered.


    Aurelia spoke. ¡°Paterfamilias, can we bring this woman into the House and assure her all the privileges and protections of our care?¡±


    ¡°Materfamilias, it would be my great honor to join her with Corvin Tullius if he will accept her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will accept her,¡± Corvin answered.


    ¡°Do you promise to provide, protect, and prepare Livia against all future challenges you may face?¡±


    ¡°I solemnly promise,¡± Corvin said.


    Lars smiled. ¡°, please lead Livia to Corvin and join their hands.¡±


    Caecilia took Livia by the elbow and guided her across the space between them and Corvin. When they reached them, Caecilia arranged their hands so that Livia¡¯s hand encircled Corvin¡¯s wrist and Corvin¡¯s hand encircled Livia¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°Livia,¡± Caecilia said. ¡°You say, ¡®Under your promise, I am a wife, and you a husband.¡¯¡±


    Livia looked at Corvin for reassurance. He nodded, encouraging her. This was very different from what she¡¯d expected. Not familiar at all.


    She spoke uncertainly, ¡°Under your promise, I am a wife and you a husband.¡±


    ¡°Under my promise, I am a husband and you a wife,¡± he responded.


    A shiver ran down the length of Livia¡¯s back. A rush of clarity filled her mind. She felt Corvin¡¯s hand tighten against her wrist and then relax. Their eyes met, and an unspoken connection passed between them.


    Livia¡¯s eyes strayed to Aurelia when she spoke, ¡°Livia, as you have accepted the position of wife of Corvin Tullius in Lupus House, you will be welcomed as part of our family. We promise to support Corvin as he provides, protects, and prepares you for the future. Remember that his happiness is now your happiness. Your future is also his future. So be kind and supportive, wise and patient.¡±


    Lars smiled. ¡°.¡±


    The rest of the wedding party repeated the words three times after Lars.


    ¡°! ! .¡±


    Corvin pulled Livia in close by her wrist. He whispered. ¡°It¡¯s not required, but customary we kiss now.¡±


    Livia nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll kiss.¡±


    Corvin searched her expression, ensuring she was comfortable, and then leaned down and lightly brushed his lips over hers. Everyone clapped and cheered.


    Livia laughed when he pulled back. ¡°We¡¯re married?¡±


    ¡°Almost. I must provide you with fire and water,¡± he said.


    Livia was confused. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an ancient custom,¡± he said. He released her wrist and clasped her hand instead. ¡°Come over here.¡±


    Corvin led her over to the fireplace that had been cleaned and emptied all morning. Livia had figured they wanted to keep the room cooler since so many people would be in attendance.


    ¡°Remember how you requested I teach you to build a fire once?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, now, I will teach you,¡± he said.


    Livia blushed. ¡°Back then¡­did that mean¡­was that some sort of accidental proposal¡ª¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°I got teased the next day. Of course, we were all amused at the connection, but considering the context, we knew you¡¯d done it innocently.¡±


    ¡°Does every husband really teach their wife how to make a fire on their wedding day?¡± Livia pressed.


    ¡°The custom now is to light and extinguish candles together.¡± Corvin grinned. ¡°But I wanted to do it this way because you asked that night.¡±


    So Corvin led her over to the fireplace and taught her how to make a bed of tinder and place the logs over it so the fire could burn without getting smothered.


    He held out a twig to Livia. ¡°When I light this, use it to start the fire. Then pull it back out, and we¡¯ll douse it in this water bowl.¡±


    Livia followed his instructions.


    He lit the twig, and Livia followed Corvin¡¯s instructions exactly. She smiled as smoke rose from the water where she doused the stick.


    ¡°Now we¡¯re married?¡± she asked.


    Corvin leaned forward and gave her a peck on the lips. ¡°Now, you are my fabulous wife.¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°Good.¡±


    Next followed a ridiculous series of shenanigans. Corvin arm-wrestled both Justin and Hyrum now that he¡¯d gained Taurus strength. Livia was assigned to cheer for Justin and Hyrum and was supposed to act sad when they lost. This would bring them a prosperous marriage. Livia wasn¡¯t sure about the prosperous part, but it did make her laugh.


    Then there was sprinkling cornbread crumbs over each other¡¯s heads, which Livia also found humorous. Especially since Corvin did it with such solemnity. She kept giggling and apologizing because she couldn¡¯t tell if Corvin¡¯s demeanor was facetious. Corvin¡¯s family was laughing, so Livia assumed her giggling wasn¡¯t offensive. She didn¡¯t really know until Corvin broke into a mischievous smile at the end. Livia rolled her eyes at him and let out a full laugh.


    There were several dances, bouquet throwing, and a dinner that included toasts and speeches. Just when Livia started longing for the party part of the evening to be over, Corvin turned to her. ¡°Why don¡¯t we retire for the night?¡±


    ¡°Can we?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°We have done all of the things,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Unless you want to dance again?¡±


    Livia shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s bid farewell to our guests,¡± Corvin said.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 35

    Corvin hauled Livia into his arms and carried her over the threshold of their room. Livia held her breath until Corvin released her, returning her feet to the ground.


    He gave their wedding guests a smile. ¡°We plan to enjoy the rest of our evening alone. Good night.¡±


    Then he shut the door and locked it. He inhaled a deep breath and released it. He turned to Livia.


    ¡°We¡¯re married, Liv.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, now what do we do?¡±


    Corvin unbuttoned his suit coat and removed it. ¡°Get in more comfortable clothes.¡±


    ¡°You mean get rid of our clothes?¡± Livia asked, voice uncertain.


    Corvin strode across the room to drape his jacket over a chair. ¡°That¡¯s not what I said. We got stuff to do.¡±


    ¡°What stuff?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to take your hair down. We can¡¯t wash it like that. Then it¡¯s lucky to make offerings,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°Offerings?¡± Livia asked, confused.


    ¡°To welcome you to Lupus House,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡± Livia asked, curious. ¡°I never took you for being superstitious.¡±


    ¡°Liv, it doesn¡¯t make sense, but¡­ it¡¯s kind of nice. It¡¯s a welcoming ritual. A symbol of making you my family.¡±


    Livia smiled. She¡¯d let him make his sweet gesture. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Corvin had untied his tie and was unbuttoning his dress shirt. Livia looked around the room.


    ¡°Corvin?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Hun?¡±


    ¡°What are we changing into?¡± Livia asked awkwardly.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m so distracted. Sorry.¡±


    Livia realized Corvin was nervous. Her stoic, calm husband was actually worried about how this night would go.


    ¡°There are things in the bathroom,¡± he said.


    Livia walked over to him, intending to comfort him. She touched his chest to get his attention as he removed his cuff links.


    Livia froze, realizing that her palms connected with his bare skin. The surprise distracted her from her purpose. Corvin¡¯s full attention was on her instantly, further flustering her. They stood there silent for a few moments. Livia tried to pull her thoughts together and stop analyzing the feel of his skin against her palms. She could feel the heat of his body, so her hands must be cold¡ª


    ¡°Liv?¡± Corvin inquired.


    ¡°I came over here¡­¡± Livia swallowed. ¡°To say¡ª¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes fell to his chest, and her thumb ran across a patch of his chest hair. She was surprised at how soft it felt.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°You¡¯re distracted by my body.¡±


    Livia cringed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Corvin laughed again. ¡°I¡¯m flattered. It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s nice to be admired.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be nervous,¡± Livia¡¯s voice was far from reassuring. She cleared her throat, trying to speak with more confidence. ¡°All I need is for you to be nice to me.¡±


    Clearing her throat hadn¡¯t helped anything. Instead, the reassurance came out soft and full of vulnerability. Livia felt like an insecure child and tried to shake the feeling off.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need presents, fancy¡­beds¡­or any of those romantic things. Just be nice to me.¡± There! She¡¯d sounded like herself. No-nonsense and decisive.


    Corvin¡¯s entire countenance softened. He pulled her face into his hands. He peered into her eyes. ¡°Are you scared, Liv?¡±


    Livia struggled to answer. ¡°I feel¡­very intimidated,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be,¡± he said. He brushed his thumbs over her cheeks. ¡°I plan to be very considerate of you every moment this evening. I want tonight to be comfortable and pleasant for you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be disappointed.¡±


    Corvin pressed his forehead to hers. ¡°You¡¯ve just agreed to spend your life with me, Liv. When we are ready, there will be plenty of time to try everything.¡±


    Livia sighed, flooded with a desire to be physically close to him. In her fantasies, it¡¯d be easy to press her skin to his, bask in his closeness, and enjoy his affection without conditions. For an instant, she melted against him, titled her lips up to him to capture in a passionate embrace.


    Then reality descended. She was limited in how long that would last. She tucked her chin in, suddenly cautious. She shouldn¡¯t get carried away. Livia pulled away, trying to bury her ache and temper her desire with practicality.


    ¡°There¡¯s clothing in the bathroom?¡± she repeated.


    Corvin didn¡¯t comment on the change in her demeanor, abrupt as it was, and answered. ¡°Yeah. Go look.¡±


    The bathroom had transformed from that morning. Livia hesitated as she stepped inside. Dimmed lighting gave the bathroom a welcome glow. A fresh bouquet of lavender rested in a vase on the center of the counter. There was some kind of incense burner there with two lines of oils on either side. A fresh candle waited to be lit under the urn.


    On the far end of the counter, there was a tin full of freshly laundered towels. Two robes hung on the hooks outside the shower. Two small vintage leather suitcases were on the counter at Livia¡¯s immediate right. One had Livia¡¯s name applied to the side, and the other had Corvin¡¯s name.


    Livia undid the clasps and lifted the lid. A clear case held  spray and an odd brush that Livia hadn¡¯t seen before. She lifted the packet out to inspect the brush closer.


    Corvin came in, wearing only his suit pants. ¡°What¡¯s that, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Some weird kind of brush,¡± she said.


    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s the one I asked Garnet to get,¡± he said, touching the other side of the bag. ¡°It¡¯s a  brush. It¡¯s supposed to be gentle on snarls, so brushing doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Livia looked at him. ¡°You plan to brush my hair?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ll allow me,¡± he said.


    ¡°That¡¯d be nice,¡± Livia whispered.


    ¡°What other things did they put in there?¡± Corvin gestured to her case.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I gave Garnet my red pajamas. I hope they¡¯re in there.¡±


    Livia lifted the lid. She did indeed find her red pajamas


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a break from this? And do the welcome ritual?¡± Corvin suggested.


    He moved to the candle on the center of the counter. He brought Livia close to him with a guiding hand on the small of her back. He gestured toward the lines of oils.


    ¡°This line is for me, and this line is for you. Choose your favorite.¡±


    Livia selected a lavender scent. Corvin decided on Lemon. They both poured several drops of oil into the bowl of the burner together. Then Corvin added water until the rim of the bowl was filled.


    He grabbed a match and used it to light the candle. His voice murmured softly, ¡°Wise-eyed Minerva, bless us with the wisdom and hospitality of ancients as we walk on this new path together as husband and wife. Let us be a shield of protection against all threats without or within so that we may be each other¡¯s sanctuary. Let us learn the art of pleasuring each other so that our love may be a source of joy and rejuvenation.¡±


    Livia had only expected to watch Corvin with patronizing amusement during this ceremony. She didn¡¯t expect to feel a peaceful moment of reverence. To feel like somewhere out there, a presence listened to the righteous hopes of her husband. Livia had to blink back tears. They stood in silence as Corvin gently placed the candle under the bowl of the burner.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s really listening?¡± Livia asked.


    She sensed Corvin¡¯s seriousness as he pondered the question. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m skeptical of the gods being actual personages, but I¡¯ve seen too many things to deny there¡¯s something out there. A he or she, a reflective energy that listens and holds space for all our hopes and pains.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know that it¡¯s Minerva?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the being or energy is Minerva precisely. I do think Minerva reflects an aspect of their character. Despite our limited human attempts to define and approach this being, they listen and sometimes answer. I wonder why sometimes they answer and sometimes they don¡¯t. It¡¯s a mystery¡ªa thing that can¡¯t be known.¡±


    Livia quietly pondered Corvin¡¯s words. ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± she whispered. ¡°But this was beautiful. I¡¯ll remember it always.¡±


    Corvin pulled Livia into a hug and held her. Then he stepped away. He lifted the lid of his case. He sorted through the contents then he picked up a clear bag that was similar to hers. ¡°Ah, Garnet, you¡¯re the best.¡±


    There were a bunch of small colorful bottles in the clear bag. ¡°What¡­is that? A bunch of different travel shampoos?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin unzipped the bag, walked over to the end of the counter, and started arranging them in matching pairs. ¡°There¡¯s conditioner too.¡±


    ¡°Why are there so many?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°So you can choose your favorite,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize any of those¡ª¡±


    ¡°This tea tree one with lavender in it looks really nice.¡± Corvin handed it to her.


    Livia opened the lid and smelled it. She loved the strong scent. ¡°. What else is there over there?¡±


    Livia and Corvin spent the next ten minutes smelling and discussing shampoos. Finally, Livia decided to go with the tea tree oil Corvin recommended. While Corvin chose a fruity smelling one.¡±


    ¡°Liv, Hun, you¡¯re still in your veil,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take it off?¡±


    Livia patted it with a tentative hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know how.¡±


    ¡°How did they attach it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a comb and bobby pins,¡± she said.


    Corvin pulled a small bench out from under the counter and gestured for her to sit. Livia sat and bent her head forward so he could get at the veil better. Corvin removed it and draped it over her lap. Then his fingers gently pulled the bobby pins from her hair. Soon, most of her hairstyle was undone except for the six braids.


    ¡°Are you still comfortable, Liv? Do you want me to keep going?  these?¡± Corvin ran his palm under the locks.


    ¡°Yes,  them.¡±


    Carefully, Corvin unraveled each braid. Livia¡¯s hair looked wild and unmanageable. Corvin grabbed the bag with the  brush. He sprayed Livia¡¯s hair with the  spray. Then brushed her snarls until her hair was sleek and smooth again.


    ¡°Liv, your hair is so beautiful,¡± Corvin set aside the brush and ran his fingers through the top layer of her hair.


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Even when you have it in your braid, you can tell it¡¯s thick and smooth.¡± Corvin studied her face in the mirror, pressing his hands deeper into her hair.


    Livia jerked away as uncomfortable sensations skipped down the back of her neck. Corvin removed his hands from her hair. ¡°You don¡¯t like that.¡±


    He returned the spray and brush to their bag and then moved to Livia¡¯s suitcase. He hesitated. ¡°May I get into this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia answered.


    Corvin lifted the lid and returned the bag. He pulled out Livia¡¯s red pajamas and set them on the counter. Then he rifled through the rest of the contents. Livia watched his face for any clues of what was in there, but he remained expressionless as if he wasn¡¯t affected at all by the scandalous things Livia knew were in there.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°This must be the swimsuit I asked Garnet to get.¡± Corvin removed a scandalous string bikini.


    Livia told herself not to blush, but she did. Seeing her skin flush in the mirror only made her turn redder. She tried to salvage some of her composure by remaining calm.


    ¡°Fabulous,¡± Corvin said. ¡°What do you prefer for our shower?¡±


    ¡°I have a choice between being naked and that¡­thing?¡± Livia asked. ¡°What are you wearing?¡±


    A mischievous grin appeared on Corvin¡¯s face. He got into his bag and pulled out a . To top it off, it had an image of the Leaning Tower of Pisa on the front.


    Livia¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me!¡±


    Corvin started laughing. Livia did, too, because it was a ridiculously embarrassing thing to wear.


    ¡°Do you think the tower will look ?¡± Corvin joked.


    Livia gasped and hid her face, scandalized thoroughly. ¡°Corvin!¡±


    He broke into a gale of laughter again. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Liv. It¡¯s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to wear something so completely atrocious. Accepting the opportunity will provide perspective on all my fashion choices.¡±


    Livia laughed so hard that tears rolled down her cheeks. Finally, she gasped and regained her composure. ¡°I guess if you¡¯re brave enough to wear yours, I¡¯m brave enough to wear mine.¡±


    In a way, it was nice that it was so funny. They laughed through all the awkward and embarrassing bits of the experience, like when Livia couldn¡¯t figure out how to tie her top. She held the suit against her body and sought Corvin for help. They discovered that the strings were held together with a price tag that needed to be ripped off. Corvin made short work of untangling the strings after that. Livia hands were shaking, so Corvin offered to tie them.


    ¡°I doing a square knot, Hun,¡± he said. Then after he was done, ¡°Wait¡­will we be able to untie it?¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°Watch us cut it off¡ª¡±


    Corvin chuckled.


    ¡°Your aunt is banned from buying swimsuits,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Yours actually looks quite nice,¡± Corvin said, giving her an admiring look.


    Livia shook her head. ¡°I hate it. The strings are going to feel like spaghetti when they get wet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say we could just take it off then, but we¡¯re not even sure about that now,¡± Corvin joked.


    Livia laughed again. ¡°Do we even have scissors? Can you imagine us going out to the front room and asking for scissors from your family tonight?¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°I¡¯d rather sneak through the house ninja style¡ª¡±


    ¡°Only if you¡¯re in that atrocious  while you do it,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin laughed heartily at that suggestion, eyes tearing up with mirth.


    ¡°Only then would you be truly motivated to remain completely unseen,¡± Livia added.


    Corvin laughed even harder.


    Livia loved seeing him so happy. She relished the sound of his warm, genuine laugh. She hoped they laughed like this often. Corvin reached out, still chuckling, and grasped her hand.


    He tugged her toward the shower. Livia sobered, but the effect of their laughter had a buffering effect on her nerves. She followed him into the shower.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check out the water,¡± he said smoothly. He turned on the water and started to adjust it. ¡°Justin tried to explain how to not get too cold. Do you have any advice?¡±


    ¡°I just try to watch the color of my skin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not as fair as you,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that would work. But going by your skin tone is fine.¡±


    Corvin adjusted the temperature, more finicky than Livia would be. Finally, he said, ¡°Try that.¡±


    Livia put her hand under the stream. The instant sensation of pleasantness flowed over her. ¡°, that¡¯s perfect,¡± she said.


    Livia stepped into the stream to get her whole body. Then she tilted her head back to wet her hair. The cold water felt so divine she closed her eyes, and a sigh of relief escaped her throat.


    ¡°May I join you?¡± Corvin asked, easing up behind her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll move.¡± Livia tried to step aside, but Corvin grasped her hip to keep her in place. ¡°How, then?¡± she asked him.


    Corvin¡¯s chest came to rest against her back. ¡°Let me be close to you,¡± he said.


    Livia was nervous at first, stiff and unsure. But the cold water washed away all her discomfort. Corvin wasn¡¯t in any sort of rush. He waited patiently for Livia to adjust to his closeness. Livia was confused for a moment that she wasn¡¯t uncomfortable yet.


    ¡°Is it really this easy?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°The cold water just washes away all the weird sensations?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the theory,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I find this quite nice. How about you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not uncomfortable,¡± Livia said. She took a deep breath and turned to face Corvin.


    He smiled. ¡°Hey, Fabulous.¡±


    Livia stared at him. Not sure what to do with him. This was exceedingly strange and not in the way she¡¯d expected. She thought she¡¯d be more scared or nervous. Instead, she was baffled, which was ridiculous.


    ¡°What¡¯s that look mean?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s just wash my hair to start off.¡±


    Corvin slipped past her to where he¡¯d set their shampoos on the stone bench at the end of the shower. Corvin sat on the little waterproof cushion that Garnet had placed in the center of the bench. Livia drizzled shampoo into the center of her palm, enjoying the smell of crisp citrus.


    She pressed her hand through Corvin¡¯s hair spreading the shampoo through it. ¡°Smells good,¡± she said.


    ¡°I like it,¡± Corvin murmured.


    Livia liked how Corvin¡¯s eyes closed, and his features relaxed as she gently massaged the shampoo into his hair. She even took extra time to massage the nape of his neck, which Corvin let her know he enjoyed with appreciative noises. The whole experience was just as fun as making him burst out into laughter. Livia loved seeing Corvin enjoy himself.


    The shower head detached from the wall, and Livia carried it over to gently rinse Corvin¡¯s hair. She replaced the shower head to smooth the conditioner through his damp locks. After she spread the conditioner, Livia cradled Corvin¡¯s head in her hands and pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead. The same way he often kissed her. He tapped his own lips with two fingers. ¡°One more right here,¡± he invited.


    Livia leaned over, intending to kiss him quickly, but once their lips touched, all her intentions deserted her. Corvin didn¡¯t help matters at all. Livia would have reeled herself in if he¡¯d shown the slightest hesitance, but each brush of their lips only increased his eagerness.


    Livia finally pulled away ages later than she¡¯d originally intended. ¡°We should rinse your hair,¡± she murmured.


    Corvin captured her lips in one last hungry kiss and grinned. ¡°Go on, then.¡±


    Livia rinsed the conditioner from Corvin¡¯s hair. Then returned the . ¡°Done,¡± she declared.


    Corvin opened his eyes. ¡°Your turn?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Livia agreed.


    Corvin stood, and they switched places. He poured the shampoo into his hand. The sharp scent of tea tree oil and lavender filled the air. Livia inhaled, enjoying the smell.


    Corvin was more tentative than Livia had been, which made her nervous. He picked up on that. ¡°Anything wrong, Liv?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re just being so careful. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You just haven¡¯t given any indication that you like it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Livia answered honestly. ¡°It¡¯s kind of a neutral thing. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to be softer?¡± Corvin asked, his touch lightening further.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t. I like that less,¡± Livia insisted.


    ¡°So, more firmly?¡± Corvin asked. He stopped and waited for her to respond instead of going straight ahead.


    ¡°Corvin, I don¡¯t think this is my thing,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me to do it more firmly?¡± he asked, surprised.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Livia admitted. ¡°That would make me anxious.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Hun, do you want me to stop?¡±


    ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t try to make it all romantic. Just be normal,¡± Livia pleaded.


    Corvin hesitated, then worked the shampoo through her hair. Livia let out a sigh of relief, her shoulders lowering. Corvin rinsed her hair, and Livia liked that. She tilted her head back and enjoyed the feel of the cold water running through her hair.


    ¡°You do like that,¡± Corvin murmured.


    ¡°Feels so good,¡± Livia agreed.


    Corvin moved the  around her head, letting the water massage her scalp. He worked the conditioner through her hair and then lifted parts of her hair to let the stream of the  hit her scalp better. Livia closed her eyes and enjoyed the experience.


    With her hair thoroughly rinsed, Corvin replaced the shower head and turned off the water. Livia startled out of her pleasant reverie. ¡°It¡¯s over?¡±


    Corvin turned back around. ¡°Liv, we¡¯re Taurus and everything, but we can still get hypothermia. We can¡¯t take a cold shower forever.¡±


    Livia tried not to show her emotions, but she was disappointed and couldn¡¯t hide it. She¡¯d loved these moments with him in this cool, quiet sanctuary. Corvin looked concerned. He crossed to her and eased down on the bench cushion next to her.


    ¡°You sad, Liv?¡± he asked.


    ¡°This was so nice,¡± she said.


    Corvin leaned close to her as if making her a co-conspirator in a plot. ¡°Tell me, if you could have had anything else during our shower, what would you have asked for?¡±


    ¡°More kissing,¡± Livia answered instantly.


    The smile that lit Corvin¡¯s face was brilliant. ¡°More kissing?¡±


    Livia nodded.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no reason we can¡¯t kiss now,¡± he offered.


    Livia leaned up and pressed her lips to his. She expected that her sensory issues would flare up and interrupt them at some point. But their kisses went on and on.


    Corvin pulled Livia onto his lap. She ran her palms across his muscular shoulders as he tilted her head back to spread kisses over her neck. The memory of the morning was fresh in her mind, so she tensed each time his lips brushed her skin.


    ¡°Fabulous, relax,¡± Corvin urged, speaking against her skin.


    ¡°This morning¡ª¡± she tried to explain.


    ¡°I know,¡± Corvin lifted his head. ¡°Try to stay in this moment. The situation is different. You¡¯re safe. If things get uncomfortable, we can turn the water back on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Livia said. But it wasn¡¯t easy to just relax. Her defenses had built up for a reason, and laying them aside wasn¡¯t automatic. Corvin lowered his lips to her neck, and her body tensed before he could even kiss her.


    Corvin pulled her back up to face him. ¡°Livia, I want you to feel like you can let me kiss your neck. I don¡¯t want what happened this morning to create a barrier between us. Do you understand?¡±


    Livia nodded.


    ¡°So, I will press a little, work with you until it feels good. Are you okay with trying that? We can try another time.¡±


    ¡°I want to try,¡± she said.


    ¡°Alright, if you¡¯ve had enough, you can stop me any moment, Hun. Do you understand that?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try again,¡± Corvin said.


    He leaned her back, Livia trusted him enough to expose her neck to him, but that didn¡¯t mean she instantly relaxed. Her body clung to the tension even when her mind was willing. It was so frustrating.


    ¡°Breathe, Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°Don¡¯t hold that energy in; let it flow in and out. Imagine with each breath that your anxiety gets lighter and lighter¡­and lighter.¡±


    Corvin¡¯s warm voice spoke with the rhythm of her breath. There was something more intimate about that than sitting in his lap, scantily clad in a bikini. It added another dimension to their closeness. Livia could feel her nervousness easing, her muscles relaxing in response to his steady voice.


    Corvin ran his nose along the length of her neck. Livia tensed a little but was able to relax again almost instantly. That felt good, like progress, and her frustration eased. Corvin set his lips against her skin. She did tense again but was able to relax again with an exhale.


    ¡°Good, Liv,¡± Corvin said, lifting his lips from her neck. ¡°How did that feel?¡±


    ¡°Not bad,¡± she said.


    ¡°But not good yet?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± she agreed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not bad, Hun,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯ll take neutral. That¡¯s progress.¡±


    ¡°Try again,¡± she urged him. ¡°One more try.¡±


    Corvin kissed lower on her throat, around her collarbones. Light, affectionate kisses that sent a sweet skitter over her shoulders. Livia laughed.


    Corvin murmured, ¡°I like that sound.¡±


    Instead of going up, Corvin kissed along the top of her shoulders. The sensation was quiet and sweet, and Livia loved it. ¡°Good,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Other side?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia nodded.


    Corvin¡¯s kisses trailed slowly over to her other shoulder, and Livia couldn¡¯t stop the laugh that spilled out of her throat as he spread kisses there. He chuckled with her this time.


    Corvin¡¯s lips moved to the center of her throat again. The sensation was sharp but good, like pouring honey straight on your tongue. Livia gasped and wrapped her hand around the nape of his neck.


    She thought about telling him to stop, but she burned with curiosity. She wanted another taste of sweet honey. Corvin was hesitant and slow like he needed to figure out what she wanted.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she whispered.


    His lips nipped her neck again, and Livia melted as pleasure slipped through all her defenses. The thing about pleasure was that it was powerful, and the fact it was powerful made it terrifying.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Livia whispered.


    Livia was relieved that the whisper was enough. Corvin instantly pulled back. He searched her face.


    ¡°You okay, Hun?¡±


    ¡°It felt so good,¡± she said. ¡°It still feels so good.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you tell me to stop, then?¡± Corvin asked, but he was smiling, not scolding.


    Livia inhaled a ragged breath. ¡°I keep expecting it to feel uncomfortable the way it usually does. But it¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°How is it different?¡± Corvin asked, curious.


    ¡°Usually, everything inside me shuts down but this¡­wakes everything up. There¡¯s this spark¡­that just wants to burn.¡±


    Corvin teased. ¡°Hun, are you lusting after me?¡±


    Livia whispered, lowering her eyes to his chest. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to lust after¡ª¡±


    Then she trembled. She didn¡¯t want to be afraid to feel this way, but wanting something didn¡¯t make it untrue.


    ¡°Feels scary?¡± Corvin asked easily.


    Livia nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty normal,¡± he said. ¡°But I think it¡¯s an amazing step forward that you can explain the difference between the two experiences to me.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes moved back up to his, widening. ¡°That is¡­that is pretty significant,¡± she agreed.


    ¡°Could you do that before?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Livia admitted. ¡°But¡­the feeling is not unfamiliar. It¡¯s just never been so clear before.¡±


    Corvin touched his nose to hers. ¡°We¡¯ll be alright, Livia. This is already loads of progress.¡±


    Livia smiled. He was right. Her heart was light, excited even. She tilted her head and initiated a slow, luxurious kiss that turned into a multitude of kisses. Livia experienced a sense of freedom she¡¯d wished for, but thought would always be impossible. Their passionate make-out session was better than she¡¯d imagined in her most secret fantasies.


    Corvin eased back. ¡°Why don¡¯t we move out to the bed?¡± he suggested.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get it all wet like this,¡± she said.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s dry off and get into our pajamas,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯m done with this .¡±


    Livia laughed and slipped off his lap. They exited the shower and grabbed towels. Corvin disappeared to change in the bedroom and left the bathroom for her. Livia had to work at the square knot Corvin had tied a few moments, but it eventually slipped loose. She changed into the red pajamas Corvin had given her for Christmas and walked into the bedroom.


    Corvin had already changed into pajama pants and a cotton tee. He stood in front of the cooler at the end of the bed. ¡°You in the mood for a snack, Liv? They put a pretty amazing cheese board in here.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she said, but she frowned. ¡°Is that supposed to¡­help¡­somehow?¡±


    Corvin laughed. ¡°No. The other things are underneath. There¡¯s cold water too. You want water?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Corvin and Livia curled up on the bed, the cheese board between them. There were also olives and grapes. It really did look fantastic, like Corvin said.


    They discussed the food as they snacked. It was comfy and relaxing, and Livia enjoyed Corvin¡¯s easygoing nature. He was so relaxed and open with her, letting his emotions animate his expression. His voice was warm and full of inflection. They laughed a lot.


    Livia started to wonder if the night was good enough, though. ¡°Are you happy, Corvin?¡± she asked.


    He looked at her surprised and had to chew the grape he¡¯d popped into his mouth before he answered. ¡°This is great, Liv. I haven¡¯t laughed so much since I was a kid.¡±


    Livia smiled. ¡°It was pretty funny.¡±


    Corvin smiled back. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll joke about this night forever.¡±


    ¡°Do¡­you want any more?¡± Livia asked hesitantly.


    Corvin studied her. ¡°What do you mean, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I mean, should we try¡­you know?¡±


    ¡°Sex?¡± he asked.


    Livia shrugged, acting like she didn¡¯t care. Corvin didn¡¯t respond right away.


    ¡°The rest of the night has been so perfect,¡± he said. ¡°I kind of want to remember it this way.¡±


    Livia couldn¡¯t decide if she was relieved or not.


    ¡°Does that hurt you?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Livia answered. ¡°Part of me is sad, but it¡¯s a relief too. I just want to give you everything. I love you.¡±


    Corvin sighed. ¡°You know, Hun, this being Taurus thing does feel different. I¡¯m still getting used to it. Can we wait? Until I¡¯m more used to it and you¡¯re more comfortable discussing strategy. I¡¯m not comfortable trying until you know what the options are. That¡¯s because I love you and want you to feel safe and comfortable.¡±


    Livia thought about that. She was starting to feel tired. It¡¯d been an exhausting weekend. They¡¯d both been going non-stop for two days now. It wasn¡¯t simply the physical exhaustion either. The thought of making another decision right now was emotionally and mentally daunting.


    ¡°Corvin, I¡ªdon¡¯t think I can absorb any new information right now.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°I feel about the same way, Liv. I¡¯m exhausted.¡±


    ¡°So, we can¡¯t have those discussions now. I think I¡¯d just get irrational and upset,¡± she admitted. ¡°I¡¯m over-sensitive about things sometimes. It¡¯s way worse when I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Liv, it¡¯s okay to have limits,¡± Corvin said. ¡°We¡¯re both at ours tonight. So, let¡¯s snuggle under the covers and see how we feel about it tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed. ¡°Thanks, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been an amazing night with you, Liv. I¡¯ve loved every moment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve loved it too,¡± she said.


    They put away the cheese board and finished off their water bottles.


    ¡°We should brush our teeth,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia looked at him. ¡°That would require energy.¡±


    He laughed. He pulled back the covers and crawled into bed. ¡°I won¡¯t care as long as you won¡¯t.¡±


    Livia crawled under the covers with him. ¡°Deal.¡±


    Corvin rolled over to switch off the lamp light. The room fell into darkness. He rolled back toward Livia.


    ¡°You scared, Liv?¡± he whispered.


    Livia¡¯s eyelids were relieved to close. ¡°I¡¯m too tired to be scared, Corvin.¡±


    It crossed Livia¡¯s mind that she should kiss him goodnight, but she drifted to sleep before she could even move.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 36

    Corvin and Livia were so exhausted they didn¡¯t wake up until noon. Aurelia had told them that they needed to leave the house by two. So, Livia shot up, panicked.


    ¡°Corvin,¡± she said urgently.


    He snapped awake. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Liv?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s 12:00.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he laid his head back down.


    ¡°We need to be ready to leave by two,¡± she said.


    Livia attempted to crawl out of bed, but Corvin snagged an arm around her waist and stopped her.


    ¡°Hun, can I have two minutes to hold you first?¡± he requested.


    ¡°Hold me?¡± Livia asked, confused. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Cause I like you,¡± he answered.


    There was packing to do and lunch to eat and loading up the cars, but Corvin only wanted two minutes.


    Livia sighed. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Corvin tried not to make a show of the fact that he had Taurus strength now, drawing her close to him slow and steady. Livia recognized the measured strength immediately. It didn¡¯t scare her, but it did make her .


    She watched his hand lift when she was finally settled against his chest. She kept a close watch, trying to sense his intentions. He was going to touch her hair, then hesitated. His hand settled on her shoulder instead. He inhaled. Livia recognized what was happening immediately.


    ¡°It feels different,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Experimentally, Corvin brushed the side of his thumb across the backside of her shoulder. ¡°Did I scare you, Hun?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You certain about that? You¡¯re pretty wary¡ª¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t always feel bad,¡± Livia told him.


    Corvin nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not. It¡¯s just¡­more. It¡¯s fascinating.¡±


    Livia ran light fingers up the length of his arm. Corvin jerked away from her touch on instinct. His eyes shot down to his own arm in surprise. ¡°Huh. Do it again.¡±


    Livia stroked his arm again. Corvin¡¯s lips pursed, but he didn¡¯t jerk away. Corvin eyed her and swept his hand down the sway of her back to ease her body against his. Livia¡¯s heart quickened.


    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re Lupus,¡± Corvin murmured, cupping her hip in the curve of his palm.


    Livia¡¯s eyes shot to his. ¡°How?¡±


    Corvin¡¯s head settled further into his pillow. He seemed content with their current position, which eased some of the butterflies that had erupted in Livia¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Last night in the shower. When you were able to recognize and explain the difference between feeling attraction and your sensory issues¡ª¡±


    ¡°You think that¡¯s because of being Lupus?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°You would have figured it out with the right experiences, but it would have taken more repetitions. Makes me wonder if marrying this way will be an advantage to working through some things.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I know things won¡¯t be easy, and it¡¯ll be rough sometimes, but I¡¯m committed to working through whatever we need to.¡±


    Livia inhaled. ¡°I¡¯m going to really try, Corvin. This was a huge risk.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°For both of us.¡±


    ¡°But I love you, and I¡¯m going to try to do whatever I need to do to make this work,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I ask,¡± he said. ¡°We can¡¯t give up on each other.¡±


    Livia sighed as the weight of what they¡¯d done pressed down on her. Corvin pressed his forehead to hers. ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I love you, too.¡±


    That made Livia smile. ¡°Thank you, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°For being honest.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You were considerate of me every moment last night.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°You were so brave. I am so proud of you.¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°I was brave?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°You wore a bikini for me, Liv.¡±


    Livia laughed. ¡°That ridiculous !¡±


    Corvin laughed too. He turned his face into her hair. ¡°You still smell like tea tree and lavender,¡± he murmured.


    Livia closed her eyes as Corvin inhaled and exhaled deeply. She draped her arm over his chest and enjoyed being close. She tried to sense if her uncomfortable sensory prickles would kick in, but Corvin¡¯s touch was warm and cozy. The weight of it comforting on her skin. She realized suddenly that she was Taurus tried still.


    Then her eyes shot open. ¡°Hey, Corvin, are you Taurus tried?¡±


    ¡°Probably because I want more.¡±


    His hand ran over her bottom and then snagged the back of her thigh. He pulled her leg over his so she draped over him. She giggled as heat spread over her cheeks.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± she whispered, bold enough to let her lips brush against his ear.


    ¡°It¡¯s so comfy, Liv,¡± he said. ¡°No wonder you bake so much. It¡¯s like .¡±


    Corvin pressed his hands into her back, lowering his lips to her neck. It was a special kind of divine that Livia had never imagined. Warm and soft and wickedly pleasant. ¡°Corvin,¡± she breathed.


    ¡°Yes?¡± His teeth nipped her skin gently.


    Livia managed a faint, ¡°It¡¯s been over two minutes.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°I thought you were going to tell me how nice that was¡ª¡±


    ¡°Can you tell?¡± she whispered.


    Corvin laughed again. ¡°Yes, Hun, I can tell you like it. It¡¯s in every line of your body.¡±


    Livia knew it was true. She tried to pull herself out of it, but her body betrayed her. It was hard for Livia to let her emotions be so visible. She grew up trying to be unnoticeable to survive. Big feelings were only allowed when she was alone. She wasn¡¯t emotionally prepared for how scary it would be to let Corvin close enough to see these things.


    She pulled away. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    Corvin eased away from her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Liv. It¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she cried.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Corvin repeated.


    Livia covered her face as her heart raced. ¡°How am I going to do this?¡±


    Corvin sat up and sat crossed-legged. His voice was calm. ¡°It¡¯s not the physical part that¡¯s stopping you now. It¡¯s the emotional part.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know it¡¯s crazy¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really not, though, Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯s not crazy.¡±


    Livia uncovered her face and looked at him. ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Considering how the human mind works and everything you¡¯ve been through, your reactions are natural, Livia.¡±


    Livia¡¯s heart slowed down as a feeling of reassurance settled over her. ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m crazy?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I feel crazy.¡±


    Corvin smiled. ¡°It¡¯s funny, but the people who feel crazy aren¡¯t the crazy ones.¡±


    Livia laughed. Then sobered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Hun.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair¡ª¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be fair; however, I believe my relationship with you will still be rewarding in many ways.¡±


    ¡°But¡­how do we fix this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take time,¡± Corvin said. ¡°But you¡¯ve already come a long way, Livia. Even in one evening, you¡¯ve made huge strides forward. I am still incredibly proud of you.¡±


    Livia¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°You¡¯re so nice¡ªit¡¯s unbelievable.¡±


    Corvin grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a Tullian trait. You¡¯ll have to get used to it.¡±


    Livia asked, ¡°A Tullian trait?¡±


    ¡°Ask my Mom,¡± Corvin challenged.


    Livia laughed. ¡°She trained you then?¡±


    ¡°She did,¡± Corvin said. ¡°And she trained me well.¡±


    ¡°Do you think some of that training can rub off on me?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°You want to be kind, Livia?¡± Corvin asked as if he already knew the answer.


    She nodded. ¡°I want to be Tullian kind.¡±


    Corvin gave her a soft look. ¡°That¡¯s something I love about you. You have a good heart.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m rough around the edges,¡± she objected.


    Corvin grinned. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t lose all of that. It¡¯s something else I love about you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making me want to come back over there and kiss you,¡± Livia muttered.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you?¡± Corvin challenged, grinning.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± Livia said, crawling off the bed.


    ¡°I am a little, too,¡± Corvin said thoughtfully. ¡°Hmm, interesting. Hunger doesn¡¯t feel the same. I could wait a little longer to eat.¡±


    Livia looked at him, amused. She opened the door an inch and peered out into the hallway. ¡°There are people in the kitchen,¡± Livia whispered.


    ¡°I am not in my speedo,¡± Corvin whispered back. ¡°There is no need to ninja through the house.¡±


    Livia giggled.


    Someone in the kitchen stopped and looked around at the sound. Livia opened the door so the person didn¡¯t think they¡¯d gone crazy hearing random voices.


    Livia stepped out and walked into the kitchen. Aurelia was cleaning up the breakfast mess. She smiled at them. ¡°Good morning, you two. We set aside two plates for you.¡±


    Livia followed her hand gesture and saw two plates of pancakes and eggs on the counter.


    ¡°Thank you, Mom,¡± Corvin said.


    He stepped close to his mom and gave her a light hug. She smiled up at him. ¡°If you¡¯d like, you may eat in your room,¡± she said.


    Corvin looked at Livia, trying to read her reaction. Livia actually wanted to eat outside the room. Being married shouldn¡¯t mean hiding away in a single room. She tilted her head toward the  along the counter.


    Corvin followed her lead. ¡°We¡¯re fine at the counter here. How goes the packing?¡±


    ¡°The girls are getting all their things packed. After I¡¯m done cleaning here, I¡¯ll pack my things.¡±


    Corvin smiled at his mom. ¡°It was an unforgettable Christmas vacation, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Life-changing,¡± she joked.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Corvin said, chuckling. ¡°Do you think the family will be mad?¡±


    ¡°Some of them, but the ones closest to you will understand,¡± she said. ¡°Did you two have a good evening?¡±


    Corvin leaned in toward Livia, answering with an amused smile. ¡°We did.¡±


    Livia grinned back. ¡°We loved the cheese board. Thank you. That was nice.¡±


    Aurelia looked pleased. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you liked it.¡±


    ¡°Everything was really nice,¡± Livia said. ¡°All of you did a wonderful job of making the day special. Thank you.¡±


    Aurelia looked at Corvin. ¡°Son, You¡¯ve married an appreciative woman. I hope you never take that for granted.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know how good I¡¯ve got it,¡± he said. ¡°Livia made things loads easier every step of the way, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s so practical and decisive,¡± Aurelia said.


    After breakfast, Livia and Corvin helped Aurelia finish cleaning up the kitchen. Then, they got ready for the day and started packing.


    ¡°Liv, Hun, are you okay with driving me home in your car?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Who will drive your car?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°My Mom,¡± he said. ¡°Dad went down in their car last night to be at the Senate meeting this morning. So everyone can fit in if I go with you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Livia said.


    So, Corvin hauled all his luggage into the trunk of Livia¡¯s car. They cleaned the entire house, and everyone was ready to leave by 2:00. Livia and Corvin were the first people out the door and in their car.


    ¡°We good to go?¡± Livia asked Corvin.


    Livia watched as Epiphany loaded Verity into the booster seat in Corvin¡¯s SUV. Verity looked unhappy about the situation.


    ¡°We¡¯re good to go, Liv. Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°Is Verity okay?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°She hates leaving the ranch. Pru doesn¡¯t like it as much, but Verity loves the long, quiet days. Pru thrives on the structure at home, and she gets bored out here. So she gets excited to go back to the routine.¡±


    ¡°Funny how they¡¯re so different,¡± Livia muttered. She watched Prudence skipping to the car, holding Mel¡¯s hand.


    With the little kids accounted for, Livia backed out of the driveway. Then, she started the drive back to Caesarea as Livia Tullius.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 37

    Livia turned on the radio to fill the silence of the drive. She was delighted when Corvin sang along to the lyrics without her prompting. She got happy chills each time Corvin pulled off a fantastic display of vocal acrobatics.


    ¡°You¡¯re so good,¡± she said. ¡°I love hearing you sing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Corvin said. ¡°It¡¯s nice to sing again. Just for fun. Not for anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can sing around me anytime. I won¡¯t complain,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Sing with me, Liv,¡± Corvin urged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have an impressive voice,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s just normal.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to impress me. I just want you to have fun with me,¡± he said.


    So Livia sang along as best she could. Their voices sounded good together. Obviously, his was better, but Livia liked the sound when they blended.


    ¡°You have a pretty voice, Liv,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia shook her head in disbelief.


    ¡°No, really,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°Not like Cassia,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°Cassia was one of a kind,¡± Corvin said. ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to be Cassia.¡±


    Corvin took her hand and intertwined their fingers. He pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. ¡°I like you for you, Livia. I¡¯m excited about the future we¡¯ll create together.¡±


    The affectionate words warmed Livia. She gave Corvin a shy smile and squeezed his hand gently. ¡°I love you, Corvin.¡±


    When they arrived at Corvin¡¯s house, the pathway to the door was blocked with waist-high snow drifts. They¡¯d need to shovel the snow to get the suitcases inside. Corvin climbed through the snow to reach the front door. He pulled out his keys, disappeared inside, and returned a moment later with two snow shovels.


    Livia¡¯s shovel disappeared beneath the snow with a satisfying crunch. She lifted, and a pile of snow broke away. She tossed the snow to the side and repeated the process. She worked a pathway up the driveway for thirty minutes until she met Corvin, who had cleared the front porch.


    He stood, leaning on his shovel, breath making white clouds in the cold air. ¡°Let¡¯s go in for a warm drink. We can get the rest of the yard tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Livia agreed. She was so cold that it didn¡¯t feel refreshing or pleasant anymore. They went to her car and retrieved their suitcases. They carried them up the path they dug out and straight into Corvin¡¯s room.


    All the breath left Livia¡¯s lungs upon seeing his king bed. The idea of sleeping with him in his house, in his bed, became real. Marriage wasn¡¯t just a special evening in his relatives¡¯ cabin but an unending sleepover. How would Livia ever get used to that? What if she never did?


    Would she miss staying at Hyrum¡¯s? Catching him early to chat in the morning while Caecilia was still asleep and he hadn¡¯t left for work yet? She found Hyrum annoying sometimes, but she would miss those early morning talks with her brother.


    ¡°Does everything look good?¡± Corvin asked, looking around the room.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Livia said, because that was the only correct answer, wasn¡¯t it? Even if Livia had the urge to freeze time somehow.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Corvin asked. ¡°Are you hungry? It¡¯s close to dinner now.¡±


    Maybe that was what Livia¡¯s problem was¡­if she ate something, it might feel easier to process all these thoughts. ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± she agreed.


    That would be the closest Livia would get to freezing time.


    ***


    Corvin¡¯s house was charming. Livia had lived in many places, and his townhouse would definitely top the list in quality, comfort, and amenities. He gave her a brief tour while they waited for the kettle to heat on the stove. The kitchen had quartz , a spacious pantry, and new appliances that all matched. Corvin grabbed some grilled chicken from the freezer to reheat. He pulled an apple from one of the drawers in the fridge.


    ¡°Here you go, Hun.¡± He offered her the apple. ¡°Sorry about the wait. Most of the stuff in the fridge went bad.¡±


    Corvin made sandwiches as Livia devoured the apple. Livia could feel his concern, and she hoped the apple would resolve her mood probably as much as he did. They looked at each other when Livia placed the apple core in the trash.


    ¡°Do you dislike the house?¡± Corvin asked, placing a sandwich in front of her.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia answered honestly. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, then?¡± he asked.


    Livia¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss Hyrum.¡±


    ¡°Come here, Liv,¡± Corvin gestured for her to enter his arms.


    Livia took a hesitant step forward. Corvin gestured again, and she went running. She crashed into him with a little more force than she intended. But Corvin had braced himself and withstood the impact, undoubtedly aided by his Taurus strength.


    He chuckled a little as he wrapped her in his arms. He pressed his face into her hair. ¡°It¡¯s a lot of change all at once.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so overwhelmed,¡± Livia cried. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°This is normal.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I supposed to be incredibly happy and relieved and¡ª¡± Livia started crying in earnest, hot tears pouring onto her cheeks.


    ¡°Getting married doesn¡¯t suddenly transform you into a higher being that only experiences positive feelings,¡± Corvin drawled.


    Livia laughed despite her tears. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t make sense¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t,¡± Corvin agreed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You know you can invite Hyrum over any time you want?¡±


    ¡°Even for breakfast?¡± Livia whispered.


    Corvin lowered his forehead to hers. ¡°Even for breakfast, Liv. This is your house, so you can invite your family anytime. I only ask if we¡¯ve made previous plans that you inform me they¡¯ve changed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Corvin.¡± Livia¡¯s tears dried up.


    The tea kettle screamed, and Corvin busied himself making tea. Livia did feel more settled after a warm drink and a full belly.


    ¡°Thank you, Corvin,¡± she said.


    He looked at the time displayed on the oven. ¡°How do you think the vote went?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°Will it already be over?¡± Livia asked.


    He nodded. ¡°But the news won¡¯t air for fifteen more minutes.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t your Dad text?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s not allowed to until the Senate makes it public.¡±


    ¡°We could shovel more snow to pass the time,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Or we could cuddle?¡±


    Livia looked around. ¡°Where?¡±


    Which was a stupid question to ask. There were couches and a big cozy armchair in front of the fireplace. There were plenty of places to cuddle Corvin. She felt heat rush to her cheeks.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go upstairs to the bed so you can get used to it before we sleep tonight?¡± Corvin asked.


    It was a reasonable suggestion, and Livia agreed. As they climbed the stairs, nerves churned in her stomach. She really couldn¡¯t pinpoint why. There was a lot to be nervous about¡ªnew beds, Senate results, figuring out where she would put her stuff now. She would need to arrange to move her things out of Hyrum¡¯s house. Would Corvin have enough space here for her things? She didn¡¯t have as much as most people, but what she did, she wasn¡¯t willing to throw away.


    Livia wondered if she would need to do laundry to have clothes for tomorrow. Was there enough food in the house for them to eat in the morning? What if she didn¡¯t like the laundry detergent Corvin used? She should go shopping tonight to fix these potential problems. Would Corvin be offended by her leaving? Would he insist on coming with her? Livia really had no idea. She wouldn¡¯t mind Corvin coming with her, but she did not want to offend him.


    Hadn¡¯t Livia gotten past thinking Corvin would get angry at her over the slightest thing? She married him because she was sure he wasn¡¯t like that. Now, the worry had returned? The discouragement that filled her mind made her limbs heavy and slow. She wondered if she¡¯d make it up the stairs.


    Corvin turned back at the top of the stairs. ¡°You tired, Liv?¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should go to the store tonight?¡± she said, defying her fear by being direct with Corvin.


    ¡°We can,¡± he said. ¡°I was going to wait until morning, but I¡¯d shove a waffle in a toaster and be fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather¡­there be food in the house,¡± Livia said anxiously.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll go tonight,¡± he said easily.


    Livia felt a relief that was spoiled by the thought that Mom and Hyrum had often made similar assurances to her about food that never materialized. Livia was gutted at that memory, even a little angry that this was the moment she had to remember it. She¡¯d really prefer to be happy right now.


    Corvin entered the room and sprawled across the bed first thing. Naturally, Livia wanted to be relaxed and carefree enough to sprawl next to him without a worry in the world. That, however, was not the gift that reality presented her.


    She tried to smile.


    Corvin sat up. ¡°What is wrong, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Corvin.¡± She took a step back from the bed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry. Just communicate instead,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°I am so stressed out¡ª¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have clean clothes to wear tomorrow¡ª¡±


    A look of realization crossed Corvin¡¯s face. ¡°You only have the things Hyrum packed for you. Do you want to run to his house when we pick up the food?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re okay with that?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Corvin said. ¡°You need your stuff. Is there anything else you need to pick up?¡±


    ¡°What type of laundry detergent do you have here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Do you want to wash some clothes, Liv?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°That would be nice, Corvin.¡±


    ¡°Garnet put the detergent we used yesterday with the things we carried in. Would that be okay?¡± Corvin asked.


    Livia closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯d be grateful but¡­ I¡¯m sorry to make you change detergents¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯ll give what I have left to someone in the family. It¡¯ll get used.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be demanding.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not being demanding at all,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I¡¯d be pissed if I¡¯d been given a suitcase of clothes for a weekend and expected to make that work for ten days. You¡¯re being extremely reasonable about an inconvenient set of circumstances.¡±


    Livia was tempted to apologize again, but instead, she said, ¡°Can we put in that load of wash? I can sleep in clean pajamas tonight if we start it now.¡±


    Corvin slid off the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll go down and get the detergent. You sort out what you want cleaned. The washer is in the closet.¡±


    The wave of relief that poured over Livia was mood-lifting. She went to her suit, pulled out all the clothes, and put them into a pile. Livia went into the hallway to find the closet Corvin mentioned, but there wasn¡¯t one there. She looked in the hall bathroom, thinking a closet was in there.


    She was just coming out as Corvin came back up the stairs with the detergent. ¡°What are you looking for in there?¡±


    ¡°The laundry room closet?¡±


    He laughed. ¡°No, it¡¯s in our room.¡±


    Livia frowned. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Come see, Hun,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia followed him, and he led her into his bedroom closet, which was really another set of rooms. She was so shocked she put her hand over her mouth.


    ¡°What?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a closet this big,¡± Livia laughed. ¡°Corvin, this is like¡­another room! I don¡¯t think you can call it a closet.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± He grinned. ¡°It¡¯s the housekeeping wing.¡±


    Livia snorted. ¡°Wing? I live in a house with a separate wing? That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Obviously an exaggeration,¡± Corvin teased. ¡°It¡¯s a large closet.¡±


    Livia laughed. She¡¯d seen large closets. The entire room was lined with shelves to store and hang clothing. She was grateful to see that half of the room was empty except for some boxes of papers. The other half of the room was full of clothes, more than Livia thought a man should own.


    It was ridiculous, but it was highly organized. There was a space for several variations of Corvin¡¯s TARP uniforms. Hiking gear, casual jeans, and t-shirts came next. Though she found it weird, he hung up his t-shirts. Why not throw them in a drawer? Maybe the point was to not have drawers? Then there were suits and formal wear which was the biggest section. Then there were various coats and snow gear. Finally, Corvin had installed a particular space to display his Roman armor and toga.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re thinking that¡¯s a lot of clothing, but that¡¯s the bare minimum for a patrician man.¡±


    Livia was horrified. ¡°How much clothing am I expected to have?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming we¡¯ll have to build your wardrobe,¡± Corvin mused.


    ¡°How do people have the money?¡± Livia demanded.


    ¡°I actually inherited a lot of suits from my grandfather,¡± Corvin said. ¡°We¡¯ll find you pieces that are meaningful to you. We don¡¯t have to do it all at once. It¡¯ll take a few years.¡±


    Livia exhaled with relief. At least Corvin wasn¡¯t recommending a massive shopping spree. But the problem of finding the washer remained. Livia didn¡¯t see it anywhere.


    ¡°Corvin, where is the washer?¡± she asked.


    He smiled, put his hand on the island in the middle of the room, and slid open the door on the side to reveal the washer. A fancy hidden washer had yet to make the list of Livia¡¯s life aspirations, but she was impressed. Livia carried her clothes over and loaded them. Corvin showed her the rest of the controls and poured in the detergent. Just like that, Livia had one less thing to worry about.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.


    ¡°No problem, Hun. Come rest before we go out. Try out the bed. We can delay the snuggling part until you are more settled.¡±


    Livia did her thing and settled into the bed as far apart from Corvin as she could. She was frustrated with herself, but old habits die hard. Marriage didn¡¯t magically turn her into a new person.


    Corvin was smiling at her from the other side of the bed.


    ¡°You¡¯re happy?¡± Liv asked him, skeptical.


    ¡°Liv,¡± he said, voice low. ¡°I¡¯d let you wear my clothes to bed.¡±


    Livia knew her cheeks turned bright pink when Corvin laughed. ¡°I like having my own clothes,¡± she said.


    ¡°I know,¡± he flirted. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t have minded sharing.¡±


    Livia looked away from him, trying to hide how the reiterated offer flustered her further.


    ¡°Have I offended you, Hun?¡± Corvin asked.


    She looked at him again, surprised. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No? Why are you looking away then and hiding over there?¡±


    Livia sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just this way.¡±


    ¡°Are you happy being ¡®this way¡¯?¡± Corvin asked, curious. ¡°I never could discern if you played rough around the edges because you found it fun or if you were afraid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not having fun right now,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°So, every moment doesn¡¯t have to be fun between us, but is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. This is not an ideal situation,¡± Livia pouted.


    ¡°If the situation were ideal, what would it look like?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d know we had enough food for the week and what we would eat for all our meals. I¡¯d have my own clothes. I¡¯d have a choice to wear your clothes or not¡ª¡±


    Corvin just listened and didn¡¯t get offended by her comments, though she knew it¡¯d be easy for him to take it wrong.


    ¡°And everything feels so¡­uncertain. Is Gaius going to be mad? Are they going to find a way to force us to divorce?¡± Livia¡¯s voice shook.


    ¡°Oh, Liv,¡± Corvin said. ¡°No, they can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t they?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin was honest. ¡°They can try, but it¡¯ll be hard for them to succeed.¡±


    Corvin looked at his phone.


    ¡°Is there news on the vote?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Do you want to come downstairs with me and watch it?¡±


    Livia nodded.


    They both slid off the bed and went downstairs to turn on the TV. Neither one of them sat down, too agitated to sit.


    ¡°It was a productive Senate session¡ª¡± the anchorman reported. ¡°The Senate would like to announce that we passed the budget. After years of gridlock, a functional welfare budget was agreed upon and passed for Lupus House. Lars declined to comment this evening but agreed to make a statement tomorrow. Other¡ª¡±


    ¡°It passed,¡± Livia said.


    Corvin pressed his hands through his hair. ¡°It passed,¡± he whispered.


    They turned to each other. Livia took two steps and hugged him to express her relief and support. Corvin held her, burying her face into her hair. It took her a moment before she realized that he was emotional.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he sniffled.


    ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡± Livia asked, bewildered.


    ¡°You and Hyrum made this pass.¡± Corvin wiped tears from his cheeks with the heel of his hand. ¡°Justin helped, but you and Hyrum also managed what I couldn¡¯t. Thank you, Livia. I am so grateful.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I didn¡¯t do much¡ª¡± Livia admitted.


    ¡°Sometimes it only takes one other person in a community saying something is the right thing to get people to agree. You and Hyrum were those people, and it made a difference, Liv.¡±


    It was sweet that Corvin gave her that much credit, but Livia was relieved that people would have access to the food and supplies needed to survive. She was also relieved that Gaius no longer held the vote as leverage over her. She felt free from his manipulations, and she could only describe the relief that came over her as healing.


    Corvin stepped back. ¡°I¡¯m going to call my family. Then we¡¯ll go out and get your things and food.¡±


    Hyrum was elated to see them. He chatted excitedly about the success of the budget vote as he helped them pack Livia¡¯s things into garbage sacks and load them into her car. Then Corvin and Livia went grocery shopping. Corvin told Livia they would switch off paying for groceries each week until they¡¯d arranged their finances. He insisted on taking the bill this week. Livia was a little anxious about that, but it sounded reasonable and fair to her, so she agreed.


    Corvin asked Livia to drop him off at his parents on the way home so he could pick up his car. They drove home, unloaded the groceries, switched the laundry, and started arranging Livia¡¯s side of the closet. By the time they finished, Livia was exhausted but peaceful.


    ¡°We did it,¡± she said.


    ¡°You feel better, love?¡± Corvin asked.


    She nodded.


    It was late now, and they both got ready for bed. This time when Livia crawled into Corvin¡¯s bed, she snuggled up to his side without a thought. Corvin lifted his arm and curled it around her.


    ¡°Much better,¡± he mused. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it was so stressful this afternoon, Liv.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fixed now,¡± she said sleepily. ¡°And no one knows we¡¯re married, so they can¡¯t get mad at us yet.¡±


    Corvin chuckled. He kissed her forehead. ¡°I love you, Liv.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Corvin,¡± Livia whispered. ¡°Thank you for listening to me.¡±


    They held each other close and relaxed. Livia wondered if Corvin would want to try something together at least. ¡°Corvin?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Do you want¡­¡±


    A heavy sigh interrupted her question. ¡°Please, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t love you, Liv.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Holding you right now is good, but¡­.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Livia said, not needing an explanation. She knew there was a limit to how much sensation you could stand in one day. ¡°Thank you for everything you did to help me today.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for understanding,¡± Corvin whispered.


    Livia settled against Corvin, enjoyed being in his arms without any expectations, and drifted into a peaceful sleep.

 Bk 2: Citizen of Caesarea--Chapter 38

    Livia woke up to the sound of Corvin¡¯s soft snores. The pink dawn light was glowing around the window shades. Her eyes fluttered closed again, and then her mind kicked into gear. She could make omelets for breakfast or French toast. The fridge was packed, and there were half-dozen possibilities. Excited, Livia crawled out of bed and slipped downstairs.


    If she made French toast, would they run out of bread in the middle of the week? If they ran out of bread in the middle of the week, it might be nice to make some from scratch. Did Corvin have yeast? That would be a strange thing for a bachelor to have on hand. So, she¡¯d make omelets and ensure yeast was the first thing on her list for next week. Then she could make homemade bread whenever she wanted.


    Livia found a piece of paper, titled it ¡®grocery list,¡¯ and put yeast as the first item. Then she hung it up on the fridge with the magnets there. She smiled. The simple act made Corvin¡¯s place feel more like home.


    Livia gathered her ingredients and started chopping the veggies. Corvin had excellent cutting knives and quality cutting boards. The kitchen was not only beautiful and spacious but well-designed. Livia estimated that she¡¯d never get tired of cooking in here.


    She hummed under her breath as she sauteed the vegetables for the omelet when Corvin came up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his face to her shoulder.


    Surprise made Livia freeze for a moment. She hadn¡¯t heard him coming. Then he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck.


    ¡°I got scared when I woke up, and you were gone,¡± he said.


    ¡°Scared?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°For a moment, I thought everything was a dream. Then I smelled the food,¡± Corvin pressed his nose against her neck, inhaling a deep breath. ¡°And I knew you were still here. That this was all real.¡±


    ¡°Do you want an omelet?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d love that.¡±


    ¡°Do you have yeast?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°No. Why?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°I was thinking about making bread from scratch, but I¡¯ll wait till next week.¡±


    Corvin chuckled. ¡°Liv, you are going to spoil me. Omelets and homemade bread?¡±


    ¡°I love your kitchen,¡± Livia said. ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡±


    Corvin tightened his hug, pressing his chest against the entire length of her back. That felt divine.


    ¡°Do you want some coffee?¡± Corvin murmured, kissing her neck.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Livia made ambiguous noise, focused on the feel of his body against hers.


    ¡°Is that a yes or no?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Um, can I order a cup of you instead?¡± What a delight to flirt with him! She¡¯d had to wait all these years, biting her tongue, and now she was free to be as scandalous as she wanted toward him.


    Corvin laughed. ¡°Absolutely. Right after I have a cup of coffee. Do you want some?¡±


    He released her and walked over to the coffee pot on the end of the counter.


    ¡°No,¡± Livia said. ¡°I enjoy being a little sleepy.¡±


    ¡°Taurus tried, you mean,¡± Corvin said.


    Livia shrugged, eyes following the flexing muscles in his back as he filled the coffee maker. The smell of the food wasn¡¯t the only thing making her mouth water this morning. Livia looked away to crack the eggs and beat them before she poured them into the pan.


    When she looked up again, she found Corvin watching her with a grin on his face.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I just like having you here. Home.¡±


    Livia smiled back. ¡°It feels like home this morning.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Livia loaded two omelets on separate plates as Corvin poured his coffee into a mug. Then, they sat at the bar together and shared breakfast.


    ¡°This is delicious, but your company is superb,¡± Corvin teased.


    Livia grinned at him. ¡°I was thinking¡­¡± she hesitated, biting her lip.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to like what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Corvin whispered.


    ¡°Do you want to take a shower together this morning?¡± Livia whispered back.


    Corvin put his fork down and leaned in close to her. ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡±


    Livia tried to wash the dishes after breakfast, but Corvin stopped her, grasping her hand and pulling her towards the stairs. ¡°We can do that later.¡±


    ¡°Why not now?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to shower,¡± Corvin said simply.


    Livia laughed. This time they decided to forget all about swimsuits. Their first shower had exceeded all of Livia¡¯s expectations, so she hadn¡¯t imagined that things could improve. So, she¡¯d enjoyed herself more than she believed was even possible.


    She giggled into Corvin¡¯s chest after they were dressed in sheer disbelief. ¡°Corvin, I can¡¯t believe things can feel that good.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Liv, have you just ignored how everyone talks about sex?¡±


    ¡°I thought they were all pretending,¡± she said. ¡°Enough people said they didn¡¯t like it even.¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re with the right person at the right time, it¡¯s incomparable to any other experience,¡± he said, gently holding her in his arms.


    ¡°I want to hold you,¡± Livia begged.


    Corvin pulled her onto the bed and held her close. Occasionally, he kissed her forehead or cheek, but he didn¡¯t expect anything more. That was good for Livia. It let her process everything. What Hyrum had told her was true. She would have to reconsider almost everything she¡¯d believed about intimacy and sex.


    ¡°What are you thinking, Liv?¡±


    ¡°I feel intimidated because¡­things are a lot different than I expected them to be¡­then I was told. Is anything I know even true?¡±


    Corvin ran a hand over the back of her shoulder. ¡°Liv, in some ways, every couple has to discover what¡¯s true for them and what¡¯s not. So, we¡¯ll keep talking with each other and find out what¡¯s good and not good, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Livia whispered.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°The fact that this surprise is so pleasant for you makes things extra sweet for me. So, don¡¯t think you are anything less than wonderful and desirable to me for a second.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Corvin,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°I love you too, Liv,¡± Corvin said, kissing her temple. ¡°Now, we need to discuss something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We need to tell people about our marriage today, but we can decide how we do it.¡±


    ¡°What are the choices?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°We can announce it on Tabula and let Gaius hear about it.¡±


    Livia winced.


    ¡°That would cause a lot of drama,¡± Corvin acknowledged. ¡°But some people thrive on that sort of thing¡ª¡±


    ¡°No way. Not me,¡± Livia said. ¡°Also, that seems cowardly to let Gaius know like that.¡±


    Corvin smiled. ¡°Some people would also get a kick out of how insulting it was¡ª¡±


    ¡°You think we should insult him?¡± Livia asked.


    Corvin thought about it.


    ¡°Corvin?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°Sometimes it is useful to insult people but¡­I think the downsides outweigh the upsides. We will need to get along with him on certain projects, eventually. So while he deserves it, it¡¯s not wise.¡±


    ¡°So, do we call him?¡± Livia asked.


    ¡°We could invite him to dinner at my parents¡¯ house,¡± Corvin said.


    ¡°You like that idea the most,¡± Livia said.


    ¡°It¡¯s the most respectful and contains the drama,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s the best choice, and we¡¯ll have my parents there to back us up if things get tense.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s plan for dinner,¡± Livia said.


    ###


    Lars and Aurelia welcomed Corvin and Livia into their home with warm hugs and confident smiles. Livia, however, was extremely nervous. Corvin kept squeezing her hand to comfort her. Livia wished Aurelia had left something for her to do in the kitchen. But Corvin¡¯s mother had prepared everything for Gaius¡¯ visit.


    When Gaius arrived, he immediately noticed Corvin and Livia were holding hands. He glared at them, displeased. Then resignation crossed his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me you want to get back together,¡± he said.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to tell you that we expect your congratulations now that we¡¯re married,¡± Corvin said.


    Gaius froze; the only motion visible was the rapid blinking of his eyelids. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You mean, Congratulations,¡± Corvin instructed.


    Gaius returned to glaring. ¡°You can¡¯t be married. I didn¡¯t give my permission.¡±


    Lars spoke, ¡°I married them.¡±


    Gaius turned on him. ¡°You did what?¡±


    ¡°Her brother and patron signed the witness papers¡ª¡±


    ¡°Livia!¡± Gaius¡¯ voice spoke sharply. ¡°Did you sign any papers?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Livia regarded him with a glare in return. She tried to look calm and unaffected, but she squeezed Corvin¡¯s hand tighter as the knot in her stomach grew.


    ¡°They are only in force until a true marriage contract is written,¡± Lars said.


    Gaius looked furious. ¡°And what rights did you give them to Taurus House property in these papers, Livia?¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t ask for any,¡± Livia said.


    Gaius looked impatient. ¡°That you know of, yet¡ª¡±


    Livia was irritated at him. She wasn¡¯t as careless as Gaius. She¡¯d made sure she hadn¡¯t repeated his mistakes. ¡°I consulted a lawyer, and Justin and Hyrum approved of them, too,¡± Livia argued.


    ¡°Livia!¡± Gaius said, ¡°This is inexcusable behavior¡ª¡±


    ¡°As inexcusable as controlling her behavior with Senate votes,¡± Lars drawled in a pleasant tone that held a note of warning.


    Gaius looked at Lars. His chest rose and expanded with impatient breaths. ¡°I can order them banished, Lars¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d like this to remain a pleasant conversation,¡± Corvin said. ¡°But if there is going to be talk of banishment, there will also be talk of prosecution for Senatorial misconduct.¡±


    Gaius¡¯ face got very red. He took a step toward them. ¡°You¡¯re threatening me,¡± he growled.


    Livia stepped back, stomach twisting. Corvin didn¡¯t move an inch. ¡° ,¡± Corvin said. ¡°What you reap is what you sow.¡±


    Aurelia stepped to Livia¡¯s side. ¡°Now, Gaius, come sit down at the table and eat. There¡¯s no use getting upset. We wouldn¡¯t want Salina to face the shame of all these hearings. Who knows what would come out about you? Or her even? Especially when she is already the subject of so much gossip. It¡¯s better to keep things agreeable between us. Why bring the Senate into it?¡±


    Then with a courage and confidence that impressed Livia, Aurelia walked to Gaius and linked her arm around his. She gave him a kind smile and guided him to the table. She released his arm and stood by him, expecting him to sit.


    Corvin¡¯s sisters came to the table, pulling out chairs and sitting down. Corvin tugged Livia¡¯s hand and drew her to the table with him. They sat. Livia gave Corvin a bewildered look. Lars sat at the head of the table until Aurelia and Gaius were the only two left standing in the room.


    An awkward silence descended as Aurelia stood with him, a polite expression of welcome on her face. Livia knew her temper would have snapped at the delay. In contrast, Aurelia still waited with a warmth and softness that conveyed a quiet strength.


    ¡°Please, join us at our table instead of a Senatorial hearing,¡± Aurelia pleaded.


    Gaius heaved a sigh. He pulled back the chair and fell heavily into it. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll tell Salina,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Say it was never her decision who I married,¡± Livia said.


    Gaius glared at her. ¡°Livia, it was mine, however.¡±


    ¡°No, it was mine,¡± Livia countered. ¡°You don¡¯t own me.¡±


    Gaius scoffed. ¡°That is how these things work. The House takes care of you, and in exchange¡ª¡±


    ¡°When did the House take care of me?¡± Livia cried. ¡°When I was cold with no electricity? When I was delirious with hunger? When I wasn¡¯t safe in my own bed because my father could beat us at any instant? Is that how the House took care of me?¡±


    Gaius didn¡¯t respond instantly. He looked away. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my choice.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t mine either,¡± Livia said. ¡°So, don¡¯t act offended when I refuse to let more bad things happen to me. You¡¯ve proved you are untrustworthy and just as bad as the rest.¡±


    Gaius¡¯ cheeks lost their red color, but he was still sullen. ¡°I¡¯ve never hit you.¡±


    Livia snorted. ¡°No, you only tried to force me to leave the man I love!¡±


    Gaius winced. ¡°Salina told me he was going to play you. That he would never commit to anyone. I thought I was doing you a favor¡ª¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s proved you wrong,¡± Livia growled. ¡°We¡¯re married. We¡¯re committed.¡±


    Lars interrupted before Gaius could reply. ¡°We understand you have concerns, Gaius. However, I assure you we treated Livia generously, and protected Taurus House interests. If you review the contracts, you will see that we took the highest care to be both generous and fair. Will you at least look at them before determining what actions to take?¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Gaius said bitterly. ¡°I¡¯ll look at them.¡±


    ¡°And if you find them all in order?¡± Lars asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll approve the marriage. There¡¯s no need to banish them or make a fuss as long as the contracts are as you say they are¡ª¡± Gaius said.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Corvin said. ¡°I promise you that I intend to fully support Livia in every challenge we face and treat her with the utmost respect in every circumstance.¡±


    Gaius heaved a drawn-out sigh. ¡°Let us eat and review the papers.¡±


    Dinner was a little stiff and sparse on conversation, but Gaius¡¯ mood mellowed by the end of it. He followed Lars into his office afterward, and they remained there for about an hour. When Gaius came out, he approached Corvin and held out his hand.


    Corvin looked at him in surprise and with an air of hesitance. He accepted the handshake like he didn¡¯t entirely trust Gaius¡¯ gesture.


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± Gaius said.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Corvin replied.


    Gaius continued, ¡°Lars and I will make the announcement tomorrow. We¡¯ll leave  behind us.¡±


    Gaius released Corvin¡¯s hand and turned toward Livia. ¡°Congratulations, Livia. May you have every happiness.¡±


    Livia nodded. She stepped closer to Corvin¡¯s side, seeking his reassurance. She didn¡¯t believe that Gaius had let things go so quickly. She thought he¡¯d find a way to punish her later when Lars and Corvin couldn¡¯t retaliate in kind. She¡¯d do what she could to be ready when he did. They spent another hour with Corvin¡¯s family after Gaius left. Everyone expressed their joy and happiness anew now that things had been settled with the Paterfamilias of Taurus house.


    When they got home, Corvin disappeared into a small office to catch up on email. Livia didn¡¯t know what to do with herself. She¡¯d turn on the TV at home, but she was worried the noise would disturb Corvin¡¯s work. So Livia puttered around, trying to find something to clean.


    ¡°Liv?¡± Corvin¡¯s voice called from his office.


    Livia straightened from dusting Corvin¡¯s bookshelves and walked toward his office. She peered around the .


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Come here,¡± Corvin gestured. ¡°Flavia sent some pictures that she took with her camera.¡±


    Flavia had brought a fancy camera and had taken a lot of shots throughout the wedding. Livia approached his desk hesitantly, wondering where she should go. There was only one office chair, and Corvin was sitting in it. Should she lean over his desk?


    Corvin gestured for her to stand next to him. So she followed his invitation. He showed her the first few images of their wedding. Flavia had done an excellent job getting cameo shots that captured the spontaneous, laid-back vibe of the entire wedding.


    Livia smiled.


    ¡°You like them?¡± Corvin asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re perfect. Do you like them?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Corvin rolled back his office chair a few inches. Then he pulled Livia into his lap.


    Livia laughed, feeling awkward. ¡°Corvin, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°You need a place to sit,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not bothering you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, I like you here,¡± he said.


    So they viewed the rest of the wedding images snuggled together in his office chair.


    Livia turned her face into the crook of Corvin¡¯s neck after they looked at the last picture. ¡°Corvin?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Fabulous?¡±


    ¡°Can¡­I change my mind about something?¡±


    Corvin drew back, searching her expression, concerned. ¡°What do you want to change your mind about?¡±


    Livia hesitated. She took a brave breath. ¡°Can we go on a honeymoon?¡±


    Corvin laughed, relieved. ¡°Where do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care where we go. I just want to be alone with you. I want to forget Caesarea, school, and work. I want to savor being your wife.¡±


    Corvin grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s plan something then.¡±


    They shared a quick kiss. Then they turned back to the computer to search out the best place to temporarily forget everything but each other.


    Finis