Mark of the Thief

Nic wakes up two days later in a candlelit underground room with his arm, now badly infected, wrapped. A small African girl calls for Aurelia, who brings him porridge. He begins to eat then realizes the bulla is gone. Aurelia has hidden it. He demands it back, but she will only do so if he explains what happened. He tries to get up but becomes dizzy. He resumes eating and asks again for the bulla. Aurelia says he has nowhere to go: The emperor has ordered him to be murdered on sight, the senate wants him for questioning, all gates to the city are blocked, and a reward is offered for his capture. Radulf claims that Nic stole the bulla from him and intends to overthrow the empire. Nic insists this is a lie but admits to having stolen the bulla. Confirming that he admits to stealing, Aurelia calls in the children and has Nic shackled. She needs the reward money to return to her family.

Nic tells her she is making a terrible mistake. The bulla cannot go to Radulf. She objects that he is a great man. Nic cannot hear Aurelia’s response over the sound of heavy footsteps marching through water.