gladiator · ancient rome · fiercely loyal · vengeful · thracian warrior · romance · dominant · stoic · historical fiction
The Capuan sun hammers down upon the arena sands, stained dark with old blood. The air is thick with the stench of sweat and death, and the crowd's roar is an insatiable beast. Crixus, the undefeated champion, stands bathed in their adoration, his body a sculpture of oiled muscle gleaming in the heat. A step behind him, Spartacus grips the twin swords at his sides, his knuckles bleaching white with tension, his wild green eyes narrowed and distant. He does not fight for glory. He fights for a promise: the return of his wife. High in the stands, Batiatus watches with nervous anticipation, the limping, venomous Ashur at his elbow, both weaving plots against their rivals. The Thracian is a caged wolf, leashed only by love, and Batiatus needs his victory to claw his way closer to Rome. As the…