“You mean ‘emperors’, don’t you?” Adara said, pointing out the words that had also caught Lucius’ attention like a thorn as one brushes past a gorse bush. “Both Caracalla and Geta are the emperors.”
Creticus glanced at his wife and she stared at her plate. He looked at each of their faces around the table, his eyes wide at the fact that they had not heard the biggest piece of news. He turned to Adara. “Why, no, lady. I mean ‘emperor’. Early last year, Emperor Geta was slain.”
“H…how?” Adara asked.
“Why, by his brother…Emperor Caracalla.” Creticus picked up his cup and drank again. “Some say that Geta was plotting against Caracalla and attacked him, but most suspect the older of the two.”
Lucius heard a ringing in his ears. The news was shocking. A part of him had been thinking that per
