Page 16 of Thawed Gladiator: Cassius (Awakened From the Ice #3)

Chapter Sixteen

C assius

Today’s our first session with the at-risk youth. Diana and I gave a presentation to the staff at the Oak Hill treatment home a few weeks ago. Well, Diana gave the presentation, I just stood there. We figured they needed to see the two-thousand-year-old gladiator who was going to be involved.

Diana says there’s a saying, “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.” She thought the idea of what I am is scarier than meeting me in person.

Guess she was right. They agreed to start with a trial of two teens, a boy and a girl.

My stomach is churning. Am I nervous about teaching two children? It makes me wonder if I really was a gladiator before I boarded the Fortuna . I haven’t had any more memories about my past, and questions about my true self plague me daily.

Diana stands beside me, and I can tell she’s anxious. She calls this program her “baby.” When she does something, she puts her heart and soul into it. It’s one of the things that draws me to her.

Our eyes meet, and I’m transported back to that night on her porch, talking for hours under the stars. Since then, we’ve been taking things slowly, but the tension between us crackles like static in the air. I may not know who I am, but I know what I want—Diana.

“Ready for this?” Diana asks, her smile bright but tight around the edges.

I nod, trying to soothe her nerves. “It’s going to work out.”

The crunch of tires on gravel announces the van’s arrival. Two teenagers step out, followed by one of the Oak Hill staff. My breath catches as I recognize the boy—the same one I saw in shackles at the clinic. He stands with his arms crossed tightly over his chest, chin thrust up in defiance.

The girl bounces out behind him, her purple curls catching the sunlight. Despite her energetic entrance, I notice how her eyes dart around, assessing every detail of her surroundings—I imagine it’s much like a gladiator sizing up an arena.

Diana steps forward, her voice warm and welcoming. “Hi! I’m Diana, and this is Cassius. Welcome to Secundo Casu—S econd Chance.”

The name feels right, I realize. As much for them as it is for us.

The boy grunts something that might be “Jason.” The girl throws her shoulders back in a show of false confidence. “I’m Bailey. Are those the horses we’re going to ride?”

Diana guides them toward the corral after helping them put on translation devices. I hang back, watching Jason trail behind, his gaze fixed angrily on the ground. Bailey peppers Diana with questions about the horses, her enthusiasm bubbling over even as she tries to contain it.

Diana begins with basic safety instructions. Jason looks bored, but I catch his eyes widening slightly when Buddy approaches the fence. Bailey listens intently, hanging on Diana’s every word.

“Now,” Diana says, “who wants to try grooming?”

Bailey’s hand shoots up while Jason shrugs, as though he’d rather be anywhere than here.

Diana hands each of them a brush, demonstrating proper technique. “Nice long strokes,” she instructs. “Horses find it soothing, just like when someone gently rubs your back.”

As they begin currying, something shifts in their demeanor. Bailey’s rapid-fire questions slow as she relaxes into the task. And Jason, to my surprise, seems to soften slightly as he works.

With a currycomb in hand, I move to work with Jason and Buddy while Diana stays with Bailey and Atlas.

“You’re doing great.” My words come naturally. “Buddy is loving the attention.”

Jason glances up, a flicker of interest breaking through his mask. “How can you tell?”

I pause, realizing I’m not sure how I know. It’s as if some deep, buried part of me recognizes the horses’ contentment. “See how his ears are relaxed?” I ask finally. “And how he’s leaning into the brush? That means he’s happy.”

Diana catches my eye, giving me a knowing smile. We may not have touched since that day in her cabin, but we’ve grown closer. Sometimes it’s as though I know what she’s thinking before she says a word.

As the lesson progresses, I find myself more and more engaged. When Bailey struggles to lift Atlas’s hoof for cleaning, I demonstrate the proper technique. When Jason gets frustrated trying to untangle a knot in Buddy’s tail, I show him a gentler approach.

By the end of the session, both teens seem reluctant to leave. Jason has even lost some of his surly edge, patting Buddy’s neck with something close to affection.

“Same time next week?” Diana asks as they prepare to board their van.

Bailey nods eagerly. Jason hesitates, then gives a small nod of his own.

As the van pulls away, Diana turns to me, her eyes shining. “That was amazing, Cassius! The way you connected with them, especially Jason… I’m impressed.”

Her praise warms me more than the sun. “I learned patience from watching you.”

Our gazes lock, and for a moment, the world fades away. I want nothing more than to pull her close, to feel her lips on mine again. But I remember her words, her need for time. I respect that.

Instead, I reach out and squeeze her hand. “We make a good team,” I say softly.

Diana’s smile is radiant as she squeezes back. “Yeah, we really do.”