"Come on, I'm starving. I don't care if you just ate," Saturnia complained, dragging me along.

  "It was just a piece of bread. I can definitely still eat." I stopped and she jerked to a halt. "Actually, let's make a bet."

  "....I'm listening," she said slowly.

  "Loser has to buy the other one whatever they want."

  She crossed her arms and shifted her weight. "I don't make smoothie money. We'll go three denarii maximum…Max."

  Looping my arm through hers, I whirled us around to continue walking."Deal," I exclaimed with a grin.

  We followed our noses, lured by the smell of roasted meat. Most of the stalls had put out their cured and smoked meat by now, although there were still several fish sellers who had the last catches of the day displayed. Vendors called out reduced prices in hopes of getting rid of them.

  The sound of sizzling filled the air and the aroma was impossibly tantalizing. My mouth watered. A woman was cooking lumps of minced meat on a brazier, mixed with pine nuts, fish sauce, and a few other spices.

  "Ooh, here we go. I've been thinking about this all day!” Saturnia tapped her coins on the countertop desperately. "All of it.”

  "All of it?" the woman repeated dubiously.

  Saturnia composed herself. "Actually, just two will be fine, thank you," she replied sheepishly.

  I matched her and we also got a sausage and skewer of fried fish each. It's not that I hadn't had it before, but I wanted a fresh reminder of the taste. I took a bite, taking my time to let the flavor coat my tongue before swallowing. I shook my head. It was good...but not enough to eat it every day for weeks.

  “I don't know what's wrong with him,” I said with a laugh after explaining Corvus's peculiar habit.”

  We walked on, passing by displays of leather, fresh milk, and eggs. Eventually, we came across the pens of cattle. They milled around, their ears tagged with different colored circles of chalk. We stopped to watch them.

  "Sat, is it...did you ever think about how weird it is to know they can smell themselves cooking? I can see why Ursus doesn't eat meat like this."

  She paused mid-chew, casting me the dirtiest look. "Well, now I am." Then indignation flashed across her face and she swallowed her last bite, spinning around. "I know what you're trying to do, but I won't think about it. You are not winning this bet!"

  I smirked, casting an apologetic glance at the cows before chasing after Saturnia. We entered cheese territory and there was no end to the variety. Someone was even selling milk from a hare. I raised an eye brow.

  I nudged her. "So. Cheese?"

  She nodded. "Indeed. Cheese."

  A short while later, we hunkered down over our haul. There was a chunk of salted cheese made from sheep's milk, another rubbed in olive oil and vinegar, crumbly goat cheese mixed with herbs, and a soft yet sweet one that was spread on bread and drizzled with honey.

  "This is a lot."

  "Backing out now, Maximilia Vita?"

  I took a large bite. "Never," I said through the mouthful of food.

  "Good. I'm just getting started."

  I laughed, choking on the bread crumbs that hit the back of my throat. We decided to skip the fruit, however. The colorful peels and skins gleamed in the sun, enticing us with the promise of refreshing juice if only we'd just sink our teeth in. But after being around it all day nearly every day, I needed a break.

  Our feet carried us on to probably the best part. I was getting full, but there was no way I'd give up now. Not when pastries were on the line. We started with dulcia domestica, the clusters of dried fruits and nuts held together by honey.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  "Still in?" I asked, trying to clean off my sticky fingers, half hoping she'd give up. But Saturnia nodded, determined.

  Next up was libum. By now, it was hard to eat and I made my way through the dense honey cheesecake slowly. I looked up and she was already licking her fingers, wearing a grim expression of challenge.

  But when we stared at the small tart before us, covered in sour cherries, we both hesitated. I took a deep breath and picked it up. A faint whimper escaped her as she took a bite. Looking up at the sky, I forced myself to chew, telling myself this is nothing compared to what a gladiator goes through in the arena.

  I snuck a glance at Saturnia and she had her eyes closed, pausing before taking another bite. Her cheeks puffed and she fought for a moment before spitting it back out.

  "I can't take it anymore."

  "Oh, thank the gods," I groaned. Then we jumped to study what remained of the tarts with intense scrutiny.

  I had beaten her by a single bite.

  "No!" she wailed. "Futue te ipsum! Go fuck yourself, Max. I was so sure I had beaten you. So! Sure!"

  "Better luck next time." I smiled, swallowing back a random urge to vomit.

  "Next time? Gods, if I even think about more food right now I might actually be sick," she said, holding up her hand.

  "Right. Let's find somewhere to just...exist for a moment."

  We wove our way through the shops and stalls to find a small courtyard away from the smell of food. Collapsing on a stone bench, Saturnia leaned back on her hands and I curled up with my head on her lap. Across the way, a musician played the harp. The notes floated softly around us, creating a small buffer from the chaotic energy of the markets around us. We stayed like that for several songs.

  "As much as it sucks right now, that was fun."

  I made a sound of agreement, pushing myself upright. "Thanks for coming out with me, Sat."

  She slung an arm around my shoulders and leaned her head against mine. "It's not something you need to thank me for. I just use you as an excuse to stuff my face with food and watch hot gladiators fight."

  I snorted and we both broke out into giggles. The harpist cast us a sharp look and I stood, hauling Saturnia to her feet. "Time to go find me my prize."

  We took our time strolling through the next sections, passing by some workshops first. Several blacksmiths attended their forges and brought their hammers down in a small shower of sparks. A barber leaned against the entrance of their shop waiting for their next customer, watching us silently as we passed by. In the distance, we could see the large vats in the ground where dyers dipped their fabrics. Twists of colorful woolen and cotton fibers fluttered in the breeze.

  Eventually, we reached the market with luxury items, the Forum Cuppedinis.

  "Should've called it Cupidinis," Saturnia muttered. "Everything is too pretty, it's hard not to be greedy. I love it all."

  There was so much to see that it was easy to get overwhelmed. From fine silks to shoes, ceramics to brooches, we could've spent a whole day here trying to look at everything and not even see it all.

  I paused before a small shop that was filled with books and scrolls. There were several major works that had been published when Aeterna was created, including stories about the people before our Roman ancestors. I traced the wooden cover of one such. It was painted in such a deep, intense green that I nearly mistook it for tree leaves. The border was covered in patterns of grey. But in the center were two figures gleaming in gold, walking through a black tunnel. I couldn't believe something this beautiful was just sitting here.

  "I think those two may be my favorite," a voice said. "Welcome to my shop. I'm Trivina."

  I lifted my head to see the shop owner. Her voluminous black curls escaped from where it was bound. A black hound curled at her feet.

  "What's it about?"

  "It's a question, really."

  "A question?" I bit my lip. "That doesn't make sense."

  "Ah, I've always been yelled at for being too cryptic. It's a question about what it means to love. And how much you care about fate."

  I looked back down at the book, my eyes lingering on the image.

  Saturnia appeared at my side. "Find something you like?" she asked curiously.

  Her voice startled me out of my reverie and I hurriedly put it down. I shrugged and looped my arm through hers. "Let's keep looking around." For some reason, it gave me the same strange feeling I got in the temple and I wasn't sure how to handle it.

  The shop owner called out after me as we walked on. "Nice to meet you, Maximilia!"

  I took a couple more steps when I realized I never told her my name. Freeing my arm, I spun around and darted back. But I didn't see her anywhere. The hairs on my arm stood up.

  "Max?" Saturnia called.

  I returned to her slowly, shaking my head. "Nothing. Just…thought I heard something."

  We continued exploring through the market with the strange encounter echoing in my mind. I followed Saturnia to another stall of jewelry and I saw her eyeing a clasp shaped like a scarab beetle, embedded with tiny jewels. She had begun to move on when a ring stood out to me.

  I caught up to her after a moment. "Just a gift for Father," I said when she looked at me curiously.

  "You still have to find something for yourself. My treat, remember?"

  I waved her off. "Don't worry, something will jump out at me soon.”

  We walked on when my skin prickled for a different reason than before and I stiffened. It was the distinct feeling of being watched.

  Someone was following us.