The next day was the complete opposite. After the rain all yesterday, people were happy to get out and enjoy the sun. I'd been so busy first thing in the morning that I didn't even have time to give Felix his smoothie yet. He'd liked the Cupid yesterday, though, made with pear and rosehip.

  "Can I customize something on the menu?" the next person asked.

  "Sure. But if you go a little crazy, I might have to charge more."

  "Might? So is that a yes or a no?"

  I swallowed my snarky response. "If you add more than two ingredients on top of what's listed, then yes."

  "What if I switch out the existing ingredients? Will that count?"

  "No."

  "What about—"

  "And if you pick a special additive listed, that price for it still stands even if it's just to switch an existing ingredient."

  He crossed his arms. "Well, that's not fair," he muttered.

  I didn't answer. Instead, I just stared and imagined myself under the glaring heat of the sun, the sand hot under my sandals. My red tunic stood out like blood, the sign of prey to my opponent.

  The bull, wearing the man's face, pawed its hoof before charging at me again and I dove to the side. It thundered past before slowing to a halt and turning. The beast prepared to charge again tossing its horns. The spikes wrapped around them glinted dangerously. I tensed as it bore down once more.

  This was the one.

  I planted the butt of the spear into the ground, ducking and pivoting to the side. The bull ran right into it, collapsing with a bellow as the point tore through its heart. I could hear the crowd chanting my name.

  "Max!"

  "Max!

  "Max me!"

  That one didn't sound right.

  "Excuse me!"

  I blinked and once again stood in Invictus Shakes. The man glared at me. "Pro dives, these kids are so lazy. So, can you make it or not?"

  "I can make you anything you'd like," I said calmly. "Can you repeat it one more time so I can make sure there's no mistakes?"

  "Oh, for—" He cut himself off before launching right into it one more time. "I want the Discordia. But instead of beet juice, I want pomegranate. And berries instead of plums, and add citron juice. Keep the yogurt. With honey. And lion's mane and spirulina, too. Got it?" he snapped.

  "Yes, absolutely. You'll get exactly what you're paying for." I smiled sweetly as I collected the total. Then I turned, sucking my lips in with distaste. So he'd just ordered the Pluto with extra steps. And it was going to taste disgusting. When I finished, I set it down and called out his name. As I worked on the next customer's order, the man walked up to claim it.

  "Is this mine?"

  "It is all yours and no one else's," I assured him.

  I watched his face carefully. He took a sip and then smacked his lips together several times as he analyzed the taste.

  "Not bad, but just a little too earthy. Could be fruiter. I hope your other smoothies are better."

  Then he walked away and my mouth fell open. This man just changed the entire recipe and then had the audacity to tell me it wasn't great. I was so tempted to throw something at him and start another food fight. Except this time it wouldn't be a fight. It would be a complete annihilation.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "Well. That was certainly something."

  Turning, I saw Corinna leaning against the bar with Flavia. I beamed at them. "Hi strangers. It's been a couple of days since I've seen either of you."

  She hooked her thumb towards the ludus. "These guys keep me busy. The fight's coming up in a few days."

  "I had the day off from training," Flavia added.

  That's right. Felix made sure the gladiators had one day off from training, with another day a much lighter load.

  "So what'd you do on your day off?"

  Flavia shrugged.

  I tilted my head. "Well next time, if you want, let me know. My friend Saturnia would be really excited to meet you. You're one of her favorite gladiators, too."

  She blinked. "She is? Too?"

  I smiled, leaning forward on my elbows. "Yeah, too. Because we're both your fans, Flavia. It's almost too bad that you're not in the next fight."

  A strange look flitted across her face before it vanished. A small smile appeared. "Interesting."

  "What do you mean, interesting?" I asked incredulously. "Do you really not hear the crowd at all after your fights?"

  "I do, but usually I'm still surprised to be alive. And they do that for everyone?"

  "Oh, girl," Corinna muttered.

  I dropped my head, resisting the urge bang it against the countertop for the second time today. Meanwhile, another group of people walked in. "We'll have to talk about that attitude another time," I sighed, taking the next order.

  As they walked out, Corinna made a detour to walk by the insufferable man. She stopped and sniffed loudly. "You smell like shit, bitch."

  He sputtered in shock and everyone turned to look. Flavia stopped in front of him.

  "Bitch," she said simply, taking a long drink. Then she turned and followed Corinna out of the courtyard.

  I grinned to myself, enjoying their small act of defiance on my behalf. Several people near him sniffed the air suspiciously and shifted away as a precaution. He didn't stay long.

  The day wore on, but I barely noticed in the frenzied pace. The work I did yesterday was keeping me afloat, but it was clear I'd have to come in early tomorrow to do some prep work.

  By now, most of the gladiators had become regulars, stopping in to fuel themselves during training or to recover after a particularly tough session. Some variation of protein powder or yogurt was included in their drinks—yet another thing I'd have to get more of. But it was a good problem to have.

  There was movement in my periphery. I lowered the lid back onto the container.

  "Welcome to Inv—oh!" It was Felix. I'd been so caught up in the rush that I hadn't even noticed the time. I smiled. "My favorite regular."

  He tilted his head with a playful frown. "Is that something you say to all your regulars?"

  "Of course not. After all, Father, you're the only one that's come in every single day." I winked. "And today, you've reached the last one on the regular menu."

  "Ah, the one that people have been talking about, right?"

  I nodded. I had a feeling about what he was going to say, but I was curious to see if I would be wrong.

  He walked up to some of the roses while I prepared the drink. "Maximilia, when was the last time you watered these?"

  My face scrunched in concentration. "A couple days ago, I think?"

  Felix started grumbling something under his breath and he strode behind the bar, looking around. "Give me something I can put water in."

  I grabbed one of the large, empty amphorae and handed it to him. He placed it under the spigot and filled it with water before carrying it back out to the courtyard. One by one, he went around to all the planters to water them, coming back each time he ran out.

  "You don't have to do that," I said sheepishly. I handed him the smoothie on one of his return trips to refill the amphora.

  He just gave me a look. I whistled and looked away. The last customers had left so I began to clean up, washing the glasses and wiping down the tables and bartop. When I looked up again to see what Felix was doing, he'd pulled out a small dagger and began upkeeping the plants. Some of the blooms he placed into the shallow basins of water on the tables. For a while, we worked in comfortable silence.

  I snuck another glance at his face, noting how relaxed he was. There was no furrow between his brow and his grey-blue eyes were focused intently as he pruned the flowers. I didn't want to interrupt him, so I began the food prep I had meant to do in the morning. It was good to see him focus on something unrelated to the gladiators. And killing.

  Grinning to myself, I began to hum.

  Later, when we walked home together, I asked him what he thought of the smoothie.

  "It was very sweet. But a little too much of a nutty flavor for me."

  "I knew you'd say that," I said with a laugh. "I usually leave that out when I make it for myself."

  We turned a corner.

  "Do you want to help me take care of the flowers in the courtyard?"

  He grunted, looking away. "I was going to do that anyway, even if you didn't ask me. I don't trust you to remember taking care of them."

  I bit my lip, but I could feel the smiling in my cheeks and it won. “Deal.” I couldn't wait to see his reaction to the gift I'd gotten him.

  too much fun writing awful customers for Max.