She managed to get a couple things off. The mittens were easy, the skirt a bit harder, but it was enough to free up her legs for effective running. By that time they had become engulfed in the shouting and jostling men and women who were now screaming and fighting with one another all around. She couldn’t even tell what side any of the people were on, there really wasn’t any apparent uniform or color or anything to tell who was fighting who and why. It just seemed like a mass brawl.

In moments She was just lost in the crowd of screaming and shouting and punching and kicking people.

“Devon!” she shouted, but couldn’t see him anywhere, and tried to back away from the largest clusters of fighting people and find a way out of this.

She was hit and almost lost her balance. Someone grabbed her hand, helped pull her back to her feet, then up straight. Tina tried to pull her hand away, but the looming figure who had grabbed it in the first place held on hard.

It was a woman in robes, face and hair wrapped up so she could barely make out what the woman looked like. She was at least tall, taller than her even. The woman offered a ghost of a smile

“Come with me,” the woman insisted. “Or would you rather they rip you to pieces?”

“I have to find-” Tina started. “I’m-”

“You have to get out of here,” the woman insisted. “Dozens will die here today, hundreds will be seriously injured. Do you want to be one of them? If you come with me now, you will live. Make your choice. And make it now.”

She certainly knew what she was talking about. Already Tina could see people bashing others, bloodies combatants and reddened sand. This was not a battle she wanted to be part of.

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The riotous sounds around them were getting too much. Tina knew she had to make the choice. So she did. She grabbed the offered hand and nodded to the woman, who lead her expertly out of the violently milling crowd and into the darkness of the arena’s torchlit corridors beneath the stands. Shouting still echoed throughout, but the woman pulled her along without hesitation, her grip like iron and even a little painful.

Once back out into the brightness of daylight outside on the street, Tina saw a carriage had pulled up by the entrance to the arena only a few meters away, its horses snorting and stamping.

“You must come with me,” the woman urged, still holding on to her with that deathgrip of steel. “I will take you to a safe place.”

Tina hesitated for a moment, but when several men started rushing towards them from across the street, she quickly climbed up into the carriage, with the woman. At the crack of a whip and the neighing and lopping noises horses make, they jerked into motion. Once inside, her hand was released and Tina could lean back on her bench into the cushioned backing, feeling at last little safe. Tina began to unbutton her coat, as now she was feeling absolutely boiling inside it.

“Who are you?” she asked the woman as they bumped along.

“Artemis,” the woman told her.

That had to be some sort of code name, Tina realized, and then stiffened. Was this a trick?

“Where are we going?” she asked as she glanced at the buildings. “What is this safe place you were talking about?”

“My mistress’ villa in the outer ring,” she stated. “It is very safe, has high walls and I promise you she is very interested in meeting you in person. Which is why she set me. She was worried that with the rioting today you would need help and wish to speak with her”

“Meeting me?” Tina asked. “In person? Wait- do we know each other?”

She’s hardly been here long enough for anyone to be interested in her, Tina thought.

“I do not think so, but you will understand when you meet her,” Artemis said. “I assure you, she is a friend.”

A strange thought crossed Tina’s mind. Was this woman anyone’s friend in particular?