"I cannot pass you off as guard, my husband knows all those under his employ and women do not often have male body slaves," she says, mostly thinking aloud, running her options over in her mind. For that, too, she would have to put her mark upon him and though what she feels for Sawyer could be described as geniune affection, or as close to such as Ilithyia gets, she has little desire to have him marked as hers forever.

"I dare not put you in the ludus, for the training alone kills many men," she continues and Sawyer is someone she would very much like to keep alive. "Perhaps, though, I can convince others you are a gift given to me. I can bide time pretending I've yet to decide what to do with you."