They knew the lions were next.To Leah, the hush seemed almost supernatural. There were fifty thousand spectators, and the silence was so complete it was as if all had decided to hold their breath.Into this clear silence came the echoing clang of iron gates flung open.Leah’s soul groaned with agony. She’d never been at the games before, but she knew what that sound meant. Her tremulous fear was proven correct when suddenly the first men and women were pushed out onto the sand. Then more. And more. Nearly two dozen in all.No cheers.No roars.Only the predatory joy that came from watching the Christians stumble across the sand, dressed in the hides of zebras and antelopes.After their long imprisonment, the sunlight was too much for them. Each, without fail, flung hands across their eyes and moved blindly. Some stood tall and sucked in clean air, as if determined to enjoy, for the last minutes of their lives, the simple luxury of sunshine against skin.Leah saw her brother, of course. He stood the tallest, and several of the women had gathered behind him as if he could provide protection against the inevitable.As they regained their bearings, the people began to cluster, forming a compact mass.It was still silent, and the roars of anger that came from the bestiarius reached clearly into the stands.
