Calpurnia turned and nodded to Marjanita. The handmaid stepped forward, removed an object from a pouch at her belt, and placed it on the table. Lucius could see that it was a signet ring of black and gold, and that it bore the emblem of a lighted bird, which he assumed to be a Raven. It was much like any other signet ring he had seen before, much like ones he had seen legates use to sign documents, but he noticed that Postumus and Flavius seemed disturbed by the sight of it. They stared at the ring as if it were the key that unlocked the cave of Cacus.
“This is the seal of the Raven Brotherhood,” Calpurnia stated, glancing at Libo. “It was found among my brothers’ personal effects and baggage. Cleopatra had the courtesy to return my brothers’ things to my father, but her incompetent servants must have missed this item, otherwise I’m sure it never would have been included.”
Postumus picked up the ring and inspected it for a moment before returning it to the center of the table. “And this is how you concluded the Raven was behind your brothers’ deaths?”
“Yes.”
Postumus seemed inwardly amused for the briefest moment.
“I will expose him, Senator!” Calpurnia snapped. “I will ensure that he suffers just as my brothers suffered.”
“How can you possibly do that, my lady?” Flavius spoke up. “You have nothing more than a ring and a theory.”
“I have spent a long time searching for this man, and I have learned much about him. I know that he is a senator, that he is an older man, that he is wealthy but does not flaunt his wealth,” she looked more intently into Postumus’s eyes with each word. “And that he has a mark, a tattoo upon his left breast, of the same symbol you see on this ring. And I am very near to finding him, Senator. My father’s murder is proof of that. The Raven grows nervous. He foresees his days are numbered.”
After a long moment of silence, Postumus burst into laughter and slapped the table several times. “Well, this explains why your handmaid was hovering outside my window last night. What were you hoping, that she might see me in my disrobed state and discover this mythical tattoo?” He laughed again, and Flavius joined in, but his was more forced. “My lady, this is why women should remain in the villa, and away from the forum, for they are too easily swept up in fantasy! You would, I’m sure, wish me to strip to the waist here and now, to prove your wild claims, but I will not entertain them. They are the ridiculous notions of a child!”
“I don’t believe Lady Calpurnia would accuse you of being the Raven, Senator,” Libo said, glancing at Calpurnia for some kind of affirmation. “Nor do I believe she would spy on you in your quarters. Is that not right, my lady?”
Calpurnia did not answer immediately, and Lucius noticed that, for the first time since the lady had entered the room, she appeared muddled and vulnerable, as if the sudden revelation of this incident distressed her greatly. Finally, she conceded with a nod of her head. “I sent no one to spy on you, Senator.”
“There is no doubting what I saw, Admiral,” Postumus said. “Last night, as I was retiring to my bed, a shadowy figure peered through my portal. It remained just beyond the light of the lantern, but I could see its darkened features staring back at me, outlined by the glimmer of long hair. It remained there as long as one might count to ten. By the time I called my guard, it had vanished into the night. There was nothing outside but the hull and the sea. Whoever it was must have been small and nimble as a gymnast to hang from that ledge and retreat so quickly.”
“Perhaps this intruder is somehow connected to Barca’s attack on Lady Calpurnia,” Libo offered, glancing at Calpurnia as if to seek her opinion, but Calpurnia appeared to be lost in thought, and Libo continued. “No matter who it was, he shall not disturb you again, Senator. I shall see that a marine guard is stationed at the stern deck railing just above your cabin.”
“That will be most kind, Admiral,” Postumus replied, shooting a defiant glance at Calpurnia. “But perhaps the guard will only be necessary for one more night. No doubt, this intruder means to disrupt my mission here, and after tomorrow, he will be too late. My mission will be fulfilled. Which brings us back to the purpose of this meeting.” He looked around the room, and then glanced once at the door. “Tomorrow, at dawn, Antony intends to meet with agents of the Raven on the isle of Basada in the mouth of Brundisium harbor. Marcellus’s mission was to deliver the time and the place for the meeting to the Raven in Thessalonica. We know that Marcellus’s message never reached its destination – thanks to your father, my lady, who so thoroughly saw to that. Thanks to our agent in Rome, we know the time and the place of the meeting. Tomorrow, Antony intends to exchange the promised amount of treasury gold and silver for a signed edict from the Senate declaring him supreme commander over all Roman armies.”
“If this is true,” Libo said quickly, “then we must send a detachment of marines to storm the island. Antony must be captured or killed.”
Postumus shook his head vigorously. “No such action must be attempted, Admiral. As much as I despise the rogue and wish evil upon him, Antony must not be harmed. We will meet with him. We will pretend to be agents of the Raven, and we will pretend to accede to his every wish.”
“To simply make off with the money?” Libo asked incredulously.
“Yes, Admiral. The treasury gold is our objective.”
Libo shifted in his seat. “Antony is among Caesar’s inner circle, Senator. Caesar has appointed him Master of Horse, for the love of Neptune. It seems to me that Fortuna has placed a golden opportunity in our hands. We should take it. We can strike a powerful blow against the tyrant if Antony is killed. Besides, bartering with that traitor goes against every oath I have sworn to uphold.”
“We won’t be bartering with him,” Postumus said impatiently. “Not candidly, in any event. The Senate cares little what title Antony thinks he has. Tell him whatever he wants to hear, declare him King of Bactria, for all we care, but we must secure that gold. It is the key. Deprive Caesar of the stolen treasury – deprive him of the only thing that keeps the people amenable and his army obedient – and his whole world will crumble around him. Without it, his legions will desert, and this whole nasty war can be brought to a quick conclusion.” Postumus paused for a moment, presumably waiting for any further arguments from Libo, before proceeding. “Now that you have been apprised of the mission, Admiral, I believe it would be advantageous for you to accompany us when we meet with Antony. Your presence will only give us greater credibility in Antony’s eyes. He will think the Raven truly controls the affairs of the Senate and the Roman fleet. I will conduct the negotiations…”
As Postumus continued to outline his plan for the morrow, Lucius studied the faces around the room. Flavius looked anxious, as if he knew that the senator must share this information in order for the plan to succeed, but at the same time wished it to be kept secret. Libo listened intently, but Lucius detected something in his manner, something Lucius’s years as a centurion had made him keen to detect – that moment when a soldier silently nods and accepts the orders of a superior while inwardly he broods and knows he will take the first opportunity to disobey them. Calpurnia also listened, but Lucius could see that something still distracted her thoughts. Marjanita evidently saw it, too, and watched her mistress with great concern. She caught Lucius looking at her, and shot him a poisonous glance, but Lucius only smiled back.
They all had their own agendas, as Lucius had his own.
XXIV
After the meeting had adjourned, Libo directed Lucius to join him in his quarters. He waved away the servants and the bodyguard, and waited for the screen to close before he spoke.
“I wish to know something, Centurion, once and for all. Come over here.”
Libo directed him over to a table where several scrolls were stacked. One scroll lay in the center of the table, partially open, its weathered paper exposed. But this was not what Libo directed his attention to. Behind the table sat a chair from which hung a sword belt with a sheathed gladius. To Lucius’s surprise, the admiral grabbed the hilt of the sword, drew out the bare steel, and pointed it toward Lucius. As the polished blade glimmered in the dim lamp light, Lucius forced himself to refrain from any defensive move. Something in Libo’s demeanor told him this was not meant as a threat. His deductions were confirmed when Libo tossed the blade onto the table.