Cassius was only half-listening because he’d noticed one particular individual walking towards the town — the young warrior in charge of the crane.
‘What is it?’ asked Indavara.
‘We’re going to recruit someone else to help — someone who can get us through those gates and get the stone into the cart.’
‘Who?’
Cassius pointed down at the road. ‘Him.’
XXIX
‘What happened?’ asked Cassius. ‘I told your men to watch the sneaky son of a bitch.’
Mercator looked mortified. ‘They went with him to the latrine but he somehow got away.’
‘Don’t forget he was a spy,’ said Indavara. ‘Maybe he got to that Goat Trail or found another way out of here.’
The three of them were standing by the track. After his discussion with the others, Cassius had met with Khalima. The Saracen and his men were out gathering information — the first stage of the operation.
‘Did you pay him off?’ asked Mercator.
‘Yes.’
‘So he wouldn’t have gone to Ilaha’s men? He wouldn’t have betrayed us?’
‘How in Hades should I know?’ said Cassius. ‘Even if he has, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. We shall continue the preparations as planned.’
‘Can I brief the men now?’ asked Mercator.
‘Go ahead. Make sure each and every one understands his task. We cannot afford any more mistakes.’
‘Well,’ said Cassius to Indavara once Mercator had left. ‘Do you think we have a chance?’
‘There are a hundred things that might go wrong.’
‘I was thinking more like a thousand.’
As sunset neared, the air cooled and shadows crept out from the walls. Torches and lanterns were lit. The road was a little quieter but dozens of men were still on the move; buying supplies, loading carts, checking their horses.
Khalima still hadn’t returned. Mercator and the auxiliaries quietly attended to their personal gear, each readying himself for the perilous night ahead. Each man was to carry his weapons and a single pack containing essentials and enough provisions for a few days.
In the smallest tent, Cassius had nothing to do. Simo had filled his pack for him and he sat by the open flap, once again awaiting Khalima. Ever fastidious, Indavara was repeatedly checking every weapon and piece of equipment. He had already retied his boot laces three times. Simo had purchased all the items on Cassius’s list: most of them were still in a large box outside the tent. Now the attendant was completing the extensive sewing job his master had given him.
Cassius looked down at the sword lying between his legs. It was standard legionary issue, a lot easier to wield than his own. He gripped the handle, imagined drawing it, swinging it at some faceless guard. He felt almost faint as he thought of the last time he’d seen blades used on men; the battle between the legionaries and the tribesmen in Cyrenaica. Though he’d now witnessed it many times, nothing sickened him more than the sight of human flesh pierced and sliced by sharpened metal.
Next to him was his pack; and buried at the bottom was his satchel, the money and the spearhead. He had been given his share of food, wine and water too. He almost laughed at the thought of watching Simo put in his favourite snack of bread, goat’s cheese and olives. As if it mattered. And yet somehow it did.
The Gaul finished his work then packed away his needle and thread. ‘There, sir. All done.’
‘Good. Don’t forget your own gear.’
‘Or your sword,’ said Indavara.
‘I daresay you wish you’d been another day late back to Bostra,’ said Cassius.
Simo said nothing.
‘And both of you keep close to Khalima and his men,’ added Indavara.
Cassius brushed sand off his knees. ‘I must admit I’d prefer it if we stayed together.’
‘You didn’t say anything earlier.’
‘Mercator needs you more than I do.’
‘Mercator will do his best,’ said Indavara firmly. ‘Andal and Yorvah and the others too.’
‘Just make sure you get that outer gate open.’
‘I will, but …’
‘But what?’
Indavara pushed his pack aside. ‘Part of me hopes we don’t get the stone.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘The god lives within it. He speaks, shines out his light. He could kill us. Or curse us for the rest of our lives.’
‘I thought we’d been through this,’ said Cassius. ‘Forget that nonsense. A god who can’t sniff out twenty enemies right under his nose doesn’t worry me.’
‘You were as scared as anyone.’
‘That may be so, but then I thought about it — logically. And I made up my own mind. You should try it sometime.’
Simo was buckling the straps of his pack. ‘It was the voice of a demon. Hell is revealing itself. War is coming. Bloodshed and suffering. I think the time of judgement is close.’
‘Simo.’
‘I am ready, sir. I have prayed for you both. But you must know that God will judge us all.’
‘It’s a bit late for me,’ said Indavara. ‘All the killing I’ve done.’
He tapped his belt. Cassius didn’t need to see across the tent to know his figurine would be tucked in there.
‘I’ve got my Fortuna. She’ll see me through. Is she stronger than Elagabal, do you think?’
‘Jupiter is,’ said Cassius. ‘I know that much.’
‘Will you pray to him?’
‘Already have. And for you two.’
His companions looked at him.
‘Back in Bostra I was desperate for both of you to come with me. And I am grateful you are here, now more than ever. But once again I have led you into great danger. If we don’t get out of here alive, then I am truly sorry.’
Khalima returned just as the last vestiges of red were fading from the sky. Cassius, Indavara and Mercator spoke to him outside.
‘Apparently our young friend is an engineer,’ explained the Saracen. ‘He is currently eating his dinner at an inn. Adayyid will lure him up here.’
‘What about a cart?’ asked Cassius.
‘Those lumber vehicles in the compound are big enough but it’s too well guarded. We could try a bribe but I doubt they’d take it — more likely they’d go straight to Oblachus or Theomestor.’
‘Any other ideas?’
‘A couple of the other tribes have one big enough but they’re all loaded and ready to go. We could offer a very high price but it might draw suspicion.’
While Cassius tried to think of an alternative, Mercator spoke up.
‘What about the inner gate?’
‘Good news and bad,’ replied Khalima. ‘Because the chiefs are being housed inside there is a bit of traffic, so we may be able to get through — especially if Adayyid can get us some help.’
‘The bad?’ asked Cassius.
‘I heard from one of Mushannaf’s men that there is still a small detachment of guards protecting the stone.’
‘At least the crane and the platform are quite a way from the gate,’ said Cassius.
‘My men can kill quietly,’ said Khalima. ‘But even then, we’ve still got to get the rock onto the cart and get back out again.’
‘And what about what happens inside that cavern?’ said Mercator. ‘We can’t know exactly when the ethnarchs will strike or how it will affect what we’re doing.’
‘We need some kind of distraction,’ said Khalima. ‘Something to occupy the guards.’
‘We’ll see what we can come up with,’ said Cassius. ‘What about the outer gate?’
‘Never less than six by the doors and old Theomestor seldom strays far. Then there are those accursed archers in the tower.’
‘You can leave them to me,’ said Indavara.
‘Ulixes?’ asked Cassius.
‘We didn’t see him,’ said Khalima.
‘But I saw you.’ Ulixes appeared suddenly out of the darkness.
The four others stared at him, dumbstruck.
The gambler winked at Khalima. ‘I wouldn’t advise a career in espionage. If those guards had anything about them they would have seen you scouting the place.’