Indavara found himself face to face with Theomestor.
‘By Jupiter,’ said Ulixes as Cassius halted the cart. ‘What a mess.’
The junction of the track and the road was a morass of men and horses. Most of the men were carrying pails of water towards the compound. Others were leading horses away from the fire. Cassius waved at Andal and pointed towards the town. The guard officer waved back.
Cassius guided the horses to the left where there was more space, but it was slow going until they got well away from the junction.
‘Damn. Out already,’ said Ulixes as they passed the house he’d set aflame. A man outside was reaching through a window, recovering blackened clothes.
‘Are they behind us?’ yelled Cassius.
‘Andal is. Can’t see the others.’
Driving the cart through the town was a nightmare. Despite the dozens of lanterns and torches alight, Cassius couldn’t keep track of all the people crossing the road ahead of him. Suddenly a woman and a girl shot out of an alley and disappeared in front of the mounts. He hauled back on the reins and horses skidded to a stop.
‘What are you doing?’ bawled Ulixes.
The pair reappeared, the girl wide eyed and gripping her mother’s thigh.
‘By the great gods.’ Cassius wiped his slick hands on his tunic. He was about to move off when he noticed a large figure standing outside a doorway. Commander Oblachus was leaning on his stick, bellowing orders and directing any guard he saw towards the compound. He looked up at Cassius and Ulixes, then at the rear of the cart. Confusion became comprehension. Disbelief became anger.
Before the Arabian could react, Cassius drove the horses onward. He could see the outer wall up ahead.
Indavara hated fighting the old ones. Crafty, patient, controlled — that was how the bastards stayed alive so long. A flurry of well-aimed jabs and sweeps from Theomestor’s long, curved blade had already driven him back towards the tower.
The old warrior’s movements were unerringly fluid. He came in at odd angles, used unusual combinations. Indavara had no idea what was coming next.
He parried a high sweep then stumbled as he retreated, wondering how close he was to the tower. Once he hit the stone, the Arabian would have him at his mercy.
Indavara tried to stand his ground but a sly flick caught his wrist. The mail held firm but it could easily have been his hand. He blocked another blow, evaded another flick and continued to back away.
They were well into the shadows now.
Cursing in Nabatean, Theomestor thrust at him two-handed. Indavara deflected the blow with the base of his blade, then chopped quickly at the Arabian’s face. To his amazement, the veteran made no attempt to avoid it.
The blade cut across his chin. Theomestor staggered backwards as blood seeped from the wound. He centred his sword and peered forward. Only then did Indavara realise. The dark was even worse for his old eyes. He couldn’t see.
Indavara just rushed him. Theomestor swung clumsily and far too early. Indavara had time to pick his strike — an arrow-straight thrust into his opponent’s throat.
The Arabian somehow held on to his sword as he stood there, impaled by the blade, trembling and gasping.
Indavara didn’t want him to suffer. He retracted the sword.
As the veteran’s limp form fell, he wished he hadn’t had to kill him.
Sorry, old boy. You had a good run.
Cassius was surprised to see the gate still shut. He stopped the horses and looked down at the chaotic scene.
Mercator was standing alone, staring at the ground. He was surrounded by fallen men, only a few of whom were still moving. It was hard to tell which were auxiliaries and which were guards. Yorvah was helping another soldier up while two more were attending to a man lying on his back.
Ulixes spoke before Cassius could summon any words. ‘Mercator, the doors.’
The optio didn’t respond.
Cassius threw the reins at Ulixes and climbed down. ‘Mercator!’
The optio managed to look at him but his eyes were glassy and wide.
Yorvah grabbed his arm and shook him. ‘Sir, Optio Mercator, sir!’
‘What? What is it?’ He looked at Cassius. ‘Corbulo.’
‘We have to go. Now. Where’s Indavara?’
‘Right here.’ He ran past them, sheathing his blade once more. ‘I’ll get the doors.’
Cassius spoke to Mercator and Yorvah. ‘Any injured that can move — get them in the cart.’
He looked back along the road. Andal and another man were arriving with their horses.
The three other auxiliaries were on foot. ‘Sir, we just couldn’t get through,’ said one. ‘We had to leave ours.’
‘Looks like we’re not going to need them all anyway,’ said Cassius. ‘Everyone mount up. Where’s Simo?’
‘Not sure, sir. We lost sight of him back there.’
‘Damn it.’
Cassius turned back towards the gate. Indavara seemed to be having trouble with the locking plank. Cassius dodged through the men and drew his sword. Using the pommel, he knocked the plank upwards. Indavara pulled it free and threw it aside. They each grabbed one of the doors and heaved them open.
Simo was stuck. In front of his horse was a hand cart stacked with barrels. The cart had lost a wheel and wouldn’t be moving any time soon. Next to it was a woman trying to round up a gaggle of crying children.
Simo heard an angry cry from behind him and spun around.
Oblachus. Not a name he was likely to ever forget. The commander was limping past the line of horses, stick in one hand, lantern in the other.
Simo had seen the other men abandon their charges and decided he didn’t have much choice. He dropped the reins and slid off the horse, stumbling on an unsteady flagstone. He looked back. Oblachus had collared a guard and was pointing at him.
Simo checked his pack was secure then ran.
‘What about Khalima?’ asked Indavara.
‘They got caught at the inner gate,’ said Cassius. ‘We can’t wait any longer.’
An injured man had been put in the cart. Mercator and the others were on their horses and ready to move.
‘What are we waiting for?’ yelled Ulixes.
Cassius slapped Indavara on the shoulder. ‘Go. Get moving.’
‘Where’s Simo?’
Cassius looked back along the road again. All of Andal’s group was there apart from the Gaul. ‘I’ll find him. Just get that bloody stone out of here.’
Indavara hesitated. ‘Corbulo-’
‘That’s an order. You’re an army man now, remember?’
Indavara climbed up beside Ulixes. As the ex-legionary got the cart under way, the others followed.
Andal was the last in line. He was holding Cassius’s grey mare by the reins. ‘Here, sir.’
Cassius took them and swung up into the saddle. ‘Go!’
As Andal set off through the gate, Cassius wheeled his mount around and trotted back into the town. Several of the unused horses were now free and running loose, adding to the confusion. He had just rounded one when he heard a familiar voice.
‘Sir! Sir, I’m here!’
Simo had just emerged from behind a pair of mules being towed across the road.
‘Here, Simo, jump up with me.’
A less composed animal might have protested at such an added weight but the mare remained still as the big attendant hauled himself up behind his master. Cassius was already turning when he heard another voice in Greek.
‘You!’
Oblachus was pointing at him. In his other hand was a long spear.
But of more immediate concern was the guard just feet away. Cassius kicked out with his right boot but delivered only a glancing blow to the shoulder. The guard tried to grab his leg but Cassius urged the horse back and freed himself. His second kick cracked the Arabian’s chin and sent him tottering away.
Wrenching the reins to his left, Cassius was about to charge for the gate when he spotted a boy of no more than five standing directly in front of him. The child was not crying or screaming, just staring up at the animal towering over him.