Carnifex continued to speak without looking at them. ‘Gather the men by the barracks. We’re going to have some fun with these two.’
‘Sir,’ said Procyon. ‘We lost four men in skirmishes with the Maseene overnight and there have been several sightings of a large band of them gathering on the plain.’
‘How big?’
‘Around a hundred.’
Carnifex snorted. ‘I’m shaking.’
‘Sir, even some of our people in the town are talking about leaving. And the locals — this talk of the clans coming together-’
‘Talk. How much bloody talk have we heard in the last year? What does Sulli say?’
‘He says the clans haven’t come together in a century and they’re not about to start now.’
‘Exactly. And he knows them better than anyone.’
‘We’ve also seen more of them close to the town, sir,’ added Procyon. ‘More than ever.’
Carnifex sighed. ‘All right. Standing order — every man to carry full weaponry, armour and shield at all times. Now do as I said and gather them at the barracks.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Procyon and Mutilus left.
Cassius decided he had nothing to lose. ‘Carnifex.’
His voice sounded strange: muted and low. ‘It’s not only the Service you have to worry about. Another of my patrons is Prefect Oppius Julius Venator of the Fourth Legion. I have powerful friends. They will avenge me.’
Carnifex took a last swig of wine.
‘What’ll they know, Streak, these friends? That you, your mate, a girl and a bunch of sailors headed south from Rhodes after some ship? Could easily have been lost in a storm. There won’t be a trace of you — I’ll make sure of it. All except Beautiful that is. I’ve got me a maid, but I’ve done her every way I can think of — and you know what, it’s getting a little stale. Think the magic’s gone.’ Carnifex ran a finger down Annia’s tear-stained cheek. ‘A year or two of fun with me then I’ll hand her down to Procyon and Mutilus. When they’ve had their fill, she can join the other serving girls and double as a barracks whore.’
Carnifex stood and lifted Annia up off the chair, his thick, filthy fingers around her pale throat once more.
Indavara strained against the ropes, his face colouring as veins bulged on his arms and neck.
Carnifex laughed. ‘Reckon you boys’ll be thinking on that — and how there was nothing you could do about it — just before your eyes close for the last time.’
XXVIII
Simo and Asdribar hurried past the dye works, anxious to see what had drawn so many of the townspeople into the square. Cassius had told neither of them about the plan to capture Carnifex, only that he and Indavara would be returning at dawn. And so when a tearful, desperate Clara reported that Annia was also missing, Asdribar didn’t wait long before deciding they should head into Darnis to investigate.
As they got closer to the crowd, Simo realised the townspeople were gathered around a group of legionaries. Behind them, lined up on the Via Cyrenaica, were a dozen carts loaded with belongings. There were many women there, a few children too.
Simo kept close to Asdribar as the Carthaginian pushed his way through the locals. Noster and the other soldiers had formed a protective cordon around two injured comrades, one of whom had a bandaged thigh, the other a wounded wrist. All the soldiers had the ‘II’ sewn on to their tunic sleeves. Centurion Eborius was kneeling between them, trying to talk to his men, but the locals were firing questions at him.
‘Where were they attacked?’
‘What about the First Century?’
‘Why isn’t Carnifex taking action?’
‘Why aren’t you doing anything?’
Eborius stood and held up his hands. ‘One at a time. Give me a chance to speak.’
As the crowd quietened, he noticed Simo and Asdribar. ‘Why are you still here?’
‘They didn’t come back,’ said Asdribar. ‘And we can’t find the girl.’
‘Noster, with me.’
The veteran followed Eborius as the centurion ushered Simo and Asdribar away through the crowd, some of whom groaned and shouted protests. Only when he was out of earshot did Eborius speak again.
‘Noster, go and check the hut. Quickly!’
The legionary ran over to a group of horses tied to a vacant market stall.
‘When did the girl go missing?’
‘Dawn,’ replied Asdribar. ‘Her maid said she went out on deck and never came back inside.’
‘She knew what Corbulo was doing?’
‘No, sir,’ answered Simo. ‘He didn’t even tell us.’
‘She must have been waiting for them,’ said Eborius. He gazed towards the harbour. ‘Perhaps she saw me — where I went.’
‘She was desperate to know what was going on,’ said Simo.
‘So am I,’ said Asdribar. ‘What’s this about a hut?’
‘Just down the coast there,’ answered Eborius. ‘That’s where they were keeping him.’
‘Keeping who? And what about last night? Why were you and those others searching my ship?’
Eborius lowered his voice. ‘All right, listen. We wanted to keep it between us but you may as well know now. It was Carnifex — he was behind the murder of Annia’s father. We grabbed him yesterday. Corbulo and Indavara were holding him in the hut. I had to go along with the search, pretend I was helping his men.’
‘So what do you think happened?’ asked Asdribar.
‘I don’t know. It’s only been an hour or so. Let’s see what Noster finds.’
Two men ran over to them. Simo expected them to address Eborius, but it was Asdribar they were interested in.
‘That your ship?’ asked one.
‘It is.’
‘How much to take us and our families?’
‘My vessel’s not available for hire.’
Simo was relieved to hear that. From what he’d seen over the past week, the captain was a good, fair-minded man. But sitting somewhere in his deckhouse was a stash of gold coins, and if Master Cassius, Indavara and Annia really were missing, surely he might be tempted to leave — especially as the situation in Darnis seemed to be worsening by the hour.
‘We have money,’ said the man.
‘Plenty of money,’ added the other.
‘You heard the man,’ said Eborius. ‘Back over there. I’ll speak to you all in a moment.’
The pair grudgingly left.
Asdribar glanced at Eborius’s soldiers. ‘What’s going on?’
‘More attacks by the Maseene last night,’ explained the centurion. ‘Killed a farmer and his sons. My men were hurt after running into another lot. Some of the townspeople have already gone. The Maseene won’t harm the locals, but the settler families have a lot more to fear. They’re thinking about forming a column and heading west to the Five Cities. They want me and my men to provide an escort. Wait here.’
Eborius ran back to the crowd and quietened them down. Simo and Asdribar listened as he tried to reassure the people but it seemed minds had already been made up. As he spoke, a man wearing a purple-edged cloak approached the crowd.
‘That the governor?’ asked Asdribar.
‘I think so,’ said Simo.
Lafrenius Leon stopped at the edge of the crowd and waited for people to turn and notice him. He was lean almost to the point of emaciation, his thinning hair forming a V atop his head. When the noise died down, he clasped his hands behind him and spoke with an affected gravitas. ‘People, these are difficult times. But we must put our trust in Centurion Carnifex and the men of the First Century. They have protected our lands for years-’
‘They can’t protect a damn thing any more!’
‘Where is Carnifex anyway?’
‘I heard he’s missing — that’s who they were out looking for last night. I heard the Maseene got him!’
Leon blanched and didn’t say another word. As the discussion descended once more into a shouting match, Noster’s mount came charging back into the square. When Simo saw what the legionary was carrying, he knew something had gone dreadfully wrong. Eborius shouldered his way back through the crowd and ran over to them.