Lionslayer's Woman

by Nhys Glover

  Her lion frowned as he took in the ramifications of her news. ‘How did he find out? We have to assume he found out. Why else would he come back here?’

  ‘That’s what we thought,’ Appius said as he finally reached them out of breath and flushed from the heat.

  ‘We have to find them. Someone must have seen the slavers and Antoninus. We need to find out where they are. Keep looking. Keep asking. That’s all we can do. We meet up with Nexus in an hour. By that time, maybe we’ll have discovered more,’ Leonis said.

  It wasn’t what she wanted to hear but it was the only thing they could do. She turned away in defeat and Appius once again kept stride with her.

  ‘Think…’ she told herself. ‘If I wanted to hide a woman while I ransomed her where would I go?’

  ‘The bowels of the city,’ Appius provided.

  ‘Possibly, but wouldn’t that be noticed? If someone wanted to keep Galeria’s presence hidden, would he go where the eyes and ears were the most plentiful? I don’t know. The slaver who bought me from my master had lodgings in the better part of the city. He kept his work and life separate. Would these slavers do that? I don’t know. I don’t know what…’ She swore loudly in her own language and saw a passing Parthian look her way with some respect.

  ‘You must be angry to use such language, little one,’ said the man. He was middle-aged and respectably dressed as befitted a Roman, but he wore his curling hair in the long ornate way of her people. His beard was equally well tended.

  ‘My mistress has been stolen from us. We don’t know where to look,’ she said to the man absently, knowing they had nothing in common but their heritage.

  However, the man looked at her speculatively. ‘You are loyal to this Roman?’

  She nodded as she continued to look around. Appius seemed anxious to move on, but he waited on her.

  ‘She saved my life. I owe her everything. Now I must find the Proconsul’s son…’

  ‘Our new Proconsul or old?’ The man seemed disinclined to move on. Cyra had no idea why she was stopping to talk to this stranger. He was unlikely to be of any use to her, but she answered him patiently.

  ‘The old. Antoninus was seen around the harbour today…’

  ‘And he will help you find your mistress?’

  ‘Yes… I think he will know where she’s been taken.’ Cyra wasn’t about to tell this stranger that the Proconsul’s son was a kidnapper and criminal. That would not get her the help she needed.

  ‘I knew the Proconsul well. I had dealings with him on many occasions. My Cappadocian investments made it good business to make his acquaintance, and I met the son, briefly. You are quite correct. I saw the son this midday past, heading into the upper precincts of the city.’

  Cyra’s heart lifted. ‘Where exactly?’

  The man pointed to the eastern section of the city that ranged up the side of the hill in fashionable style. This was Hellenism at its best, and many of the villas in that part of the city appeared to be very old and very gracious.

  ‘He was walking up the main road leading to the villas at the top of the hill. I saw no more than that. If that helps you, may Astarte reward me.’ With a deep bow, the man disappeared into the crowd.

  Astarte? He asked for Astarte’s reward. How would he know that the moon goddess was helping them? She felt the gooseflesh rise on her skin. Now she was starting to think like Leonis. Was that Parthian sent by Astarte to give her that information? Surely not!

  At that moment, she caught sight of Nexus coming quickly toward them. He seemed hot and frustrated but not unduly upset. He’d change his tune shortly, she thought.

  Hailing him, she made her way over to his side, Appius hard on her heels. ‘We’re in trouble, Nexus. Antoninus is here and so are the slavers. Antoninus was seen heading up the main road into eastern part of the city shortly after midday. He may have gone to get Galeria from the slavers.’ The words poured out of her so fast that each one fell over the last in a jumbled mess. She wasn’t sure Nexus would understand a word of it.

  The stark look of horror on his face told her he did. ‘I found out the Syrian slavers were seen heading up into that part of the city last night with a bundle… a carpet someone thought. It has to be Galeria, and Antoninus was heading that way? How did he find out?’ He swore viciously and looked as if he needed something to hit, but there was nothing nearby so he reined himself in.

  ‘We have to go for my sister!’ Appius announced imperiously. Cyra knew that this was not the smartest thing the youth had done. From the look in Nexus’ eyes, he’d suddenly found something he could take his rage out on. Appius must have realised his mistake, too, because he backed down hurriedly.

  ‘We’ll go for your sister! When we know where she is… and who guards her… we’ll go for your sister!’ Nexus just about bellowed out his words and several passing slaves took a wide berth of them, hastily. Others seemed interested in a possible fight brewing.

  Nexus reined in his fury before he used his fists on the youth, but it was a close call. By then, Leonis was making his way through the crowds toward them.

  ‘I’ve discovered nothing!’ Leonis said as soon as he reached them, and by his expression, Cyra knew he was wondering if Nexus had been told the bad news.

  ‘We go to the eastern sector of the city and stake out the main road. If Antoninus went up that way, he’ll come down that way, maybe with Galeria. If he does, we follow him. Find out where he’s staying. It’s unlikely he’ll leave the harbour tonight. He’ll have accommodation somewhere…’

  ‘Not in the poorer area. He’s doing well for himself our informant told us,’ Cyra said as she wrapped her arm around Leonis.

  ‘We need to know exactly what the new situation is before we can make new plans. I should have known it would never be that easy. Everything has led to this…’

  ‘The Goddess is with us, don’t despair,’ Leonis said, tightening his arm around Cyra.

  ‘Yes. It was one of her followers who told us where Antoninus went. We have help.’

  Nexus didn’t look convinced. Then he rubbed his hands through his hair and turned his head to the darkening sky. ‘We’ll need all the help we can get if we’re to succeed against these new odds. How many men has he with him?’

  ‘A retinue was the word used, so more than a few. I just don’t know how this happened. He had no one but a Parthian and Asmina with him in Isthmia, and he didn’t seem like he was doing well financially. How can he have come by money and men in such a short time?’ Leonis said

  ‘We’ll ask how later. Now we act. Come on. I think this is the time I need more of my eyes and ears. I’ve already set some of them to looking, but we were looking for slavers…’

  Nexus felt his control slipping. Never in his adult life had he felt so overwhelmed. One moment he had everything in order. They had a plan. They knew the outcome was assured as long as they could find the slavers and provide them with their alternative. It had all seemed so simple. Too simple.

  Now they were not only looking for slavers, they were also looking for the man who’d brought this whole disaster down on Galeria’s head; the man who wanted his woman for himself and would do anything to get her.

  There it was again. His woman? Galeria wasn’t his woman. He’d referred to her that way in Antiochia to make it simple for his spies to understand the line of command. She was the woman who was with him, sharing his bed; therefore, she was his woman.

  But now he was using that term in his own head. He was calling her his woman! Was that why this had gone so suddenly bad? Because he’d been unfaithful to Niobe in his mind, had replaced her in some significant way? Niobe was his woman, not Galeria. But as much as he wanted to deny the insight the fact was plain, Galeria was his woman now. Niobe… Niobe was gone. He still loved her and would always miss her, but that aching space, that sense of loss that he’d felt for the last ten months was now directed at another. He missed Galeria. She was the gaping wound in his heart now.

&nbs
p; He was being punished for that.

  ‘No…’ came the voice. He looked around him at the faces of those passing by. Did one of them say ‘No’? He knew that answer. That word was not uttered by anyone living. No, Niobe was saying. No, he wasn’t being punished, or no, don’t replace me with someone else? He didn’t know and didn’t have the time to think it through. He had to find Galeria. No matter what, he had to find his woman or die trying!

  By the time they’d made their way to the bottom of the hillside at the edge of the better section of the city, several little boys had come running to him. Each said the same thing. They’d found the villa where the slavers were and there’d been a great many comings and goings in the last hour, but no woman matching Galeria’s description had been seen leaving.

  ‘Was a Roman noble with many men seen going in?’ he asked them. Each shook their head. They were passing on information. They weren’t there to give specifics.

  He sent away for the eyewitnesses. He had to know if Antoninus had been to the slavers and if he remained there. It was getting dark. It was going to get more and more difficult to keep those eyes seeing clearly now. He cursed again as he strode on, unwilling to slow his pace to let the others catch him up.

  By the time they reached the main street where Antoninus had been seen, they were all out of breath. They found a place in a side lane from which they could view the comings and goings, and he expected his eyes to be here in good time to warn him if anyone was approaching.

  A retinue. How many men did that mean were escorting Antoninus, and how well were they trained? He had himself and Leonis, but Appius would probably be more hindrance than help. Even Cyra might be of more use with her willingness to use her dagger. He still had a small scar to prove it. How many men could they take on confidently? He could down four competent men on his own and two well-trained men. Could Leonis match him? He’d defeated a lion unarmed, and Dacians were known to be fierce warriors.

  Give him the benefit of the doubt and say he could handle as many as he could. Averaging out the capable with the excellent, that meant they could handle six between them. Give one to Appius and Cyra. That meant they could do this if there were only seven in his escort. More? They were in serious trouble. And that didn’t even take into account that they were going up against a powerful Roman patrician, the son of the ex-Proconsul, and they were… nobodies. Not even Appius counted for much against those kinds of credentials.

  No, if anyone else saw the fight and got the militia involved, then that force would be on Antoninus’ side no matter the crimes he was committing.

  While he gathered his breath, he looked at those who stood at his side. What a ragtag bunch they were. What he wouldn’t give for a cohort of the emperor’s best right now, but the emperor was the enemy. He was the one who had started all this, and he wanted no witnesses.

  Had Caesar outfitted Antoninus? But why would he do that when he had Praetorians for that? He shook his head as the questions continued to go around and around in his head, unanswered.

  At that moment, a child came dashing down the street. Out of breath and excited as only a child could get, the boy delivered his news.

  ‘Men coming. Rich Roman who went into the house an hour since.’

  ‘How many men with him?’ Nexus demanded.

  ‘Eight. Two are holding up a woman between them. More dragging…’

  Nexus swore again and heard Leonis do the same. So he’d done the calculations, too, had he? And come to the same conclusion? They couldn’t take on that many, not in a direct battle in the streets of Ephesus. Though his body screamed at him to do something, anything, his head took control. Watch and wait. They had to watch and wait.

  He said this aloud to his team and saw as each digested the news unwillingly. He noticed Leonis tightening his hold on Cyra. Even now, he didn’t quite trust her not to react impulsively. Nexus had been told how her actions had backfired on them in Isthmia.

  He clamped his hand around Appius’ upper arm holding the youth in place. If he saw his sister being manhandled, he might also do something stupid.

  Appius tried to pull away, staring up at him furiously, but he must have seen something in Nexus’ face to make him forget his indignant reaction. He turned away angrily and began watching for the men who were coming.

  When Nexus got his first look at Antoninus, he was surprised. This bloated jellyfish was their enemy? He didn’t seem capable of the kind of clever actions accredited to him. Watching him as he passed, flanked by men almost twice his size, he looked more like an overgrown, self-important child. Nexus wanted to take him across his knee and spank him until he cried.

  He heard Cyra give a whimper and his eyes moved away from the patrician and came to rest on his woman. She was conscious but seemed dazed. The two smaller men, probably spies rather than fighters, were half carrying her along between them. She kept looking around as if she were looking for something she’d lost.

  ‘What have they done to her?’ Cyra whispered hoarsely.

  He knew what she meant. Haggard was the word that came to him to describe Galeria in that moment and she was filthy dirty and her face thinner than he remembered it. Was that the gown she’d been wearing when he saw her last? Her hair was a bird’s nest, and she wore no sandals. Didn’t they see that she’d cut her feet if they kept her walking that way? His hold on Appius increased until the youth yelped from the pain. Then, realising what he was doing, he released him. By that time, the party had passed them by heading farther into the centre of the city.

  They all looked to him for leadership. He gave a nod and together they slunk out onto the street, sticking to the shadows as they followed Antoninus and his men. Once they reached the edge of the dockside habitation, they turned off. Soon after that, they entered an inn of a higher standard than he would have expected for the area.

  It was large and well presented. At the bottom of the outer stairs stood an imposing guard with a sword at his side – not an inn then, but something similar with added security. Or, was the man one of Antoninus’?

  They watched as Antoninus led the way up the outer stairs to the upper floor. He gave the guard no greeting, nor did any of his men – not one of his then. Hired by the owner to protect his valuable clientele? A high-class brothel? Surely, Antoninus wouldn’t want to stay somewhere like that.

  Once the men were inside, Nexus moved back down the lane to keep watch.

  ‘What now?’ Appius demanded following on his heels.

  ‘Now we need ears…’ Nexus said searching the streets for what he knew would be there. Sure enough, standing deep in the shadows of the building across from them was a small lad seemingly idling away his time, but the child’s eyes were moving around taking in everything. A pickpocket, Nexus thought absently.

  Nexus caught his attention and in seconds, the boy was at his side his gape-toothed smile endearing.

  ‘What can I do for you, kind sir?’ The lad sounded surprisingly well spoken for a street urchin. No more than six, he had an intelligent face and the shrewd eyes of a much older person. A child from a family that had fallen on bad times, Nexus surmised. He tried not to feel pity for these children that inhabited every city. Orphans, escaped slaves, prostitutes, trained pickpockets, whatever their label they all had one final destination, death before adulthood. It was a cruel world and he couldn’t save them all. What he gave them for their services was generous and helpful for the short term; he could do no more.

  ‘I need to get you inside that building. I need ears listening at doors.’ He handed the boy a scrap of papyrus with writing on it. ‘If the guard stops you, tell him you have a message for Antoninus. Then stay as long as you can and find out as much as you can.’

  The boy took the scrap and put it in the pocket of his filthy tunic. Then he headed off across the road. The guard didn’t give him a second look as he tore up the outer stairs as if he had a reason for being there. He did. Nexus wanted to chuckle, but his mood was so black he could m
anage nothing more than a cynical twist of his tightly drawn lips.

  Now they had to wait. It didn’t take long. About ten minutes after the lad went in he came scuttling down the stairs as if being chased. He flew across the street just as the upstairs door opened and three of the men that had been with Antoninus started down the stairs.

  The boy took big, gasping breaths and grinned at him when he reached Nexus’ side. Before he’d taken a coin from his purse, the boy was talking.

  ‘Just got out in time. Those men are searching for you. Well, I guess it’s you. They’re searching for a big black man, a blonde barbarian, a dark haired girl and a Roman patrician. That sounds like you. The noble called you renegades. What’s a renegade?

  ‘He wants to know if you’ve arrived in the city yet, and if so, where you are. They’d taken a girl into another room and locked her in. There’s a guard outside her door, I checked. I didn’t get to hear much else as that’s when the three came out.’

  ‘Didn’t the guard at the girl’s door see you?’ Cyra asked frowning.

  ‘Nope. That room was around the corner. I heard them say she was there and went to look. Then I went back to listen some more. That’s when they said about you…’

  ‘Good work, little one. You have earned your pay this night.’ Nexus dropped a silver denarii into the child’s outstretched hand and the child almost swallowed his tongue when he realised how much he’d been given.

  ‘Too much,’ he said reluctantly trying to hand back the coin.

  Nexus shook his head and smiled for the first time since they’d heard the bad news of Antoninus’ presence. ‘You’ll earn the rest by keeping watch the rest of the night. Can you do that?’

  The child nodded and pocketed the coin. He still seemed dazed by the silver. Then he scampered off back to his spot across the way. In seconds, it was almost as if he were invisible.

  ‘Three down. That leaves five. Four with Antoninus and one on the door to Galeria’s room,’ Leonis said. Nexus nodded.

  ‘I could deal with the guard,’ Cyra said. ‘I could take up a jug of boiling water as if it’d been ordered to clean up Galeria. I could throw it in his face and stick him while he’s distracted.’