by Brown, Nick
‘Damn it!’ Cassius guided the horse around the boy and was about to straighten up again when something thudded into the animal’s neck. The mare shrieked and staggered, then toppled to the left. Fearing it would land on top of him, Cassius threw himself to the right. He came down awkwardly, almost horizontal.
His right foot hit first and twisted under him. His cry was cut short as his face smashed into the stone.
He lay still, listening to the desperate whinnies of the horse, the shouts of people nearby. Shards of pain shot up his leg. Blood welled in his mouth and ran between his teeth. He looked up and saw the long spear still stuck in the horse’s neck, swaying back and forth.
Two big hands grabbed him under the arms and lifted him. Cassius cried out again as his weight came down on the ankle. He thought he was about to faint but Simo took hold of his belt to keep him up.
‘Left hand over my shoulder,’ instructed the Gaul.
Cassius did so and, with Simo’s help, hobbled to the side of the street. He spat out a mouthful of blood and turned. Oblachus was knocking people aside with his stick as he pursued them.
Cassius nodded at a nearby alley. ‘There, Simo.’
After a few steps, he discovered that he could actually put a little weight on the foot and he hopped and stumbled along as best he could. There wasn’t much light in the alley and the darkness suddenly became their ally.
‘You!’ came the enraged shout from behind them. ‘I’m coming for you!’
They reached the next street and turned right. A woman ran past, holding up her robes. Cassius’s injured leg caught something on the ground. He barely stifled the cry.
‘Blood of the gods.’
‘Sir, we won’t get far. We must hide somewhere.’
They struggled on, looking for shelter, not daring to open a door or enter a courtyard. They heard Oblachus shout again then turned right down another side street.
‘There,’ said Cassius.
Between two dwellings was a small outhouse. Simo found the bolt and opened the low door. Tied up inside was a calf which let out a moan but seemed otherwise unconcerned. Once in, they moved along to an empty second stall hidden from the street by a wooden divide. At the far end was a big pile of straw. Cassius spat out more blood as Simo took his pack off then laid him down. The attendant sat against the timber wall and took several deep breaths before speaking.
‘Sir, your leg?’
‘I can just about move my foot.’
‘Can you feel your toes?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then it may not be broken.’
‘Doesn’t matter. The others are gone.’ Cassius slumped back into the straw. ‘We’ll never get out of here on our own. We’re as good as dead.’
‘Where are they?’
Indavara was facing backwards, holding on tight as the cart sped across the causeway and up the slope. He could see more lights at the gate now but no sign of any riders.
‘Stop. We have to go back.’
‘Are you insane?’ said Ulixes.
‘They should be out by now. Where are they?’
Ulixes was more interested in Mercator and the other riders ahead. ‘This cart isn’t that bloody slow! Ride on!’
Mercator – who seemed to have recovered – dropped back so that he was trotting alongside. ‘No sign of Corbulo?’
‘I’m going back for them,’ said Indavara.
‘Talk some sense into him,’ yelled Ulixes.
‘He’s right, Indavara,’ said Mercator. ‘Look at the lights. You’d never even get back through the gate.’
Ulixes weighed in again. ‘There’s maybe one chance in ten we’ll make it out of these mountains alive. You go back, you’ve no chance at all. That master of yours is no fool. If he does find a way out of that accursed place it won’t be by fighting. You can’t do anything more for them now except pray.’
‘Corbulo told us to get the stone out,’ added Mercator. ‘We need you here.’
Indavara let go of the side of the cart. Even before the others had spoken he’d known there was no sense in it.
As Mercator rode on ahead, he closed his eyes and followed Ulixes’s advice.
Dear Fortuna, goddess most high. Please watch over them. Please keep them alive.
XXXII
Gutha was sure he’d spotted Oblachus but the commander had disappeared by the time he reached the outer wall. A handful of guards were standing at the gate, staring uselessly towards the road. Others were checking the numerous bodies strewn across the ground.
He slowed to a walk, axe still in his hand. He had run all the way from the inner wall and somehow lost Reyazz. One of the guards turned towards him, his expression a blend of confusion and fear. Gutha recognised him but couldn’t recall his name; a hulking thug who could just about follow orders.
‘Sir.’
‘Were you here?’
‘No, sir. Just arrived.’ The guard pointed at the tower. ‘There are more dead there. Some of them are wearing our tunics but they’re not ours. A cart was seen leaving, men on horseback too.’
‘Who saw them?’
The guard shrugged.
‘What was in the cart?’
The guard shrugged again.
Gutha felt like chopping him in half but instead he strode past the others and beyond the gate. There were no lights on the road but just about enough moonlight to ride by. He couldn’t be sure because of the noise from the town but was that the distant rumble of hooves?
Gutha gazed despairingly at the sky and unleashed a stream of bitter curses in his own language. It seemed almost beyond belief that these people had been able to steal the stone just weeks after he had brought it to Galanaq.
As he stalked back inside, a trio of tribesmen rode up, each towing a number of horses. Two guards blocked their path.
‘Let us through,’ demanded one of the men. ‘We need to move the horses out where there’s space.’
‘No one is leaving,’ Gutha told him.
‘But the fire, we need to—’
Gutha reached up, gripped his belt and yanked him off his horse.
The tribesman landed heavily on his side, then rolled onto his back. ‘Aaaagh! What in the name of the gods?’
Gutha turned to the big guard. ‘Man the gate. Anyone else gets out of Galanaq without my say-so and I’ll cut your ears off for failing to listen to orders.’
‘Yes, Commander.’
Gutha used his axe to slice through the rope leading from the tribesman’s saddle, then mounted his horse. He aimed the weapon at another guard. ‘You there. Find Oblachus and Theomestor. Tell them to meet me here.’
‘Sir, I’m … I’m afraid Commander Theomestor is dead.’
‘Dead?’
‘He’s lying just over there, sir.’
Gutha cursed once more. Clearly these people were not to be underestimated.
‘Oblachus, then.’
Reyazz arrived, coughing and holding his chest.
‘Round up as many men as you can,’ Gutha told him. ‘They’ll need weapons and mounts. We’ll leave as soon as I return.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘You have failed Lord Ilaha once this night. Do so again and you’ll not see the dawn.’
Gutha kicked down hard and galloped away along the road. He made no attempt to avoid anyone on foot or on horseback and roared at anything that got in his way. The compound fire at least seemed to be under control. The flames hadn’t spread and the two buildings still alight were in any case past saving. He looked for any further sign of the enemy but saw only groups of confused guards and tribesmen.
The men he had left to fight had stationed themselves at the inner gate. As they parted to let him through, Kalderon came running up with his bodyguard and a few warriors.
‘Where is Lord Ilaha?’ asked the ethnarch.
‘He’s safe.’
‘No. He left the caverns. What about the fire?’
‘The worst has passed. Please gat
her the loyal ethnarchs and your men. If the tribes of the traitors hear what happened to their chiefs there may be trouble.’
‘Of course.’ Kalderon started doling out orders.
Another guard carrying a lantern approached from the direction of the platform. He was one of the pair Gutha had left to protect Ilaha. ‘Commander.’
‘Where is he?’
‘Just sitting there. With her.’ The guard came closer and whispered. ‘Sir, the stone has gone.’
‘Tell no one.’
Gutha rode on.
Once at the crane, he dismounted and ran up the steps. Ilaha and Mother were kneeling beside each other on either side of an oil lamp.
‘How dare you show your face?’ snarled the crone. ‘You have let them take the stone.’
Ilaha’s eyes were bloodshot. ‘How could Mighty Elagabal allow this?’ he wailed. ‘How?’
Gutha crouched close to him and was surprised to feel the platform wobble. He felt it with his hand and realised it was made of wood. He examined the surface near the lamp – it had been cleverly painted to resemble the natural colours and contours of the rock. He tapped it with a knuckle; it sounded hollow.
‘What …?’
He found the edge of the compartment and saw that it formed the whole front section of the platform. He noticed a small hole, then saw several more.
He thought of the priests. Usually there were ten of them but there had only been nine present at the ceremony. Suddenly everything was clear.
Gutha laughed. ‘The voice of a god, eh? What about the light – some other trick, I suppose? And Kalderon was happy to play along.’
Ilaha bent forward and pressed his face into his arms.
Mother pushed her long white hair away from her face and glared at Gutha, still defiant. ‘What do you care, mercenary? Sometimes it takes a little persuasion for the weak-minded to see the truth.’
‘I know you.’
‘You know nothing.’
‘I know who you are. Kara Julia.’
Her wizened features froze.
‘I know who you are,’ repeated Gutha. ‘And I know what you are capable of. Was this deceit your idea? Or has everything been your idea from the beginning? Is there anything you wouldn’t do to see him rule? He is not his grandfather. He is not Elagabalus.’
‘I am Elagabalus. I am.’ Ilaha turned to the old woman. ‘Aren’t I, Mother?’
Gutha shook his head. The hag disgusted him; more than ever he’d have happily run her through. Though Ilaha evidently didn’t know it, he had spent his whole life as a plaything for this deluded, murderous creature.
She placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘You are. You are, my son.’
‘Then why has the god of the sun betrayed me?’
‘He has not,’ she said softly. ‘Others have done that. You will rule, my love. The traitors are dead and their thieving accomplices will not escape these mountains alive.’
‘Oh?’ said Gutha. ‘And who is going to stop them?’
‘You,’ said Mother. ‘To atone for your failures this night.’
‘No.’ Gutha got to his feet. ‘I have stayed here far too long as it is. I should have listened to my instincts.’
‘He will rule,’ repeated the old woman. ‘And there can still be a place for you at his side.’
‘Next to you? No thank you.’
Ilaha looked up. ‘Remember that golden mask, Gutha? The one you couldn’t take your eyes off? I know you want it. Bring the stone back and it’s yours.’
Gutha hesitated; he wasn’t about to reject that offer out of hand. Looking at it logically, he had plenty of men at his disposal and the thieves had had less than an hour’s start. They were also burdened by the cart and limited to a single escape route. The old bitch was probably right – they didn’t have much of a chance.
That Gerrhan mask was worth twenty gold ingots at least.
‘Very well. A fair trade. But then I leave. All ties are severed. We never see each other again.’
‘Whatever you want,’ cried Ilaha. ‘Just get the stone.’
‘You must be quick,’ said Mother. ‘Bring it back before the others even know it is gone.’
Gutha ran back down the steps. He had a stop to make before leaving.
Cassius was almost glad of the pain; it gave him something else to thing about other than their predicament. He lay on the dirty straw, the smell of manure thick in the air, his ankle throbbing, his cheek aching. He had no idea how long he and Simo had been there, waiting for the inevitable moment when a guard entered the outhouse and discovered them. And yet undiscovered they remained.
‘We must try and move. Oblachus is bound to have this area searched before too long.’
Simo was no more than a bulky shape to his left. ‘Where to, sir?’
‘I don’t know – the camp? Perhaps someone made it back there. Help me.’
Once up on his left foot, Cassius lowered the right once more. By putting the weight on his toes, he could just about move unaided. ‘By the gods, that hurts.’
‘With a little time and some light I can strap it, sir.’
They put their packs on and walked around the divide into the other stall. With some calming whispers from Simo, the calf remained quiet. He left Cassius against the wall, then edged forward. He looked over the top of the door but hurried back straight away.
‘Guards. They’re working their way along the street.’
‘Is there time to …’
Cassius could hear them chattering in Nabatean. ‘Back where we were. Now.’
The voices got louder as they returned to their hiding place. Cassius hobbled over to the wall that divided the outhouse from the dwelling next door. He ran his hands over the stones – some of the lower layers felt less than solid.
‘This wall’s roughly made, Simo,’ he whispered. ‘Come here, see if you can find a gap to work on. Quietly, though.’
The Gaul crouched down. Cassius moved back to the wooden divide and peered around it. The calf shuffled its hooves and snorted.
The black figure was framed by the entrance and silhouetted by the lights beyond. The bolt snapped back. The guard spoke to another passing by who gave him a lantern. Cassius glimpsed a young face and heard a blade slide out of its sheath.
He retreated as carefully as he could, gritting his teeth with every spark of pain from his ankle. Simo was standing still. Cassius leaned in close and whispered in his ear. ‘One man. We have to deal with him.’
‘There are a couple of missing stones down low near the corner. We can make a space.’
‘There’s no time. You have to help me.’
‘Sir, I cannot.’
‘You …’
Cassius could hear the guard’s feet sliding across the straw. He moved back to the divide and put his hand on his dagger. The yellow glow of the guard’s lantern illuminated the back of the outhouse – a rotten length of rope, half a candle, the stones of the wall. Cassius gripped the dagger handle and held the sheath. He pulled the blade out inch by inch, wincing at every inkling of noise. When it was finally free, it felt as heavy as a sword.
The guard took two more steps.
Cassius closed his eyes. Please, Jupiter. Stop him. Turn him back.
The guard spoke in Nabatean. It sounded like a question.
All Cassius could think of was what Indavara always told him. Him or me. Him or me.
The guard asked the question again. He sounded young. Frightened. He took another step. Cassius saw a foot in a poorly made sandal and the end of his sword.
Another step. Cassius saw the hand holding the sword. A small, undamaged hand. He was young.
Cassius drew back the dagger. He would go for the throat – stop him crying out.
Him or me. Him or me.
He had forgotten the pain in his ankle.
Another step. Cassius saw his arm, his shoulder.
He drove the dagger handle down onto the guard’s skull. It connected with a dull crack a
nd the man staggered into the wall. He dropped his sword then the lantern, the straw softening the noise.
The guard slid down the wall, then onto his knees. Cassius picked up the lantern. Simo came forward and they watched as the guard’s entire body began to shake. He looked to be no more than twenty, a slender man with delicate features and a mop of hair. His eyes were still half open as his head twitched and his fingers tapped against the floor. White froth dripped from his mouth and ran down his chin.
Cassius looked at his head – there wasn’t even any blood. ‘What in …’
The guard pitched forward. Simo caught him and lowered him onto his side. The paroxysms grew stronger, his feet kicking up the straw.
‘I didn’t hit him that hard,’ breathed Cassius. ‘What’s wrong with him?’
‘I – I don’t know.’ Simo was trying to hold the man still. ‘Some sort of fit.’
Cassius looked around the divide towards the street. There were no lights close by.
‘Do something, Simo.’
‘I don’t know what I can do.’
Simo held the man by his arms but the shaking continued. He lifted his head onto his lap.
‘Simo, do something, please.’
‘Dear Lord help me,’ said the attendant. ‘Help this man.’
Cassius heard voices outside again. His hands were trembling so badly it took him three attempts to sheathe the dagger. Still holding the lantern, he limped to the back of the stall.
He took off his pack, sat down and put his hands on the wall. Forcing himself to ignore what was going on just feet away, he located the largest gap and began levering out one of the adjacent stones. Once it was out, several above fell to the floor.
Cassius stuck his head through the hole. Beyond was a small, dark room with a single window. He reached for the lantern and pushed it through ahead of him. Apart from a pile of animal hides and some cobweb-covered amphoras, the room was empty.
He slid backwards and continued removing stones. Before long he had cleared quite a space but he knew the wall might easily collapse. He slid his pack under it as a support, leaving just enough of a gap to squeeze through.