by London Casey
The scroll looked like a summons—or an announcement. She recognized the name of the former commander. There was another name, with what looked like a title next to it.
“Servius?”
“Yes, Elizabeth?”
“What does apparitor mean? I don’t read Latin much. Most of my written communication is in my native language.”
“Of course. It means a civil servant, or a clerk.”
“Thank you.” She had the feeling he would have snubbed her for her confession, if he wasn’t helping her.
Clerk. Her hand stilled on the document. If she was right, this officially announced the arrival of the commander’s new clerk—and that clerk wasn’t the one in the office with her. Her fingers shook as she tucked it into her pocket, and pretended to search the rest of the scrolls in the chest. It took a few minutes for her heart to stop pounding so hard she was afraid Servius heard it.
Oh, sweet God. Please let me be wrong.
“Nothing here,” she said, relieved she sounded normal. “And I’m done with this part of the office. I should go. I told Appia I would be in the kitchen, and I better be there when she gets back, or I’ll have some fast explaining to do.” Elizabeth stood, and found Servius right behind her. Lemongrass tickled her nose—and sparked the detail about her attacker she forgot. The scent on his cloak. The scent of lemongrass.
“Elizabeth—”
“I really appreciate you helping me with this.” She fought to keep her voice calm, even. “I’ll talk to you soon.” She kissed his cheek, like she did every time. No deviating from the usual, not now. “Thanks again.”
His hand closed over her wrist when she started to move away. “You found it, didn’t you.” His voice was hard, flat, so different from the quiet voice she was used to hearing. “I thought I destroyed all the evidence before my official arrival, but when Titus confronted me with his suspicions, I knew I missed something. I had hoped to find it before anyone else stumbled over it.”
“Servius—”
“I did not want that person to be you, Elizabeth.” She let out a gasp as he trapped both her wrists and yanked her forward. She lost her balance, found herself wrapped in an unwelcome embrace. “I could not kill you in front of the principia that day.” His lips brushed her ear, his whisper low, intimate. “After a life spent hating, I finally met the one person I could love.” His breath heated her cheek. “And she is wed to another.”
Elizabeth couldn’t stop what she knew was coming next. Servius pinned her against the closest wall and kissed her.
She didn’t dare fight him. He had killed everyone who stood in his way; if anyone heard her struggle and came into the office, they would be his next victim.
He finally freed her, breathing hard, his desire for her obvious.
“Servius—”
“I have to leave now, Elizabeth.” He covered her mouth before she could make another sound. “I knew this day was fast approaching, with Marius refusing to let go, and I made preparations. You are one of them. If I am to live in obscurity, I mean to have you by my side.”
He replaced his hand with his lips, and this time he pressed his arousal against her. She expected him to be fumbling and inexperienced, but he was quite the opposite. He kissed her like she was the only woman in the world, with a hunger that shocked her, even as it pulled her in. By the time he broke it off she was breathing hard. And ashamed of her reaction.
“I knew you cared for me,” he whispered, his finger tracing her lips. “I will be good to you, take care of you, even with your defect.”
She opened her mouth to say something—anything to stall him. He shoved a thick roll of linen into her mouth, and reached behind her to tie it off. He turned her around, used a second length to tie her hands behind her. His hand slid over her hip, and pulled the incriminating scroll out of her pocket.
“I can dispose of this once we are free of this place. Stay right here, Elizabeth. I will only be a moment.”
She heard him return, and felt a cloak drape over her shoulders. That would hide her bound hands, and the hood he pulled up would hide her face. He had just turned them into any civilian couple, come to speak to the commander.
“One wrong move, my love, and I will be forced to harm any who may come to your aid. Are we understood?” She nodded. “Excellent. Hold still, now.” He hid her hair inside the hood, obviously knowing it would immediately identify her. “Keep your head lowered. I will guide you out, and once we are free of this place, I will remove your bonds. I secured a place for our first night together, and it will be waiting on our arrival.”
Elizabeth swallowed. He could do this—he could actually sneak her out of the fort, away from anyone who might help her, and disappear. Kane would never find her. Servius had planned every move, every step, and had let an entire garrison of soldiers believe he was nothing more than a gawky, inexperienced clerk.
They stepped out of the office. Her vision was so blurred today, she couldn’t even see as far as her feet. She had to find a way to alert someone, let them know it was her…
She had a limp. No other woman in the settlement did. If she could exaggerate it, or even fall, she could plan it near one of the gates they would have to pass through, where the soldiers would be armed and ready for any disturbance.
Servius held her tightly, pulled in against his side, like he was assisting her. She stumbled on the stairs, and when he turned right out of the office, she knew he was taking her out through the little used hall that led to the stable—and a side exit that would dump them out near the main path.
Sunlight hit her, worsening her already blurred sight. She was now completely dependent on Servius, until they were close enough for her to alert someone.
The slope of the ground changed, leveled out, and she knew they were getting close to the gate. If she didn’t try now, she’d be Servius’ captive for only God knew how long.
She waited until she heard the voices of the soldiers, and let her right leg buckle under her.
“Here now—is she all right?”
“Fine, fine.” Servius sounded completely different. And he obviously looked different enough the guards didn’t recognize him. “My wife’s recovering, wanted to have the physician check her. We don’t live far—”
“Stop him!”
Her heart skipped. Kane found her.
The relief didn’t last long. Servius yanked her up, wrapped his arm around her waist. She stilled when cold steel pressed into her throat.
“I will kill her right here. Let me pass.”
“Servius.” Appia’s voice had him jerking around. Elizabeth gasped as the blade bit into her skin. “Please, set Elizabeth free, and you can go. No one will stop you, or look for you.”
“I know how this ends. You will send word to Rome of my crimes. I will be a hunted man.”
“In Rome.” Marius’ quiet voice answered him. He stood somewhere in front of her, and she heard the clink of coins. “Here, you can be free. A new life, money to get you started wherever you end up.” She heard the soft thump of a bag hitting the ground, coins shifting inside. Elizabeth felt it with her foot when Servius moved her forward. He forced her to bend her knees, and shoved a leather bag under the cloak, into her hand, before they stood. “With that money, you will be allowed to go your own way, and none will pursue. All you have to do is let her go.”
“No!” He jerked her backward. “She is my prize, for giving up everything. She comes with me, or dies right here.”
“You will die first, boy.” Kane stood behind them, and by the way Servius froze, there was a sword at his back. “Now let her go.”
“Run me through, foreigner. I can still slit her throat before I take my last breath.”
She heard footsteps, and saw the outline of a figure move in front of Servius. Kane’s voice identified him. “I will fight you for her.”
“You think you can beat me?” Servius moved the blade from her throat, pointed it at Kane. “I was trained by the fi
nest fighters in the Roman legion!”
“Then prove it. Boy.”
“No,” she whispered. Kane was good—she’d seen him several times, on her good days. But if Servius had been trained as a soldier…
She remembered the day in Marius’ office. When Servius caught a tipped cup with lightning reflexes. His cover as a bumbling clerk was just that—a cover.
Servius shoved her out of the way. She managed to twist enough to land on her side. Gentle hands helped her sit, pulled the gag free.
“You can’t let him—”
Appia moved into view, close enough that Elizabeth could see her face. “It’s too late.”
Kane had two objectives when he challenged Servius—stay alive, and force him to confess.
The first one was turning out to be more difficult than he expected.
He ducked another blow from Servius’ sword. The boy was more skilled than he bragged to be—a good bit more skilled.
“I will allow you to surrender, foreigner. You will walk away with your life.”
“And you with—Elizabeth.” Kane tried to hide his growing exhaustion. Instead of taking the offensive, he let Servius hammer at him, let the boy think he had the upper hand. It was painful, and poked at his pride more than he would admit. His right shoulder ached from the morning’s training, but he wanted to wait until Servius was feeling smug before he switched hands. “Not bloody likely.”
“Last chance.” Servius lunged—then switched direction mid strike. Kane spun away, but the blade scraped across his ribs. Pain exploded through his chest. He stumbled backward, giving himself distance to recover. Servius refused to allow it, and followed him. “You may want to take my offer, before you can no longer speak to accept it.”
“Did you give—Titus the same, before you killed him?”
Servius tripped, and caught himself, staring at Kane. “Where did you find him? I thought I buried him deep enough. Meddling bureaucrat—I gave him every chance, even arriving incognito. No one would have known I wasn’t the intended clerk. A single order, quietly destroyed—and all the money I had. Why could he not accept me?”
Elizabeth covered her mouth, fear for him stark on her face. Servius was so focused on Kane, he seemed to forget he had an audience.
Kane encouraged him, risking himself in the process. “Why did you want this so badly? A post in a fort on the edge of the empire?”
“To prove I could lead!” He aimed an overhead blow. Kane sidestepped it, caught the blade on his and twisted until Servius had to let go or retreat. The boy cried out in pain and yanked his sword free. “Once Titus went missing, I saw the chance to step in, to become commander. To become the man my father said I would never be. But that crippled excuse for a soldier was made acting commander.”
Blood trickled down Kane’s side. He ignored it, tried to ignore the trouble he had taking in a breath, and circled the impromptu fighting ring.
“Why did you kill them, Servius? What did the other soldiers do to deserve death?”
“They were a means to an end. To show Rome that their chosen one was incompetent, that I was the obvious choice to rule.” Strain edged Servius’ voice, and he finally showed signs of fatigue, dragging the heavy sword instead of carrying it up near his shoulder. “Now I have to run, to live an anonymous life—and you want to take away my prize!”
Servius struck without warning. His sword swung up and sliced into Kane’s left forearm. The fatigue had been a bluff.
Kane stumbled backward, his stronger arm out of commission. Elizabeth’s gasp struck him. His reckless approach had been easy because he knew she couldn’t see most of the fight. He forced himself not to even glance over at her.
“Give up, foreigner.” Servius gasped out the words, sweat pouring off him. “She is mine. She was meant to be mine, from the moment I saw her.”
Servius came at him again, aiming for his left side. Kane dropped to his knees, and did something that could possibly get him killed. He rammed into Servius with his shoulder and knocked them both to the ground.
The boy’s sword scraped over his back. Kane pushed through the roar of pain and took advantage of his position by plowing his fist into the boy’s jaw. Servius toppled backward and hit the ground with a bone jarring thud.
“She is mine, boy. You never had a bloody chance.”
Soldiers moved in and picked Servius up, carrying him toward the principia. Before Kane could collapse to the ground, strong hands caught him, eased him down.
Marius leaned over him, a grin on his face. “You planned that.”
“Guilty.” Kane’s voice sounded like his throat had been scraped raw.
“So is he, as he so eloquently told everyone in hearing. Quintus will help you to the hospital—no argument, man. The boy battered you a good bit. But you held up well, considering he was professionally trained.” He laid one hand on Kane’s uninjured shoulder. “Thank you. I am going to leave you now with your gentle wife.”
Elizabeth. Kane closed his eyes briefly.
“Kane—” Elizabeth knelt in front of him, her hands twisted around each other. He must have looked worse than he thought. “What were you thinking?”
“That he was about to run off with you.”
“Thank you.” She reached for him, halted before she touched. “I’m not sure where you don’t hurt.”
“My lips survived intact.”
She smiled. “You’re going to have to guide me in. I don’t want to hit some not intact part.”
He closed shaking fingers over her wrist, pulled her forward, until her eyes focused on him. “How is this?”
Her fingers brushed over his scarred cheek. “Perfect.” She hovered, her breath warm on his lips. “Thank you, for coming to my rescue, and for claiming me, with such passion.” She kissed him, gentle, sweet, and about as platonic as she could get with a kiss. “Now, Quintus.”
Strong, familiar hands pulled him to his feet. He met the centurion’s appraising gaze. “Not a bad showing, for an amateur. Now, which side hurts the least?”
He let out a breathless laugh. It changed to a groan when Quintus wrapped one arm around his waist. He wasn’t lying to Elizabeth; his lips were just about the only spot that did not hurt.
After five torturous days, Galen declared Kane fit enough to leave hospital. He spent his first night of freedom making slow, passionate love with Elizabeth. Finally having her in his arms, at his side, he slept for the first time in days.
“Good morning,” she whispered. He opened his eyes, and let out his breath. She wasn’t a dream. “You look better this morning. Didn’t sleep much in the hospital?”
“In a room full of snoring, groaning soldiers? Not really.”
Laughter burst out of her, and he buried his face in her hair, taking in the warmth of her, the soft lavender scent. Her fingers brushed the bandage on his left forearm. It took twenty stitches to close the wound, and every bloody one itched. Constantly. But luck had been with him. There was no permanent damage—just another scar. Since Elizabeth didn’t seem to mind them, it bothered him less than it would have.
The other injuries were shallow, and already healing. They certainly did not hinder him last night—
“Kane.” Her quiet voice pulled him out of a replay of their lovemaking. He lifted his head, met her eyes. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”
“I’ll do my best.” He didn’t think his body could take another beating. Not for a good long while. “Marius has postponed my training, until I can look at a sword without flinching.”
“You won’t need to at all if you get the transport working.”
He cursed, pushing out of bed. “I did.”
“What?”
“It was the reason I came looking for you.” And if he had not, he would have missed Servius dragging her down the main path of the fort. He snatched up the transport and sat next to her on the bed. “I did fix it.”
The screen blinked up at them, ready for a new date to be en
tered.
“Oh, my God.” She stared down at it, touching the screen with one finger. “Do you think—”
“We will return home this time? Considering we’re not supposed to be here at all, I can’t make any guarantees. But we won’t know until we give it a shot.”
“Right.” She took his hand. “I think sooner rather than later. I already miss Appia, and we haven’t left yet.”
It would have to be a quiet exit this time. “We will leave at dawn, if you are ready. I would prefer to arrive at our next destination in daylight.”
Elizabeth sighed, leaned against him. “I’ll never be ready. But yes, before I have time to brood and want to stay.”
He kissed the top of her head and stood. “I will go see Marius, if you can pack.”
“It’s a good day for me, so yes, I can pack. Nice evasion, Jackson.”
He wasn’t certain if it was a compliment or an accusation. He decided to go before he was tempted to ask.
The goodbye was subdued, and intimate. Only Marius, Appia and Quintus were there to see them off. Elizabeth was grateful that her vision cooperated, so her last memories of them would be clear.
They stood at the edge of the vicus, the parade ground behind them, a perfect place to disappear in the cloudy, cold dawn.
Marius shook his hand, gripping his forearm. “Fare well, my friend. I will miss your humor. Thank you for all you did, for me, and for my men.”
“I am better for knowing you, Marius.”
Quintus laid a hand on his left shoulder, and held out a small scabbard. “Your knife, and,” he dropped Kane’s earring in his palm, “what changed your life. Wear it again in good health.” He flashed a smile, then leaned in and kissed Elizabeth. “Thank you for giving me a pretty view every day.”