Centurion

'Just as well. Metellus and his men are going to be hard pressed.'

Macro glanced over the interior of the citadel, weighing up the situation. 'He's not going to cope. I want you down there now. Organise your cohort into fire-fighting teams and put those fires out.We can't afford to let any of them get out of control or the rebels will burn us out of here.'

'But sir, what if they attack? My men are needed on the wall.'

'I can manage with my cohort, and Balthus and his boys,' Macro decided. 'Now go!'

Cato ran along the rampart tower left of the gate and waved to Centurion Parmenion. 'Tell the men to down shields and spears and get down off the wall. We're to get those fires out. Pass the word to the other centurions!'

'Yes, sir.'

Cato called on the nearest auxiliaries to follow him and hurried down the steps from the wall. As soon as they reached the paved area behind the gates he led them to the nearest water butt and the pile of mats and buckets beside it. 'Pick 'em up! Get water in buckets and form up over there!'

As soon as the men were ready Cato ordered them to work in sections, one to each incendiary as it landed. They were to return to the butt the moment the fire was extinguished and wait for the next strike. Not that they would be waiting long, Cato mused. The rebels were working their weapons with furious determination and it seemed that the fresh fires were breaking out all the time. Even so, Macro's decision to send Cato's men to join the fire parties meant that the defenders were able to keep on top of any blazes, and put them out before they had a chance to spread. Around them the afternoon gave way to evening as the bombardment continued. Only a handful of fires posed any serious threat, where the incendiary had managed to strike places that could not easily be reached by the fire-fighting teams.

Then, as dusk closed round the city, the onager with the greatest torsion power shifted its aim slightly and its shot began to land on the courtyard being used for the hospital. Cato noticed the change and as soon as he realised where the incendiaries were falling his heart was seized by fear for Julia. He thought about making a quick run to the hospital to ensure she was unharmed, but realised that he could not abandon his men, and his duty, for however short a time. As the incendiaries continued to fall on the hospital he saw a wavering orange glow from that direction, and then the first lick of flames rising into the darkness. Cato knew that there were no fire parties allocated to any position so deep inside the citadel and the fire would spread quickly if unchecked. He beckoned to Metellus' optio and shouted orders as the man ran up to him.

'You're in command here! I'm taking two sections to the hospital.' Cato indicated the flames already leaping up from that direction. 'Carry on!'

'Yes, sir!'

Cato rushed to the pile of mats and snatched one up. It was damp and smelled mouldy – perfect for smothering flames he thought, smiling grimly. Then he turned to the nearest parties of men from his cohort. 'That section, and that one. Follow me!'

They ran along the side of the main building of the citadel until they reached a corner and turned towards the courtyard serving as the hospital. Cato glanced back over his shoulder. 'Keep up! There's no time to lose, damn you!'

The men pounded across the paving stones and through the arch that led into the courtyard, illuminated by the glare of the blaze.As Cato drew up just inside he saw that one side of the courtyard was consumed by flames – the side where Julia treated her patients. He felt an icy fist clench round his heart, then shook off his fears as he realised he must give his men orders. The surgeon and his assistants were desperately clearing men out of the rooms closest to the heart of the fire as it spread like a wild raging animal.

'Help them!' Cato shouted. 'Get the wounded men out of here first! Take 'em out of the courtyard.'

The fire-fighting parties dumped their mats and buckets and ran across to pick up the patients still lying on mattresses along the endangered side of the courtyard. Cato saw Archelaus supporting a comrade with his unwounded arm.

'Can you manage?'

Archelaus nodded.

'Where's Lady Julia?'

'Back there.' Archelaus nodded towards the fire. Smoke was billowing from a doorway just beyond the flames. 'There are still some men in that room.'

Cato rushed forward, dodging round the men escaping from the flames and the choking smoke. When he reached the door Archelaus had indicated he took a deep breath and plunged in. There was a withering heat in the confined space and great tongues of flame leaped across the rafters of the ceiling as burning and smouldering fragments drifted down through the smoke. Cato ducked as low as he could, where the smoke was less dense, and looked round. Nearly all the bedrolls were empty, save for two in the far corner. Julia was on her hands and knees dragging the nearest man across the floor and Cato scrambled across to her.

'Here, let me take him.'

She looked round, eyes streaming from the smoke as she coughed and spluttered, 'Cato. Thank the Gods. You take him. I'll go for the other.'

'No,' Cato spluttered, but she had already turned away and was crawling back to the last man, laying motionless on his bedroll.

'Shit,' Cato hissed, then grasped the man she had left under the shoulders and began to haul him towards the door. The wounded man had a splint on either side of one leg and he howled with agony as Cato dragged him across the door frame and into the colonnade. Cato saw some of his men running towards him. 'Get him out of here.'

Then he plunged back inside.The heat was more intense than ever and Cato winced as it struck his exposed flesh like a stinging blow.The smoke was thick and he dropped on to his hands and scurried towards the far corner. He saw Julia lying beside the man, covering her face with folded arms as she gasped. Cato seized her elbow.

'Get out of here! Now!'

Julia squinted at him through watering eyes. 'Not without him. I'm not leaving him.'

Cato clambered over her and grabbed the man's tunic and pulled. The man's limbs rolled lifelessly and his mouth hung open. Cato released his grip and turned to Julia.

'He's gone! Dead. Let's go.'

She resisted a moment, then nodded, taking his hand as she began to choke on the smoke. Cato made for the door, pulling her behind him. There was a sudden crack and flaming debris from the roof cascaded around them.

'Get out!' Cato cried. 'Run!'

They scrambled in the direction of the door, the heat and smoke forcing Cato to shut his eyes. Then his outstretched hand slammed painfully into the wall. He groped along it, found the door frame and pulled Julia out of the room just as the ceiling began to collapse behind them in a roar of falling timber, tiles and plaster. A wave of heat burst through the door frame and singed Cato's legs as he thrust Julia ahead of him down the colonnade. They ran several paces, out into the courtyard, before collapsing on the ground, coughing in fits as they tried to clear their stinging eyes.

As soon as he recovered his breath Cato leaned over her. 'Julia… Are you all right?'

She was still coughing too much to speak and nodded quickly.

'What the bloody hell were you doing back there?' he said furiously.'Trying to get yourself killed?' He stared at her for a moment, then his anger faded and he gently brushed the loose hair back from her face, revealing her smudged forehead. He kissed her and took her into his arms. 'Don't you ever do that again. Ever. Do you understand?'

She blinked and stared back at him, and then smiled, before spluttering again as a coughing fit seized her.

'Julia?' Cato said anxiously as he felt her slight frame shudder in his arms. But, at length, the coughing died away and she gulped down several deep breaths and folded her arms round his neck, holding him close.

'Why did you come back for me?' she whispered hoarsely into his ear.