“The Thirteenth, eh? They were to our left during the battle. I heard some men saying at the end that the Thirteenth was coming to rescue us, but I guess they just couldn’t get there in time.” Scipio shrugged. “It was too fast, too overwhelming. They pulled my cohort out before the end, though. Sent us to cover some politician’s escape.”
Julius’s jaw dropped. “The senatora was on the flank? Why on earth would she stay out there?”
“I dunno, sir.” The man rubbed his forehead with both hands, leaving trails of blood and grime over his face. Julius handed him a slightly cleaner rag. “All I know is, we’re pulled out of line at the last second and told to get her to safety. There we are, marching double time through these woods, and I overheard our file leader say that we’re almost to the reserve and safety. Then some of those. . those. . things-the ones that could be spawn of Vulcan, for all we know. . They look like wolves?” Scipio looked at Julius, who thought for a moment.
“You mean the mecha-wolves?”
“Yes, sir. Those things. Three of them come bounding out of the woods behind us. Centurion Orestis deployed us to cover the senatora and her party’s escape.” He shook his head. “Some defense we were. Those cursed things practically leapt over us. There was no stopping them. Our pila bounced off them and even the explosive ones wouldn’t dent their hides. I think we only survived because they dropped off ground troops, then ran after the senatora. But those things killed the centurion and scattered our formation. We fought so hard, but those troops that they brought were insane. I saw one barbarian take three spears to the gut and still kill two legionnaires before he fell.”
Tears falling down his cheeks, the man looked up at Julius. “I ran, sir. I couldn’t take it. Not after the man next to me was virtually sawn in half by one of those chain-axes of theirs. I got hit on the helmet from behind and next thing I know, I’m being dragged into this giant mountain.”
Julius put a comforting hand on the man’s shoulder. “I don’t blame you. Not at all. I remember my first command, I nearly ran too. Pretty much hid from all the real fighting as my men died around me. It’s. . very, very hard to watch, even harder to be there and know there is nothing you can do.”
Julius stood and began to pace in the small cell. “There may not have been anything you could do then, but now, you’re in place to help me.”
“Do what, exactly, sir?”
“Escape.”
Julius saw a flash of hope in the man’s eyes. “How? We’re under a mountain!” the man exclaimed.
“Shhhh!” Julius put his finger to his lips to quiet his cellmate. “First, by not alerting anyone else. Second, by telling me what you saw on the way here.”
The man’s fingers disappeared into his dark brown hair as he scratched his scalp. He took another sip of water. “Well, uh, we came through a gate. A tunnel-it was really long. Probably at least a half-mile or maybe even a mile long. I remember that the only light was from the guards’ torches. One of them had like, a key or something, and he had to turn and unlock a panel in the wall. There must be some type of mechanical defenses that I couldn’t see. Probably fire burners or repeaters.” Julius stared at the man. “What? I used to build these things until I got drafted. Britannia doesn’t quite have as many people as the mainland, you know. We still have the occasional barbarian raid and whatnot from the north,” Scipio said ruefully.
“Anyways, we went through several huge chambers. Some looked like warehouse ones, and others looked like slave pens, with these big cages that had many people in them-men, women, and children. I heard some Latin when people shouted out at me. I tried to respond, but then I got hit again and I blacked out. Then I woke up here.”
Julius sank back down onto the overturned bucket. He felt like a new man. He had a purpose, a goal. He’d figure out how to get out of here. The arrival of Scipio had allowed him to escape the crushing feeling of loneliness and failure that had plagued him since the start of his imprisonment.
“Okay, so you said that there are probably Romans up there somewhere?” Scipio nodded. “How much do you want to bet at least some of them have military experience?”
Scipio looked doubtful. “I don’t know, sir. Seems pretty risky to be hoping for some of those slaves to be former warriors. After all, they had to be captured somewhere.” He spat a curse out. “Just like me. And I’m almost definitely certain that, as careless as these barbarians are, they aren’t leaving weapons lying around.”
Julius saw the flaw in his logic. “I’ll have to think about it then. Damn it, I knew there was a hole in the plan somewhere. Minerva will have to give me strength.”
The other man was silent for a while, then lay down on the cot, eyes staring up at the ceiling. “What about the other prisoners? Could we use them?”
Julius thought for a moment. “Allies, or distraction?”
“How far do you trust them?” Scipio asked.
“Hey, Romans! Stop speaking southern language, you sound like dumb birds!” came the garbled mish-mash of Latin words from the Nortlanders across the passageway. Julius, who had been required to learn a few words of the Norse language, shouted back a curse. A thrown bucket full of feces was the only response. Fortunately it clattered to the floor outside the cell.
“What did you call them?” Scipio asked.
“I told them something about unnatural things their moms did to themselves.” He gave a snarky smile. Scipio laughed.
“So I suppose we can’t really count on their help?”
“I would be shocked if it was offered. Plus they’ve been so nice to me that it probably would hurt us to actually release them. Maybe we’ll simply let them fight the Nortlanders after we leave!”
Julius fell quiet for a few minutes. “Well. . I know I want to escape, but I don’t want to leave behind all those slaves. It’s our duty to rescue them. Especially the Roman ones.”
Scipio shook his head. “We’ll travel faster with just the two of us. We can avoid patrols and slip out quietly. If we can get ahold of some uniforms, we can probably bluff our way out to the wall. Once we’re out there, anything can be done. But with hundreds of slaves?” again Scipio shook his head. “It’s simply not possible. You don’t know how many there are, or even where they are! Sir, I think we need to go alone.”
“I’ll think about it, legionnaire. But if I’m going to escape, I’ll do it as a Roman, on my terms.”
Scipio spoke passionately. “Sir, it’s all about this chance we’re taking. The odds are so much better when it’s just us. Listen to reason! Would you rather be a dead Roman or a live Roman? If you want to stay alive, you’ll have to do it my way.”
“I hear what you’re saying, but this is about me-I have to help these people. And that is my final order. Can you follow it, soldier?” Julius stared the man down.
Scipio’s eyes sparked with defiance for a moment, but then the fire went out, and he sighed heavily. “I’m fairly certain I’m going to regret it, but we’ll do it your way, sir.”
“Alright, here’s my plan. .”
Chapter 16
Constantine
“What the Hades do you mean, missing?” Constantine yelled at the assembled scouts. “Find the senatora. NOW!” He felt his blood boiling over with anger, frustration, madness, and perhaps, fear. Where is she? He stood in the ad hoc command post that he’d established here on the right flank of the expeditionary force. The tattered banners of the IV Britannia fluttered in the wind, and many of his soldiers were busy burying the remains of the decimated legion.
Another scout approached. Constantine felt a vague flicker of hope as he watched the messenger pick his way through the carnage. I will not be disappointed, like last time. Every scout and message had conjured the same flicker, only to be dashed with more bad news.