After what seemed an unnecessarily long time, the splashes of the oars ceased and the ship began to slow. Cassius managed to turn his head to the right. They were well away from the harbour. He could see the fisherman’s hut, the two doors still open. A few Maseene on the Via Cyrenaica had stopped their horses to watch the ship.
The rudder housing shook as boots thumped down on to it and the scarred face of Korinth appeared above. ‘Think you might enjoy the trip better on deck, sir.’
‘Just pull me up, man,’ Cassius replied, spitting out more water. Desenna appeared and the two of them took a hand each and hauled him up on to the housing. Korinth then gave him a leg-up and he clambered over the side-rail.
Simo was waiting there with a blanket, which he wrapped around Cassius. The Gaul beamed as he rubbed his master’s shoulders, then anxiously inspected his nose. Had it not been for the others aboard, Cassius would have gladly embraced him. He settled for patting him on the chest.
‘Nicely done, Officer,’ said Asdribar. ‘Welcome back.’
‘Thank you, Captain.’
Asdribar plucked a Maseene javelin from the deck and examined the tip.
‘I trust we’re out of range now,’ said Cassius.
‘Indeed we are.’
Cassius looked back at the breakwater. The tribesmen were already returning to the shore, but hundreds more had gathered in the harbour. Cassius gripped the blanket and gestured for Simo to go and help Indavara, who was sitting by the hatch, cradling his left arm. The back of his tunic was wet through with blood.
Sitting on the steps just below the hatch were two women. Others peered out from behind them, all looking back at the town. Before Cassius could ask who they were, he saw Annia. She was lying on the floor just inside the deckhouse door. Clara had wrapped her in a cloak and was offering her some wine.
Opilio shouted from below. ‘Oars in again, sir?’
Before Asdribar could reply, Noster spoke. The veteran was by the port side-rail, looking back at the harbour. ‘By Jupiter. He’s still alive.’
‘Who?’ said Cassius, hurrying over to join him.
‘Who else?’ replied Noster.
Cassius couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Carnifex — still with the half-crested helmet on his head — was up on his feet and staggering past the warehouses towards the dock. Indavara arrived next at the side-rail, ignoring Simo’s protestations that he sit back down.
‘It can’t be-’
Then the Maseene saw Carnifex. With whoops and cries that carried across the water, the tribesmen surged towards the centurion.
‘They’ll tear him to pieces,’ said Noster.
‘That’s about the only way to be sure you’ve killed him,’ added Indavara.
The first javelin was thrown from some distance and struck Carnifex’s cuirass. As he lurched sideways, a warrior drew his arm dagger and leapt on to his back. A second man stuck a knife deep into his throat, then was lost from view as the other Maseene closed in.
The last trace of Carnifex they saw was the crested helmet as it was tossed from warrior to warrior. Finally one of them threw it into the harbour. It floated for a moment, then sank.
‘We leaving?’ asked Asdribar.
‘Yes,’ said Cassius.
The Carthaginian gave the order. Within moments the oars were in the water and the Fortuna was under way.
‘Sir,’ said Simo. ‘I’d like to get Indavara down below. I must stop this bleeding.’
‘Of course,’ said Cassius. ‘Go ahead.’
He helped them as far as the hatch and was about to follow, but then glanced back at Noster. The veteran was still gazing at the shore.
‘I’ll be down in a moment.’
‘Corbulo, did you come to the harbour last night?’ Asdribar asked as he passed him.
‘No. We were … delayed.’
‘It was too dangerous. We had to wait at anchor.’
‘I’m just glad you stayed,’ replied Cassius.
‘Your man Simo there can be very persuasive. Young Clara too. What happened? You were supposed to be here this time yesterday.’
A single day. To Cassius it seemed more like a week. The hut, the pit, the battle, the gorge, the flight through Darnis. He didn’t know where to start.
Asdribar put a hand on his shoulder. ‘Perhaps you’ll tell me when you’re ready.’
Cassius went and stood by Noster, who was looking beyond the leaping, cheering Maseene towards the beach by the warehouses; towards where Eborius lay.
‘I’m sorry we had to leave him,’ said Cassius.
‘He was a fine officer,’ said Noster.
‘And a fine man,’ replied Cassius. ‘Finer than he knew.’
XXXV
The Fortuna Redux slipped gently into the cove under a sky streaked with orange and red. Asdribar himself was at the helm and — with just the foresail flying — he guided his ship to a tranquil spot sheltered by a promontory. Once Desenna and Korinth had the sail down, old Squint dropped the anchor from the bow. As the chain rattled through the block, Asdribar left Tarkel to tie off the tillers and made his way forward. Desenna and Korinth unshackled the foresail then bagged it up. Dismissed by the captain, they and the lad went below.
As the already slight wind died and the light faded, Asdribar and Squint stood in silence, watching the ship settle back on the anchor chain. With the Fortuna’s bow veering gently from side to side, Asdribar took a flask of wine from his tunic and the two sailors shared a drink. The only sign of life on the barren shore was a pair of white storks perched on a rock, watching the ship.
Eventually, the bow stopped moving. Asdribar tested the anchor chain with his boot; it was taut and still. Not wanting to alert anyone onshore to their presence, he’d already decided that the ship’s lanterns would remain unlit. The captain took a final look around the cove, then glanced at Squint. The veteran nodded and the two of them made their away towards the hatch.
‘Ow! Gods, Simo, you’re just making it worse.’
Cassius pushed the Gaul away and wiped tears of pain from his eyes.
‘I am sorry, sir. It really requires some specialist attention.’
‘That bloody animal Carnifex. Knowing my luck I’ll end up looking like some backstreet brawler. My nose was perfect. Perfect! People used to make comments. More wine, Simo.’
‘The jug is empty, sir. I shall have to-’
‘Ah, forget it. I shall take a walk instead.’
‘I have the last of your clean tunics here, sir.’
Cassius let Simo dress him. Though he’d slept solidly through most of the afternoon, and knew he should have felt profound relief to have escaped Darnis alive, there was no sense of euphoria, only an unsettling disquiet.
As Simo buckled his belt, Cassius remembered what he’d pledged to do before the end of the day. ‘Simo, Captain Asdribar told me about your efforts to ensure he waited for our return.’
‘My prayers were answered, sir.’
Cassius didn’t have the heart to take issue with him on that one.
‘Perhaps. In any case, I thank you. There are some servants who might be glad to be rid of their master, especially one who berates them for simply doing their best. I am … fortunate to have you by my side.’
Simo straightened Cassius’s tunic and gave a slight bow. ‘Thank you, sir.’
‘A promise — if we ever make it back to Antioch, you can take all that leave I owe you in one go. A week off — how does that sound?’
Simo seemed barely able to comprehend such a concept. ‘Thank you, Master Cassius.’
‘Not at all.’
Cassius walked along the passageway to Korinth’s room. To everyone’s surprise, the deck-chief had offered his bed to Indavara. Cassius knocked on the door.
‘What?’
‘You might want to try something more polite,’ Cassius said as he entered. Indavara was sitting up on the bed. Looking at the state of him, Cassius immediately felt embarrassed by his earlier bleating and hoped Indavara hadn’t heard.