Steve was left with the third mount. The groom was walking away, obviously with no intention of giving a leg up to a slave. Steve glanced around but saw nothing he could use to climb up on the horse.
Marcus had not bothered to look back for a slave, either.
Steve put both hands on the saddle and jumped as high as he could, leaning forward over the saddle. Then he swung his leg over. At this point, he was half-lying crookedly over the horse’s back, but at least he was on it. He grabbed the reins and shifted to a normal position, then hurried after Marcus and Jane, grinning self-consciously.
The sentries were just swinging open the main gate. By the time Marcus and Jane rode out, Steve had trotted up right behind them. Without a pause, they left the safety of the Roman camp. Jane sneaked another worried glance back over her shoulder and Steve winked.
A light rain began to fall as they rode out into the forest. Steve pulled his cloak tighter around him. It looked like a long, wet day.
9
In the German village the next morning, Hunter and Gene joined Vicinius around the embers of the bonfire from the night before. They ate more hot pork stew for breakfast, and Vicinius still received congratulations from other villagers for his kill. Hunter looked up from his bowl.
“We must not impose on you further,” Hunter said to Vicinius. “We have found MC 3’s tracks now. I can follow them today. You must have business of your own. And Gene is not used to mountains like these. He can rest in the village today.”
Vicinius shook his head. “I must take advantage of my good fortune. Yesterday, the gods were with me. Maybe today I can find another boar, or maybe a deer. I will hunt again today and accompany you.”
“Perhaps you would do better without us,” said Hunter. “One man can move more quietly than three.”
“Nonsense,” said Vicinius, grinning broadly. “You brought me my luck. We shall go together.”
Hunter could not think of anything else to say. He wanted to pursue MC 3 alone because, as a robot, he could go much faster when he was free to use all his speed and strength. However, he was also reluctant to risk insulting Vicinius by rejecting his company. He merely nodded and finished his breakfast.
“I’ll go with you,” said Gene quietly. “As long as he’s going with you, anyway. Our team has split up into two groups already; that’s plenty.”
“Thank you,” said Hunter. “That is wise.” Vicinius wrapped cooked boar meat in leaves to take with them. As rain began to fall, they drew their cloaks around them and hefted their spears. Vicinius led the way once again through the forest.
Hunter attempted calling Steve and Jane, but received no answer. He assumed that their receivers were turned off because they were in the company of Romans who might overhear them, so he did not worry about them for now. They could call him when they had some privacy.
They spent about an hour walking to the spot where they had left the trail of MC 3 the evening before. Under the lush canopy of trees, the light rain had not yet washed out the tracks. Both Vicinius and Hunter were able to spot broken twigs and leaves where MC 3 had passed, which no amount of rain would alter. Gene did not complain, but Hunter could see by his movements that he was sore as a result of the long hike during the previous day.
They were still tracking MC 3 at midday when Hunter heard the movements of fourteen other men in the forest nearby. At first he said nothing, not wanting to reveal the keenness of his hearing to Vicinius. When he saw Vicinius watching the movement of birds in the trees in the distance over the location of the strangers, Hunter knew that Vicinius was also aware of them.
“We have company, eh?” Hunter said, pointing to some birds suddenly fluttering away from tree branches.
“Yes,” said Vicinius. “Other hunters, perhaps.”
“Could they be Romans?” Gene asked.
Vicinius shook his head. “The Romans always want to march in large numbers when they can. Their small patrols are on horseback and make a lot of noise. Only Germans move through the forest as quietly as these people approaching us.”
“Should we speak with them?” Hunter asked. “Are they from another village?”
“They must be.” Vicinius raised the horn he carried and blew into it, once. Immediately, a similar horn answered him from the other party. He lowered his horn and smiled. “We do not want them mistaking us for deer.”
The strangers appeared soon. They had the same general physical appearance and clothing as the people of Vicinius’s village, being stocky, mostly blond, and dressed in furs. Their leader, a young blond man with a barrel chest and short arms and legs, nodded in greeting without smiling.
“Hail, Vicinius.”
“Hail, Julius.”
“Who are these strangers?” Julius demanded.
“Traders from Gaul. Hunter and Gene.”
Hunter nodded formally. “I give you greeting.”
“Romans.” Julius turned and spat.
“Not Romans,” said Hunter. “We are Gauls.”
“Romans’ dogs, then,” Julius said with a sneer. “Vicinius, what are you doing with them? At a time like this?”
“We are hunting,” Vicinius said simply, with no apology in his tone.
“We have no interest in what the Roman army does,” said Hunter. “We are traders in silver.”
“We are also seeking a lost friend of theirs,” said Vicinius. “A man touched by the gods, lost in the forest.”
Julius tensed, his face hardening as he glanced again at Hunter. The men with him also looked at Hunter and Gene with alarm. “Some sort of demon came to our village last night. Or a man touched by evil spirits.”
“What sort of demon?” Vicinius asked.
“He came at night in the form of a strange man in strange clothes,” said Julius. “We tied him in the village. This morning, right before the eyes of some of the villagers, he vanished.”
“A bad omen,” Vicinius agreed, his voice low with awe. “Has he brought evil to your village? Are people sick or have your animals died?”
“Not yet,” said Julius grimly. “But I expect they will. And the omen may mean even more.” He glared suspiciously at Hunter again.
“What do you mean?” Vicinius asked.
“This is no business for strangers,” said Julius. “But you know what I mean. Are you joining us soon, Vicinius? You and the other men of your village?”
Vicinius hesitated, also looking uncomfortably at Hunter and Gene.
“We are only traders,” said Hunter. “We have no concern for your private business.”
“And Roman business?” Julius demanded, shaking his long blond locks away from his face.
“We care nothing for Roman business.”
Julius studied Hunter’s face for a moment, then turned back to Vicinius. “Arminius has sent out the order already today. I have brought my companions in this direction in search of the demon who escaped our village. But we will not waste too much time on him. Tell your village the time has come.”
“I will,” said Vicinius.
Julius nodded and turned away, leading his men into the forest the way they had come.
“Think it was MC 3?” Gene asked Hunter Quietly.
“No,” said Hunter, changing to English. “To my knowledge, the component robots have no ability to trigger the sphere and journey again through time, which would explain this man’s simply vanishing. It must have been Dr. Wayne Nystrom. He probably returned to the Institute, where Ishihara took custody of him.”
“Oh. Well, that’s good. We won’t have to worry about him any more.”
Vicinius was listening with a puzzled expression. “Julius seems to believe this evil spirit may be the man you seek.”
“Maybe,” said Hunter Quickly. “This man is no demon, however. He will not return.”
“How do you know so much about him?”
“He is an old adversary of ours,” said Hunter. “A man, not a demon.”
“How did he escape that village by simply vanishing?”
“He’s a trickster,” said Gene. Hunter turned in surprise.
“A trickster?” Vicinius asked.
“To amuse people around a campfire. Someone who can make jokes and tie knots that come undone again.”
“This is all?” Vicinius still sounded skeptical.
“He was no demon, Vicinius,” said Hunter. “But Julius seems to think you have more pressing business than hunting today. Do you wish to return to your village?”
“No,” said Vicinius slowly. “Julius met me by chance. They will have sent any message that must reach my village by another messenger already. I will not let Julius ruin our hunt.”
“Even concerning Roman business?” Hunter asked, keeping his tone casual.
“Prince Arminius will tend to that,” said Vicinius. Then he glanced around again for the trail of MC 3.