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“The Lament of the Batavii” by J.S. Hawthorne (part 2 of 2)
Tulla Aula Agrippina has left the body of her former lord behind, seeking to summon and destroy the monster responsible for his death. She has so far found little luck in her search, and she has no idea that the demon she seeks is already stalking her, ready to consumer her mind and soul as it did her late lord.
Today’s story is the second and final part of “The Lament of the Batavii” by J.S. Hawthorne, who is definitely not just a flock of magpies in a trenchcoat. Today’s story is one of eighteen featured in “In the Light of the Dawn,” an anthology of antiquities by the Furry Historical Fiction Society. Excavate more at fhfs.ink.
Last time, Tulla Aula Agrippina, bodyguard to Gaius Julius Caesar, heir to the Imperial Throne of Rome, discovered that her master had been killed by a monster summoned by a terrible curse. Aula has sought to summon the monster herself, but so far has met only with frustration and constant reminders of her failure.
Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.
thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
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https://thevoice.dog/episode/the-lament-of-the-batavii-by-j-s-hawthorne-part-2-of-2
Transcript
You’re
listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.
Speaker:This
Speaker:is
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf,
Speaker:your
Speaker:fellow
Speaker:traveler,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Today’s
Speaker:story
Speaker:is
Speaker:the
Speaker:second
Speaker:and
Speaker:final
Speaker:part
Speaker:of “The
Speaker:Lament
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Batavii”
Speaker:by
Speaker:J.S.
Speaker:Hawthorne, who
Speaker:is
Speaker:definitely
Speaker:not
Speaker:just
Speaker:a
Speaker:flock
Speaker:of
Speaker:magpies
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:trenchcoat.
Speaker:Today’s
Speaker:story
Speaker:is
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:eighteen
Speaker:featured
Speaker:in “In
Speaker:the
Speaker:Light
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Dawn,”
Speaker:an
Speaker:anthology
Speaker:of
Speaker:antiquities
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:Furry
Speaker:Historical
Speaker:Fiction
Speaker:Society.
Speaker:Excavate
Speaker:more
Speaker:at
Speaker:fhfs.ink.
Last time,
Tulla
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:Agrippina,
Speaker:bodyguard
Speaker:to
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Julius
Speaker:Caesar,
Speaker:heir
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:Imperial
Speaker:Throne
Speaker:of
Speaker:Rome,
Speaker:discovered
Speaker:that
Speaker:her
Speaker:master
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:killed
Speaker:by
Speaker:a
Speaker:monster
Speaker:summoned
Speaker:by
Speaker:a
Speaker:terrible
Speaker:curse.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:has
Speaker:sought
Speaker:to
Speaker:summon
Speaker:the
Speaker:monster
Speaker:herself,
Speaker:but
Speaker:so
Speaker:far has
Speaker:met
Speaker:only
Speaker:with
Speaker:frustration
Speaker:and
Speaker:constant
Speaker:reminders
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:failure.
Please
enjoy
“The
Lament
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Batavii”
Speaker:by
Speaker:J.S.
Speaker:Hawthorne, Part 2
Speaker:of 2
In the bay, just beyond
the
Speaker:city,
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:see
Speaker:crumbled
Speaker:walls
Speaker:and ancient
Speaker:statues,
Speaker:all
Speaker:covered
Speaker:over
Speaker:in
Speaker:green algae. She asked one of the sailors, who simply
Speaker:shrugged
Speaker:and
Speaker:told her
Speaker:to
Speaker:talk
Speaker:to
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Cretians
Speaker:if she wanted to
Speaker:know
Speaker:the old city’s history.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:considered
Speaker:the
Speaker:possibility
Speaker:of
Speaker:wandering
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:town,
Speaker:but
Speaker:spotted
Speaker:Senhyrus
Speaker:descending
Speaker:the
Speaker:gangplank
Speaker:and
Speaker:changed
Speaker:her mind. Instead,
Speaker:she
Speaker:sat
Speaker:against
Speaker:the
Speaker:railing
Speaker:and
Speaker:watched
Speaker:the
Speaker:hustle
Speaker:and
Speaker:bustle
Speaker:on
Speaker:the dock
Speaker:below.
Speaker:Even
Speaker:that
Speaker:died
Speaker:away
Speaker:after
Speaker:what
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:but a moment. When
Speaker:darkness
Speaker:had
Speaker:fallen, and the docks had emptied, Aula went to her cabin.
It
was
Speaker:blessedly
Speaker:empty,
Speaker:the
Speaker:others
Speaker:opting
Speaker:to
Speaker:spend
Speaker:the
Speaker:night
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:bed
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:city instead of a
Speaker:crowded hammock aboard the ship. Aula doused the coals in the brazier and
Speaker:then,
Speaker:in
Speaker:darkness,
Speaker:sank
Speaker:into
Speaker:a troubled
Speaker:and
Speaker:uneasy sleep.
Her
dreams
Speaker:were
Speaker:confused
Speaker:and
Speaker:broken,
Speaker:a
Speaker:cascade
Speaker:of
Speaker:images
Speaker:that
Speaker:made
Speaker:little
Speaker:sense.
Speaker:When
Speaker:she
Speaker:awoke,
Speaker:well
Speaker:before
Speaker:the
Speaker:sun
Speaker:had
Speaker:risen
Speaker:and
Speaker:while all was
Speaker:still
Speaker:and
Speaker:quiet,
Speaker:she
Speaker:remembered
Speaker:only
Speaker:a
Speaker:few,
Speaker:disjointed
Speaker:fragments.
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar,
Speaker:dead
Speaker:and moldering,
Speaker:reaching
Speaker:for
Speaker:her
Speaker:from
Speaker:under
Speaker:his
Speaker:burial
Speaker:shroud.
Speaker:Mormo,
Speaker:hunting
Speaker:her
Speaker:on
Speaker:silent
Speaker:wings
Speaker:through an
Speaker:upside-down
Speaker:forest.
Speaker:A
Speaker:great hole in her wrist where she had stabbed herself with the metal
Speaker:splinter.
Speaker:An
Speaker:echoing
Speaker:hole
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:fall
Speaker:into
Speaker:forever
Speaker:and
Speaker:never
Speaker:escape.
She
awoke
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:hammer-beat
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:heart
Speaker:and
Speaker:her
Speaker:clothes
Speaker:soaked
Speaker:in
Speaker:sweat.
Speaker:She
Speaker:peeled
Speaker:herself
Speaker:out of it
Speaker:and
Speaker:headed
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:dock. A
Speaker:quick
Speaker:dip
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:bay
Speaker:might
Speaker:wash
Speaker:away
Speaker:the
Speaker:last
Speaker:remnants
Speaker:of her
Speaker:nightmares.
Speaker:She
Speaker:followed
Speaker:the
Speaker:beach along
Speaker:until
Speaker:she
Speaker:found
Speaker:a
Speaker:secluded
Speaker:cove,
Speaker:hidden
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:city
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:cracked
Speaker:walls
Speaker:jutting
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:water.
Speaker:Wading
Speaker:out
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:frigid
Speaker:water
Speaker:until
Speaker:her
Speaker:feet
Speaker:could
Speaker:barely
Speaker:touch
Speaker:the
Speaker:bottom,
Speaker:she
Speaker:took
Speaker:several
Speaker:deep
Speaker:breaths,
Speaker:then dived
Speaker:below.
Underneath
the
Speaker:waves,
Speaker:the
Speaker:bay
Speaker:was
Speaker:like
Speaker:an
Speaker:alien
Speaker:world,
Speaker:far
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:death
Speaker:of
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar,
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:strange
Speaker:owl,
Speaker:from
Speaker:her
Speaker:bizarre
Speaker:and
Speaker:conflicted
Speaker:thoughts,
Speaker:her
Speaker:nightmares.
Speaker:The
Speaker:icy
Speaker:temperatures
Speaker:were
Speaker:too
Speaker:much
Speaker:to
Speaker:stay
Speaker:submerged
Speaker:for
Speaker:long,
Speaker:but
Speaker:she
Speaker:found
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:able
Speaker:to
Speaker:walk
Speaker:along
Speaker:the
Speaker:algae-slick
Speaker:edge
Speaker:of
Speaker:the broken
Speaker:walls
Speaker:to
Speaker:explore.
Speaker:Beautiful
Speaker:mosaics
Speaker:still
Speaker:filled
Speaker:the
Speaker:submerged
Speaker:plazas
Speaker:and
Speaker:streets,
Speaker:depicting
Speaker:people
Speaker:and
Speaker:places
Speaker:and
Speaker:myths
Speaker:she
Speaker:did
Speaker:not
Speaker:recognize.
Speaker:She became
Speaker:so
Speaker:engrossed in
Speaker:the
Speaker:ancient
Speaker:ruins that
Speaker:she
Speaker:lost
Speaker:track
Speaker:of
Speaker:time.
When
finally
Speaker:she
Speaker:turned
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:shore and the
Speaker:ship,
Speaker:she
Speaker:found
Speaker:herself
Speaker:face-to-face
Speaker:with
Speaker:a
Speaker:stranger.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:much
Speaker:taller
Speaker:and
Speaker:broader
Speaker:than
Speaker:she,
Speaker:a
Speaker:muscular
Speaker:bull
Speaker:with
Speaker:mostly
Speaker:white
Speaker:fur except
Speaker:for
Speaker:large
Speaker:reddish-brown
Speaker:patches
Speaker:along
Speaker:the
Speaker:sides of
Speaker:his
Speaker:ribcage
Speaker:and
Speaker:down
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:hips,
Speaker:so
Speaker:dark as
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:nearly
Speaker:black.
Speaker:His
Speaker:horns
Speaker:were
Speaker:short
Speaker:and
Speaker:wickedly
Speaker:sharp, and
Speaker:curved
Speaker:forward
Speaker:almost
Speaker:parallel
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:muzzle
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:crown.
Speaker:He
Speaker:wore
Speaker:his
Speaker:hair
Speaker:in
Speaker:short,
Speaker:messy
Speaker:curls.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:bucket
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:hand.
He
took
Speaker:her
Speaker:in with
Speaker:one
Speaker:swift
Speaker:glance,
Speaker:then
Speaker:pointed
Speaker:at
Speaker:her
Speaker:bandaged forearm
Speaker:and
Speaker:said
Speaker:something
Speaker:she
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:understand.
Speaker:She
Speaker:assumed
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:Greek.
“Do
you
Speaker:speak
Speaker:Latin?”
Speaker:she
Speaker:asked.
The
bull
Speaker:made a face
Speaker:and
Speaker:shrugged. “Little,”
Speaker:he
Speaker:allowed. “You
Speaker:are
Speaker:Romaios?”
It
was
Speaker:her turn
Speaker:to
Speaker:shrug. “Close enough.”
Speaker:She
Speaker:kept a wary
Speaker:eye
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:bull as
Speaker:she
Speaker:climbed
Speaker:onto
Speaker:the
Speaker:beach.
Speaker:She
Speaker:had
Speaker:not
Speaker:thought
Speaker:to
Speaker:bring
Speaker:a
Speaker:cloth to
Speaker:dry
Speaker:herself, and
Speaker:had
Speaker:to
Speaker:content
Speaker:with
Speaker:pulling
Speaker:on
Speaker:her
Speaker:clothes
Speaker:while
Speaker:still
Speaker:damp. “What’s
Speaker:your
Speaker:name?”
“Aethon,” he said. “You?”
“Tulla Aula Agrippina,” she said, a note of pride in her voice.
A
Speaker:nasty
Speaker:voice
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:back
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:head
Speaker:asked
Speaker:her
Speaker:if
Speaker:she
Speaker:should
Speaker:be
Speaker:so
Speaker:prideful,
Speaker:when
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:failed
Speaker:so
Speaker:badly.
Speaker:The
Speaker:tria nomina
Speaker:was
Speaker:an
Speaker:honor,
Speaker:did
Speaker:she
Speaker:truly
Speaker:deserve
Speaker:it?
Aethon snorted. “Roman.
Your
Speaker:arm?
Speaker:It
Speaker:bleeds.”
She
glanced
Speaker:down.
Speaker:The
Speaker:wound
Speaker:had,
Speaker:indeed,
Speaker:reopened
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:swimming,
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:cloth
Speaker:was
Speaker:once
Speaker:again soaked with the strange ichor.
“Looks
bad,”
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:said,
Speaker:his
Speaker:voice
Speaker:carefully
Speaker:neutral.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:heard
Speaker:him
Speaker:splashing
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:water,
Speaker:her
Speaker:ear
Speaker:twitching
Speaker:as
Speaker:it
Speaker:tried
Speaker:to
Speaker:follow
Speaker:him
Speaker:by
Speaker:sound
Speaker:alone. “You
Speaker:need
Speaker:a
Speaker:healer?”
“It’s
fine.
Speaker:I
Speaker:overexerted
Speaker:myself,
Speaker:it
Speaker:will
Speaker:stop
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:moment.”
Speaker:Fully
Speaker:dressed,
Speaker:she
Speaker:turned
Speaker:around
Speaker:to
Speaker:watch
Speaker:the
Speaker:bull
Speaker:kneeling
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:waves and
Speaker:pouring
Speaker:water
Speaker:down
Speaker:his
Speaker:back
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:bucket. “What
Speaker:are
Speaker:these
Speaker:ruins
Speaker:from?”
“Old
city,”
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:grunted.
Speaker:He
Speaker:kept
Speaker:pouring
Speaker:the
Speaker:water
Speaker:over
Speaker:himself. “They
Speaker:say,
Speaker:Poseidon
Speaker:cursed it, and
Speaker:the
Speaker:bay reclaimed
Speaker:it.
Speaker:Or
Speaker:else
Speaker:Apollo
Speaker:and
Speaker:a
Speaker:plague.”
Speaker:He
Speaker:glanced sidelong at her. “You
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship?
Speaker:With
Speaker:the
Speaker:Mauretanian
Speaker:King?”
“Yes?”
“You
going
Speaker:to
Speaker:leave
Speaker:with
Speaker:them?”
Aula
tilted
Speaker:her
Speaker:head
Speaker:in
Speaker:bafflement. “Of
Speaker:course.”
“They
left.”
It
took
Speaker:a
Speaker:moment
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:import
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:words
Speaker:to
Speaker:penetrate,
Speaker:but
Speaker:once she
Speaker:understood, she took off at a run down
Speaker:the beach.
Moments
later,
Speaker:her
Speaker:heart
Speaker:pounding
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:chest,
Speaker:she
Speaker:skidded
Speaker:to
Speaker:a
Speaker:halt
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:docks. The
Speaker:big
Speaker:polyreme
Speaker:was
Speaker:already
Speaker:a
Speaker:stade or more
Speaker:away.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:shouted
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship,
Speaker:jumping
Speaker:up
Speaker:and
Speaker:down
Speaker:and
Speaker:waving
Speaker:her
Speaker:arms,
Speaker:drawing
Speaker:the
Speaker:attention of
Speaker:the
Speaker:thin
Speaker:crowd
Speaker:milling
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:harbor,
Speaker:but
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship
Speaker:did
Speaker:not
Speaker:slow.
Speaker:She
Speaker:lowered
Speaker:her
Speaker:arms and
Speaker:sat
Speaker:down
Speaker:heavily.
Speaker:All of
Speaker:her
Speaker:possessions
Speaker:were
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:neat
Speaker:package
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:made,
Speaker:now
Speaker:wending
Speaker:its
Speaker:way
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:distant
Speaker:horizon,
Speaker:chased
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:morning
Speaker:sun.
A
lifetime
Speaker:of
Speaker:service
Speaker:and
Speaker:dedication,
Speaker:and
Speaker:through
Speaker:her
Speaker:own
Speaker:stupidity,
Speaker:she
Speaker:now
Speaker:had
Speaker:nothing
Speaker:except for
Speaker:the
Speaker:clothes
Speaker:on
Speaker:her
Speaker:back
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:iron
Speaker:splinter
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:arm.
“Failure
does
Speaker:seem
Speaker:to
Speaker:follow
Speaker:you,
Speaker:doesn’t
Speaker:it?”
Speaker:she
Speaker:heard
Speaker:a
Speaker:mocking
Speaker:voice.
Speaker:She
Speaker:spun
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:feet,
Speaker:expecting
Speaker:to
Speaker:see
Speaker:the smirking, fire-eyed Mormo standing behind her, but no owl stood
Speaker:there.
Speaker:Instead,
Speaker:Aethon,
Speaker:looking
Speaker:wholly
Speaker:unconcerned
Speaker:and
Speaker:even a
Speaker:little
Speaker:bored,
Speaker:was strolling
Speaker:down
Speaker:the
Speaker:dock.
Speaker:He
Speaker:had
Speaker:gotten
Speaker:rid
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:bucket and
Speaker:put
Speaker:on
Speaker:a
Speaker:simple
Speaker:but
Speaker:well-made
Speaker:chiton
Speaker:that
Speaker:left
Speaker:most
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:chest
Speaker:bare.
Speaker:The
Speaker:bull
Speaker:frowned
Speaker:at
Speaker:her
Speaker:as he
Speaker:drew
Speaker:close,
Speaker:then
Speaker:looked
Speaker:past her to
Speaker:the
Speaker:departing
Speaker:ship.
Speaker:He
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:to
Speaker:make
Speaker:up
Speaker:his
Speaker:mind,
Speaker:then
Speaker:grunted
Speaker:at
Speaker:her
Speaker:to
Speaker:follow
Speaker:him.
Aula,
completely
Speaker:at
Speaker:a
Speaker:loss,
Speaker:trailed
Speaker:after
Speaker:the
Speaker:bull.
Speaker:He
Speaker:led
Speaker:her
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:far
Speaker:end
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:dock
Speaker:and a
Speaker:small
Speaker:boat
Speaker:with
Speaker:a
Speaker:single white sail. Aethon hopped in and, without a word, began making ready to cast off. Aula hovered at the dock’s edge, wringing
Speaker:her
Speaker:hands
Speaker:as she watched
Speaker:the
Speaker:polyreme pull farther
Speaker:and farther away.
“You
want
Speaker:a
Speaker:ride?”
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:asked,
Speaker:and Aula
Speaker:looked
Speaker:down,
Speaker:startled
Speaker:to see the bull’s
Speaker:boat
Speaker:was
Speaker:already
Speaker:gliding away
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:dock.
Speaker:She
Speaker:leapt
Speaker:and
Speaker:crashed onto
Speaker:the
Speaker:side
Speaker:deck.
Speaker:Her
Speaker:claws
Speaker:scrabbled
Speaker:furiously at
Speaker:the
Speaker:hull
Speaker:as
Speaker:she
Speaker:began
Speaker:to
Speaker:slide
Speaker:down
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:ocean.
Speaker:Without
Speaker:missing a beat, Aethon hauled her aboard. She sat for a
Speaker:moment,
Speaker:shivering,
Speaker:while Aethon
Speaker:manipulated
Speaker:the
Speaker:sail
Speaker:to
Speaker:catch
Speaker:the
Speaker:wind.
Speaker:The
Speaker:ship
Speaker:bucked
Speaker:slightly
Speaker:as
Speaker:it
Speaker:gathered
Speaker:speed,
Speaker:zipping
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:shore
Speaker:and
Speaker:into
Speaker:open
Speaker:water.
“Thank
you,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:managed.
Speaker:Her
Speaker:heart
Speaker:was
Speaker:still pounding,
Speaker:but
Speaker:the
Speaker:shivering
Speaker:slowed
Speaker:and
Speaker:then
Speaker:stopped,
Speaker:and
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:able
Speaker:to
Speaker:move
Speaker:into a
Speaker:more
Speaker:comfortable
Speaker:position
Speaker:seated
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:side
Speaker:deck.
Aethon
shrugged.
Speaker:He
Speaker:spared
Speaker:her a
Speaker:quick
Speaker:glance,
Speaker:his
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:catching
Speaker:her
Speaker:ichor-soaked bandage,
Speaker:then
Speaker:turned to
Speaker:squint
Speaker:out
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:ocean.
Speaker:They
Speaker:were
Speaker:catching
Speaker:up
Speaker:to
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba’s
Speaker:ship,
Speaker:but
Speaker:slowly.
“Might
be
Speaker:a while,”
Speaker:he
Speaker:told
Speaker:her.
She
craned
Speaker:her
Speaker:head
Speaker:to
Speaker:watch
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship
Speaker:they
Speaker:were
Speaker:chasing,
Speaker:and
Speaker:nodded.
Speaker:There
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:seem
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:anything
Speaker:to
Speaker:say
Speaker:to
Speaker:each
Speaker:other.
They
finally
Speaker:caught
Speaker:up in
Speaker:the
Speaker:middle
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:afternoon.
Speaker:A line was cast down and Aethon made his boat safe to tow while Aula climbed aboard.
She found King Juba
waiting
Speaker:for
Speaker:her.
“O child,”
he
Speaker:said,
Speaker:grasping her
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:shoulders
Speaker:and
Speaker:looking her
Speaker:up
Speaker:and
Speaker:down. “Are
Speaker:you
Speaker:alright?
Speaker:We
Speaker:did
Speaker:not
Speaker:discover
Speaker:you
Speaker:were
Speaker:missing
Speaker:until
Speaker:an hour ago.
Speaker:The Lady Senhyrus
Speaker:was arguing with
Speaker:the
Speaker:captain
Speaker:to
Speaker:turn
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship
Speaker:around.”
As
politely
Speaker:as
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:manage, Aula freed herself
Speaker:from the king’s grasp. “I am fine,
Speaker:Majesty,”
Speaker:she
Speaker:told
Speaker:him
Speaker:with a
Speaker:deep
Speaker:bow. “It
Speaker:was
Speaker:my
Speaker:own
Speaker:fault.
Speaker:I
Speaker:lost
Speaker:track
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:time.”
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:wordlessly
Speaker:joined her,
Speaker:matching her
Speaker:bow. “If
Speaker:it
Speaker:weren’t
Speaker:for
Speaker:this
Speaker:kind
Speaker:stranger,
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:know
Speaker:what
Speaker:I
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:done.”
“Then
we
Speaker:owe
Speaker:you
Speaker:our
Speaker:gratitude,
Speaker:master
Speaker:sailor,”
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba
Speaker:said,
Speaker:pulling
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:bow
Speaker:and
Speaker:squeezing
Speaker:both
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:hands. “Thank
Speaker:you
Speaker:for
Speaker:returning
Speaker:our
Speaker:friend
Speaker:to
Speaker:us.”
“It
was
Speaker:nothing,
Speaker:Majesty,”
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:said,
Speaker:flushing
Speaker:a
Speaker:little
Speaker:bit
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:attention.
Speaker:He hesitated for a moment, then asked King Juba a question in Greek. Juba’s smile became quizzical, and he
Speaker:answered,
Speaker:and
Speaker:soon
Speaker:the
Speaker:two
Speaker:were
Speaker:engaged
Speaker:in a
Speaker:lively,
Speaker:if
Speaker:unintelligible
Speaker:to
Speaker:Aula,
Speaker:conversation.
Speaker:She
Speaker:offered
Speaker:King Juba
Speaker:another
Speaker:bow
Speaker:and
Speaker:muttered an
Speaker:excuse,
Speaker:then slid
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:two
Speaker:of
Speaker:them,
Speaker:uncomfortably
Speaker:aware
Speaker:of
Speaker:Aethon’s gaze
Speaker:following her.
What Aula
wanted
Speaker:most was to
Speaker:find
Speaker:her armor and simply hold it
Speaker:in her
Speaker:hands,
Speaker:to
Speaker:remind
Speaker:herself
Speaker:what
Speaker:she
Speaker:was,
Speaker:what
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:dedicated
Speaker:her
Speaker:life
Speaker:to. But
Speaker:that
Speaker:impulse
Speaker:brought
Speaker:with
Speaker:it
Speaker:a forceful
Speaker:reminder
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:failure
Speaker:and
Speaker:promise
Speaker:that
Speaker:she
Speaker:would
Speaker:not
Speaker:don
Speaker:the
Speaker:armor again until she had avenged
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar. What
Speaker:she
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:least
Speaker:was
Speaker:to
Speaker:encounter
Speaker:Senhyrus and be drawn
Speaker:into
Speaker:another
Speaker:conversation,
Speaker:but
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:unfair. The
Speaker:priestess had done
Speaker:nothing
Speaker:but
Speaker:be
Speaker:kind
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:and
Speaker:concerned
Speaker:about
Speaker:her
Speaker:wellbeing,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:had
Speaker:rewarded
Speaker:that
Speaker:kindness
Speaker:with
Speaker:neglect.
Speaker:So,
Speaker:with
Speaker:a heavy heart,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:strode
Speaker:off
Speaker:to
Speaker:look
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:jackal.
Senhyrus
found
Speaker:her
Speaker:first
Speaker:and,
Speaker:with a
Speaker:shout,
Speaker:rushed
Speaker:forward
Speaker:to
Speaker:hug Aula. The
Speaker:mouse,
Speaker:flushing,
Speaker:swiftly
Speaker:extricated
Speaker:herself.
Speaker:She then
Speaker:had
Speaker:to
Speaker:explain
Speaker:her
Speaker:entire
Speaker:misadventure
Speaker:once
Speaker:again
Speaker:and
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:time
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:finished, she
Speaker:was
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:extremely
Speaker:foolish.
Speaker:She
Speaker:found
Speaker:herself
Speaker:wishing
Speaker:she
Speaker:hadn’t
Speaker:taken
Speaker:Aethon’s offer
Speaker:of a
Speaker:ride.
“I
must
Speaker:thank
Speaker:this
Speaker:friend
Speaker:of
Speaker:yours,”
Speaker:Senhyrus
Speaker:told
Speaker:her.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:shrugged
Speaker:uncomfortably.
“He’s
not
Speaker:a
Speaker:friend.
Speaker:Just
Speaker:a
Speaker:kind
Speaker:person
Speaker:who
Speaker:gave
Speaker:aid
Speaker:when
Speaker:I
Speaker:needed
Speaker:it.”
Speaker:Had
Speaker:she
Speaker:really
Speaker:needed it?
Speaker:Had
Speaker:she
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:it?
Speaker:She
Speaker:disliked
Speaker:that
Speaker:she
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:answer
Speaker:those
Speaker:questions. “I’m
Speaker:sorry,
Speaker:Senhyrus, I-I’ve
Speaker:had
Speaker:a
Speaker:trying
Speaker:morning. I
Speaker:think
Speaker:I
Speaker:will
Speaker:lay
Speaker:down
Speaker:for
Speaker:a while.”
“Of course, Aula.” Senhyrus gave her another hug before Aula was
able
Speaker:to
Speaker:escape.
The
cabin
Speaker:was
Speaker:blissfully
Speaker:empty.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:took
Speaker:the
Speaker:opportunity
Speaker:to
Speaker:change
Speaker:her
Speaker:bandage.
Speaker:The
Speaker:wound
Speaker:still had not
Speaker:healed,
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:skin
Speaker:looked grey
Speaker:and
Speaker:lifeless
Speaker:around
Speaker:it,
Speaker:especially
Speaker:in
Speaker:comparison
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:strange
Speaker:color
Speaker:the
Speaker:ichor
Speaker:had
Speaker:dyed
Speaker:her
Speaker:fur.
Speaker:She
Speaker:gave
Speaker:the
Speaker:wound an
Speaker:experimental
Speaker:poke
Speaker:and
Speaker:discovered
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:almost
Speaker:no sensation
Speaker:there,
Speaker:just a
Speaker:vague
Speaker:sense
Speaker:of
Speaker:pressure.
Speaker:With
Speaker:a
Speaker:shudder,
Speaker:she
Speaker:wrapped
Speaker:her
Speaker:arm
Speaker:in
Speaker:fresh
Speaker:linen.
Once done, Aula
climbed
Speaker:back
Speaker:into
Speaker:her
Speaker:hammock
Speaker:and
Speaker:closed her
Speaker:eyes,
Speaker:swaying
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:air
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:slow
Speaker:rocking
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship.
Speaker:It
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:several
Speaker:days
Speaker:since
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:arrived to
Speaker:find
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar
Speaker:beneath
Speaker:his
Speaker:shroud,
Speaker:and she had to
Speaker:admit
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:no
Speaker:nearer
Speaker:the
Speaker:creature
Speaker:that
Speaker:had
Speaker:drained
Speaker:his
Speaker:life
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:him.
“You’ve
just
Speaker:failed
Speaker:him
Speaker:in
Speaker:life
Speaker:and
Speaker:death,
Speaker:haven’t
Speaker:you?”
Her
eyes
Speaker:opened and she pulled herself up into
Speaker:a
Speaker:seated
Speaker:position,
Speaker:looking
Speaker:around
Speaker:for
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:darkened
Speaker:cabin.
Speaker:It
Speaker:took her
Speaker:a
Speaker:moment
Speaker:to
Speaker:realize
Speaker:that
Speaker:she
Speaker:herself
Speaker:had
Speaker:spoken,
Speaker:not
Speaker:the
Speaker:phantom
Speaker:owl.
Speaker:With
Speaker:a
Speaker:nervous
Speaker:laugh,
Speaker:she
Speaker:laid
Speaker:back
Speaker:down and
Speaker:settled
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:silence.
The
next
Speaker:few
Speaker:days
Speaker:passed pleasantly enough for Aula. While
Speaker:she
Speaker:was inclined to avoid
Speaker:Senhyrus and
Speaker:King Juba, she was not
Speaker:able
Speaker:to
Speaker:avoid
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:so
Speaker:easily.
Speaker:For
Speaker:someone
Speaker:with
Speaker:hooves,
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:shockingly
Speaker:silent,
Speaker:and
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:to
Speaker:appear, as if coalescing from mist, whenever she found
Speaker:a
Speaker:lonely
Speaker:spot
Speaker:to
Speaker:brood.
Speaker:He did
Speaker:not
Speaker:attempt
Speaker:to
Speaker:force
Speaker:her
Speaker:into
Speaker:conversation or
Speaker:try
Speaker:to
Speaker:pry,
Speaker:but
Speaker:merely
Speaker:sat
Speaker:or
Speaker:stood
Speaker:nearby,
Speaker:the
Speaker:ancient
Speaker:colossus
Speaker:in
Speaker:miniature.
And
over
Speaker:the
Speaker:next
Speaker:few
Speaker:days,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:found
Speaker:herself
Speaker:not
Speaker:minding
Speaker:it.
Speaker:She
Speaker:told
Speaker:herself that
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:futile to
Speaker:attempt
Speaker:to
Speaker:escape
Speaker:him
Speaker:and
Speaker:therefore would
Speaker:just
Speaker:sit
Speaker:in
Speaker:equal
Speaker:silence,
Speaker:but
Speaker:truly
Speaker:she
Speaker:enjoyed
Speaker:the
Speaker:company.
Speaker:By
Speaker:the
Speaker:time
Speaker:the
Speaker:polyreme
Speaker:had pulled out of port in Laconia, threading between the Ionian
Speaker:Sea
Speaker:to the north
Speaker:and the
Speaker:Sea
Speaker:of
Speaker:Siculus
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:south,
Speaker:she had
Speaker:given
Speaker:up
Speaker:on
Speaker:avoiding
Speaker:him.
Speaker:A
Speaker:few
Speaker:days
Speaker:later,
Speaker:when
Speaker:the
Speaker:southern
Speaker:tip
Speaker:of
Speaker:Italia
Speaker:came
Speaker:into
Speaker:view,
Speaker:she
Speaker:began
Speaker:to
Speaker:follow
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:around.
Speaker:No
Speaker:longer
Speaker:worried
Speaker:about
Speaker:tracking her
Speaker:down,
Speaker:the
Speaker:bull
Speaker:took
Speaker:to
Speaker:aiding
Speaker:the
Speaker:sailors
Speaker:with
Speaker:their daily tasks while Aula sat on crates or
Speaker:leaned
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:railing,
Speaker:watching
Speaker:the
Speaker:sea
Speaker:roll
Speaker:away
Speaker:underneath them.
She
checked
Speaker:her
Speaker:wound
Speaker:every
Speaker:night,
Speaker:when the
Speaker:lights
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:dimmed
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:cabin
Speaker:and she
Speaker:could
Speaker:steal
Speaker:a
Speaker:few
Speaker:private
Speaker:moments.
Speaker:It
Speaker:still
Speaker:oozed, her flesh around it still strangely numb, but she thought
Speaker:it
Speaker:was,
Speaker:little
Speaker:by
Speaker:little,
Speaker:closing.
Speaker:Her
Speaker:skin
Speaker:even
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:regaining
Speaker:some
Speaker:color.
The
night
Speaker:before
Speaker:they
Speaker:sailed into
Speaker:Utica,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:dreamed.
Speaker:She
Speaker:was sailing into
Speaker:Carthage a century before she was born. The city
Speaker:burned,
Speaker:turning
Speaker:the
Speaker:night
Speaker:red,
Speaker:but
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship
Speaker:was empty.
“ʿAzrubaʿal’s
failure,” Mormo
Speaker:told
Speaker:her.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:see
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl,
Speaker:but
Speaker:her
Speaker:voice
Speaker:echoed
Speaker:around
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship
Speaker:and the dead
Speaker:sea. “See
Speaker:what
Speaker:comes
Speaker:when
Speaker:a
Speaker:soldier
Speaker:falters?
Speaker:Lucius
Speaker:Caesar
Speaker:was
Speaker:dead
Speaker:before
Speaker:you
Speaker:left
Speaker:Lycia.
Speaker:By
Speaker:the
Speaker:time
Speaker:you
Speaker:had
Speaker:returned,
Speaker:both the
Speaker:Emperor’s
Speaker:heirs
Speaker:lay
Speaker:beneath
Speaker:the
Speaker:shroud.
Speaker:What
Speaker:fate,
Speaker:then,
Speaker:suffers
Speaker:the
Speaker:great
Speaker:Empire
Speaker:of
Speaker:Rome?
Speaker:Shall
Speaker:the line of Caesar end? ʿAzrubaʿal saw Carthage
Speaker:burn,
Speaker:shall
Speaker:you
Speaker:see
Speaker:Rome,
Speaker:too
Speaker:in
Speaker:flames?”
And
then
Speaker:abruptly
Speaker:they
Speaker:faced,
Speaker:not
Speaker:Carthage
Speaker:and
Speaker:Africa,
Speaker:but
Speaker:Rome
Speaker:and
Speaker:Italia.
Speaker:It,
Speaker:too, burned, its
Speaker:flames fanned by the
Speaker:music
Speaker:of
Speaker:a cithara.
“The
Emperor
Speaker:still
Speaker:lives,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:said, the fire
Speaker:singing
Speaker:her fur. “The Empire endures.”
“The
Emperor is old,
Speaker:and
Speaker:frail.
Speaker:Who
Speaker:can
Speaker:take
Speaker:his
Speaker:place
Speaker:when
Speaker:he
Speaker:is
Speaker:gone?”
“Gaius
and
Speaker:Lucius
Speaker:had
Speaker:a
Speaker:brother.”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:take
Speaker:her
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:burning
Speaker:city.
“A
child”
Speaker:sneered
Speaker:Mormo. “A
Speaker:monster
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:form
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:boy. Already his petty tyrannies
Speaker:threaten his
Speaker:standing
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:Emperor.”
“Then
the
Speaker:son
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Empress,
Speaker:Tiberius Claudius…”
Mormo cut her off, “A
old coward.
Speaker:He
Speaker:hides,
Speaker:hoping
Speaker:to
Speaker:return
Speaker:to
Speaker:exile.
Speaker:He
Speaker:cannot
Speaker:hold
Speaker:Rome.”
“Then Nero
Drusus,
Speaker:or Drusus’s
Speaker:son…”
“Soldiers,
not
Speaker:rulers.
Speaker:And
Speaker:you
Speaker:see
Speaker:what
Speaker:happens
Speaker:when
Speaker:one
Speaker:relies
Speaker:on
Speaker:a
Speaker:soldier,
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:you?”
Speaker:The
Speaker:owl
Speaker:pointed
Speaker:towards
Speaker:the
Speaker:fallen
Speaker:city
Speaker:of
Speaker:Rome.
In desperation, Aula turned to Mormo. “There must be
some
Speaker:way
Speaker:to
Speaker:prevent
Speaker:this
Speaker:fate.
Speaker:Please,
Speaker:I
Speaker:beg
Speaker:you,
Speaker:let
Speaker:me
Speaker:rectify
Speaker:my
Speaker:mistake,
Speaker:let
Speaker:me
Speaker:heal
Speaker:what
Speaker:I
Speaker:have
Speaker:broken.”
Mormo
waved
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:away. “Can
Speaker:you
Speaker:return
Speaker:the
Speaker:dead
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:care
Speaker:of
Speaker:Father
Speaker:Dis
Speaker:and
Speaker:gentle
Speaker:Proserpina?
Speaker:What
Speaker:power
Speaker:have
Speaker:you
Speaker:to
Speaker:repair
Speaker:a
Speaker:broken
Speaker:lineage?
Speaker:There
Speaker:are
Speaker:some
Speaker:failures
Speaker:for
Speaker:which one
Speaker:cannot atone.”
Aula woke
up
Speaker:screaming.
They
spent
Speaker:three
Speaker:days
Speaker:docked in Utica. Aula avoided Senhyrus and
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba, and
Speaker:even
Speaker:managed
Speaker:to
Speaker:avoid
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:by
Speaker:ducking
Speaker:into
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:smaller
Speaker:holds.
Speaker:Her
Speaker:petite
Speaker:frame
Speaker:let her
Speaker:scramble
Speaker:past
Speaker:the
Speaker:stored
Speaker:trade
Speaker:goods,
Speaker:the bull was
Speaker:too
Speaker:large
Speaker:to
Speaker:fit
Speaker:inside.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:easy
Speaker:to
Speaker:ignore if
Speaker:she
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:see
Speaker:him.
Speaker:She emerged
Speaker:only
Speaker:for
Speaker:evening
Speaker:meals,
Speaker:and
Speaker:otherwise
Speaker:ate
Speaker:only
Speaker:sparingly.
On
the third
Speaker:day, after
Speaker:a desultory attempt at
Speaker:the
Speaker:rich Carthaginian porridge
Speaker:that
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:prepared for supper,
Speaker:Aula made
Speaker:her way back to the hold, ignoring
Speaker:Senhyrus’s attempts
Speaker:to entice
Speaker:her
Speaker:to
Speaker:stay.
Speaker:She
Speaker:squeezed
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:small
Speaker:nest
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:made
Speaker:and
Speaker:discovered,
Speaker:perched
Speaker:atop
Speaker:a
Speaker:heavy
Speaker:amphora
Speaker:of Cretian oil, Mormo. The
Speaker:cruel
Speaker:red eyes were fixed
Speaker:on
Speaker:Aula, the hint of
Speaker:a
Speaker:smile on
Speaker:her
Speaker:beak.
“They
talk
Speaker:about
Speaker:you,
Speaker:you
Speaker:know,”
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:said
Speaker:as
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:settled
Speaker:herself
Speaker:in.
Speaker:She
Speaker:glanced
Speaker:over
Speaker:her
Speaker:shoulder
Speaker:towards
Speaker:the
Speaker:entrance, where
Speaker:Aethon’s large silhouette
Speaker:was
Speaker:already
Speaker:filling
Speaker:the
Speaker:cramped
Speaker:hallway.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:no
Speaker:reason
Speaker:to
Speaker:ask
Speaker:who
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl meant.
“So?”
“Don’t
you want
Speaker:to
Speaker:know
Speaker:what
Speaker:they
Speaker:say?”
Aula
shrugged.
Speaker:She
Speaker:turned her attention
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:Mormo—the
Speaker:owl
Speaker:interested
Speaker:her no
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:any
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:other
Speaker:friends—and
Speaker:unwrapped
Speaker:her
Speaker:arm.
Speaker:The
Speaker:wound
Speaker:had
Speaker:reopened,
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:unsure
Speaker:when,
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:strange
Speaker:numbness had
Speaker:spread.
Speaker:Her
Speaker:hand
Speaker:felt
Speaker:stiff
Speaker:and
Speaker:foreign,
Speaker:as
Speaker:though
Speaker:they
Speaker:were
Speaker:attached
Speaker:to
Speaker:someone
Speaker:else’s
Speaker:body.
“How
did
Speaker:you
Speaker:lose
Speaker:your
Speaker:eye?”
“A
blade
Speaker:meant
Speaker:for
Speaker:Gaius Caesar. It
Speaker:found
Speaker:my
Speaker:eye
Speaker:instead,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:muttered,
Speaker:gently
Speaker:dabbing
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:wound
Speaker:to
Speaker:clean
Speaker:it.
“Do
you
Speaker:regret
Speaker:it?”
“I
would
Speaker:have
Speaker:given
Speaker:my
Speaker:life that
Speaker:my
Speaker:lord
Speaker:would
Speaker:live.
Speaker:What
Speaker:is
Speaker:a
Speaker:single
Speaker:eye?”
Speaker:Her
Speaker:cold
Speaker:blue
Speaker:gaze
Speaker:met
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl’s blazing
Speaker:red. “I
Speaker:saved Gaius
Speaker:Caesar
Speaker:that
Speaker:day.
Speaker:That
Speaker:is
Speaker:all
Speaker:that
Speaker:has
Speaker:ever
Speaker:mattered
Speaker:to
Speaker:me.”
“Such
loyalty is
Speaker:inspiring,
Speaker:and
Speaker:deserves
Speaker:reward.
Speaker:Tell
Speaker:me,
Speaker:did
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar
Speaker:reward
Speaker:you?”
“What
do
Speaker:you
Speaker:want
Speaker:from
Speaker:me?”
Mormo
shrugged. “You’re
Speaker:lonely.
Speaker:I
Speaker:thought
Speaker:I
Speaker:would
Speaker:offer
Speaker:you
Speaker:my
Speaker:company.
Speaker:If
Speaker:you
Speaker:would
Speaker:rather
Speaker:return
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:others,”
Speaker:she gestured towards Aethon’s silent shadow. “If they would have you, that is.”
Aula snorted. “They
refuse to
Speaker:leave
Speaker:me
Speaker:alone,
Speaker:why
Speaker:wouldn’t
Speaker:they
Speaker:have
Speaker:me?”
“Because
you
Speaker:have
Speaker:rebuffed their
Speaker:every
Speaker:advance,
Speaker:because
Speaker:you
Speaker:have
Speaker:made
Speaker:every
Speaker:effort
Speaker:to
Speaker:make
Speaker:them
Speaker:believe
Speaker:you
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:want
Speaker:their
Speaker:company.”
Speaker:She
Speaker:leaned
Speaker:forward,
Speaker:resting
Speaker:her
Speaker:arms
Speaker:on
Speaker:her
Speaker:knees. “Because
Speaker:they
Speaker:find
Speaker:you
Speaker:arrogant
Speaker:and
Speaker:snobbish,
Speaker:a barbarian
Speaker:who
Speaker:believes
Speaker:she
Speaker:and
Speaker:she
Speaker:alone
Speaker:grieves
Speaker:for
Speaker:Rome’s
Speaker:lost
Speaker:heir.” Aula found she
Speaker:could no longer
Speaker:meet
Speaker:Mormo’s
Speaker:gaze. “They
Speaker:tire of
Speaker:extending
Speaker:courtesy to you,
Speaker:tire
Speaker:of
Speaker:your
Speaker:behavior and
Speaker:your
Speaker:rudeness.
Speaker:The
Speaker:king
Speaker:wishes
Speaker:nothing
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:to
Speaker:return
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:palace
Speaker:and
Speaker:wash his
Speaker:hands
Speaker:of
Speaker:Romans
Speaker:and
Speaker:would-be
Speaker:Romans.
Speaker:The
Speaker:priestess
Speaker:regrets
Speaker:every
Speaker:effort
Speaker:she
Speaker:has
Speaker:expended.
Speaker:The
Speaker:fisherman
Speaker:wonders
Speaker:why
Speaker:he
Speaker:should
Speaker:have
Speaker:left
Speaker:behind
Speaker:his
Speaker:home,
Speaker:his
Speaker:life, for
Speaker:someone
Speaker:who
Speaker:has
Speaker:kept
Speaker:him
Speaker:sitting
Speaker:uselessly
Speaker:in
Speaker:an
Speaker:empty
Speaker:hallway.”
“I didn’t ask them
to,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:said.
Speaker:She
Speaker:was
Speaker:aware
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:petulance
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:voice. “Let
Speaker:them
Speaker:leave
Speaker:me
Speaker:be,
Speaker:it’s
Speaker:what
Speaker:I want.”
Mormo gave
a
Speaker:small,
Speaker:tinkling
Speaker:laugh
Speaker:that
Speaker:faded
Speaker:into
Speaker:a
Speaker:ringing
Speaker:silence.
Speaker:When Aula
Speaker:gathered
Speaker:enough
Speaker:courage to
Speaker:look up,
Speaker:she
Speaker:found
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl
Speaker:gone,
Speaker:and
Speaker:nothing
Speaker:left
Speaker:to
Speaker:mark
Speaker:her
Speaker:passage.
Sure
enough,
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:coast
Speaker:of
Speaker:Africa
Speaker:Proconsularis glided past, Aula noticed that Senhyrus’s
Speaker:attempts to engage
Speaker:her were
Speaker:becoming
Speaker:more seldom.
Speaker:By
Speaker:their
Speaker:third
Speaker:day
Speaker:after
Speaker:Utica,
Speaker:the
Speaker:priestess
Speaker:said
Speaker:no
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:good
Speaker:morning
Speaker:and
Speaker:good
Speaker:evening
Speaker:to
Speaker:her.
Speaker:By
Speaker:the
Speaker:sixth
Speaker:day,
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:gave
Speaker:up
Speaker:waiting
Speaker:for
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:and
Speaker:returned
Speaker:to
Speaker:working
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:other
Speaker:sailors.
Speaker:Mormo met her
Speaker:every
Speaker:day,
Speaker:however,
Speaker:in
Speaker:the little
Speaker:nest
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:made
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:hold.
Speaker:Sometimes
Speaker:they
Speaker:talked—or
Speaker:rather,
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:reminded
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:damage
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:caused
Speaker:not
Speaker:just to
Speaker:her
Speaker:liege
Speaker:but
Speaker:to the
Speaker:Empire
Speaker:itself,
Speaker:of
Speaker:how
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:systematically
Speaker:pushed
Speaker:away
Speaker:the
Speaker:only
Speaker:three people
Speaker:beyond
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar
Speaker:who
Speaker:had
Speaker:shown
Speaker:any
Speaker:inclination
Speaker:to
Speaker:help
Speaker:her.
Speaker:Most
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:time,
Speaker:though,
Speaker:they
Speaker:sat
Speaker:in
Speaker:silence,
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl’s
Speaker:burning
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:drilling
Speaker:into
Speaker:Aula while
Speaker:the
Speaker:mouse
Speaker:silently
Speaker:reminded
Speaker:herself
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:failure.
On
the
Speaker:tenth
Speaker:day,
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:Mauretanian
Speaker:city
Speaker:of
Speaker:Caesarea
Speaker:hovering
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:horizon,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:jumped
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:sea.
She
had not
Speaker:meant
Speaker:to,
Speaker:had
Speaker:not
Speaker:planned
Speaker:it. She had helped herself to a small bowl of
Speaker:stew
Speaker:for
Speaker:breakfast
Speaker:and then had
Speaker:started
Speaker:to walk
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:nest.
Speaker:The
Speaker:hallway
Speaker:had
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:simply
Speaker:too
Speaker:long,
Speaker:too
Speaker:arduous,
Speaker:for
Speaker:her
Speaker:to
Speaker:manage.
Speaker:It had
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:to
Speaker:her a
Speaker:perfectly
Speaker:natural
Speaker:alternative
Speaker:to
Speaker:turn
Speaker:and
Speaker:climb
Speaker:the
Speaker:railing
Speaker:and
Speaker:then,
Speaker:ignoring
Speaker:the
Speaker:shouts
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:sailors,
Speaker:jump.
The
water
Speaker:hit her
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:knife, soaking into her tunic and her fur as a flood fills the plains. She closed her eye and let the
Speaker:weight
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:clothing
Speaker:drag
Speaker:her
Speaker:down.
Speaker:She
Speaker:ignored
Speaker:the
Speaker:dull thud
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:second
Speaker:person
Speaker:diving
Speaker:in
Speaker:after
Speaker:her,
Speaker:and
Speaker:she
Speaker:did
Speaker:not
Speaker:contest
Speaker:the
Speaker:muscular
Speaker:arms
Speaker:that
Speaker:grasped her
Speaker:around
Speaker:her
Speaker:middle.
It
wasn’t
Speaker:until
Speaker:they
Speaker:reached
Speaker:the surface
Speaker:that
Speaker:she
Speaker:opened
Speaker:her
Speaker:eye
Speaker:and
Speaker:saw
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:holding
Speaker:her
Speaker:head
Speaker:above
Speaker:the
Speaker:water’s line
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:swam
Speaker:towards
Speaker:the
Speaker:boat.
“You
should
Speaker:have
Speaker:left
Speaker:me,”
Speaker:she
Speaker:murmured.
Speaker:She
Speaker:felt
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:saw
Speaker:the
Speaker:bull
Speaker:shaking
Speaker:his
Speaker:head,
Speaker:but
Speaker:he
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:waste
Speaker:breath
Speaker:responding
Speaker:to
Speaker:her. A line
Speaker:was
Speaker:thrown
Speaker:down and he carried her
Speaker:back up onto
Speaker:the deck. Her sodden
Speaker:clothes
Speaker:were pulled
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:her.
Speaker:She
Speaker:heard
Speaker:a
Speaker:soft
Speaker:murmur
Speaker:of
Speaker:concern
Speaker:when
Speaker:her
Speaker:bandaged
Speaker:arm was revealed, and
Speaker:then
Speaker:someone—Senhyrus—was
Speaker:leading
Speaker:her, shivering, down
Speaker:into one of
Speaker:the
Speaker:cabins.
Speaker:Not
Speaker:the
Speaker:cabin
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:sharing,
Speaker:but
Speaker:a
Speaker:private
Speaker:cabin,
Speaker:not
Speaker:large,
Speaker:but
Speaker:comfortable
Speaker:and
Speaker:with a
Speaker:fire
Speaker:burning
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:small
Speaker:camp
Speaker:stove.
Speaker:Senhyrus sat her
Speaker:in
Speaker:front
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:fire
Speaker:and
Speaker:carefully
Speaker:wrapped
Speaker:her in the
Speaker:blankets.
“Child,”
King Juba was
Speaker:there,
Speaker:looking
Speaker:worried. “Please
Speaker:tell
Speaker:us
Speaker:what’s
Speaker:wrong.”
“The
wound,” Aethon
Speaker:grunted.
Speaker:He,
Speaker:too,
Speaker:had
Speaker:stripped
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:wet clothes
Speaker:but
Speaker:seemed unbothered by
Speaker:the
Speaker:cold.
Senhyrus pulled Aula’s
arm
Speaker:from
Speaker:under
Speaker:the
Speaker:blanket
Speaker:and
Speaker:unwrapped the
Speaker:bandage.
Speaker:Her
Speaker:stained fur
Speaker:showed
Speaker:plainly
Speaker:against
Speaker:the
Speaker:clammy
Speaker:grey
Speaker:skin,
Speaker:which
Speaker:now
Speaker:reached
Speaker:almost
Speaker:to
Speaker:hear wrist.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:long
Speaker:moment
Speaker:of
Speaker:stunned silence.
“What did you do, Aula?” Senhyrus
asked. She
Speaker:did
Speaker:not
Speaker:sound
Speaker:accusatory,
Speaker:merely
Speaker:sad.
With
shuddering
Speaker:breaths,
Speaker:Aula explained
Speaker:sneaking
Speaker:into
Speaker:Gaius Caesar’s
Speaker:room
Speaker:and
Speaker:discovering
Speaker:the
Speaker:metal
Speaker:shard
Speaker:and
Speaker:what
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:done
Speaker:with
Speaker:it.
Speaker:When
Speaker:she
Speaker:finished
Speaker:her
Speaker:story,
Speaker:she
Speaker:sat,
Speaker:tears
Speaker:falling
Speaker:from
Speaker:her
Speaker:eye
Speaker:as
Speaker:she
Speaker:stared into
Speaker:the
Speaker:fire.
“Can
you
Speaker:remove
Speaker:it?”
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba
Speaker:asked
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:silence.
Aula
had the
Speaker:vaguest
Speaker:sensation
Speaker:of
Speaker:Senhyrus
Speaker:manipulating
Speaker:her
Speaker:arm,
Speaker:but
Speaker:the
Speaker:numbness
Speaker:was
Speaker:very
Speaker:nearly
Speaker:complete.
Speaker:On
Speaker:the
Speaker:other
Speaker:side
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:fire,
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:sat,
Speaker:smiling
Speaker:silently.
“I
don’t
Speaker:know,
Speaker:Majesty,”
Speaker:the priestess said, blunt claws probing at the wound. “It is
Speaker:in
Speaker:deep.”
“It
is a
Speaker:lamia,”
Speaker:said
Speaker:Aethon.
Speaker:The
Speaker:others
Speaker:turned
Speaker:to
Speaker:him. “A
Speaker:creature
Speaker:that
Speaker:feeds
Speaker:on
Speaker:fear
Speaker:and
Speaker:self-hatred.
Speaker:It
Speaker:attaches itself
Speaker:to
Speaker:a
Speaker:person
Speaker:and
Speaker:drives
Speaker:them
Speaker:into
Speaker:solitude,
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:those
Speaker:who
Speaker:can
Speaker:recognize
Speaker:it,
Speaker:and
Speaker:then
Speaker:feeds
Speaker:until
Speaker:the
Speaker:despair
Speaker:overwhelms
Speaker:the
Speaker:person.”
Speaker:He
Speaker:snorted. “I
Speaker:saw the
Speaker:wound,
Speaker:on
Speaker:Krḗtē,
Speaker:and
Speaker:thought
Speaker:it
Speaker:might
Speaker:be.”
“Why
didn’t
Speaker:you
Speaker:say
Speaker:anything?”
Speaker:asked King Juba.
“I could not be sure,” said Aethon. His voice
was
Speaker:apologetic. “But
Speaker:she
Speaker:has
Speaker:been
Speaker:speaking
Speaker:to
Speaker:a
Speaker:one
Speaker:who
Speaker:is
Speaker:not
Speaker:there,
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:cabin
Speaker:where
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:not
Speaker:reach
Speaker:her.
Speaker:That
Speaker:is
Speaker:when
Speaker:I
Speaker:knew.”
“We
must
Speaker:help
Speaker:her,”
Speaker:Senhyrus
Speaker:said.
Speaker:She
Speaker:wrapped
Speaker:an
Speaker:arm
Speaker:around
Speaker:Aula’s
Speaker:shoulders. “Is
Speaker:there
Speaker:a
Speaker:way
Speaker:to
Speaker:fight
Speaker:this
Speaker:creature?”
“It
reveals
Speaker:itself
Speaker:only
Speaker:to its victim.” Aethon knelt on Aula’s other side and took
Speaker:her
Speaker:hands
Speaker:in
Speaker:his. “Tulla
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:Agrippina,”
Speaker:he
Speaker:said,
Speaker:his
Speaker:voice
Speaker:little
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:a
Speaker:rumble.
Speaker:She
Speaker:tore
Speaker:her
Speaker:gaze away from Mormo to look up at him. “Is it here?
Speaker:Now?”
Speaker:She
Speaker:glanced
Speaker:back
Speaker:across
Speaker:the
Speaker:fire
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl.
With a snarl, Senhyrus snatched
a small claw
Speaker:jar
Speaker:from
Speaker:inside
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:robes
Speaker:and
Speaker:flung
Speaker:its
Speaker:contents,
Speaker:some
Speaker:bone-white
Speaker:powder,
Speaker:across
Speaker:the
Speaker:room.
Speaker:With a
Speaker:howl
Speaker:of
Speaker:anger,
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:turned
Speaker:and
Speaker:vanished.
“What
was
Speaker:that?”
Speaker:asked King Juba.
Senhyrus calmly stowed the jar back inside of
her
Speaker:robes. “A
Speaker:protective
Speaker:charm.
Speaker:It is
Speaker:made
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:tusk
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:creature
Speaker:from
Speaker:Brittania;
Speaker:hard
Speaker:to
Speaker:obtain,
Speaker:but
Speaker:very
Speaker:potent.”
Aula
felt
Speaker:as
Speaker:though
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:surfacing
Speaker:after
Speaker:being
Speaker:lost
Speaker:beneath
Speaker:the
Speaker:waves
Speaker:for an eternity.
Speaker:She
Speaker:shook
Speaker:her
Speaker:head,
Speaker:which
Speaker:felt
Speaker:honey-slow,
Speaker:and
Speaker:looked
Speaker:up, first
Speaker:at Aethon,
Speaker:then
Speaker:at Senhyrus.
“She is…
was…
Speaker:feeding
Speaker:on
Speaker:me?
Speaker:Like
Speaker:she
Speaker:did
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar?”
Speaker:she
Speaker:asked.
Speaker:Senhyrus nodded, and
Speaker:Aula leapt
Speaker:up
Speaker:and
Speaker:rushed
Speaker:to the
Speaker:door.
Speaker:She
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:flung
Speaker:it
Speaker:open,
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:dashed through
Speaker:the ship, heedless of her nudity, to find her
Speaker:sword,
Speaker:to track
Speaker:down
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl
Speaker:and
Speaker:exact her
Speaker:revenge,
Speaker:had
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba
Speaker:not
Speaker:grabbed
Speaker:her
Speaker:around
Speaker:the
Speaker:middle
Speaker:and
Speaker:held her
Speaker:back.
“Child,
please,”
Speaker:he
Speaker:pleaded. “Stop,
Speaker:think.
Speaker:You
Speaker:have
Speaker:unleashed
Speaker:something
Speaker:terrible,
Speaker:you
Speaker:cannot
Speaker:fight
Speaker:it
Speaker:alone.”
“You
cannot
Speaker:defeat
Speaker:it
Speaker:with
Speaker:steel,
Speaker:Aula,” Aethon
Speaker:rumbled, and
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:this
Speaker:as
Speaker:much
Speaker:as
Speaker:anything
Speaker:else
Speaker:that convinced her to
Speaker:step
Speaker:away from the door. Senhyrus draped the blanket
Speaker:over
Speaker:her
Speaker:still
Speaker:damp
Speaker:shoulders
Speaker:again.
“Then
how?”
Speaker:she
Speaker:demanded,
Speaker:rounding
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:bull.
He
shook
Speaker:his
Speaker:head
Speaker:sadly. “It
Speaker:is
Speaker:not
Speaker:a
Speaker:creature
Speaker:of
Speaker:this
Speaker:world.
Speaker:It
Speaker:found
Speaker:you
Speaker:because
Speaker:there
Speaker:is
Speaker:a
Speaker:darkness
Speaker:here.”
Speaker:He
Speaker:touched
Speaker:her
Speaker:chest
Speaker:over
Speaker:her
Speaker:heart. “And it
Speaker:wishes
Speaker:to
Speaker:devour
Speaker:that
Speaker:darkness,
Speaker:and
Speaker:you
Speaker:with
Speaker:it. No mortal-made weapon will harm it.”
“There
must
Speaker:be
Speaker:something,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:said. “I
Speaker:summoned
Speaker:her,
Speaker:I
Speaker:called
Speaker:her!
Speaker:I…”
Speaker:The
Speaker:weight
Speaker:of
Speaker:what
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:done
Speaker:crashed
Speaker:down
Speaker:on
Speaker:her.
Speaker:She had
Speaker:defiled
Speaker:her liege, had desecrated his
Speaker:body
Speaker:in her thirst for
Speaker:revenge. “Oh,
Speaker:by
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:gods,
Speaker:what
Speaker:have
Speaker:I
Speaker:done?”
Aethon
guided her
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:fire. “You
Speaker:did
Speaker:not
Speaker:summon
Speaker:it,”
Speaker:he
Speaker:told her. “It
Speaker:was
Speaker:called
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:despair
Speaker:in
Speaker:your
Speaker:heart.
Speaker:This,”
Speaker:he
Speaker:touched
Speaker:her
Speaker:arm
Speaker:gently, “was
Speaker:a
Speaker:gesture, an
Speaker:invitation,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it
Speaker:likely
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:found
Speaker:you
Speaker:without
Speaker:it.
Speaker:You grieve, Aula Agrippina, and that calls to
Speaker:it
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:feast.”
“I
must
Speaker:destroy
Speaker:it,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:insisted.
“For now, Aula,” said
Senhyrus, “You
Speaker:must rest
Speaker:and
Speaker:recover.”
“And
to
Speaker:be
Speaker:no
Speaker:more
Speaker:alone,”
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:added. “It
Speaker:seeks
Speaker:you
Speaker:when
Speaker:you
Speaker:are
Speaker:vulnerable.”
Speaker:He
Speaker:took
Speaker:her
Speaker:hand. “Let
Speaker:your
Speaker:friends
Speaker:protect
Speaker:you.”
She
hesitated,
Speaker:staring
Speaker:up
Speaker:into
Speaker:Aethon’s
Speaker:kind
Speaker:brown
Speaker:eyes.
Speaker:Then,
Speaker:finally,
Speaker:she
Speaker:nodded.
She
slept
Speaker:on
Speaker:a
Speaker:pallet
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:floor
Speaker:of Senhyrus’s
Speaker:cabin,
Speaker:next
Speaker:to
Speaker:Aethon. She
Speaker:dreamed
Speaker:again, once more
Speaker:of
Speaker:Rome aflame.
“Will
you
Speaker:hide
Speaker:behind
Speaker:them,
Speaker:then?”
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:asked
Speaker:her.
Speaker:The
Speaker:owl
Speaker:hung
Speaker:upside
Speaker:down
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:mast of
Speaker:the
Speaker:polyreme,
Speaker:arms
Speaker:folded
Speaker:across
Speaker:her
Speaker:chest.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:stared
Speaker:out
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:burning
Speaker:city.
“Is
it
Speaker:hiding?”
“What would
you
Speaker:call
Speaker:a
Speaker:soldier
Speaker:who
Speaker:let
Speaker:others
Speaker:defend
Speaker:them?
Speaker:Tell
Speaker:me,
Speaker:what
Speaker:is
Speaker:the
Speaker:punishment
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:legionary
Speaker:who
Speaker:demonstrated
Speaker:cowardice?”
“Is
it
Speaker:cowardice
Speaker:to
Speaker:allow
Speaker:a
Speaker:wounded
Speaker:comrade
Speaker:to
Speaker:retreat
Speaker:and
Speaker:be
Speaker:healed?”
“What
wound?
Speaker:That
Speaker:pittance
Speaker:in
Speaker:your
Speaker:arm?”
Aula
turned
Speaker:her
Speaker:back
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl. “I
Speaker:failed
Speaker:the
Speaker:princeps.”
Sensing
a
Speaker:trap,
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:hesitated. “You
Speaker:did.”
“And
that
Speaker:is
Speaker:a
Speaker:shame
Speaker:I will
Speaker:have
Speaker:to
Speaker:live
Speaker:with.”
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:was
Speaker:silent
Speaker:behind
Speaker:her. “But
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:I
Speaker:understand,
Speaker:a
Speaker:little,
Speaker:what
Speaker:Gaius Caesar
Speaker:felt. He
Speaker:was
Speaker:alone,
Speaker:far
Speaker:from
Speaker:his
Speaker:family,
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:country
Speaker:that
Speaker:rejected
Speaker:him.
Speaker:I
Speaker:hope
Speaker:I
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:been
Speaker:a
Speaker:comfort
Speaker:to
Speaker:him,
Speaker:had
Speaker:I
Speaker:arrived
Speaker:sooner.
Speaker:But
Speaker:I
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:kill
Speaker:him.
Speaker:You
Speaker:did.
Speaker:You
Speaker:ate
Speaker:away
Speaker:at
Speaker:him
Speaker:until
Speaker:there
Speaker:was
Speaker:nothing
Speaker:left.
“It
seems
Speaker:to
Speaker:me
Speaker:that
Speaker:it
Speaker:would
Speaker:be
Speaker:a
Speaker:better
Speaker:honor
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:memory
Speaker:to
Speaker:continue
Speaker:on,
Speaker:to
Speaker:fight
Speaker:the
Speaker:darkness
Speaker:that
Speaker:consumed
Speaker:him,
Speaker:rather
Speaker:than
Speaker:let
Speaker:it
Speaker:consume
Speaker:me,
Speaker:too.
Speaker:Don’t
Speaker:you
Speaker:think?”
Speaker:Still
Speaker:silence.
Speaker:With a
Speaker:satisfied
Speaker:nod,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:watched
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:polyreme
Speaker:began
Speaker:to
Speaker:pull
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:shore,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Rome
Speaker:began
Speaker:to
Speaker:fall away.
She awoke in Senhyrus’s cabin. To
her
Speaker:right,
Speaker:the
Speaker:jackal
Speaker:was
Speaker:muttering
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:sleep,
Speaker:a
Speaker:mixture
Speaker:of
Speaker:Greek
Speaker:and
Speaker:Egyptian
Speaker:that Aula
Speaker:could
Speaker:not
Speaker:understand.
Speaker:She
Speaker:hoped
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:something
Speaker:pleasant.
Speaker:To her
Speaker:left,
Speaker:Aethon’s
Speaker:breathing
Speaker:was
Speaker:deep
Speaker:and
Speaker:steady,
Speaker:but
Speaker:if
Speaker:he
Speaker:dreamed,
Speaker:he
Speaker:gave
Speaker:no sign
Speaker:of
Speaker:it.
In
the
Speaker:darkness
Speaker:behind
Speaker:the
Speaker:camp stove glowed Mormo’s red eyes.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:gave the
Speaker:owl
Speaker:a
Speaker:sad
Speaker:smile.
“I
know
Speaker:who
Speaker:you
Speaker:are,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:whispered,
Speaker:taking
Speaker:care
Speaker:not
Speaker:to
Speaker:wake
Speaker:either
Speaker:bull
Speaker:or
Speaker:jackal. The
Speaker:red
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:blinked
Speaker:once
Speaker:but
Speaker:no
Speaker:response
Speaker:came. “You’re the
Speaker:knot-maker,
Speaker:Locke.
Speaker:The entangling
Speaker:spider who
Speaker:whispers
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:ears
Speaker:of
Speaker:gods
Speaker:and
Speaker:mortals
Speaker:alike.”
“They’re
not
Speaker:lies,”
Speaker:came
Speaker:the
Speaker:soft
Speaker:whisper.
“I
never
Speaker:said
Speaker:they
Speaker:were,”
Speaker:said
Speaker:Aula. “Not
Speaker:all
Speaker:of
Speaker:them.
Speaker:But
Speaker:a
Speaker:truth
Speaker:told
Speaker:the
Speaker:right
Speaker:way
Speaker:can
Speaker:stab
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:knife
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:same.”
“You
cannot
Speaker:be
Speaker:free
Speaker:of
Speaker:me.”
“But
I
Speaker:can
Speaker:choose
Speaker:to
Speaker:listen
Speaker:to
Speaker:them,”
Speaker:she
Speaker:pointed
Speaker:at
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:and
Speaker:Senhyrus, “And
Speaker:not
Speaker:you.
Speaker:Good
Speaker:night,
Speaker:Locke,
Speaker:or
Speaker:Mormo,
Speaker:or
Speaker:whatever
Speaker:you
Speaker:call
Speaker:yourself.”
It
took
Speaker:them
Speaker:a
Speaker:fortnight
Speaker:to
Speaker:pull
Speaker:into
Speaker:Tingi.
Speaker:Every
Speaker:day,
Speaker:Aula rose and met Mormo on the deck
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship,
Speaker:but
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl did
Speaker:not
Speaker:speak
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:then.
Speaker:She
Speaker:ate
Speaker:breakfast
Speaker:with
Speaker:Senhyrus,
Speaker:and then helped Aethon and
Speaker:the
Speaker:sailors with
Speaker:the
Speaker:daily
Speaker:tasks.
Speaker:The
Speaker:work
Speaker:made
Speaker:it
Speaker:easier
Speaker:to
Speaker:ignore
Speaker:the
Speaker:lamia.
Speaker:Dinner
Speaker:was
Speaker:with
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:and
Speaker:Senhyrus,
Speaker:and
Speaker:sometimes King Juba as
Speaker:his duties allowed.
Speaker:Afterward,
Speaker:Aula would
Speaker:sit
Speaker:near
Speaker:the
Speaker:bow,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:would
Speaker:whisper
Speaker:into
Speaker:her
Speaker:ear,
Speaker:reminding
Speaker:her of her
Speaker:failure,
Speaker:telling
Speaker:her
Speaker:how
Speaker:easy
Speaker:it
Speaker:would
Speaker:be
Speaker:to
Speaker:let
Speaker:the
Speaker:sea
Speaker:claim
Speaker:her.
Aula
did
Speaker:not
Speaker:disagree,
Speaker:and
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:tempted
Speaker:to
Speaker:heed
Speaker:the
Speaker:lamia’s
Speaker:advice.
When
the
Speaker:sun
Speaker:had
Speaker:set,
Speaker:she
Speaker:would
Speaker:find
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:and
Speaker:sit
Speaker:with
Speaker:him
Speaker:in
Speaker:comfortable
Speaker:silence, or
Speaker:else
Speaker:knock
Speaker:on
Speaker:Senhyrus’s
Speaker:door
Speaker:and
Speaker:sleep on
Speaker:the
Speaker:floor
Speaker:of her cabin.
Speaker:From
Speaker:time
Speaker:to
Speaker:time
Speaker:she would
Speaker:repeat
Speaker:to
Speaker:one
Speaker:or the
Speaker:other
Speaker:what Mormo had
Speaker:told
Speaker:her,
Speaker:and
Speaker:listen
Speaker:to
Speaker:their
Speaker:well-reasoned
Speaker:arguments
Speaker:about
Speaker:how
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar’s
Speaker:fate
Speaker:had
Speaker:not
Speaker:been her
Speaker:doing,
Speaker:how important it
Speaker:was
Speaker:that
Speaker:she
Speaker:continue
Speaker:on,
Speaker:how
Speaker:important
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:become
Speaker:to
Speaker:them.
Speaker:She
Speaker:did not
Speaker:always
Speaker:agree,
Speaker:but
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:comforted
Speaker:by
Speaker:their
Speaker:words
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:same.
At Tingi they disembarked for the final
time.
Speaker:They
Speaker:spent
Speaker:the
Speaker:night
Speaker:in handsome
Speaker:apartments
Speaker:belonging
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:king
Speaker:and,
Speaker:when
Speaker:they
Speaker:departed
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:morning,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:once
Speaker:again
Speaker:wore
Speaker:her
Speaker:armor.
Speaker:Though none of her
Speaker:companions
Speaker:could
Speaker:see it,
Speaker:the
Speaker:lamia
Speaker:rode the entire
Speaker:trip
Speaker:at Aula’s
Speaker:side,
Speaker:whispering
Speaker:in her
Speaker:ear.
Speaker:When
Speaker:Mormo’s words
Speaker:became
Speaker:too
Speaker:much, Aula would let Senhyrus pull her
Speaker:into a
Speaker:conversation
Speaker:about
Speaker:the
Speaker:gods,
Speaker:or
Speaker:listen
Speaker:to
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba
Speaker:wax
Speaker:poetic
Speaker:about
Speaker:the
Speaker:history
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:beloved
Speaker:Mauretania,
Speaker:or
Speaker:simply
Speaker:ride in silence with Aethon. When her friends were
Speaker:nearby,
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:reluctant
Speaker:to
Speaker:speak.
They
arrived
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:valley
Speaker:of
Speaker:Volubilis,
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba’s
Speaker:capital,
Speaker:a
Speaker:month
Speaker:and
Speaker:a
Speaker:week
Speaker:after
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar’s
Speaker:death. Aula
Speaker:hesitated
Speaker:before
Speaker:passing
Speaker:through
Speaker:the
Speaker:gates,
Speaker:afraid
Speaker:that
Speaker:the owl would
Speaker:contaminate
Speaker:the
Speaker:beautiful
Speaker:city
Speaker:laid
Speaker:out
Speaker:before
Speaker:her, its
Speaker:architecture
Speaker:a
Speaker:smooth
Speaker:blending
Speaker:of
Speaker:Punic,
Speaker:Roman,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Mauretanian
Speaker:styles
Speaker:and ringed
Speaker:in green
Speaker:oleander
Speaker:bushes.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:imagined
Speaker:the
Speaker:riot
Speaker:of
Speaker:colors
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:coming
Speaker:months
Speaker:when
Speaker:the
Speaker:plants
Speaker:bloomed.
Aula
found
Speaker:Aethon
Speaker:standing
Speaker:next
Speaker:to
Speaker:her,
Speaker:staring
Speaker:up
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:beautiful
Speaker:arched
Speaker:entrance
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:city.
Speaker:The
Speaker:bull
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:fascinated
Speaker:by
Speaker:all that he
Speaker:saw,
Speaker:but when he
Speaker:noticed Aula
Speaker:looking
Speaker:at
Speaker:him,
Speaker:he
Speaker:turned
Speaker:his
Speaker:attention
Speaker:to
Speaker:her.
“Is
it
Speaker:still
Speaker:there?”
Speaker:he
Speaker:asked.
Aula glanced sidelong
at
Speaker:Mormo.
Speaker:She
Speaker:thought
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:a
Speaker:little
Speaker:gaunter than
Speaker:when
Speaker:she
Speaker:had first
Speaker:spoken to Aula.
“She
is,”
Speaker:Aula told him. “I
Speaker:think,
Speaker:perhaps,
Speaker:she
Speaker:will
Speaker:always
Speaker:be
Speaker:there.
Speaker:And
Speaker:she
Speaker:still
Speaker:reminds
Speaker:me
Speaker:of
Speaker:my
Speaker:failures.”
Speaker:She
Speaker:flexed
Speaker:her
Speaker:left
Speaker:hand.
Speaker:The
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:was
Speaker:slowly
Speaker:coming
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:fingers. “But
Speaker:the
Speaker:wound
Speaker:is
Speaker:healing.
Speaker:However,
Speaker:I am
Speaker:tired
Speaker:of
Speaker:talking
Speaker:about
Speaker:her.
Speaker:What
Speaker:will
Speaker:you
Speaker:do,
Speaker:Aethon?
Speaker:You have
Speaker:come
Speaker:all
Speaker:this
Speaker:way
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:stranger.”
She
was
Speaker:surprised
Speaker:to see a
Speaker:faint
Speaker:pink
Speaker:blush
Speaker:glow
Speaker:through
Speaker:the
Speaker:fur
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:muzzle. “It
Speaker:was
Speaker:worth
Speaker:it,”
Speaker:he
Speaker:rumbled. “But
Speaker:for
Speaker:me,
Speaker:I
Speaker:do
Speaker:not
Speaker:know.
Speaker:I…
Speaker:would
Speaker:like
Speaker:to
Speaker:stay
Speaker:with
Speaker:you,
Speaker:if
Speaker:it
Speaker:will
Speaker:not
Speaker:be
Speaker:an
Speaker:imposition?”
Aula started
to
Speaker:blush
Speaker:herself. “I will
Speaker:probably
Speaker:have
Speaker:to
Speaker:return
Speaker:to
Speaker:Rome
Speaker:before
Speaker:too
Speaker:long.”
“I
have
Speaker:never
Speaker:seen
Speaker:Rome.”
Speaker:He
Speaker:offered
Speaker:her
Speaker:his
Speaker:hand. “Would
Speaker:you
Speaker:be
Speaker:willing
Speaker:to
Speaker:show
Speaker:it
Speaker:to
Speaker:me?”
Aula
took
Speaker:the
Speaker:offered hand gladly. “I
Speaker:would
Speaker:be
Speaker:honored.”
This
was
Speaker:the
Speaker:second
Speaker:and
Speaker:final
Speaker:part
Speaker:of “The
Speaker:Lament
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Batavii”
Speaker:by
Speaker:J.S.
Speaker:Hawthorne,
Speaker:read
Speaker:for you
Speaker:by
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf,
Speaker:Werewolf
Speaker:Hitchhiker.
As
always,
Speaker:you
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:more
Speaker:stories
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:web
Speaker:at thevoice.dog,
Speaker:or
Speaker:find
Speaker:the
Speaker:show
Speaker:wherever
Speaker:you
Speaker:get
Speaker:your
Speaker:podcasts.
Speaker:Thank you
Speaker:for
Speaker:listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.
