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“The Lament of the Batavii” by J.S. Hawthorne (part 2 of 2)
23rd September 2024 • The Voice of Dog • Rob MacWolf and guests
00:00:00 00:36:58

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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.

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If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.

https://thevoice.dog/episode/the-lament-of-the-batavii-by-j-s-hawthorne-part-2-of-2

Transcripts

Speaker:


You’re

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listening

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to

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

Voice

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

Dog.

Speaker:

This

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is

Speaker:

Rob

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MacWolf,

Speaker:

your

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fellow

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traveler,

Speaker:

and

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Today’s

Speaker:

story

Speaker:

is

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the

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second

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and

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final

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part

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of “The

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Lament

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of

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the

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Batavii”

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by

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J.S.

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Hawthorne, who

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is

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definitely

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not

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just

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a

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flock

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of

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magpies

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in

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a

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trenchcoat.

Speaker:

Today’s

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story

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is

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one

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of

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eighteen

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featured

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in “In

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the

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Light

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of

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the

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Dawn,”

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an

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anthology

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of

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antiquities

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by

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the

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Furry

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Historical

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Fiction

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Society.

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Excavate

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more

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at

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fhfs.ink.

Last time,

Speaker:

Tulla

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Aula

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Agrippina,

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bodyguard

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to

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Gaius

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Julius

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Caesar,

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heir

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to

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the

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Imperial

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Throne

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of

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Rome,

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discovered

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that

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her

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master

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had

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been

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killed

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by

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a

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monster

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summoned

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by

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a

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terrible

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curse.

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Aula

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has

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sought

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to

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summon

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the

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monster

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herself,

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but

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so

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far has

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met

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only

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with

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frustration

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and

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constant

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reminders

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of

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her

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failure.

Please

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enjoy


“The

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Lament

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of

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the

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Batavii”

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by

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J.S.

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Hawthorne, Part 2

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of 2

In the bay, just beyond

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the

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city,

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she

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could

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see

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crumbled

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walls

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and ancient

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statues,

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all

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covered

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over

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in

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green algae. She asked one of the sailors, who simply

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shrugged

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and

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told her

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to

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talk

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to

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one

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of

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the

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Cretians

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if she wanted to

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know

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the old city’s history.

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Aula

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considered

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the

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possibility

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of

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wandering

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into

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the

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town,

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but

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spotted

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Senhyrus

Speaker:

descending

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the

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gangplank

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and

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changed

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her mind. Instead,

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she

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sat

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against

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the

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railing

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and

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watched

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the

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hustle

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and

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bustle

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on

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the dock

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below.

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Even

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that

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died

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away

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after

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what

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seemed

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but a moment. When

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darkness

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had

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fallen, and the docks had emptied, Aula went to her cabin.

It

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was

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blessedly

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empty,

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the

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others

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opting

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to

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spend

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the

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night

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in

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a

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bed

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in

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the

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city instead of a

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crowded hammock aboard the ship. Aula doused the coals in the brazier and

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then,

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in

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darkness,

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sank

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into

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a troubled

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and

Speaker:

uneasy sleep.

Her

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dreams

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were

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confused

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and

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broken,

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a

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cascade

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of

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images

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that

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made

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little

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sense.

Speaker:

When

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she

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awoke,

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well

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before

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the

Speaker:

sun

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had

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risen

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and

Speaker:

while all was

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still

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and

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quiet,

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she

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remembered

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only

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a

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few,

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disjointed

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fragments.

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Gaius

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Caesar,

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dead

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and moldering,

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reaching

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for

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her

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from

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under

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his

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burial

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shroud.

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Mormo,

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hunting

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her

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on

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silent

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wings

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through an

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upside-down

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forest.

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A

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great hole in her wrist where she had stabbed herself with the metal

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splinter.

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An

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echoing

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hole

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she

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could

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fall

Speaker:

into

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forever

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

never

Speaker:

escape.

She

Speaker:

awoke

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to

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the

Speaker:

hammer-beat

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of

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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

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for

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the

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dock. A

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quick

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dip

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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

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the

Speaker:

beach along

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until

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she

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found

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a

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secluded

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cove,

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hidden

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from

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the

Speaker:

city

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by

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

cracked

Speaker:

walls

Speaker:

jutting

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

water.

Speaker:

Wading

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out

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into

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the

Speaker:

frigid

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water

Speaker:

until

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her

Speaker:

feet

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could

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barely

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touch

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the

Speaker:

bottom,

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she

Speaker:

took

Speaker:

several

Speaker:

deep

Speaker:

breaths,

Speaker:

then dived

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below.

Underneath

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the

Speaker:

waves,

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the

Speaker:

bay

Speaker:

was

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like

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an

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alien

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world,

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far

Speaker:

away

Speaker:

from

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

death

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of

Speaker:

Gaius

Speaker:

Caesar,

Speaker:

from

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the

Speaker:

strange

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owl,

Speaker:

from

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

bizarre

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and

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conflicted

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thoughts,

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her

Speaker:

nightmares.

Speaker:

The

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icy

Speaker:

temperatures

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were

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too

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much

Speaker:

to

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stay

Speaker:

submerged

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

long,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

she

Speaker:

found

Speaker:

she

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

able

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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

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not

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recognize.

Speaker:

She became

Speaker:

so

Speaker:

engrossed in

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the

Speaker:

ancient

Speaker:

ruins that

Speaker:

she

Speaker:

lost

Speaker:

track

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

time.

When

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

speak

Speaker:

Latin?”

Speaker:

she

Speaker:

asked.

The

Speaker:

bull

Speaker:

made a face

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

shrugged. “Little,”

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

allowed. “You

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

Romaios?”

It

Speaker:

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.

Speaker:

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.

Speaker:

Your

Speaker:

arm?

Speaker:

It

Speaker:

bleeds.”

She

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

going

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

leave

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

them?”

Aula

Speaker:

tilted

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

head

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

bafflement. “Of

Speaker:

course.”

“They

Speaker:

left.”

It

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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,

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

a while,”

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

told

Speaker:

her.

She

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

waiting

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

her.

“O child,”

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

able

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

escape.

The

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

just

Speaker:

failed

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

life

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

death,

Speaker:

haven’t

Speaker:

you?”

Her

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

Emperor

Speaker:

still

Speaker:

lives,”

Speaker:

Aula

Speaker:

said, the fire

Speaker:

singing

Speaker:

her fur. “The Empire endures.”

“The

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

son

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

Empress,

Speaker:

Tiberius Claudius…”

Mormo cut her off, “A

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

Drusus,

Speaker:

or Drusus’s

Speaker:

son…”

“Soldiers,

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

up

Speaker:

screaming.

They

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

you want

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

know

Speaker:

what

Speaker:

they

Speaker:

say?”

Aula

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

did

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

lose

Speaker:

your

Speaker:

eye?”

“A

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

regret

Speaker:

it?”

“I

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

do

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

want

Speaker:

from

Speaker:

me?”

Mormo

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

refuse to

Speaker:

leave

Speaker:

me

Speaker:

alone,

Speaker:

why

Speaker:

wouldn’t

Speaker:

they

Speaker:

have

Speaker:

me?”

“Because

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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,”

Speaker:

King Juba was

Speaker:

there,

Speaker:

looking

Speaker:

worried. “Please

Speaker:

tell

Speaker:

us

Speaker:

what’s

Speaker:

wrong.”

“The

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

asked. She

Speaker:

did

Speaker:

not

Speaker:

sound

Speaker:

accusatory,

Speaker:

merely

Speaker:

sad.

With

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

remove

Speaker:

it?”

Speaker:

King

Speaker:

Juba

Speaker:

asked

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

silence.

Aula

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

don’t

Speaker:

know,

Speaker:

Majesty,”

Speaker:

the priestess said, blunt claws probing at the wound. “It is

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

deep.”

“It

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

say

Speaker:

anything?”

Speaker:

asked King Juba.

“I could not be sure,” said Aethon. His voice

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

that?”

Speaker:

asked King Juba.

Senhyrus calmly stowed the jar back inside of

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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…

Speaker:

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,

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

how?”

Speaker:

she

Speaker:

demanded,

Speaker:

rounding

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

bull.

He

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

must

Speaker:

destroy

Speaker:

it,”

Speaker:

Aula

Speaker:

insisted.

“For now, Aula,” said

Speaker:

Senhyrus, “You

Speaker:

must rest

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

recover.”

“And

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

hiding?”

“What would

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

cowardice

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

allow

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

wounded

Speaker:

comrade

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

retreat

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

healed?”

“What

Speaker:

wound?

Speaker:

That

Speaker:

pittance

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

your

Speaker:

arm?”

Aula

Speaker:

turned

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

back

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

owl. “I

Speaker:

failed

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

princeps.”

Sensing

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

trap,

Speaker:

Mormo

Speaker:

hesitated. “You

Speaker:

did.”

“And

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

not

Speaker:

lies,”

Speaker:

came

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

soft

Speaker:

whisper.

“I

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

cannot

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

free

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

me.”

“But

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

still

Speaker:

there?”

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

asked.

Aula glanced sidelong

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

took

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

offered hand gladly. “I

Speaker:

would

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

honored.”



This

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

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.

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