Shownotes
Tulla Aula Agrippina is the bodyguard to a dead man–her lord struck down by a rival’s curse while she traveled to Rome on his behalf. Now, she finds herself adrift in a world that seems to have no place for her, seeking revenge on a foe who is invisible and untouchable.
Today’s story is the first of two parts 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.
Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.
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https://thevoice.dog/episode/the-lament-of-the-batavii-by-j-s-hawthorne-part-1-of-2
Transcripts
You’re
listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.
Speaker:This
Speaker:is
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf,
Speaker:your
Speaker:fellow
Speaker:traveler,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Today’s
Speaker:story
Speaker:is
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:of
Speaker:two
Speaker:parts
Speaker:of “The
Speaker:Lament
Speaker:of the Batavii” by
Speaker:J.S. Hawthorne, who
Speaker:is
Speaker:definitely
Speaker:not
Speaker:just
Speaker:a
Speaker:flock
Speaker:of
Speaker:magpies
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:trenchcoat.
Speaker:Today’s
Speaker:story
Speaker:is
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:eighteen
Speaker:featured
Speaker:in “In
Speaker:the
Speaker:Light
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Dawn,”
Speaker:an
Speaker:anthology
Speaker:of
Speaker:antiquities
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:Furry
Speaker:Historical
Speaker:Fiction
Speaker:Society.
Speaker:Excavate
Speaker:more
Speaker:at fhfs.ink.
Please enjoy
“The Lament
of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Batavii”
Speaker:by
Speaker:J.S. Hawthorne, Part 1 of 2
“Oh,
my
Speaker:child,”
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba
Speaker:said
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:guided the
Speaker:legionary
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:feet
Speaker:from
Speaker:where
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:collapsed. “I’m
Speaker:so
Speaker:sorry.”
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:tall
Speaker:horse
Speaker:with
Speaker:sandy
Speaker:tan
Speaker:fur
Speaker:and
Speaker:a
Speaker:shaggy
Speaker:black
Speaker:mane
Speaker:that
Speaker:hinted at
Speaker:distant leonine
Speaker:ancestry,
Speaker:dressed
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:purple
Speaker:robes
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:station.
“But
he
Speaker:was
Speaker:fine,” the
Speaker:legionary
Speaker:sobbed
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:king’s
Speaker:robes,
Speaker:headless
Speaker:of
Speaker:their
Speaker:respective
Speaker:stations.
Speaker:Like
Speaker:the
Speaker:king,
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:not
Speaker:Roman,
Speaker:though
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:earned
Speaker:the
Speaker:right to the tria nomina—Tulla Aula Agrippina—but they were
Speaker:both
Speaker:loyal
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:emperor
Speaker:and
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:Empire.
Speaker:That
Speaker:is
Speaker:where
Speaker:their
Speaker:similarities
Speaker:ended.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:tall,
Speaker:handsome,
Speaker:graceful.
Speaker:She
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:short
Speaker:and
Speaker:squat
Speaker:mouse,
Speaker:heavily
Speaker:muscled
Speaker:from
Speaker:years
Speaker:in the
Speaker:legions,
Speaker:and
Speaker:covered
Speaker:in
Speaker:dozens
Speaker:of
Speaker:scars
Speaker:from
Speaker:innumerable
Speaker:battles.
Speaker:Her
Speaker:right
Speaker:eye
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:blue-grey
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:sky
Speaker:dreaming
Speaker:of a storm,
Speaker:and her
Speaker:left
Speaker:eye
Speaker:was
Speaker:missing,
Speaker:as
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:top
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:same
Speaker:ear.
Speaker:Her
Speaker:hair,
Speaker:a
Speaker:pale
Speaker:blonde
Speaker:just
Speaker:a
Speaker:shade
Speaker:darker
Speaker:than
Speaker:her
Speaker:white
Speaker:fur,
Speaker:was
Speaker:tied
Speaker:up
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:complicated
Speaker:side knot
Speaker:common
Speaker:amongst
Speaker:her
Speaker:people.
“He
was
Speaker:fine,”
Speaker:she
Speaker:repeated,
Speaker:her
Speaker:voice
Speaker:weak.
Speaker:Some
Speaker:part
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:brain
Speaker:was
Speaker:screaming
Speaker:at
Speaker:her,
Speaker:telling
Speaker:her
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:failed,
Speaker:utterly
Speaker:failed.
Speaker:The
Speaker:rest
Speaker:was
Speaker:overcome
Speaker:with a
Speaker:creeping
Speaker:numbness
Speaker:that
Speaker:threatened
Speaker:to
Speaker:steal
Speaker:the
Speaker:strength
Speaker:from
Speaker:her
Speaker:legs
Speaker:once
Speaker:again.
A
dark-honey
Speaker:voice
Speaker:lilted
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:darkness, “It
Speaker:was
Speaker:twisted
Speaker:magic,
Speaker:a
Speaker:curse.”
Speaker:Aula raised her head
Speaker:and
Speaker:took
Speaker:in,
Speaker:but
Speaker:did
Speaker:not
Speaker:truly
Speaker:see,
Speaker:an
Speaker:Egyptian
Speaker:jackal
Speaker:clad
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:raiment
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:priestess
Speaker:standing
Speaker:near
Speaker:the
Speaker:entrance
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:deeper
Speaker:chambers.
Speaker:Her
Speaker:black
Speaker:fur
Speaker:was
Speaker:painted
Speaker:in
Speaker:gold
Speaker:and
Speaker:silver
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:people,
Speaker:and
Speaker:her
Speaker:hair
Speaker:was
Speaker:in
Speaker:long,
Speaker:tight
Speaker:braids
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:waist
Speaker:with
Speaker:beads
Speaker:that
Speaker:rattled
Speaker:softly
Speaker:as
Speaker:she
Speaker:moved.
“This
is
Speaker:Senhyrus,”
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba
Speaker:told
Speaker:Aula. “She
Speaker:helped
Speaker:tend
Speaker:the
Speaker:princeps
Speaker:while
Speaker:we
Speaker:awaited you.”
“I
want
Speaker:to
Speaker:see
Speaker:him,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:said.
Speaker:Before
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:stopped,
Speaker:and
Speaker:ignoring
Speaker:the
Speaker:protestations
Speaker:of
Speaker:king
Speaker:and
Speaker:priestess
Speaker:both,
Speaker:she
Speaker:pushed
Speaker:her
Speaker:way
Speaker:through
Speaker:the
Speaker:guards—praetorian,
Speaker:she
Speaker:noted
Speaker:with
Speaker:disgust,
Speaker:not
Speaker:the
Speaker:Cohors
Speaker:Germanorum,
Speaker:not
Speaker:the
Speaker:princeps’
Speaker:personal
Speaker:bodyguards—and
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:room
Speaker:that had
Speaker:once
Speaker:been
Speaker:his
Speaker:bedchambers.
Gaius
Julius Caesar, princeps iuventutus, consul designatus,
Speaker:adopted
Speaker:child
Speaker:of
Speaker:Caesar
Speaker:Augustus,
Speaker:heir to
Speaker:the
Speaker:Empire
Speaker:of
Speaker:Rome,
Speaker:the
Speaker:most
Speaker:powerful
Speaker:man
Speaker:in
Speaker:all of
Speaker:the
Speaker:eastern
Speaker:reaches,
Speaker:lay
Speaker:beneath
Speaker:a
Speaker:white-grey
Speaker:shroud
Speaker:in
Speaker:this
Speaker:house
Speaker:perched on
Speaker:the
Speaker:sea cliffs of Lycia, so
Speaker:far from
Speaker:Rome,
Speaker:from
Speaker:his
Speaker:father,
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:world that
Speaker:awaited
Speaker:a
Speaker:triumphant
Speaker:return
Speaker:that
Speaker:would
Speaker:never
Speaker:happen.
In
honor
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:adoptive
Speaker:family,
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar’s
Speaker:death
Speaker:shroud
Speaker:depicted
Speaker:him,
Speaker:not
Speaker:as
Speaker:an
Speaker:eagle,
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:in
Speaker:life,
Speaker:but
Speaker:as
Speaker:a
Speaker:rabbit,
Speaker:a
Speaker:true
Speaker:Caesar.
Speaker:The
Speaker:muzzle-embroidery
Speaker:hung
Speaker:oddly
Speaker:over
Speaker:his
Speaker:beak.
Speaker:They
Speaker:had
Speaker:left
Speaker:off
Speaker:the
Speaker:silver
Speaker:circlet, at
Speaker:least,
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:shape
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:pair
Speaker:of
Speaker:ears
Speaker:wrapped
Speaker:in
Speaker:laurel
Speaker:leaves.
Speaker:The
Speaker:Roman
Speaker:obsession
Speaker:with
Speaker:heritage
Speaker:eluded
Speaker:her,
Speaker:as
Speaker:had
Speaker:the
Speaker:costumes
Speaker:and
Speaker:prosthetics
Speaker:all
Speaker:designed
Speaker:to
Speaker:impress
Speaker:on
Speaker:others
Speaker:that
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar,
Speaker:was,
Speaker:by
Speaker:virtue
Speaker:of adoption,
Speaker:lapine,
Speaker:a
Speaker:true Caesar,
Speaker:just
Speaker:as
Speaker:Imperator
Speaker:Caesar
Speaker:Augustus,
Speaker:the
Speaker:Emperor,
Speaker:had
Speaker:become
Speaker:a
Speaker:rabbit
Speaker:by
Speaker:virtue of
Speaker:his
Speaker:adoption
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Julius
Speaker:Caesar,
Speaker:never
Speaker:mind
Speaker:that
Speaker:he
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:born
Speaker:a
Speaker:wolf
Speaker:to
Speaker:a
Speaker:family
Speaker:of
Speaker:wolves.
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar—her
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar,
Speaker:to
Speaker:whom
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:sworn
Speaker:on
Speaker:her
Speaker:gods
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:gods
Speaker:of
Speaker:Rome
Speaker:to
Speaker:protect—had
Speaker:been
Speaker:an
Speaker:eagle,
Speaker:as
Speaker:beautiful
Speaker:and
Speaker:terrible
Speaker:as
Speaker:a
Speaker:sunrise.
Speaker:But
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:not
Speaker:Jupiter’s
Speaker:children
Speaker:who
Speaker:ruled
Speaker:Rome,
Speaker:but
Speaker:the
Speaker:descendants
Speaker:of Aeneas,
Speaker:who
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:son
Speaker:of
Speaker:Venus
Speaker:and
Speaker:took
Speaker:the
Speaker:lapine
Speaker:form
Speaker:of
Speaker:Venus. Aula’s people,
Speaker:the Ubii,
Speaker:did
Speaker:not
Speaker:claim
Speaker:descent
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:gods,
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:Romans
Speaker:and
Speaker:Egyptians
Speaker:did.
Speaker:None
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:gods
Speaker:were
Speaker:mice,
Speaker:but
Speaker:each
Speaker:took a form
Speaker:particular
Speaker:to
Speaker:him,
Speaker:her,
Speaker:or
Speaker:theirself,
Speaker:as
Speaker:was
Speaker:their
Speaker:want.
All
these
Speaker:thoughts
Speaker:flashed
Speaker:through
Speaker:her
Speaker:mind in
Speaker:an
Speaker:instant,
Speaker:all
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:confusion
Speaker:about
Speaker:Roman
Speaker:rules
Speaker:and
Speaker:customs
Speaker:and
Speaker:heritage,
Speaker:all of
Speaker:the
Speaker:invisible
Speaker:walls
Speaker:that
Speaker:separated
Speaker:her
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:one
Speaker:to
Speaker:whom
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:pledged
Speaker:her
Speaker:sword
Speaker:and
Speaker:her
Speaker:life.
Speaker:For
Speaker:Rome’s
Speaker:friendship,
Speaker:her
Speaker:tribe
Speaker:had
Speaker:sworn
Speaker:fealty
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:Senate
Speaker:and
Speaker:then
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:Emperor.
Speaker:For
Speaker:her
Speaker:devotion,
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:sworn
Speaker:fealty
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:man
Speaker:who
Speaker:now
Speaker:lay,
Speaker:cold
Speaker:and
Speaker:breathless,
Speaker:under
Speaker:a
Speaker:shroud
Speaker:that
Speaker:hid
Speaker:his
Speaker:true
Speaker:face.
Cold
realization
Speaker:ran
Speaker:over
Speaker:her.
Speaker:She
Speaker:would
Speaker:never
Speaker:see
Speaker:him
Speaker:again.
Speaker:Perhaps
Speaker:he
Speaker:might
Speaker:be
Speaker:welcomed
Speaker:into
Speaker:Elysium,
Speaker:forever
Speaker:feted
Speaker:as
Speaker:a
Speaker:true
Speaker:hero,
Speaker:or
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:he
Speaker:would
Speaker:rise,
Speaker:as
Speaker:his
Speaker:grandfather
Speaker:had,
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:back
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:comet
Speaker:to
Speaker:godhood.
Speaker:Neither
Speaker:of
Speaker:those
Speaker:places
Speaker:were
Speaker:ones
Speaker:that
Speaker:she
Speaker:might
Speaker:follow,
Speaker:her
Speaker:oath
Speaker:be
Speaker:damned.
Speaker:When
Speaker:her
Speaker:allotted
Speaker:time was
Speaker:finished, she
Speaker:might
Speaker:hope to
Speaker:join
Speaker:the
Speaker:wælcyrge, but certainly not Elysium.
Speaker:Certainly
Speaker:the
Speaker:Roman gods
Speaker:would
Speaker:not
Speaker:accept
Speaker:a
Speaker:barbarian
Speaker:such
Speaker:as
Speaker:herself
Speaker:among
Speaker:their
Speaker:kind.
Or
perhaps
Speaker:worse.
Speaker:Had
Speaker:she
Speaker:found
Speaker:swifter
Speaker:passage,
Speaker:dared
Speaker:riskier
Speaker:roads,
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:the
Speaker:comfort
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:carried
Speaker:with
Speaker:her
Speaker:from
Speaker:Augustus
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:been
Speaker:enough
Speaker:to
Speaker:give
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar
Speaker:the
Speaker:strength
Speaker:to
Speaker:defeat
Speaker:this
Speaker:curse.
Speaker:Had
Speaker:her
Speaker:failure
Speaker:so
Speaker:stained
Speaker:her
Speaker:soul
Speaker:that
Speaker:her
Speaker:destination
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:frozen
Speaker:land
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:dishonored
Speaker:and
Speaker:forgotten
Speaker:dead?
Speaker:Would
Speaker:even
Speaker:her
Speaker:gods,
Speaker:then,
Speaker:cast
Speaker:their
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:from
Speaker:her,
Speaker:among the
Speaker:lost
Speaker:and
Speaker:damned?
Once,
that
Speaker:thought
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:terrified
Speaker:her.
Speaker:Now,
Speaker:kneeling
Speaker:before
Speaker:the
Speaker:shrouded
Speaker:and
Speaker:peaceful
Speaker:dead,
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:just
Speaker:one
Speaker:more
Speaker:barb
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:mind,
Speaker:slashing
Speaker:and
Speaker:then
Speaker:torn
Speaker:away,
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:replaced
Speaker:by
Speaker:a
Speaker:new
Speaker:pain,
Speaker:a
Speaker:new
Speaker:realization
Speaker:of
Speaker:loss. Her
Speaker:imagination
Speaker:conjured
Speaker:for
Speaker:her
Speaker:a
Speaker:thousand
Speaker:lost
Speaker:scenarios
Speaker:and
Speaker:might-have-beens,
Speaker:a
Speaker:thousand
Speaker:different
Speaker:things
Speaker:that
Speaker:she
Speaker:would
Speaker:now
Speaker:never
Speaker:have
Speaker:the
Speaker:opportunity
Speaker:to
Speaker:do.
Speaker:She
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:given
Speaker:anything
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:the
Speaker:peaceful
Speaker:corpse
Speaker:that
Speaker:lay
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:cold
Speaker:stone
Speaker:instead
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:regretful
Speaker:and
Speaker:lost
Speaker:survivor.
Time
fled,
Speaker:leaving
Speaker:no
Speaker:impression
Speaker:of
Speaker:its
Speaker:passing in Aula’s mind. Her knees ached from
Speaker:prolonged
Speaker:contact
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:sun-warm
Speaker:marble,
Speaker:but
Speaker:the
Speaker:pain
Speaker:was
Speaker:masked
Speaker:behind
Speaker:the
Speaker:waterfall
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:emotions.
Speaker:Tears
Speaker:rolled
Speaker:down
Speaker:her
Speaker:face
Speaker:and
Speaker:dashed
Speaker:against
Speaker:her lorica,
Speaker:shattering
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:floor.
Speaker:She
Speaker:was
Speaker:vaguely
Speaker:aware
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:movement
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:sun
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:shadows
Speaker:that that
Speaker:shortened
Speaker:and
Speaker:then
Speaker:lengthened
Speaker:once
Speaker:again.
Speaker:At
Speaker:some
Speaker:point,
Speaker:she
Speaker:ran
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:tears
Speaker:to
Speaker:cry,
Speaker:dammed
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:great
Speaker:wall
Speaker:of
Speaker:fear
Speaker:and
Speaker:rage
Speaker:and
Speaker:loss
Speaker:deep
Speaker:within
Speaker:her.
“Child,”
King
Speaker:Juba
Speaker:was
Speaker:next
Speaker:to
Speaker:her,
Speaker:his
Speaker:hand
Speaker:warm
Speaker:and
Speaker:comforting
Speaker:on
Speaker:her
Speaker:shoulder. “It
Speaker:is
Speaker:time
Speaker:to
Speaker:say
Speaker:goodbye.
Speaker:His
Speaker:body
Speaker:must
Speaker:be
Speaker:prepared
Speaker:to
Speaker:return
Speaker:it
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:father.”
Speaker:To
Speaker:be
Speaker:cremated,
Speaker:he
Speaker:meant,
Speaker:to
Speaker:have
Speaker:even this
Speaker:illusion
Speaker:of sleep
Speaker:stripped
Speaker:away,
Speaker:before
Speaker:the
Speaker:ashes
Speaker:were
Speaker:sealed
Speaker:in
Speaker:their
Speaker:tomb.
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar
Speaker:was
Speaker:as far away
Speaker:from
Speaker:Aula as
Speaker:he
Speaker:could
Speaker:be,
Speaker:and yet
Speaker:this
Speaker:thought,
Speaker:to
Speaker:have
Speaker:him
Speaker:interred
Speaker:where
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:not
Speaker:even
Speaker:have
Speaker:the
Speaker:pale
Speaker:comfort
Speaker:of
Speaker:being
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:presence
Speaker:stripped
Speaker:away,
Speaker:very
Speaker:nearly
Speaker:overwhelmed
Speaker:her.
Aula
nodded
Speaker:silently,
Speaker:and
Speaker:permitted
Speaker:the
Speaker:king
Speaker:to
Speaker:pull
Speaker:her
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:feet.
Speaker:The
Speaker:priestess,
Speaker:Senhyrus,
Speaker:was
Speaker:there,
Speaker:too,
Speaker:and
Speaker:together
Speaker:they
Speaker:guided
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:chambers
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:far
Speaker:side
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:palace.
Speaker:There,
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba
Speaker:left
Speaker:her in Senhyrus’s
Speaker:care.
“He was
whole
Speaker:and
Speaker:healthy
Speaker:when
Speaker:I
Speaker:left,”
Speaker:said
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:vaguely.
Speaker:Senhyrus
Speaker:half-carried
Speaker:her to her
Speaker:cot. “His injury had
Speaker:been
Speaker:minor.
Speaker:Barely
Speaker:enough
Speaker:to
Speaker:stop
Speaker:the
Speaker:campaign.
Speaker:They
Speaker:sent
Speaker:me
Speaker:to
Speaker:Rome
Speaker:to
Speaker:get
Speaker:messages
Speaker:of
Speaker:comfort
Speaker:from
Speaker:his
Speaker:father.”
“Abbadon’s
treachery,”
Speaker:said
Speaker:Senhyrus. “A
Speaker:small
Speaker:thing,
Speaker:a
Speaker:little
Speaker:poison
Speaker:that
Speaker:clung
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:consul
Speaker:and
Speaker:drew
Speaker:the
Speaker:attention
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:creature.
Speaker:It
Speaker:fed
Speaker:from
Speaker:him,
Speaker:from
Speaker:his
Speaker:hopes
Speaker:and
Speaker:dreams
Speaker:and
Speaker:ambitions. It
Speaker:left
Speaker:him…”
Speaker:She
Speaker:struggled
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:word. “Empty
Speaker:inside.”
Speaker:Aula gave a small sob, and Senhyrus
Speaker:hugged
Speaker:her. “I
Speaker:am
Speaker:so
Speaker:sorry.
Speaker:We
Speaker:did
Speaker:all
Speaker:we
Speaker:could
Speaker:for
Speaker:him,
Speaker:but
Speaker:he
Speaker:simply
Speaker:never
Speaker:could
Speaker:quite
Speaker:shake
Speaker:the
Speaker:wound.
Speaker:If
Speaker:we
Speaker:could
Speaker:have
Speaker:found
Speaker:a
Speaker:way
Speaker:to
Speaker:remove
Speaker:the
Speaker:poison,
Speaker:to
Speaker:send
Speaker:this
Speaker:creature
Speaker:away,
Speaker:but…”
“I
will
Speaker:kill Abbadon,” Aula said into Senhyrus’s
Speaker:shoulder. “I
Speaker:will
Speaker:rip
Speaker:him
Speaker:limb
Speaker:from
Speaker:limb
Speaker:for
Speaker:this.
Speaker:I
Speaker:will
Speaker:leave
Speaker:his
Speaker:body
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:scorpions
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:scarabs,
Speaker:and
Speaker:may
Speaker:they
Speaker:choke
Speaker:on
Speaker:him.”
“O
my
Speaker:daughter,”
Speaker:murmured
Speaker:Senhyrus,
Speaker:her
Speaker:voice
Speaker:heavy with grief.
Speaker:She
Speaker:held Aula
Speaker:at
Speaker:arms’
Speaker:length,
Speaker:the
Speaker:jackal’s
Speaker:bronze
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:searching
Speaker:the
Speaker:mouse’s
Speaker:blue-grey
Speaker:one. “Do
Speaker:not
Speaker:let
Speaker:revenge
Speaker:consume
Speaker:your
Speaker:heart.
Speaker:Abbadon
Speaker:is
Speaker:beyond
Speaker:your
Speaker:power
Speaker:now.”
“I
will
Speaker:avenge
Speaker:my lord,” said
Speaker:Aula, ferocity
Speaker:burning away
Speaker:the
Speaker:despair
Speaker:for
Speaker:an
Speaker:instant. “You
Speaker:said
Speaker:the
Speaker:poison
Speaker:summoned
Speaker:a
Speaker:creature
Speaker:to
Speaker:drain
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar’s
Speaker:life
Speaker:away.
Speaker:If
Speaker:I
Speaker:cannot
Speaker:revenge
Speaker:myself
Speaker:on
Speaker:Abbadon,
Speaker:I
Speaker:will
Speaker:find
Speaker:and slay
Speaker:this
Speaker:monster.”
Senhyrus
released
Speaker:Aula,
Speaker:looking
Speaker:discomfited. “None
Speaker:could
Speaker:even
Speaker:tell
Speaker:us
Speaker:what
Speaker:it
Speaker:was.
Speaker:The Romans
Speaker:say it Parthian, the Parthians say it was
Speaker:Scythean.
Speaker:It
Speaker:was
Speaker:months
Speaker:before
Speaker:we
Speaker:even
Speaker:realized
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:palace,
Speaker:though
Speaker:surely
Speaker:it
Speaker:had
Speaker:haunted
Speaker:these
Speaker:passages
Speaker:before
Speaker:you
Speaker:had
Speaker:even
Speaker:left
Speaker:for
Speaker:Rome.
Speaker:Only
Speaker:the
Speaker:consul
Speaker:could
Speaker:have
Speaker:told
Speaker:you
Speaker:what
Speaker:it
Speaker:looked
Speaker:like
Speaker:and
Speaker:how
Speaker:it
Speaker:attacked
Speaker:him.
Speaker:All
Speaker:we
Speaker:can
Speaker:say
Speaker:is
Speaker:that
Speaker:it
Speaker:appears
Speaker:gone,
Speaker:now.”
“Can
it
Speaker:be
Speaker:summoned
Speaker:again?”
Senhyrus
frowned,
Speaker:her manner
Speaker:turning
Speaker:from
Speaker:maternal
Speaker:to
Speaker:imperial. “I
Speaker:do
Speaker:not
Speaker:wish
Speaker:to
Speaker:answer
Speaker:that
Speaker:question.
Speaker:This
Speaker:is
Speaker:a
Speaker:dark
Speaker:road
Speaker:you
Speaker:seek,
Speaker:legionary.
Speaker:I
Speaker:would
Speaker:not
Speaker:be
Speaker:the
Speaker:one
Speaker:to
Speaker:guide
Speaker:you
Speaker:along
Speaker:it.”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:started
Speaker:to
Speaker:interrogate
Speaker:the
Speaker:priestess
Speaker:further,
Speaker:a
Speaker:feverish
Speaker:plan
Speaker:forming
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:eye
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:maelstrom
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:her
Speaker:emotions.
Speaker:Senhyrus
Speaker:pressed
Speaker:a
Speaker:finger
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:lips. “Rest,
Speaker:Aula.
Speaker:Forget
Speaker:this.
Speaker:The
Speaker:consul’s
Speaker:death
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:tragedy.
Speaker:Mourn,
Speaker:with
Speaker:us
Speaker:if
Speaker:you
Speaker:wish,
Speaker:alone
Speaker:if
Speaker:you
Speaker:must.
Speaker:Mourn
Speaker:and
Speaker:live.
“Tomorrow,
I
Speaker:travel
Speaker:with
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:Mauretania.
Speaker:Return
Speaker:with
Speaker:us.
Speaker:Lord
Speaker:Caesar
Speaker:always
Speaker:spoke
Speaker:well
Speaker:of
Speaker:you,
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:sure
Speaker:his
Speaker:majesty
Speaker:would
Speaker:welcome
Speaker:your
Speaker:presence
Speaker:and
Speaker:treat you as
Speaker:an
Speaker:honored guest in Volubilis.”
Aula’s cyclopic gaze held Senhyrus for
a
Speaker:moment
Speaker:before
Speaker:she
Speaker:nodded
Speaker:her
Speaker:assent.
Speaker:Then
Speaker:she
Speaker:stifled
Speaker:a
Speaker:yawn.
Senhyrus
smiled
Speaker:at
Speaker:her. “Rest,
Speaker:then.
Speaker:I
Speaker:shall
Speaker:make
Speaker:the
Speaker:preparations
Speaker:and I
Speaker:will
Speaker:gather
Speaker:you
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:morning
Speaker:before
Speaker:we
Speaker:leave.”
Speaker:She
Speaker:hesitated
Speaker:for
Speaker:an
Speaker:instant,
Speaker:as
Speaker:though
Speaker:assuring
Speaker:herself
Speaker:that
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:wouldn’t
Speaker:do
Speaker:anything
Speaker:foolish,
Speaker:before
Speaker:she
Speaker:left,
Speaker:pulling
Speaker:closed
Speaker:the
Speaker:door
Speaker:to
Speaker:Aula’s
Speaker:chamber
Speaker:behind
Speaker:her.
Any
tiredness
Speaker:fled
Speaker:from
Speaker:Aula as
Speaker:soon
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:door
Speaker:closed,
Speaker:but
Speaker:still
Speaker:she
Speaker:did
Speaker:not
Speaker:move.
Speaker:She
Speaker:sat
Speaker:on
Speaker:her
Speaker:bed,
Speaker:eye
Speaker:half-closed,
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:gloam
Speaker:lengthened,
Speaker:and
Speaker:she
Speaker:plotted.
Speaker:When
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:finally
Speaker:ready
Speaker:to
Speaker:act,
Speaker:night
Speaker:had
Speaker:fallen
Speaker:completely
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:moon
Speaker:hung
Speaker:bright
Speaker:and
Speaker:heavy
Speaker:over
Speaker:the
Speaker:rocky
Speaker:mountain
Speaker:forest
Speaker:outside
Speaker:her
Speaker:window.
In
the
Speaker:twilight,
Speaker:she
Speaker:stood
Speaker:and
Speaker:carefully
Speaker:removed
Speaker:and
Speaker:packed
Speaker:each
Speaker:piece
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:armor.
Speaker:She
Speaker:treated the
Speaker:items
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:utmost
Speaker:care;
Speaker:they
Speaker:represented
Speaker:her
Speaker:rank
Speaker:and
Speaker:station as decanus. Aula was proud to
Speaker:wear
Speaker:the
Speaker:armor of a legionary,
Speaker:proud
Speaker:to be among the Numerus Batavorum, to protect
Speaker:the
Speaker:Emperor
Speaker:and
Speaker:his
Speaker:family.
But
she
Speaker:had
Speaker:failed.
Speaker:She
Speaker:had
Speaker:failed
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:duties
Speaker:as
Speaker:both
Speaker:legionary
Speaker:and
Speaker:guard.
Speaker:The
Speaker:armor
Speaker:had
Speaker:become
Speaker:a
Speaker:representation
Speaker:of
Speaker:that
Speaker:failure, and
Speaker:she
Speaker:pledged
Speaker:not
Speaker:to
Speaker:put
Speaker:it
Speaker:on
Speaker:again
Speaker:until
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:redeemed
Speaker:herself.
Idly,
Aula
Speaker:wondered
Speaker:if
Speaker:that
Speaker:made
Speaker:what
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:going
Speaker:to do
Speaker:next
Speaker:easier
Speaker:or
Speaker:harder.
Speaker:She
Speaker:bypassed
Speaker:the
Speaker:warm
Speaker:wool
Speaker:and
Speaker:scaly hide
Speaker:clothing
Speaker:of
Speaker:her northern
Speaker:homeland,
Speaker:despite
Speaker:the
Speaker:chill
Speaker:of
Speaker:night
Speaker:approaching,
Speaker:in
Speaker:favor
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:knee-length
Speaker:tunic
Speaker:someone had
Speaker:left
Speaker:for
Speaker:her.
Speaker:It was woven
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:eastern
Speaker:style and
Speaker:made
Speaker:of
Speaker:itchy
Speaker:wool
Speaker:instead
Speaker:of
Speaker:more
Speaker:fashionable
Speaker:linen, and
Speaker:it
Speaker:took
Speaker:her
Speaker:a
Speaker:moment
Speaker:to
Speaker:get
Speaker:it
Speaker:to
Speaker:hang
Speaker:on
Speaker:her
Speaker:shoulders
Speaker:correctly.
Speaker:One
Speaker:hand
Speaker:went
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:knot
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:hair,
Speaker:but
Speaker:she
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:make
Speaker:herself
Speaker:undo
Speaker:that
Speaker:last
Speaker:nod
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:homeland.
Aula
was
Speaker:still
Speaker:a
Speaker:one-eyed
Speaker:mouse
Speaker:with
Speaker:a
Speaker:barbarian
Speaker:haircut,
Speaker:even
Speaker:if
Speaker:she
Speaker:wore
Speaker:Roman
Speaker:clothing.
Speaker:No
Speaker:one
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:palace
Speaker:would
Speaker:take her
Speaker:for
Speaker:anything
Speaker:other
Speaker:than
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Batavii
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:uniform,
Speaker:but,
Speaker:she
Speaker:hoped,
Speaker:she
Speaker:wouldn’t
Speaker:be
Speaker:so
Speaker:conspicuous
Speaker:as
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:stopped,
Speaker:at
Speaker:least
Speaker:not
Speaker:before
Speaker:she
Speaker:completed
Speaker:her
Speaker:objective.
The
gods
Speaker:were
Speaker:with
Speaker:her.
Speaker:Wraith-like,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:was
Speaker:able
Speaker:to
Speaker:slip
Speaker:through
Speaker:the
Speaker:halls
Speaker:without
Speaker:notice.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:pall
Speaker:hanging
Speaker:around
Speaker:the
Speaker:palace,
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar’s
Speaker:death
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:specter
Speaker:that
Speaker:muted
Speaker:sound
Speaker:and
Speaker:emotion.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:was
Speaker:no
Speaker:less
Speaker:affected
Speaker:than
Speaker:anyone
Speaker:else,
Speaker:but
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:the
Speaker:presence
Speaker:of
Speaker:mind
Speaker:to
Speaker:use
Speaker:it
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:advantage,
Speaker:at
Speaker:least.
A
bodyguard—Batavii,
Speaker:thank Thunar—stopped her
Speaker:just
Speaker:outside
Speaker:the
Speaker:hall
Speaker:that
Speaker:led
Speaker:to
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba’s
Speaker:rooms.
Speaker:Once
Speaker:she
Speaker:drew
Speaker:close
Speaker:enough
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:guard
Speaker:to
Speaker:see
Speaker:her
Speaker:face
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:wan
Speaker:moonlight,
Speaker:he
Speaker:lowered his
Speaker:sword.
“You
were
Speaker:sorely
Speaker:missed,
Speaker:sister,”
Speaker:the
Speaker:guard
Speaker:told
Speaker:her
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:low
Speaker:voice,
Speaker:speaking
Speaker:the
Speaker:tongue
Speaker:of
Speaker:their
Speaker:homeland. “The
Speaker:lord
Speaker:asked
Speaker:of
Speaker:you
Speaker:frequently
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:end.”
Where
were
Speaker:you?
Speaker:she
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to
Speaker:shout
Speaker:at
Speaker:him.
Speaker:Why
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:you
Speaker:protect
Speaker:him? The
Speaker:maelstrom
Speaker:in her mind
Speaker:answered
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:voice
Speaker:that
Speaker:mocked
Speaker:hers,
Speaker:but
Speaker:where
Speaker:was
Speaker:I?
Speaker:Why
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:I?
Her
voice
Speaker:was
Speaker:steady,
Speaker:her
Speaker:grip
Speaker:strong as
Speaker:she
Speaker:grasped
Speaker:the
Speaker:Batavii’s
Speaker:forearm
Speaker:in
Speaker:solidarity
Speaker:and
Speaker:grief. “Thank
Speaker:you,
Speaker:brother.
Speaker:I
Speaker:wish
Speaker:I
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:there
Speaker:to
Speaker:comfort
Speaker:him.”
“He
took
Speaker:comfort
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:knowledge
Speaker:that
Speaker:you had
Speaker:returned
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:father,”
Speaker:the
Speaker:guard
Speaker:told
Speaker:her, “and
Speaker:that
Speaker:you
Speaker:would
Speaker:return
Speaker:to
Speaker:him.
Speaker:Don’t
Speaker:believe
Speaker:that
Speaker:you
Speaker:are
Speaker:responsible
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:lord’s
Speaker:passing.
Speaker:It
Speaker:was
Speaker:the treachery
Speaker:of
Speaker:Abbadon,
Speaker:not
Speaker:you.”
She
thanked
Speaker:him
Speaker:for
Speaker:his
Speaker:kind
Speaker:words,
Speaker:and
Speaker:continued
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:Imperial
Speaker:wing
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:palace.
Speaker:Her
Speaker:luck
Speaker:held,
Speaker:or
Speaker:otherwise
Speaker:no
Speaker:one
Speaker:thought
Speaker:the
Speaker:Imperial
Speaker:chambers
Speaker:required
Speaker:guarding
Speaker:with the
Speaker:consul
Speaker:dead,
Speaker:and
Speaker:she
Speaker:passed
Speaker:by
Speaker:no
Speaker:one
Speaker:other
Speaker:than
Speaker:a
Speaker:group
Speaker:of
Speaker:hired
Speaker:Egyptian
Speaker:mourners.
Inside
was
Speaker:cool
Speaker:and
Speaker:dark,
Speaker:unlit
Speaker:even
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:light
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:moon.
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar’s
Speaker:shrouded
Speaker:corpse was
Speaker:a
Speaker:pale
Speaker:luminescence
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:center
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:room,
Speaker:which
Speaker:smelled
Speaker:of
Speaker:salt
Speaker:and
Speaker:herbs,
Speaker:the
Speaker:strange
Speaker:preservatives designed
Speaker:to
Speaker:keep
Speaker:his
Speaker:body
Speaker:fresh
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:journey
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:Rome.
Speaker:That
Speaker:all of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Empire
Speaker:would
Speaker:cry
Speaker:for
Speaker:him
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:cold
Speaker:comfort
Speaker:to Aula.
Speaker:The
Speaker:hole
Speaker:his
Speaker:loss
Speaker:left
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:was
Speaker:too
Speaker:big
Speaker:to
Speaker:fill
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:wails
Speaker:and
Speaker:prayers
Speaker:of
Speaker:even
Speaker:a
Speaker:thousand
Speaker:empires.
She
approached
Speaker:the
Speaker:shroud-covered
Speaker:body.
Speaker:The
Speaker:room
Speaker:was
Speaker:silence
Speaker:given
Speaker:voice.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:became
Speaker:aware
Speaker:that
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:holding
Speaker:her
Speaker:breath.
Speaker:She
Speaker:forced
Speaker:herself
Speaker:to
Speaker:inhale
Speaker:and then
Speaker:struggled
Speaker:to
Speaker:exhale.
Gaius
Caesar
Speaker:was as
Speaker:still
Speaker:and
Speaker:silent
Speaker:as
Speaker:marble
Speaker:and,
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:time,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:wondered
Speaker:if
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:nerve
Speaker:enough.
Speaker:A part of her
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to
Speaker:pull
Speaker:back
Speaker:the
Speaker:shroud, to
Speaker:reveal
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar’s
Speaker:true
Speaker:face,
Speaker:but
Speaker:she found that her hands would not
Speaker:obey
Speaker:that
Speaker:command.
Speaker:She
Speaker:twitched
Speaker:the
Speaker:shroud
Speaker:just
Speaker:enough
Speaker:to
Speaker:reveal
Speaker:his
Speaker:left
Speaker:arm,
Speaker:suppressing
Speaker:the
Speaker:revulsion
Speaker:she
Speaker:felt
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:odor
Speaker:of
Speaker:early
Speaker:decomposition.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:bear
Speaker:to
Speaker:see
Speaker:any
Speaker:more, and
Speaker:she
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:the arm free
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:restful
Speaker:pose
Speaker:it
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:in.
Speaker:It came
Speaker:easily,
Speaker:rigor
Speaker:mortis
Speaker:long
Speaker:since
Speaker:fading,
Speaker:the
Speaker:flesh
Speaker:cold
Speaker:and
Speaker:lifeless
Speaker:beneath
Speaker:her
Speaker:fingers.
Speaker:Once free
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:shroud,
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:see
Speaker:the
Speaker:wound
Speaker:easily,
Speaker:a dark,
Speaker:unhealed
Speaker:scar
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:midst
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:white-speckled
Speaker:red
Speaker:feathers
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:forearm.
Aula
drew
Speaker:her
Speaker:dagger.
Speaker:She
Speaker:probed
Speaker:the
Speaker:puckered
Speaker:wound
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:blade’s
Speaker:tip,
Speaker:unsure
Speaker:what
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:searching
Speaker:for.
Speaker:Curses
Speaker:were somewhat
Speaker:beyond
Speaker:her
Speaker:experience,
Speaker:but
Speaker:surely,
Speaker:she
Speaker:thought,
Speaker:there
Speaker:had
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:some
Speaker:sort
Speaker:of
Speaker:physical
Speaker:talisman,
Speaker:something
Speaker:to
Speaker:connect
Speaker:the
Speaker:curse to
Speaker:the
Speaker:person.
Speaker:She
Speaker:did not
Speaker:want
Speaker:to
Speaker:treat
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar’s
Speaker:body
Speaker:so
Speaker:shamefully,
Speaker:but
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:not
Speaker:admit
Speaker:defeat,
Speaker:and
Speaker:would
Speaker:not
Speaker:permit
Speaker:his
Speaker:death
Speaker:to
Speaker:go
Speaker:unavenged.
Speaker:If
Speaker:grief
Speaker:would
Speaker:not
Speaker:fill
Speaker:the
Speaker:hole
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:heart,
Speaker:then
Speaker:revenge
Speaker:would.
The
dagger
Speaker:caught
Speaker:on
Speaker:something.
Speaker:With
Speaker:a
Speaker:grimace,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:fished
Speaker:it
Speaker:out,
Speaker:revealing
Speaker:a
Speaker:sharp
Speaker:sliver
Speaker:of
Speaker:iron
Speaker:coated
Speaker:in a
Speaker:greasy
Speaker:brown
Speaker:ichor.
Speaker:She
Speaker:dropped
Speaker:it
Speaker:into
Speaker:her
Speaker:palm,
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:ichor stained
Speaker:her
Speaker:fur.
Speaker:It
Speaker:appeared
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:a
Speaker:shattered
Speaker:piece
Speaker:of
Speaker:dagger
Speaker:or
Speaker:sword.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:only
Speaker:one
Speaker:thing
Speaker:to
Speaker:do,
Speaker:if
Speaker:she
Speaker:truly
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to
Speaker:revenge
Speaker:her
Speaker:lord,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:hard
Speaker:to
Speaker:face
Speaker:that
Speaker:realization.
Speaker:Still.
Speaker:She
Speaker:sheathed
Speaker:her
Speaker:dagger,
Speaker:took
Speaker:a
Speaker:deep
Speaker:breath,
Speaker:and
Speaker:then
Speaker:drove
Speaker:the
Speaker:splinter
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:muscle
Speaker:between
Speaker:the
Speaker:bones
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:left
Speaker:forearm.
Speaker:It
Speaker:burned
Speaker:as
Speaker:it
Speaker:sank
Speaker:in,
Speaker:vanishing
Speaker:into her
Speaker:flesh
Speaker:and
Speaker:leaving
Speaker:an
Speaker:ugly
Speaker:black
Speaker:wound
Speaker:behind.
The
wound
Speaker:still
Speaker:itched
Speaker:the
Speaker:next
Speaker:morning
Speaker:when
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:woke
Speaker:to
Speaker:Senhyrus
Speaker:gently
Speaker:shaking
Speaker:her.
“We
are
Speaker:ready
Speaker:to
Speaker:be off,”
Speaker:Senhyrus
Speaker:told her. “If
Speaker:you
Speaker:would
Speaker:like
Speaker:to
Speaker:come
Speaker:with
Speaker:us?”
Aula
mumbled
Speaker:her
Speaker:assent
Speaker:and
Speaker:begged
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:few
Speaker:minutes
Speaker:of Senhyrus and King Juba’s indulgence to get her things
Speaker:ready.
Speaker:Senhyrus
Speaker:swept
Speaker:off
Speaker:to
Speaker:inform
Speaker:the
Speaker:king,
Speaker:and Aula
Speaker:struggled
Speaker:from
Speaker:under
Speaker:the
Speaker:blankets.
Speaker:Within
Speaker:a
Speaker:half
Speaker:hour,
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:reached
Speaker:the
Speaker:docks
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:Grecian
Speaker:style
Speaker:polyreme that
Speaker:the
Speaker:dockmaster assured her was Juba’s.
Speaker:She had
Speaker:not
Speaker:found it
Speaker:within
Speaker:her
Speaker:to
Speaker:wear her
Speaker:armor,
Speaker:which
Speaker:was
Speaker:safely
Speaker:stored
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:pack
Speaker:with
Speaker:her
Speaker:few
Speaker:meager
Speaker:belongings.
Speaker:Instead,
Speaker:she
Speaker:wore
Speaker:a
Speaker:simple,
Speaker:undyed
Speaker:tunic
Speaker:under
Speaker:a
Speaker:thin
Speaker:cloak,
Speaker:arms
Speaker:and
Speaker:shoulders
Speaker:bare
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:golden
Speaker:Mediterranean
Speaker:sun. A
Speaker:wrap
Speaker:of
Speaker:old
Speaker:cloth
Speaker:covered
Speaker:the
Speaker:wound
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:forearm.
Speaker:It
Speaker:had
Speaker:not
Speaker:closed
Speaker:overnight
Speaker:but
Speaker:oozed
Speaker:that
Speaker:foul
Speaker:ichor.
Speaker:Already it
Speaker:had
Speaker:stained her
Speaker:bandage.
Speaker:She
Speaker:tugged
Speaker:her
Speaker:cloak
Speaker:over
Speaker:to
Speaker:cover
Speaker:it.
The
barge was much
Speaker:fancier
Speaker:than
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:was
Speaker:used
Speaker:to.
Speaker:Her
Speaker:limited
Speaker:interactions
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:sea
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:largely
Speaker:confined
Speaker:to
Speaker:military
Speaker:transports
Speaker:from
Speaker:one
Speaker:battle
Speaker:to
Speaker:another.
Speaker:A
Speaker:luxury
Speaker:ship
Speaker:like
Speaker:this,
Speaker:more
Speaker:akin
Speaker:to
Speaker:a
Speaker:floating
Speaker:palace
Speaker:than
Speaker:a
Speaker:ship,
Speaker:she
Speaker:thought,
Speaker:was
Speaker:as
Speaker:far
Speaker:beyond
Speaker:her
Speaker:comprehension
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:terrestrial
Speaker:palace
Speaker:of
Speaker:Caesar
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:when
Speaker:Augustus
Speaker:had
Speaker:invited
Speaker:her
Speaker:to
Speaker:receive
Speaker:gifts
Speaker:and
Speaker:encouragement
Speaker:for
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar.
Speaker:Gifts
Speaker:and
Speaker:encouragement
Speaker:that
Speaker:now
Speaker:lay,
Speaker:unopened,
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:chest
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:returned
Speaker:to
Speaker:Rome
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:body
Speaker:of
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar.
“Child?”
King Juba
Speaker:placed
Speaker:a
Speaker:hand
Speaker:on
Speaker:her
Speaker:shoulder,
Speaker:and Aula
Speaker:started. “You
Speaker:looked a
Speaker:world
Speaker:away.”
“Apologies,
Majesty,”
Speaker:Aula murmured.
Speaker:They
Speaker:walked
Speaker:side-by-side
Speaker:along the
Speaker:gangplank
Speaker:and
Speaker:up
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:broad
Speaker:deck.
Speaker:The
Speaker:king
Speaker:was
Speaker:talking
Speaker:to
Speaker:her in
Speaker:his
Speaker:low,
Speaker:reassuring
Speaker:voice,
Speaker:but
Speaker:Aula’s
Speaker:thoughts
Speaker:drifted
Speaker:as
Speaker:she
Speaker:watched
Speaker:the
Speaker:crew.
Speaker:They
Speaker:were
Speaker:primarily
Speaker:Mauretanian,
Speaker:with
Speaker:a
Speaker:mix
Speaker:of
Speaker:Egyptian,
Speaker:Greek,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Romans
Speaker:among
Speaker:them,
Speaker:judging
Speaker:by
Speaker:clothing
Speaker:and
Speaker:hair
Speaker:styles,
Speaker:even
Speaker:a
Speaker:distinctly
Speaker:Brittanic
Speaker:kilt.
Speaker:Aula’s
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:were
Speaker:drawn
Speaker:to an
Speaker:unusual
Speaker:figure,
Speaker:a
Speaker:snowy
Speaker:white
Speaker:owl
Speaker:with
Speaker:deep
Speaker:red
Speaker:eyes,
Speaker:wearing
Speaker:a
Speaker:golden
Speaker:Greek
Speaker:chiton
Speaker:and
Speaker:matching
Speaker:cloak.
Speaker:The
Speaker:owl’s
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:caught
Speaker:Aula’s
Speaker:and
Speaker:the mouse
Speaker:stopped
Speaker:dead in
Speaker:her
Speaker:tracks.
“Child?”
asked
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba.
Speaker:She
Speaker:became
Speaker:aware
Speaker:that her
Speaker:tail was
Speaker:lashing
Speaker:at his
Speaker:ankles.
Speaker:She
Speaker:stepped
Speaker:on
Speaker:it
Speaker:to
Speaker:hold
Speaker:it
Speaker:steady.
“I’m
fine,
Speaker:Majesty.
Speaker:If
Speaker:you
Speaker:please,
Speaker:who
Speaker:is
Speaker:that?”
Speaker:She
Speaker:nodded
Speaker:at the owl.
“Who?”
Aula turned in confusion to
the
Speaker:king.
Speaker:His
Speaker:brow
Speaker:was
Speaker:creased
Speaker:in
Speaker:worry.
Speaker:She
Speaker:raised
Speaker:her
Speaker:hand
Speaker:to
Speaker:point
Speaker:but,
Speaker:when
Speaker:she
Speaker:looked,
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl
Speaker:had
Speaker:vanished
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:crowd
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:deck.
“There
was
Speaker:an
Speaker:owl,”
Speaker:she
Speaker:said. “I
Speaker:swear
Speaker:there
Speaker:was.”
“Perhaps
one
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:crew?”
“She
wasn’t
Speaker:dressed like
Speaker:crew,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:murmured.
Speaker:She
Speaker:scanned
Speaker:the
Speaker:crowd,
Speaker:but
Speaker:there
Speaker:were
Speaker:no
Speaker:owls
Speaker:there. “My
Speaker:apologies,
Speaker:Majesty. I…
Speaker:Perhaps
Speaker:I
Speaker:am
Speaker:still
Speaker:unsettled
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:lord’s
Speaker:death.”
“No
need
Speaker:to
Speaker:apologize,
Speaker:child,”
Speaker:said
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba.
Speaker:He
Speaker:gave
Speaker:her
Speaker:shoulder
Speaker:a
Speaker:squeeze. “I
Speaker:regret
Speaker:there
Speaker:was
Speaker:insufficient
Speaker:room
Speaker:to
Speaker:find
Speaker:a
Speaker:cabin
Speaker:for
Speaker:you
Speaker:alone,
Speaker:but
Speaker:the
Speaker:berth
Speaker:is
Speaker:still
Speaker:spacious
Speaker:and
Speaker:you
Speaker:will
Speaker:find
Speaker:your
Speaker:cabinmates
Speaker:quite
Speaker:agreeable,
Speaker:if
Speaker:you
Speaker:would
Speaker:like
Speaker:to
Speaker:rest
Speaker:while
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship
Speaker:is
Speaker:made
Speaker:ready
Speaker:to
Speaker:go?”
She
bowed
Speaker:deeply. “Thank
Speaker:you,
Speaker:Majesty,
Speaker:but
Speaker:no.
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:I
Speaker:would
Speaker:prefer
Speaker:some
Speaker:sunlight.
Speaker:I’ll
Speaker:find
Speaker:a
Speaker:place
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:to
Speaker:sit
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:time.”
Speaker:They
Speaker:said
Speaker:their
Speaker:goodbyes
Speaker:and
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:headed
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:prow.
No
one
Speaker:stopped
Speaker:her
Speaker:as
Speaker:she
Speaker:slid
Speaker:ghostlike
Speaker:amidst the
Speaker:crew
Speaker:and
Speaker:passengers,
Speaker:and
Speaker:ultimately
Speaker:found
Speaker:a
Speaker:place
Speaker:to
Speaker:sit,
Speaker:her
Speaker:legs
Speaker:dangling
Speaker:off of
Speaker:the
Speaker:side,
Speaker:hanging
Speaker:above
Speaker:the
Speaker:long oars
Speaker:that
Speaker:were
Speaker:just
Speaker:being
Speaker:lowered
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:deceptively
Speaker:placid
Speaker:sea.
Speaker:She
Speaker:laid
Speaker:her
Speaker:head
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:hands
Speaker:as
Speaker:she
Speaker:leaned
Speaker:against
Speaker:the
Speaker:railing, her
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:shore.
Speaker:In
Speaker:the
Speaker:far
Speaker:distance,
Speaker:dark
Speaker:green
Speaker:against
Speaker:the
Speaker:golden
Speaker:sea,
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:just
Speaker:make
Speaker:a
Speaker:line
Speaker:of
Speaker:islands.
The
ship
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:out
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:ocean
Speaker:and
Speaker:began
Speaker:the
Speaker:swift
Speaker:route
Speaker:west.
Speaker:They
Speaker:would
Speaker:stop
Speaker:almost
Speaker:every
Speaker:night
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:next
Speaker:week
Speaker:at
Speaker:a
Speaker:new
Speaker:city,
Speaker:before
Speaker:they
Speaker:would
Speaker:make
Speaker:open
Speaker:water
Speaker:and
Speaker:longer
Speaker:stretches.
Speaker:In
Speaker:a
Speaker:month’s
Speaker:time,
Speaker:when
Speaker:they
Speaker:swapped
Speaker:polyreme
Speaker:for
Speaker:carriage at
Speaker:Tingi,
Speaker:it
Speaker:would
Speaker:be
Speaker:the
Speaker:farthest
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:had
Speaker:ever
Speaker:been
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:forests
Speaker:of
Speaker:Germania,
Speaker:across
Speaker:the
Speaker:temperamental
Speaker:Mediterranean,
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:everything
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:ever
Speaker:known.
A
failure
Speaker:running
Speaker:from
Speaker:her
Speaker:shame.
“You
have
Speaker:a
Speaker:look
Speaker:about
Speaker:you.”
Aula
started.
Speaker:She
Speaker:must
Speaker:have
Speaker:dozed
Speaker:off.
Speaker:The
Speaker:deck
Speaker:was
Speaker:nearly
Speaker:empty,
Speaker:the
Speaker:sun
Speaker:high
Speaker:overhead,
Speaker:nothing
Speaker:but
Speaker:wide
Speaker:ocean
Speaker:visible
Speaker:from
Speaker:her
Speaker:vantage
Speaker:point.
And
standing
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:railing,
Speaker:looking
Speaker:out
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:trackless
Speaker:sea,
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:strange
Speaker:owl.
“Who
are
Speaker:you?”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:asked.
Speaker:No
Speaker:one
Speaker:had
Speaker:ever
Speaker:snuck
Speaker:up
Speaker:on
Speaker:her
Speaker:before,
Speaker:not
Speaker:that
Speaker:she
Speaker:would
Speaker:admit,
Speaker:and
Speaker:it
Speaker:bothered
Speaker:her
Speaker:that
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:fallen
Speaker:asleep
Speaker:as
Speaker:much
Speaker:as
Speaker:it
Speaker:did
Speaker:that
Speaker:this
Speaker:stranger
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:able
Speaker:to
Speaker:get
Speaker:this close without waking
Speaker:her.
“It
depends
Speaker:who
Speaker:you
Speaker:ask.”
Speaker:The
Speaker:gapes
Speaker:of
Speaker:her
Speaker:beak
Speaker:twitched
Speaker:upward
Speaker:in
Speaker:something
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:smile. “Around
Speaker:here,
Speaker:they
Speaker:call
Speaker:me
Speaker:Mormo.”
There
was
Speaker:something
Speaker:about
Speaker:the
Speaker:name
Speaker:that
Speaker:tugged
Speaker:at
Speaker:Aula’s memory. “That’s
Speaker:Greek,
Speaker:isn’t
Speaker:it?”
Mormo
nodded. “Though
Speaker:my
Speaker:father
Speaker:was
Speaker:Egyptian,
Speaker:and
Speaker:my mother
Speaker:Trinacrian.”
“I’ve never seen an owl like
you before.”
“Thank
you.
Speaker:Did
Speaker:you
Speaker:know
Speaker:you’re
Speaker:bleeding?”
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:pointed
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:bandage
Speaker:around
Speaker:Aula’s
Speaker:wrist. It
Speaker:was
Speaker:soaked
Speaker:through
Speaker:with
Speaker:ichor. “A
Speaker:nasty
Speaker:wound,
Speaker:there.
Speaker:Shouldn’t
Speaker:you
Speaker:have
Speaker:someone
Speaker:take
Speaker:a
Speaker:look
Speaker:at
Speaker:it?”
“It’s
fine,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:snapped
Speaker:with finality.
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:shrugged. “Why
Speaker:do
Speaker:you
Speaker:care,
Speaker:anyway?”
“Curiosity.
I
Speaker:saw
Speaker:you
Speaker:looking
Speaker:at
Speaker:me
Speaker:before,
Speaker:when
Speaker:we
Speaker:were still in
Speaker:dock.”
Speaker:She
Speaker:knelt
Speaker:down,
Speaker:fiery
Speaker:red
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:burning
Speaker:into
Speaker:Aula’s
Speaker:storm-blue
Speaker:one. “Ah,
Speaker:I
Speaker:see.”
The
stare
Speaker:was
Speaker:uncomfortable,
Speaker:but
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:seem
Speaker:to
Speaker:pull
Speaker:away. “See
Speaker:what?”
“Failure,” said Mormo with a satisfied smile.
Aula woke with a start and
nearly
Speaker:toppled
Speaker:forward
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:ocean.
Speaker:She
Speaker:snagged
Speaker:the
Speaker:railing
Speaker:before
Speaker:her momentum could carry her
Speaker:over
Speaker:the
Speaker:side
Speaker:and
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:sea.
Speaker:Strong
Speaker:hands
Speaker:grabbed her
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:shoulder
Speaker:and
Speaker:hauled her
Speaker:back
Speaker:onto
Speaker:the
Speaker:deck. Looking up,
Speaker:Aula saw Senhyrus’s burnished bronze gaze
Speaker:looking
Speaker:down
Speaker:at
Speaker:her.
“Are
you
Speaker:alright?”
“I’m
fine,”
Speaker:said
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:as
Speaker:she
Speaker:scrambled
Speaker:to
Speaker:her
Speaker:feet.
Speaker:The
Speaker:sun
Speaker:was
Speaker:near
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:horizon,
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship
Speaker:pointed
Speaker:almost
Speaker:directly
Speaker:at
Speaker:it.
Speaker:Behind her,
Speaker:the
Speaker:deck
Speaker:was
Speaker:alive
Speaker:with
Speaker:sailors
Speaker:making
Speaker:ready
Speaker:to
Speaker:pull
Speaker:into
Speaker:their
Speaker:first
Speaker:port at Rhodus. “I must have
Speaker:fallen
Speaker:asleep.”
Senhyrus
nodded,
Speaker:but
Speaker:she
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:look
Speaker:entirely
Speaker:convinced. “The
Speaker:sailors
Speaker:say you’ve
Speaker:been
Speaker:here
Speaker:all
Speaker:day,
Speaker:that
Speaker:you
Speaker:refused
Speaker:food
Speaker:or offers
Speaker:to
Speaker:rest.”
Aula’s
eyebrows
Speaker:drew
Speaker:down
Speaker:as
Speaker:she
Speaker:frowned. “No
Speaker:one’s
Speaker:spoken
Speaker:to
Speaker:me
Speaker:all
Speaker:day,”
Speaker:she
Speaker:said. “Except
Speaker:for
Speaker:that
Speaker:owl.”
“Owl?”
Aula
nodded,
Speaker:then
Speaker:hesitated
Speaker:and
Speaker:shook
Speaker:her
Speaker:head. “No, wait,
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:dream.”
Speaker:She
Speaker:watched
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship
Speaker:glide
Speaker:past
Speaker:the
Speaker:two
Speaker:massive
Speaker:pillars
Speaker:standing
Speaker:guard
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:mouth
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:harbor,
Speaker:a
Speaker:foot
Speaker:and
Speaker:leg
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:knee
Speaker:stood
Speaker:on
Speaker:one
Speaker:pillar,
Speaker:while
Speaker:the
Speaker:other
Speaker:carried
Speaker:the
Speaker:partner
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:but
Speaker:only
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:shin.
Speaker:A long
Speaker:arm
Speaker:jutted
Speaker:just
Speaker:above
Speaker:the
Speaker:waves,
Speaker:all
Speaker:that
Speaker:remained
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:fabled
Speaker:Colossus.
Senhyrus
followed
Speaker:Aula’s
Speaker:gaze into
Speaker:the
Speaker:fallen
Speaker:statue. “The
Speaker:Pharaoh
Speaker:offered
Speaker:to
Speaker:rebuild
Speaker:it,
Speaker:you
Speaker:know,”
Speaker:she
Speaker:said
Speaker:conversationally. “Ptolemy
Speaker:Euergetes,
Speaker:that
Speaker:is,
Speaker:who
Speaker:ruled when
Speaker:the
Speaker:statue
Speaker:fell,
Speaker:but
Speaker:the
Speaker:city
Speaker:said
Speaker:an
Speaker:oracle
Speaker:had
Speaker:told
Speaker:them
Speaker:it
Speaker:had
Speaker:fallen
Speaker:because
Speaker:it
Speaker:had
Speaker:offended
Speaker:Ra.”
“Helius,”
Aula
Speaker:corrected
Speaker:automatically.
Speaker:Catching the look on Senhyrus’s muzzle, she explained. “The
Speaker:Romans
Speaker:call him
Speaker:Helius
Speaker:Hyperion,
Speaker:and
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:think
Speaker:he’s
Speaker:the
Speaker:same
Speaker:person
Speaker:as
Speaker:your
Speaker:Ra.”
“Does
not
Speaker:Helius
Speaker:pull
Speaker:the
Speaker:great
Speaker:wheel
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:sun
Speaker:across
Speaker:the
Speaker:sky
Speaker:each
Speaker:day?”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:nodded. “And so
Speaker:does
Speaker:great
Speaker:Ra. How
Speaker:could
Speaker:they
Speaker:be
Speaker:different?
Speaker:We
Speaker:are
Speaker:not
Speaker:so
Speaker:far
Speaker:from
Speaker:Egypt
Speaker:as
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:able
Speaker:to
Speaker:miss
Speaker:a
Speaker:second
Speaker:sun
Speaker:rising.”
“In
my
Speaker:homeland,
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:taught
Speaker:that
Speaker:the
Speaker:sun
Speaker:is
Speaker:Sunna,
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:moon
Speaker:her
Speaker:brother,
Speaker:Manni.
Speaker:They
Speaker:race
Speaker:across
Speaker:the
Speaker:sky each
Speaker:day
Speaker:and
Speaker:night,
Speaker:chased
Speaker:by the
Speaker:great
Speaker:wolves, who
Speaker:will
Speaker:one
Speaker:day
Speaker:catch
Speaker:and
Speaker:devour
Speaker:them,
Speaker:ushering
Speaker:the
Speaker:Twilight.”
Speaker:She
Speaker:laid
Speaker:her
Speaker:forearms
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:railing. “Can
Speaker:it
Speaker:be
Speaker:that
Speaker:a
Speaker:great
Speaker:wolf will
Speaker:one
Speaker:day
Speaker:eat Ra?”
Senhyrus
snorted. “Ra’s
Speaker:only
Speaker:enemy
Speaker:is
Speaker:the
Speaker:serpent
Speaker:Apophis.”
“Then
it
Speaker:can’t
Speaker:be
Speaker:that
Speaker:Ra
Speaker:is
Speaker:also
Speaker:Sunna.
Speaker:And
Speaker:if
Speaker:he
Speaker:is
Speaker:not
Speaker:her,
Speaker:then
Speaker:why
Speaker:should he be Helius?”
Senhyrus scowled, and Aula changed the
subject.
“Will
we
Speaker:be
Speaker:staying
Speaker:here in Rhodus long?”
“Only overnight.” Senhyrus set a hand
on
Speaker:Aula’s
Speaker:shoulder. “Come,
Speaker:have
Speaker:dinner
Speaker:with
Speaker:me.
Speaker:There
Speaker:is
Speaker:a
Speaker:taberna
Speaker:near
Speaker:the
Speaker:harbor
Speaker:that
Speaker:I
Speaker:like
Speaker:to
Speaker:visit
Speaker:when I am
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:city.”
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:no
Speaker:easy or
Speaker:polite
Speaker:way
Speaker:to
Speaker:avoid
Speaker:it
Speaker:and,
Speaker:despite
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:not
Speaker:the
Speaker:least
Speaker:bit
Speaker:hungry,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:found
Speaker:herself
Speaker:trailing
Speaker:Senhyrus
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:jackal
Speaker:led
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:through
Speaker:Rhodus.
Speaker:The
Speaker:city
Speaker:itself
Speaker:was
Speaker:beautiful,
Speaker:though Aula
Speaker:found her
Speaker:gaze
Speaker:drawn
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:remnants
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:earthquake,
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:a
Speaker:century
Speaker:before,
Speaker:that
Speaker:had
Speaker:destroyed
Speaker:the
Speaker:great
Speaker:Colossus.
Speaker:Stone
Speaker:facades
Speaker:and
Speaker:ancient
Speaker:monuments
Speaker:were
Speaker:cracked
Speaker:or
Speaker:tumbled,
Speaker:unfaded
Speaker:scars
Speaker:from
Speaker:old
Speaker:wounds. It
Speaker:made
Speaker:the
Speaker:skin
Speaker:around
Speaker:her
Speaker:own
Speaker:wound
Speaker:itch.
Aula
let
Speaker:herself
Speaker:be
Speaker:shown
Speaker:to
Speaker:a
Speaker:table
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:quiet
Speaker:taberna, curling her tail around her waist
Speaker:to
Speaker:avoid
Speaker:being
Speaker:stepped
Speaker:on.
Speaker:She
Speaker:was
Speaker:hardly
Speaker:aware
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:food
Speaker:that
Speaker:she
Speaker:ordered,
Speaker:except
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:bottle
Speaker:of
Speaker:wine
Speaker:undiluted.
Speaker:A
Speaker:barbarous
Speaker:habit,
Speaker:as
Speaker:far
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:Romans
Speaker:were
Speaker:concerned,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:ten
Speaker:years
Speaker:since
Speaker:she had had
Speaker:wine
Speaker:at
Speaker:strength
Speaker:instead
Speaker:of
Speaker:watered
Speaker:down, and
Speaker:she
Speaker:felt
Speaker:as though
Speaker:she
Speaker:needed
Speaker:something
Speaker:stronger.
Speaker:She
Speaker:made
Speaker:polite
Speaker:noises
Speaker:as Senhyrus
Speaker:attempted
Speaker:to
Speaker:engage
Speaker:her in conversation, but a one-sided conversation cannot last forever, and they found
Speaker:themselves
Speaker:eating
Speaker:in
Speaker:silence.
Speaker:Aula’s
Speaker:food
Speaker:had been prepared
Speaker:very
Speaker:well,
Speaker:but
Speaker:she
Speaker:tasted
Speaker:only
Speaker:ashes.
When
it
Speaker:was
Speaker:over,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:stood
Speaker:and
Speaker:thanked
Speaker:Senhyrus,
Speaker:intending
Speaker:to
Speaker:return
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship
Speaker:and
Speaker:get
Speaker:some
Speaker:sleep.
Speaker:For
Speaker:whatever
Speaker:reason,
Speaker:she
Speaker:felt
Speaker:exhausted,
Speaker:her day-long
Speaker:slumber
Speaker:notwithstanding.
“Tell
me
Speaker:about
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl,” Senhyrus said, and
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:stopped
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:tracks.
“It
was
Speaker:just
Speaker:a
Speaker:dream.”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:know
Speaker:why
Speaker:she
Speaker:felt
Speaker:so
Speaker:defensive
Speaker:about
Speaker:the
Speaker:question,
Speaker:or
Speaker:why
Speaker:her
Speaker:tail
Speaker:lashed
Speaker:the
Speaker:air
Speaker:behind
Speaker:her.
Speaker:She
Speaker:found
Speaker:she
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:meet
Speaker:the
Speaker:jackal’s
Speaker:gaze.
“You
said
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:Majesty
Speaker:that
Speaker:you
Speaker:had
Speaker:seen
Speaker:an
Speaker:owl
Speaker:when you
Speaker:boarded.
Speaker:I
Speaker:checked,
Speaker:daughter,
Speaker:and
Speaker:there
Speaker:are
Speaker:no
Speaker:owls,
Speaker:no
Speaker:white-feathered
Speaker:people
Speaker:of
Speaker:any
Speaker:kind
Speaker:aboard
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship.”
“Why
do
Speaker:you
Speaker:call
Speaker:me
Speaker:daughter?”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:asked,
Speaker:suddenly
Speaker:angry,
Speaker:though
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:not
Speaker:say
Speaker:why. “There
Speaker:cannot
Speaker:be
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:a
Speaker:year
Speaker:or
Speaker:two
Speaker:difference in
Speaker:our
Speaker:age.”
Senhyrus
looked
Speaker:taken
Speaker:aback. “I
Speaker:apologize,
Speaker:Aula.
Speaker:It
Speaker:is
Speaker:a
Speaker:habit,
Speaker:I
Speaker:suppose.
Speaker:I
Speaker:joined
Speaker:the
Speaker:priesthood
Speaker:at
Speaker:a
Speaker:young
Speaker:age,
Speaker:as
Speaker:my
Speaker:people
Speaker:are
Speaker:accustomed
Speaker:to
Speaker:such
Speaker:things.
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:I
Speaker:began
Speaker:to
Speaker:call
Speaker:everyone
Speaker:child
Speaker:so
Speaker:that
Speaker:they
Speaker:would
Speaker:take
Speaker:me more
Speaker:seriously.”
Speaker:She
Speaker:offered
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:a
Speaker:smile
Speaker:and
Speaker:her
Speaker:hand. “Will
Speaker:you
Speaker:forgive
Speaker:me?”
Anger
gave
Speaker:way
Speaker:to
Speaker:embarrassment.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:grasped
Speaker:the
Speaker:jackal’s
Speaker:hand
Speaker:briefly,
Speaker:but
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:find
Speaker:the
Speaker:words
Speaker:to
Speaker:smooth
Speaker:over
Speaker:the
Speaker:moment.
Speaker:Instead
Speaker:she made her goodbyes
Speaker:and
Speaker:fled,
Speaker:haunted
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:hurt and
Speaker:confused
Speaker:look
Speaker:on
Speaker:Senhyrus’s
Speaker:face.
The
owl was
Speaker:waiting
Speaker:for
Speaker:her
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:fresh,
Speaker:bright
Speaker:air.
Speaker:Aula scowled.
“They
tell
Speaker:me you’re
Speaker:not
Speaker:real,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:said
Speaker:as
Speaker:Mormo fell
Speaker:into
Speaker:step
Speaker:beside
Speaker:her.
Speaker:The
Speaker:two
Speaker:made
Speaker:their
Speaker:way
Speaker:down
Speaker:to the
Speaker:shore
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship.
“Well,
they
Speaker:would
Speaker:know.”
“Why
does
Speaker:everyone
Speaker:insist that
Speaker:you’re
Speaker:not
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship?”
“Because,
girl,
Speaker:they
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:trust
Speaker:you.
Speaker:Don’t
Speaker:you
Speaker:think
Speaker:they’d
Speaker:have
Speaker:found
Speaker:me
Speaker:if
Speaker:they
Speaker:believed
Speaker:in
Speaker:you?
Speaker:They
Speaker:pity
Speaker:you,
Speaker:sure, the
Speaker:legionary
Speaker:who
Speaker:failed,
Speaker:the
Speaker:messenger
Speaker:who
Speaker:crawled
Speaker:instead
Speaker:of flew. Cursed
Speaker:by
Speaker:Mercury
Speaker:himself,
Speaker:it
Speaker:would
Speaker:seem.”
“Mercury
isn’t
Speaker:my
Speaker:god,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:growled.
Speaker:She
Speaker:reached
Speaker:for
Speaker:her
Speaker:sword
Speaker:and
Speaker:remembered,
Speaker:too
Speaker:late,
Speaker:that
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:safely
Speaker:packed
Speaker:away
Speaker:with
Speaker:her
Speaker:armor,
Speaker:tucked
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:hold
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship.
“Are
not
Speaker:Mercury
Speaker:and
Speaker:your
Speaker:Wuodan
Speaker:one
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:same?
Speaker:Messenger,
Speaker:healer,
Speaker:god of
Speaker:travelers?”
“Roman
propaganda,”
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:said,
Speaker:then
Speaker:clapped
Speaker:a
Speaker:hand
Speaker:over
Speaker:her
Speaker:muzzle,
Speaker:her
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:darting
Speaker:around
Speaker:to
Speaker:see
Speaker:if
Speaker:she had
Speaker:been
Speaker:overheard.
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:smiled
Speaker:wider,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:felt
Speaker:the
Speaker:anger
Speaker:returning. “A…
Speaker:mistake.
Speaker:Wuodan
Speaker:has
Speaker:little
Speaker:in
Speaker:common
Speaker:with
Speaker:Mercury,
Speaker:and
Speaker:I
Speaker:am
Speaker:cursed
Speaker:by
Speaker:neither.”
“No?
Blessed
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:gods,
Speaker:are
Speaker:you? Is
Speaker:that
Speaker:why
Speaker:you
Speaker:were
Speaker:late
Speaker:with
Speaker:your
Speaker:tidings
Speaker:of
Speaker:comfort
Speaker:from
Speaker:Caesar?
Speaker:Why
Speaker:you
Speaker:paid
Speaker:back
Speaker:the
Speaker:Emperor’s
Speaker:kindness
Speaker:and
Speaker:charity
Speaker:with
Speaker:sloth
Speaker:and
Speaker:delay?”
If
she had only
Speaker:returned
Speaker:in
Speaker:time.
Speaker:She
Speaker:closed
Speaker:her
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:and
Speaker:clenched
Speaker:her
Speaker:fists.
“You
know
Speaker:that’s
Speaker:why
Speaker:Juba
Speaker:and
Speaker:Senhyrus
Speaker:even
Speaker:agreed
Speaker:to
Speaker:take
Speaker:you,
Speaker:right?”
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:went
Speaker:on,
Speaker:relentless, her
Speaker:voice
Speaker:drilling
Speaker:into
Speaker:Aula’s
Speaker:ears. “Pity
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:little
Speaker:girl
Speaker:who
Speaker:failed
Speaker:so
Speaker:badly.
Speaker:Pity
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:hope
Speaker:that
Speaker:you
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:put
Speaker:to
Speaker:pasture
Speaker:somewhere on
Speaker:the
Speaker:edges of
Speaker:the
Speaker:empire,
Speaker:far
Speaker:away
Speaker:from where
Speaker:your
Speaker:bungling
Speaker:could
Speaker:ruin
Speaker:more
Speaker:of
Speaker:Rome’s heirs.”
“Enough!”
Aula
Speaker:shouted.
Speaker:She
Speaker:swung
Speaker:out
Speaker:and
Speaker:hit
Speaker:nothing.
Speaker:When
Speaker:she
Speaker:opened
Speaker:her
Speaker:eyes,
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl
Speaker:was
Speaker:nowhere
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:found,
Speaker:but
Speaker:Mormo’s
Speaker:haunting
Speaker:laughter
Speaker:followed
Speaker:her
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:down
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship.
Aula
didn’t
Speaker:sleep.
Speaker:The
Speaker:glowing
Speaker:coals
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:brazier
Speaker:that
Speaker:heated
Speaker:her
Speaker:shared
Speaker:cabin
Speaker:put
Speaker:her
Speaker:in
Speaker:mind
Speaker:of
Speaker:Mormo’s
Speaker:red
Speaker:eyes,
Speaker:and
Speaker:every
Speaker:time
Speaker:she
Speaker:closed
Speaker:her
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:to
Speaker:try
Speaker:and
Speaker:sleep,
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:the
Speaker:absurd
Speaker:thought
Speaker:that
Speaker:the
Speaker:owl
Speaker:was
Speaker:staring
Speaker:at
Speaker:her,
Speaker:staring
Speaker:and
Speaker:smirking.
She
arose
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:dawn,
Speaker:and
Speaker:climbed
Speaker:onto
Speaker:the
Speaker:deck
Speaker:in
Speaker:time
Speaker:to
Speaker:watch
Speaker:Sunna
Speaker:or
Speaker:Helius
Speaker:or
Speaker:whoever
Speaker:begin
Speaker:their
Speaker:daily
Speaker:race
Speaker:across
Speaker:the
Speaker:sky. The
Speaker:sailors
Speaker:were
Speaker:already
Speaker:making
Speaker:ready
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:trip
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:next
Speaker:port, on
Speaker:the
Speaker:isle
Speaker:of
Speaker:Crete.
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:had
Speaker:heard
Speaker:Greeks
Speaker:claim
Speaker:that
Speaker:Crete
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:the
Speaker:birthplace
Speaker:of
Speaker:civilization—that
Speaker:was,
Speaker:of
Speaker:course,
Speaker:nonsense,
Speaker:as
Speaker:far
Speaker:as
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:was
Speaker:concerned,
Speaker:as
Speaker:civilization
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:taught
Speaker:directly
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:gods—and
Speaker:that
Speaker:Crete had
Speaker:flourished
Speaker:for
Speaker:millennia
Speaker:until
Speaker:King
Speaker:Minos
Speaker:had
Speaker:offended
Speaker:Neptune,
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:power
Speaker:of
Speaker:Athens
Speaker:had
Speaker:risen.
Aula
spent
Speaker:the
Speaker:day
Speaker:avoiding
Speaker:Senhyrus,
Speaker:who
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:determined
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:friends.
Speaker:The
Speaker:mouse
Speaker:kept
Speaker:finding
Speaker:dark,
Speaker:out-of-the-way
Speaker:corners
Speaker:to
Speaker:curl
Speaker:up
Speaker:in,
Speaker:her
Speaker:half-missing
Speaker:ear
Speaker:perked
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:sound
Speaker:of
Speaker:jackal
Speaker:claws
Speaker:clicking
Speaker:on wood.
Speaker:At
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:hint
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:priestess,
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:would
Speaker:scurry
Speaker:away
Speaker:to
Speaker:find
Speaker:a
Speaker:new
Speaker:hiding-hole.
Speaker:Easier
Speaker:to
Speaker:avoid
Speaker:by
Speaker:far
Speaker:was
Speaker:King
Speaker:Juba,
Speaker:who
Speaker:made
Speaker:a
Speaker:few
Speaker:attempts
Speaker:to
Speaker:speak
Speaker:with
Speaker:her,
Speaker:but
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:always
Speaker:count
Speaker:on
Speaker:some
Speaker:urgent
Speaker:piece
Speaker:of
Speaker:business
Speaker:to
Speaker:drag
Speaker:him
Speaker:away,
Speaker:before
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:forced
Speaker:to
Speaker:answer
Speaker:any
Speaker:questions.
Of
the
Speaker:white
Speaker:owl,
Speaker:Aula saw not a
Speaker:feather, and
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:time
Speaker:they
Speaker:were
Speaker:pulling
Speaker:into
Speaker:port,
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:shadow
Speaker:of
Speaker:Mount Cadiston,
Speaker:she
Speaker:was just
Speaker:believing
Speaker:that
Speaker:perhaps
Speaker:she
Speaker:had
Speaker:left
Speaker:Mormo
Speaker:behind
Speaker:on
Speaker:Rhodus.
Speaker:She
Speaker:chanced
Speaker:standing
Speaker:along
Speaker:the
Speaker:railing
Speaker:to
Speaker:watch
Speaker:the
Speaker:ship dock
Speaker:and
Speaker:get
Speaker:her
Speaker:first
Speaker:look
Speaker:of
Speaker:Crete.
This
was
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:of
Speaker:two
Speaker:parts
Speaker:of “The
Speaker:Lament
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Batavii”
Speaker:by
Speaker:J.S.
Speaker:Hawthorne,
Speaker:read
Speaker:for
Speaker:you
Speaker:by
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf,
Speaker:Werewolf
Speaker:Hitchhiker.
Speaker:Tune
Speaker:in
Speaker:next
Speaker:time to
Speaker:find
Speaker:out
Speaker:how
Speaker:Aula
Speaker:finds
Speaker:and
Speaker:deals
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:creature
Speaker:that
Speaker:struck
Speaker:down
Speaker:Gaius
Speaker:Caesar.
As
always,
Speaker:you
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:more
Speaker:stories
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:web
Speaker:at
Speaker:thevoice.dog,
Speaker:or
Speaker:find
Speaker:the
Speaker:show
Speaker:wherever
Speaker:you
Speaker:get
Speaker:your
Speaker:podcasts.
Speaker:Thank
Speaker:you
Speaker:for
Speaker:listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.