The Centurion's Woman

Chapter 24

IXILLIUS WAS STILL cursing quietly. Their position was bad, just a drift of snow over a fallen log and some skinny trees; the perfect place for an Archer's ambush. They'd scouted specifically for such a place. Dario's voice rose up in another taunt, and Brasus added his own whispered curses to the litany still pouring out of his friend.

        Chlodochar lay as still as possible at the place they had dragged him to. The arrow had taken him square in the chest. He'd tumbled from his horse and Ixillius and Brasus had quickly rolled to the ground to get their mounts between themselves and the enemy – not yet knowing that Dario was attacking them. Chlodochar had held up an arm weakly, so Ixillius and Brasus had each taken a limb and dragged the older man to the only cover they could find as one of their three horses fell to the succession of arrows.

        The youth at least hadn't lied about being good at his trade, Ixillius thought.

        When they'd turned Chlodochar over to check the length of life the man had remaining, if not dead already, both Ixillius and Brasus had been stunned by the look of sheer fury and the lack of blood. The arrow had struck where the leather banding at his chest crossed and an iron rivet had stopped the tip of the arrowhead from doing worse than breaking the skin. But Chlodochar had been given time to study and recognize the shaft and fletching while playing the rouse that Dario would expect to see after shooting a man squarely.

        They weren't sure if Dario could see parts of them, so Chlodochar remained still as if he really was dead. Ixillius was waiting for the snow around the German to burst into flames from the heat of the anger boiling within. Brasus, also a father, had mouthed Lothar's name and Chlodochar had nodded slightly, the rage in his eyes increasing at the thought that his son would soon also be caught unaware. That had been when Ixillius had started swearing, and he hadn't stopped yet.

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        Alex pressed Lothar for information as they plotted, keeping her eyes to the trees and watching the reactions of the horses closely. So far, she knew that Dario had befriended the boy, but to what aim Alex wasn't sure. The relationship may just be honest companionship, but she doubted that. There would be a manipulation in there somewhere if there were orders from Naevius, which would be the only reason for Dario to be here in the first place. More likely was an attempt to gain information about her gigno, any details Naevius could use to a political or tactical advantage.

        The sun was setting as they neared the area where Lothar said Dario would be waiting. Alex heard the voices through the trees long before she could make out the words, and by the tones the conversation had been in stalemate for some time. Lothar tensed at a taunt about his father being shot dead. Alex wished she could offer some comfort, but from the experience gained when her gigno disappeared she knew there was nothing worth saying, especially when only the voices of the Legionnaires answered Dario.

        As was their plan, Alex and Lothar slipped off Max's back well away from where the voices were. They settled in to wait in silence for the sun to set, shoving the snow back to let the tired horses graze.

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        Ixillius had felt a new worry wind around his guts and start squeezing when, an hour before now, darkness slowly descended on the forest. Alex and Lothar should have been here before nightfall. He and Brasus had been taking turns keeping Dario shouting, leaving their own voices raw, in an attempt to at least provide a heads up that there was something wrong. But so far there had been no reason.