Spartacus: The Gladiator Read Online Free PDF

asked casually.
    ‘Oh yes. They’ve fallen from favour, but they keep their noses clean so Kotys leaves them be.’ Aware of the dangerous undercurrent to their conversation, Lycurgus licked his lips. ‘Are you …?’
    Spartacus acted as if he hadn’t heard. ‘I’m tired. I’ve been on the road for weeks. All I want is some hot food in my belly and a drink with my old friends. The king can wait until tomorrow. He doesn’t need to know that I’ve returned until then.’ By which time, gods willing, it will be too late. Now that these two know my identity, I’ve got to act at once. Getas and the others will help . ‘That’s not too much to ask, is it?’
    ‘O-of course not,’ stammered Lycurgus. He glared at his companion.
    ‘We won’t say a word to anyone.’
    ‘Not a soul,’ warned Spartacus. Hearing the sudden chill in his voice, the two guards nodded fearfully.
    ‘Good.’ Pulling a fold of his cloak over the lower half of his face, Spartacus walked by without another word.
    ‘You fucking idiot,’ hissed Lycurgus the instant that he had vanished from sight. ‘Spartacus is one the deadliest warriors that our tribe has ever seen! Be grateful that he was in a good mood. You do not want to piss him off.’
    ‘What is he planning?’
    ‘I don’t know,’ snapped Lycurgus. ‘I don’t want to know. If anyone asks later, we didn’t recognise him. Understand?’

Chapter II
     

    ARIADNE’S MOOD WAS darkening. The usual ritual of burning incense and meditation had brought her nothing but a sequence of fractured, distressing images. Most of them featured Kotys, naked on a bed. Others also involved Polles, which revolted her. The more appealing – and dangerous – ones were those in which she defended herself against the king with a knife, or her snake. What use is there in killing him? she wondered hopelessly. I’d have to flee the settlement to avoid being killed by his bodyguards. Where would I go then? Kabyle? Ariadne could think of nowhere else, but she dismissed the notion out of hand. The priests in the city would not shelter a regicide. She was trapped. Alone, with no one to help her.
    Cloaked by misery, she shut up the temple and headed for her hut. The sky was full of clouds threatening snow, and she wanted to gain the safety of her door before it started falling heavily. The settlement wasn’t dangerous for most, but Kotys could easily have set some of his warriors to lie in wait for her. As she hurried towards the alleyway that led home, Ariadne saw a man entering by the main gate. She’d never seen him before, but his slow, self-assured carriage attracted her attention. He was of average height, with short brown hair, and wearing a mail shirt and closely fitting red trousers. A Roman soldier’s belt circled his waist; from it hung a sheathed sica and dagger. The bronze helmet he was holding had a forward curving crest, and the lame white stallion following him was also clearly Thracian.
    He called out a low greeting to a bunch of warriors who were standing nearby. Ariadne recognised three of them: Getas, Seuthes and Medokos. Hearing the other’s voice, Getas turned his head. He frowned, and then with delighted looks, he and his companions descended on the newcomer.
    So that’s the traveller whom Berisades met, thought Ariadne. He must be well liked if they have not forgotten him in his absence. She kept walking. Reaching home was more important than staring at strangers. Perhaps Dionysus would visit her that night. Give her some hope. She consoled herself with that idea. A moment later, she heard a characteristic, braying laugh coming from inside the alleyway. Recognising Polles by the sound, Ariadne reacted without thinking. She quickly angled away from the alley’s entrance to approach it from the side. Poking her head around the corner, she saw the outline of at least three men a short distance inside. Their slouching posture was at direct odds with the naked weapons in their