The Far Shore Read Online Free PDF Page B

…’
    Indavara shrugged. ‘It was coming – whatever I thought. Nothing I could do except try to get through it. One old boy, he said to me: “They’re the cats. We’re the mice. They’ll play with us, then leave us in pieces, bleeding on the ground.”’
    Cassius eased his horse closer to Indavara’s. It was rare for the bodyguard to string more than a few sentences together, especially about himself.
    ‘Must have been terrible.’
    ‘You’ll never know.’
    ‘I’m not a complete innocent. I have been in combat. I told you about the fort.’
    ‘Not the same.’
    ‘I saw a lot of death. And I thought I was going to die.’
    ‘Not the same.’
    ‘Neither is it entirely different.’
    Indavara shifted in his saddle so he could better face Cassius. ‘Why were you there?’
    ‘We were defending the province against rebels. I told you before.’
    ‘So there was a reason. A reason to fight.’
    Cassius conceded with a tilt of his head. ‘Point taken.’
    It was a while before he spoke again. ‘Have you ever thought about joining the army?’
    ‘Trying to get rid of me already?’ replied Indavara.
    ‘I mean in the future. I’m sure they’d be glad to have someone with your abilities. Money’s pretty good, and there’s no shortage of enemies to fight. Good way to stay sharp.’
    ‘I’m a freedman now. Isn’t a soldier just another type of slave?’
    Cassius wasn’t about to argue with that. One of the few benefits of life in the Service was that he enjoyed far more personal freedom even than a senior field officer with the legions.
    ‘Another good point, Indavara. We’ll make an orator of you yet.’

    The Via Alexandria took them through rows of closely packed town houses and past several pretty sanctuaries. They saw the Temple of Dionysus too, and a hundred followers gathered in the courtyard, reciting chants led by a quartet of priests.
    The houses began to thin out as they continued along the wide, paved road and into the countryside. The wind increased and the high poplars that lined the road began to rustle and sway. Cassius shivered and pulled his cloak tighter around him. Indavara, who owned a cloak but never seemed to wear it, was still in his sleeveless tunic.
    ‘You
have
to be cold.’
    Indavara shook his head.
    ‘Showing off your muscles more important, eh?’
    ‘That’s good coming from a man with
that
sword.’
    Cassius reckoned Optio Clemens had got his distances correct. He could see the village square up ahead as they came to a big property on the left. The plot must have taken up a square mile and was separated from the road by a three-foot stone wall. The villa reminded Cassius of his family home: a sprawling structure made up of different blocks, all with dazzling white walls and immaculate tiled roofs. In the middle of the central section facing the road was a grand doorway flanked by columns. A meandering path led from the door through the peach trees Clemens had mentioned and down to a gate. The trees were bare, but still identifiable by their dark, spindly limbs. The gate was narrow and set under a high arch built into the wall. Further down the road was a second gate, broad enough for carts and leading to a wide track that ran round to the rear of the villa.
    As they dismounted beside the arch, a young servant opened the gate. ‘Sir, are you from the magistrate’s office?’
    ‘No,’ Cassius replied, putting on his helmet. ‘My name’s Corbulo. I’m here to see Master Memor. Is he at home?’
    The servant chewed his lip and examined both Cassius and Indavara before glancing back at the villa. ‘Would you wait here a moment, sir?’
    ‘If I must.’
    The servant hurried back through the gate, securing the latch before running up the path through the orchard. He suddenly stopped and shouted back at Cassius. ‘Sir, sorry, what was the name again?’
    ‘Corbulo!’
    Cassius looked over at Indavara and shrugged as he retrieved the spearhead from the single