Many of the men froze, faces pale with shock. Then, snapping out of their trance, they jolted into action, hands flying to their weapons.
Katell was faster. She unsheathed her Achaean blade in one swift motion, its edge gleaming cold in the morning light. Her eyes swept over them as her voice cut through the chaos with icy calm.
“Don’t waste your lives for this coward,” she warned. “Trust me, against three Black Helmets, the odds aren’t in your favour.”
The soldiers hesitated, eyes flicking nervously to Ennius. For a moment, silence hung thick, broken only by Tarchun’s anguished wails.
Finally, Ennius uncrossed his arms, disgust flickering across his face as he glanced at his legate. He raised a hand, signalling the men to halt. “Stand down.” He beckoned to a few nearby soldiers. “You three—get him to the infirmary. Quickly.”
The men moved, casting wary glances at Katell while Ennius fixed her with a cold, calculating stare.
“Legate Tarchun defied the Emperor’s orders—and he got what he deserved,” he declared, though doubt shadowed his voice. “Laran’s Chosen has done no wrong. Return to your posts.”
The soldiers shifted, reluctant but obedient, and filed out of the stables. Two men hoisted Tarchun’s bloodied, limp form, their eyes lingering on Katell with a mix of awe and fear.
Only Ennius and two soldiers remained. Pinaria exhaled and let her barrier fade, the silvery-purple glow vanishing as if it had never been, leaving only tension in its wake.
Still holding the horse’s reins, Arnza stepped beside Katell and let out a low whistle, lips curling in a half-smirk. “That’s… not exactly how I thought things would go.”
Katell wiped her dagger on her tunic before sheathing it. Ennius stood firm, eyes sharp, unreadable.
“Quick thinking,” Katell said, gauging him. He hadn’t intervened—just watched. “Are you going to make a problem out of this?”
Ennius’ jaw tightened, but he shook his head. “No. Legate Tarchun was a fool. The Emperor’s orders were explicit when he first sent word that Laran’s Chosen was coming to Tiryns. You were not to be harmed. Under any circumstances.”
Katell allowed herself a brief, grim thought—it was fortunate her status protected her. Otherwise, she’d be fighting her way out.
She pressed on. “The attack on the villages—can you stop it?”
Ennius hesitated, then glanced at his men. “No. The First won’t listen to me. They barely obeyed Legate Tarchun. They have their own mission. They’re searching for someone.”
Katell’s mind raced. Even with Pinaria and Arnza, she couldn’t stop a whole cohort—and it would take days to reach Dodona. There was no time to waste. “Send word anyway. Tell them I’ve escaped and the attack is off. Maybe it’ll shift their focus back to Tiryns.”
Ennius raised an eyebrow. “And if they don’t?”
“Then let’s trust the Tirynthians to protect their own people.”
Alena wouldn’t stand by while innocent people were slaughtered. With Leukos and Nik, Katell had to trust they’d act swiftly.
Ennius gave a curt nod before turning to the soldiers at his side. “You heard her. Saddle the horses and find the cohort. Tell them to return to camp immediately. Go!”
The men rushed off, boots thudding against the ground as stable hands moved to help.
Katell turned to her friends. “We also need to send word to Dalmatius. If he learns we’re headed to Dodona to confront the First, he’ll come. I know it.”
Pinaria shook her head. “Legate Dalmatius will never get our message in time.”
“We have a reliable messenger route to Salona,” Ennius said. “We can get them a message in three days, and from there, carrier pigeons fly to every corner of the Empire.”
“Let’s try it,” Katell replied, the weight of time pressing down on her. She turned to Arnza. “Go. Write to Dalmatius. Tell him everything that happened and where we’re headed.”
Ennius signalled to the stable hands for more horses, then glanced at Arnza. “I’ll show you to my tent. You can use parchment and ink there while I find a rider to deliver the message.”
Katell nodded. “We’ll prepare the horses and wait for you here.”
Arnza hesitated, his eyes flicking to Pinaria more than once, worry tightening his jaw. But when Pinaria gave a small, reassuring nod, he finally turned away, falling into step with Ennius.
Katell and Pinaria remained in the stables, the shuffle of hooves and occasional snort the only sounds in the heavy silence.
