Page 14 of Brother at Arms

Lucius’s eyes widened. “Have a care. That will be all I have left if Fulvius succeeds in discrediting me.”

“Which is why we will look after it,” Cassia said. “It might become damaged here or stolen if you attempt to seek refuge elsewhere.”

“Where would I go?” Lucius asked in amazement. “Oh, very well. It is true that if that be-deviled goat gets hold of it, she’ll chew it to shreds. I can hear her plotting, even now.”

Cassia slid the neat bundle of the cloak into her bag, which she gave me to carry.

“We will return as soon as we can,” I promised Marcella. “Lucius.” I gestured for him to follow me out of the gate, while Cassia continued her farewells with Marcella and the children.

As soon as we were out of sight of the others, I lifted Lucius by the tunic and pinned him against the wall. He was a big man, as large as Xerxes, but Lucius was easier to subdue than the goat.

“What the—” Lucius’s words cut off as my arm went across his throat.

“If you harm Marcella, if you upset her, if you even think about harming or upsetting her, you will answer to me.” I fixed him with the hard stare that had made the toughest gladiator flinch. “What the hired assassins would do will be nothing to my wrath. Do you understand? Marcella and her family are not to be touched.”

Lucius’s mouth worked, but no sounds came out. I eased my iron hold and he gasped a breath.

“I would never,” Lucius declared hoarsely. “I’m not that much of a villain.”

“Be sure you are not.”

I gave him one final shove and then dropped him. Lucius landed on his feet, winded, but instead of coming at me, he nodded and rubbed his throat.

“I’ll protect them as best I can,” he said, still catching his breath. “Least I can do.”

“Marcella will protect you. Do not get in her way.”

“Right.” Lucius coughed and turned away.

By the time Cassia emerged, followed by Marcella and her family, Lucius had regained his equilibrium and was his annoyingly cheerful self once more.

Cassia eyed him and then me, but she said nothing. She and Marcella embraced, then Cassia fell into step with me, and we trudged up the track toward the road.

We entered Rome after the noon hour. The popina where I’d often drunk at the base of our hill was open again, a new proprietor serving a crowd. I stood in line here to purchase a meal for us while Cassia went on to the apartment.

The proprietor had improved the food the last man had offered and expanded the interior with more tables. Few of those were filled, however, as he’d raised the price for those who wanted to enjoy their meals indoors.

I received two bowls of stew, which I covered with the bread the proprietor provided, and returned to our apartment. I knew the bread would be nowhere near as good as Marcella’s, but I’d put up with that to slake my hunger.

Cassia was already noting things on a tablet when I arrived. I set out the bowls, fetched spoons, and dug in.

Cassia took a few distracted bites as she wrote. She’d lift her head, frown, stare into space, and then start jotting again.

I finished the stew and bread, along with half of Cassia’s after she pushed them away.

“What do we do?” I asked when Cassia finally laid down her stylus to sip a cup of wine. “Go to Florentia and tell Herminius and his lackeys to leave Lucius be?”

I didn’t relish a jaunt into the rough country of the north, with its mountains, cold wind, and unfamiliar dialects, but I’d do it if it would relieve Marcella of taking care of Lucius.

“I doubt we could convince him of Lucius’s innocence,” Cassia said. “We will need hard proof of that. We must discover more about this merchant and his manager, but I believe we can find information about them right here in Rome.”

She carefully wiped her hands on a linen cloth, opened the bag she’d carried from Marcella’s, and lifted out Lucius’s cloak, letting the folds fall in her lap as she examined it.

I moved both empty bowls out of the way. If we stained or damaged this cloak, replacing it or even repairing it would cost us more than we possessed.

“It is sumptuous.” Cassia’s voice held interest as she ran her fingers over the silk lining. “He’d have paid a fortune for this.”

“Or someone gave it to him, perhaps in return for a favor.”