The Emperor's Silver: Agent of Rome 5 by Nick Brown Read Free Book Online

which was supposed to howl warnings to the locals if enemies approached. Some of the inscriptions on the rocks there were five hundred years old, dating back to when the Phoenicians had controlled the region.
    The trio had been riding for seven days. It had taken four to reach the coast at Tyre, where they’d turned north, bound for Tripolis. Cassius was not in any great hurry; he’d sent a letter ahead to a man named Quentin, the treasury agent in charge of the counterfeiting investigation.
    He never have imagined being glad to be back in Syria. Arabia – Bostra in particular – held dark associations for him now; he had left behind Abascantius, Governor Calvinus, the pressures of the troubling situation with the Tanukh and – most importantly of all – whomever had tried to capture him.
    As suggested by Abascantius, Cassius had taken a series of precautions to remain undetected: they had left Bostra before first light, used a roundabout route out of the city, and been escorted by four cavalrymen for the first day. Though clearly bemused by such a duty, the soldiers had taken their responsibilities seriously, doubling back regularly to check the road behind them and leaving only when their charges found safe accommodation for the night.
    Cassius was not in uniform and had used a false name at the inns where they stayed. As the days passed, he had grown more relaxed and was looking forward to what would surely be a comparatively leisurely and safe assignment. It was now mid-afternoon and – according to the milestones – there were only five miles left to Tripolis. They would arrive well before dusk with plenty of time to meet Quentin and arrange their lodgings.
    Indavara – who was riding to Cassius’s left, closest to the sea – unleashed an almighty yawn. ‘Hot again.’
    ‘You ate too much lunch. Again.’
    Indavara ignored him and pawed at an insect that had settled on his bulging right bicep. Though clearly happy to be on the move, the bodyguard never liked disruption to his conditioning regime and had to improvise exercises on the road. He’d spent half of the previous evening doing hundreds of push-ups and lifting a barrel above his head. His recovery had been remarkably speedy and he’d spent only two days languishing in the cart. Even so, he was inflicting daily progress reports on his companions – apparently the pain was now negligible but the purple bruising had turned black.
    Indavara looked over his shoulder. ‘All right there, Simo?’
    Cassius turned round. The attendant, who was driving the horse and cart, had set up a makeshift awning to protect himself from the sun.
    ‘Yes, thank you.’
    ‘Patch?’
    ‘Seems fine.’
    The hardy donkey who had been with them since their journey into the Arabian desert was tied to the rear of the cart. Indavara and Simo didn’t even bother to pretend that they actually needed the beast for their luggage any more. Cassius allowed them this indulgence but was constantly amazed by how much care and attention they lavished on the creature.
    ‘Can you think of any more?’ asked Indavara. The game of ‘guess the emperor’ had been going on for some time.
    ‘I believe we’ve exhausted our entire supply,’ replied Simo. ‘Perhaps another game?’
    ‘I don’t think you’ve heard this one,’ said Cassius, looking down at the white sandy beach where four fishermen were bringing in a net.
    ‘I once had a special collapsible boat constructed then used it to try and drown my mother.’
    ‘Mmm.’ Simo seemed perplexed.
    ‘Let me,’ said Indavara. ‘Was it Caligula?’
    ‘No,’ said Cassius.
    ‘Tiberius?’
    ‘No. Last guess.’
    ‘Nero.’
    ‘Very good.’
    ‘Ha.’ Indavara slapped his thigh. ‘Did it work?’
    ‘The boat? Yes. But she managed to swim back to shore – that must have been an awkward conversation.’
    Indavara shook his head. ‘Emperors – mad buggers every one.’
    Cassius pointed at him. ‘Don’t say that in company.