Tomb of the Lost by Julian Noyce Read Free Book Online Page B

harbour. The rooms the Romans had been given were spacious and luxurious. The walls were adorned with murals and carvings depicting the great Pharaohs. The furniture
    was expensive mahogany. Many lamps lit the rooms. Scented oils burned to help keep the night bugs away.
    Julius was watching the ships bobbing gently in the waves. The city stretched from lake Mareotis which was North, to the Mediterranean coast covering several miles. From his window he could see the Pharos, the great lighthouse, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It stood three hundred feet tall. The open sea was beyond. Caesar gazed at the fire burning at the top of the lighthouse. It was a truly spectacular sight.
    His attention was taken away by the sound of running feet. A legionary was running down a narrow street. Moments later a group of men carrying burning torches gave chase. They caught up to the unfortunate Roman when he tripped and fell. They surrounded him and laid into him viciously. One of them took out a knife and drew it across his throat to the cheers of the others. When they moved on they left the crumpled corpse where it lay. The last of them looked up at Caesar high up in the window. He pointed at the dead soldier and then brandished his burning torch angrily at the Roman dictator before he dashed off.
    Julius turned away from the window at a knock on the door. As he did so a tiny boat entered the harbour through a very narrow channel. Dwarfed by the Egyptian and Roman war galleys it passed unnoticed. Moving very slowly it was being paddled by only one man. It stopped at some low steps that led down to the water. The man put his oar down and bending at the waist he reached into the bottom of the boat and picked up a large rolled carpet. Then checking that he ’ d gone unnoticed he moved swiftly up the steps, went into a narrow alley and vanished from sight.
    Caesar stood with his wine cup in hand near the rest of his Generals as the
    door was opened and Marcellus strode in.
    “ Caesar I have brought a man, a servant of Pompey ’ s. ”
    Marcellus moved aside and the servant stood cowering in front of the dictator. Caesar looked him over. He was dishevelled and looked like he hadn ’ t slept for days.
    “ What is your name fellow? ”
    “ Philip sire. My name is Philip. ”
    “ You were a servant of my son-in-law Pompey? ”
    “ Yes great Caesar, ” Philip replied, clearly petrified, knowing his former master was Caesar ’ s great enemy.
    Julius took a clean goblet and poured some wine into it and offered it. Philip took it gratefully and held it in both hands as he sipped it.
    “ Thank you great Caesar. ”
    Julius gestured for his Generals to sit and taking a comfortable couch for himself he spoke.
    “ And now perhaps you would be kind enough to tell me what happened to my son-in-law. ”
    Philip swallowed some more wine and reluctantly began, knowing his immediate future may depend upon his story.
    “ My master arrived here four days ago Caesar. The 28 th of September. One day after his fifty ninth birthday. He was met by Septimius the centurion and Achillas. ”
    “ General Achillas? ” Caesar interrupted.
    “ Yes General Achillas. ”
    “ I seem to be interrupting you a lot and I ’ m sorry for I do wish to hear your story but are you absolutely sure it was Achillas? ”
    “ Yes Caesar. ”
    Julius glanced at his Generals.
    “ Achillas swore he ’ d played no part in it. ”
    Philip waited until he was sure Caesar wanted to hear more then continued.
    “ Achillas and Septimius met my master in a small fishing boat. I was suspicious and begged him to wait until a suitable ship was made available but they apologised and promised him once ashore he would be received with all the honours he merited. ”
    “ And Pompey wasn ’ t suspicious? ”
    “ No lord. Even the lady his wife begged him not to go as she suspected a trap but he refused to listen. I begged him to let me go in his place but he wouldn ’