***
David turned on the lights and the computer in the reception of the library, and then, feeling silly, he went over to the small enclave in the corner and said a few words to the small winged statue of a youth, that sat hidden away inside the wall. Both custodians insisted that he did this, as the figurine was the genius of the library; the protective spirit who watched over and kept it safe.
There was a similar hole in the apartment which was filled with more gods, and he’d been told that these were the lares and penates, and they sat alongside three separate gentes, which both men had made private libations to.
The longer he stayed with the custodians, the more convinced he was that they actually adhered to the old pagan gods far more than to the customs of the Church. In fact, he was convinced their adherence to Catholicism was merely a veneer with them. Tully had attended some services with Nadia, but it was normally at her insistence. Marcus, though, had point blank refused her requests and had laughed when she’d told him that she’d pray for his soul. In response, the housekeeper had raised her eyes to heaven and began to pray there and then, leaving David with the distinct feeling that this was an ongoing battle between them.
The correct opening procedures adhered to, David answered some emails and found out what his friends had been getting up to on the various social networking sites. Once he was abreast of latest developments, he put the computer on standby and settled down to some research. No one else was in the library or had booked to use it, so he kept the glass panel closed, which meant that if someone came, they’d have to knock to get his attention or ring the bell.
He was so deeply engrossed in the book he was reading that when someone did knock on the glass he almost fell out of the chair in surprise. With his heart still pounding away in his chest, David peered up to see a grinning Marcus, with slicked back hair, obviously still wet from the shower.
David reached across and pulled back the barrier.
“Sorry, I did knock quietly, at first. Good book?” the young Roman asked, still highly amused at David’s reaction.
David nodded, his heart rate beginning to calm down after his shock.
“Is anyone in?” Marcus asked.
David shook his head. “No one’s booked for today and we’ve had no requests yet either.”
The young man pulled a face. “I hate it when it’s like that. Just you and the library. Rather you than me. Is there a green book on the desk? Big, thick, without any writing on the front.”
David looked down, but couldn’t see the book Marcus was asking for, then remembered that he’d cleared some space and moved various items to the shelf below.
“Hold on,” he said and bent down and peered into the dim space. Triumphantly, he retrieved the book and handed it over to the young custodian.
Marcus stared at him with his intense green gaze, for several seconds longer than necessary, and David had the feeling that the younger man was reading his mind, or at least trying to.
“Naomi likes you, you know? You ought to have a drink with her.”
David flushed, embarrassed at the man’s candour and the fact that he already knew about a conversation which had taken place only one, maybe two hours ago.
“I’ve got a girlfriend,” he replied lamely.
Marcus looked momentarily confused, then understood David’s point. “But you’re alone here; she can show you another side to the city, one which we can’t. She’s offering friendship, probably something else as well, but that’s up to you. People need friends, David, especially when they’re alone in a new place. I wouldn’t have hesitated when I was your age.” He gave David one last look, then bounded silently up the stairs on bare feet.
David sat down. Marcus was right, he didn’t know anyone except the three people in the apartment and they had their own lives. He’d been in Rome for nearly ten days and had spent most of that time with his nose stuck in a book. Now he had an offer from a gorgeous girl to go out and see the city; he’d be stupid to ignore it. He removed the card from his jeans pocket and studied it before putting it down on the desk; he’d phone later, he decided. It wouldn’t look good if someone appeared at the desk and he was involved in a private conversation.
But now his concentration was broken, and he didn’t feel like doing any more research, he wanted something lighter. He looked around and spied the copy of the custodian’s first assignment. That was easy enough to read, so he found his marker and continued with the story.
Dacia; Newest Province of the Roman Empire
In the first year of the reign of Publius Aelius Hadrianus Augustus.
The river sparkled in the bright sunlight sending up shards of light which made Marius squint as he studied the way ahead. Behind him four hundred men tramped along the newly built road in their sturdy military caligae. The legionaries, in their polished armour and weapons, were almost as dazzling as the water in the afternoon sun. Marius had never ridden at the front of the army before; as a centurion he’d always marched with his century in the main body of the legion. Today though, he was on horseback with Tribune Celer at the head of half of the men of the first cohort.
They were on their way to Salinae, and had left early in the morning to be sure to arrive at the fort before sunset. The men had all been involved in the cleansing of the settlement yesterday, so they knew what they would be up against tonight. In addition to their usual weapons, they’d all been issued with extra wooden stakes and spears, essential for the mission.
Next to him Celer was quiet and withdrawn. He was still badly affected by the events of yesterday and the mood of the rest of the men was sombre. Marius didn’t blame them, their worst nightmares had become real. Monsters they’d believed were merely stories or myths had come to life before their eyes and were now something to fear. The Romans, though, weren’t an imaginative people, they were farmers and soldiers, and therefore practical by nature. These creatures were terrifying, but they were also the enemy; they’d deal with them first and worry about what they’d seen later.
Celer had asked about Junius as they’d travelled and Marius had confessed that he wasn’t sure. He hoped against hope that he wouldn’t see his onetime friend later that night, because if he did, then he’d have no choice but to finish the job that he tried to do in Parthia several months ago. It was a nagging worry, and so as they travelled, Marius prayed intermittently to Jove and Mars that Junius had successfully persuaded the Kin to go east.
As mid-day approached, the mood became even more strained when it became apparent there was no patrol on this stretch of the road. That was a sure sign that something was amiss. In response, Marius upped the pace, forcing the men to speed up in order to arrive at the fort with more than an hour or two to spare before night fell.
For the rest of the afternoon the army continued to march quickly; it was perfectly possible for soldiers to travel twenty miles in five hours, they did it regularly whilst raining, but they needed to be quicker than that. Daylight was their only advantage and they had to ascertain the situation in Salinae and secure it before nightfall.
“There’s someone in the road ahead,” Celer announced breaking through Marius’s thoughts.
The Roman peered into the distance, but could barely make out what Celer was talking about. He covered his eyes and squinted. The younger man had better eyes, but sure enough, there was a person in the road.
“Are they moving?” he asked the tribune.
The young Roman shielded his eyes and looked for a few moments. “He was, but he’s stopped now. I think he’s waiting for us.”
“A local, do you think?”
Celer continued to study the figure. He shook his head. “No, wrong colouring and clothes. I’d say Roman or auxiliary.”
Marius stared at the person who was becoming more distinguishable. He had a feeling about the individual standing in the middle of the road, and after fifteen years in the Roman army he’d learnt to trust his intuition as it had kept him alive a
nd mostly unharmed.
“Stop the men and wait here. I’m going on ahead.” He glanced at the younger man. “Don’t start until I come back. I’ll deal with this.”
Marius urged his horse into a canter and watched as the man in the road become bigger and clearer. His feeling had been correct: there in broad daylight was Junius, standing patiently waiting for him.
As he approached, Marius slowed the horse to a walk and stopped about a metre from his commanding officer.
“I thought you’d gone east,” he said studying the younger Roman, who looked exactly the same as the last time he’d seen him, except that his tunic and braccae where stained and torn in places.
Junius took a step towards him, but kept his eyes on Marius. “You’ve only got a few hours of daylight left. You should go to the fort and secure that. A lot of the men inside it are Kin.”
“Are you?” Marius asked, ignoring what Junius had said.
Junius rolled his eyes. “Do I look like I am? And if I were would I be standing in daylight?”
Marius curled his lip. “What you see on the outside isn’t always indicative of what’s going on inside you, Junius. I can’t trust you.”
The younger Roman pursed his lips in suppressed annoyance, a clear sign to Marius that he was indeed speaking with the real Marcus Junius Silanus. “It’s not as simple as I would like, Marius. There are several hundred Kin now, most of which were auxiliary soldiers and their families. They’re rash, reckless and they also want Rome. I’ve tried to tell them that the governor knows all about them, that dispatches would have already been sent throughout the Empire. But they won’t listen. They want to kill you now and then disappear and infiltrate the army through Germania. It’s only the new foolish ones who want to do this, but Isher-Dan and older Kin won’t leave them behind.”
Marius could see his anger and frustration and realised that Junius would happily sacrifice these inferior Kin to save the ones he cared about. Now he partly understood why his friend was standing here instead of lying in a cave somewhere.
Marius’s horse shifted under him as he studied his friend more closely. Junius’s pale green eyes met Marius’s without flinching, leaving the older Roman in no doubt of his friend’s humanity and sincerity.
“Why aren’t you one of them?” he asked suddenly. “Have you changed your mind?”
Finally, Junius looked away and shook his head slightly. “I seem to have some resistance. No matter how much blood I exchange with Isher-Dan, the next day the changes recede and I’m left as I am now.”
“So you’re immune?” Marius asked.
Junius met his gaze again and shrugged. “I don’t know. With sustained effort I might be Kin, but I suspect that as soon as I stop taking blood, my humanity will resurface. We don’t know. Isher-Dan’s very old and he’s never seen anything like it.”
“Are you completely human now?”
Junius gave a small smile. “Enough to walk in the sun and pass as one.”
Marius felt his stomach lurch, his friend wasn’t telling him something, and he could feel it. “But?”
“We’re wasting time, Marius. You need to get to the fort and secure it. Most of the men there are Kin. You’ll need to destroy them and get the people from the settlement safe. They’re planning to come for you tonight. They believe that if they leave your bodies and enough bones of the Kin in the fort, the general will think they’re all dead and it’ll be over. So you need to get your men inside as quickly as possible.”
“Why don’t we go straight to the mine and kill them?” Marius asked as the horse shifted again, anxious to be moving.
“There are caves all over the mountains. The mine’s their main place, but you’d never get them all, they’ve gone deep inside in case you came. Think strategically, Marius. You need to secure your base and from there move out in the morning.”
“I’ve enough men for both.”
Junius shook his head. “Marius, please stop arguing and do as I suggest. I’ve thought about it and considered your options. You have to start moving.”
Marius looked at his friend and saw that his anxiety was genuine. But he still wasn’t sure. “Can I trust you?”
Junius sighed with frustration, but answered calmly enough. “I can’t make you, Marius, but believe me when I say that I don’t want the Kin to try and attack Rome. If they do, many thousands of innocent people will die. I have friends and family there, people I care about. And like you, I swore to protect the Empire and my Emperor. No matter what I want personally, I’m still a Roman citizen and a soldier. But I won’t kill any of them. I want you and the men you’re leading to do that for me.”
“And then you’ll go off with Isher-Dan into the east and never bother us again?”
Junius shrugged. “Being with them is pleasurable and enjoyable, but I suspect that after an eternity of it, the novelty will wear off.”
Marius frowned. “They don’t tire of it.”
Junius smiled sadly. “I’m not like them and probably never will be.” He suddenly moved closer and reached up to grab the horse’s bridle. “Go now and get them to move even faster. I’ll wait here for you.” He turned the horse around so that it was facing the soldiers who were in the distance, then let go. Marius gave him a black look then urged the horse forward and into a canter.