Nick Brown - The Imperial Banner

‘There was a false wall here,’ explained Lollius.

Cassius cast a quizzical glance at the limestone blocks. They weren’t as large as those in the exterior walls but would still be extremely heavy.

‘How did you-’

‘Lift one. You might surprise yourself.’

Lollius held the lamp over the nearest block.

‘Go on. Try.’

Cassius gripped it with both hands and found he could easily move it.

‘How in Hades?’

As he put the block down, Lollius drew his dagger and jabbed it into the stone.

Cassius jumped back.

‘Easy, grain man,’ said the quartermaster, twisting the blade before pulling it out.

‘See here — it’s wood. They plastered it or painted it somehow to make it look like limestone.’

Cassius leaned forward to examine the strips of wood on the dagger blade.

‘Clever eh?’ continued Lollius. ‘Tarquinius spotted it; the colour’s slightly different if you look closely. He’d seen something similar while treasure-hunting up north.’

‘Sir, I don’t mean to be impertinent, but do you really believe — and expect me to believe — that a soldier so adept at digging out booty found a crypt full of it, then simply reported it to his seniors without taking a single piece for himself?’

Lollius shrugged. ‘For all you know, I might have done the same. One has to think of one’s retirement at my age.’

Cassius stared at him. Then the quartermaster grinned. Cassius told himself to relax; in the grand scheme of things, it hardly mattered if he or this Tarquinius had nabbed a bit of silver or gold for themselves.

‘Can we go inside the crypt?’

‘You can. Scrambling down there Jupiter knows how many times almost did my back in.’

Lollius handed over the lantern.

‘Go ahead, I’m sure you’ll be fine. There haven’t been any earthquakes this week.’

‘Earthquakes?’ Cassius stopped at the top step.

‘Just tremors. I mean, enough to bring down this old place, but, no, nothing this week. Of course sometimes that means there’s another one coming but. . I’m sure you’ll be fine.’

Fairly sure that the quartermaster was lying, Cassius descended the nine steps into the crypt. It was dank and musty, and in one corner, water dripped on to the floor. He could almost stand up straight.

He walked along all four walls (measuring the chamber at eight paces by five), studying the floor as he went. The lamplight sparked off something. He reached down and picked up a small brass coin. He held it close to the lamp. The obverse, which would almost certainly show an imperial portrait, was worn beyond recognition. The reverse showed what looked like two crossed swords and the end of a word he couldn’t read. He glanced around the crypt one last time, then headed back up the steps. He found Lollius sitting on one of the blocks.

‘What do you have there?’ asked the quartermaster.

‘A coin, old thing. One of those you used to cover the treasure with?’

Lollius peered at the coin, then shrugged. ‘Probably.’

‘Where did you get them from?’

‘There was a load of them in one of the other rooms. Not worth a lot now. We used them all, I think — made sure the barrels were full up to the lid.’

‘They all looked like this one?’

‘No idea. We just threw them in.’

Cassius returned the lamp to Lollius and followed him out of the chamber.

‘There are no other ways in or out?’

Lollius shook his head. ‘None.’

They made their way down the steps and back along the corridor.

‘So you brought the barrels into the crypt, filled them up, covered them with the coins, then left them in there?’

‘Yes. Then on the night that Gregorius and the men left we brought them out to the cart in the courtyard.’

Cassius stopped short of the door so that the soldiers couldn’t listen in. He spoke quietly.

‘You said you walked with them for a while?’

‘I did. The last I saw of them they were heading for the valley of the tombs. Bad omen, I suppose.’

‘I’d like to follow their route, out past where this sentry last saw them.’

Lollius sighed. ‘Very well. We’ll go out first thing tomorrow, grain man. I’ll bring the sentry along too. You should go and see the prefect now. He has a drink with the tribunes most evenings and he won’t want you around for that. Too many awkward questions.’

Cassius followed Lollius out into the courtyard. They were met by the bizarre sight of Simo and Indavara helping Legionary Faustus with his weeding. All three of them stopped when they saw they were being watched.

Lollius frowned. ‘Why are you helping him?’

‘Yes,’ added Cassius. ‘Why are you helping him?’

‘It’s a big job, sir,’ said Simo flatly.

‘I like to keep busy,’ said Indavara, shrugging.

Lollius shook his head, then marched away across the courtyard.

‘Don’t let that wine get too hot,’ ordered Venator.

An aged servant hurried over to the brazier and moved the pan to one side. Cassius was standing in a corner with his hands behind his back, waiting for the prefect to finish some paperwork. He watched as the servant returned to the prefect’s bed, and continued to dress it with freshly laundered cotton sheets. The bed was huge, with ornate wooden posts at each corner; and the tent was filled with other hefty items of furniture. Cassius wondered how many carts were needed to transport the prefect’s belongings.

Venator dropped his pen, leaned back and yawned. He stood up and walked over to three couches that had been arranged in a U. Cassius followed him there and waited as the prefect kicked off his sandals and lay down, propping a fine red cushion under his head.

‘Sit, Corbulo, sit.’

Cassius sat in the middle of a couch opposite the prefect and tried to look relaxed. Nothing was said while the servant moved two tables within easy reach and brought them each a cup of wine. The prefect took a long, slow sip.

‘Ah, yes. My one real pleasure of the day. Well, anything to report?’

‘I’ve started going through the legionary records, sir, but nothing stands out so far. Quartermaster Lollius has just shown me the temple. In the morning he’s going to take me out on the Antioch road with the sentry who last saw Gregorius and the legionaries.’

‘And any thoughts about what may have happened?’

Cassius had already decided to be honest and frank with Venator. Though the slim possibility remained that he or one or more of his men were somehow involved in the theft, his material help might prove crucial; and his experience and position made him a valuable source of advice.

‘The way I see it, sir, there are three possibilities. One: someone who knew about the flag and the treasure arranged for the cart to be ambushed. The motive might be simple monetary gain or political advantage — if they knew of the banner’s significance.’

Venator nodded. ‘Go on.’

‘Two: some other, unexpected fate befell them. They ran into Palmyrans, locals, who knows? Three: someone within the group is responsible.’

Cassius knew how Quartermaster Lollius would have responded to the last of the three alternatives but Venator was rather more circumspect. The prefect sat up a little higher and ran his fingers through his soft, white hair.

‘I’ve little time for Abascantius but he’s no fool. I can’t believe he would assign such a task to a man he didn’t absolutely trust. As for the legionaries, well, I’ve as many rogues in my ranks as any prefect — you yourself can attest to that — but the ten we gave Gregorius are not among them. Even if one or two found out what was inside those barrels and concocted some scheme, I don’t see how they could have overpowered the others. These men are veterans. Heroes.’