Ben Kane - Clouds of War

‘They’re always filthy, my boys. It’s of little concern, as long as they can fight, I say.’ Corax sauntered up casually, but his eyes held a dangerous glint. ‘You don’t agree?’

‘No,’ replied Pera. ‘But I let them off with a warning.’

Corax scrutinised his men’s faces. ‘It doesn’t seem that way to me. They look as if they’re about to get on the ferry over the River Styx.’

‘You know how it is,’ said Pera with a laugh. ‘The fear of another officer who isn’t one’s own and all that.’

‘Fair enough.’ Corax nodded as Pera made his excuses and began to walk off.

Quintus’ shred of hope vanished. Beside him, Urceus let out a tiny but audible groan. Pera had got away with it.

‘Pera! You didn’t notice this?’ called Corax.

Quintus was stunned to see Corax waving the length of rope that had slipped, unseen, from around Placidus’ waist to the ground. Pera’s face was the picture of shock. ‘I-No,’ he said. ‘I didn’t.’

‘What in hell’s name is this for?’ bellowed Corax, not just at Placidus, but at them all.

Quintus knew that he was risking his life anew, but trusting Corax with that was infinitely preferable to leaving it in the keeping of a snake such as Pera. He stepped forward, ignoring Pera’s threatening glare. ‘We used it to climb down the wall, sir. I’ve found a spot near Galeagra where the defences are only sixteen cubits high. It’s a weak point, sir. Somewhere that an attack could be made, if the right men did it.’

‘He’s lying!’ snarled Pera.

Corax ignored him. ‘You had to desert your post to do this,’ he said accusingly to Quintus. ‘You and-’

‘Me, sir.’ Urceus stepped forward, his shoulders back. ‘The rest of the contubernium had nothing to do with it.’

‘I’m sure they didn’t,’ drawled Corax.

‘You’re not going to listen to these pieces of scum, are you?’ Pera’s voice was shrill.

‘These pieces of scum followed me through the horror that was Cannae. Where were you that day?’ Corax shot back. Pera spluttered, and Corax smiled — but it was all teeth. ‘Ah yes, I’d forgotten. You were posted elsewhere.’

‘That’s right,’ said Pera. ‘If I had been there, I would have done my duty like any of you. I’d have happily laid down my life.’

‘Happily? I’m sure you would.’ Corax’s tone gave the lie to his words. ‘I will listen to my men. Then you can have your say.’

‘As a ranking officer, I should speak first!’

Corax turned his back. Pera’s face went puce with rage, but he did not move.

‘Tell me everything,’ Corax ordered Quintus.

Quintus laid out his idea, from the hoplite he had seen during the negotiations to the details of their night-time mission.

‘Why didn’t you come to me first off, when you realised how low the wall was?’ demanded Corax.

‘I didn’t think you’d believe me, sir. I wanted to be absolutely sure.’ And I wanted to stop Pera, Quintus wanted to add. He held his breath, praying that Corax would understand.

‘You swear this to be the truth?’

Quintus sensed how important it was that Corax believed him. ‘Yes, sir. On my life.’

Corax glanced at Urceus, Placidus and the rest. ‘Is it as Crespo says?’

‘It is, sir. May Jupiter, Optimus Maximus, strike me down if I lie,’ said Urceus.

The other hastati bobbed their heads and muttered their agreement.

Scowling, Corax studied their faces as he had never done before.

Pera could contain himself no longer. ‘They’re lying whoresons, all of them! They’re planning to go over to the Syracusans. Last night’s exercise was just a trial run for when the whole damn contubernium deserts. Marcellus must hear of this!’ He made as if to go.

‘STAY, PERA.’ Corax’s voice was parade-ground loud. ‘You will not say a word to Marcellus.’

Like a whipped cur, Pera obeyed. When he wheeled, however, his eyes were murderous. ‘How will you stop me?’

Corax strode to Pera’s side and grabbed his arm. Leaning close, he began to speak in a quiet voice. Quintus strained his ears, but he could only hear snatches of what Corax was saying: ‘That damn horse race’, ‘cheating’, ‘Enna’, ‘massacre’, ‘completely unnecessary’.

At this stage, Pera pulled free of Corax’s grasp. ‘Fuck you,’ he hissed. ‘None of that matters to Marcellus. He’ll still believe that these whoresons of yours are traitors.’

‘If you won’t listen to sense …’ said Corax. He lowered his voice even further, meaning Quintus couldn’t catch his exact words.

The colour, and the fight, drained from Pera’s face. ‘W-what did you say?’

‘You fucking heard me. I have witnesses as well. You know who they will be,’ Corax growled. ‘I can’t predict Marcellus’ reaction, but I imagine it will be harsh — despite your relationship.’

Pera’s jaw clenched and unclenched. ‘The price for your silence?’

‘Your baseless charges against my soldiers will never be brought up again.’

‘And the wall at Galeagra?’

‘I will tell Marcellus about that, as if I had noticed it myself during the talks.’

Pera seemed about to protest, and Corax went for the jugular. ‘If you don’t agree, I will ensure that by nightfall every man in the army knows what has passed between us.’

Quintus had never seen Pera look so deflated. ‘Very well.’

‘We understand each other then.’ Corax glanced at his men as if nothing had happened. ‘Salute the centurion!’

Quintus and the other hastati obeyed with alacrity. Pera barely noticed.

‘Back to our tent lines,’ cried Corax. ‘At the double.’

The group marched off, each man still not quite believing what had happened. They had been delivered from the threat of execution, and also from Pera’s blackmail. Their plan, which had crumbled to dust before their very eyes, had miraculously succeeded. Quintus had caught the look that Pera shot after Corax as they passed, however. His centurion had a new enemy. Yet Quintus didn’t feel that concerned. Corax was more than capable of handling himself, of dealing with sewer rats such as Pera. He had just proved it.

Quintus’ spirits rose with each passing moment.

From now on, Pera would be less likely to harass him too.

‘Remind me again why we’re doing this,’ muttered Hanno.

‘Because it will please the goddess — and because it’s crazy, of course. That’s why you came along, isn’t it?’ Kleitos laughed quietly.

They were standing in the shadows beneath Syracuse’s main southern gate, a grand affair that stood taller than three men and which was guarded on each side by a strong tower. Hanno regarded fifteen of Kleitos’ best soldiers, who waited nearby. Between them, they were restraining three deer and a decent-sized boar. Being prey animals, the deer had stopped struggling against the ropes that bound them, but the boar was a different matter altogether. The bindings around his feet, and the fact that he was hanging upside down from a hefty branch borne by four men, did not stop him thrashing to and fro and squealing in anger. Every so often, his efforts would unbalance one of those carrying him, and the whole party would stagger about until they regained control.

‘The sentries think this is hilarious,’ said Hanno dourly, ‘but it’ll be a different bloody matter when we’re outside the walls. The Romans can’t fail to hear the noisy bastard.’

‘They’ll think it’s a demon, come to take their souls,’ replied Kleitos with a chuckle. He shifted the long, leather-bound package on his back into a more comfortable position.

Hanno stifled his curiosity. He had asked what it was, but Kleitos, winking, wouldn’t tell him. ‘Maybe. Or maybe they’ll send a patrol to see what’s going on.’