Still half-naked, the bloody-faced merchant held a large lump of rubble in his hands. 'Little bastard!' he spat. 'I should have had you crucified alongside the Nubian.'
Sprawled on the rough ground, Romulus tried to turn over, or to draw his dagger, but he couldn't. All his strength had gone, and his mind wavered on the very edge of consciousness. His eyes closed, which was a great relief. He was vaguely aware of the urchin rushing at Gemellus, screaming for him to stop, but the cursing merchant slapped him away with ease. When the boy tried again, Gemellus smashed him across the face with the back of his hand. Sobbing, the urchin withdrew. A moment later, Romulus felt someone looming over him. With great effort, he rolled on to his back.
Leering triumphantly, Gemellus raised the piece of brick high. 'I'm going to enjoy smashing in your skull,' he said. Blood dripped from his wounds on to Romulus' tunic. 'Shame your sister's not here to watch. Then I could fuck her afterwards.'
Impotent rage flooded through Romulus at the insult, but he was helpless to react. A mass of stabbing needles were radiating from the back of his head and he was seeing double. Clumsily he raised a hand, but like his other limbs, it seemed to belong to someone else. Unable to do more, Romulus sagged back down. After all I've been through, he thought wearily, this is the way I'm going to die. Should never have got Juba to teach me how to use a sword. At least he'd still be alive. Romulus' remorse over the death of his friend triggered sheer resignation. He watched passively as Gemellus swung down with all his might.
This is my punishment, he thought.
Instead of crushing Romulus' head like a rotten egg, though, Gemellus collapsed on top of him. The chunk of rubble fell from his slack fingers with a crash, and he went limp. Confused, Romulus lay there for several heartbeats. Gemellus did not move again, prompting him eventually to try and sit up. The merchant's dead weight on top of him was far more than his nerveless fingers could shift, though. Even the tugging efforts of the urchin made little difference. Romulus closed his eyes. All he wanted to do was sleep anyway.
A moment later, a deep, sonorous voice joined the boy's piping tone. 'Let me help.'
It sounded familiar, but Romulus didn't know why. He felt Gemellus' body being rolled off him. To his surprise, the back of the merchant's ragged tunic was saturated with blood. Protruding from the middle of the red circle was the bone hilt of a knife. If Gemellus wasn't already dead, he would be soon. A dull relief settled over Romulus, partly because his former master had received his just desserts, and partly because it had not been he who finished the job.
'By all the gods, it is you,' said the voice. 'Both of you were in danger!'
Romulus looked up. Flanked by the urchin, Tarquinius was stooped over him. Utter amazement mixed with groggy understanding. 'What are you doing here?' he croaked with a leaden tongue.
Typically, the haruspex didn't answer. Gently turning Romulus' head so that he could assess his wound, he probed through the matted blood and hair with expert fingers.
Fresh agony flooded outwards from the area. 'Jupiter, that hurts,' Romulus protested.
'Hold still.'
He obeyed, using the opportunity to focus on the cloaked haruspex. Apart from a caved-in cheek and a few more grey hairs, his friend had scarcely changed. Yes, Romulus thought, pleased by his instinctive reaction. That is what he is — my friend. I forgive him for what he did. At once he felt lighter, and his lips turned upwards in a pleased smile. 'Is that your knife?'
There was a nod.
'Thank you,' Romulus muttered.
'I was in a real hurry. Who knows what made me glance down this alleyway,' said Tarquinius, pressing down on Romulus' skull here and there. 'Thank all the gods I did.'
'It's good to see you.'
Tarquinius paused for a moment to regard him. 'You're sure?'
Romulus nodded, and then wished he hadn't. His head felt like the drum on the rowing deck of a trireme. 'Yes,' he whispered. 'I've missed you.'
'Likewise.' The haruspex grinned, taking years off his age. He wiped his bloody fingers on his roughly spun tunic. 'Mithras and Fortuna are truly smiling on you today. I can't feel any breaks. A day's rest and you should be fine.'
Unanswered questions that Romulus had been carrying around for an age started to surface. 'Why did you disappear in Alexandria? Who looked after you?' he demanded. 'Where have you been since?'
'Later,' replied Tarquinius, looking concerned. He got to his feet. 'You'll be all right on your own for a while, won't you? This lad can accompany you back to your camp.'
Worry was a most uncommon emotion to see on the haruspex' face. 'What's going on?' Romulus asked. 'Can't it wait?'
'I didn't want to bother you,' Tarquinius muttered. 'There's trouble at the Lupanar.'
Surprised by Tarquinius' awareness, Romulus shrugged. 'I know. Nearly got mixed up in it myself. Who cares, though? It's just one lot of thugs fighting another.'
'It's far more than that,' said Tarquinius quietly.
Uncomprehending, Romulus stared at him.
'Fabiola runs the Lupanar now.'
He could have hugged the haruspex. She was there? His sister was found? 'You're sure?'
'Yes,' Tarquinius replied. 'She's inside too, and the ruffians attacking it won't stop until they've killed her.'
Horror gripped Romulus. 'How do you know?'
'I heard them talking as they came up the street.'
Romulus cursed. If only he'd got there before the heavies. At least he'd have been inside then, and able to defend the brothel. He racked his brains to recall who'd been on the street. He'd seen no one else apart from the thugs, but then Tarquinius was a master at remaining inconspicuous. 'What were you doing there?'
Romulus had never seen the haruspex look sheepish before either. 'Watching over Fabiola.'
'Why?'
Now embarrassment wrestled its way on to Tarquinius' face. 'Trying to make sense of a dream, and to atone for what I did to you.'
Clambering to his feet, Romulus grabbed him in a bear hug. 'Thank you.'
Never one for physical contact, Tarquinius patted him awkwardly. 'This is no time for pleasantries,' he said.
Romulus stepped back. 'How many of the whoresons are there?'
'I counted at least twenty, but there were more arriving.'
At once Romulus thought of his comrades. A dozen veteran legionaries would be the equal of more than twice that number of scum. Then he remembered that his friends were in civilian dress and without their swords. They were probably all drunk by now too. Panic swelled in his chest. 'What should we do?'
'I was going for help,' Tarquinius revealed. 'I know some ex-soldiers who live nearby. Followers of Mithras. They've no love for filth.'
'Bring them as fast as you can,' said Romulus. He beckoned to the urchin. 'Can you take me back to the Lupanar? I'll make it fifteen sestertii.'
The boy bobbed up and down with excitement. 'Of course.'
Tarquinius frowned. 'You're in no fit state to fight.'
'My sister needs me,' Romulus replied fiercely. 'Cerberus himself couldn't stop me from doing what I can.'
The haruspex didn't argue. Shrugging off his cloak, he unslung his double-headed axe. The alleyway's dim light couldn't entirely dampen the shine of its oiled blades. 'Take this.'
'Thank you.' Romulus gripped the well-worn shaft, taking strength from its solidity. If necessary, he could use it as a crutch on the way to the Lupanar.
Standing over Gemellus' body, they looked at each other for a long moment. There was so much they needed to talk about.
'Go,' ordered the haruspex. 'The brothel's walls are thick, but they had ladders too.'
Romulus closed his eyes, imagining the result of the thugs dropping unexpectedly from the roof space. 'The
