“How do you know?” he asked. “Perhapshe just chose to go on a trip or something.”
This was an extremely weak response, and Idid not hesitate to scoff, “And he just packed up his most valuablebelongings to take with him? Including his money? No,” I shook myhead emphatically, “I don’t accept that.”
“But what would Lykos have to gain bybetraying me?” I actually sensed some desperation in Demeter, but Iwas not inclined to indulge him.
“Money,” I cut him off flatly. “Whatother reason could there be?”
“But I pay him handsomely!” heexclaimed. “He knows this! He knows how well I treathim.”
“There is only one way to know,” Ianswered coldly. “And that is to ask him.”
“You mean torture him,” Demeterreplied bitterly, but I was unmoved.
“Whatever you want to call it doesn’tmatter to me.” I shrugged. “But I’m expecting you to handle thismatter, Demeter. At least,” I added, “if you’re not the one whobetrayed us.”
I did not wait for a reply, but when I putmy hand on the latch, he called out, “Wait, Centurion.” When Iturned to look at him, while I would never tell him as much, Iactually felt a great deal of sympathy, understanding how it feltwhen a man under your command was suspected of something untoward.He took a breath, then said, “I will allow you to be there toquestion him, but not until I release the entire crew to go outinto the city. Lykos has many friends aboard this ship, and asformidable as you may be, neither of us together could hope toovercome my men.”
As unpalatable as it was to hear, I knew thetruth when I heard it, but I suppose I was still suspicious,because I asked abruptly, “Why are you willing to do this forus?”
“Because,” Demeter’s face hardened, “Icannot afford to have a man I cannot trust as my second in command.And, if he did this, it wasagainst my specific orders that none of the crew mention anythingabout you when they went out into the city.”
This surprised me, and I did wonder ifhe was telling me this to throw suspicion away from him, but I didknow that I had to trust him at least as far as this. Telling me towait in my cabin, Demeter left to make arrangements, which we couldtrack with our own ears by the dull roar of cheers from the maincompartment, followed by what sounded like a stampede of footstepsas the oarsmen of the crew wasted no time in rushing up the ladder.So eager were they, it actually made the Persephone rock a bit as the noise transferredto a clattering sound as Demeter’s men went rushing down the plankonto the causeway. The silence that followed was a bit unsettling,and none of us felt like talking, while I debated with myself howmuch pressure I would put on Demeter if I felt he was not pressingLykos sufficiently.
“I want you to come with me,” I toldAlex, but when Septimus offered to come as well, I demurred bytelling him, “No, I don’t know if Demeter is going to allow Alex toparticipate, but I know he will definitely not allow the three ofus to.”
“Participate in what?” Gaius asked,and while I thought about applying a coating of honey to my words,I decided against it; he wanted to be a man, after all.
“We’re going to make Lykos,” the blankexpressions caused me to add, “the second in command, talk. And,” Ishrugged, “he may not be…willing.”
Gaius did not reply then, but in the lightof the oil lamps, I saw him turn a shade paler, telling me that hehad the bare idea of what was likely to happen. So convinced was Iof Lykos’ guilt that it did not occur to me that we might have todo this to more than one man. The time dragged by, but then weheard someone descending the ladder, followed by a sharp rap on thedoor, I opened it to see Demeter standing there, his mouth set insuch a thin line, it was barely visible through his beard.
“I had Lykos stay aboard, and he isstanding watch up on deck. I am going to send Tanysas to bring himup to the bow compartment. That is where we will…talk tohim.”
“How are we going to get there withouthim seeing us?” I asked, not thinking.
Demeter’s expression softened a bit, and Iheard the wry humor in his voice as he reminded me, “There is morethan one way to move about this ship, Centurion.”
“We’re going to go through the maincompartment,” Alex offered helpfully, which Demeter immediatelycaught.
“‘We’?” Demeter shook his head and hesaid adamantly, and with a fair bit of anger, “I will not allowyour party to come watch a show, Centurion. I am not happy aboutdoing this as it is.”
“It won’t be all of our party,” Iassured him. “Just Alex.”
“Why him?” Demeter was clearlysuspicious, but rather than give him the real reason, that Alex isvery good at telling when a man is lying, I said, “Because he is afully trained medicus. Incase things get…”
The master of the Persephone said nothing for a long span of time,and I was beginning to think he was about to refuse before he gavehis reply in the form of a curt nod. Without waiting for us, hespun about and entered the main compartment, using the walkway thatruns through the center of the ship. Even briefly exposed to thesmells in there made recent memories come rushing back, and Iglanced over my shoulder at Alex, who, judging from his expression,was thinking along similar lines. Certainly, the stench was not asthick as a ship manned exclusively with slave oarsmen, since themembers of the crew who were freedmen could come and go abovedeckto relieve themselves, and their hygiene is better than slaves, butonly by a matter of degree. Demeter opened the door at the oppositeend of the compartment, but when we moved to follow him, he stoppedus.
“Wait here until I call for you,Centurion. Once Lykos comes down below, I will call you andAlexandros.”
While I did
