Daniel Ottalini

Copper Centurion

Chapter 1

Julius

The crisp autumn breeze swirled dust and kicked up dry leaves as it raced across the Cimbrian lowlands into the twisting streets of Copendrium, major port and capital of the northern province. The wind brought with it the scent of war and weighted the air with the tension of preparation.

Centurion Julius Brutus Caesar walked down the narrow, winding Via Ecclesia, with its multitude of small shops and eateries. Otherwise known as Church Street, it wove through the heart of old town Copendrium. Dusk had begun to settle in, and the streetlights were flickering into existence, as lamplighters with long poles lit the gas lanterns every thirty feet.

Pulling his red woolen cloak tighter around his body to ward off the chill, Julius paused at an intersection, his eyes straining to read the street signs. A nearby lamplighter must have seen his confusion, because the man walked over and held up his long tube lighter, illuminating the signs. Julius thanked the man profusely and tossed him a half-denarius for his trouble before continuing on the now-certain path.

Julius stopped under the swinging sign illuminated by the flickering streetlights and lit windows. Decorated with a laurel crown circling a dancing maid, it identified the pub as the one he sought. He opened the ancient, well-worn door and the sounds and sights of the tavern washed over him as he entered.

“Good evening, legionnaire,” a cheerful voice called. “Welcome to the Emperor’s Maid, the finest tavern and inn here in Copendrium. You will na’ find better rooms in all of Cimbria.”

Julius turned to the owner of the voice-a short, round woman with a thick neck and a dense mane of disheveled blond hair. Her northern accent reminded Julius of a similar accent he had heard just a few months before. With an inward shake of his head, he pushed down those memories and nodded at the innkeeper. “Good evening, Domina. .”

“Krystina, at your service. We have rooms, food, drink, and company, if you so choose, young man.” She flashed a sly grin.

Julius felt his face heat as he fumbled his next comment. “I-ah. . no thank you, that won’t be necessary.” He waved her off. “I’m actually here to meet up with some friends. I’m afraid I’m a tad bit late.”

Her eyebrows lifted at the mention of a meeting. “Oh! You must be looking for the tribune. Right this way.” She walked out from behind the bar, squawking at a serving girl to take care of the patrons at the bar.

The front end of the inn was a wide serving area, with a bar at one end by the door, and a multitude of tables and chairs pushed haphazardly together by different patrons. Voices filled the room, making it loud, but not deafening. Through this tangled maze Domina Krystina led Julius, deftly maneuvering around tables and visitors, her ample frame always moving at the last second. Not one drop of wine or beer was spilled, nor one patron jostled without a kind word of apology.

Julius, on the other hand, had nearly upended several serious card games and emptied two different glasses of drink by the time they had crossed the room. He left several muttering and cursing customers in his wake.

At the back of the common room were several closed doors. She opened one of them and gestured him through.

Julius stepped out of the smoke and noise of the common room into a private meeting room, its walls paneled, intricately carved beams supporting a ceiling of some dark wood. To his left, several men lounged on chaises or in high-backed chairs near a large fireplace that dominated that end of the room. Its metal chimney hood was blackened with age and soot, and looked as if it had never been cleaned. The other light in the room came from dangling gas lanterns, which helped to banish the flickering shadows from the fireplace. A slender figure swathed in a long cloak stood apart, looking through the windows on the opposite side of the room at the dark streets.

Domina Krystina bowed slightly, and announced Julius.

“Thank you, Domina. That will be all that we are needing,” Tribune Constantine Tiberius Appius said from the chaise where he lounged with his back to the fire, his chin resting on his fist. “Come in, come in, Centurion. Looks like it’s getting cold outside,” he added as the younger man took off his cloak and hung it by the door.

Julius’s commanding officer reached over and grabbed a morsel from the tray of finger food on the table nearby. He popped it into his mouth and waited while Julius settled in a chair, looking around the room at the other occupants. “Well, report, Centurion Caesar. What did you discover? Everyone here is a friend to our cause.”

Julius squared his shoulders and mentally ran down his report. Taking a breath, he began. His words flowed into the room, with only the crackle of logs in the fireplace and the occasional crunch of chewing punctuating his words. “I reported in at the post to check on the men. As of today, the IV Britannia and the III Cimbrian have arrived; they were setting up their quarters when I left. With the XIII and VII Germania already here, we are simply awaiting the arrival of the Northern Aerial Division under Air-Admiral Polentio. This includes the H.M.A.S. Scioparto, fresh from a retrofit.” He paused as Tribune Appius interrupted, waving his hand.

“Excellent! We’ll be able to see Captain Alexandros again. Mighty fine job he did, last time we worked together.” The statement hung in the air for a moment, as the other officers nodded in agreement. “With the air-admiral’s ships and our men, we should be in Midgard by the Winter Solstice!” he boasted, the red flush in his cheeks betraying the amount of wine he had imbibed.

Fists clenched, Julius snarled, “We’ll pay them back for every life they took in Brittenburg, and then some!” He didn’t try to keep his anger and hatred from his voice, and the others looked at him. Sadness showed in some eyes, while steely resolve glimmered in others.

Tribune Appius stood and extended a fresh goblet of wine to him. Julius grasped it and drank deeply, the liquid pushing the sudden tightness from his throat.

“No one can bring back the lives lost in Brittenburg, Centurion, and it would be foolhardy to try. Especially by wasting your lives fruitlessly against the mountain walls of Midgard.” It was the figure by the window that spoke, turning to address the other occupants of the room. A slender arm pulled back the hood, revealing a pale face with high cheekbones framed by curly brown hair. Dark eyes peered from deep sockets, giving the woman an almost skeletal look. Julius thought he saw sadness in her eyes as she took his measure. “I know all about your family, Centurion, and I offer you my condolences on behalf of the Imperial Senate.”

Julius was having trouble masking his emotions. He clamped down hard on the turbulent rush of anger, sadness, and frustration boiling just below the surface. Finally, he managed to mutter thanks.

“Although it may not seem like it, I know how you are feeling. My name is Senatora Octavia Pelia. I’ve been tasked by the Senate War Committee to be their observer for your mission. And because I know what you’re already thinking about civilians messing around with a military operation, I am here strictly as an advisor, not a leader. My father was Senator-and General-Horatio Pelia, victor of the Battle of Vilnus and the Seven Woods War. I’ve lived near the northern frontier my entire life, and I’m one of the foremost experts on the Nortlanders-their culture, language, and history.” She paused, looking around at the military officers. A few seemed a bit startled by the amount of background and information she was bringing to the table. Others could barely contain looks of annoyance at having to put up with the military’s foremost evils: women and politicians.

Ignoring the looks on the men’s faces, the senatora walked into the center of the room and appeared ready to start again, when shouting and loud voices raised in argument in the common room interrupted the quiet of their private room. There was a pounding on the door.

“Centurion, see to it,” the tribune barked.

Hand on sword, Julius turned and moved to open the door. He saw two large men with the look of street toughs who were tussling with a smaller, weasel-like man as Domina Krystina looked on. The toughs appeared to have it under control, when the man slammed his skull back, breaking the nose of one of the enforcers. Dazed, the man lifted one hand to try to staunch the blood pouring from his nose.

Twisting from his grasp, the small man spun around and slid out of the arms of the other enforcer. He pushed past the innkeeper, knocking her down. An eavesdropper, Julius realized as he leapt forward, but he only succeed in catching the innkeeper, rather than his quarry. Cloak flying, the man raced through the busy common room, nimbly dodging tables and patrons. Julius managed to extricate himself from the weight of the innkeeper in time to see a flash of dark cloak as the man escaped from the common room, leaving chaos in his wake. Realizing there was no way he could catch up, Julius dusted himself off in disgust and returned to the private room.

“I disagreed with this location to begin with, Verlus,” the senatora was saying to one of the other men in the room. “We are too exposed here, and now whomever that man reports to has a good idea of our capabilities.”

Julius dismissed her. Typical politician. I wonder why she is really joining our expedition.

“Don’t be such a worry wart, Octavia,” grumbled Admiral Verlus Tritonus. “He couldn’t have heard much with that racket out there, and even if he did, he could have gathered the same information by simply standing in a church steeple with a spyglass near the airfield and having a good sense of numbers.”

Rising, he walked over to the refreshments table with a slight rolling gait that spoke of a hidden leg prosthesis. Julius remembered watching his father walk much the same way, less than a year ago. “Besides, they now obviously think we’ll all be traveling by air. As though we could move four legions by airpower alone!” He took a long drink of red wine from his glass. “Those airships just aren’t designed for it-yet. In the meantime, we’ll have to use my good old-fashioned sailing ships.” He smiled at the other officers. “You ever ridden on an actual sailing ship?”

Julius shook his head, while the tribune nodded, looking confident and calm.

“Well then, you’re in for a surprise, lad,” Verlus assured Julius. “I’ve kept my North Sea fleet just out of visual range from the shore. They’ll move in at night, sometime later this week, load up with the bulk of our forces, and ship out toward Sundsvall. With luck, we’ll be there within a week or so. Your air legion will travel with the air fleet, and take the port at Sundsvall. This harbor will be the cornerstone of our supply line.”

Julius raised an eyebrow. Taking a port by air in the middle of a Nortland winter? He shivered with anticipation. Or was it anticipation of the cold?

“I won’t bore you with the trivialities now,” Admiral Tritonus continued. “Details will be forthcoming at the official briefing.” He poured more of the dark red liquid into another goblet and offered it to Julius. “To victory.”

Julius accepted the glass, and the other men in the room moved in. The senatora remained to one side. Cool dark eyes surveyed the men as they lifted their goblets in a toast.

“No,” Julius said. The others looked at him. “Our goal isn’t victory. Victory isn’t good enough for my family, my neighbors, and the city of Brittenburg.” His knuckles whitened as he clenched the goblet and raised it high. “To retribution.”

The other men in the room, all officers who had seen their share of war and bloodshed, nodded solemnly.

“Retribution!”

Chapter 2

Constantine

Rubbing his temples, Constantine grimaced at another pounding headache. This is the third time this week. I’ve got to lay off the wine. The clamor and noise of the dockyard were not helping any, nor was the lack of sleep. He paused and pulled his helmet back onto his head, leaving the clasp unhooked. He looked around at the large forecastles crowding his view; there were at least thirty galleons filling the harbor. Farther out, like ghosts hovering in the light fog that seemed to blanket the northern sea, more naval ships awaited their turn at the docks. Looking down at the sheaf of notes and requisition orders in front of him, Constantine felt his headache throb. Can’t being the heir to the throne get me out of supply duty?

It was quite a lot for a twenty-two-year-old, heir to Imperial Rome or not, to handle. He could feel the exaggerated patience of his scribe, Ulysus Hadrix, next to him. The man was both a godsend and possibly the cursed spawn of whichever god governed the realm of paperwork.

“Headache again, sir?” Hadrix asked. Nodding, the tribune numbly thrust his papers at the scribe. The sandy-haired man found a clip in one of his many pockets and snapped the orders together. He gingerly placed them into one of many open files, careful not to smudge the cheap ink on the documents. “That looks to be the last one for the moment, sir.”

“Excellent.” Constantine rose from his chair and stretched. His muscles were tense from hunching over the desk for the last few hours. He yawned and looked at the clock. “Noon already? I’m starved. I’ll be at the officers’ mess, if you need me.” Hadrix nodded.

That man must eat paper, Constantine thought as he escaped the office and walked down the winding cobblestone street toward the harbor. The shipyard office lay at the top of a low rise, providing an excellent view of the shipbuilding and repair facilities of the main naval base for the Empire here on the Mare Balticum. Look at the might of our fleet. Look at the technology at our fingertips. A staunch pride in his nation, his people, briefly overcame the hunger beginning to gnaw at his stomach. Those northern brutes still eat meat raw, from what I hear. Especially during the winter. At least we live in something better than huts to ward off these Baltic winters.

Yet that hadn’t stopped them from thoroughly demolishing Brittenburg, a major industrial powerhouse, just a few months ago.

Phah, they had help. Romans fighting Romans, with the Nortlanders acting like buzzards circling a dying animal.

Chuckling, he waved a hand at the sentries he passed at the security gate, recognizing them as men from the IV Britannia, their red hair giving away their ethnic heritage. He walked out of the compound and onto streets now crowded with lunchtime traffic, reveling in the freedom he felt as an officer rather than as a royal. If I tried this in Rome, Father would have so many guards around me I wouldn’t even be able to walk!

Suddenly, however, he felt as if someone were staring at him, and nearly missed a step as he thought about what to do. Rounding a corner, he unobtrusively paused by the side of a restaurant and knelt, fumbling with his bootlaces while he looked around. Sure enough, two men walked quickly around the corner, trying hard not to look at anyone in particular.

Constantine rose, pulling his knife from his utility belt. “So, gentlemen, what is your interest in me?” he said as he studied them. His eyes narrowed in recognition and flew from the familiar tunic and trousers to their faces. “Alair? Paulus? What are you doing following me? Did the centurion put you up to this?” Anger crept into his voice.

The men looked flustered, embarrassment coloring their cheeks. Paulus’s freckles darkened as well, and he bit down on his lip.

Alair, the taller of the men, spoke. “We’re sorry, sir. The centurion stated that you were not to be left on your own in the city. He also said to say the following if you did catch us.” He screwed up his face, trying hard to remember. “Something about your father. .?” he mumbled sheepishly.

“It was ‘His father would kill the entire regiment if something happened to the tribune, so that snobby aristocrat will just have to deal with an escort,’” Paulus interjected, the joy at remembering the words suddenly shattered by the realization that he had just referred to the heir to the Imperial throne, the second most important person in the Empire, as a snob. “Er. .”

Constantine assumed his coldest glare, and directed it at the two soldiers. They cringed, expecting a full chewing-out. “Well, I hope you gentlemen enjoy standing outside all day long.” He turned abruptly and left the legionnaires staring after him, mouths sagging.

Constantine was almost to the next block before the legionnaires recovered and scrambled to catch up to their commanding officer. Constantine ignored them. I understand why they are here, but I don’t need them. These are my people; I haven’t seen any glares recently. An older man passed by, saw the uniform, and gave him a nasty look. Scratch that.

As he wandered the streets, his mind turned to Senatora Pelia. As a member of the royal family, Constantine had been in the Senate or at official functions with senators, but had only briefly met the senatora once before their meeting the other night. I remember that war. It almost got so bad at one point that we were about to be sent away. Father at least knew he wasn’t a great general, but some of those “soldiers” from the war ministry should never have been given command. Father simply owed too many favors to too many powerful families to keep them all out of battle. I wonder what she thinks about our family? I suppose. . we could be the ones to blame for her father’s death.

He grimaced at the thought as he stopped at a street corner for a motortrolley to roll by, then a small knot of cavalry officers on their mechanical ostrichines, ungainly-looking metal birds that nonetheless could outrace a trained stallion. He crossed the road, eyes on the overcast sky, with his sheep-herders (as he liked to think of them) following at a respectful distance.

They arrived at the administration building just as a light drizzle began to fall. Adjusting the segmented steel plates of his lorica over his shoulders, Constantine turned to the men following him. “You’ll have to stay outside, men. Officers only in the administration building.” He grinned evilly. They all knew this wasn’t true, but the tribune knew they would follow the direct order.

Sighing, the men looked around for somewhere to huddle and ward off the cool fall rain. They looked enviously at the governor’s palace guards across the plaza, hunkered down under the small gatehouse roof.

Leaving them behind, Constantine pushed open the double doors and walked inside, his boots echoing on the large entry hall’s marble floor. Gray light filtered through lofty skylights to wash over gilded ceilings and finely carved columns. The administration building was the beating heart of the Imperial presence here in Copendrium, and the opulence of the building contrasted with its utilitarian purpose. Clerks pushed carts loaded with packages and paperwork. Servants studiously cleaned busts of famous figures as some of the most powerful men in the city strolled down the hallways, their assistants scurrying in their wake.

Constantine hesitated as delicious smells coming from the room to the right teased at his nose. Like a magnet to a lodestone, his body followed the smell of roast beef, grilled onions, and other delicious things into the cafeteria. Faced by the realization that they needed to offer food to their workers or they would lose hours of productivity, the bureaucracy had caved and begun installing cafeterias to feed their masses of workers. Of course, some cafeterias were nicer than others.

A doorman greeted him as he walked through the glass-paneled wooden doors, taking his cloak and proffering a small metal tag in exchange. Tucking the check tag into his pocket, Constantine took a few steps into the room and paused, examining the occupants with a critical eye.

By the window sat a pair of men in perfectly starched legionnaire uniforms and gleaming black boots. Officers, probably attached to the III Cimbrian; I don’t think a local guardsman would dare wear those boots. According to ancient tradition, the Cimbrians wore black leather boots instead of the standard-issue brown. Only they remembered the reasons why.

His arrival had not gone unnoticed. Constantine heard the whispers cross the room like ripples on a pond at his entrance. He registered this while his gaze continued around the room. Closest, a small knot of sea captains, resplendent in their tunics and jackets, engulfed a large platter of vegetables and grilled chicken. Beyond them, several toga-clad senators lounged on traditional chaises as they sampled bowls of delicacies brought out by servants in dark uniforms. Sixty years ago, it would have been slaves, not paid servants, Constantine thought. His grandfather had put an end to that. A brilliant political action: curb the power of the senators and the might of their lobby while enshrining himself as a hero of the newly expanded plebeian class. Anything is possible when you outnumber and outvoice the competition.

Suddenly a hand clapped him on the back. “Tribune Appius! How wonderful to see you!”

A smile came to Constantine’s face as he turned toward the familiar voice. His eyes met a pair of green eyes regarding him from under bushy eyebrows. They belonged to Captain Rufius Tiveri Alexandros, commanding officer of His Majesty’s Airship Scioparto, who must have come from the buffet door. He threw his hand up in a half salute, and Constantine, grinning, gave the captain his sloppiest salute in return. Chuckling, the men shook hands.

“Great to see you, Captain. How fortunate that we’re here at the same time!” Constantine whispered excitedly.

Rufius Alexandros looked around at the faces of the many gentlemen in the room. “Indeed, it is fortunate, Tribune. Have you seen the way these people look at you? It seems they’d rather be feasting on you!” Alexandros was right; many of the room’s occupants had a decidedly hungry look on their faces that Constantine found all too familiar.

He followed Alexandros to a seat near one of the multi-paned picture windows that gave a view of the plaza. The single panes didn’t do much to keep out the cold, but they did afford a beautiful view of Arminius’ Column, which dominated the center of the plaza. Alexandros ordered for the both of them as Constantine kept his gaze firmly locked on the world outside. He could feel eyes boring into him, and his ears warming. I thought that old wive’s tale about your ears heating when people are talking about you was make-believe, he thought.

Finally, Alexandros asked, “So, how are things, Constantine?”

Constantine shrugged, then described to Alexandros the aftermath of the Brittenburg Incident-his month-long recovery in a sick ward, the desperate search for survivors after the explosion that had torn open the sea wall and flooded half the city, the eventual realization that the rebellion and assassination of the Primus Caesar, the heir to the throne, in Rome, were connected. And the growing anger that had begun to seep into his men. Constantine had never really felt close to any particular person before, never been willing to share his secrets. When you grow up in a family like mine, secrets keep you alive longer than the truth will. But he trusted Alexandros with those secrets. Alexandros was a sympathetic ear. He didn’t interrupt and didn’t look away as Constantine told the tale of the last few months.

“. . and after we got our marching orders, we took the train here. I know we’re headed north. Hades, the entire city, half the countryside, and most likely every possible spy here in the entire province of Cimbria knows we’re heading north. No way to disguise it. Only thing of consequence is when.” Alexandros was nodding.

A waiter refilled their glasses with wine and water, and informed them that their food would be arriving soon. “What did you order for me? I was trying to become invisible,” Constantine quipped, nervous fingers straightening his silverware.

Alexandros gave a low laugh and replied, his strong baritone quiet in the low hum of the dining room, “There’re still a few eyes on you, but most people seem put off by your decision not to join the political table.” He nodded toward the men relaxing on the chaises. One of them gave a slight wave as he saw Constantine looking in his direction. Others gave him decidedly cool glances.

“That’s the governor and a few of his Senate cronies. After those air battles above Brittenburg, we got tasked to retrofit up here at Northern Airbase Hadrian. One of those senators owns the company that got tasked with the retrofit, as though our own engineers and mechanics weren’t good enough!” Alexandros grumbled. “Thing is, they did such shoddy work on so many things that my guys ended up going back through and doing the whole thing over again from top to bottom. It threw that denarii-pincher into a tizzy when I tossed his so-called mechanics off the ship with a few of our large ballistae pointing at them. They didn’t seem eager to come back on. When he came down to demand I let his workers back aboard, I said I would only if he agreed to ride on the ship after they were done.”

Constantine smiled. “I’m sure he didn’t want to risk it.”

“Exactly,” Alexandros said. “By the way, have you met our new political overseer? All the way from Rome-Senatora Octavia Pelia!”

“I have met her, actually; she seems fairly competent to me. She gave a speech last month on the Brittenburg Incident.”

“Why Tribune, I didn’t know you had been keeping tabs on her.”

Constantine felt his cheeks heat. “Who says I’ve been keeping tabs on her?” At Alexandros’ level look he added, “Fine, maybe I just like knowing who the politicians around me are.”

“Especially the good-looking ones.” Alexandros joked. “Am I the only one who sees this?”

“Evidently, Your Air-captainness.”

Chuckling, Alexandros held up his hand. “Before we continue, here’s the feast!” He sat back and they watched the arrival at their table of a steaming hot turkey, surrounded by all the trimmings and glistening with drippings. Two waiters placed it slowly on the table while another stood by sharpening a large carving knife.

Eyes wide, Constantine scooted back from the bird. “I sincerely hope you didn’t order anything else, Rufius! They’ll have to roll us out of here as it is!

About an hour later, tribune and captain lounged back in their dining chairs; the remnants of the meal strewn on the plates and platters before them. Constantine pulled out a small coin purse and deposited a few large golden denarii on the table. “That ought to be sufficient, don’t you think?” he asked. Alexandros examined the coinage and nodded.

They both stood, adjusting the straps of their belts. “You sure you don’t want them to put it in a box for you so you can eat it later?” the older man asked, alluding to the perpetual hunger of young men.

Grinning, Constantine shook his head. “I don’t want to be eating turkey for a month!”

They moved to the door to leave, only to encounter a party headed in the opposite direction. The two groups neatly intersected and, engulfed by the large and loud entourage, Constantine found himself face to face with his superior officer, General Kruscus Minnicus. The tribune raised a hand in salute, holding it while the general returned a half salute.

“Tribune Appius! I’m so very glad to see you here. It’s great to know we’ll have the ‘Victors of Brittenburg’ along for our trip to the far north,” the general said slyly.

Constantine was confused. As far as he knew, Admiral Tritonus was in charge of the expedition.

Minnicus smiled as if perceiving the junior officer’s thoughts. “The admiral is still in charge of the expedition, but Roma HQ wanted someone more. . experienced with ground combat leading the way into the interior.”

Constantine could only nod dumbly, his brain working overtime to figure out what strings the general could have pulled to get this assignment. Minnicus’ bland smile began to edge downward as he waited for Constantine to respond.

Seeing his friend falter, Alexandros stepped in. “Please excuse us, General; we just had a large meal and are still feeling the effects. We’re actually on a very tight schedule, so we must be off.”

Waving his hand dismissively, Minnicus bade them farewell as he walked over to a long table overcrowded with his lackeys. As he sat, Constantine noticed him conspiratorially talking into the ear of one of his comrades at the table, the only one still wearing his hat and cloak.

As Alexandros pulled him free of the situation, Constantine’s mind continued to race. What is he up to? he wondered as he slowly extracted the check tag from his pocket.

Alexandros snatched it from his fingers and retrieved his cloak from the wardroom for him, tossing a small copper coin to the servant in return. He pushed the cloak into the tribune’s arms. “I hope you aren’t planning on asking me to buckle it up for you. I finished my parental duties long ago!” Alexandros told him.

Finally snapping out of his reverie, Constantine unfurled his cloak around his shoulders and prepared to exit the warmth of the building. Alexandros paused, throwing up a hand. “Hold up; I think I forgot something up in the admiralty office. I won’t be but a minute.” He took the stairs two at a time, leaving Constantine to wait in the lobby.

Constantine sat down on a bench, staring absently at the veins of black and dark blue on the marble floor, tracing the shapes with his mind.

“Did you know that they carted this marble all the way from the Aegean?” a voice asked at his shoulder.

Constantine jumped, startled by the soft, yet firm timbre of the man’s voice. He turned his head to see a man sitting next to him, clad in the nondescript beige tunic and red belt that rendered him indistinguishable from the innumerable functionaries that populated the administration center.

“The government taxed the locals to pay for it, regardless of whether they wanted it or not. It depressed the economy for about thirty years,” the man rumbled on, ignoring the wide-eyed stare of the younger tribune. “That money could have been spent back in Rome, could have been put to good use. By my calculations, the amount spent on marble here could have fed the populace of Rome for a year. Not well, mind you, but amply, for an entire year. And instead we get. . this grandiose building in one of our northernmost provincial capitals that’s never had an emperor visit.” The man’s voice never changed tone, only the slight inflection at the end decrying the point he was making.

Constantine spoke. “It reminds the locals that they are part of something bigger, something that keeps them safe and protected from our enemies.”

The man turned and offered his hand. “Quintus Gravus,” he stated simply, shaking Constantine’s hand. “You make a valid point, but I still don’t think making a political statement is the same as feeding a metropolis for a year. Especially when all you do is walk on it.”

Constantine thought for a moment. “You’re probably right,” he replied. “But what’s done is done. I don’t think tearing up the floors now would be the best idea. ‘The government over the people for the good of the people.’” In reciting the old Imperial adage, Constantine earned a critical look from Gravus.

“I figured you’d say that. I’m actually here with an offer for you.” Constantine’s eyebrows rose. “I’m attached to General Minnicus’ staff as the civilian liaison, and he’d like to offer you a position on his general staff as tactical officer. You’d receive a pay bump commiserate to your new position, and also have access to a staff of your own choosing.”

Constantine thought about this for a moment. It’s a good deal, and I would advance several rungs up the seniority ladder. Still, he was surprised by the offer. He’d never really been inclined to leave his cohort. We haven’t even been in a major conflict yet. Why does the general want me? Is it to keep an eye on me, or is he trying to take advantage of my Imperial connections?

Gravus waited patiently, apparently studying the opposite wall with great interest. He sighed and gave his head a little shake. Out of the corner of his mouth he whispered, “If I were you, I don’t think I’d take it. Kruscus treats his staff like horse dung and the turnover rate is horrendous. He’s been through three tactical officers in the last eight months alone. One poor Iberian lasted only two weeks!” He was now eyeing Constantine.

Constantine voiced the question that had been going around in his head. “What is the general up to? Why does he want me? I’ve got no tactical experience except for that operation in Brittenburg-and that ended with three-quarters of my command dead, injured, or missing. I’m not exactly general’s staff material.”

“Now that is an excellent question, Tribune. If I was a general who had been shown up by a promising younger officer with both family and power connections, and who now happens to be the sole heir to the entire Empire, I think I’d want to keep an eye on this young man and try to mold him as I saw fit.”

Constantine couldn’t keep the alarm from his face. Gravus had only confirmed his fears. “I don’t want to be an imperial feather in that man’s hat. Why are you telling me this?” he asked.

“I’m not telling you anything,” Gravus replied. “I’m simply voicing some ideas. I’ll inform the general that you’ve respectfully declined his offer. Peace be with you in the name of the Emperor.” The civilian stood, showing himself to be much taller than Constantine had suspected, overreaching the tribune by at least half a foot. Gravus gave a little bow, and left, passing Alexandros in the hallway.

The captain now carried a folder full of papers, and was carefully wrapping them with wax paper to ensure their survival in the damp and rainy outdoors. “Who was that?” he asked. “And what did he want?”

“He’s attached to the general’s staff and offered me a job.”

“A job? Why?” Alexandros’ brows drew down in confusion.

“I still don’t know.”

“By the way, Constantine, I was wondering if you could help me out on that tiny argument I had with the senator. .”

Alexandros continued to chatter on, while Constantine mused. Minnicus, what are you up to?

They exited the building, and Constantine literally bumped into a cloaked figure striding hurriedly up the steps. “Excuse me!” Constantine blurted.

The stranger pulled down the hood to reveal her face. “Ah, Senatora Pelia!” Captain Alexandros cried, greeting the rain-soaked politician warmly. “We were just saying how excited we are to have you on this adventure of ours.”

“Although I do thank you for the kind gesture, Captain, I sincerely doubt any soldier has ever welcomed the presence of a politician in any military venture,” she replied coolly. “But fear not, I shall try to stay out of your way as much as possible.”

“I look forward to your presence,” Constantine blurted, then felt his cheeks heat. Now why did I have to go and say such a thing? “Er, I mean, you being around. It is good. Yes, very good for us.” Gah! Constantine wanted to cry out in annoyance.

Alexandros came to the rescue. “Senatora, please accept our utmost apologies for keeping you out here in the rain. Please, get inside before you catch a cold. We shall, of course, be seeing you soon, I hope?”

“Thank you for your concern, Captain. I believe we’ll be seeing each other more than we’ve ever wanted to in the next few months,” she quipped, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Tribune Appius, good day to you also.”

“Good day, Octavia-I mean Senatora,” Constantine stuttered.

As they walked away, Alexandros smacked him on his head. “Are you an absolute dummy? What was that back there? Have they taught you nothing about courting in Rome? Gah! ‘Good day’-back in my day. .”

Alexandros continued to rant about Constantine’s poor courting technique, but all Constantine could think about was the smile on Octavia’s face as she walked away.

Chapter 3

Octavia

Senatora Octavia Pelia was furious.

“How the blazes did that-that-that creature become leader of this expedition?”

Her staff quailed before her as she bombarded them with her voice. Octavia knew that the small group was not responsible for this disaster, but it felt good to blow off steam at her underlings. Under her wrath, the office that she had commandeered prior to the departure of the expedition seemed tiny, even though it stretched over an entire floor of the forum.

“Senatora! Domina!” cried one of her staff members, young Raestes. “Perhaps there is some way to wrangle some political advantage from this?”

Octavia paused as her brain shifted gear from anger mode to political mode. We’ve got to control our temper; you aren’t normally a hot head! she chastised herself. Although it can be entertaining.

Seeing her anger momentarily halted, her staff chose that moment to bolt.

“Raestes, please remain.” She held up a hand, her calm voice at odds with the anger of moments before. “I want you to send a message back to Senator Ignatios back in Rome, asking him to clarify the decision to place our esteemed General Minnicus in command. And use my government code to ensure it has the highest priority on the wires.” Uncapping a fountain pen, she hastily scrawled a message on a scrap of paper and handed it to the young orderly. Holding the missive like a potentially volatile explosive, the man raced out.

Sighing, the politician considered Raestes’ words. Perhaps there is some advantage to having Minnicus out here. The man had barely survived the last official inquiry demanded by the governor of Brittenburg after he had succeeded in botching the rescue operation for the city. It was only with great luck that the cohorts under Tribune Appius’ command had managed to kill the ringleader of the rebellion, the so-called Warrior Chieftess Amalia, in a spectacular battle on the western ramparts. It was also with great luck (thanks be to the gods!) that the massive explosion that ripped part of the wall away and flooded the city hadn’t flattened the tribune and remaining heir to the Empire. We couldn’t afford to lose both of them now, could we?

The emperor had agreed with the governor, but the fact that Minnicus had not been “forcibly retired” spoke to the strength of his allies in the Senate. The fact that he was here now meant that someone in the Senate had a great deal of support. Or simply has the right proof to blackmail the right people at the Central Principia in Rome. Someone with a lot of control pushed Minnicus to the top of the list.

Octavia rested her eyes for a moment, the lack of sleep beginning to catch up with her. She let her mind drift.

She was back among the smooth columns of the Senate house in Rome. The grand building had been expanded many times from its small beginnings. She walked beside the stooped form of Senator Tufero Ignatios from Athens. The old man had served his Empire and his province for over fifty years. Her sprightly step contrasted with his shuffling feet as they left the final meeting of the war committee. The senator had been an old friend of her father’s, and was something of a mentor to young Octavia.

Am I truly the right choice for this job?

“You know,” he was saying in that crinkly old voice that still commanded attention and respect, “maybe getting you out of here will be a good thing for you.”

Annoyed, Octavia looked at the elderly man with brows lifted high in concern. He waved the look away with his cane, the stick moving like some oddly straight extension of his limb.

“Don’t you give me that look, young Pelia.” Octavia remembered the warmth of her blush at those words, uttered by the man who treated her like his own granddaughter. “I know they’ve been giving you grief. You’re the first female senator in the Empire’s history that wasn’t merely a temporary figurehead. They hate you because you are demonstrating talent at politics. And you’re also young. And beautiful, if I do say so.”

Octavia’s cheeks burned, and she knew her pale northern complexion flamed with a blush. Ignatios smiled at her, the laugh lines and crow’s-feet on his face settling into patterns carved by many years of smiles and tears.

He paused at a hallway intersection and faced her. “They fear change. You are change, Minerva incarnate in front of them, and they refuse to accept it. They will fight, with words, maybe even weapons, should they truly perceive the danger they are in. And although you may not know it yet, the system they represent is in great danger.” His words came as barely more than a whisper now, but they were delivered with feeling.

“So going with the northern expedition will be good for me?” Octavia asked.

Nodding solemnly, Ignatios replied, “Absolutely. You’ve not only got the background with these people, you also are in desperate need of some ‘foreign field service.’ You’re great with the interior matters, but you’ve got to get some more external experiences under your belt. Being the war committee’s watchdog on this expedition will be excellent.” He gave her a wink. “Perhaps you’ll even be able to make a connection with Emperor Hadrian’s son. He’s a tribune in the XIII Germania. I’m still amazed good ol’ Hadrian didn’t give him a general’s position right off the bat. Or at least a legateship.”

Ignatios smiled at her blank look. “This is exactly what I mean. You’re on the war committee, for Juno’s sake, and you’ve got to learn these things. Book knowledge about the Nortlanders won’t help you understand our own army. A legateship is a hybrid position-half military and half civilian. Less risky than being a tribune, and more rapid advancement to boot. Guess His Highness didn’t want to let the boy have an easy time of things.” His voice was hoarse now, the dry, summery air lacking moisture.

Octavia understood. Make the connection, build it, keep it strong. It could make a difference later. Of course, becoming friends with the heir to the throne does have its benefits, eventually.

She gave a deep curtsey to the elder statesman. Smiling, he bade her rise and dipped his head in acknowledgement. “You didn’t have to do this,” she whispered to him. Her hazel eyes met his brown ones.

He looked surprised, his white eyebrows rising slightly. “It was the right thing to do.”

Senator Ignatios bade farewell and shuffled off toward his offices. A young servant, waiting a respectful distance away, moved to join him, offering his arm. The man still refuses to get one of those motorized chairs. Claims it would ruin his cane skills.

She turned toward her own offices.

Not half a hallway later, Senator Amirus Cralus stopped her. He was one of the main opponents of Senator Ignatios and his policies on the war committee. He had also been the opposing candidate for expedition observer. He sneered at her as he stood in the hallway, like Goliath facing down David. “I hope your expedition goes smoothly, Senatora.” His voice was full of sarcasm. “Of course, you’re so very experienced in this field, so we expect full reports every day.”

Octavia thought of several very rude things to say, but kept her anger in check. Cralus was pressing her buttons.

The large man stood before her, his toga bulging in several places as it struggled to contain his rotund body. His deeply tanned skin and black, slicked-back hair revealed his eastern heritage. Cralus was a fabulously wealthy man whose family had immigrated to the Empire centuries ago from out east somewhere. Their fortunes made, they turned from building wealth to building power. Amirus was the latest in a series of Cralus senators, each one gaining new support and recruits in a bid for the Senate leadership. Or, alternatively, the Laurel Crown, Octavia thought bitterly.

“Before I let you go, one more question: How will you bring all your beauty products with you to Nortland? I hear they only let you take along one trunk.” His mocking voice turned thoughtful. “Maybe you are our real secret weapon. Those barbarians will think you’re one of their Valkyries come to life!”

Octavia’s hands clenched with the fury building inside her. “Well then, it’s a good thing I pack light,” she spat. “Of course, all the makeup in the world wouldn’t be able to fix your complexion, my esteemed comrade.” Head held high, she pushed past the obnoxious man and strode quickly toward the safety of her offices. Several servants and other senators in the hallway snickered at her comment, and at Cralus.

“You’ll regret that, Senatora,” Cralus called after her as she turned the corner. She had to force herself not to run. “Just you wait. You’ll regret having ever insulted me. You’ll regret it!”

Octavia opened her eyes. She was back in her office, thousands of miles away from Rome and many degrees colder. She’d replayed her last conversation with Ignatios and Cralus over and over again since leaving Rome, sensing something out of the ordinary, even for the high standards of Roman political maneuvering.

Could that be connected to this? Surely Ignatios would have blocked Minnicus’s appointment as expedition leader. A thought struck her, and she pulled out a key and unlocked a desk drawer. Taking out a dull brown accordion folder, she cut the red tape wrapping it with her letter opener and fanned the folder open. From one of the file pockets she pulled out several sheets of paper.

The first listed the assets of the 123rd Expeditionary Force in Operation “Northern Gale.” She briefly perused it, noting with interest the similarity between the names of the commanding officers and some of her fellow senators. And they say the selection is impartial, she scoffed. If we had succumbed to that type of political idiocy like in the days of the Republic, I doubt we’d still be around!

Her finger traced the four legions deployed on this expedition, stopping on the XIII Germania. It was the youngest and greenest of the legions present, while also being the strongest in manpower. Yet it had also seen action most recently, and had not had time to dull from garrison and border patrol duties.

Her finger tapped at the small addendum listing special abilities, talents, and tactical skills possessed by the different components. Octavia had heard about some of the fantastic new battlefield strategies that were being experimented with in the Thirteenth, but she knew little else. No officer from the unit had been available to brief the Senate, so she was mostly in the dark. Octavia hated being in the dark. I’ll have to corner that young Tribune Appius and wring him until he spills all his secrets, perhaps over dinner and some wine? she thought whimsically. He was so handsome, and a gentleman too!

Motion in the outer office drew her eye. She hastily shoved the papers back into the file, pulled out a small roll of the red tape, and wrapped the file shut again, before tucking it back into her desk drawer and locking it tight.

A gentle tapping came at the door.

“Enter!”

Raestes entered the room. “When I got to the telegraph station, this message was waiting for you.” He handed over a tightly folded piece of paper. “I also sent off your telegram requesting further clarification on the appointment of Minnicus.” He gave a slight bow, and moved to withdraw.

Octavia had already opened the telegram, the seal making a satisfying rip as it fell apart under impatient fingers. “Sit, sit,” she murmured as her eyes darted over the short message.

Raestes shifted uncomfortably, following ages-old rigid protocol in the august presence of a Roman senator.

Octavia read the message twice, her heart dropping as she took in the words. Eyes misting with tears, she looked up at the messenger. “Senator Ignatios is dead. Two days ago. Senator Cralus was just appointed committee chairperson in a nearly unanimous vote.” Those other senators are craven lizards without someone strong to lead them. Cralus? No wonder Minnicus got approved so rapidly. I bet they were tripping over each other to support his candidate. It was all coming together now.

She studied Raestes. Could he be trusted? He had only been with her staff for about two months. No, not yet. Mustering herself, Octavia stood and turned. She would not allow her underling to see her cry. No one had seen her cry since her father had died. “You may leave.”

Raestes bowed again and left.

Adjusting her long tunic and senatorial sash, Octavia poured herself a glass of wine and sat again, her mind feverishly working at this new problem. Cralus was probably moving fast, by ignoring the long-held Senate proscription on appointing officers within the “mourning week” after a member’s death. It makes sense he’d want to put his crony in charge of this expedition. But is it simply for the glory? Or is there something deeper?

Eyebrows furrowing, she tugged at a lock of her curly hair, fingers braiding and unbraiding as she thought. The strands twisted through her long fingers, delicate and narrow. It was a habit she’d had since she was a small child. The callousness of the situation appalled her.

And to think, I left Rome to get away from the politics!

Several days later, those problems had been subsumed beneath a series of other, more urgent issues. Like when she was going to be able to keep food down.

The salt spray from the Mare Balticum misted over the tubby transport vessel Tiber as the ship forged through moderate swells. With each dip and jolt, her stomach fought to empty itself for the umpteenth time.

Gritting her teeth, the senatora gingerly walked about her cabin, watching the wake behind the Tiber. She could see the sails and wakes of the multitude of ships in the expedition to each side, shadowed by the oblong bulbs of the air fleet above.

As a senatora, she had the privilege of retaining the captain’s personal cabin. Normally, she was fairly demure about the powers of her position, but in this case, she was glad her staff had insisted. She had just about settled down onto a fairly comfortable chair, hoping to stomach the first morsels of food for the day, when a knock came at the door. She quickly shoved a bit of bread into her mouth, only to discover it was slightly stale when she struggled to chew it quickly. The knock came again. Clearing her throat, she called, “Come in!”

A sailor entered and performed a sketchy bow. “The captain would like to see you as soon as you are available.” Half bowing again, he backed up, turned at the door, and left the cabin.

When she had agreed to take her official position, the one thing she hadn’t been expecting was how much bowing and scraping she would get from the common folk. Yet she knew that this deference had been drilled into the heads of the working class from the time they were born until they breathed their last breath.

Leaving those thoughts behind, she brushed the few crumbs off the heavy woolen jacket she wore over a thinner tunic and long trousers. The pants might be a bit risqué, but she couldn’t care less about the impression she made on the lackluster crew of the Tiber. Even the captain would probably fail to notice her bold choice. Besides, they were comfortable-and more suitable for the awkward climb through tight spaces and up narrow stairs to reach the upper deck.

A stiff breeze greeted her, driving cold sea spray that made her pull on her coat. She joined the captain on the stern quarterdeck. He doffed his cap, revealing a bald head that he bobbed at her in greeting. It’s probably an honor for him to have me ride aboard his vessel, since all he usually transports is grain and other supplies, she thought dismissively. “Captain Wendrix,” she said evenly.

Wendrix flashed a jack-o-lantern grin at her. Octavia recoiled internally at the missing teeth, but kept her face an emotionless mask. Cool, calm, collected: the three Cs of being a senator, just as Ignatios taught me.

“I thought you might want to see this.” He pointed westward toward the smudge on the horizon. “That’s what the Nortlanders call Vulcan’s Island. It controls the center of the sea here, and pirates like to use it as a base from which to attack shipping.” His accent was cutting the a’s out of most of the words, forcing Octavia to focus hard to understand his explanation.

“I see.”

“Well, we just learned that the expedition launched a raid there and is burning out the pirates as we speak.”

“How did you learn this? Did a message come from the flagship?”

Flashing another broken-toothed grin, the captain shrugged nonchalantly. “There isn’t much wood on the island anymore-the natives have cut most of it down. But somehow half the island is on fire. No attack-no fire.”

The man may sound like a bowl full of mush, but he’s pretty smart. I wouldn’t be able to tell the gray haze of the sky from the black smoke of fires at this distance.

She borrowed the captain’s spyglass and tried to steady it along the horizon. After a few floundering moments, Octavia was inwardly cursing her unsteadiness.

By this time, Raestes had appeared on deck, bringing a metal thermos of warm mulled wine up to the quarterdeck. He poured Octavia a cup, then screwed the top on tightly. Juggling the spyglass and cup, she managed to take a sip. The warmth soaking into her bones from the steaming liquid made her whole body relax.

The wind continued to snatch at the hair she’d pulled tightly into a bun at the nape of her neck. A loose strand fluttered about until she caught it and tucked it behind her ear, the awkward movement nearly poking out her eyeball with the spyglass. She continued to observe the smoke billowing into the air, although she couldn’t tell much from this distance, even after she was able to zero in on the gray streamers. “Is there any ‘official’ word?” she asked.

Wendrix shrugged. “Nothing over the semaphore system. Sending the request via flags would take too long. We’re not big enough to have a wireless. But we’ll paddle over to the Pyrenne and ask her to send a message to the flagship.” Turning, the captain barked orders at one of the seamen hurrying about the deck.

To Octavia’s untrained eye, they seemed very much like ants scurrying to and fro on a small piece of wood. The large paddlewheel on the right side of the ship began to churn faster, throwing foam up onto the deck as the ship’s course curved and the deck tilted slightly.

“Starboard. Not right side. You’re on a ship; don’t act like the landlubber that you are,” the captain muttered, appearing from nowhere to stand beside her.

Octavia was flabbergasted. “What. . how?”

Wendrix studied her. “You talked out loud. I was merely correcting you.” He reached out and placed his hands around the mug clasped in her fingers. The last wisps of steam rose from between them. “You might want to go below, Senatora. We’ll be crossing the waves and it will likely get choppy.”

He left her there, standing at the railing. For a few moments she let the sounds of the ocean wash over her.

Finally coming out of her reverie, Octavia picked up the spyglass and resumed watching the battle from the pitching deck of the ship. The tiny movements of airships and the constantly billowing smoke were the only clues of the life-and-death struggle in the distance.

Chapter 4

Constantine

High above the battlefield, Constantine gripped the railing of the H.M.A.S. Scioparto. Though temporarily blinded by ash and smoke, Constantine could hear the sounds of war. He walked through the haze, keeping one hand tight on the warm metal rail. He could feel the ship turning below him, and suddenly they were out of the smoke and into the bright morning sunshine.

Below him lay a tapestry of fire and explosions. The air fleet had received orders to secure the airspace above so-called Vulcan’s Island. There had been no opposition as the squadron dropped into optimum targeting range, low over the settlements and forts. The ash and smoke from the burning villages around the island was proving more challenging than the island’s defenders.

Constantine turned at the tung of a ballista ejecting its missile from the ship. The large crossbow-like contraption vibrated with the release of the pent-up torsion from springs tightly wound to launch the big explosive-laden dart. The tribune watched it strike a stone and timber tower in the fortress overlooking the harbor. With a muffled explosion and a shower of dust and debris, the tower collapsed in on itself.

“Nice shot!” Constantine cheered at the men servicing the weapon. They echoed his cheer as they set to work carefully reloading the ballista. Turning, Constantine surveyed the island burning beneath him. I know that this is war, but up here it seems so. . neat and clean. The weapons crew had reloaded and taken aim. This time the bolt just missed the fort’s gatehouse. Cursing, the ballista crew set to work again.

Below them, antlike figures scurried this way and that under the barrage from the half-dozen airships hanging above the island. How helpless it must feel to be down there.

“I wonder how my family felt when Brittenburg was flooding. They were pretty helpless there too, sir.” Turning, Constantine met the gaze of the young Centurion Julius Caesar as the man walked angrily toward him.

“I was unaware that I had spoken aloud,” Constantine said. He eyed the younger man. “How are things with the men, Centurion?”

“They want to be down there, sir, not stuck up here like it’s Emperor’s Day.” He was referring to the firework-studded holiday near the summer solstice, when the Empire celebrated the current and past emperors.

“I understand, Centurion, but orders are orders. Besides, nothing down there is worth fighting.” He pointed at the burning city. “I doubt they could scrape together more than a handful of defenders now. Let the regular legionnaires do it the hard way.”

Julius stood at the railing next to the tribune. They were quiet as they watched the airships bombarding the town. Julius turned his head to look at Constantine, seemingly about to say something, when the ship rocked under them. “What was that?” they both said at the same time.

A brace of crewmen bolted past them, one lugging a portable fire extinguisher. “They’ve released fire balloons!” a midshipman cried out.

Leaning out over the railing, Constantine could just barely see small balls of orange light floating up toward the ship.

“We’ve got to evade them. If one catches, we could blow!” Constantine heard panic in the midshipman’s voice.

A loudspeaker squawked. “All hands, this is the captain. Prepare for emergency lift. Secure all stations.”

Remembering the earlier drill aboard the Scioparto, the passengers joined the crew in locking their carabiner straps to nearby clamps and the railing. Less than ten seconds later, the ship shot upward, throwing men, materials, and equipment to the deck. A few seconds later the ship settled, but the powerful hum of the engines revealed the continuous threat of the seemingly simple fire balloons.

Gripping the railing, Constantine dragged himself back to his feet. The wind at this altitude was stronger, and his cloak billowed around him. He gave the centurion a hand up.

“I don’t know what all the fuss is about,” Julius grumbled as he adjusted his armor.

“Those balloons are coated with sticky tar that’s set on fire. If they attach to the hull, they’ll burn a hole right through our armor,” a crewman told him.

“Who’d have thought those barbarians would come up with something like that?” Constantine wondered aloud, then thought grimly, Perhaps they had some help.

The crewman shrugged. “It’s an old trick; goes back to the days where every legion would have a group of men equipped with small balloons. It’s a good way to get an annoying airship off your back. Although now we can actually get out of the way.”

They were now looking out over the ocean, the ship having turned 180 degrees during its escape. The shimmering reflections bouncing off the waves blinded Constantine, and he lifted his hand to shade his eyes. He beckoned to the centurion, then opened a side door and crossed through a narrow passageway to the other side of the airship. It was faster than walking all the way around. The gasbag rippled overhead slightly as the officers stepped out onto the deck. They were greeted with the panorama of the destruction of Vulcan’s Island.

“Do you think the general is planning on holding onto the island?” the centurion asked.

Constantine thought for a moment. The wind brought the faint smell of burnt wood and the salt of sea spray. “Probably. That’s why he’s going to land some ground forces and engineers-take the island and build a base or fort or whatnot. That way we won’t have to burn out the pirates again.”

Julius nodded. “We just need to burn out all of those northern scum and then it will be a perfect place for a fort. No savages left for us to worry about.”

Hearing the bitterness in his voice, Constantine worried about his under-officer. The young man had seemed bright and resourceful and carefree when he first met him less than a year ago, but now he was bitter and cynical, not at all the same person. I suppose your entire family going missing can really change a person. He hasn’t been able to cope with the anger of it. I’ve got to keep an eye on him or he’ll get us into trouble.

“Hey, Julius, have you slept any recently?” he asked casually. Julius shook his head. “Well, don’t spend too long out here, Centurion. Go inside and take a break.” The tribune placed a hand on Julius’s shoulder.

“I’ll be down in a minute,” Julius mumbled.

Unsure of what else to do, Constantine patted him awkwardly, then walked away. He felt as though he should be doing something else, yet also felt that he had done enough. For now. He slid open the recessed door and stepped into the dark interior of the airship, leaving Julius and his troubles behind.

“Steady. . steady. . wait for the green signal!” came the hushed order on the drop deck. The men of the XIII Germania’s 13th Cohort stood patiently in lines on the deck of the Scioparto and the five other airships floating through the moonless night as half of the Thirteenth prepared to combat drop into the harbor town of Sundsvall in eastern Nortland.

Long and twisting, the line of legionnaires meandered around support columns and small knots of crewmembers as they awaited the go signal. Constantine stood at the front of the line, carpteneo clamped onto the wire that was waiting to be dropped over the side of the airship. The metal contraption weighed a few pounds and would hold his life in its iron jaws as he slid down the rope into the night.

The legionnaires and crew waited with bated breath, staring at a dim red signal light attached to the side of the airship’s aft portal. Constantine knew that the wait, though seemingly interminable, was a good thing-Captain Alexandros was positioning his airship as perfectly as possible to help his passengers with their landing.

Briefly closing his eyes, Constantine reviewed the mission parameters in his mind. The cohorts from each airship had been tasked with taking a specific objective in the city. The 13th Cohort’s objective was the anchorage itself, two long piers with a host of warehouses and dry docks for ship construction. I’ve spent a lot of time talking about exactly where I want us to be set down. Let’s hope Captain Alexandros can deliver on his promises.

“Tribune Appius, sir. The go signal.” A crewmember shook the tribune’s shoulder as he nodded toward the light casting a green glow over the deck and the faces of those waiting. Constantine noticed Centurion Caesar and Junior Centurion Gwendyrn watching him hesitantly. Are they green with nerves or green with light? Only one way to find out!

Nodding, Constantine turned to face his men. “Good luck. Don’t split up. Stay with your officer. And if you do get lost, for the gods’ sake, don’t run around shouting. Move quietly and quickly. I’ll see you on the docks.” With that, Constantine turned back to the open section of the railing and waited while a crewman patted down his harness and gear in the final check.

“Got your slider in the right way?” the crewman asked as he fiddled with the carpteneo. Constantine nodded.

“Flares are being launched now!” the deck officer whispered from behind him, where other crewmen were checking legionnaires. Bright spears of red light shot forth, then hung over the unsuspecting city.

Constantine leapt off the side of the ship.

He slid backward through the cool night air, the lights of the town rushing up below him. He slowed his descent as the light from the flares showed him the landing zone far below. Even so, the descent was over quicker than he could have imagined, and he set down in a plaza of damp cobblestones. Light and sounds of merriment spilled from one of the buildings across the way-a tavern. Constantine looked around for any signs of a night watch or town guard. Nothing. Good. It’s easier when there isn’t anyone waiting to spear you, he thought as he got his bearings. Other legionnaires were landing behind him.

He fiddled with the heavy gadget strapped to his back. It was a new type of shield designed especially for the drop troops. Strapping the large steel box to his arm, Constantine found the winding gear and rotated it a few times. Segments rotated outward, each sliding into place like a piece of pie around the central boss. When he finished, he had a perfectly functional shield that weighed less than a standard one and allowed him free movement while descending the rope.

He craned his neck, trying to see where the other units had landed. The ropes were invisible against the night sky, and the tall buildings on either side kept him from judging how far away the rest of his men were. He hoped they would maintain discipline and not do anything stupid, particularly Centurion Caesar. Hopefully Gwendyrn will be able to keep him out of trouble.

Constantine formed up his demi-cohort and opened up the small folder map he kept in his arm guard, trying to orient himself by the dim light of the flares and streetlights. Finally deciding on a direction, he led his force east toward the narrow, sheltered harbor.

They clomped through the streets, their boots ringing against the cobblestones, until they reached a crossroads. Timber buildings three and four stories tall rose on either side of them. Constantine could smell the salt of the ocean air. A shutter opened above them and there was a splash in the street. Another, more earthy smell joined the salt breeze. Nose wrinkling, Constantine looked up at the window in disgust. A few of his men snickered behind him.

Just then, a city watch of sorts rounded the street corner. Of course it would happen like this, Constantine thought, studying the motley crew before him. He couldn’t decide whether they were actually a city watch or simply a group of barbarians on the way to or from a tavern.

The biggest of the men called out to them: “Vem går där?”

The language sounded harsh to Constantine’s ears. Knowing that none of his men could make a credible reply, Constantine drew his sword and charged at the surprised men. Even taken unawares, they still put up a fight with bare knuckles and brutally punishing hits. The legionnaires surrounded them like wolves, hacking and slashing without a moment’s reprieve. Constantine ducked a particularly hefty blow that rang off his shield, numbing his arm. He slashed back, severing the arm and then stabbing into the hairy body beyond.

Wiping the blood from his spatha, Constantine took the chance to check their position. The sounds of conflict were now filtering through the streets. Up ahead, a bell began clanging urgently. The sounds of shutters being thrown open and shouts and curses filled the street. Constantine quickly gathered his men, posting a few to watch the streets while he gave instructions.

“We have to make it to the harbor. We can’t get bogged down. Onwards!” One of his legionnaires raised a hand. “Yes, Legionnaire Adueinus?”

“Sir, what do you want us to do about civilians?”

Constantine realized they had been given no orders about civilians. After a brief moment of hesitation, he replied, “We’ll try to avoid them. If they come at you, defend yourselves, but for heaven’s sake, don’t stab or kill anyone who isn’t doing anything! We don’t need an insurrection on our hands. Any other questions?” There was a brief lull, a few shaking heads.

“Sir,” interrupted one of the sentries, “I’ve got movement at the end of the street.”

That settles it. We’ve got to get to the harbor before we get swarmed. “Okay men,” Constantine said in his most authoritative voice, “let’s go steal the harbor from right under their noses.”

Chapter 5

Julius

The first indication that something was wrong was when Julius hit the roof instead of a street. The bone-crunching impact jarred Julius’s carpteneo from his grasp. Without a way to slow his descent, Julius fell three stories onto the hard cobblestones. Only the fortuitous presence of a hapless pedestrian saved Julius from sure death. The man squawked as he broke Julius’s fall, and they both tumbled to the ground.

Julius felt his left leg twist awkwardly. By the gods, that hurts! he thought, then muttered some choice words that would have gotten him a slap from his mother as pain shot up his leg. He did a quick check of the rest of his body, then pulled himself to his feet using a nearby cart as a crutch. Still gripping its side, he hopped along it to a small bench and eased onto it to unknot his bootlaces and probe his ankle. Stars swam before his eyes at the pain his fingers found.

Legionnaires were still dropping from the airship. Sub-Centurion Gwendyrn had followed Julius, managing to shimmy off the roof without injuring himself or losing his slider. Thinking on his feet, Gwendyrn dragged the rope over and tied it to a solid beam at the front of a house across from the building he and Julius had encountered. The rest of the men slid in a gentle arc toward a safe landing in the street. Seemingly unaware that his commanding officer was injured, Gwendyrn muttered something about “officers taking a break while the locals do all the work.”

“I heard that. You look nothing like the locals. You even smell better,” Julius said. “Besides, you’re Junior Centurion Gwendyrn-you’re an officer too!”

With Gwendyrn handling the deployment of the men, Julius turned to his mind to their location. He was still fiddling with the map when Gwendyrn joined him and after a moment stuck a match. The thin flame provided just enough light for Julius to make out details on the map.

“Maybe you should get glasses. Sir,” the junior centurion quipped as he shook the stub of the sixth match while Julius tried miserably to identify their location. He was having trouble fighting through the pain to focus on the mission.

“Oh, yeah? Well, maybe you should learn to read, then you can do it for me,” Julius responded, then gasped as Gwendyrn accidentally brushed his leg.

Surprised, Gwendyrn peered into Julius’s face, seeing the pain and the unlaced boot for the first time. He immediately turned and called over their medico to take a look at the ankle.

After a few moments, the smaller man gave his prognosis. “Just sprained? You’re sure?” Julius asked. How can a sprain cause so much pain? He cursed again, loudly, as the medico ran his hands roughly over the ankle, probing this place and that.

“That looks painful. But I’ve seen worse back home on the farm,” Gwendyrn stated. “What do you want us to do, sir?”

“Find me something, anything, to help me walk. Crutches, something like that,” Julius grated, failing to hide a grimace. Gwendyrn marched away, shouting at the men to go into the homes to search for a pair of crutches or a cane.

“Brace yourself, sir,” Legionnaire Hespinus said. “I’ll have to put the foot into a splint. I don’t want that limb to move any more than it needs to.” The medico pulled some bandages from his kit and began to wrap the ankle. When this was done, Hespinus helped Julius to his feet. “Try putting your weight on it, sir. I heard Under-Officer Gwendyrn say we’re about to move out.”

Gingerly, Julius took a few steps, heavily favoring his weakened leg. Sweat trickled down his back and he clenched his teeth at the pain. He nodded respectfully to Hespinus. “Got any pain meds?”

The man handed over a small bottle. “Just one sip, sir, will take away the worst out of the pain.”

Julius took a quick sip. “What is this?” he sputtered as the fiery liquid burned its way into his stomach.

Hespinus opened his mouth, but a screeching war cry interrupted him.

“Incoming enemy!” shouted a sentry as the legionnaires raced to the western side of their street.

“What is that?” a frightened voice cried.

Julius looked past him at a hulking machine charging at them from the end of the street. An eerie cry erupted from it to bounce off the walls hedging the road on either side. A fresh flare blossomed above its racing form, allowing the Romans to make out a few details. It resembled a large predator running toward them.

Julius heard Gwendyrn shouting orders as the men formed a shield wall. Shaking his head to ward off the mind-numbing effects of the pain meds, he watched in disbelief as the construct leapt the shield wall and turned abruptly, swatting at legionnaires with a huge paw. Men went flying into the side of nearby buildings.

“Use your plumbata!” Gwendyrn shouted, directing his men to attack the beast with their explosive spears. He used one himself, throwing it right at the mouth of the machine. The predator dodged nimbly, and it was then that Julius saw the silhouette of a man riding atop the machine, protected by the crest of the animal’s head. Julius turned to tell Hespinus what he saw, but the medico had run off to tend to the fallen men.

Anger rose in his chest. His men were dying while he sat here, useless. There’s got to be something I can do! It was only a matter of time until that metal beast crushed his small demi-cohort. About a quarter of his men were down already, and swords and repeater crossbows would be of no use against the metal hide of that construct. He looked around, searching for something to distract the driver.

His eyes paused on an oil lantern lying on the far side of the wagon bed. Leaning across the wagon, arm outstretched, he grasped the lantern and dragged it toward him. Focusing on his task, he pulled a small packet of matches from his belt pouch and began striking, putting every ounce of concentration he could muster into it. He felt as though his arms were moving through water.

Finally, with a hiss, the match burst into flame, and he carefully maneuvered it into the lantern. I hope there’s enough oil still inside. He could hear it sloshing around, but that could mean anything.

It seemed like it took forever, but the wick finally caught the flame and came to life. He turned up the light as much as possible, then placed it on the wagon while he got to his feet, gritting his teeth in anticipation of the blast of pain. But the combination of adrenaline and medicine was effective, because all he felt was a low throbbing.

He quickly surveyed the scene as he grasped the handle of the lantern. In its light, he made out the vaguely lupine design of the war machine, and for a moment Julius was in awe of the Nortland mechanics. Then he looked past the beast, searching for his men.

They were scattered by the mecha-wolf’s snapping jaws and swiping paw, but the narrow confines of the street prevented the men from spreading out much. The same buildings that hemmed in his men also hindered the beast, though; his legionnaires could duck into alleyways and stores, then pop out to harass the creature with arrow and spear.

“Gwendyrn!” Julius called to his fellow officer. “There’s a rider! If you can flank him, you can kill the rider!”

“Thanks for that observation, sir!” Gwendyrn called back from his position about three buildings down the street, where the hefty swings from the beast’s metal claws were taking out chunks of brick and mortar around him. “Let me just find a free moment to do that!”

Julius sighed, smiling wryly as he swung the lantern underhand at the beast. The lantern smashed against the rear of the mecha-wolf and exploded in a flash of light. The fatty oil clung burning to the surface of the beast, seeping into crevices and gaps between armor plates, burning delicate control pistons and wires. The beast turned and fled from its attackers, leaving a trail of light ghosting across Julius’s eyes.

Gwendyrn must have been waiting for just this type of moment. Racing out from the narrow alleyway, he planted himself low behind his angled shield. The creature’s feet hit the shield, knocking Gwendyrn off balance and sending him spinning off, but the powerful machine careened to the side, crashing through the wooden facades of several buildings and setting the structures ablaze. Several legionnaires ran over and picked their way through the debris to make sure the driver was dead.

Julius took a moment to assess the state of his unit. About a third of his men were down with injuries. The rest gathered to watch the flames consuming the metal carcass of their attacker. Using a broken board as a crutch, Julius hobbled over. The men heaped praise upon him, effusive in their happiness at defeating the machine.

“Quick thinking, sir.”

“You really saved us there, Centurion Caesar!”

“Nice and toasty, just the way we like it, eh, Centurion?”

Gwendyrn pushed his way through the men until he stood face to face with his commanding officer. “Sir, shouldn’t we try to alert some of these people? The fire will surely spread.” He jerked his chin at the burning buildings, concern tugging his brows down.

Julius glared at him. All the hatred and anger over the loss of his family surged up inside him once again. Did these people deserve a chance when his family had none, the black parts of his heart seemed to ask. “No,” Julius heard himself say.

Gwendyrn glared at him, the flames from the burning buildings flickering off his eyes. Gwendyrn stared at him for a long time, as if waiting for something.

Julius shrugged and turned away. Behind him, Gwendyrn called, “Is that an order, sir? That we should not alert these people to the danger?”

Julius turned. “We’re at war, Junior Centurion Gwendyrn. Everyone is in danger. Even us. Now, I think it’s time we gathered up our wounded and moved on the objective.”

As his part of the XIII Germania mobilized and prepared to move out, he noticed that Gwendyrn was missing. He looked around, expecting the man to reappear somewhere. He’s probably off scouting the perimeter, Julius decided as he hobbled along. Then he saw Gwendyrn slip out of a doorway. The former farmer quickly turned and walked away. When Julius gave him orders later, he found it odd that Gwendyrn made no mention of what he had learned on his scout mission.

As Julius and his men moved on toward their objective, alarm bells began to pierce the night, calling the local bucket and hose brigades out to deal with the spreading fire.

Bright daylight flooded the smoldering city. A small river ran west to east through Sundsvall, splitting it in two, and much of the southern part of the city lay in ruins. The fire had started quickly and burned quickly, leaving only the frames of a few stone buildings still standing. The stone temple of Gustav-Adolfus was one of those structures. Many of the townspeople had fled there for shelter, and were now fanning out across the city.

Julius sat atop the low stone wall that surrounded the waterfront district. Behind him, the ships of the expedition fleet were moored against the wooden piers jutting into the bay. The sounds and sights of the disembarking army washed over him as he rested his eyes for a while. It had been a long night.

First, the debacle at the landing site. Then the attack of the mecha-wolf and the slog through the streets afterward. Of course, there was also his choice of orders. The one that, in the light of day, surrounded by devastation and death, Julius was beginning to question.

Hearing footsteps approaching, he opened his eyes. Gwendyrn was walking along the balustrade, coming his way. Julius contemplated leaving, but he was positioned just perfectly and as he reached for his crutch, he knocked it to the walkway. Cursing, he reached for it, but the other man got there first. He picked it up and handed it to Julius, then settled against the low lip of the wall next to him. They stared at nothing in particular, each waiting for the other man to break the silence.

After a few long moments, Gwendyrn said, “Quite the vista, eh?”

Julius turned to look at his under-officer and nearly choked out his response. “I’ve seen worse.”

“Ah, you mean Brittenburg, right after the flood? Yes, well, I suppose there wasn’t a dam here you could bust now, could you?” Gwendyrn picked up a small stone and tossed it from hand to hand, still refusing to look his commander in the eyes. “I’ve heard reports that half the townsfolk are missing. They’re somewhere out there.” He gestured to the smoldering cityscape. “You know-mothers without sons, fathers without daughters, wives missing husbands. But I suppose, of course, that they deserved it, being barbarians and all. I’m sure they were the masterminds behind the raid on your hometown. . sir.”

Julius wobbled to his feet, his face twisted in outrage. He could feel his anger burning red hot inside him. He wanted to hit Gwendyrn, to wipe that smirk off the larger man’s face. How dare the man make fun of his loss and pain and suffering?

Gwendyrn tossed the rock off the battlement and stood calmly before Julius, ignoring the waves of anger and hate radiating from Julius. How can he be so calm? I ought to have him flogged or thrown out!

“How dare you!” Julius sputtered. “I’ll have you demoted and thrown out of the legions. Those barbarians destroyed my home, my family, everyone I loved. These barbarians might not have been there, but what’s the difference? I’ll have you strung up and flogged and-and-” Julius’s rant devolved into a string of heavy curses and invocations of the gods. He was waving his arms and gesturing at Gwendyrn when his crutch struck a crenellation and he pitched backward, nearly falling off the wall. His arms pinwheeled and the crutch dropped beyond the wall, bouncing off several stacked boxes.

Unable to use both feet to right himself, Julius flailed atop the rampart, looking like a turtle turned shell side down. Gwendyrn stood and watched him, unmoving. “Well don’t just sit there, help me!” Julius ordered, his voice cracking as he frantically tried to avoid falling the fifteen or so feet to the street below.

Just when he felt his body beginning to slip over the edge, Gwendyrn’s gauntleted hand grasped his arm and hauled him back over the edge. “Seriously, sir?” the big man said. “I’m glad you’ll take help from a barbarian when you need it, because otherwise it seems to be fair game on any of them.”

Julius glanced up at him once he had regained his composure, and for the first time he looked past the outward signs of Romanness-the armor, weapon, uniform. I always assumed he was mostly Roman, except for his name. “I didn’t mean it that way-”

Gwendyrn cursed at him. “Spare me your whining, sir. My family has more children than I have fingers on my hand. I lived in a shack my entire life on a farm no bigger than your apartment. We did not have an ‘autodryer’ to do the dishes. We didn’t even have running water!” Whirling, Gwendyrn marched away in disgust, then turned and glared at Julius. “Yes, you lost your family, and I’m sorry. You aren’t the only one who is having issues, sir, but you have to get it together. Your decisions impact everyone in this cohort. Other men, they can go about their business, they know it wasn’t these people who did the damage to the city. In case you forgot, it was a rebellion. Yes, the Nortlanders were involved, and that’s why we’re here, but we’re also here chasing those rebels.”

Julius stared at Gwendyrn, shocked. Gone was the humorous banter, the slightly childish bearing. In its place was an angry man, disgusted and ashamed of his commanding officer’s behavior. And Julius realized something then-he was ashamed of himself too. All his words and actions and choices weighed on him more heavily than the loss of his family.

Julius placed his hands on his head and slumped down, ignoring the throbbing pain from his ankle.

Gwendyrn sat heavily next to him. “I know how you’re feeling, sir. But take my advice. Keep the personal, personal. This is business. And those people out there, they’re business. We didn’t come here to slaughter innocents. I helped cover for your. . lack of sensitivity. . yesterday.”

Julius looked questioningly at him. Gwendyrn shrugged. “I woke up a neighbor and told them to run for the fire department when we left. No one deserves to die in a fire.”

Feeling more ashamed than ever, Julius sat in silence for a while. Gwendyrn remained next to him, waiting patiently. Finally Julius spoke. He had to clear his throat a few times to get the words out. “Junior Centurion, did I ever tell you about my family?” Gwendyrn shook his head. Julius smiled. “Let me rectify that right now.

“You would have liked Marciena. I joined for her, you know. To send her to school. I know it’s not the thing to do, but I wanted my sister to be smarter than me, maybe even marry up in this world. And my father, well, I think he’d like you too.”

Gwendyrn laughed. “If she’s anything like you, I bet your sister is a fireball.”

Julius thought for a moment, then chuckled. “She can be. Once she loosened all the chair legs in the house, and every time my father tried to sit down, the chair would collapse under him. My mom laughed so hard, she cried.” Julius could still see his mom crying with laughter as her husband broke chair after chair.

“That sounds like my older brother, Alaric. The boy was a natural-born troublemaker.”

“I thought you were a natural-born troublemaker,” Julius pointed out.

“Naw, just learned from the best. And Alaric, he was the best. He got a cow up on the headman’s roof one time. I have no clue how he did it. But there it was in the morning, mooing up a storm. The mayor’s daughter had to climb up on a ladder and milk the poor beast before they could get it down!”

Their laughter floated out over the bustling docks.

For hours, the men swapped stories about their families, until dusk settled over the harbor. Finally Gwendyrn stood and helped Julius to his feet. “I think it’s time we got down, sir. Hopefully we haven’t been missed. We’re supposed to return to the air later today.”

“That will be a lot of fun now, won’t it?” Julius smiled. “Just as long as you don’t screw up like you did the first time you tried to descend from a ship. I remember-”

Gwendyrn punched him and they both laughed. The conflicts between them settled for now, the two men left the battlement above the ruined city.

Chapter 6

Alexandros

Captain Rufius Tiveri Alexandros paced the length of the bridge of the H.M.A.S. Scioparto. The shining wooden surface was worn with use and age, running a good twenty-five paces or so from starboard to port sides. His pace slowed as he reached the starboard side and looked out the large observation bubble. His mouth puckered as if he had swallowed a lemon, and he maneuvered into the lookout’s chair and pulled the binoculars from a pouch on the bulkhead. Sweeping them left to right along the edge of the curved glass, Alexandros surveyed the destruction and chaos, so similar to what he had seen many times before in his long career.

Days after the initial assault, he could still make out wisps of smoke and steam escaping the ruined city. Surely this could have been avoided, he thought as he zoomed in on the tiny figures surrounding the docks. The docks were about the only structure still intact in the town proper. A few buildings north of the narrow river had survived, and a Roman fort was rapidly being built to span the river, the legionnaires and engineers doing what Romans do best-build.

Still fuming from his survey of the wanton destruction below, Alexandros turned to the watch officer. “I’m going to my cabin. Alert me if anything comes up. We should be expecting Tribune Appius’s 13th Cohort soon.” He’d gone the last twenty-four hours without sleep.

The officer gave a quick salute in acknowledgement before returning to his duties. Confident that the ship was in good hands, Alexandros strode aft down the hallway running the length of the trireme-like airship, the Scioparto mirroring the ocean-going vessels right down to the familiar pointed ram jutting from the bow of the long, sleek airship. That always made Alexandros chuckle. We’d probably bounce off any enemy ship that was that close. Our gasbags would collide first, and we’d bounce off each other like those new-fangled rubber balls the rich use in their games.

He passed through several doorways, here inhaling the enticing aroma of stew wafting from the galley, there overhearing laughter and conversations from the crew quarters. Alexandros did pop his head into the combination galley/mess room to check on lunch. Crewmembers lounged about, eating food from gray iron plates and drinking from lidded metal cups resting before them on tables with lipped edges that kept things from sliding off during turbulence. Several others stood in line before the cook and his helper, grabbing plates and jostling over food. The atmosphere was relaxed. Alexandros paused for a moment, silently drinking in the sense of camaraderie and friendship that he was, by position, prevented from having within the airship community

The tight quarters of the airship limited the ability to have separate messes for officers and crew, but he knew that most officers chose to dine in his first officer’s cabin. Travins was friendly and open, but there was definitely a professional gulf that prevented a closer friendship.

“Officer on deck!” a rating called out, and the men snapped to attention, standing upright and looking straight ahead.

Sighing, Alexandros waved them down. “As you were, lads. Didn’t mean to interrupt lunch. Figured I’d grab a plate as well.” He joined the line and waited behind the men. Alexandros believed he was a relatively popular captain; his ship was tightly run and had few discipline problems, and the crew was fanatically loyal to both ship and officers. Alexandros knew he was infringing upon his men’s rare off time, but he wanted the chance to just talk and listen to his crew talking about things that didn’t involve the day-to-day running of the ship. As he claimed a seat, he asked a few tentative questions, made a few slightly off-color jokes, knowing that the men were following strict naval code for talking in the mess.

We’ve abandoned half of those foolish naval traditions, but we insist on retaining the ones based on food. Because rules about food make the most sense two miles up in the air, he thought sardonically.

When the suddenly oppressive atmosphere in the room refused to lift, Captain Alexandros gave up. He surrendered his plate to the cook’s assistant with a polite word of thanks and a comment about the cooking, then left the room.

He could hear conversation spring up behind him as he left. He paused in the hallway, then shook his head and decided to tour the ship. He headed forward, passing crew and officer cabins, storerooms, the wireless room, and finally reaching the forward staircase that curved tightly between decks. He descended quickly to a lower deck humming with the whir of machinery. The air was thicker here, the smell of oil and cleaning materials mixing with the slight tang of sulfur and coal.

He carefully checked into the long side decks. Lightweight scorpions and their larger ballistae cousins were carefully stowed several feet apart at regular intervals, their ammunition in long lockers against the back wall. The area made Alexandros think of a gymnsaium. Up in the clouds, he amended. There were only a few crewmembers about in the weapons galley. They saluted Alexandros as he passed, and he nodded acknowledgement as he continued aftward.

The hallway zigged around the arsenal, the most protected and heavily armored place in the ship. The ships’ supply of gunpowder, fuses, and more lightweight weapons such as repeating crossbows and a few sets of anti-boarding armor were safely secured here. Involuntarily, Alexandros’ hand reached for the small keys hanging on a chain around his neck, probing the cluster for the arsenal key. Finding it, he sighed with relief. He always feared that he’d discover he’d lost them at the worst possible moment-when he needed them.

As he continued aft, the hum and clatter of machinery grew more noticeable, until he stepped into the engine room itself. The construct took up most of the room, pistons pumping and gears clanking. Alexandros greeted his chief engineer with a quick salute and was not surprised at the halfhearted wave that could, maybe, possibly, have been a return salute. It wasn’t about respect, just that Chief Mechanic Idonis Tuderius was far too busy staring at dials and levels and crankshafts to be bothered by anything as mundane as saluting.

Alexandros had to raise his voice to be heard over the industrial noise. “How is she running? Did you get out the kinks from the refit yet?”

Tuderius’s eyebrows puckered and he cocked his head to the side, looking quizzically at the captain. Alexandros repeated himself, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice this time.

Shaking his head, Tuderius pointed a soot-blackened finger at a series of dials, their needles wavering erratically. “We’re still trying to figure out why we’re getting these incredibly strange readings. My own grandmother could have done a better job installing this than those stupid dockworkers.”

“Is there anything you need that I can provide to help you out? More men or materials?” Alexandros asked.

“Well, Captain, a full month’s time in a large hanger with capable ground crews would be a start. .” He sounded wistful.

Alexandros smiled grimly and shook his head. “Can’t do; there’s a war on, or haven’t you heard?” he said, his tone more upbeat than it had been all day. “I know you’re doing the best you can, and I trust you to make this ship fly when she has to.”

The engineer nodded. “We’ll do our best, sir.”

Alexandros returned to the bridge to find his first officer clutching the all-call microphone. “Oh, there you are, Captain. I was just about to send for you. Ground control has sent a wireless message requesting we reduce altitude and prepare to load troops.”

Nodding, Alexandros read the message, hastily written in a curved but legible scrawl on the thin parchment paper that was the hallmark of wireless dispatch offices everywhere. “Set us in motion, Mr. Travins. Be sure to watch the shore side of those mountains. I don’t really know how strong the wind is at ground level, but it’s probably stronger than what we’re currently feeling.”

Engines pumping, the airship slowly descended toward the newly constructed airfield that graced one corner of the otherwise traditionally built Roman fort. The design hadn’t changed for centuries, and Alexandros was certain that even legionnaires from Roman Republic times could have found their way around this fort. They would just have wondered why such a large parade ground was built in one corner. Alexandros chuckled inwardly as the Scioparto closed in on the landing field.

A few moments later, hearing the faint shouts of crewmembers as they tossed lengths of rope out the windows to waiting ground crew below, he walked over to the observation bubble to keep an eye on the ground. Although he was confident in his first officer’s skills, it was always better to be safe than sorry, especially with the low afternoon sun blasting its way through the bridge windows.

A midshipman with a slider descended almost right on top of the observation window, cheekily waving to the captain as he dropped past. Leaning outward to follow the man’s trajectory, Alexandros watched the junior officer land gracefully and set about directing the ship with a pair of brightly dyed flags.

Hearing a polite cough from a man beside him, Alexandros realized that he was interfering with normal landing procedures. I’ve got to stop doing that; I’m preventing the crew from doing their job! Must be the exhaustion. As if the thought had summoned it, fatigue welled up within him, and he had to put his hand out to steady himself. He held himself there for a few more moments, until he heard the steadying boom and jolt of the ship meeting the ground and, confident that the ship had touched down safely, he gestured to his first officer. “I’m taking a rest in my cabin. Wake me if anything critically important comes up.” With that, Alexandros at last retired to his cabin.

The piercing clang of alarm bells woke him from a dead sleep. Reflexively shoving off his covers, Alexandros turned in his bunk and blinked at the clock. I’ve been asleep for nearly twelve hours! He was wiping the sleep from his eyes when someone pounded on his cabin door.

“Captain! You’re needed on the bridge immediately! Enemy airships closing fast!”

They would pick a dawn attack, Alexandros grumbled as he hurriedly pulled on his protective canvas captain’s jacket with the thin metal plates sewn into it. He grabbed his sword and scabbard and raced out the door.

In the hallway, he navigated around knots of legionnaires trying to be as unobtrusive as heavily armed and armored men can be. Many of them also appeared to have been abruptly awakened by the clanging alarms. Dodging around one such group, Alexandros came face to face with Tribune Appius. “Tribune Appius! I’m glad to have your men on board. We may need them if things get dicey,” he said, honestly glad to have some real soldiers on board-Not just my airmen, who don’t know one end of a sword from another.

The tribune smiled. “Anywhere you need my men to be? Or should we just stay out of your way as much as possible?”

Alexandros considered for a moment, then knew exactly where he needed help. “If you could send some men down to the artillery deck, they could use some strong arms and backs to help in winding our scorpions and ballista. If it comes down to a boarding action, we may need you to clear our decks or take the fight to them.”

Appius immediately started barking orders to his men. “Centurion Caesar! Take six squads outside to secure the ship against boarders. Durcius, take two squads down deck to help in the artillery gallery.”

The tribune turned back to the captain, but a voice from the loudspeaker cut him off: “Captain Alexandros to the bridge, Captain to the bridge immediately.”

Travins sounds worried, Alexandros noted. He’s never worried. This can’t be good.

“I’ll keep two squads in reserve to assist where needed,” Appius called after Alexandros, who was already moving.

“Just keep your ears open!” he called back as he ran for the bridge.

Pushing open the bridge door, Alexandros scanned the interior. His officers were huddled around the main controls, while deckhands raced this way and that, adjusting gauges and communicating with various stations around the ship.

“Captain on deck!” a rating cried and all movement paused as the men turned to salute their captain, fist to chest.

“As you were,” Alexandros replied. “Status update. What in the name of Jupiter is going on?”

“Sir, less than an hour ago, skimmers came back reporting that the Nortlanders’ main airbase at Ragunda was empty. Air-Admiral Polentio ordered double lookouts in every ship and sent all skimmers back out to try to find those missing ships. According to our latest reports, the Nortlanders may have as many as ten heavyweight ships of our caliber, but we don’t know how many they may have built or converted since we got this information.” Travins shuffled the thin pile of reports, seeking any additional information.

Alexandros grabbed his binoculars and scanned the horizon. “Where exactly am I looking?”

A deck lookout pointed to a series of small dots just on the horizon. “Right about ten o’clock to our fore, sir.”

The captain fiddled with the settings on his binoculars, zooming in on the small dots. He counted eight airships closing in on their fleet. “What’s the status of our fleet?”

“I believe we’ve got about twelve ships on station currently. We finished loading up the 13th Cohort of the XIII Germania late last night, and the other ships have taken up the rest of the legion-so we’re flying a bit heavy, but we’re also well prepared for any boarding actions.”

A small ring interrupted him. Incoming wireless message from the air-admiral, I hope, Alexandros thought as the door to the closet-like wireless room slid open and the operator emerged.

“Message to all airships from the air-admiral, sir.”

Alexandros took the thin sheet of parchment and unfolded it to read the hasty scrawl twice. “We’re to form up and orient ourselves on the flagship. Formation Beta.”

Nodding, Travins gave the specific orders to the pilots and crewmembers and the Scioparto moved toward her position in formation, to the left of the flagship. The smaller Scioparto was about half the size of the H.M.A.S Seguro, the Emperor-class airship swinging into the lead position. A diamond formation was slowing taking shape as the other airships moved into their assigned slots by class.

Alexandros watched the slow dance from the starboard observation windows as the airships gradually created a powerful wall of firepower. He could see the entirety of the formation from the Scioparto’s position on the leftmost “point” of the diamond. The skimmer carrier Vohar took its place in the center, within the protected confines of the diamond. It continued to launch the small scout ships and collect others.

Alexandros paced the deck awhile, as the two forces closed on each other. The Roman fleet had left Sundsvall behind as it moved northward to engage the enemy. Below, miles of dark, thick forest, with only the occasional road cut or small village, flowed over the landscape. An hour passed, and Alexandros could feel the tension building on the bridge. He made a few comments to his men, told a few jokes, and tried to settle them down. Don’t want to burn off all their combat energy on waiting.

The bell rang again as more messages came from the Seguro.

“Increase to combat speed and avoid boarding actions as much as possible,” Alexandros repeated aloud. The whine of the ship’s turbines grew louder as the airships ate up the ground more rapidly. Airmen called out the quickly dwindling amount of time before the two sides reached each other.

“All hands to full battle stations. Maximum preparedness. Legionnaire forces to action stations,” Alexandros ordered. He could hear his orders being repeated over the loudspeakers throughout the ship.

“Sir! Topside lookouts report that they’ve seen multiple unknown airships approaching from the west,” the midshipman at the speaking tubes called out.

“Forward that to the flagship. Tell those lookouts to keep me updated every five minutes. Nothing we can do about them for now.” Alexandros leaned against the burnished railing that ran the length of the long bridge windows, as if urging time to go faster. He could feel the steady pulsating thrum of the engines vibrating through his ship, almost as if it too was eager to get into action.

Alexandros could pick out details on the enemy airships now. They were about the same size as the Scioparto. None of them appeared to be as large as the Seguro, which gave Alexandros a feeling of confidence. Roman tactics almost always proved a deciding factor against the more undisciplined opponents that Rome faced, and this time they also had size and firepower on their side.

His first officer appeared at his side. “Looks like we’ll be able to deal with this batch, then knock out the other ones before they can come into range,” he said, appearing to read Alexandros’ thoughts.

“Just remember that old adage, Mr. Travins: no plan survives contact with the enemy.”

“Entering target range. . now,” called a crewmember.

Alexandros spouted off a series of orders as the ship bore down on her opponent, a smaller vessel with a heavily patched gasbag. He could see the airships in formation ahead of him firing off their ballistae and scorpion bolts, and the sounds of explosions and streaks of fire began to fill the sky. The enemy ships fired back wildly, evidently eschewing accurate fire to close with their more organized adversaries.

Quickly identifying the enemy airship, his intelligence officer shouted instructions to the chaotic gun deck below through the brass speaking tube. “Enemy vessel is a Falk-class airship. Mounts roughly twenty bolt or rock throwers. Recommend we target the engines and the exposed rudders.” Alexandros had given orders to wait for his order to fire the first volley-he wanted the enemy vessel rocked back on its heels.

“Topside lookouts report possible gasbag puncture. They are attempting to patch it,” called the communications officer.

Alexandros’ eyebrows furrowed. He’d spent his time as the topside watch officer more than once back in the day, and trying to find and patch a hole on the side of an airship in the middle of battle was an insane risk, but one that had to be taken. “Send additional airmen topside; I want them overstaffed for any additional problems.” The order was acknowledged and passed on.

Alexandros turned back to eye the Falk-class airship as it closed to within roughly half a mile. It looked to be sliding between the Scioparto and the rest of the fleet, sheltering its already damaged port side from his ship’s fresh weaponry. “Mr. Travins, you may give the order to fire.”

“Aye-aye, sir!” Travins cried with relish and shouted the command down the artillery deck tube.

Alexandros closed his eyes for a moment and imagined the carefully slotted doors being slid open all along the bottom deck. He could see his gun crews deploying their weapons and triggering the release of the tension pent up in their heavy ballistae and scorpion throwers. He opened his eyes to watch the flight of the gunpowder-filled bolts, then the flash as they exploded against the side of the enemy ship almost in unison. A few missiles went awry, and Alexandros could almost hear the gunnery officers screaming at the unlucky artillery crews of the misaimed weapons.

The brisk wind pushed the smoke from the explosions away quickly as the ships surged past each other. Alexandros could see great rents in the wooden hull of his opponent, and pieces of debris, the detritus of war, raining groundward. “Pound them!” he snarled, watching as the Nortland vessel began to move beyond range of his weapons.

The enemy’s shots were hitting home too, and distant alarm claxons began to wail again as the Scioparto shook under the assault. “Mr. Travins, take charge of the damage repair teams,” Alexandros ordered. “I want us ready again immediately.” The bridge door banged behind the first officer as he raced off to comply.

As much as Alexandros would have loved to turn his ship about and chase down the wounded warship, he knew the necessity of staying in formation to support the rest of the fleet. A formation is only as strong as the weakest member, Alexandros remembered his former instructors warning at the Air Fleet Academy. That was over thirty years ago, he realized. The advice had stuck, and he’d seen it proven time and time again.

“Rear batteries are free to engage,” he ordered. Although he doubted the trio of rear pieces could blow his opponent from the sky, there was always a chance of a lucky strike.

“Sir, the Hasta has begun firing upon the Nortlanders,” his watch officer called, ear jammed into the speaking tube linked to the lookout post.

“Where are the other enemy vessels?”

“Three enemy airships are out of action. Wait-four. Hasta and lookouts report the Falk-class airship has been shot down.” A loud cheer erupted on the bridge as another airship before them caught fire under the combined bombardment from the flagship Seguro and the mid-weight Marcum. It cartwheeled out of the sky as its gasbag ruptured in multiple locations, leaving a trail of dirty black smoke behind it.

“I seem to be mistaken,” the watch officer stated glibly. “Five enemy vessels down. The rest are fleeing. “ The men cheered again at the lopsided victory.

After a second, Alexandros ended their excitement with the stern, “Keep an eye on the other three; I don’t want us to be surprised by another trick. These barbarians have already pulled a fast one on us. And order all main batteries to reload and refit as necessary,” he added. The watch officer affirmed and shouted along his orders, refocusing the deckhands on their assigned duties.

The captain slumped into his leather command chair, its indentations familiar with his body after years of use. He felt the adrenaline seeping out of his body as if he were an old wine bag.

The message bell rang again. “Sir, new orders from the admiral. We’re to identify the location of the second fleet of enemy ships and set course for them in formation Beta.”

Alexandros leaned forward in his chair at this news. “Well boys, looks like we’ve still got work to do.”

Chapter 7

Julius

The brief air battle had taken only two minutes, but it felt like a year to Julius. The young centurion had his men standing in battle formation all up and down the exposed decking, creating a shield wall to protect them from the brief exchange of projectiles between the ships.

Junior Centurion Gwendyrn marched along with his commander, and the two had cheered with the destruction of the Nortland vessel just aft of their airship. From his vantage point, Julius had seen the destruction of another vessel in the Nortlanders’ unorganized assault, as well.

“They may have airships, sir, but they can’t seem to figure out how to use them correctly!” Legionnaire Hespinus called out to the centurion.

“Right you are, Legionnaire. Maybe we’ll have to stay here a while and teach them how to fight like real civilized people,” Gwendyrn replied, chuckling heartily.

Hespinus nodded at his officers, and threw out a salute. “Hail Rome!” he shouted, the men to either side echoing him.

“Hail Rome, indeed,” Julius said, giving a crisp salute in return.

A piercing squawk came over the loudspeaker, followed by a voice that Julius recognized. “All hands, this is the captain. Lookouts report another enemy force west of us. I know we just beat off one group, but it appears they need a second lesson. Let’s give it to them: don’t tangle with the Roman Airfleet. For the Emperor and Rome! Alexandros out.”

“Looks like we may have a job to do after all,” Gwendyrn stated quietly. They had pretty much stood around during the first battle, observers whose lives hung in the balance, and now were fast on track for a second one within an hour.

The gradual approach of the fleets was mind-numbingly slow. Julius found himself raising and lowering his binoculars again. And again. And again. Until finally Gwendyrn muttered that he’d put his eyes out if he kept doing it. Feeling slightly sheepish, Julius carefully dropped the binoculars back into his belt pouch.

A brief appearance by Tribune Appius, coming up to check on his cohort, broke the monotony. “How’d it go up here?” he asked, clapping a hand on his centurion’s shoulder. “Not much action for us yet, but I have a feeling we’ll be fighting steel to steel soon enough. At the very least, we’re getting rid of their pirate ships. You can’t rob, rape, and pillage without a way to get there.”

“Maybe they’ll just stick to doing it to each other, sir?” Julius said hesitantly.

Tribune Appius looked surprised. “Why Centurion, I thought you would be full of vim and vigor, ready to crush our northerly neighbors!”

“Of course, sir. I want vengeance. I’m just looking to enact it upon the right people now. Especially for my sister,” Julius said, lips tightening.

Nodding, the tribune lowered his voice. “I know how you’re feeling, Caesar. Remember, those fanatics killed my brother, too. Now I’m stuck with this heir to the throne thing.” He was grim, all the bravado removed from his voice. “But I promise you, Centurion. Your sister’s name will be the last words they hear.”

The blare of the loudspeaker interrupted the tribune. “All hands, battle is imminent. Battle stations. All hands to battle stations. All legionnaires to their stations.”

Julius grabbed at Tribune Appius before he left. “Sir, are you sure you don’t want to take control of the cohort up here on A Deck? You’re our leader and you’ll make the better decisions.” Julius was nervous; he’d never been in charge of a boarding action before.

Appius shook his head. “You’ll do fine, lad. It probably won’t even come to it. Alexandros is too wily to let these barbarians force a boarding action. Just stay sharp. I’m taking charge of the men on B Deck-those replacements need me more than your veterans do. Send a message if there’s trouble. You got that, Centurion Caesar?”

“Yes, sir!”

“May the gods watch over you.” And with that, Julius’s commanding officer left the exposed deck, stepping into the airship proper.

“One would think that he’s afraid of a boarding action,” Gwendyrn whispered to Julius.

“I don’t think we can question his bravery, Sub-Centurion. Nor can we question his decision-making. After all, he left me in charge up here.”

“That’s exactly what I’m questioning,” Gwendyrn said slyly. Julius smacked him on the head.

Airman Souzetio approached, brows dipping in concern at the apparent disrespect between the two officers. “Centurion, get your soldiers into position. The Nortlanders appear to be trying to double up on our airships. There’s more than we thought,” he shouted over the humming of the engines. The tempo of the large propellers had increased and Julius felt the ship move faster under his booted feet.

He nodded and turned to pass on the orders from the briefing earlier. “Check your gear, lads. If you’ve got the grappler, remember to aim for the deck or something that can hold our weight as we cross on those ropes. Everyone else, clear the deck with your repeaters before you cross. Let’s not bring any extra things across. We go in fast, and either capture the ship or set the flares, then get off fast. The flares should do the work for us, but we have to get off before the fire spreads to the Scioparto. I don’t think the captain would like that!” The confidence in his voice sounded false to his ears, but the speech seemed to rally his men.

The enemy airships closed in tighter, from what Julius could tell. The large bulk of the Scioparto’s gasbag and the airship proper blocked his view to his left. Straight ahead, several enemy airships were closing fast on the line of Roman fliers headed straight at them. To Julius’s inexperienced eye, the enemy airships seemed to vary little in design or shape, except that they had two airships that were as big as the Roman flagship. One was bearing down on the left flank of the Roman formation, and the Scioparto.

The flagship began firing, joined by the ships flanking it to either side as the two lines clashed in midair. The rolling line of explosions and the cacophony of battle, soft at first, grew louder and more immediate as the enemy airships closed in, engulfing the formation. Julius counted twelve enemy warships, equaling their number. And those were just the ones he could see.

Below, metal and wood screeched as the ship’s artillery ports opened. Julius and the men of the XIII Germania watched, anticipating the first salvo from the Scioparto with glee. A larger vessel appeared to be sliding toward them, closing the space until it was just parallel to the smaller Scioparto.

Fire, already!

All at once, the artillery on the Roman ship fired, launching a barrage of explosive missiles at the Nortland vessel. This time, the artillery crews fired as fast as possible, joined by the smaller pieces on the exposed deck. Legionnaires tried to shield the exposed aircrews as they fired their lightweight weaponry, large shields covering the men as they reloaded. When the breeze blew away the smoke of war that obscured their damage, Julius’s eyes went wide in surprise and he cried out in alarm.

The enemy vessel was mostly unharmed.

“Why aren’t our weapons doing any damage?” Julius shouted at Souzetio, who was commanding the nearest scorpion team. Souzetio was helping wind the arms of the scorpion back, while another airman carefully placed a rack of heavy bolts into the firing chamber.

“They must be armored! Our explosive-tipped ballistae should be dealing damage, though. Armor plating can’t be tough enough to withstand our weaponry and light enough to fly.” The airman grunted as he heaved the last part of the weapon into position. He moved around to take the controls.

At that moment, the enemy ship-Julius could see the name Hamdar whitewashed onto the hull of the vessel-fired back. The Scioparto rocked from side to side as explosions buffeted the ship.

“Fire! Fire on deck!” someone shouted as thick smoke billowed from several locations. The ship, still reeling from the bombardment that had just hit it, continued to fight back, but the artillery deck’s weapons must have been heavily damaged-only a few bolts or canisters flew at the enemy ship, denting and notching the sides, but doing little damage otherwise.

Julius cursed as he picked himself up off the deck. Several of his men were missing, and others sprawled on the deck; blood spattered the sides of the ship. His effective fighting force had been hit hard.

“Medico! Medico!” The shouts seemed to come from all corners. Corpsmen from the infirmary were already up on deck, dragging the wounded to makeshift triage centers.

“Alert! This is the captain. Enemy airship is closing to board. All hands to repel boarders. All hands to repel-” The loudspeaker cut off with a shriek as another wave of enemy fire struck the ship.

Julius felt part of the deck buckle as several large rocks sheared through railings, war machines, and men. Windows blew out and heavy pieces of machinery were tossed across the deck like children’s playthings. Julius went head over heels to slam onto the deck. Several airmen and legionnaires were tossed overboard, toward a fate Julius didn’t want to comprehend.

When the ship had finally stopped jolting, Julius and his men began to pick themselves up. “Men, form battle lines!” Julius shouted out, suppressing a hacking cough as he struggled to his feet, lungs and eyes burning from the sulfur and smoke.

“Gwendyrn! Go secure the other end of the line!” Julius ordered as he grasped the hand of a downed legionnaire and hauled him to his feet. Hearing no response, he craned his head around looking for his subordinate. A medico eased the concussed soldier from Julius’s shoulder, freeing him to look around for his subordinate.

“Gwendyrn?” he called again, hesitantly. He heard something over the sounds of the battle engulfing the airships. Supporting himself on the torn railing, Julius walked toward the ragged edge of the hole in the Scioparto’s hull. He shouted Gwendyrn’s name again, his voice cracking.

“Down here!” Gwendyrn’s voice shouted back. The under-officer was clinging to a long piece of piping that swung precariously out into space and then back toward the hull as the airship struggled for its life. He was only about ten feet down, but the pipe’s supports could give way at any moment.

“Stay right there! I’ll grab you a rope!” Julius called down.

“Could ya hurry up? I have a date with solid ground that I’d like to skip,” Gwendyrn yelled back, his sarcasm tinged with fear.

Julius searched frantically for a rope in the confusion on deck, ever conscious of the passage of time. Come on, come on. .!

He finally came back with a reasonable substitute, snagging a few other legionnaires to help him get the larger man up on deck. “Grab the hose!” he shouted, dropping one end into the hole.

One of the pipe supports had broken, sending Gwendyrn slipping lower down the contorted pipe. The hose flailed in the wind, tossing this way and back, at one point striking the centurion and knocking his steel galea off his head. The plumed helmet dropped through the clouds and disappeared. Curses floated up to the legionnaires’ ears. Finally, Gwendyrn grabbed hold of the fire hose and clutched it for dear life as the men hauled him up toward the deck.

The hose was slippery and the men’s arms shook as they pulled, inch over inch. Remembering how his father and other workers had formed a rigging crew to free a metalworker trapped under a load of boxes at the factory, Julius got the men chanting a pattern and, now moving in unison, they lifted their own heavy load, safely and quickly.

With Gwendyrn back on deck, Julius turned to survey the situation. His men were in loose battle lines, their special air legionnaire scuta shields cranked open and locked into place. The first row of legionnaires had drawn their spathas; behind them, other legionnaires stood with their plumbata ready to throw. Along the railing, legionnaires crouched in pairs, one holding their scuta while the other aimed his repeater crossbow from under their cover. Despite the casualties from the initial bombardment and subsequent artillery barrages, his lines looked steady. Julius shouted encouragement here, a quick order there, as he took his place in the first rank, preparing himself mentally for close combat.

Julius tried to block out all emotion, to strip all care from his voice. He envisioned himself becoming like the steel in his sword and shield, as his drill instructors had taught him. He wanted to lead his men with honor, dignity, power, and skill. But mostly, he didn’t want to screw up like the last time he had been given command. That incident had ended with the loss of most of his men to a half-crazed barbarian chieftess.

It was only at that moment that Julius’s brain finally made several critical connections. Casualties were consistently very high in Rome’s first rapid response force aerial deployment cohort. So it was now more, not less, likely that he would be dead soon, at the rate they were going.

Opposite them, the enemy airship’s artillery continued to duel with the smaller Roman warship’s weaponry. But the Nortland vessel had already closed in, and grappling hooks shot out from shielded enemy positions. Some bounced off the smooth sides of the ship, while others struck shields, knocking gaps in the Roman lines. More than a few dug into the wooden deck planking, and at a shout from their centurion, legionnaires leapt upon the hooks and long, trailing wires. They hacked away at the tough ropes, crying in dismay at the iron wrapping that protected the first five feet of the hooks.

Those Nortlanders are no idiots, and they’ve got years of pirate boarding experience to draw on. Julius fought panic as the enemy ship winched itself closer.

Suddenly, Julius saw Nortlander soldiers on the railing opposite his men. “Repeaters! Target and fire!” he ordered. The pairs of legionnaires went to work, one man plastering the enemy troops with short, wicked repeater bolts about as long as a man’s forearm while the shield man swung his shield up to cover his partner when he switched weapons, then reloaded the spent repeater, readying it for the shooter. The ships were less than twenty paces away from each other now, and the bolts’ barbed tips struck home amongst the enemy.

“’Ware, boarders!” called out one of the few remaining airmen on deck, drawing Julius’s attention to several figures moving along the grappling hook cables at breakneck speed. The remaining airmen had pulled off to one side, and were busy arming themselves from the ship’s arms locker.

“Looks like we aren’t the only ones with sliders,” Gwendyrn shouted down at his commanding officer. Julius nodded back, filing that fact away for future use. He ordered the men trying to cut the ropes back, realizing that they would be out of position and vulnerable to the larger, more aggressive lone wolves who were rapidly narrowing the gap between them and the Scioparto deck.

“Here they come!”

The boarders slid onto the deck, simply releasing their sliders instead of unbuckling them in the Roman fashion. Lightly armored, they rolled into combat against the thin, armored line of legionnaires, their shorter and heavier axes clashing with the Roman swords as the Nortlanders chopped at exposed arms and legs. At first, the legionnaires used their weapons’ reach to their advantage, striking down boarders before they could close with the battle line, the tough steel of their spatha facing little resistance from hide bucklers and leather shoulder pads.

Julius found himself facing one of the larger boarders wielding two of their wicked-looking knives at once. He sparred with Julius for a few moments, trying to break the Roman shield wall that was holding tight against the individual rushes of the boarders. Then the man charged, yelling, feinting high with his weapons then slashing low, attempting to kneecap the centurion. Julius saw the man’s feint and deflected it with his scutum, throwing the man off balance. His spatha stabbed out, biting deep into the Nortlander’s bowels as he was trying to recover. Blood sprayed, and the man collapsed.

All along the Roman line, the well-organized defenders were easily dismissing the first wave of Nortlanders. “Seems like it’ll be an easy day for us,” Legionnaire Janus quipped.

Then the Scioparto and Hamdar crashed together, the winches on the enemy ship having finally reeled in their smaller prey.

“All repeater teams back to the line!” bellowed Julius. The rapidly firing crossbow teams had taken few casualties, but Julius wanted to save their firepower and manpower for the slugfest that he knew was coming.

Although only a few paces away, his legionnaires moved carefully, as the deck was awash with blood and guts, debris from the continual bombardment, and dead men from the skirmish. The first few teams were back within the safety of his shield wall when the boarding bridges crashed down. Large, heavy planks had been nailed together to form thick bridges wide enough for two or three men at a time to cross. To Julius, they looked like roadways that delivered death instead of goods.

For a brief moment after the bridges slammed down, there was one of those pauses in combat where the contestants of battle found themselves temporarily off balance, awaiting something. It’s just like what Tribune Appius talks about when he tells us about those ancient battles of Carthage, and at Delphi; like Emperor Caesar in Gaul or Emperor Hadrian facing down the Picts. Julius found it somewhat humorous that his brain was choosing to think about that, rather than the obviously bloody situation about to occur. At least I get to kill some Nortland scum. Especially Nortland pirate scum. It’s always open season on them.

With a wordless cry, the main Nortland force charged across their bridges and onto the Roman vessel.

“For my sister! For the Emperor! For Rome!” Julius yelled over their animal cries as he led his men against the boarders. The two lines crashed together, bodies flying and shields shattering. This force of Nortlanders seemed to be equipped with more two-handed weapons, including those dangerous mechanical axes that Julius remembered from the battle atop the Brittenburg curtain wall. These men were the largest and most dangerous. Their weapons could chew through even the specially designed scuta and break the shield wall by literally destroying the shields.

His men worked methodically, attempting to strike at the Nortlanders from afar with their plumbata, or hold them off with the short spear, pinning them until a fellow legionnaire with a spatha could end their threat. The two lines flexed, their seemingly unstoppable momentum first giving the barbarians the upper hand.

“Hold them! Hold them, boys! Remember your drill,” Julius encouraged, using his shield to trap an axe against the deck and surgically stabbing out with his sword, leaving a nasty cut through the meat of a thigh. The man fell, only to be replaced by another barbarian, who swung his sword at Julius’s head. Ducking, Julius could feel the wind of its passage on his neck, and then a soft rain of dyed red hair began to sprinkle his face and eyes. Bastard cut my officer’s plume. Julius was distracted, trying to get the itchy red hair out of his eyes.

The Nortlander didn’t give him the chance to recover. He reversed his stroke and Julius caught the sword on the side of his helmet, just as his shield partner severed his attacker’s arm at the elbow. The blow clanged off of Julius’s head, and his vision swam. He dropped back, allowing a filler to take his place on the line so he could recover.

A harried medico was pulling another man out of the line, blood streaming from several large cuts and abrasions, when he noticed the centurion stagger backwards. He grabbed Julius and placed him on an overturned barrel. “I’ll be back for you, sir. Don’t close your eyes. You probably have a concussion.” Julius nodded weakly, feeling a wave of exhaustion sweeping aside his adrenaline. He sat on the barrel for what could have been minutes or seconds, for all Julius knew. He watched the press of men before him, his legionnaires holding off a force twice their size.

It was only a matter of time until they broke somewhere.

I’ve got to get a message to the tribune. We need help. Gathering his wits, he looked around for a speaking tube. Spying one only a few paces away he stood, pausing as the world swayed, then staggered over to the tube and uncorked it.

“This is Centurion Caesar of the XIII Germania on top deck. We’re being pushed back and need reserves.” He closed his eyes, praying that someone was listening on the other end. He heard a brief, but maddeningly unintelligible comment from the other end.

Finally, someone responded: “Centurion, your men are on their own. The ship interior has been penetrated on B Deck and our forces are pinned down in hall-to-hall fighting. You’ll have to find a way to destroy their boarding equipment or force them back.”

“I don’t have the manpower-”

“Just do it, Centurion. Or die trying. We don’t have time to dawdle. Get those barbarians off this ship. That’s an order.”

Julius didn’t bother to respond. Leaving the speaking tube uncorked, he returned to his men. Although exhaustion and confusion had overwhelmed his earlier enthusiasm, Julius now saw what was about to happen. Grimly, he tightened his helmet and shield, drew his sword, and waded back into the fight, steely determination and anger growing in his chest.

“Push them, lads-all together!” Gwendyrn shouted from his position on the left flank. Julius could hear his deep bellow cutting through the sounds of battle. He watched the left flank began methodically pushing the boarders back, each step condensing the enemy troops, hampering their abilities to strike unencumbered. “Come on, lads, you’re going soft on me. We don’t want to take them on a date. We’re not inviting them over for wine. Push them off the gods-damned ship!” Gwendyrn exhorted his men.

Julius hurriedly gave similar orders to his men, as the Roman line began to stretch thin between the left and center. The left was advancing so quickly that the center would soon be unable to support it. Already the trapped men were sliding to their left, around the edge of the advancing shield wall, hammering at the thin line of legionnaires protecting the vulnerable side of the wall. If they gave way, Gwendyrn’s entire flank could dissolve. Jupiter damn him, if only he had told me what he was doing, we could help. Although Julius trusted his subordinates, Gwendyrn was far more willing to take the initiative than his other subordinate, Sub-Centurion Hespinus, currently commanding the squads on the right flank.

Julius grabbed a wounded legionnaire, who gave a half salute with a bandaged arm seeping blood. “Find Hespinus. Tell him we need to push them back over the edge. Use the railing as a weapon. He has two minutes to prepare before we go.” The man repeated the message quickly and raced aft, navigating the press of bodies to find the officer.

Julius turned and gave the order to his boys. He brought up all his reserve men, and even threw a few wounded warriors who could still hold shields back into the mix.

It was all or nothing.

He checked the pouches on his belt, finding the phosphorus flares right where they should be. Destroy the enemy ship, or die trying. Gripping them tightly in his hands, he mentally counted down the two minutes.

“Alright, men of Rome, are you going to let the Gaul’s men do all the work? Are they the only real soldiers on this airship? Let’s show them how well real Romans can fight!” he bellowed. “Shield wall, push them on my mark.”

His men moved closer together, filling gaps between the shields and interlocking their arms. Behind them, legionnaires packed together tightly, using their plumbata to stab out at any Nortlander who rushed the line. Now the legionnaires would not move from the wall, only stab their swords low to hamstring and kneecap their Nortland attackers. The lightning-quick attacks left little room for retaliatory strikes. Howling, the blonde enemy battered his line as they rhythmically pushed their shields forward, driving their weight into the enemy press.

One, two, three-“PUSH!”

The men on his line drove forward in a focused, precise movement. Even exhausted from the intensity of shipboard combat, the well-trained legionnaires understood one simple fact: this would succeed here and now, or they would die slowly, piece by piece, later.

Occasionally, a legionnaire would fall. Julius cringed as he watched Ulysses’ head cave in after a blow from a chain-axe, the weapon spraying blood spatter over his neighbors. The shield men to either side quickly and mutely dealt with the threat, swords penetrating the killer’s armor in multiple places, granting the second line a brief moment to fill the gap. Julius watched Faestes fill the hole, and the push continued.

They were close to the enemy bridge now. Julius could see a few of the attackers beginning to flee over the bridge, back to the safety of their own vessel. “We’ve got them, lads. Keep going!”

With a roar, his men fought on, swinging with renewed vigor, almost swaggering in their lockstep. Inside the press of bodies, Julius had neither the time nor sightline to check on the progress of his flanks. Extricating himself from the press of bodies, Julius stepped back a few paces to check his forward and aft ranks.

Although Gwendyrn’s men had started first, Julius’s forces had caught up to them, and they now presented a strong, united front. Looking south, Julius’s gray eyes widened as he saw his right flank pushing forward unevenly, their coordination seemingly off. Damn it, just when we were so close to throwing them all off this vessel! Julius thought, briefly torn. Should he forge ahead and risk losing his flank? Or should he stop his push right when he had them on the run? If we don’t get to the enemy vessel, we won’t have another chance, the men are too tired.

Julius chose to send a runner down to find out what the problem was. The man returned with troubling news. Hespinus was injured, and command of the flank had fallen to a new squad leader. Analyzing this new information, Julius quickly formatted a plan. He ordered the push again, and his men moved forward. They were almost to the bridge. At the same time, he detached two of the six squads at his command to shore up the weak right flank. As his men pushed the enemy off the ship and back onto their own vessel, the frontage would become narrower, and he wouldn’t need as many bodies to hold the line.

He had taken his galea off briefly to examine the helmet. After he had gotten his head rung, he wanted to make sure it was still intact. Although battered and shorn of most of its red officer’s plume, his galea was still solid. As he placed the leather-lined helmet back onto his closely shaved head, his eyes fell upon a familiar face.

Airman Souzetio lay on deck, hands covering a nasty gut wound. Blood soaked his shirt, and blank eyes stared out of his pale face. Julius felt anger stirring within him. He would grieve later. Right now, he had a job to do.

Securing his galea, he marched back toward his men. “We’ll take that ramp and hold it until I can destroy that vessel. Squads three and four, with me. One and two will hold the ramp.”

The panting men nodded their understanding as they continued to face off against the last few Nortlanders. Several had already fallen between the ships, their fates best left unknown. Others had leapt the gap, showing impressive athleticism. The press at the boarding ramp was heavy, and the Romans were beginning to slaughter the Nortlanders now as they panicked. Incredibly tough, but also undisciplined and unorganized. A good commander can always use that against them.

Finally, the Romans gained the ramp. Julius led the way, hacking down Nortlanders as they tried to flee. Another legionnaire began to say something but died as a repeater bolt entered his eye. He dropped like a stone. Julius screamed orders for his shield wall to reassemble. Enemy airmen were now involved in defending their ship, and their weapons were just as deadly as their Roman counterparts’.

“Repeaters! To the edge and suppress them!” Julius ordered. Only a few members of the repeater teams raced forward now, as most had been absorbed back into their parent squads. Julius sent another runner to tell the bridge that the A Deck boarding attempt had been repulsed and they were mopping up the survivors.

“Remember to tell them that we’re counter-boarding!” he shouted at the messenger. As the man raced off, Julius continued the assault. They overwhelmed the last few Nortland attackers, dispatching them in a flurry of sword strokes. The immediate area clear, the Romans pressed on.

Julius’s boots thudded over the wooden planks of the bridge, and he jumped onto the enemy vessel. The design startled him at first, since he had never had a good chance to closely examine enemy mechanical vessels. Whereas the Romans built up to the gasbag, the Nortlanders had an entirely open top deck, like the top of a sailing vessel. Many thick cables stretched down at intervals, connected to large rings around the gasbag. Some sort of exposed frame? Julius wondered for half a second, then ducked as several repeater bolts tore past him, eliciting screams behind him. Get your head into the battle! Julius berated himself.

He located a hatch on deck and had his men form a line in front of it. “Hold here while I set their ship aflame!”

The senior squad leader looked beyond him, at a new group advancing on the two squads that had invaded the deck. A Nortland noble must finally have located some more men, or steeled the spines of the fleeing barbarians. “We’ll hold them as long as we can, sir.”

Back on the Scioparto, seeing what his commander was up to, Gwendyrn shouted, “Sir, we’re cutting the boarding ramps behind you. We’ll hold as long as we can, but hurry up with your errand!”

“I’ll bring you a souvenir, you insubordinate farmer!” Julius called back. “Just make sure I can get home after this!”

He lifted the hatch and peered into the gloom within. He could hear the enemy charging the thin line of legionnaires behind him. Taking a deep breath, he descended the ladder, poised to meet whatever or whoever was waiting in the depths of the enemy airship.

After pausing to let his eyes adjust to the dark interior, he began wandering the maze of corridors, lit only by a few unevenly spaced lanterns, several of which had gone out. Julius wondered if the interiors of all Nortland vessels were this depressing. He crept past several weapons galleries, noting that the weapons they used were nearly identical to his Roman artillery pieces: large and small bolt throwers, large and small explosive throwers-although most of the Nortland pieces appeared to hurl rocks rather than the gunpowder-filled canisters that his countrymen used.

At one point, Julius overheard orders being given in Latin, and the sounds of heavy fighting. There was little time to spare. He pushed onward and, finding a small closet, ripped the cords on two of his phosphorus flares, then tossed them inside, onto a pile of spare gasbag canvas. The phosphorus ignited in a harsh white light, illuminating the hallway. The canvas quickly caught fire. Julius left the door open just enough so that the fire could escape the confines of the narrow room.

He stepped out into the hallway, and came face to face with a Nortlander. Bellowing, the man swung his fist at Julius’s head. Julius managed to twist aside, taking the blow on the overlapping steal plates of armor on his left arm. Limited by the tight confines of the hallway, he charged toward the bigger man, and head-butted him. The iron tang of blood filled the air as Julius felt, rather than heard, the man’s nose crack under his assault.

Roaring, the man fought back, pummeling Julius’s smaller frame under a wild flurry of blows. The Roman’s sword was knocked from his hands and skittered into the darkness. Julius could feel the heat of the fire growing behind him as they struggled. His fingers curled around the dagger at his belt and he pulled it free to stab his opponent in the chest. The Nortland soldier shrugged it off and tackled Julius, bearing him to the floor. The man’s hands circled his neck, choking the life from him. Julius stabbed again and again, then kneed the man in the groin, finally breaking the man’s grip.

Julius rolled the man off him. Though the lifeblood was finally seeping from the man, Julius could still almost feel the hands around his throat. Panting, trying to restore his focus, he stood shakily, staggering as the enemy ship shook suddenly. The fire was building behind him. Leaving his sword behind, Julius ran.

With virtually no one on the lower levels, the fire was spreading uninhibited. Flames blocked hallways, almost moving faster than Julius could run. Choking on the thick black smoke, Julius located the appropriate hatch and scrambled up the ladder, emerging into a desperate scene. The Roman squads now numbered barely a dozen men. Their dead lay at their feet as the Nortlanders assaulted them.

“Sir! We can’t hold much longer!” Squad Leader Regulis called, fending off two of the blond foe.

Julius picked up a brutal-looking chain-axe from the deck and flicked the activator switch. The axe hummed to life. Now armed, Julius fell upon the attackers while ordering his men to fall back to the Scioparto. The men enacted a fighting retreat. The Nortlanders pressed them with heedless abandon, careless of the casualties they suffered. Legionnaires fell as the retreat became more and more desperate. They were only a few feet from the ramp when a new batch of Nortlanders swarmed up from another hatchway. Fire welled up behind them as flames and smoke became more evident.

“Hurry up, sir!” shouted Gwendyrn. “We’re gonna drop the bridge!” He waited with the legionnaires lined across the ramp on the Scioparto’s side.

Julius’s small party was almost surrounded. “Run for it!” he ordered, and his men ran for the bridge. Twenty paces, then ten. At the foot of the bridge Julius turned, picked up a dead legionnaire’s shield, and prepared to cover his men. The last few survivors raced past him. Repeater bolts flew in the other direction, chopping down Nortland airmen and soldiers. Julius hacked down a Nortland airman, his light leather tunic no match for the Roman’s borrowed chain-axe.

“Come on, sir! Don’t play the hero!” Gwendyrn shouted at him.

Julius turned to run as the last few Nortland soldiers closed in on him. Feeling a rippling sensation below his feet, he turned to Gwendyrn, a look of horror on his face. The fire must have reached the central magazine!

The deck exploded beneath his feet, launching Julius into the air. He managed to grab hold of a rope as the enemy airship shredded itself. He clung desperately to the rope as the gasbag too caught fire. But as the Scioparto lifted up and away, Julius realized too late that the rope he had grabbed was not attached to the Scioparto.

Screaming, Julius fell to earth with the remains of the Hamdar.

Chapter 8

Corbus

Silent as a ghost, assassin and self-described freedom fighter Corbus moved through the dense forest. He led a team of Nortland scouts dressed in dark leathers and woodland cloaks. Corbus’s thoughts were dark, replaying the train of events that had led him to this armpit of civilization, serving a barbarian king and trying to figure out what to do next.

After the death of his mother on the walls of Brittenburg, Corbus, along with his two advisors, had been forced to accept the hospitality of the Nortland king, who had graciously welcomed them to his palace with open arms. More like his giant cave, Corbus fumed.

Although only eighteen, Corbus had been trained in the arts of war since his fifth nameday; his mother Amalia had taken much pride in the skills of her only child, now the last heir of a lost Germanic tribe. If only the Romans had the typical political commander at the battle of Teutenberg forest, I’d never be in this mess. Then again, he had learned through one of his spies that a political general headed the current Roman expedition to Nortland.

There were definitely some opportunities to be had here. He was learning to channel his smoldering rage into more. . useful pursuits.

Behind him marched an army of about two thousand men, drawn from the feudal levies and men-at-arms of various local chiefs and bigwigs. Corbus was just happy that they, at least, had a competent lord in charge of this portion of the army.

Warlord of the East, Lord of the Seven Glaciers, Duke Nikulas Laufas rode atop his mecha-wolf as the motley army moved as quickly as possible over the back country roads. Corbus knew that the man was both a competent officer and a competent lord. Unfortunately, he was also utterly loyal to the Copper Throne. So while Corbus could respect the man and honor his tactical and strategic skills, he also knew that one day, Laufas would have to die.

At one point, Corbus and his advisors had considered how best to deal with their. . arrangement. . with the Nortlanders. Eventually, they decided to hunt for sympathetic ears for their cause. Their first patron had been the supporter of the raid on Brittenburg. However, the king had been furious with the local lord who allowed his ships to be used in the raid on Brittenburg, and had demonstrated his fury in the usual way.

The man had been taken to the front of a glacier, where a small hole had been hollowed out. The traitorous man was chained inside, and they proceeded to seal the hole by packing snow around it. If the man didn’t freeze to death, exposure to the elements or starvation was a handy second opportunity to give your life to the glacier gods. Not a pretty way to go; I saw what he looked like four months later.

Now, Corbus was fortunate enough to have found a new patron, one who was capable, malleable, and also very, very well placed to secure the kind of support Corbus needed to wrest the northern provinces of Imperial Rome from their denarii-pinching hands. Plus, should that fall through, word had reached him that his advisors had made additional headway in Rome itself in gaining support for his cause.

The sounds of battle drew Corbus briefly from his musings. He closed his eyes and stretched out his senses. The warrior could feel the slight vibrations of explosions on his skin, could taste hints of gunpowder and smoke on the wind. Whistling to his companions, who converged on his position, he sent one back to tell the duke that the air battle had probably begun.

Leaving his scouts behind, Corbus climbed a large tree to get above the thick canopy. His boots gripped the rugged bark and he pulled himself up the tree with his arms, corded with lean muscle, at breakneck speed. I needed that, he thought as, heart pounding, muscles screaming, he arrived at the highest branch that he felt confident would bear his weight. Securing himself against the tree’s ponderous shifts in the light breeze, Corbus looked out on an amazing view.

The tree stood on the sloping side of a mountain, and Corbus could see the entire bowl-like valley that led toward the port of Sundsvall, site of the Roman invasion. Overhead, majestic airships glided and maneuvered this way and that, blasting each other with artillery fire. The Roman ships flew in a diamond formation, but as he watched, the formation broke as Nortland airships fought their way through gaps and tried to board several vessels. A smile tugged at his face as a Roman airship shattered under the direct bombardment of several Nortland airships. He could almost hear the screams of his enemies as they fell to their deaths.

He watched the two sides slugging it out above for a few more minutes, then climbed back down the tree.

Duke Laufas had joined his scouts in Corbus’s absence, and Corbus made a rough half bow. “My Lord, your air forces have engaged the Romans in the valley. It appears that the airfleets will be tied up for a while,” he reported in Latin.

The duke nodded, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he thought through the strategic implications of this development, made harder still by the necessity to translate the message into Norse. “Without their airfleet for cover, the Romans will not have some of their traditional battlefield advantages. Could you tell if our forces were the northern fleet or the southern fleet?”

“I’m not sure about the differences between the two fleets, although this one seemed to have more Emperor-class-sized vessels. They were equal in size, if not larger, than most of the Roman fleet.”

“Ah.” The duke nodded again. “That would be our southern fleet, then. We continue to hope that Roman intelligence in this region is old. In fact, I sent some men out to make our airbase fleet at Ragunda look active but empty. They’ll never know we’ve actually built our fleet beyond their expectations. I bet they never even bothered to scout much more north or west.”

Corbus nodded, filing away this information for later. “What would you have me do now, My Lord?” he said. Laufas is craftier than he appears at first. I suppose that’s why his enemies call him Mist-he is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Plus, you can’t grab mist.

Laufas looked thoughtful for a moment, then pulled out a map. He unrolled the beige parchment and scanned the terrain as best he could. “You say the air battle is to our east, then?” Corbus nodded. “Double the scout screen in that direction. It’s unlikely, but possible, that their airfleet was covering a ground movement.” Though phrased more like a polite request, there was no doubt that it was an order, delivered with the iron weight of determination and the solid power of certainty.

Laufas must know something I don’t. I haven’t picked up any signs of Roman troop movement, but he seems certain that there is. I cannot underestimate him.

With a brief nod to acknowledge the orders, Corbus sent a messenger back to the main force to requisition more scouts and quickly ordered his men into a far longer picket line. Armed with antique-looking longbows, the scouts appeared to be more hunters than soldiers. Some of them probably are hunters, marshaled into the duke’s forces, but at least they know their stuff. There had been only a small amount of grumbling in the beginning about being placed under the command of such a “youngling,” but Corbus had pinned the lead complainer’s hood to a tree trunk at thirty paces with a thrown dagger. After that, there were no more whispers.

Advancing toward the battle, Corbus relied more on his ears than his eyes. The thick boreal canopy blocked his line of sight more often than not, and he quickly tired of climbing tree after tree to get a heading.

So when an airship fell out of the sky in front of him, Corbus was less than prepared. The sounds of battle had become more intense, but the young assassin had simply chalked it up to closing in on the conflict area.

A massive wall of iron, canvas, wood, and fire raced toward him as the blast from the crashing airship flattened trees and anything else in its path. Corbus turned to run, only to dive immediately into a small root depression in the ground as the pressure wave overtook him. When the shaking had subsided and the rain of twigs and rocks had dwindled to a mere trickle, Corbus poked his head up to observe the flattened expanse of forest. Steel girders poked upright from the matchstick scatter of trunks and branches, and torn sheets of canvas waved like dirty laundry on a wash line. He couldn’t make out if it was a Nortland vessel or a Roman vessel, so he chose to investigate further.

Picking his way gingerly through pockets of flame and wreckage, Corbus ducked under girders and deftly leapt furrows gouged in the earth by the harsh impact. He checked some of the bodies he found, most clothed in the brownish furs and clothes of Nortland air sailors, a few garbed in the red tunics and layered armor of the Roman legions. He found a conscious crewmember, his breathing shallow as he lay with his back against a shattered bulkhead. Blood pooled around him as his life leeched from numerous gashes.

“Water,” the injured man gasped, his voice almost too soft to hear. Corbus knelt beside the man and opened his canteen, pouring water into his hand and gently offering it to his mouth. The man slurped noisily, then sighed, his lungs rattling as he breathed.

“Can you tell me what happened?” Corbus asked, keeping his impatience out of his voice.

“Boarded. . Romans. . explosives. . fire. . they’re all dead, all dead!” The man whimpered for a moment, then was still.

Corbus stood and looked around. Maybe one of those Romans failed to escape this explosion. Corbus gave a whistle and heard answering whistles floating back to him over the crackling death throes of the downed airship. Soon help would be arriving.

Adjusting his gear, he rolled up his cloak so that it wouldn’t catch on any of the protruding bits and pieces of wreckage. By the time his scouts arrived, Corbus had already begun a methodical search pattern. Quickly revealing what he was looking for, he ordered his men into action.

Only a short time later, Corbus’s persistence paid off. “Sir! We’ve got an injured Roman here,” a scout reported. “We didn’t even rough him up, but he’s out like a light; must have hit his head. Otherwise, he’s not in too bad shape.”

Corbus viewed the now trussed up Roman and wrung his hands together in slow glee. Oh, I’m very excited to meet you. We’re going to have so much fun together. He couldn’t understand why his men were inching away from him, but then again, he couldn’t see the glint of evil pleasure in his own eyes.

Kneeling, Corbus splashed water in the prisoner’s face. The cold water instantly brought the man out of his stupor, his body jerking and thrashing in startlement that shifted to panic as he realized he was tied hands and feet to a metal stake in the ground. Wide eyes scanned Corbus’s scouts, leaning on their bows and watching him nonchalantly.

“Yes, yes, you’re a prisoner. Congrats on surviving that fall, by the way; I would never have thought it possible. You won the lottery, I suppose, but you know that old saying, out of the frying pan and into the fire?” Corbus was in an upbeat mood. This capture would gain him some intelligence, some small amount of respect, and even better, a chance to take out a small measure of vengeance on this unfortunate Roman.

“Name, soldier? At least that way we can have a nice civilized conversation.” Corbus spoke in low Latin, the common trade language of the Imperial Empire. Not to be confused with High Latin, which was used exclusively on festival days and in boring religious ceremonies. To his Nortland allies, the softer southern language stood in contrast to their harsher, choppy Norse, the common tongue of Nortland. A soft language for a soft people, Corbus mused, distracted for a moment.

The Roman considered, then replied, “You tell me your name, I’ll tell you my own.”

His accent was familiar, and Corbus’s brain instantly began to mull over origin. He’d heard it before, but where? And there was surely no harm in sharing his name with this prisoner. It wasn’t like he was going to escape or anything. “My name is Corbus, son of Amalia, the victor of Brittenburg and general menace of the Imperial Empire. And you are?”

The soldier laughed. “Do you practice that in front of the mirror? That’s an awful lot of titles for one so young. How old are you, nineteen; twenty?” He chuckled.

“You’re pretty brave, for a prisoner. It matters little how old I am, only that I am old enough to fight you and make your life very, very painful, should I need to. Now, once again, what is your name?” This time he placed the tip of his knife on the man’s throat. A droplet of blood appeared at the end of the dagger and trickled down the razor-sharp steel.

The man gulped, then spat out his name.

“Julius? See, now we’re getting somewhere. We’re on a first name basis!” Corbus’s voice was condescending and full of false cheeriness; he enjoyed the cat and mouse game of interrogation. And he was also very, very good at it.

“Now Julius, I want to give you some of my background. You see, I was born into a very. . traditional family. It was all about the family value of resistance, you see. As a matter of fact, I’ve made it my personal goal to see the Roman Empire ground into a million pieces and forgotten for eternity before I die.” Corbus smiled.

The Roman looked indifferent, although Corbus could already detect the telltale tightening of the man’s eyes and the light sheen of sweat on his forehead.

“Now I want you to tell me about your background-oh, say, what legion you’re in, what’s happening in the Roman camp, how many soldiers there are-you know, the typical need-to-know type stuff.” Corbus gave Julius his best fake smile.

Julius looked incredulously at him. “If you seriously think I’m going to tell you that, then you’re most certainly not fit for command, even in the Nortland army.” Corbus frowned as the prisoner looked around at his ragtag scouting party. “Not that I’d call this an army.”

Corbus struck, his arm dealing a harsh blow across the man’s jaw. “Have it your way, Brittenburgian.” Julius’s eyebrows rose. “Oh yes, see? I placed your accent. I have a special place in my heart for that corrupt, disgusting, pestilent city.” Sneering, Corbus socked the legionnaire again, and the man collapsed back to the ground.

“Send a message to the duke,” he ordered. “We’ve got a prisoner.”

Laufas rode in about an hour later. He reined in his laboring horse, his various adjutants, assistants, and bodyguards forming a loose semicircle behind him. Corbus walked over and gave the duke a half bow. Laufas’s head may have nodded slightly in response, or it could have been the movement of his horse. Corbus wasn’t sure.

“What have you learned?”

“My Lord, the prisoner says that the Romans have indeed encamped at Sundsvall, but that their general seems to be moving cautiously. He refused to name those legions present, but I was able to piece together that there are between four and six legions in the invasion force.” Corbus felt pleased with himself. He had worked the hapless Roman over rather hard, but the man refused to be broken. Which delighted Corbus.

“Did he say anything about war machines? Dispositions? Airship strengths?” Corbus shook his head. Laufas sighed. “And I suppose you’ve already beaten him senseless?”

Corbus felt his face burn as he fought to hold back an angry retort. Laufas chuckled and said something in Norse to his retainers; Corbus just barely caught “southern” and “barbarian” in the Nortland language

“No need to worry, Corbus. I’ll be taking that prisoner off your hands so that you won’t need to ‘extract’ any more information from him.”

His Latin is almost as smooth and natural as mine, Corbus thought. I wonder how much he had to pay to get a tutor up this far.

Laufas signaled and two of his men dismounted and walked to the tent where Corbus had been interrogating his prisoner. They emerged a few moments later, dragging the unconscious man between them.

Scowling at the Roman legionary, Laufas asked a question in Norse. One of his men placed his fingers in front of the prisoner’s mouth, then nodded and spat out a flurry of rough words, too fast for Corbus to grasp. I’ve got to learn more of this stupid language.

Laufas sighed and addressed him in Latin. “Couldn’t you have left him at least able to ride a horse?”

“I figured you could claim the credit for disabling him singlehandedly when you bring him before the king. If one of the other generals doesn’t take credit first,” Corbus retorted, knowing full-well the duke refused to play the court games that preoccupied so many other petty nobles in this frozen land.

The duke’s men hefted the prisoner onto a horse borrowed from Corbus’s scouting party.

“We need you back with the main column. We’ll attack later tonight.”

And with that, Laufas was gone, only the clattering of hooves and small flashes of light reflected from his entourage’s armor belying the speed of their passage.

He is far too competent to leave in a position of authority. But how to remove him?

“Gather up the men,” Corbus called to his subordinate. “We’re moving out.”

Chapter 9

Octavia

For the second time in the last few weeks, Sundsvall was burning. From her vantage point aboard the ocean transport Tiber, Octavia had a panoramic view of the harborfront, which was once again being steadily destroyed by a wave of fire.

The night attack had at first merited little response from the fortified Roman legions, who had assumed it to be a probing raid. But as fireballs dropped into the Roman camp and multiple constructs that had quickly earned the nickname mecha-wolves had leapt the temporary palisade wall surrounding the sprawling camp, the legions were forced to scramble to defensive positions.

Those poor men, Octavia thought as she watched groups of legionnaires using simple pumps and hoses to try to bring the fire under control. There were even groups forming bucket brigades closer to the water. Their labor was compounded by the fact that there were still a few northerners hiding in the smoke and flames, which meant that the work crews had to be guarded. The Nortlanders were not giving up their country without a fight.

The senetora had just returned from a meeting with General Minnicus and his staff. The general had been. . apoplectic, alternating between screaming at his staff officers to attack and cursing them for not mounting an effective enough defense. He had practically threatened every single officer there, and it was only with the arrival of the airfleet and Air-Admiral Polentio that the situation had calmed somewhat.

The appearance of the battle-damaged but still dangerous looking warships overhead had been the final blow to the Nortlanders’ counterattack. Spitting warheads directly onto the enemy positions inside and outside the walls, the fleet had quickly ended the last attack.

With the threat negated, most of the airships had descended farther to the west, dropping off hordes of injured and dead crew and legionnaires from their own hard-fought encounters with the Nortland fleet. The Roman medical camps were swamped with wounded from both attacks, and every person with medical training had been pressed into service. Octavia herself had watched the ship’s doctor and a few other “able” crewmen leave the ship to assist.

Closing her eyes, she recalled the scene in the command center. The general had been grilling several under-officers from various legions, including one with an arm in a sling and another with nasty burns across his face. And then he walked in. . Octavia smiled at the thought of Tribune Constantine Appius, now acting commanding officer of the XIII Germania. He was so calm and collected, deflecting the general’s tirade and returning the room to sanity.

Stop! Octavia scolded herself, viciously squashing any happy fantasies. You’re not a giggling schoolgirl with her first crush. She drove her happiness mercilessly from her heart, then turned an imaginary key and locked it up. For the Emperor and Empire, she told herself sternly.

Although a Roman senator, Octavia had little experience with situations like this. She had never had a province in need of disaster relief, never been on the front lines of a battle or dealt with so many casualties, both injured and dead. She wrung her hands together; the desire to do something fighting with the nascent need to look, act, and carry herself as a senator.

Finally, she could wait no longer. “Captain, I require a boat. And I’ll need a crewman to row it.”

The captain looked at her in disbelief. Octavia could almost read his thoughts as he tried to figure out why she would want to leave the safety of the ship for the uncertainty and danger of the shore. After sputtering a flurry of unintelligible things she believed could be considered “salty language,” he got her a boat and crewperson.

On the short journey to the shore, Octavia struggled between her desire to order the ponytailed crewman to turn back to the ship, and her need to help. Only when the rowboat knocked against the stone pier did Octavia abandon that battle. “Ma’am? Here’s tha shore, if yar interst’d in gettin’ out,” the crewman said, offering her a leering, toothless smile. “Or it be back to the ship with yar.”

She stood carefully, aware of every dip and bump of the rowboat. The crewman offered her a hand, but Octavia haughtily ignored it. That’s for your leer. She carefully grasped the rusted iron ladder that clung precariously to the harbor wall. Now or never. She boosted herself up it.

Her haste caused a misstep, and with a gasp she grabbed for the rusty rungs as she slipped. Below her, the crewman cackled his amusement and put his hand on her behind, pushing her up until her feet finally found purchase. She scrambled the rest of the way up and hauled herself onto the quay, panting.

She briskly brushed her hands off, then rearranged her tunic to cover her embarrassment. When she finally turned to give the crewman a well-deserved tongue lashing, she found that he, and the rowboat, were already halfway across the harbor, virtually flying toward the Tiber.

Sighing, she looked around at the noisy chaos. Men ran to and fro; others simply sat, looking stunned, while others lay on the ground or around tents, somehow sleeping despite the noise. She walked through the canvas forest, soaking in the situation. Her clean tunic and face made men pause and stare at her as she walked past. More than one officer or legionnaire offered to escort her one way or another, warning her of the dangers of being alone in the city.

“How can I be alone with four legions of men here to protect me?” she replied, congratulating herself for such a forward comment. The soldiers looked flustered, then smiled at her warmly. Should I risk it? “I was hoping you might tell me the situation. No one appears to be in command at this moment,” she ventured.

The under-officer looked at his men, then back at her. He rubbed at the grime on his face with an equally grimy hand, only succeeding in smearing around what was there. “Well, Domina, we’re not really sure what to do. Some of our officers are telling us to fight the fires, while others are telling us to hunt down the Nortlanders. Every officer I meet tells me something different. Plus the men are exhausted and dropping like flies. . I just don’t know what to do.” Finished, he pursed his lips and cast his eyes downward.

Octavia gave the weary soldier her most expressionless, senatoresque face. “Soldier, that is no way to be talking. We have work to do. I am taking personal command of your detachment as the ranking civilian overseer of this expedition. What is your name?” The words came out in a rush, but they spurred the under-officer into action.

“But, ah, Domina, no disrespect, but our commanding officers-”

“Are not here,” Octavia finished forcefully. “And I am. Someone must take charge of this situation. And I mean to be that person, Under-officer. .”

“Optio Centuriae, actually; Optio Centuriae Leviticus Ronan of the IV Britania, at your service.” Noting her blank look, he elaborated on his title. “I manage the reinforcements during battle. Except now there seems to be no reinforcements at all, as the battle seems to be everywhere.”

She nodded to show her understanding and spread her arms. “Can you lead me to the legion hospital?”

Trailed by her gaggle of bodyguards-cum-escorts, she marched straight toward the main medical posting, a harried Ronan leading the way. A gruesome scene of death and dismemberment greeted her. Wounded lay on stretchers, on the floor, sat leaning against barrels of body parts that she could no longer identify. Battered armor and broken weapons lay in great heaps, much of it covered in blood. Two men bearing a stretcher cut her off, racing a screaming legionnaire between them into the large open tent where the surgeons worked with their crude gear.

Octavia watched in morbid fascination as the surgeon wiped his bloody hands on a dirty towel and lifted his large metal spectacles to his eyes. He pulled down on a small lever on the side and the lenses telescoped out, presumably magnifying his vision. Even her upbringing on the equivalent of a massive, sprawling farm did not prepare her for the casualness of the man’s hygiene. Even father rinsed his hands in water when coming in from the fields. This man doesn’t even take that step! When the surgeon pulled a small, humming drill saw from below the table, Octavia nearly puked. The thing was covered in dark blood, and he hadn’t even begun to work on the now-unconscious soldier.

She whirled about and glared at the leader of her little band. “What is this, Optio Centuriae Ronan? Where are the nurses? The clean tools? The standards of medicine that should be in place?”

Confused, the soldier looked blank-faced at the sheer amount of death around them. “This is how it is. I don’t know how it is in hospitals back in the civilized areas, but out here, on expedition, this is the best there is.”

Octavia scowled, then had a thought. “Get me some wood. I want to start some fires.”

The man’s eyes widened. “Start fires? What for?”

“Well we need to boil some water and wash those tools. You clean dirty plates with boiling water and soap. We can at least do the same with our medical equipment,” she ordered.

Startled, her escort hopped to. In no time at all, the flames of a fire burned merrily outside the tent. Two men lugged over a large cauldron found in the ruins of one of the buildings. Claiming it was still whole, despite its dented and scarred appearance, they set up some metal railings for support and began dumping buckets of water into it.

While the cauldron was being filled, Octavia turned to the surgeons hard at work over their helpless patients. “This is your last surgery. Then, we clean.”

The surgeon looked up at her, his magnifying glasses making him appear bug-eyed. “A lot of these boys won’t last long enough to clean off these tools. We’re doing the best we can.” With a tired shrug, he went back to his work.

Incensed, Octavia blurted, “I am a senator of Rome. I am taking command of all the medical tents and facilities here. This is my subordinate.” She pointed at the optio centuriae, who had been edging away from this fireball of a woman. “He will ensure that you have cleaned each set of tools in this,” she flung her arm back toward the fire, “or another boiling cauldron. And they will stay in the boiling water, and soap, when we find some, for at least an hour.” By the end of her speech, she was shouting at the shocked surgeon, and the medical tents had fallen quiet around her.

She pressed her palms together for a moment and took a deep breath to calm herself. “Oh, and find some of the female camp followers. Chances are, they can help nurse these men back to health.”

The head surgeon finally appeared. “What is this woman doing in my hospital?” he growled.

By the time Octavia was done with him, he knew exactly why she was in the hospital. He made an abrupt about-face and nearly ran from the tent.

Octavia turned to her new subaltern. “Okay now, Ronan, what we need is. .”

Octavia had worked through the next day and night, organizing, cleaning, and generally setting the hospital and medical facilities up in a more sanitary and streamlined way. The head surgeon had gone to the general, and for once, General Minnicus had actually backed her up. Or at least had not cared enough to appease the angered head surgeon. Even better, she was now his boss, and he jumped when she said to.

Now, after about thirty-six hours on her feet, she finally crashed. It had come at the most inopportune of times. She had simply sat down to examine one of the many blisters on her feet, and found herself awakened by a slight shake of her shoulders.

“Uh, Senatora? Are you able to stand?” Concern laced the hesitant voice. Octavia rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up, finding herself on a cot under a blanket. “You have a message from the general. He wants you to get packed.”

Octavia squinted up at the man. “Tribune Appius! I-um, excuse my appearance. .” she almost stammered, suddenly shy. Gah, stop it, she commanded her fluttering heart. Her hands nervously smoothed her clothes, brushing away bits of dirt and debris.

The tribune was crouched beside her cot, one knee pressed into the soft, sooty soil. He rose and offered her a hand as she tried to push the brown hair spilling over her face back into the tight bun she had been favoring, the last day or so. She slipped her hand into his and she felt the thick calluses on his palm, especially those between his thumb and forefinger, as he hauled her up.

“Your hands feel like my father’s,” she blurted, then felt her face heat.

The tribune smiled at her, then stepped back to allow her free movement around the cot. It lay within rows of injured men, some quietly moaning, but most sleeping the deep sleep of the exhausted. “Senatora, you may call me Constantine, if you like,” he said in a quiet, reserved voice, walking her through the rows of cots and out of the tent.

Outside, the sunlight of a bright dawn reflected harshly off the ruins of Sundsvall all around them. The fire had been extinguished and order had once again been reintroduced. “I’ve come to tell you that we’re about to move out,” he continued. “The general wants you with us.”

Octavia felt her face fall. “But. . there’s so much work for me to continue here. We haven’t even done much to clean up the situation. .” Another thought struck her. “Why do I even need to come with the army?”

The tribune didn’t answer for a moment. He appeared to be struggling with an internal decision. Finally, he spoke. “I’ve found that the general. . tends to hold grudges.”

Octavia smiled at this. She remembered back during the very first meeting in that tavern, how excited this young man had been to work under the direction of someone other than General Minnicus. “Let me guess, somehow he still holds grudges from the Brittenburg Incident?”

“If that’s what they’re calling it in Rome. My men and I, we call it the Brittenburg Rebellion, or disaster, depending on whom you talk to. I just find myself wishing we could be under the leadership of anyone else. By the gods, even a navy admiral would be a better leader than that waste of space.” Tribune Appius-no, Constantine-was obviously airing some of his long withheld complaints about the commanding general.

“Do you think you could do better?” Octavia asked. “After all, you are the son of the emperor, heir to the throne, and, by all accounts, a war hero in the making. It would only be a quick waving of the Imperial decree and. .” She could see several problems disappearing with the almost infinite power of Imperial decree.

The tribune shook his head quickly. “I’m not out to use my power to get ahead. My brother used his powers almost constantly, getting things done by ignoring everyone else’s wishes. I don’t operate that way. I will follow orders and do my best. I am a son of Rome.” He said the last part with conviction. “And I hope to see you with us as we march north. We’ll most likely need your solid medical care in the wilds of Nortland; I’ve already lost too many good men without it.”

Octavia nodded as he made a bow goodbye. “I shall look forward to your company as we travel north,” she said as he walked away.

The heir turned and gave her a boyish grin, still walking, and nearly backed into a wagon. She laughed at his foolishness, then turned to seek someplace where she could clean herself up.

She hadn’t gone more than a few steps when she spotted Optio Centuriae Ronan approaching, waving an arm in greeting, lips parting to share whatever updates he had prepared for her. She interrupted him with the news of her departure. While surprised, the under-officer absorbed this new information and delivered his report. More surgeons were agreeing to follow Octavia’s guidelines. At the same time, fewer surgeons were reporting to work with injured arms, legs, and bruises. Ronan theorized that the surgeons had seen the importance of cleanliness in a legion facility that prided itself on uniformity and high standards.

Octavia shook her head. Boys will be boys. Her brief encounter with the young tribune all but forgotten in the face of so much impending work, Octavia set about assigning some reliable men to oversee the medical facilities while she went north.

Optio Centuriae Ronan was about to get a promotion even he had not seen coming.

Chapter 10

Alexandros

The long column of soldiers and mechanical creations wove through the wilderness of central Nortland, following great mechaniphants whose spinning steel blades cut a broad swath through trees and underbrush.

From his vantage point a thousand feet up, hands resting on the brass railing that circled the bridge deck, Captain Alexandros kept one eye on the column’s progress and one eye on the weather gauge. The barometer had been dipping steadily, and the thickening snow clouds worried him.

“Isn’t it odd, Captain, that by the time we’re done here, we’ll have built Nortland’s first true road?” First Officer Travins mused next to him. Smudges of purple and blue under red-streaked eyes revealed his exhaustion, but he still found the energy to make a joke. “Perhaps we should send them the bill when we finish.”

For the first time in many days, Alexandros laughed. “Thanks, Travins. Now go get some rest. I don’t like the look of those clouds much, so get some shut-eye while you can.”

Travins nodded grudgingly, and pointed out, “Looks like you need some rest as well, sir.”

“I’ll rest when I’m dead.” It was an old joke they’d shared for many years.

Travins gave a weary salute and turned to go, then paused and leaned in close. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with learning that Second Officer Ciseto happens to be related to General Minnicus now, would it sir?” His whisper barely reached the captain’s ears.

“Not at all, I just don’t trust the man to fly this beauty yet, that’s all.”

“Of course sir, of course. Good evening, sir. Or morning-whatever time it is.”

The ship’s bell rang ten in the morning as Travins left the bridge, the sound echoing clearly through the ship. Crewmen went about their assigned tasks, moving as fast as molasses, and Alexandros lost himself in the daily hum of activity. His mind wandered for a moment, thinking about his wife, Delia, dead the last four years now. It had been almost as long since he had seen his children. Perhaps it is time to start looking for another companion. He spent several more moments reliving the happier memories of his younger days before coming back to the present.

“Sir,” a crewman murmured, trying to do his job and respect the captain’s privacy at the same time. Alexandros turned and the crewman handed him a note. “From the admiral via the wireless.”

Alexandros bent to examine the note: All ships are to descend to 500 feet to avoid higher-level winds. Stop. Double topside crews to avoid snow weight overwhelming vessels. Stop. Reduce speed to half. Stop. Keep on the lookout for Nortland raiders. Stop Polentio out. Stop.

“Reduce speed by half and double the topside lookouts,” Alexandros ordered, his voice carrying through the din of the airship’s command center.

The pilot pulled back on a throttle, which ran to the engine room and told the engineers to reduce power. Another officer gave orders to several midshipmen as they buttoned up coats and donned fur caps, preparing to go aloft.

“Under-officer Gansus, make sure they take extra repeater bolts with them. I want to make sure they have everything they need.”

The officer nodded quickly, then resumed his instructions, his words flowing so fast that even the midshipmen were having trouble following him.

The captain grabbed a pair of binoculars, tested the extra magnification lever on the side, and stepped over to the port side observation bubble. The cold glass was beginning to frost over on the inside. Alexandros could feel the drafts of cold air leaking around the poorly fitted windows. At his motion, a crewman came over and sprayed an anti-ice solution over the windowpane. The antifreeze was indeed nearly as magical as the peddler selling it in Copendrium had claimed. Glad I took that chance on him. And it was only a few denarii! Now we can fly longer and farther north because everything won’t be freezing up on us. Earlier, the captain had sent men outside to spray the solution over the outside of the windows. It only cleared the glass for a while, especially when traveling overnight and in high altitude, but it was better than nothing.

Alexandros yawned to help pop his ears as the airship began to descend. Wisps of cloud flowed past the vessel, and Alexandros imagined how the airship, with the trireme-shaped hull and long ram, looked like from below. Like a vessel out of those ancient tales.

He held the binoculars up to his eyes, then played with the magnification for a few moments. The lenses blurred, then sharpened, then blurred again. Cursed things. He shook them for a moment or two, then tried again. Much better. The snow-covered mountains and thick pine forest stretched for miles, nearly filling his view. The cloud cover made the rest of the world a white blanket, and not a bit of blue penetrated the heavy snow clouds. The other airships in the small fleet stood out as black marks against the white, like spots of ink on clean bedlinens. His eyebrows furrowed as he noticed the snowfall increasing again, the flakes falling hard and fast.

A bell chimed behind him. “Message from topside, sir. Would you like to take it? Or should I take a message?”

Alexandros strode over to the captain’s chair, while another midshipman took his place at the observation port behind him.

“This is the captain,” he said into the speaking tube.

“Sir! This is Midshipman Decicus on the topside port. Snowfall is increasing. It appears to be falling at the rate of. .” A blast of wind took away his words. Alexandros found himself shivering involuntarily at the thought of those poor men forced to remain topside while he remained here on the heated command deck. The wind died down and Alexandros could hear the midshipman again. “. . can’t shovel it off fast enough. Some of the canvas is beginning to show signs of freezing over too, and we’ll have to patch that as well.”

If the canvas freezes over, then it can crack and release our buoyancy mixture. Alarm crept into the experienced captain’s heart at the thought of his ship plummeting to earth here at the far northern ends of the world. “Thank you, Decicus. Continue to work as long as you can. I’ll send a relief party up as well.” He caught the eye of Second Officer Ciseto and the man jotted a note and passed it to a runner. The man was out the door before Alexandros had even replaced the speaker tube.

“Send a message to the admiral. We’ve got a problem, and I bet we’re not the only ship that does.”

Several hours later, during a lull in the snowstorm that was blanketing the world around them, the aircrew captains were ferried down from their respective ships to the expedition’s base camp. While Air-Admiral Polentio was inside the command tent with General Minnicus, explaining that the fleet would no longer be able to provide support due to the weather, Alexandros took the opportunity to visit some friends.

“Captain Alexandros! A truly magnificent surprise!” Tribune Constantine Appius rose to greet him as he ducked inside, and they clasped hands. The legion’s command tent smelled like musty laundry with a hint of sweat and urine. Appius wore only a standard issue tunic and boots. He had obviously been in the middle of cleaning his armor, Alexandros realized as the sharp tang of leather polish and oil assaulted his nose.

“What can I do for you? I’ve got some just-caught rabbit and some warm wine, if you’d care for either. Supplies are a tad bit skimpy right now.” Constantine’s face darkened for a moment, then brightened. “Why are you here on the ground?”

Smiling, Alexandros ran his hand through his graying hair. “Thanks for the warm gesture. I’ll have a cup of the wine to warm me up, if you can spare one. Supplies are getting low, you said?”

The younger man walked over to a small brazier burning in the corner and pulled a flagon of wine from an attached pocket. The warm liquid left a thin trail of steam that billowed over the rim of the goblet that Constantine handed to him. “Take a seat.” The tribune deferentially offered his own campaign chair and perched carefully upon a rickety stool in the corner instead.

“The supply caravans are getting inconsistent. I know that there have been problems with raids, but still. The tales of wars and grand campaigns are nothing like the reality,” he remarked.

Alexandros snickered. “That’s very true, and old men always seem to make war out to be a grander thing than the reality. Don’t you ever wonder why the young fight the wars and their old leaders are the ones to send them off? It’s because the old men are too smart to actually fight in wars once they’ve really experienced it!” Alexandros didn’t have to feign laughter. And one of those “old men” is leading this column anyway! What does that tell you about him?

“So otherwise, how are things? Have your men recovered from the last fight? I have to tell you, I don’t think my men have. I’m still not sure how you managed to take out that big Nortlander who was boarding us,” Alexandros said. “Your men saved my ship, and you will always have our, and my, gratitude.”

The tribune put up his hands. “No, no, it really was both a duty and a pleasure to serve on your ship. I truly hope we will continue to work together in the future. I trust you, as do my men. We’ve already trusted you with our lives several times, if you’ve been keeping track.” He paused before continuing in a voice quieter and full of regret. “Not everyone made it, but they did their duty. Would you be able to attend a brief service today, for the honor of our dead?”

Hearing that, Alexandros rose from the comfortable chair. His back ached but he ignored it. “To the dead,” he proclaimed solemnly, raising his glass in salute, then downing the warm wine in one swallow. “I would like nothing more than to be present. Who will be presiding, so I know what to wear?” he asked.

“Most of the men were still followers of the old gods, so I’ve asked for several of the camp’s priests to do an offering ceremony. We were forced to do a quick cremation right after the battle, but obviously we would like the chance to send our dead an offering, since it was so rushed. I’d hate to not take the time to give them peace.” Constantine’s fingers absently rubbed the Imperial coin on the braid around his neck.

Alexandros turned his head, considering. “I thought you weren’t very religious,” he said, thinking back to conversations they’d had in Copendrium.

Constantine gave a slight shrug. “It can’t hurt, and can only help morale. When it comes to my dead men, they deserve the best, whether I believe in it or not.”

I completely agree with him. Religion can help soothe a soul, especially when used to heal, not to ultimately hurt. “What did you get for the customary sacrifice?” Alexandros asked. It was traditional to offer an animal to appease the spirits, where the living ate for the dead who could no longer partake of mortal food.

Constantine’s mouth quirked. “I pulled rank and grabbed an ox from requisitions. Our dead deserve the best we can give them, even if it is half cold and tough as my shoe.”

The tribune began pulling on his gear, preparing to leave the tent. Alexandros replaced his warm woolen airman’s cap on his head and set the now-empty wine glass back on the small folding table.

“I also commissioned the creation of a cenotaph for our dead. We’ll erect it before we leave this gods-forsaken country. Unfortunately, I’m sure we’ll have to add more names to that list. Few instead of many, I hope,” Constantine added, his voice muffled as he pulled on his segmented lorica armor, the shining strips of steel rippling down his chest and shoulders. He buckled on his belt pouches and adjusted several straps and armor pieces.

Alexandros felt a tad underdressed as the infantryman continued to layer on gear and components. Finally the tribune adjusted his cloak and secured it around his neck. “Are you ready? We may be late to the ball,” Alexandros asked, unable to keep the mirth from his voice.

Constantine gave him a haughty look and marched past; Alexandros followed him into the street. They walked along the cold but bustling avenues. What had been semi-solid permafrost was now riddled with puddles and wagon ruts, along with the occasional larger depression of a mechaniphants’ foot. When they arrived at the camp’s outer perimeter, Constantine showed his pin to the sentries. “We’ll be back in about an hour,” he told them.

They walked toward the prearranged assembly area, where a large contingent of the 13th Cohort, XIII Germania waited around a hastily erected altar. “Everyone here?” Constantine asked. Gwendyrn nodded solemnly.

The large, mustachioed under-officer had recently become the new cohort centurion. He wore a temporary badge in place of the more permanent centurion’s pin. The Gaul had claimed that he would not wear the permanent mark of authority until Centurion Caesar was confirmed dead. Alexandros had been very sorry to hear of the man’s death during the aerial combat earlier in the week.

The priest approached the altar, followed by several attendants. One led the sacrificial ox while another carried a smoldering censer full of sweet-smelling incense. Bowing his head before the podium, the priest lifted his arms and began the funeral prayer in a clear, penetrating voice that cut through the still, cold winter air. He chanted in High Latin, and Alexandros closed his eyes and took comfort in the ancient prayers.

When the ceremony was finished and the small feast from the dead ox had been shared out equally to legionnaire and officer alike, Alexandros discovered that Senatora Pelia had joined the ceremony sometime after it had started. He greeted her in the manner of the Roman courts, placing his heels sharply together and bowing from the waist. He was not surprised to see the tribune echo his motions. Pelia inclined her head graciously in response to their bows, as befit a senator of Rome.

“Senetora Pelia, I had not expected to see you here.”

The senetora looked tired, and her hair was slightly unkempt. Mud had stained the hem of the more formal stola she wore and probably added an additional five or ten pounds to the draped garment. She spread her arms. “It is the job of an Empire to celebrate, and at times mourn, the loss of its loyal and brave soldiers. I am here both because it is the right thing to do, and because it is the honorable thing to do.” She paused. “I did inquire whether General Minnicus would be joining us. He was. . preoccupied at the time. Something about personal tutoring?” she finished rather wanly. “If you gentlemen will excuse me, I would like to make the rounds to thank your men, Tribune Appius. That’s how my father would have done it, and that is how I would like to do this as well.”

Constantine nodded. “As you wish, Domina.”

Alexandros watched the tribune out of the corner of his eye as the young senatora moved away. He could distinctly see the young man’s eyes following the not-quite-concealed feminine curves of her body beneath the flowing stola. He nudged Constantine in the ribs when Pelia was far enough away. “Don’t get any ideas, young man. I’m fairly certain your father already has a match in mind for you.”

Constantine stared at him, eyes wide. “What? How? When? Who?” he sputtered.

Alexandros chuckled at the young man’s expense. “Relax, Appius! I’m kidding around. But seriously, don’t fall into this trap. She’s one of the only females out here, and don’t go thinking that fear and anxiety and the excitement of adventure are replacements for real affection and love. Besides, she’s not some serving maid from back home to be toyed with, she is a real senatora, whether that is proper or not.”

“Love? Who said anything about love? Right now, I just like the view. Besides, Octavia is a great conversationalist. Did you know that she took over the medical tents back in Sundsvall and. . What is wrong with you? Why are you laughing?”

“Well since you know her as Octavia. . did she happen to take care of your addled brain in those medical tents?”

Constantine frowned at Alexandros, who quickly turned his laughter into a loud, hacking cough. The senatora had reappeared from the band of legionnaires and was approaching.

She bowed slightly to them. “Thank you for your kind words earlier, gentlemen. I have spent enough time here and must be returning to camp before it gets much worse.” She gestured to the falling snow. Flakes dusted her hair, making her seem ethereal.

I wonder what it feels like to be almost the only woman here among all these men, placed both above and below them in social standing? Alexandros wondered. Aloud he said, “Senatora, may I escort you back to camp? I happen to be leaving now as well. Tribune Appius should supervise the end of the funeral ritual.” The tribune flashed him a glare that quickly vanished when Pelia turned to give her condolences again.

As they left the ceremony, they chatted about their individual experiences on the campaign. Alexandros was surprised to learn about the conditions in the legion’s medical facilities. He had always assumed that they would be more up to date. Pelia was fast becoming an outspoken proponent of better medical facilities and better treatment for the injured, as well as better training for the doctors and surgeons that worked in the army’s medical corps. And the tribune was right, she really does seem to have a knack for this stuff.

“You’ve made even me want to vote for you,” he told her, making her blush.

“Const-er. . Tribune Appius said something similar, although he said I should run for the Senate leadership council. He offered the backing of the Emperor.” She gave a low laugh.

They walked on for a few more moments, the silence of the snow-covered fields fast giving way to the noises of the fort.

“Would you like to return to Rome, Domina? The fleet and I shall withdraw south tomorrow. The weather and winds are preventing us from continuing onward safely. It would be an honor to count you among our guests.” Accept the offer and do not suffer out here like I am sure these men will. This whole expedition has taken on a bad vibe.

“Thank you, Captain Alexandros. I fear I must decline. Duty and expectations leave me no choice. I do appreciate your offer, though, and would love to travel upon your magnificent airship sometime soon.”

They had arrived at the compound’s gate. Alexandros showed their passes and they were waved through. Not that there is anyone else out here to wander in, he thought sardonically. They said their goodbyes just inside the gate. Alexandros offered to walk the senatora to her quarters, but she declined. He bade her farewell and watched her disappear into the crowds of soldiers and camp followers. Hopefully this is not the last time I see her alive.

Chapter 11

Corbus

Corbus walked quickly through the tunnel-like hallways of Midgard. The warrens could be claustrophobic at times, but Corbus had long since mastered his own fear, facing it with grim resolve. Reaching the doors of Prince Santoruk Lokus’s chambers, he lifted gauntleted fists and shoved them open. The solid wood panels slammed into the wall on either side, startling the occupants of the prince’s waiting room.

Reclining half naked upon a chaise, Lokus had been watching slave girls dancing seductively before him. They scrambled away at Corbus’s entrance.

“What is the meaning of this, Outlander?” Lokus stood, face flushed with anger and alarm. “You’ve ruined my afternoon’s entertainment.”

Corbus scooped up the pleasure girls’ clothing and tossed it at them. “Out,” he said gruffly. The comely women grabbed their garments and fled the room. Corbus shut the doors behind them, then turned to Lokus.

The prince made to repeat his demand, but Corbus clamped his hand around Lokus’s neck, silencing him. “You are late. There is a war meeting, and you are not present.” He pushed the noble back onto the couch.

“That’s all? You want to take me from this for a meeting?” Lokus laughed, slowly sitting up on the chaise. “You are such a southerner. Do you never take pleasure in women or wine?”

“No, and while your country is invaded by those southerners, neither should you,” Corbus snapped. He turned away as Lokus stood and pulled on his clothing.

“Okay, we can go to the meeting,” Lokus said sulkily as he pulled the royal emblem on its chain from under his wool shirt. He placed the glittering copper sphere atop his vestments.

Corbus sketched a brief bow, then followed a pace or two behind the prince as he marched haughtily out of the room. Servants and warriors alike moved out of their way as they strode through the hallways, Lokus muttering that they’d take “a fløte; it will be faster.”

Corbus looked up as they boarded one of the strange, half-lift, half ferry-like contraptions. Wires suspended it from long, moving arms high overhead. These people are backward as the Hibernian hill tribes yet as technologically advanced as the Romans. Confusing. The fløtes were an ancient creation, and he wondered how old this one was. We might fall at any moment. An ignoble way to die. They arrived safely at their destination a few moments later. The operator opened the doors and the prince and his companion stepped into the palace quarter.

They passed the king’s chambers and several offices on their way to the war room, where a single armsman in livery bearing the royal insignia-two blue wolves charging each other on a copper background-pushed the doors open for them and stepped aside. At the end of a short hallway, they entered the circular war chamber, where grizzled advisors clustered around a large wooden table strewn with maps and paper reports. Tiered seating rose around them, and the air in the central well where they stood was close and heavy with the smell of smoke and sweat.

“I still say we haven’t done enough to harry the Romans. They march up our roads with impunity!” one of the nobles was saying. In Nortland, leading troops to war was a noble’s prerogative. It is still mostly that way in Rome, but I suppose even they have to accept sometimes that being descended from great men doesn’t make you a great man. Corbus supposed it was different here, where a man had to be a proven warrior before he was accepted into the nobility.

“Greetings, Prince Lokus and Outlander Corbus. Welcome to the war meeting.” One of the lords beckoned them closer.

Corbus elbowed the prince, who flashed him a glare before responding to the invitation. “Thank you, we. . apologize for our lateness. We were just discussing the current situation.”

“Ah, then come to our table.”

King Gustavus Bismark II, an older man with a nearly bald pate, looked up at them from his seat of authority farthest from the door. “We’ve been trying” he said as the prince pulled up a chair and Corbus stood respectfully behind him, “to figure out a way to trap these Romans against the river. But the terrain just doesn’t seem to support it. They are too well drilled and their formation too tight. If they were more strung out. .” He left the rest unsaid.

Another lord spoke up. “What if we tried to drive a wedge between their legions?”

“There isn’t enough space for that. We’d be surrounded and decimated.” The king stood, moving closer to the table for a better look. His crown sparkled in the lantern light.

Corbus pulled at his collar, unobtrusively loosening his cloak. While the mountain itself might be freezing, the rooms here were toasty warm. Cooler air crept under his shirt and the assassin muffled a sigh of relief. The king was still talking.

“At least their fleet has disengaged. But the weather is making it impossible for us to launch our own airships, as well. We’ll have to use the militia and our raiders to try to bleed off some of their men, or at least slow them down. We can’t take them head on right now, but we can harry them and hurt their logistics.”

The prince did not agree. “We are Nortlanders, Father. We should be striking them hard, not waging this ‘small war’ you speak of. We must bring them to battle and annihilate them man to man.”

His father looked across the table, smiling indulgently at his son. “Lokus, you may have earned the right to be prince, but you have not yet earned the right to be a war leader. I wanted you here to learn. There is value in not fighting right away. Let them come to us. When they try to lay siege, we can surround them and trap them. The winter shall be our ally.” His tone was patient.

Corbus glimpsed looks passing between various nobles at the table, but they were too fleeting for him to be sure of the message behind them. The prince was clearly not happy, but he shut his mouth and listened.

“Lord Therodi, you shall lead our raiders. We just need you to slow them down. Save every man you can, for we shall need them once we are besieged.” The king order.

“Aye, my lord. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve. I’ll get my men to work on it right away.”

“Excellent. Lord Dirmlor, how stand our mecha-wolf packs?”

“Our engineers report they are ready, and we have about twenty-five available for combat now. More are in production, but they are expensive and time-consuming to build. The Romans have too many of the things we need for their construction. We can’t build both the mecha-wolves and our airships. Both machines require similar parts and people,” Dirmlor replied grimly.

The king nodded. “Well for now, focus on the mecha-wolves. We’ll get the most impact from them. It’s time the Romans learned that they are not the only ones with talent and ingenuity in inventing machines of terror and war.” He slammed his fist down on the table.

“May I lead our mecha-wolves into battle?” Lokus asked. “I would love the chance to decimate the southerners from the back of one of those mighty beasts.”

His father glared at him. “No! You may not! I shall not have my heir gallivanting about the snowfields of Nortland! You have never ridden one before and are more likely to kill yourself falling off it than killing any Romans.”

The king’s words were harsh and Corbus could practically feel the waves of anger and embarrassment radiating from the prince as he glowered in silence. Keep doing that, my “king,” and you’ll be handing me the perfect tool to overthrow you and turn this country into a dagger aimed right at Rome. Anger and vengefulness are my sharpest tools.

In the pregnant silence that followed, the door opened to admit Lord Laufas. He bowed low before clasping the king’s arm warmly. The men chuckled and chatted amicably for a few moments, something that was not lost upon Corbus. It is Laufas, not the king, who is the true barrier to the throne.

Laufas looked over the table. “When the Romans have come up to here, just south and west of the city, we shall hit them. We can use our forces to outmaneuver them and strike them. I already have my men hard at work to provide us with an opportunity to crush the legions. The Romans will never know what hit them.” The other men around the table nodded approvingly as he detailed the plan to sweep the Romans from their flank and roll up their battle line. “It all starts with the river. If we can draw them close to the Little Viken. .”

Corbus noticed that Lokus had stood and was about to leave. As much as Corbus wanted to stay and listen to Laufas’ plan, he knew that he could not remain without his patron, Lokus.

The king, too, had noticed Lokus’s exit. “Outlander, go with him,” he said gruffly as his thoughts and eyes returned to the plan. Corbus turned sharply and followed Lokus from the room.

When stepped into the main hallway, he had to ask the guard in which direction the crown prince had fled. Gah, here I am stuck with a petulant child as the instigator of a rebellion. How on earth can I convince people to support this. . man-child. . as king, if he acts like this!

He finally succeeded in chasing down the prince on one of the long, winding staircases that connected the many levels and sections of the citadel. “What do you think you’re doing out here?” Corbus growled. “You need to get back in there and be serious about this! You are a prince, not a hormonal teenager.”

The prince glared at him. “I can’t do anything I want to do. I want to fight and kill like a man, not be stuck here planning battles. I ought to be out there fighting battles!” he shouted. His voice echoed up and down the staircase.

“You want to do anything you think of? Then you have to become the king. If you aren’t the king, the king will always be able to tell you that you aren’t ready. Don’t you understand? I’m trying to help you here!”

Lokus slapped Corbus, his palm leaving a brand of stinging skin on the assassin’s cheek. Corbus restrained himself. I will not hit a royal; I will not hit a royal. Instead, Corbus gave his most powerful glower, eyes red-tinged and full of rage.

Lokus shrank back in fear, awaiting the reprisal. Corbus took a few deep breaths to still his temper. Lokus collapsed onto a step, all the fight gone out of him. After a moment, Corbus joined him.

“My liege, you must listen to me. I alone know how to get you the throne. And once you have the throne, you can punish those who would think you unready.”

The prince looked up at him. “And then?”

“Once we’ve crushed your enemies, then we crush mine.”

The prince straightened his back and held out his forearm. Corbus clasped it.

“Together?”

“Yes, my prince, together.”

Chapter 12

Constantine

An unearthly silence blanketed the dark forest. Moonlight filtered through the pine needles and bare limbs of the tall trees, creating a patchwork quilt of light and shadow on the forest floor.

The men of the 13th Cohort, XIII Germania moved quietly through the forest, their footfalls muffled by recently fallen snow. Their breath came in puffs of hot air that quickly vanished into the night. The 13th Cohort was on night patrol, and their scouts had just reported signs of an ambush ahead.

Ice crystals had formed in Gwendyrn’s beard. He tugged at it while Constantine conferred with him, his voice barely above a whisper.

“The scouts say that they’ve seen some tracks just ahead, along the turn in the road. The supply train should be coming up within the next half-hour. We’ll have to hit them now.”

Gwendyrn nodded, then relayed instructions using hand signals. He turned back to Constantine. “What is the signal, sir?”

“I’ll shoot off a flare. As soon as you see it, hit them. Hopefully they’re just along this flank of the road.” Constantine gestured to the longer side of the curve. “That’s where I would be. It offers an easier escape route.”

Gwendyrn stood, brushed the snow off his trousers, and pulled his repeater off his back.

“Oh, and Centurion?”

Gwendyrn turned to look at his commanding officer. “I’m not a centurion yet, sir. Nor do I wish to be,” he replied evenly.

Constantine placed an arm on the other man’s shoulder, and they locked eyes. “Your loyalty to Julius is admirable, Gwendyrn. But right now, I need to know that you can work with me and accept your rank, even temporarily.”

Gwendyrn kept eye contact for a few seconds, then he nodded almost imperceptibly.

“Thank you, Centurion. Now, if you please, take the left flank and try to grab a captive or two. The Empire does not look fondly upon people stealing its food. And since I’m the heir, I can say that.”

Smiling, Gwendyrn shook his head as he walked away.

The cohort split, and Gwendyrn led his force toward the road, while Constantine led his force around to the right. His men moved cautiously. Because the ground was so frozen, it was absolutely essential that they move slowly and use the trees as cover. Finally, Constantine spotted a scout just a short distance ahead, kneeling behind a massive fallen tree. Silently directing his men forward, the tribune quickly moved to join the scout.

He leaned against the trunk. “Alright, Luter, what’s on the other side of this log?”

“Sir, I’ve counted at least thirty raiders, and there are probably some we didn’t see. They are in this depression that runs along the side of the road here, at the turn. If I may sir, this may be a good time to try the igniculum. They’re clustered in that turn, and the explosion will distract them while we rush in.”

Constantine considered. Is this a good time to use our newest weapon? It would certainly provide an excellent distraction and morale breaker. We need them to run so we can hunt them down and find out where they are coming from. He carefully pulled the oilcloth-wrapped parcel from his belt pouch then, with great care, pulled back the paper flaps within to reveal a small, heavy metal ball with a long, thin wick. Looks too small to be so deadly.

The igniculum was filled with gunpowder and phosphorous, and he cradled the destructive egg with a reverence normally associated with religious objects. They had just been distributed to the ground legions for combat in the north. This was their first testing ground in a real world situation. At least we no longer have to unscrew the tops from our plumbatae anymore to do the same thing. You can barely grasp the thing without cutting yourself. This is so much simpler, lighter, and packs a big surprise-hopefully!

“Luter, how far do you think we should cut the. . umm. . wick.”

The scout shrugged. “I’ve never used them, sir. My goal is to not be noticed. That thing will certainly attract plenty of attention.”

Constantine looked around at his men, almost comically. Most shrugged, or kept their heads down, trying to conserve heat while their commanding officer pondered weighty questions about timing.

Fine, he thought crossly, pulling his belt knife and trimming the wick down to about half a finger’s length. Why on earth couldn’t they make them the same way as they do our throwing spears? Why can’t they explode on contact? He gave a silent sigh and raised his eyes heavenward. Mighty Jupiter, father of all, please let this work! Feeling slightly better, he passed the order up and down the line: Wait for the explosion, then charge.

Constantine felt, rather than saw, a change come over his men. He sensed their anticipation, like predators on the hunt. Men readied their plumbatae, the short throwing spears with heavily weighted ends. In this case, his men were using the nonexplosive ends to magnify the effect of the single igniciulum on the ambushers.

“Remember! Don’t look at the explosion, wait until after it hits to look.” His men nodded at his whispered warning. The phosphorous would blind anyone who looked at it directly.

Finally, Constantine pulled a packet of matches from his belt pouch and lit the wick. The small flame danced merrily as it greedily consumed the waxy twisted paper. Constantine quickly stood, aimed his body right where he wanted it to go, and threw the igniculum.

The metal sphere flew through the air, miraculously missing several trees and sailing through branches. In most ways, it was a near perfect throw. The igniculum landed somewhere in the trench, and Constantine ducked back down behind the log, eyes squeezed shut.

After what felt like an eternity, the ground rumbled and snow fell from the trees. A roar echoed through the forest. If the column had been unaware of the ambush earlier, it was certainly aware something was up now.

Constantine pushed himself off the ground and climbed onto the log, brandishing his sword. “At them, men! For the Empire!”

His men ran across the snow-dusted ground, releasing wordless howls. Constantine leapt from the log and joined them.

The ditch had been only a hundred feet from their hiding place, and was now full of dazed and blinded Nortlanders. They fumbled around piteously. Several in the middle had been killed, and the snow was stained red with blood. In other places, steaming hunks of what had been the enemy smoked in the night air. Constantine nearly lost his dinner right there, but managed to choke back the bile in his mouth. Several other legionnaires were not as lucky.

From farther away came the sounds of fighting. Obviously, those men had not been as exposed to the blast. He heard shouting from across the road as Gwendyrn’s demi-cohort came rushing to join them. They quickly wrapped up the last few fighters, Gwendyrn himself hacking down the last swordsman with a brutal cleave of his spatha, a motion the sword had not been designed for, but still excelled at.

“Good job, Centurion Gwendyrn,” Constantine said as the Gaul approached, wiping blood from his face. Gwendyrn nodded wordlessly. “Let’s get these men back to the camp and see if they can’t tell us how they know when our convoys are coming in.” As if on cue, they heard the supply convoy approaching beyond the curve in the road.

“This will be a fun story to tell. .”

General Minnicus rubbed his clean-shaven face with his fingers as he carefully considered his assault plan. His officers were in better shape than many, but the fatigue, cold, and inconsistent rations were beginning to take their toll.

I wonder why he doesn’t appear to be on half rations, Constantine thought as he eyed the commanding general’s still impressive girth.

Minnicus placed a pudgy finger on the map, tracing one of the many smaller rivers in the central Nortland region around their capital. “This will be perfect, gentlemen. Here is where we shall smash their resistance and take Midgard for our own.” He looked around at his officers. “We’ve already taken their main supply base at Ostersund, and now that we’ve pushed them back to the west, we can take them easily.

“Our army is about forty-five miles west of Ostersund now, and we need to cross these rivers here. Our esteemed barbarian neighbors have gathered together a rather pathetic army in an attempt to prevent our crossing the rivers.” His smile seemed almost evil. “Too bad for them, we’ve already bridged and crossed these rivers here on our left and central fronts. The right front has also bridged their river, but I do not plan for them to cross.”

He looked around at his gathered commanders, seeing the quizzical expressions on some faces. Everyone knew that the right flank traditionally launched the initial attack. It had been so since antiquity, and had led to many decisive Roman victories.

“Instead, we’ll sweep our left flank wide around, supported by mechaniphants and ostrichine cavalry. The III Cimbrian shall lead that attack.”

The commander of the III Cimbrian, a short, grizzled man with his gray hair cut in typical legionnaire fashion, placed his fist to his heart in a salute. Commander Graecus of the IV Britannia looked pained by the apparent dishonor of being denied leading the attack. Graecus can be a prickly one, Constantine thought.

“The Black Boots will not fail. But won’t the snow slow us down?” Cimbrian Commander Paulos asked.

The general seemed to be in a tolerant mood; he smiled warmly at the question. “I’m glad you asked that, Paulos. We’ll have the mechaniphants in front of you to do ‘street cleaner’ duty, so to speak. They’ll carve channels that you can use to move and attack. I know you’ll have to leave them eventually, but those paths should make the going easier.” He said this with confidence, apparently impressed that such a brilliant idea had been his all along.

And let the enemy know exactly where to place their bow and artillery fire, Constantine thought grimly. Not that I see any other way to prevent the entire assault from foundering in the snow.

The general was still speaking. “And the XIII Germania will take the center position. Their job is to hold until the III Cimbrian can sweep aside our barbarian opponents. Obviously, with Legatus Legionis Commander Sula seriously wounded in a nighttime raid a few days ago, I needed to replace him as commander of the Thirteenth. He requested just one of his officers.” This was news. There was a pregnant pause, as the tribunes of the XIII Germania eyed the general with extreme interest.

“The commander recommended that Tribune Appius be given leadership of the Thirteenth. I shall abide by tradition in this case and allow input from our other commanders. Myself, I fully oppose this, as the tribune has limited experience in large-scale combat and no experience in full battles such as this one. But what say you?” The general eyed each legion commander with an appraising eye.

I wonder what he’s trying to do. Constantine’s heart was in his throat, he was so excited. My first real promotion that comes as a recommendation from my commanding officer. And he’s probably dying so it’s not like he is looking to curry favor, he thought cynically.

The legion commanders conferenced briefly amongst themselves, then turned back to the general. “We confirm his position. We believe that he should have the opportunity to prove his capabilities in this field of combat, and that his men will perform admirably.”

The general bowed his head, but hate glittered in his eyes as he looked at the newly appointed commander. “Very well Commander. . Appius. Please appoint a new tribune and secure your legion’s position in the center of our line.”

With some effort, the general turned back to the map on the command table. He fiddled with some knobs and the mechanical aspect of the board sprang to life, as Midgard rose from the flat planning board. The commanders moved closer as 3D terrain augmented their view of the plan.

“The IV Britannia will hold the right flank here, near this bridge crossing the river. It appears to have many cracks, and my scouts report that it is not sturdy enough to support substantial weight. Either way, The IV Britannia will remain anchored here to prevent any Nortland force from slipping around to our right. As long as we control that bridge, we control the right flank.” Minnicus produced a handkerchief to dab at the sheen of sweat on his forehead as he looked around at his officers. “Any questions?”

There were the usual minor questions that were readily answered by Minnicus or one of his flunkies. The biggest question Constantine wanted to ask, but could not bring himself to raise, was about retreating. The entire right wing was isolated and could not be supported directly if the Nortlanders did cross the river. Support would have to cross two separate bridges in a U-shaped marching path to assist the right flank.

We’ll just have to hope the Britannians can hold their own.

Shields locked, the legionnaires fought to hold the line. The thin snow layer and partially frozen ground beneath their feet had turned to mud, and their boots slid before finding purchase. Only the pressure of the men behind them kept the first rank on their feet.

Riding a horse for the first time in a while, Constantine was temporarily enjoying his elevation to commander. A whole legion, over three thousand men at his command. An imposing force that could build forts and roads and control an entire countryside. This particular legion could even use airships to catch their opponents by surprise. But right now, Constantine could see that they were in a fight for the life of the legion, here on the battlefield.

From his vantage point on his horse, safely (he hoped) behind ten ranks of legionnaires, Constantine pulled out his binoculars and scanned the battle lines. To his left, the III Cimbrian were continuing to make good progress as their line, formed perpendicular to his, fought its way forward. The light woods and small hills prevented Constantine from having a completely clear line of sight to the III Britannia on the right. He’d placed scouts on the hills to notify him of any attacks there. To his rear the VII Germania waited in reserve, currently doing little besides guarding the Roman camp and baggage train.

Examining his own line, Constantine noticed small pockets beginning to bulge in places. In addition to the four cohorts he had kept in reserve, he also had his own personal bodyguard, fifty experienced cavalrymen deadly with blade both on horseback and on foot. Just how deadly they were, Constantine was determined to find out. A particularly strong push about two-thirds of the way down his left flank had buckled his line; there, normally ten ranks deep, it was only four deep. If the Nortlanders broke through anywhere, they could divide Constantine’s forces and mop them up quickly.

“Janus! Grab a reserve cohort and follow me!” he called to his bodyguard commander. He spurred his horse and went galloping down the lines, heading toward the near-breakthrough. He arrived just in time to watch a particularly blood-crazed Nortland savage hack his way through the last line of legionnaires and face him head on. Constantine’s horse was going full speed, and the soldier swept his chain-axe at the horses’ legs.

Constantine barely had time to utter a curse as he flew through the air, just barely managing to kick his feet out of the stirrups in time. I never seem to have much luck with horses, he observed as he sprawled painfully in the mud

He struggled to his feet, cloak trapped beneath the spasming horse. His hand hit the clasp on his cloak, and instantly a load of pressure vanished from his body. A scream yanked his attention toward another barbarian charging at him. Ducking under the wild swing, Constantine delivered a solid punch to the barbarian’s kidney. The man crumpled, and Constantine clutched his hand in momentary pain before scrambling to draw his sword and activate his air legion shield, winding it into place in just a few clicks. The steel segments telescoped out from the central stack to form the solid, yet lightweight, shield.

Constantine looked around. Most of those still in the fight wore red uniforms. His bodyguards had made a decisive impact in this particular conflict. Unfortunately, they were also beginning to take some serious casualties. Although his men were better armed and armored, their horses were still vulnerable to attacks, and crazed or not, the Nortlanders were not stupid opponents. Constantine was forced to signal his men to fall back as his reserve cohort came to the rescue.

“Into the breach!” Constantine shouted at them. He recognized some of the faces.

“Commander Appius, sir! It’s us!” called one of the legionnaires, smiling at him from the far end of the rank. Constantine, unsure of protocol, acknowledged with a half wave, half salute. Centurion Gwendyrn passed as well, instructing his rear ranks to hit the enemy with a flurry of plumbatae fire.

“Do you happen to have any more of those igniculum, sir?” a nearby legionnaire asked.

Sheathing his sword, Constantine smiled at the banter and played along for a while. “No, there didn’t seem to be much use! Evidently they already go blind here just looking at the snow all the time.” The men laughed. “Get to it, men! Send them all to Hades!”

Their well-disciplined formation slammed into the gap in the line. Constantine saw men actually fly into the air as the wedge of shields plowed into the milling enemy. The shock of their arrival did more to break their opponents than the last few hours of combat had. Gwendyrn drove his men like a scythe, reaping men left and right with well-timed counter charges from his ranks, the legionnaires working together to isolate and kill Nortland berserkers.

Constantine saw one man pin a chain-axe, teeth whirring, to the ground with his scutum. The serrated teeth of the chain-axe gnawed at the legionnaire’s shield, leaving deep grooves in the tough metal and wood until its wielder collapsed under two quick jabs to the gut from another legionnaire. Turning quickly, the legionnaire raised his shield to block another attack, and the battle continued.

Constantine shouted encouragement at his men, until one of his bodyguards grabbed him, just a few ranks back from the front line. “Sir! You can’t be up this far; we can’t keep you safe!” Unsaid was the more obvious You can’t play soldier when your job is to be a commander.

Constantine nodded wordlessly and let himself be pulled back out of the fight. He mounted a borrowed horse. From the bloodstains on the saddle, its owner was not going to be looking for it anytime soon.

“Wow! Would you look at that!” shouted one of his men. Constantine looked across the battlefield.

The mechaniphants were charging. It was an amazing sight. Fifteen of the constructs were moving in a single wave through the enemy army. The sunlight glittered off their steel armor and the projectiles being launched into the Nortlanders. Two of them must have been armed with Greek fire launchers, as clay spheres exploded in fiery fury, coating everything around them in sticky, burning residue. Constantine nearly yanked his binoculars off his neck, trying to get a better look at the situation.

The Roman mechanical beasts were on a rampage. They spat fire and threw explosive bolts. Their heavy repeaters cut down waves of enemy infantry. The Roman line rallied, cheering the attack. The enemy panicked and ran, falling back while the Romans redressed their lines. Constantine told his men to hold back. Orders are to remain here, but I wonder how long before Minnicus orders a general chase.

He stared through the binoculars again, watching as the Nortlanders tried everything to take down the mechaniphants. Ostrichines, the bipedal mechanical mounts that formed the fast, tireless cavalry of the Roman army, were riding outrigger for the mechaniphants, and the small teams of men and machines worked together to shut down any serious, concentrated attempt before it became a successful effort.

A flash of light and an explosion pulled Constantine’s binoculars east. The front-most mechaniphant had been destroyed. “How’d they do that?” he murmured to himself. Something predatory and graceful climbed up on top of the destroyed machine and released a spine-chilling howl. Constantine could feel it in his gut, even from over an imperial mile away. Mecha-wolves!

The wolf-like constructs raced into combat, their powerful jaws and claws ripping armor off the mechaniphants while nimbly dodging swinging tusks and articulated trunks. Constantine could see the life-and-death struggles between the mechaniphant’s crew and their attacker. Finally, another mecha-wolf climbed onto the back of the elephantine machine and swatted the crew out of their protected cupola before crushing the driver underfoot.

Constantine lowered his binoculars. This was not good. If the mechaniphants couldn’t stop the Nortland mecha-wolves, then the entire left flank attack would stall, and the battle could be lost. Even the heavy ballistae and heavy repeaters on the hill to their left seemed to pause for a moment, unsure about what to target.

A thought suddenly hit him. He grabbed the arm of a passing legionnaire. “Get up to those artillery pieces, and tell them to blanket the area right in front of the mechaniphants. We have to give them covering fire, make it suicide for any of those mecha-wolves to run through the heavy fire! I don’t care if there’s nothing there, the advance must continue.” The legionnaire nodded frantically, repeated the message, and ran off. Hurry, hurry, hurry! Constantine urged mentally.

A few minutes later, the artillery started up their fire again, this time doing just what their new commander wanted. With the first few mechaniphants destroyed, the remainder had paused to regroup. The artillery fire shot just short of them, trying to cover them as they prepared to resume the assault. The Nortlander infantry had fled before them, leaving the two sides’ war machines to duke it out.

Hmm, this time they’re in pairs instead of being strung out, Constantine observed as the mecha-wolves resumed their attack upon their larger mechanical brethren.

A raucous cheer rose from the Roman lines as an exceptionally lucky ballista shot speared a mecha-wolf in midair, hurling it sideways. The construct landed on its companion, crushing it. Decorum forgotten, Constantine cheered along with his men. The mechaniphants moved to attack again, this time targeting their lupine-esque opponents with almost unerring skill, pinning them between their larger frames or hitting them with heavy repeater fire from afar.

A shout from his right caught Constantine’s attention. A messenger was approaching rapidly on horseback. The man gave a quick salute, fist over his heart, then handed him a scroll. Constantine unfurled it and quickly scanned the message. He felt his heart beginning to pound in his chest.

He turned to his subordinate. “Mobilize all our reserves and take five cohorts from the line. Tell the rest of the men to hold firm and spread out to fill the gaps. We’ll pick up the men as we march east,” he ordered. If the instructions confused the man, he gave no evidence as he quickly turned to send out runners to the correct cohorts.

Constantine turned back to the messenger. “You’re sure about this?” The man nodded, out of breath. “Very well, take this message to the VII Germania. They’ll need to assist us immediately. Beg, plead, whatever you need to do. Understand? Go!” The messenger galloped off again, mud and snow flying from his mount’s hooves.

“Why are we mobilizing a quarter of our remaining strength and pulling out of line, sir?” his subordinate, Hadrius, asked.

“It appears our general’s scouts didn’t test the ice on the right flank as well as we thought. The Nortlanders are coming across in droves and have attacked the IV Britannia. They were caught completely by surprise. We’ve got to help.”

“Isn’t that the job of the reserves?” Hadrius asked.

Constantine fixed him with an icy stare. “Hadrius, if I thought the reserve could get there in time, I wouldn’t be pulling out a quarter of our strength now, would I? But they won’t because they’re the slowest marchers, and I know that Commander Murtes will take the road instead of marching cross-country. And that will take just too damn long.” His tone permitted no further queries. Constantine looked to the right, where at the copse of trees and low hillocks hid the battle now developing off to the east. “Now get the men moving.”

Chapter 13

Graecus

Commander Lianus Graecus had lost his helmet somewhere in the fighting. He leaned heavily on his shield, trying to gather his strength. In his heart, he knew what was about to happen.

The IV Britannia was about to die.

The Nortlanders had crossed the “thinly” iced river that Graecus had assumed would shield their position. His cohorts, strung out in an effort to monitor the enemy, had been attacked piecemeal, and great gaps had opened in his once solid line of soldiery.

He uttered several vehement curses at “General” Minnicus and his so-called scouts. Curse that man. If I live long enough to get my hands on him. . That imbecile probably doesn’t even know what’s happening. I wonder if his scouts even looked at this river.

The river, if it could be called that, had been nicknamed Little Viken because of its connection to the Viken River, a major west-east river that ran from the mountains of central Nortland to the sea.

“And he assured us it was frozen!” Graecus spat. His spittle was tinged red with blood. He could already feel the makings of a powerful bruise on his cheek, the result of a head butt some inventive Nortlander had tried to deliver. Graecus closed his eyes for a moment and saw in his mind’s eye the waves of barbarian tribesmen and berserkers crossing the river. He knew they were still down there, surging over its uncontested banks to overwhelm the entire right flank of the Roman army.

Although taken by surprise along both its flanks during the initial assault, the IV Britannia had held stubbornly, forcing the Nortlanders to overpower them with sheer numbers. Originally, the line of legionnaires had been assembled along the semi-frozen banks of the Little Viken, with the greatest concentration around the recently assembled bridge spanning the thin-iced river. The wooden bridge was wide enough to allow eight men to march abreast across the river, and represented both a possible attack route and a considerable death trap. Commander Graecus knew his business, and had positioned heavy repeaters and ballistae all along the river, even going so far as chopping down trees to build stable platforms and expand his firing lanes. The rest of the legion spread out from this strong central position.

Graecus had not anticipated needing to cover his flanks with a large force, and so his cohorts had been strung out along the river for about a mile and a half, which wound from southwest to northeast. His westernmost cohorts could communicate with the scout forces of the XIII Germania that occupied the ridge just over the river, while his easternmost ones were nearly into the great forestlands of Nortland.

The first indication that something was wrong came when a standard patrol failed to report in from the right flank. Graecus sent out a second, more heavily equipped patrol. Within an hour, they were back in camp, along with the remnants of five of his right flank cohorts. By then, it was already too late to counter the enemy incursions. The Nortlanders had already gained the southern bank of the Little Viken and were right on the heels of his heavily damaged cohorts.

The first half-hour of battle had been close, but surprise and numbers were on the Nortlanders’ side. They had pushed the Romans back all the way to the bridge, and his western flank was now under heavy attack, with the Nortlanders gaining the southern bank in half a dozen places.

Graecus had formed his line at a right angle. The cornerpiece of his defense was the recently dubbed “Fort Graecus”-a hastily built stronghold that blocked both the bridge and the riverbank. From this position his cohorts spread southward, trying to cover the length of the road that supplied them with reinforcements and supplies. His remaining cohorts were spread along the river to the west, trying to stop the mass of barbarians from surrounding his beleaguered legion.

Graecus stood on the dirt parapet of the fort that bore his name. His aide-de-camp and temporary standard-bearer, Kurlis Tritonis, stood next to him, his armor dented and bloodied, but still in one piece. Damned teenager still has energy, and here I am feeling every one of my forty-six years.

“Kurlis, do you think any of our messages have gotten through?”

“I’d say there’s a good chance, sir. We did send most of them while we were sure of the road.”

“And you took care of the senatora?” Regardless of the outcome here, Graecus did not want to be responsible for the death of a Roman senator. Female or not, she’s still one of the sharpest politicians I’ve ever met. And I’ve met many.

“Yes, sir, I sent her south about an hour ago with her bodyguards and an entire cohort. They’re under orders to get her to safety no matter what. I’m sure they’ll make it, sir.”

“You’re forever optimistic, Signifer. Now, if you please, raise our Eagle high so that the enemy may know where to spend their lives.” His aide hoisted the gilded golden eagle, sign of the legions of Rome for nearly two thousand years, up into the air. His legionnaires cheered as the howl of the Nortlanders rang again from the snow-covered forests, and their enemy charged into battle.

It was a full frontal assault. Withering fire from the Roman repeaters scythed down swathes of warriors. Ballistae chucked pots of Greek fire into the milling mass of men, and the landscape before the Roman positions steamed like fog on a fall day.

But onward the enemy came. They had assembled basic siege equipment, mantels to provide cover and ladders to scale the hastily built walls of the fort. Graecus urged his men to target the ladder carriers while the artillery knocked out the large siege shields that were being slowly, inexorably, pushed forward toward his position. A ballista scored a lucky hit and a mantel shredded under the force of a direct blast of gunpowder. Men went flying in all directions as the mantel’s hide-covered wood became a deadly weapon in its own right, bursting into a flurry of splinters as large as a man’s arm.

Graecus’ gaze swept over the once pristine field, now littered with decapitated men and broken bodies. If we hadn’t cut down those trees in the first place, they’d be all over us. But the fight seemed to have gone out of the Nortlanders. The few warriors who had reached the wall were quickly dispatched, and the rest fled back into the safety of the woods. Graecus released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Despite the cold, he wiped the sweat from his forehead with the cuff of his tunic sleeve. Finally, a chance to-

“Sir. .”

He looked up to see the horror and frustration on his aide’s face as he handed over a message scroll.

“Yes?”

“A runner reports that they’ve broken through farther south. They’ve got some mecha-wolves in amongst our 12th and 17th Cohorts,” Tritonis reported, his tone grim and his face pinched.

The commander closed his eyes for a moment as he recalled the centurions of those cohorts. Decarus and Limones; they would not have gone down without a fight. Graecus opened his eyes. “Have all cohorts north of them peel right and form a rearguard. Fall back on my position. Is the wireless still working?”

“Yes sir, but our steam generator is almost out of fuel. We’ll have it for maybe a few more minutes at most,” Tritonis said apologetically.

“We can’t burn all this wood?” his commander asked incredulously, gesturing to the piles of chopped wood serving as a fort.

“No sir, something about fouling up the inner workings. I’m not sure of the details.” Tritonis gave a halfhearted shrug.

“Well then, send this message-do it yourself, personally, then return here. I don’t anticipate that we’ll have much time once the Nortlanders get through the rearguard.”

Saluting, Tritonis handed the Eagle standard over to one of the commander’s bodyguards and carefully accepted the envelope Graecus held out. “I’ll be back shortly, sir.”

While Tritonis was gone, Graecus set about reinforcing his southern positions. He ordered his strung out western cohorts to fall back as well. I figure I’ve got at least fifteen hundred men left. Although it was less than a quarter of his initial strength at the beginning of the day, it was still a deadly force.

Sure enough, the Nortland forces had enveloped the entire right flank of Graecus’ legion. His rearguard fought desperately, holding for as long as possible; when the carefully structured line collapsed, combat dissolved into a swirling melee, with Romans fighting back to back against the mass of Nortland attackers. The rearguard died hard.

But they still died.

With the few minutes provided by the death throes of his rearguard, Graecus scrambled to secure his now open flank. He threw his tired western cohorts into a hasty defensive line. “Grab whatever you can, build the defenses high. I want them to pay for every foot of ground!” Graecus exhorted his men as they overturned wagons, piled supplies, and dragged branches, rocks, even cooking pots and pans into ramshackle barricades. I wonder if Vulcan, god of craft and machine, has ever looked upon as insane a construct as ours, Graecus thought fleetingly as he raced to supervise the last of the defenses as they were manhandled into place.

By the gods, I hope this is good enough to stop what is coming, Graecus prayed. Deep down, he knew that it would not be enough.

He surveyed his surroundings one last time, giving orders to tweak the positions of his few remaining heavy artillery pieces. If only we still had our mechaniphants, we could do some real damage.

“You’re right there, sir. I’d love to see what one of those machines could do to these hordes we’re facing,” Tritonis said, climbing up to his position. Graecus hadn’t realized he had spoken aloud. “Sorry sir,” Tritonis added, sensing the brief, awkward pause. “Thought you might want to know that we did receive messages on the wireless just before it died. Elements of the XIII Germania and the VII Germania are en route this very second.” His voice contained traces of hope. Graecus figured it was best to let it survive. He knew that the relief columns would not be here for another hour, at the earliest. And they would be tired, outnumbered, and just as likely to be wiped out by the huge influx of Nortland war bands roaming both sides of the Little Viken now.

“Sir!” a lookout called to him. “Movement in the trees!”

Commander Graecus climbed higher up the barricade to get a better view. His legionnaires nodded to him. He was not the best commander, and he knew it. But he was not one of those disciplinarian types, and he had earned the respect of his men the old-fashioned way-by fighting for them and making sure he did his best to get them glory, loot, and a safe return home. He pulled out his spyglass and focused on the trees. Sunlight glinted off metal weapons as the Nortlanders gathered again for a final assault. He could hear shouts from the eastern wall as well. They must be coordinating their efforts this time.

Graecus turned back to his men, who stared up at him, perched on top of the barricade, as he spoke to them one last time. “Boys, it won’t be long now until we’re stuck in good and deep. Just remember: fight smart, fight hard, fight for the man next to you and the buddy behind you. Fight for vengeance and glory. But most of all, FIGHT. FOR. ROME!”

His men cheered and shouted. A few chanted, and others picked it up: “Rome. Rome. Rome. ROME. ROME. ROME!”

The Nortlanders had moved onto the field during the commander’s brief speech, pausing just out of repeater range. Graecus moved carefully back down from the barricades and ordered his repeaters up into position. “Wait for it. .” His men tensed nervously. Heavy artillery creaked as it shifted position.

The Nortlanders marched into the open field as if guided by an unseen hand.

“Heavy artillery, open fire.” His ballista and heavy repeaters started their bloody work again, gouging great holes in the enemy line.

When the enemy had advanced another two hundred feet, running faster this time, Graecus gave his second order. “Repeaters, open fire. Prepare plumbatae.” Every last legionnaire who could throw the explosive-tipped plumbata had been assembled, and he was using up his entire stock in this one instance. No point in leaving anything in the supply wagons.

The smaller repeaters were less deadly, especially at greater range, but they were faster to reload. The amount of firepower was only limited by the time it took to reload the repeaters. The crossbow used the force from the launch of each bolt to slide the heavy-duty cord back down the stock to load another bolt via an ingenious device called the Agrippa repeater mechanism. Thanks to this, the field was now littered with dead.

Even so, the Nortlanders were barely two hundred feet away now. Graecus heard himself bellow, “Ready plumbatae!” He could literally feel the mass of men behind him moving in synchronized motion as they all prepared their weapons. One last time, they would cast defiance into the face of their enemy.

“Throw!”

Chapter 14

Octavia

Octavia heard the sounds of conflict as her horse and those of her bodyguard trotted within the square formation of her borrowed cohort. Tribune-make that Commander-Appius and Captain Alexandros had provided the ten mounted men forming her bodyguard; around them all quick-marched ninety crack legionnaires, most of whom had seen many winters of service in the name of the Emperor.

Leading them was veteran Centurion Piltus Orestis, a scarred battlefield survivor; canny, tough, and a strict disciplinarian. But he also led one of the IV Britannia’s best cohorts, if not the best, as he was wont to argue.

Octavia was certain that the man did not appreciate being sent off on an escort mission while his comrades in arms were dying to stall the surprise Nortland attack across the Little Viken. Conversely, she was certainly happy that she was not staying behind to fend off the invasion. She knew perfectly well that she would not be of use in a combat situation, and refused to play the role of heroine. For this, she thought, her bodyguard was extremely thankful.

The party moved quickly down the main road heading south, their goal to reach the protection of the VII Germania. The reserve was only about two miles away at a fast march, but Octavia was concerned about the sheer number of Nortland attackers who had flanked the III Britannia and were most likely blocking the road somewhere south.

Her escort had passed the last of the cohorts covering the southernmost point of Commander Graecus’ line about a half-hour ago, by her judgment, and the forest echoed with the sounds of battle. “Do you think the enemy are near to us, Centurion? I cannot seem to tell the distance, with all this forest cover,” she called to her escort leader.

The taciturn centurion, a permanent scowl evidently glued to his face, considered her question. Perhaps he’s just annoyed at the fact that he cannot ride a horse and yet is required to ride one in order to keep up and lead our escape, she thought, with just a small prick of pleasure at seeing the man adjust himself uncomfortably.

“They could be near or far, Senatora. If they’re close, we probably won’t live long enough to get away. If they’re far, we’ll try to get farther away.” Orestis turned away from her, killing any further attempt at conversation. She sighed and focused on the journey.

A rolling string of explosions suddenly erupted far behind her, accompanied by a marked intensity in the sounds of conflict. Orestis held up a gloved fist and the party paused; he turned his mount slowly to focus on the sounds. Legionnaires took advantage of the brief break to gulp water and wipe foreheads. Even in the cold winter air, the men sweated fiercely.

At least there isn’t a wind right now, which would really make this situation worse, Olivia thought. One of her bodyguards rode close to her, offering a thermos filled with tea that had somehow managed to remain lukewarm. Octavia nodded gratefully as the warm liquid helped to calm her grumbling belly and slake her thirst.

“Senatora! I think we need to move a bit faster. I’ve heard bugle calls sounding retreat. That is not a good sign,” the centurion called.

A sudden rustle at the edge of the road ahead of them caught most of the party’s attention. A Nortland scout actually fell into the roadway, apparently having tripped over some root or branch and then rolling over a steep embankment. The man dusted himself off and turned, staring wide-eyed at the party of Romans before him, who stared back, equally surprised at his sudden appearance.

The pause lasted only a few moments, until an under-officer shouted orders and legionnaires raced to catch the man. The fur-coated northerner turned to run, fear in his eyes. There’s no way the legionnaires will catch him, Octavia thought despondently as the scout rapidly lengthened the gap between him and his pursuers. He tried to scramble up a shallower part of the snow-covered bank, but slipped and fell again. With the legionnaires closing in, the scout turned and raced into the woods on the other side of the road. The legionnaires pursued, the sounds of crashing branches and yelling echoing back to the roadway for a few minutes. Then the noise trickled out.

A few minutes passed, and then the squad of legionnaires returned.

“Did you get him?” asked Orestis.

“Well, Fustus here thinks he winged him with his repeater,” the file leader said, shifting nervously. His men seemed anxious to be anywhere but under the death glare of their commanding officer.

“Is. He. Dead?” Orestis ground out the words one at a time. Even Octavia quailed inwardly at the sheer force of those words.

“We don’t know sir, he disappeared into the forest.”

Orestis turned away in frustration, hitting the pommel of his saddle in anger. “Column, prepare to march. And next time, men, don’t chase, just kill him,” Orestis said, his disgust at their failure to eliminate the scout very, very clear.

The column formed up and continued, this time at a pace quickened by fear and adrenaline. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before the scout found some opportunistic Nortland leader with enough troops to pursue the small Roman force. Hopefully they won’t be able to catch us.

At another tight turn in the road, Orestis halted the column and turned to Octavia. “Ma’am, with your permission I’m going to leave a squad behind to try to ambush and slow any pursuers. They could buy us the time we need to get you to safety.”

Octavia nodded, knowing deep down that these men would probably die to save her. They hadn’t asked for it, she didn’t even pay them; they were doing it simply because it was their duty. Senatora or not, courage like that required gratitude. So before the party moved on, Octavia thanked each man in the ambush party, committing their names to memory so that she could honor them later.

The escort moved on. The commander of her bodyguard, the veteran file leader Melius Jonus, pulled out his map. “We should be only about two miles or so from the Imperial lines. If we can make it there, then we should be safe.” Heartened by this news, Orestis increased the pace. They soon left the ambush party behind, as they retreated toward the safety of their fellow Romans.

Then a whistling sound and a loud explosion cut through their gradually lightening mood. “That’s the ambush party’s signal. It means that they are either overwhelmed or have sighted enemy forces,” Orestis said.

“But we’ve got at least half an hour head start on them, and our men could still be fighting, Centurion,” Octavia answered. “Don’t we have enough of a lead?”

“Not if they’ve got those accursed mecha-wolves. And if they do, the ambush party won’t last more than a few minutes at most.”

“Then I guess we’d better get a move on.”

The next clearing they reached proved to be their last. As the party made a break across the field, they heard the unmistakable screech of metal upon metal behind them. Octavia turned, and saw death approaching.

Three mecha-wolves burst out of the woods. Clinging to them were a host of Nortland warriors. I never knew they’d use them as transports! That was Octavia’s last coherent thought before full panic wrapped her mind.

“Senatora! Run for the line! It’s just beyond those trees! We’ll hold them off!” Orestis called. He turned to deploy his men, forming a ragged line three men deep facing the charging Nortland vehicles.

Spurring her horse, Octavia fled, her bodyguard forming a wedge behind her. The horse’s hooves kicked up snow and old grass behind her, and the wind from her passage tore at her fur parka.

They were nearly into the forest when the first screams reached them. She turned and glimpsed the mecha-wolves blasting through the thin line of legionnaires, dropping Nortland raiders in their wake. Then, leaping gracefully and looking like their namesake predators chasing down prey, they closed in on the senatora’s party.

“We’re so close! We have to lose them in the forest!” cried Jonus as they entered the band of trees separating them from their hope of salvation. Octavia leaned forward, her head along her horse’s neck, urging it onward. Faster, faster! she cried inwardly as branches splintered and trees crashed behind her.

“They’re nearly upon us!” someone screamed.

Up ahead, daylight penetrated the thick boreal forest. We’re through! Octavia thought gleefully, just as her world spun. She lost all sense of direction as her body hurtled through the air.

Octavia landed in a heap. Her horse was screaming somewhere behind her. Dazed, she tried to pull herself up, her fingers scrabbling against the rough bark of a pine tree, seeking purchase. She succeeded in resting her back against the tree, and tried to come to terms with what had just happened.

Her bodyguard was scattered. The mecha-wolves had blasted a path through much of the forest in their pursuit of the senatora. They had not escaped unharmed, and Octavia felt a flicker of pleasure as she saw one vehicle collapse onto the ground, with what looked like half a tree trunk rammed through its innards. The other two mecha-wolves had killed at least four of her bodyguards; Octavia could see their mangled bodies. The rest of her men must have abandoned their horses, as she could count far more dead horses than men. One horse had even been tossed up into a tree, and now hung like some macabre trophy over a thick branch.

“Psst! Senatora!”

She saw Jonus, looking definitely the worse for wear but still on his feet, sword in hand. He knelt behind the tree, out of sight of both patrolling mecha-wolves. “Have you seen any of their infantry?”

“Not yet,” Octavia whispered back. She took a deep breath, and a sharp pain flared up her side. It took nearly all her willpower not to scream. Definitely something broken, she thought as her eyes watered.

“Can you move? We’ve got to get you out of here. Queris and Draxe will help you up.”

“But what will you do?” Octavia asked weakly.

“I’m going to go distract them a bit, and see if I can’t take down one of those machines,” Jonus whispered conspiratorially to her as the two legionnaires he’d named ghosted out from behind the same large tree. They gathered her up and immediately began snaking their way through the woods.

“What is he going to do? He can’t stop them with a sword,” Octavia mumbled to her rescuers, peering back.

The younger of the two men grinned fiercely. “Jonus is one of the craftiest men out there. He’s got access to some of the new toys the high command’s been handing out this mission, including some of those new igniculum. Those explosives are enough to take out one of those mecha-wolves, with luck.” He grunted slightly as they maneuvered the senatora over a particularly large root.

“Plus, Queris, you know that Victoria is Jonus’ patron saint. Although his grandmother would always say that it was Nike, not some Roman upstart goddess, who looked over her grandson,” the legionnaire who must have been Draxe responded. The man had gray in his hair and the scars to show many years of service.

“You know Jonus?” Octavia’s eyelids felt heavy. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she fought to retain consciousness. I will not pass out like some wimpy peasant girl, she scolded herself.

“Since we were small boys. He got me into the army, and I’ve been making his life a living Hades ever since!” the man joked.

Behind them, another loud explosion erupted, followed by much shouting and the clashing of swords.

“Sounds like they got one of the bas-erm. . bad guys,” Queris corrected, remembering the rank and respect due the person they carried between them.

They went another few yards, then stopped abruptly.

“Ahh, Senatora Pelia. Such a pleasure to finally meet you face to face. I’ve heard so much about you.”

Octavia lifted her head. Before her stood a rough-looking man clad in an odd cut of Nortland furs. It almost looked as though someone had tried to infuse Roman style into the Nortland material. “I’m sorry, we’ve never met,” Octavia managed. Her shell-shocked brain struggled for more awareness. One thing she could sense was that this man was dangerous.

The stranger slowly unsheathed his sword. The wicked-looking weapon was a good three or four feet long. He held it casually in one hand while running a whetstone over its edge. “Ahh, but I can soon rectify that. I am Corbus.” He waited a moment for Octavia to register this.

“The Butcher of Brittenburg? You’re way too young to claim that title, I think,” Octavia scoffed. She immediately regretted poking fun at the man, as his dark eyes lit with a cold fury.

“I see you need some convincing. Very well.” He tossed the whetstone aside and moved to attack.

Almost dropping Octavia to the ground, the legionnaires drew their standard issue spathas and moved to defend her. The men worked as a team, parrying the first few blows from Corbus.

Octavia had a hard time keeping track of what was happening as the weapons moved faster and faster, Corbus raining punishing blows down on both men. He was easily outstripping their abilities, obviously toying with them. Finally he sidestepped Queris’ tired parry and his sword cut neatly through the legionnaire’s right arm. The wounded legionnaire spun away.

Draxe tried to take advantage of Corbus’s exposed posture, stabbing straight for the gut. With a nasty scrrrrrinnnggg, his sword skittered off some hidden piece of armor. Corbus turned in a flash, bringing the sword up in a curving arc, decapitating Draxe. Blood fountained out onto the white patches of snow. The man’s head bounced away as his body collapsed to the forest floor.

Queris threw himself at Corbus, awkwardly wielding his belt dagger in his left hand. The two tussled briefly, until Corbus managed to roll on top of the wounded soldier. He raised his sword and struck at the legionnaire’s unprotected head. The fighting abruptly stopped.

Octavia felt tears trickling down her cheeks. It was simply too much. Too much to handle. So much death and loss. Corbus was busy cleaning his blade on Queris’ jacket. Octavia looked around desperately. Maybe she could make a run for it. She tried to crawl for the nearest large tree.

Her battered body had only moved a few feet when Corbus spoke. “Seriously, Senatora! I’m insulted that you think me dense enough not to notice your escape attempt. You’re very lucky that I consider you more useful alive. Now, it’s time you came with me.”

“Where are we going?” Octavia whimpered.

“To a place where not even your Roman gods can save you: Midgard, home of the cold, copper-crowned kings of the north. I hope you will. . enjoy your stay.”

Chapter 15

Julius

“I suppose I should be thankful to be alive,” Julius said to no one in particular. “But then, I wouldn’t be in this frozen underworld now, would I?”

Julius wrapped himself tighter in the thin blanket his captors had provided him. He shivered again-really more of a supremely long shaking that had been going on for days now. Thank the gods that they let me keep my cape. He used the blood red centurion cape as a second blanket, the thicker wool helping to ward off the cold. Two layers are better than one.

He lay curled into a tight ball on his cot, his sprained ankle bandaged and splinted with whatever odds and ends he could find. At least the time in the cells had done him good in one way. He felt far steadier on his feet now that he’d had some time to recuperate.

With only the weak light from the hallway torch to light his cell, Julius lived in perpetual gloom. He had lost all track of day and night, and found himself sitting on his straw pallet for hours, listening to the drip, drip, drip of the water trickling down the walls. At first, the sound had driven him nearly mad. It brought him to tears, made him laugh. At one point, Julius even wondered if he was going crazy, like so many of the other occupants of the dungeon. Their ravings were only bearable because he couldn’t understand a word that they were saying.

It was only by the thinnest of margins that Julius had maintained his sanity. The seed of his newfound strength came from an offhand comment by one of his jailers: “This one won’t last as long as those others we brought in.” That from the jailer Julius had dubbed Redbeard.

His sniveling sycophant, Half-Face, so named for the huge burn that marred half his face, had readily agreed. “Yes, yes, I bet he won’t even last as long as those puny women and children they brought back-”

There were the sounds of a brief scuffle, then a whimper. “Do not speak of that around here,” Redbeard’s voice said.

Julius smiled grimly in his cell, willing himself back to sleep. Soon.

When Julius woke again, it was to the sound of slamming iron gates and screeching wheels. Rising, Julius walked unsteadily to the barred opening of the cell-a short tube hewn from the living bedrock of the mountain, with the rough granite comprising three sides and stout iron bars plugging the end. They slid aside to provide entrance. The barred gates could be operated by hand, and also by machinery, it seemed, as the gates had opened several times before the guards had appeared at the door.

Not that he left the room often. The only other place that he had seen was the inside of the so-called interrogation chamber. Call it anything but a torture chamber, and it still sounds ominous.

At first, the guards seemed to take pure pleasure in hurting him. Kicks when they delivered his meals, or even dumping his meals on the floor and having him eat off the rock surface. But his bruises were beginning to fade, and Julius could not figure out why.

Until today.

Sure enough, something was happening. Julius could hear the guards’ boots stomping on the rock floor, the sound echoing down the cellblock. Finally, the guards themselves turned the corner, a man hanging limply between them. His feet were dragging; the man was definitely unconscious. Julius moved close to the door, craning his head to get a good look.

They dumped the man unceremoniously on the floor. His body, the clothes disheveled, fell limply. Julius felt his heart leap into his throat. The man’s exposed leg bore a legion tattoo. Another legionnaire could give me information about what’s happening outside. Or help me escape.

The guards moved to open the door. “Back away, prisoner,” one of them said gruffly.

Julius shambled away to the corner of the cell.

One guard pulled his sword while the other slid open the iron door, the metal parts shrieking protest. Julius clapped his hands over his ears.

The guards dragged the man into the cell and tossed him, mercifully, onto the small cot. The guards turned and left without a word, slamming the gate shut with a loud crash.

With the guards gone, the cellblock returned to its usual gloomy atmosphere. Julius spent several hours torn between the urge to shake the man awake and ask him questions, and letting the man, who had obviously been bruised and battered on his way here, rest.

At last, Julius could wait no longer. He shook the man. The man awoke as though coming to from a deep coma, his body responding slowly. “Hgghh. . water. .”

Julius scrambled about the room, finding the tin cup left for him hours earlier and pushing it under the trickle of water that forever wound its way down the back wall of the cell. After a few minutes, enough water had accumulated that Julius was able to give the man a drink.

The man’s eyes flew open at the shock of the cold water hitting his system. He coughed and spluttered before finally resting his eyes on Julius. “Here, let me get you up,” Julius said kindly, guiding the legionnaire into a sitting position against the wall. “What’s your name, legionnaire?”

“Legionnaire Second Class Felix Scipio.”

“Well, Felix, it appears you’re in the same mess I am. I’m Julius Caesar, former centurion. Well, I guess I’m still a centurion,” Julius said wistfully.

The conversation paused as Scipio drank more water and Julius pulled up an overturned bucket to serve as a stool.

“So tell me, Felix, how on earth did you end up here in Midgard? At least, that’s where I assume we are.”

Scipio shared that his legion was part of the expeditionary force sent to invade Nortland. Julius was excited by this, and revealed that he was part of the expedition as well.

“The Thirteenth, eh? They were to our left during the battle. I heard some men saying at the end that the Thirteenth was coming to rescue us, but I guess they just couldn’t get there in time.” Scipio shrugged. “It was too fast, too overwhelming. They pulled my cohort out before the end, though. Sent us to cover some politician’s escape.”

Julius’s jaw dropped. “The senatora was on the flank? Why on earth would she stay out there?”

“I dunno, sir.” The man rubbed his forehead with both hands, leaving trails of blood and grime over his face. Julius handed him a slightly cleaner rag. “All I know is, we’re pulled out of line at the last second and told to get her to safety. There we are, marching double time through these woods, and I overheard our file leader say that we’re almost to the reserve and safety. Then some of those. . those. . things-the ones that could be spawn of Vulcan, for all we know. . They look like wolves?” Scipio looked at Julius, who thought for a moment.

“You mean the mecha-wolves?”

“Yes, sir. Those things. Three of them come bounding out of the woods behind us. Centurion Orestis deployed us to cover the senatora and her party’s escape.” He shook his head. “Some defense we were. Those cursed things practically leapt over us. There was no stopping them. Our pila bounced off them and even the explosive ones wouldn’t dent their hides. I think we only survived because they dropped off ground troops, then ran after the senatora. But those things killed the centurion and scattered our formation. We fought so hard, but those troops that they brought were insane. I saw one barbarian take three spears to the gut and still kill two legionnaires before he fell.”

Tears falling down his cheeks, the man looked up at Julius. “I ran, sir. I couldn’t take it. Not after the man next to me was virtually sawn in half by one of those chain-axes of theirs. I got hit on the helmet from behind and next thing I know, I’m being dragged into this giant mountain.”

Julius put a comforting hand on the man’s shoulder. “I don’t blame you. Not at all. I remember my first command, I nearly ran too. Pretty much hid from all the real fighting as my men died around me. It’s. . very, very hard to watch, even harder to be there and know there is nothing you can do.”

Julius stood and began to pace in the small cell. “There may not have been anything you could do then, but now, you’re in place to help me.”

“Do what, exactly, sir?”

“Escape.”

Julius saw a flash of hope in the man’s eyes. “How? We’re under a mountain!” the man exclaimed.

“Shhhh!” Julius put his finger to his lips to quiet his cellmate. “First, by not alerting anyone else. Second, by telling me what you saw on the way here.”

The man’s fingers disappeared into his dark brown hair as he scratched his scalp. He took another sip of water. “Well, uh, we came through a gate. A tunnel-it was really long. Probably at least a half-mile or maybe even a mile long. I remember that the only light was from the guards’ torches. One of them had like, a key or something, and he had to turn and unlock a panel in the wall. There must be some type of mechanical defenses that I couldn’t see. Probably fire burners or repeaters.” Julius stared at the man. “What? I used to build these things until I got drafted. Britannia doesn’t quite have as many people as the mainland, you know. We still have the occasional barbarian raid and whatnot from the north,” Scipio said ruefully.

“Anyways, we went through several huge chambers. Some looked like warehouse ones, and others looked like slave pens, with these big cages that had many people in them-men, women, and children. I heard some Latin when people shouted out at me. I tried to respond, but then I got hit again and I blacked out. Then I woke up here.”

Julius sank back down onto the overturned bucket. He felt like a new man. He had a purpose, a goal. He’d figure out how to get out of here. The arrival of Scipio had allowed him to escape the crushing feeling of loneliness and failure that had plagued him since the start of his imprisonment.

“Okay, so you said that there are probably Romans up there somewhere?” Scipio nodded. “How much do you want to bet at least some of them have military experience?”

Scipio looked doubtful. “I don’t know, sir. Seems pretty risky to be hoping for some of those slaves to be former warriors. After all, they had to be captured somewhere.” He spat a curse out. “Just like me. And I’m almost definitely certain that, as careless as these barbarians are, they aren’t leaving weapons lying around.”

Julius saw the flaw in his logic. “I’ll have to think about it then. Damn it, I knew there was a hole in the plan somewhere. Minerva will have to give me strength.”

The other man was silent for a while, then lay down on the cot, eyes staring up at the ceiling. “What about the other prisoners? Could we use them?”

Julius thought for a moment. “Allies, or distraction?”

“How far do you trust them?” Scipio asked.

“Hey, Romans! Stop speaking southern language, you sound like dumb birds!” came the garbled mish-mash of Latin words from the Nortlanders across the passageway. Julius, who had been required to learn a few words of the Norse language, shouted back a curse. A thrown bucket full of feces was the only response. Fortunately it clattered to the floor outside the cell.

“What did you call them?” Scipio asked.

“I told them something about unnatural things their moms did to themselves.” He gave a snarky smile. Scipio laughed.

“So I suppose we can’t really count on their help?”

“I would be shocked if it was offered. Plus they’ve been so nice to me that it probably would hurt us to actually release them. Maybe we’ll simply let them fight the Nortlanders after we leave!”

Julius fell quiet for a few minutes. “Well. . I know I want to escape, but I don’t want to leave behind all those slaves. It’s our duty to rescue them. Especially the Roman ones.”

Scipio shook his head. “We’ll travel faster with just the two of us. We can avoid patrols and slip out quietly. If we can get ahold of some uniforms, we can probably bluff our way out to the wall. Once we’re out there, anything can be done. But with hundreds of slaves?” again Scipio shook his head. “It’s simply not possible. You don’t know how many there are, or even where they are! Sir, I think we need to go alone.”

“I’ll think about it, legionnaire. But if I’m going to escape, I’ll do it as a Roman, on my terms.”

Scipio spoke passionately. “Sir, it’s all about this chance we’re taking. The odds are so much better when it’s just us. Listen to reason! Would you rather be a dead Roman or a live Roman? If you want to stay alive, you’ll have to do it my way.”

“I hear what you’re saying, but this is about me-I have to help these people. And that is my final order. Can you follow it, soldier?” Julius stared the man down.

Scipio’s eyes sparked with defiance for a moment, but then the fire went out, and he sighed heavily. “I’m fairly certain I’m going to regret it, but we’ll do it your way, sir.”

“Alright, here’s my plan. .”

Chapter 16

Constantine

“What the Hades do you mean, missing?” Constantine yelled at the assembled scouts. “Find the senatora. NOW!” He felt his blood boiling over with anger, frustration, madness, and perhaps, fear. Where is she? He stood in the ad hoc command post that he’d established here on the right flank of the expeditionary force. The tattered banners of the IV Britannia fluttered in the wind, and many of his soldiers were busy burying the remains of the decimated legion.

Another scout approached. Constantine felt a vague flicker of hope as he watched the messenger pick his way through the carnage. I will not be disappointed, like last time. Every scout and message had conjured the same flicker, only to be dashed with more bad news.

The magnitude of destruction inflicted upon the IV Britannia was probably going to shake the expedition to the core. Nearly six thousand men, dead or wounded or missing, in the span of one afternoon. All because of some completely idiotic scouting and horrible positioning and maneuvering. That somewhere around twelve to thirteen thousand Nortland barbarians had died as well did nothing to assuage the loss of an entire legion. Constantine clenched his fist. As primus imperio, I will have vengeance on the person responsible for this disaster, I swear it.

And I know exactly where to start.

His aide, Hadrius Regis, intercepted the messenger and accepted a package. He opened it and his face paled. Constantine watched this, feeling the familiar sinking feeling in his heart.

“What news, Hadrius?”

The man turned and walked slowly to his commander. “I’m so sorry, sir.” He knelt and proffered the purple sash of a senator of Rome.

Constantine lifted it with shaking hands. It’s the cold, not my anger, he told himself over and over again. He gently folded the purple silk and tucked it into one of his many belt pouches-one he made sure was clean and empty. “Did you find a body?” he asked the messenger.

“No sir, but you’ll want to come and get a look at this.”

Constantine and his escort rode south, passing mounds of corpses, the red- and brown-garbed victims of the series of running battles that had consumed the entire right side of the army. The stillness of the forest had returned with the retreat of the Nortlanders. After their pyrrhic victory over the IV Britannia, the barbarians had been unprepared for the pincer assaults of the Germania legions. Struck from two different directions, the Nortland attackers had fled back to their own lines; those who were unable to escape had been slaughtered.

No one had felt the need to offer mercy.

The scout pulled up at a point only a mile or so from the main Viken River and the original reserve position. “We found it in these woods. But before we go there, look here.” The scout pointed to the remains of a small battle in the midst of a field.

“Why would the centurion fight here? This is horrible ground to defend. Too open,” Hadrius Regis stated.

“We think he was trying to protect the senatora. You see the tracks?” The scout dismounted and squatted next to a series of large footprints partially melted in the snow. “These look like the tracks of a mecha-wolf, and you can see here how they go right through the escort.” He walked around, pointing out further evidence of the mechanical war machines of the north. Here, a man with his entire head crushed by the swipe of a metal paw. There, a mangled piece of armor, probably from a lucky pilum or igniculum strike.

“Now sir, I think the mecha-wolves brought riders, because a lot of these wounds are typical of ones we’ve seen this far north. Plus, there are some Nortland casualties among the dead.” The man remounted his horse. “Follow me, sir,” he said again as he adjusted the reins and galloped forward, tossing up snow in his wake.

Constantine and his party followed the man into the woods. At first, Constantine could see little evidence of battle.

“You’ll want to dismount, sir, and see this yourself,” the scout said.

As he dismounted, Constantine asked the scout’s name.

“Legionnaire Auxilius Lucianus, sir. From Copendrium. Well, actually, from the farms outside.” The man smiled at his commander’s interest.

“Well, Legionnaire Auxilius, I feel the day you drop that ‘auxilius’ title and become a Roman citizen cannot be too far off. You’ve already demonstrated remarkable skill. Lead on.”

The man nodded. “I found this, here. It looks like somebody really put up a good fight.”

Constantine’s escort exclaimed loudly and several swore at the massive, leering head of a mecha-wolf looming above them in the forest gloom. It was caught between two branches, staring downward with its mouth half open. The rest of the body was behind it, legs splayed and chest driven open. Scorch marks and burnt wood gave testament to the power that had killed the war beast.

Lucianus gestured to his commander. “We found him here. He’s got the markings of a bodyguard. Looks like he took out the mecha-wolf singlehandedly.”

The dead bodyguard was missing most of his left side, but his trappings and medals identified him as a member of the Praetorian Guard, one of only a few assigned to the expedition. Of the handful assigned, they had been divided among the leading officers, General Minnicus, Air-Admiral Polentio, and the senatora. As he’d been a regular tribune at the outset of the expedition, Constantine had not been granted any.

You did your job. Thank you for giving your life for the senatora, Constantine thought to the dead man, then whispered a brief prayer to the gods on his behalf. Be at peace, we shall finish your job.

The scout’s voice broke his reverie. “Sir, here’s where we found the sash.”

Constantine followed the voice, his bodyguards loosely pacing him at a distance. The scout stood in a blood-splashed clearing. The remains of two other bodyguards sprawled in gruesome positions.

“Do you think she survived?” Constantine asked at once.

“Well, they didn’t leave her body. I would bet they captured her, only because they would have probably been more eager to display her death to us than just the death of her guards.”

Constantine nodded. He heard someone retching nosily behind him at the grisly scene. “We need to get their identifiers and bury them. Their families should know they died defending a senator of Rome.”

The scout used a stick to sort through the remains of the bodyguards’ naked, decapitated bodies, finally locating the metal rings used to identify name and hometown. “Got them, sir.”

“Then get me a shovel.”

Some time later, Constantine and his party returned to camp. He gave terse orders, then retired to his command post for a while. As his under-officers organized the withdrawal of the XIII Germania detachment, Constantine read through the dispatches that had come in during his absence. Most came from General Minnicus, at times demanding his return to his legion, at others ordering him to charge forth to “hunt the bastards down.“ Constantine tossed them aside. We’ll return to our posts and let Murtes and the VII Germania stay here among the dead and lost.

Within the hour, the XIII Germania had pulled out, and watched as the green and fresh troops of the VII filed in behind them. Just before he left, another messenger threaded his way into Constantine’s command section. “Sir, you asked us to look into the ice? About how it was not supposed to be frozen?” Constantine nodded gruffly. “Well, sir, it’s been painted.”

“What?” Constantine said in disbelief.

“Someone painted a ton of cracks on the ice. They look good from a distance, but if you actually go and put your weight out on one, it’s as solid as rock.”

“So. . in your assessment, could an army cross that river without harm?” Constantine asked.

“I think we already have the answer to that question, sir. Yes. And if I may say so, sir, somebody screwed up. Big time.”

Constantine dismissed the soldier and turned to leave, then paused with a sudden idea. “Wait, legionnaire. Come here.” He gave a brief flurry of instructions to the bewildered legionnaire, who nodded dumbly and walked away.

Hadrius Regis, who stood off to one side, asked, “Are you planning something, sir?”

Constantine lifted an eyebrow. “I’m always planning something. Now let’s get going.”

The short northern day was drawing to a close as the long shadows of Constantine and his command party approached the temporary headquarters of General Minnicus. The short ride from the XIII Germania’s fort to the smaller headquarters had only taken a quarter-hour, but Constantine could feel the chill through his thick layers of clothing and armor padding. The poor under-officer who waved him into the entry gate looked half frozen in his resplendent armor, and Constantine felt sorry for him.

The command section castrum, or camp, was about half the size of a standard legionnaire fort and was defended by a double palisade rather than the single palisade that guarded the standard castrum. The short ride along the slushy streets ended in the central open forum, which was full of horses tethered to hitching posts, and various groups of bodyguards and messengers.

We must be the last ones here. Constantine thought as he dismounted. His nova caligae slid slightly on the muddy ground as he made his way into the large command tent. It dwarfed the standard-size canvas structures on either side, requiring two large center posts to support its grand shape.

Constantine was immediately grateful for the many braziers warming the tent’s interior. In the middle of the tent a small, chugging steam engine seemed to be heating a vast bowl of liquid.

“Ah, Commander Appius, welcome, welcome. Please, come join us here.” The general stood at the rear of the command tent with the other commanders, all clustered around a command table. “Grab a drink from the caldornax.” He gestured to the strange-looking machine. “It guarantees a piping hot drink or food whenever you want!” the general exclaimed.

Must be a recent invention. I didn’t even know these things existed. But “hot oven” is a great name for it. Constantine poured himself a cup of hot spiced wine and walked over to the table, appreciating the heat that seeped from the drink-warmed cup through his gauntlets to his hands. The first sip scalded his tongue, and also jolted him awake.

“Gentlemen, please apprise yourselves of the situation. As you can see, I have withdrawn the remnants of the IV Britannia to our reserve area. As of this moment, I have rated them non-combat ready. I have placed one of my officers in temporary command until I can sort out which of the remaining centurions has enough experience to lead the legion,” the general said in his gravelly voice, like a millstone churning away. It belied the quick political mind behind the voice. Probably lulls some people into distraction, too, Constantine thought.

Commander Murtes of the VII Germania piped up. “Sir, would it be more prudent to place one of your officers in command, rather than promote from within? Obviously, we need a steady hand at the helm.”

The general turned and smiled at him as though the idea had never crossed his mind. That’s an odd move for Murtes to make, Constantine thought as Minnicus “acquiesced” to the idea of leaving one of his flunkies in command. Of course, the command comprises about half a dozen banged-up, cobbled together cohorts. Nothing threatening.

“Now that this has been taken care of, I’d like to move on to our latest tactical assessment.” Minnicus nodded to one of his aides, and the man placed a map card into the terrain machine and wound a crank. The machine hummed slightly with each crank, and the flat table surface began to move. Large chunks of the map shot up, the thin cylinders of aluminum forming a tall mountain range that ran almost the entire length of the “northern” side of the board. The Viken River ran from the western side of the map and exited out to the southeast. Blobs of forests, lakes, and smaller rivers completed the shining metallic terrain.

Constantine drew an involuntary breath. This was much more detailed than the last command table he’d seen in action, back in basic training so long ago.

“Is this a newer version of the Mark II Command Table?” someone asked.

Minnicus smiled. “Yes, this is a Mark III. I just got it in our last supply shipment. Took three sets of wagons just to cart it up from the port! It continues to provide excellent in-depth terrain analysis using the same card system as before, but this time we can also modify the terrain. For instance, I’d like to have a closer view of section D4.” His aide fiddled with a series of dials, then pulled out a small lever. The effect was impressive. The outer edges of the table seemed to melt away as the mountains flowed into one peak, and the forests engulfed an entire portion of the map now. The Viken also dominated the entire southern border of the table, whereas before it had simply been a thin line running through wilderness.

Minnicus tapped the table. “Here is where we stand.” He placed five small Roman Eagles on the map. “The III Cimbrian, XIII Germania, and VII Germania.” He indicated each legion with a tap of a meaty finger. “Back here, our command section and the IV Britannia complete our formation.” The three forward legions were placed in a slightly concave formation, with the flanking legions being gently angled toward the center, slightly to the rear.

“Facing us is the Nortland army, mostly peasant drafts but also toughened by their raiders and mechanical units. Our recent attack by the III Cimbrian, in support of our own mechanical units, can be deemed a rousing success. We could have trapped the entire Nortland army outside the walls of Midgard if our right flank had not been overwhelmed.” Minnicus sounded. . disappointed in the loss of his potential glory.

Or loot, Constantine thought cynically.

“My scouts reliably estimate that we have killed or captured at least six thousand men. Most, I’m afraid, will not survive the night. But such a victory should be announced to all of Rome! I congratulate you. We have won a smashing victory over the barbarians!” Minnicus proclaimed.

Polite clapping was the only response to his short speech. Constantine glanced around at the other commanders and their juniors. Murtes was clapping the loudest. Paulos, commander of the III Cimbrian, seemed to have a half-sour smile etched permanently on his face. Or maybe it was a frown. The juniors seemed to mirror their commanding officers pretty completely. One face stood out to Constantine, though.

“Quintus Gravus,” Constantine whispered as he recognized the mysterious man from the strange meeting in the officers’ mess. It felt as though years had passed since that meeting, when it fact it had been mere weeks. The man seemed to have heard him, although not even the aide closest to Constantine turned at his whisper. Gravus stared levelly at him, then tipped his head slightly to the right and tapped the chronometer on his thin wrist. Meet outside, after this ends. Constantine nodded slightly to show he understood. I know he is familiar, where else have I seen him before?

As the clapping died down, Constantine finally spoke. “General, sir, what is our next move? Now is the time to push back at them. If we can pin them against the walls, we can decimate them with our artillery. Or should we prepare to besiege them? In which case we will probably need more men, but once we break their walls there will be nothing they can do.” Constantine saw other officers nodding at his appraisal of their options.

“It’s funny you say that, Commander. Now granted, you don’t have as much experience as the rest of us do in the field, but I like your ideas. Nevertheless, it is for me to decide when our primary objectives have been met. Our primary objective was to decisively punish the Nortlanders by bringing them to battle. We’ve also razed a large chunk of the countryside, and taken both an island and a major port from them. I believe our mission here is done, and it is time for us to withdraw.”

The room was silent except for the crackle of the braziers and the slight whistle from the caldornax. Obviously no one had expected this.

“Uh. . um. . sir, in regards to our main objective, we still have not overwhelmingly defeated the Nortland army, and they remain a dangerous force. Trying to withdraw in winter in the face of opposition could result in heavy casualties.” Commander Paulos was trying to be diplomatic, but Constantine could hear the worry in his voice.

Minnicus waved a dismissive hand. “That will not be a problem. Our boys have already taken the fight to those fur-wearing idiots, and they are so cowed, they hide in the shadows of their capital’s walls. They will not be coming after us,” Minnicus sneered.

“Sir, but what about Senatora Pelia?” Constantine said. “Surely we need to enter negotiations to repatriate a member of our government.”

Minnicus’ beady eyes stared at Constantine. “That is a matter for our government leaders to decide, not the military. And since the only officially appointed member of our government is currently not here,” he paused as if in irony, “we cannot enter negotiations in good faith. We must make the best of this situation and assume we cannot possibly get her back.”

Constantine refrained from protest. This was like a chess game. Each move gave him other options. “I’m a member of the government. As the primus imperio of the Roman Empire I am a leading member,” he said quietly.

Commander Paulos was quick to offer support. “He can enter into negotiations and create binding agreements. He certainly has both credibility and the right to do so.”

Minnicus frowned at him, then harrumphed. “No, Commander, you may not enter into negotiations because you are not here as a member of the government, only as the commander of the XIII Germania.”

“General, as the heir to the throne-”

Minnicus cut him off. “You have no power here. The Imperial government has no power here. The only power here is my legions and my commands, and the enemy. And you, Commander, are coming perilously close to violating your oath of leadership that you took to the legions. I am the commanding officer, and I will be OBEYED!” His voice climbed to a high-pitched yell.

It took all of Constantine’s willpower not to laugh at the man. He squared his shoulders, looking at Paulos, who nodded uncertainly at him, then at Murtes, who had settled on a stool off to the side, his mouth twisted down in a frown. I have to win him over somehow! “General, I’m not sure if your orders are worth obeying,” he said. “Hadrius, bring it in.”

His aide ducked out of the tent, then returned followed by two of his men bearing a package. Constantine gestured toward a convenient trunk. “Place it here. Gentlemen, I would like to reveal to you the method by which the Nortlanders so surprised our men this afternoon.” He pulled back the cloth. “This is a piece of ice hacked from the river. If you look at how thick it is, you will see it is very substantial. However, if you look at the top. .” He paused as the other commanders gathered around. General Minnicus was whispering quietly to a staff officer, and seemed to be ignoring the event playing out under his own roof.

“By the gods, it looks chipped and cracked!” Paulos exclaimed.

Murtes nodded, eyes widening in sudden understanding. “You took this from the middle of the river?” the commander asked, his fawning demeanor replaced by a no-nonsense tone.

Constantine nodded. Looks like all he needed was solid proof of our general’s stupidity. He motioned to his men to back off. They stood behind their commander, ramrod straight at parade attention. Their motion underscored the mood of the room. Now all three legion commanders were looking at General Minnicus.

“General, did your scouts mention any of this?” Paulos asked.

“Whatever happened, there will be an investigation, I assure you. But it will be done when we have returned to Sundsvall, after we have time to reorganize after our victory here,” Minnicus said smoothly, with no hesitation in calling the destruction of an entire legion a “victory.” Constantine felt his hand grasping the hilt of his spatha. “And so, we shall make preparations to leave. Tonight. We will return to Sundsvall in triumph,” Minnicus finished rather lamely.

Constantine turned to look again at the assembled leadership staff around the table. It was obvious that the other men in the room who were not members of the general’s staff were not in support of this idea. “This farce has gone on long enough. We will not retreat or fall back. We will enter into negotiations with the Nortlanders to have the senatora returned to us. Alive. And in the meantime we shall lay siege to Midgard. That is my plan. What say you?” The primus imperio was in full swing now, his enthusiasm infectious and his plan, for the moment, the best one they had.

The general slammed his fist down on the command table. The 3D terrain wobbled, some parts shifting as the machine’s engine was thrown off beat. “No. There will be no negotiation. Guards! Seize these men! They are traitors to the Roman Empire,” he shouted. His bodyguards drew their swords, while Constantine’s men responded in kind, backing up their commanding officer. Murtes and Paulos backed away, their guards outside and unable to assist.

Constantine did a quick assessment of the situation. He slashed a hole in the tent wall. “Quick, get to your men and stand firm. And get someone to the Thirteenth if I don’t get out. We have numbers, we’ll hold while you escape,” Constantine said without a moment’s hesitation.

Both Murtes and Paulos looked gratefully his way. “We won’t forget this. Minnicus will pay,” Paulos told him flatly.

Murtes simply nodded, pulling a lethal-looking pair of mini-crossbows from his belt pouch. He handed them to Constantine. “I expect them back,” Murtes stated with a grin.

Constantine nodded, then turned back to the tent as they clambered through the canvas. The front of the tent was slowly filling with legionnaires, his guards slowing them as best they could. Outside, shouts and screams punctuated the sounds of swordplay.

Tucking the mini-crossbows into his belt, Constantine pulled his spatha. “Who dares raise their sword against the heir to the throne?” he challenged in his most regal voice. The men before him quailed. His guards moved back to form a wedge with Constantine at the tip.

“What are you waiting for?” General Minnicus growled. “Attack them! Seize the traitors to the throne! There’s only six of them and thirty of you! Get them!”

The first few legionnaires seemed unwilling to to attack, until one of Minnicus’ bodyguards shouldered his way to the front and swung his spatha ham-handedly at the prince. Constantine dodged easily, and his return slice sent blood spraying onto the delicately polished silverware and over the blue carpet. “I have no wish to spill any Roman blood. Goodness knows there’s been enough lost today,” he called. “Put down your weapons and let us leave in peace.”

The men in the tent continued to waver, until finally a gap opened between the ranks of legionnaires. Constantine nodded at the men in thanks, and with his guards making a tight circle around their charge, they strode to the doorway and out of the tent.

Before him lay a scene of slaughter. It was obvious that the escorts of all three commanders had put up a bloody fight against Minnicus’ enforcers. From the shadows beyond the torchlight, hard-bitten men emerged, weapons and armor covered in blood and gore. They pulled several shambling prisoners with them, tied by rough ropes to the halters of horses. They wore the uniforms of both Murtes’ and Paulos’ commands. Minnicus appeared beside them

“Did you think I hadn’t planned for this, primus imperio? You have much to learn in the ways of politics. First rule of politics: never try to usurp the enemy in their own fort.” Minnicus cackled as the prisoners were pushed to the mud before him and his men. “Put your weapons down. You’re surrounded and there is no hope of surviving. Your little speech might have worked well back in the tent, but these men are mine. They’re not some conscripts from the countryside.”

Constantine spat in Minnicus’ direction. Minnicus smiled evilly. “Kill the guards.” Before Constantine could move, crossbow bolts shot out, striking each of his bodyguards.

Constantine stood in shock, watching as they collapsed as if in slow motion into the churned mud and snow around him. Sinking to his knees, he cradled the head of Hadrius. Blood leaked from the man’s mouth as he tried to say something. Constantine placed his ear to the man’s mouth.

“My. . wife. . please. .”

Constantine’s eyes filled with tears as he met his aide’s eyes and whispered an affirmative. The light in Hadrius’ eyes went out and his eyelids closed.

Constantine looked up in time to see a vaguely familiar face approaching. “You. . you were at Brittenburg. You’re one of the traitors at the landing pad. I remember you,” Constantine managed to say. His mind was unfocused, shifting from grief and sorrow to anger and frustration.

“Very good, boy prince. Good to know I’m somewhat famous. I am Corbus. Lay down your weapon.” Constantine hadn’t realized he was still holding his spatha. “You’d be dead before you could even get off your knees, pathetic man that you are. But just think about how heroic your ballads could be!” Corbus’s voice practically oozed sarcasm.

Seeing no other choice, Constantine sheathed his sword and stood, undoing the sheath from his belt and tossing it to a nearby guard; his steely demeanor barely held against the waves of anger and grief that tried to overwhelm him.

“Very wise. Not what I was hoping for, but then again, you can only kill a future emperor once, I hear. That is, if you live to become emperor.”

Rough hands grabbed his arms and slammed manacles onto them as Corbus turned, laughing. I will see your head on a pike, Minnicus, I swear. But the sinking feeling in Constantine’s stomach told him that the oath might never be fulfilled.

Chapter 17

Corbus

As Corbus made the long ride back to Midgard, he basked in the glow of his accomplishment at the Roman camp. One royal down, another to go. Sure, the primus imperio was merely captured, but after meeting with his so-called allies in the legion, Corbus was fairly certain that the sole remaining heir to the throne would become a glorious martyr of this brief, but intense, war.

Leaving my Roman allies open to pick up the pieces and myself to collect on both a massive payday and find a magnificently large territory to govern here, Corbus thought, savoring that for a moment or two. First I’ll have to make sure they don’t try to double cross me.

He gave the password to the nervous gate guard, the gatekeeper not used to strange, solitary figures showing up in the middle of the night. Lighting his torch, he rode down the long, cavernous entryway. The torchlight threw dancing shadows on the walls, and the clip-clop of the horse’s hooves echoed along the empty passageway. In the darkness, Corbus could just make out the gaps of murder holes in the ceiling, placed every few feet, and the occasional arrow slit in the wall. This place was about as solid a fortress as you could make it. I don’t think even a Roman siege caterpillar could take this place. No wonder a common Norse saying for a tough man is as solid as Midgard.

Several more minutes of silent riding and he arrived at the last portcullis. The barrier was winched upwards, and he finally arrived in the massive central cavern of Midgard. As busy as any city center, the plaza bustled even at this late hour, with taverns, restaurants, and shops still open. Drinking songs and cheery lights beckoned from many an alehouse, but Corbus turned away from them. He dismounted and led his horse to a stable hand, who gave him a small token in return. Pocketing the token, he strode off in search of the prince. The longer I’m here, the more concerned I get about what he is up to when I’m not around.

Queries after the whereabouts of the prince and king told him that the king was hosting a small feast for the Roman senator. This concerned Corbus. What in Jupiter’s name are they doing?

He climbed another set of stairs, his legs burning when he finally reached the long hallway that led to the throne room. Other hallways branched off from this main passage, down which the royal red carpet had been rolled, indicating the king was on his throne. He walked down the carpet, passing walls hung with tapestries depicting scenes of battle, with brave and impossibly huge Nortlanders killing, crushing, and generally conquering all manner of puny looking “civilized” people. Those few tapestries that did not show the glorious victories of the Nortland people instead showed the drama of the hunt, men killing wolves with their bare hands, hunting whales from small boats, and even one showing a man taking on a snarling feline the size of a horse. Could it be one of those tigers or leopards I’ve heard about? Corbus wondered as he passed.

He was coming up to the throne room from the rear when the door before him was thrown open. Prince Lokus stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

“I’m going to kill that man,” he proclaimed loudly, his face red with anger. He glowered as Corbus approached. “We’re doing it today. Right now.”

“Right now, Your Lordship?” Corbus asked. I don’t think we’re ready for it yet. “It would be better to wait a few days, when he will be unsuspecting. We have not yet figured out how to eliminate Laufas and Therodi, both of whom could challenge us. Patience, my liege,” Corbus advised, trying his best to calm the angry man who now paced back and forth.

But the prince would have none of it. “We move today, or I throw you out of this fortress. I am tired of having your sniveling southern ways lead me to weakness. We will strike, and I will kill my father and become king. That is what will happen. And it will happen today!”

Corbus gestured at the prince to keep his voice down. “Very well, Lokus, if that is what you wish. But please don’t alert the entire citadel to it before we strike. Let us gather our men. We can take the king in his throne room while he eats.”

The prince nodded, rubbing his hands together in glee.

“You go get your men,” Corbus said. “I shall go get your equipment and gather up other supporters on the way back.”

Lokus nodded in quick assent, turned, and ran down the hallway.

In a flat-out sprint, Corbus raced to the nearest fløte station. The bell rang discordantly as he yanked on the call cord. When the car arrived, he tipped the operator extra to move at his fastest speed. The operator complied, the wind of their passage flowing over Corbus as the vessel swept gracefully through the inky darkness.

“Wait here,” he told the operator when they stopped. He ran to his quarters, pulling a key from under his shirt as he crossed to a chest at the back of the room. Unlocking it, he threw the lid back and pulled out a handful of vials and several blades, delicately storing each item in its proper place on his utility belt. Finally he gave his sword a once-over with his whetstone. Just right, he decided, testing the edge with his thumb.

Gods, he hated it when things were rushed. There was something not right about speeding through such a momentous event. It is supposed to be months in the planning, not a week and a half! he thought, hefting a knapsack before closing the trunk lid. He made sure he had everything.

Weapons? Check.

Armor? Check.

Nasty surprises no one sees coming?

Check.

He turned and bolted from the room and back down the passageway to the waiting fløte, the large knapsack banging against his back. The operator looked surprised at the speed of his return. He had obviously been about to cast off.

“Don’t leave without me,” Corbus said breathlessly as he directed the operator to a different destination. The man nodded, then activated the machine. It swung ponderously around again, the motion tossing Corbus against one of the support poles on the edge of the fløte’s platform. He gripped it tightly.

Just one more stop.

This time when he exited he told the man he would tip him well when he returned. The fløte had descended to a much lower level of the fortress, and Corbus walked out into a darker hallway smelling of must, yet with the murmur of muted conversation and the clink of glasses all around. Corbus stepped up to a certain doorway, knocked twice, then once, then three times. Instantly the door swung open. Several standard-looking Nortlanders, complete with the bushy beard and ruddy face, stared out at him.

“The wolf howls at midnight.”

“The pack bays for blood,” the shortest man replied.

“It is time, my friends, much earlier than we thought. The prince has need of you. Will you answer the rightful king’s call?”

The men knelt, saluting Corbus. “We are ready, Assassin.”

He opened the knapsack and handed them the weapons he had gathered. “Use them only if necessary. Otherwise, use your own weapons.” They nodded, treating the small daggers with reverence. “Let’s go.”

He led a dozen men back to the fløte. The operator appeared surprised at the large number of fully armed and armored men approaching his vessel, but he cast off at Corbus’s direction, and the vessel ascended. As promised, Corbus generously tipped the operator when they returned to the hallway where the prince now waited with his men.

Corbus moved up close to Lokus to murmur, “My Liege, if I may say it, I still do not believe we are ready. We cannot take them yet. Next week perhaps, when the Romans are weaker and both Therodi and Laufas are in the field, we can take the citadel unaware.”

The prince gazed back at him with eyes that burned in cold fury. “Tonight, my father shall die. And I shall be king. Laufas and Therodi shall either bend knee to me, or find themselves lacking knees and heads.”

Corbus bowed his head in acknowledgement, then said, “May I see your weapons, My Lord? I wish to sharpen them for you before the attack, as only a master assassin such as myself knows how.”

Lokus handed over his sword and his gauntlet claws-intricate and extraordinarily rare weapons; Corbus had never seen any others in existence. And this man treats them like common objects. Why, if I owned them. . Despite such thoughts, Corbus matter-of-factly pulled his whetstone and, more surreptitiously, one of the tiny vials from his belt pouch. Lokus turned away, uninterested in such workaday procedures, and addressed his men. Taking advantage of their distraction, Corbus carefully uncorked the vial, tipped the contents onto a rag, and rubbed the rag over each of the five needle-sharp claws and the tip of the sword blade. No one will be recovering from that, even a man with the king’s famous iron constitution. He tucked whetstone and the rag-wrapped vial back into his pouch, and held the weapons out to Lokus.

“Be very careful, my prince; a prick from these weapons will have dire consequences.” The man sheathed his sword and pulled the gloves on nonchalantly, as if ignoring the warning. Corbus nearly threw his hands up in exasperation.

“Ready?” The usurper asked. His men nodded, grim-faced.

Corbus, hand on the hilt of his own weapon, pulled the door open. The prince and his rebels stormed in. Corbus followed.

Chapter 18

Octavia

Spilled roughly onto the red-carpeted floor of the throne room, Octavia drew a shaky breath and tried to gather her wits. The lump on her head was still pounding, and her empty stomach threatened to dry heave again. Thank goodness that murderer Corbus isn’t here, she thought as she looked around.

The throne room of the Nortland king was relatively barren. Large stone columns, intricately carved in mythological scenes from Nortland’s past, supported heavy timber beams, some looking many hundreds of years old. It was all Octavia could do not to gawk in awe of the Nortlander artistry. She had been to the Imperial throne room in Rome, strode amongst the magnificent columns that graced it, but this dwarfed even that in scale. While not as refined, nor as gaudy, this throne room certainly had their more “civilized” neighbors beaten in the “terrifying and imposing” department.

Octavia dragged her eyes down from the ceiling to the massive throne that stood on a stone dais at the center of the room. Sunlight filtered in from somewhere very high above, creating a field of shimmering light around the throne.

Octavia rose shakily to her feet, her hands rubbing at her arms to try to bring some warmth to her body. Her other jacket had been so matted with blood and puke that her captors had burnt it. Her teeth chattered as she examined the immense throne.

It was rumored to be pure copper, and the rumors appeared to be true. The massive construct was simple and smooth, a large square seat with two armrests and a headrest of hammered and engraved copper. Apart from the engraving, there was no further adornment, other than the furs thrown over the seat. Probably gets cold up there.

A faint shuffle grabbed her attention. The two large guards behind her had straightened to stand ramrod straight, something relatively rare for these generally undisciplined barbarians. That fact alone made her take notice of the man who entered.

He was swathed in fur and armor, save for his bald head, which shone like the copper throne in the diffuse overhead light. He needed no herald, no trumpet of announcement. This was the Copper King, his mighty lordship, first among equals, master of hammer and anvil, ruler of Midgard, Nortland, and assorted territories, frozen chief of the north and general pain in the Imperium’s side, His Majesty Gustavus Bismark II.

Regarding her with intense purple eyes, he approached Octavia calmly. His face betrayed no hint of anger or malice, nor any sign of warmth or curiosity. All Octavia could discern was the iron strength of his chill gaze. She lowered her eyes, but not her head, unable to maintain eye contact with such a man.

“Are you afraid?” The voice was low, but melodic, like water burbling from the high mountains.

“No, Your Majesty,” Octavia managed to whisper.

“And why not? Your people have brought war to my country. I have seen it for myself.” A loud thump piqued Octavia’s curiosity enough to get her eyes up again. The king had placed his large copper hammer of state next to his throne, its head thudding against the solid stone. They really go all out with this whole “copper king” business, Octavia’s mind thought fleetingly.

Gustavus’ voice pulled her back to reality. “Your legions have cut a bloody swath through my nation, and we have done naught to you. Perhaps you, Senatora, representative of our esteemed brother in Rome, could shed some light on why there is an army camped at my door.” He lowered himself into his seat.

Octavia was stunned. How can he not know? Has no one told him? Have none of our envoys demanding he capture and turn over the prosecutors of the Brittenburg Incident been received? She voiced these thoughts.

Now it was the king’s turn to be surprised. Or so Octavia thought, although the only indication of it was a slight narrowing of his eyes. If anything, his piercing stare became even more painful to look at.

“You’re telling me that your entire Empire declared war on my nation because of a simple raid?” he said quietly in unaccented Latin.

“It. . it was far worse than a raid, Your Majesty,” Octavia replied unevenly. “Most of the city was destroyed, and there were reports of widespread rape, looting, and more done by the rebels you supported and your local forces.”

“Pah!” He slammed his fist down on the throne, and Octavia swore she could feel the floor shake. The man half stood in anger. “I’ve never supported them. I cannot tell every single little whelp of a pissant lord with an airship and two dozen raiders that he can do this or can’t do that. I’d spend my entire life chasing them up and down the accursed peninsula!” Bismark bellowed at her. “I already executed that imbecile, if only just to get your army out of my country.” He glared at her, and Octavia involuntarily shrank back. “With that done, I shall go out and crush your army for being foolish enough to come here in the first place!”

He sat back down in the chair, obviously seething with anger. After a few moments he visibly calmed himself, and slid open a hidden compartment in the arm of his throne. He fiddled with something, then directed his glare back at Octavia. “And I’m sure you got picked for this assignment because you’re stupid enough to think it was an honor, eh? Does Rome want a full-scale war? Is that why they send babies to negotiate? Do they have no honor?”

Finally, Octavia felt her spine stiffen. “No, Your Majesty. You have not returned the other emissaries we’ve sent, alive or dead. So how are we to tell if you want peace when all signs point to war? And my name is Senatora Octavia Pelia, daughter of General Horatio Pelia. You knew him as an honorable opponent. He defeated you personally at the battle of Vilnus and your top generals in the Seven Woods War, and here you are accusing me, his own daughter, of being dishonorable? I think it is you, sir, who has no honor. You send spies and rabble-rousers to ferment trouble because you dare not face us on the field of battle, like men.”

Octavia thought she had gone too far, but the king nodded in a peculiar, almost proud way. “Ah, I knew that you must be a daughter of the north. A daughter of the general? You must have been tough to live in that household. I once saw the man take the arm off an ulvkankisk in combat. I’ve never seen someone take apart one of our mechanical wolves in such a fashion.”

Oh, a mecha-wolf, Octavia realized. That’s what they call them? Ulvkankisk?

Bismark must have pressed some button or pulled some lever, because within a few minutes, the sound of chimes indicated more visitors to the great hall. A large door slid squeaking into a pocket in the wall, and a large party of warriors, servants, and what Octavia assumed were probably clerics entered the hall. The servants promptly began assembling a large dining table in the middle of the throne room. The party of warriors and clerics made their salutes to the king, then gathered off to one side while the servants finished their jobs.

Only when one of the “servants” whipped another one for not moving fast enough did Octavia notice the iron collars circling their necks. Slaves, not servants. A child slave had stopped to place a few drop of oil on the door’s exposed piston, and the door slid shut again with quiet precision. Something familiar about the girl tugged at her memory, as if she’d seen the child somewhere before.

Another chime indicated the arrival of the midday feast. A slave slid open an ingeniously conceal door in the wall, revealing a dumbwaiter that produced an unending flow of steaming hot food. The warriors and clerics jostled for positions at the table. Octavia stood to the side, between her two unmoving guards. The king stood and descended from the dais to settle in a plainer wooden throne.

Finally, grudgingly, he waved her over, pushing aside several other occupants of a bench on his left side. “You may be our enemy, but you are also a warrior. Not with weapons, perhaps, but words. I’ve always believed the quill stronger than the quarrel.”

Octavia stared at him, then slowly sat at the table, nervous under the hostile stares of the other diners. What little appetite she’d had vanished. But the trays of steaming food called to her, and soon she was devouring her first hot meal in a full day. The king drank deeply from his mead flagon, and called for refills many times. The atmosphere was jovial, but tense.

After satisfying the immediate needs of her body, Octavia observed the other feasters. One in particular was eating little, drinking little, and generally staring her way far more often than not. She met his gaze, noting the distinct purple eyes that darted away as soon as hers met them. Ah, must be a relative. A son, perhaps? He definitely does not have the same presence as the king. His gaze returned, and this time Octavia could see some fire inside them.

The purple-eyed stranger stood and interrupted the table chatter. “Father, how can you let this southerner be present at our table? She should be down in the dungeons with the rest of her kind. Or on her back in your quarters, if you’d rather,” he added with a sneer. Several of his companions laughed. “Her kind does not belong among us. They are our enemies; one of their armies is at our door, and you invite her to midday feast?”

The king remained seated, taking his time to chew on a mouthful from a large leg of mutton in his fist. He slowly put down his food and licked his fingers one by one, obviously enjoying making his son stew as he waited for a response. “Lokus, you must learn some diplomacy and patience, along with some manners,” he said at last. “If your mother was here to see this-”

“But she is not, Father. Mother has been dead for ten years and you let this-this Roman sit in her place.”

Bismark regarded his son with what Octavia perceived as sadness and resignation. “When it is your turn to be king, Lokus, then you may decide who will sit where. You may even decide who will live and die. But now I am king, and as the senatora is a political emissary of the Roman emperor, she will be afforded the dignity due a civilized people. Of which we are one. Something you may need to remember.”

Lokus turned beet red. “I am no longer a child.”

“Then stop acting like one,” the king said derisively.

His son turned and, cape billowing in his wake, fled the hall.

“Please forgive my son; he is hotheaded, like his father,” the king to her. A servant handed him a fresh flagon of mead and Bismark took a long swig. “And he has yet to learn the power of thought over action. I had hoped his mother might be able to teach him, but she passed ten long years ago.”

The food was cleared away, and the slaves returned with bowls of smoking leaf and chewing tobacco. Men pulled long pipes out and soon an acrid haze hung about the table. Octavia coughed as the smoke burned her lungs and made her eyes water.

“Horrible stuff, isn’t it? I don’t partake, but my vassals enjoy the pastime,” Bismark said pleasantly.

He really seems to like talking to me, Octavia realized. I suppose he hasn’t really had anyone who isn’t a flunky to talk to since his wife died.

The mood was far more jovial, now that the prince was gone, and conversation flowed thick and fast. Men boasted with war stories, while one cleric delighted in telling Octavia all about the Nortland gods and goddesses. At least an hour passed, and Octavia had been pulled into the conversation when the main doors of the hall slammed open.

Lokus had returned, at the head of a large party. Pure hatred twisted his face as he approached the table, now fully armored. Octavia stared at the man as he bore down on the feast participants.

“I’m glad you chose to return, Lokus. There’s plenty to eat, still,” the king said, apparently unconcerned by his son’s entrance.

His son drew his sword. “Now is not the time for feasting, Father. You will abdicate the throne. Now.”

The king looked at his son and his followers and laughed. “What? Are you going to take on the whole citadel? This is my kingdom. Mine. You shall not take it from me. You’ll have your turn in a few years, whelp. After you’ve proven your worth.” The king stood slowly, his balance affected by the wine he had imbibed. “Guards!” he called. “See my son back to his chambers, and let him rest his hot head a while.”

One of the armsmen at his back moved toward the prince. He had barely taken a step when the other armsman’s spear gutted him like a fish, punching through his chain mail with a sickening crunch. Octavia cried out in horror, as did several other courtiers. The guard collapsed to the ground.

Lokus now called out in Norse, the guttural language almost abrasive on Octavia’s ears. It was too quick for Octavia to translate. Bismark bellowed in return, swinging his goblet around and cracking the traitorous armsman on the head. As the soldier dropped like a stone, the king grabbed his discarded spear, and faced down his son.

The crown prince drew his massive chain-axe, the weapon humming ominously as the teeth began to move. Octavia was able to translate this time: “I should be king. I will lead our people to greatness, not leave us cowering here in these frozen mountains like pitiful sheep.”

Lokus began to circle his father. Suddenly Lokus charged, axe teeth blasting through the meager defense offered by the king’s spear. The king fell back, blood welling from his hands, and Lokus punched him with his gauntleted hand. The king spun about and collapsed to the floor right before his throne. Octavia heard retching, and Lokus backed off for a moment. When the king turned back toward the feast table, Octavia saw black streaks running up and down the side of his face. What is happening? Is that from some kind of poison?

“How are you feeling, Father? Do you like being punched?” Lokus taunted.

The king dragged himself up the steps of the throne platform. No other guards were coming to help, and it appeared that none of the courtiers were willing to make a move. Octavia looked about, trying to find anyone willing to help. She had just gathered the nerve to stand when she felt two hands drop onto her shoulders. A voice in Latin made her freeze.

“Now there, Senatora, leaving so soon? I think you’d really like to watch this. After all, this is an event months in the making.”

“Corbus,” she hissed under her breath.

“The one and only.” Octavia could practically feel the smirk on Corbus’s face.

With her escape thwarted, Octavia had no choice but to watch Lokus slowly murder his father for the next several minutes. By the time the crown prince decided to end the king’s life, the honorable man who had welcomed the Roman emissary so far from home to his table was no more. Instead there was a shivering, pain-wracked man with no more control over his body.

Somehow, Octavia found his eyes in the bleeding mess of his face. Bismark’s eyes held hers until the last glint of life was snuffed out. Octavia let out a small sob. The rest of the throne room was silent, save for the whirring motor of the chain-axe as it powered down.

Lokus stooped and lifted his father’s crown from where it had rolled off the bald head of the deceased king. He took the dais steps two at a time, then dropped onto the Copper Throne and settled the band of metal onto his head. “The king is dead. Long live the king,” he proclaimed.

His supporters took up the cry. “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

It’s rather telling when even the men paid to fawn upon the king aren’t doing so, Octavia thought as the men at the table sat, silent and stunned by the recent events.

Another door slid open and a smaller party entered.

“Why, Duke Laufas, how kind of you to join us,” Lokus called from the throne. “You’re just in time to congratulate me.”

“Why are congratulations in order, Prince Lokus?” Laufas asked, walking closer to the throne. Various aides and supporters grouped behind him.

The table and Lokus’ supporters were screening the dead king from the duke’s view, and Octavia watched as the traitorous guards in Lokus’ employ began to unobtrusively surround the duke’s party.

Octavia made up her mind. “It’s a trap, Duke Laufas, he killed the king!” she shouted in Norse before Corbus practically lifted her up off the bench and hurled her behind him. She tumbled across the floor. As she slid to a halt, the senatora first thought her head was ringing, then realized it was actually the clash of swords as the duke’s guards and the new king’s men fought briefly. With shouts and screams, the sounds of battle quickly faded.

Are they dead? Did they escape?

Without warning, Octavia was roughly hauled to her feet. An open-handed slap made her see stars. “I knew I should have killed you earlier,” Corbus growled at her. “But don’t worry, we’ll take care of the duke and his pesky men. After all, it’s not like there’s anywhere to hide.” His laughter was echoed by several other conspirators in the throne room.

Corbus turned to the dais. “If you’ll excuse me, Your Majesty, I’ll take my leave. I need to escort the senatora to more. . suitable. . chambers.” The menace of those words hung on the air, and Octavia felt her throat tighten.

King Lokus turned to look first at the senatora, then at Corbus. “Ah, I see. Well, please hurry back. We must catch the duke before he tries to gather a force to resist our rightful ascendance to the throne. Don’t let your. . distraction. . keep you for long. And be sure to clean up any mess. I’d hate to have to clean up after you.”

Nodding, Corbus tossed Octavia over his shoulder as if she were a sack of potatoes. Octavia screamed and kicked, but the assassin’s rock-hard hand buffeted her about, then he set her down on the ground. The tip of his knife rested on her throat. “There’s no need for that,” he said.

With her protests silenced, Octavia felt panic rising in her breast. Gods protect me.

Chapter 19

Julius

While the clang and clash of fighting was familiar to Julius, the sudden appearance of fifteen fully armed and armored warriors in his cellblock both intrigued and terrified him.

“What is it?” whispered Scipio.

Their leader was obviously giving orders, and Julius heard the clanging of the cellblock door as it was slammed shut. Fists hammered on the door, echoing down the cold stone hallway.

“They’re locking themselves in? Why?”

“Dunno, legionnaire. Something must be happening. You remember that bell we heard earlier?” Julius asked.

“Oh yeah. Escape attempt, perhaps? There must be other dungeons somewhere around here.” Scipio looked thoughtful. “Hopefully they aren’t looking for us.”

The warriors were looking into each cell carefully. Finally, one Nortlander stepped up to their cell and held up a lantern. The light spilled into the cell, illuminating the two ragged Roman soldiers.

“Ro. . mans?” the man asked in heavily accented Latin. Constantine nodded. “You. . fight?” he asked, obviously trying hard to come up with the right words.

“Is he asking us what I think he is?” Scipio whispered.

“Yes,” replied Julius. “And I’m going to take him up on the offer. Anything to get out of here. Might as well die fighting. You in?”

The young legionnaire was about the same age as the centurion, but he deferred to his officer’s judgment. “If you feel it best, sir.”

Julius turned back to face the warrior and saluted him, legionnaire style, then replied in his best Norse. The man’s grin was fierce under his bushy brown beard, and after a few short whacks with his war hammer, the cell door groaned and submitted to being pulled open.

The freed Romans stood in the hallway, letting their eyes adjust to the less gloomy atmosphere.

“I feel better already,” murmured Scipio.

“Keep a sharp lookout. I’m still not sure what these guys are planning,” Julius murmured.

“What we are planning is regicide.” A man in more finely crafted armor strode through the assembled warriors. His armor glistened in the torchlight. Julius could make out copper filigree. It would have been gold in Rome, but copper is the metal of honor and power here.

“My name is Nikulas Laufas, Duke and Warlord of the Eastern Provinces, Lord of the Seven Glaciers, as well as a bunch of other places too small to name. I’ve spent the last few weeks trying my best to kill all of you. Now, I hope you take me at my word that I need your help.” The man’s tone was matter-of-fact, and Julius could detect no hint of deception.

“We have little help to give. Two soldiers will not make the difference between your success or failure,” Julius pointed out. Scipio hissed at him but Julius ignored the interruption. “How can we best assist?”

“You probably don’t know that this nation’s gone to Valhalla in a barrel. The king’s dead at the hand of his own son, the traitorous swine. If I’m going to eliminate that turd of a prince Lokus, I’ve got to have more men.” The man cursed and spat.

There could definitely be an advantage here if I play it right!

“Right now, I’ve got only my guards and a few others,” the duke continued. “I have feelers out to the other warbands, and I’m certain some will declare for me, but they won’t move until I can get to them. In order to get to them, I need a distraction.”

“And. . we’re the distraction?” Scipio asked hesitantly.

“Yes. You need to create a diversion somehow. You will find me very generous and rewarding,” Laufas added. “See, here is a key to the jailor’s office. You’ll find your gear stored neatly there. And here is a key to one of Midgard’s armories. You’ll find all the weapons you need and more.” He handed over two archaic-looking metal keys with large looping handles. “Keep them safe. I’ll need them back.”

“This is all very sudden, Duke. Why us? Besides the distraction part.”

The duke turned to look at them. He motioned them closer. The Romans did as he bid. “There is a female Roman senator here. My men think you’re just out to be suicidal distractions for us, but I think you’ve got something in this too. She’s being held in the Outlander Corbus’s chambers in the second spire on the north side. Rescuing her alone would be a fantastic distraction to that shadowman. But you also have the right to free any slaves you see between here and there. Any you free, if they survive the battle, may leave with your army when I have overthrown Lokus. Besides. . I believe I owe her my life, so it’s only just that I send someone to try to save hers.”

Julius shook his head. “Sir, I won’t leave any Roman behind. It’s just not fair. If we survive and you gain the throne, I propose a trade. You give me back all the slaves, and I talk to my commanding officer and get you the engineers you need to help fill the gap.”

Now it was Laufas’s turn to chuckle. “You don’t exactly have a very strong position to argue from, young man.” He sniffed, hand scratching at his rather long chin. His blue eyes squinted in the torchlight. Julius held his gaze, refusing to back down. “Fine. But only the Roman slaves. None from elsewhere. You’re Roman and have no claim on others.”

Julius struggled internally for a moment, then nodded in assent.

“Good. I’ll leave you a guide to get you up there and escort you around. Have the distraction started within the next three hours. You’ll hear the chimes signaling the change of hours up on the main cavern level. Three of those, and launch your attack.”

Julius saluted. “We won’t let you down.”

Laufas laughed. “I’m not your commanding officer, just a man offering you a perfect opportunity to be a hero. Now. .” He tipped his head to the side, an odd twinkle in his eyes. “Are you up for it?”

A half-hour later, Scipio and Julius were garbed once more in their battle gear. Having lost his sword and shield in the air battle, Julius had dug up a replacement sword from the jail storeroom. He swung it around a few times, testing the balance. It would work, for now.

Scipio’s equipment was all there, captured in the field with him. Although the Nortlanders were traditionally very unorganized, the prisoner’s gear had indeed been neatly folded and placed in special metal baskets. Their guide explained that, per Nortland custom, a man should never be separated from his weapons. Although they might be prisoners, they were still warriors, and their keeping weapons nearby appeased their finicky and stern war god.

“You ready?” the man asked in his rough low Latin.

Julius could understand him, barely. He nodded. “Lead on.”

The journey upward through the mountain took them along what seemed like miles of tunnels, all brightly lit by torches, lanterns, or ingeniously designed skylights.

“How?” Julius gestured to a skylight as they took a short break in a deserted stretch of passageway.

Their guide, Halder, looked perplexed for a moment as he struggled to find the right words in Latin to explain the obviously mechanical concepts. “Shiny glass?” he replied.

Julius was confused, but Scipio picked up on it immediately. “Mirrors! You mean mirrors!”

Halder smiled and nodded. “Ja! Ja!”

Scipio looked at Julius. “Ingenious. They can get sunlight here without feeling the freezing cold temperatures!”

The small moment of wonder was quickly eclipsed when they found themselves in front of a set of massive double iron doors, the metal dark and worn with age and use. Julius stood on tiptoe, trying to see through the small, mesh-covered windows cut into their face, but they were too high. He rattled the door handles. They didn’t budge.

“No thing there,” Halder told him.

Julius sighed. “Is this a dead end?” he said, disgruntled.

“Wait.” Halder reached out and pulled on a ring attached to an iron chain.

“What does that do?” Scipio asked.

“Wait.”

Julius strained to hear any sound of movement on the other side of the door. “Is this an elevator?” Halder looked at him, stoic and silent. “I suppose I’ll just wait and see then,” he said petulantly, squatting on the smooth rock floor.

For the first time, Julius felt his adrenaline slowing, and realized that, although they were no longer trapped inside a cell, they were still prisoners in this giant citadel. I wish Gwendyrn were here. He’d open up his mouth and shoot off some horribly bad joke about Nortlanders’ taste in furniture, or not trusting their rickety machines or something of that sort. Julius’s mouth cracked in a small smile, the first genuine one he’d had in a long time.

“Look!” Scipio’s rough shake grabbed his attention and brought him back to the present. He followed Scipio’s outstretched hand and saw light emanating from the door. The light shone through the windows and even spilled around the doorframe.

“Up. We move.” Halder pulled on the door handles and they slid open without protest. Beyond was a very strange sight. A wooden raft seemed to float in midair-no, Julius realized; it was held in place by four long chains that seemed to come down out of the darkness above and wrap around the vessel.

“What is it?” Scipio asked as Halder led them onto the open platform. It swayed side to side with their movements, and Julius gulped. It was worse than being on an airship.

“This is fløte,” Halder said, as if that explained everything.

“A float? A flot?” Scipio repeated, struggling to pronounce the word.

“It is a fløte, reise med flåte,” Halder stated flatly.

Scipio made a noise of disgust, then moved to the edge, where a rope stretched around waist-high poles formed a rudimentary railing on all but one side of the fløte.

Whatever this is, I hope it’s safe, Julius thought.

“Hold on.” Halder braced himself against a metal bar in the middle of the fløte. He turned and talked in Norse to the operator, whose presence Julius only now noticed. All around them was darkness, with just a few other lights in the distance. Far above, Julius thought he could make out other spots of light, but he wasn’t sure.

With a lurch, the raft moved. Julius made a grab at the rope barrier as his stomach dropped slightly. Scipio grabbed his collar and pulled him back.

“Thanks,” Julius said breathlessly.

“Least I could do, sir. You’re getting us out of here.” Scipio replied.

Halder laughed from behind them, shaking his head at the two Romans. He took off his helmet, revealing a disheveled mass of reddish-brown hair that fell below his ears.

“Can I see that?” Julius asked, pointing to the helmet. Halder tossed it over. The helmet was round like the Roman helm, but it was an assemblage of multiple pieces of metal banded together with rivets. The semicircular eye and nose guard was a thin strip of iron hammered nearly flat. It must limit their peripheral vision. No wonder their berserkers go without helmets! “Thanks,” he grunted in Norse. Halder chuckled at the Roman’s use of his native tongue.

The man at the control panel asked a question or two in Norse. When Halder’s answers obviously didn’t provide a satisfactory answer, the man got very agitated.

“Uh-oh,” Scipio said nervously. The fløte stopped in midair, sending Julius to one knee and Scipio into a box.

Julius hauled himself up. “This can’t be good.”

Halder strode over and casually picked the pilot up by his neck, lifting him several inches off the ground. The smaller man struggled for a minute, then nodded, crying out. Halder dropped him, then buffeted him about the head for good measure.

“What was that about?” Scipio asked quietly.

“Dunno, but hopefully we’ll get to our destination alive and in one piece.”

The shaken man retook the controls, and the vessel continued on its way without problem. They arrived at another set of iron doors. Halder strode up and pulled them open. He then turned and gestured to the pilot. The man walked nervously forward, one eye on the warrior. Halder gestured at the Romans, who flanked the pilot as he walked off the fløte onto the landing platform. The small party had arrived at their destination.

Almost immediately, they ran into resistance. A small knot of soldiers stood in the hallway, obviously arguing. Halder strode forward, unsheathing his large dirk. The guards split apart. Halder issued an obvious challenge. One man went beet red, and swung his spear at Halder in anger. Halder stopped the spear cold with one hand, stabbing his dirk into the man’s eye with the other. As the man flopped to the floor, his companions split up, one group fleeing from Halder, the other group chattering excitedly.

“Come, Romans. They join,” Halder told them as he pulled his dirk free and wiped it on the dead guard’s clothing.

“What about him?” Scipio pointed to the pilot.

Halder smiled. “He join too.”

Julius looked at Scipio. “Just remember, legionnaire. We’re not in Rome anymore.”

Chapter 20

Constantine

A splash of cold water hit Constantine in the face, waking him from a groggy, dreamless slumber. The icy liquid trickled down his face and hair, running into his eyes and mouth. Constantine could taste the saltiness and grime as the dirt and sweat from his body mingled with his evening shower. This was the second time he had been awakened in this manner.

He tried to adjust his aching arms, numb fingers fiddling with his bonds to no avail, the ropes were as tight as ever. Constantine’s arms were tied around a large tent pole in the middle of the canvas shelter. The wooden pole was substantial, unmoving in the face of Constantine’s many attempts to dislodge it. He slumped on the floor, legs splayed open, back against the pole.

His guards, evidently former street toughs by their actions, took glee in his discomfort. “Get up, get up!” one growled, prodding him with the butt of his spear. The iron was cooler than the water had been. Constantine struggled wearily to get to his feet. The other guard impatiently pulled on his arm, jerking him up. Constantine hissed in pain.

The guard, whom Constantine had dubbed Scarface for the ugly crescent scar that creased his forehead from eye to eye, untied his restraints, while Turtle, the other guard, pointed the steel-tipped pilum at him. The spear rested just inches from Constantine’s unprotected chest.

The primus imperio did his best to ignore the brutes, focusing on a point beyond Turtle while he concentrated on the feeling returning to his numb hands and toes. The pricks and pains of his body pulled him back into the real world.

“Out you go, Your Highness.” Scarface chuckled, pushing Constantine ahead of him and past Turtle.

They escorted him along the via principalis of the castrum. Legionnaires in the street stared at him as he walked along, ignoring the rough pushes from his guards. His breath caught as he thought he saw Gwendyrn, but it was just another large, bearded street tough playing at soldier. The winter sun threw long shadows on the ground as the sun set on his second day of capture.

He noted something interesting as he ambled along. There seem to be a lot more “personal guards” and a lot fewer legionnaires. I wonder if Minnicus has convinced his men to switch sides, or if he’s been bringing them in somehow.

A covered wagon rumbled past and pulled into an open supply lot. The back flap was lifted and a group of armored men hopped out. Wow. He’s simply shipping them in the supply wagons. So where are all the supplies? Constantine wondered. He must have spoken aloud, for he received another sharp jab in the back from Turtle.

“Quit your yappin’.”

Constantine sighed as they guided him toward the main tent. Once again, he would have a chat with the general. Just the thing to make my day, he thought as they entered.

General Minnicus was seated at his campaign desk, licking the last bits of grease and juice from his midday meal off his fingers. Several aides were huddled over the command table, prodding the controls and whispering to each other. A servant handed Minnicus a towel.

“Ah, welcome again, Commander Appius. I thought to offer you another opportunity to join in our mission,” the general said, dropping the used towel carelessly onto the ground.

Constantine was silent as his guards manhandled him forward, depositing him in a wooden folding chair in the middle of the room.

“Now Commander, I’m sure you can appreciate your situation. You’ve got no friends here, just me and the Nortlanders. And I can assure you, I’m far more accommodating than them!” Minnicus came around and perched on the edge of the desk, his double chins bulging as he looked down at his prisoner. He chuckled at his own joke. “Ha! Accommodating!” He frowned when it received no response, then shrugged.

“You do look a fine mess. I do apologize. Maximus!” he called. The servant reappeared. “Clean him up.”

The servant grabbed more towels and a bowl of water, then pulled up a chair for the water bowl and began to clean the grime and sweat from Constantine’s face and arms. The general turned and walked back around his desk. The servant moved around to clean his neck as well.

Constantine felt his ropes loosen slightly. “They’re coming for you,” the man whispered fiercely, then stood and bowed as Minnicus shooed him away. Not even the guards behind him had noticed. Constantine flexed his hands and found the ropes substantially loosened. This he could work with.

“Now, Constantine, we can talk like men.”

“Actually, it’s primus imperio. That is my title,” Constantine said flatly. Minnicus stared at him. Good, get annoyed.

“You haven’t really gotten out much recently, have you? Been in the streets? Because I can tell you, that attitude will get you nowhere. Especially not if you wish to inherit the throne, oh prince. That’s where I can help,” Minnicus said.

“I sincerely doubt you actually want to offer me the throne. I’d order you executed first thing. For treason to the Empire.”

Minnicus scoffed. “Oh please, what a pathetic attempt at bravado. This disastrous dynasty is at an end. Your father has forgotten where the real power lies. It does not lie in the hands of the Emperor, but in the coin chests of the bankers and the swords of the legions. I have both.”

“The legions will never betray my father.”

“Oh, son, they will. Especially when the men who are being taxed to death by your father side with us. I suppose we could just let nature take its course, what with you suffering such a glorious death in combat here in the north. Sagas and songs will be written! You might even get a tomb or province named after you. Especially after I crush the Nortlanders and annex this pathetic excuse for a nation into our empire.” Minnicus grinned savagely.

“This will lead to a new age of Rome. We shall continue to expand our borders. The Khanates will fall. The Mongols will flee in terror and Axum will retreat to their mountains. And I will go and crush this fledgling revolution over in the Caesarias. Stupid colonials getting uppity. I’ll quash their little provincial senate.” Minnicus grumbled on, his voice too low for Constantine to hear.

There was a momentary distraction as another person entered the room.

“My Lord, you sent for me?”

“Yes, yes.” Minnicus looked at Constantine. “I believe you are acquainted with Quintus Gravus.”

The man’s familiar face entered Constantine’s range of vision. He moved to stand to one side, facing both the general and his prisoner. “All is prepared,” Gravus said, looking straight at Constantine.

The general nodded excitedly. “Excellent! Gravus here has already pledged his allegiance to our cause, and I believe that Julius Caesar himself could not have designed a better plan. I wonder what would have happened, had you been more like him? I think you would have joined us. After all, the man did perform the greatest coup in history.”

Constantine bared his teeth in a grimace.

“What? Do you not like hearing about how your ancestor was a traitor to his own government? And he got that craven Brutus to go along with him. He betrayed the Republic in the name of absolute power. He crushed the Senate and ruled the plebeians ruthlessly. How am I doing anything different?” Minnicus asked.

“He took charge because he had to. Rome was foundering!” Constantine argued.

“Pah! Rome is foundering now! Your emperor does nothing about the Caesarian colonies and spends gobs of public money on technology and education. What a waste!” Minnicus exhorted.

Of course, you benefited from both, hypocrite. Constantine held his tongue, trying to egg the general on with his silence.

The general came closer, examining him like a specimen under a microscope. “Silenced already? No wonder you were shipped off to the legions. Your brother would have been far more malleable. You’re just a mostly empty shell.”

Constantine deliberately spit in Minnicus’ face. The general’s response was immediate; the backhanded slap sent him reeling to the floor, where he curled up, trying to avoid the guards’ boots as they kicked him in the stomach and back.

“Stop,” Minnicus finally ordered.

There was a rustling at the tent opening. Footsteps walked over behind Constantine, then paused.

“General, a message for you from the front,” Gravus said.

The tent was silent for a moment while Minnicus read the message. “You’re sure? That’s very interesting. Seems like our plan is going perfectly.”

The guards hauled Constantine back up on his feet. Minnicus stared at him. “Well, boy, I’m afraid your story ends here.” He glanced beyond Constantine. “Put him back in his uniform.” He grinned wickedly back at Constantine. “You’re about to die heroically, taking the walls of Midgard. Too bad that conniving assassin was able to get to you, even when you were surrounded by your own men.”

Constantine poured every ounce of hate and anger into his glare. Minnicus walked past him, then placed a hand on his shoulder. “For what it’s worth, I hate you and your father. I wish you had both died like we planned it, last year. Your brother was kind enough to croak, why couldn’t you? Then this wouldn’t be necessary at all.”

Constantine felt his jaw open in shock. He was behind that?

“Ah! I see you hadn’t figured it out yet. No bother. Soon it won’t matter. Maximus! Time to leave! Get my things, please.”

The general left the tent, taking the other officers with him. Constantine stood in a stupor for a few moments, trying to digest this new information.

Gravus poured himself a glass of brandy from a glass decanter, then sat down behind the general’s desk. “Would you like a sip? It’s about the last one you’ll ever have, I expect.”

“No, thank you.”

“As you wish. You know, if you had just accepted my offer in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened. He was against killing you in the beginning. But. . others. . got his ear. I’m afraid he no longer listens to me much,” Gravus told him. Was there an edge of sorrow in his voice?

Gravus pulled out his pocket watch. He glanced at it, then tucked it back into his jacket pocket. Gravus had chosen to deck himself in a heavy woolen overcoat, rather than the expensive furs “requisitioned” by the other members of the high command staff. Gravus stood, putting both hands in his pockets as he did.

It seemed an odd gesture to Constantine. The movement looked both awkward and unnecessary. Why is he wearing his overcoat in here at all? It’s rather pleasant in here. I suppose that’s one of the perks of being a general.

Alarm bells suddenly clanged around the castrum. Shouts and cries mingled with the clash of swords.

“What in the name of-” one of the guards blurted, before his voice abruptly cut off.

Constantine craned his head around, trying to see what was happening. He was just in time to see both men collapsing to the floor, short repeater bolts buried in their chests. He turned back to see Gravus quickly tucking two small hand repeaters back into his pockets.

“What is going on?” Constantine asked, pulling at his bonds until his hands finally came free.

“Oh no, you freed yourself and managed to get ahold of a repeater. Too bad those guards couldn’t stop you. Of course, in all the confusion caused by the Nortlander raid, I was preoccupied with defending the castrum from our enemies,” Gravus deadpanned, grinning.

“I’m an Imperial agent, Your Eminence. Now, before I blow my cover, get out of here. Go out the back flap of the tent and you’ll find someone waiting for you,” Gravus ordered.

Constantine looked at the older man. “I owe you my life. Whatever you need later, seek me out-it’s yours.”

Gravus nodded his graying head as he went forward and slipped out of the tent.

Constantine turned and raced toward the back, praying to the gods that someone friendly would be there. He was not disappointed.

“Sir!”

“Gwendyrn! By the gods, man, it’s good to see you!” Constantine cried. He was so happy to see the man that he enveloped him in a bear hug.

The Gallic legionnaire’s eyes widened in surprise. “Good to see you too, sir. Now if ya don’t mind, I’d like to be gettin’ out of here, right quick. Them guards was none too bright, but someone’s going to wonder why the Nortlanders aren’t doing more than fire burning arrows at them pretty soon.”

He was dressed in a brown tunic and darker brown trousers, with a dull iron chest piece replacing the segmented lorica of the legion. “Excellent camouflage. You look just like the guards,” Constantine commented as Gwendyrn threw a long brown cloak over him and handed him a bag full of dirty laundry.

“We’re getting out through the servant’s entrance.”

They walked through the streets, trying hard to hurry without looking like they were hurrying. At least, that’s what Gwendyrn told his commanding officer to do. It was a hard thing, to walk fast, but not walk fast.

And sure enough, the prediction that someone would figure out that the “raid” was nothing more than a ruse came true, as well. A column of armored horsemen cantered past, no doubt to try to chase down the “raiders.” Constantine and Gwendyrn pressed their backs against a stack of boxes. The soldiers kept going.

Constantine felt his heartbeat slow as he caught his breath. “That was close!” he whispered.

Gwendyrn looked at him. “Not as close as the time I stole all the mead from my village inn. Now that, sir, was an adventure.”

They continued on their way.

“Now just stay calm, we’ll get out,” Gwendyrn said calmly as they approached the gatehouse. The guards were alert, but their attention seemed focused on events outside the fort.

Constantine held his breath as he walked by, only releasing it when they too were several steps outside the fort. “Now what?” he asked.

“Now we get you back to the legion. There are reports of fighting inside Midgard. You’re in charge, sir. You’ll need to decide what to do-take on the general, or take on the Nortlanders.” Gwendyrn pointed out a narrow forest trail.

The two men hiked for about half an hour, eventually stepping into a small clearing where other men were waiting for them. Constantine experienced the second shock of the day.

“Commander Murtes! I thought you were dead!” Constantine said, shaking the man’s hand furiously.

“Not me, sir. One of my men, unfortunately. We switched uniforms and I don’t think their guards really looked at who they killed. I’m sorry he’s dead, though. We managed to get away, so here we are. I speak for Commander Paulos as well. We’re ready to pledge our legions to you.” Murtes stepped back, saluting Constantine.

“Are you sure about this?”

The older man nodded. He explained that the events of the other night had, quite obviously, made up their minds about the general and his loyalties. When Constantine shared the information he had overheard, Murtes sighed.

“I’m not surprised, you know. I once thought he was a better man than this. I’m sure you know that. But these last few days. . well, they could make anyone change his mind.”

Constantine nodded, smiling grimly. At last, he could do something about the general’s betrayal. He had the forces to do it. “Let’s get going then, shall we? We have a lot to do.”

They rode into camp an hour later. Dismounting, Constantine strode into the command tent, which was packed with officers from every legion present. Constantine was gratified by the palpable enthusiasm and energy within the canvas walls.

“General arriving!” cried the guard detachment leader, and every legionnaire in the tent stood ramrod straight, fist over heart in salute.

“At ease, men,” Constantine said as the crowd parted to allow him through to the command table in the middle of the tent. No fancy desks or chaise lounges here! Constantine chuckled to himself. “And please, I’m a commander until further decision. What’s the situation?” he asked.

The next few hours passed quickly. The other commanders had already been working to unify their three legions. Constantine also learned that the forces loyal to General Minnicus had fallen back toward Sundsvall, taking most of the supply train with them.

“Tell the men we’ll go on half rations immediately, and send out hunting patrols right away. We need to conserve what food we have until we can settle things with the Nortlanders,” Constantine ordered. He looked around. “Are there any other steps we could take?”

“Fishing, sir. We’re near the rivers; if we can cut holes in the ice, we can probably get some fish out of them,” a subaltern said after a few moments of thoughtful silence.

“Good. You’re in charge. Gather some former fishermen-I know that the Thirteenth has a few-and get to work right away.”

He turned and leaned over the table to examine the locations of the three forces. General Minnicus’ forces were now a hastily painted black marker to the southeast of the red legionnaire markers representing “his” legions. The yellow barbarian figures representing the Nortland armies stood to their immediate north. “Yellow?” he asked quizzically.

“We don’t have copper paint. Sorry, sir.” An officer shrugged. Constantine nodded.

“Commander Appius, sir. You may want to see this.” Another officer at the door held out a message scroll. Too many men I don’t know, Constantine thought as he moved to take it with a nod. I’m going to have to start remembering names!

He read quickly, then looked up. “You’re sure about this?”

“Absolutely.”

“Very well. Here’s what we’re going to do. .”

Chapter 21

Octavia

Octavia pulled at the heavy chain and exclaimed softly in frustration. The chain, one end wound around the thick wooden bedpost, was secured firmly to her wrist. It gave her some movement about the room, but not much.

Corbus had locked her up and promptly left. Octavia was trying to decide whether she was more worried about when he would return, or why the assassin would have a set of chains already attached to one of his bedposts, when the door creaked open. Her heart leapt into her throat and she scrambled to the other side of the bed to hide. When she didn’t hear his heavy footfalls, she peeked over the edge of the bed.

Three servants stood in the doorway, holding brooms and dustpans. The oldest one gave curt directions in Latin to the other two, a younger woman and a girl of nine or ten. For the second time, Octavia felt her heart leap, this time in excitement. “You speak Latin?” she asked, standing slowly. “Are you Roman? Can you help?”

The servants looked blankly at her, then turned and continued about their duties, sparing her not a second glance. The young woman shook her head sadly and began to clean the ashes out of the fireplace, sweeping them into a large canvas bag.

Octavia tried again. “If you are Roman, I need your help. I’ve got friends outside that can help us escape!”

The youngest girl walked around, collecting dirty dishes and leaving twice to deposit her collection just outside the door. Octavia could hear the rattle and clank of dishes as they probably tumbled into a container.

Octavia was getting desperate now. They weren’t listening to her pleas and she knew that Corbus would probably return soon. Her eyes fell upon the youngest servant. “Please? Can you help?” she whispered to her as the girl mutely collected the discarded tunics and trousers spread around the room. She shook her chain in frustration.

The girl looked at her, then peeked at the other two women before answering. One was building a fire in the now clean fireplace, the other was refilling the oil lanterns. “No.”

“Please! You must help. I can get you out of here too.”

The girl silently resumed her chores. Octavia followed her for as long as her chain would allow. The room was much larger than it appeared from the bed, she decided. “What is your name? Surely you can tell me your name.”

“My name is Slave.”

“That’s not a very original name,” Octavia said.

“Stop talking! Master will beat all of us if he learns you have been talking to one of his women,” the eldest servant now interrupted, one arm on her hip and the other pointing to the clothing still on the floor.

The girl left the room, her arms loaded with dirty laundry. Octavia slunk back to the bed in defeat. She curled into a ball in the middle of the bed, just as she had done when she was a little girl at home. But my father won’t be coming in to kiss me good night or chase away the scary monsters, she thought sadly. I may never see home again. I probably won’t even survive tonight.

At that point she made up her mind. She would do everything in her power not to die tonight, but if she did, she was taking Corbus to Hades with her. Hearing the door close as the servants left, she began to cry silently, tears trickling down her cheeks to stain the light gray blanket.

She heard the door open again, then the patter of feet across the tile floor. “Are you really a Roman senator?” a small voice asked.

She came back! Octavia lifted her face, wiping away tears with her sleeves. “Yes, yes I am.”

“I thought girls couldn’t be senators. My teacher said so. Do you represent Brittenburg?” The little girl’s eyes shone with curiosity.

She must be from Brittenburg. “No, I don’t. But I know some people who are from Brittenburg.” Octavia had a sudden thought, and sat up. “They’re outside right now, trying to figure out how to help get me out.”

The girl looked torn for a moment, then nodded to herself. A crash outside the door, a plate breaking, perhaps, made the girl’s head whip around. “I’ll be back.” She hopped off the bed and snatched a jacket that had been left on a high-backed chair near the fire-the excuse for her return, no doubt.

She was almost at the door when Corbus entered. He glared at the child. “Get out,” he ordered, cuffing her on the back of the head.

The girl practically ran from the room. Octavia couldn’t blame her. She wanted to run from the room as well. She slowly rose and moved to the far side of the bed.

Corbus slowly undid his vest and let it drop to the floor. He then unbuckled his belt and scabbard, leaving it hanging on an armor rack in the corner. He walked slowly around the bed, eyes on Octavia, like a shark circling a wounded seal. “Good evening, Octavia. You’re looking rather ravishing this evening.”

Octavia stared at the man, repulsed. Corbus continued his slow walk around the bed, and Octavia backed away. Corbus smiled wickedly as he pulled a lever next to the bed. The chain around her wrist retracted, pulling her toward the bed. She struggled, only to land facedown on the bed, arms splayed in front of her. She tugged futilely at the chain.

“My dear, you’ll find I’m a good man in many ways. I’ll take care of you, feed you well, and make sure you’re protected from all the barbarian scum in this fortress. And soon we can return to Rome, even! I’m afraid you’ll be allowed to be senator only if you follow my every rule and instruction as your. . hmm. . we’ll say advisor. But you’ll enjoy it.” He poured two drinks from a decanter on the side table and lifted one, swirling around chunks of ice and golden brown brandy. “Here. Drink. It will keep you warm.”

Octavia turned her back on him, sitting on the opposite side of the bed. She grabbed a comb that had been left on the nightstand, looking for anything she could use to defend herself from what was coming.

Corbus knocked back his drink in one gulp. He made an appreciative sound, then looked expectantly at Octavia, holding out the other glass.

Octavia looked at him, then at the glass. What if he drugged it? On impulse, she accepted the glass, then tossed the contents of the drink in Corbus’s face. Corbus stood there for a moment, the alcohol trickling down his face and dripping from his hair. She could feel the anger radiating from him as she stood rooted to the spot in growing fear. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that.

In a blur of motion, Corbus was over her, pressing her down into the bed. He slapped her, his calloused hand leaving a streak of pain on her face. Octavia struggled as Corbus tore the clothes off of her.

“I was trying to be nice, but now you’ve made me angry,” he snarled. Octavia tried to scream but he forced a wad of material into her mouth, hissing through gritted teeth, “Haven’t you learned silence is golden?”

Octavia got her knee up and slammed it into his groin. With an expansive groan, he fell back off her for a moment. Sobbing, Octavia pulled the bedsheets around her.

He rose slowly. “You’re a spirited one, eh? But I can tell you’ll make an excellent plaything once I break you.” He walked gingerly over to the side table and pulled open a drawer. When he turned, he had a large syringe in his hand. “This won’t hurt one bit.”

He leapt at Octavia, pinning her down and jabbing the syringe into her arm. Octavia flailed uselessly, then watched as Corbus took off his soaked and stained undershirt, letting it fall to the floor. He turned to Octavia, his insincere smile on his face again. “No one will be coming to help you.”

Octavia felt calm. . happy. . at peace. Her vision swam briefly as she fought to remain conscious. I have to stay awake! She blinked slowly.

“Are you feeling tired?” Corbus crooned. “Maybe you’d like a quick nap.”

There was a sudden commotion at the door. A soldier barged in. “Sir! The king needs you.”

“I’m busy.”

“He insisted, sir.”

Octavia strained to listen as Corbus briefly conversed with the man, but her ears just didn’t seem to be working properly. She felt her head hit the pillow. It really is very comfortable.

Corbus’s head suddenly loomed over her. His calloused hand cradled her head. “Now there, my plaything. Sleep. I shall return to continue our. . play. . later.” His face blurred, the edges going fuzzy as her head lolled on the pillow.

Darkness washed over her, as she fell back into her memories.

It was a cool summer night in central Europe. She had just turned nineteen. The whole estate had turned out to celebrate. Hired hands and old family friends had mingled freely among the stately columns and statues of the manse’s gardens and buildings. Her father had spent many years with the army, and won victory after victory for Rome. Emperors had heaped praise upon him. The Senate had thrown medals and commendations and titles at him, eventually raising him to senatorship. But the general had always said that he had already earned his favorite title, the one he cherished the most: father.

Octavia was the oldest of three children born to Horatio and Justine Pelia. Her father had been out on campaign when she was born, and Octavia didn’t meet her father until the age of three. But he’d made up for lost time in the sheer amount of love and dedication he displayed to his children.

Octavia’s mother was a stern woman, a match in strength for her father, more at home in the ballroom than the family room, and more concerned with the gossip of the other powerful families in the province. Her family had an estate near the bustling city of Treviri, right on the border between Gaul and Germania. Her father owned many miles of sprawling vineyards, which grew well near the sandstone hills along the Rhine.

Octavia had spent hours preparing for tonight’s gala, while her mother went over this detail or that, sewing her into a dress that made it hard to breathe, even managing to corral her younger brother, Macer, into a new tunic and sandals.

The party began with light music played by the orchestra hired for the evening, and guests sampling the first of the many treats the kitchen staff had spent days preparing. Octavia was too nervous to eat. Plus she didn’t want to see what actually eating would do to her tight dress.

She walked around on her father’s arm, greeting guests and engaging in small talk. That was the thing she missed most about her father. She could have been talking about the grass growing or the sun moving overhead and he still gave her his full attention.

As they reached the garden, he turned to her and clasped both her hands. “Tavi, I have to tell you something.” They sat. Her father had looked pained, as though what he was about to say was difficult. “You mother thinks it is time we found you a husband. She has already begun to look. She has several possible suitors lined up.”

Shell-shocked, Octavia recoiled, pulling her hands away from her father’s. He spoke quickly, trying to placate her. “Now, listen, I know we talked about you finding your own partner, but your mother thinks it’s best. .” He faltered at her expression.

Octavia fought to contain her anger at this betrayal of her opinions. She had told her family that she was going to do something with her life before finding a husband. Her father had smiled and nodded. She had assumed he would support her.

And now this.

Tears in her eyes, she lifted her head. Part of her screamed that she should just run away; the other half that she should listen and obey, like a good daughter would.

“Is there any way you can talk Mother out of this?” she begged, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

Other people in the garden were beginning to look at them, whispering about what they perceived to be happening. She stood, hands smoothing the front of her dress as she gathered her wits. “I’ll be in my room.” she stated curtly, her eyes daring her father to argue.

“You can’t hide here forever, Tavi. It had to happen at some point. Your family loves you. I love you. The world isn’t ready for you to decide yet.”

She faced him, hands at her side, balled into fists. “And when, Father, will the world be ready?” she asked. “It will never be ready, until someone makes it ready. Someone with the courage to make it happen.” She stomped away, tears trickling down her cheeks.

She fled through the party, sticking to side corridors and narrow paths to avoid most of the guests. The servants she ignored, lost in her own sadness and shattered dreams. She wiped her nose and eyes with the back of her hand. Her mother would be furious at such unladylike behavior. Good; that evil woman deserves it.

Her anger cooling, Octavia found a bench and plopped down upon it. You are a lady of good breeding, you must act like it! She could practically hear her mother’s voice in her head, berating her to smooth her skirts and not damage such a costly dress.

The clatter of hooves distracted her from her sulking. She looked up as a messenger in full legion armor rode into the courtyard. He pulled the reins up sharply as the horse reared. Octavia could tell by the sheen of sweat on the horse that the messenger must have galloped at full speed all the way from Treviri. A servant was racing out to take the horse’s reins.

The soldier looked down at her. “I’ve an urgent message for General Pelia. I must see him at once!”

Mutely, Octavia assigned another servant to take the messenger to her father. She still had no desire to see him tonight. Dress swishing, she marched off to her room, leaving the now crowded courtyard behind her.

Once safe in the sanctuary of her bedchamber, Octavia allowed the tears to come full blow. Her maid found her half an hour later, lying on the bed in tears, just wishing she could have had this night to enjoy her birthday, and not dread the future. Her maid helped her undress, cutting the stitches with scissors when they wouldn’t open fast enough. Octavia crawled into bed, dismissed her maid, and pulled the covers up over her head to cry herself to sleep.

What felt like just a moment, but was probably several hours later, her door creaked open. “Tavi? Are you awake?” He always came when she was angry. He couldn’t stand seeing his little girl upset.

It was always a tough decision. Should I be asleep or should I be awake?

“Tavi, there’s been an invasion. I have to go. The Empire needs me.”

Octavia sat up at this news. “I need you, here,” she said plaintively. She saw her father smile in the darkness, felt the weight of his body as he sat on the bed next to her.

He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a kiss on her forehead. “I’m always here with you, beautiful, and you are always with me.” He stood and kissed her once more. She could feel the warmth of his breath. The tenderness in his voice soothed her feelings. “We’ll talk about this marriage thing after I get back.”

He strode to the door, blocking the light from the hallway as he turned in the doorway. “I love you, daughter. Be safe.” He shut the door behind him.

It was the last time Octavia saw her father alive.

Blackness welled up and claimed her once more.

Chapter 22

Julius

Julius slid his spatha out of the Nortland militiaman. Blood welled gurgling from the man’s mouth and he collapsed against the wall. Gripping his sword with both hands, Julius turned in time to parry another blow by a Nortlander wearing servant livery. Deflecting the blow to his left, he punched the older man in the face. The man crumpled to the floor, his weapon clattering against the flagstones.

Julius turned to survey the melee in the hallway. It was nearly impossible to tell friend from foe. Nortlander fought Nortlander, servant fought militiaman. Julius spotted Halder and Scipio fighting back to back in the intersection. “For Rome!” he screamed as he fought his way over to them, his spatha weaving a deadly dance through the chaos.

Halder looked approvingly at him. “We make you Nortlander soon,” he said gruffly as the trio backed into an alcove.

“Thanks, but then I’d have to lose my desire to live,” Julius quipped. Halder laughed. “What do we do now?” He lashed out, disarming a man wielding a shovel with the flat of his blade. The man cried out and turned to flee. Halder hacked him down mercilessly.

“We move that way.” He gestured with his bloodied axe toward a larger tunnel. “We must get to. . lord homes?” The man looked frustrated at his lack of Latin.

“Lord’s homes? Chambers? Like, royalty?”

Halder nodded, the movement shaking sweat from his beard.

“Very well, lead on. We’ll watch your back,” Julius said.

Scipio bent and liberated a buckler from a downed soldier. He handed it to Julius. “You’ll need it. He moves as fast as one of those mecha-wolves.”

Julius strapped it on and the two Romans formed up behind the larger Nortlander. Halder flicked a switch on his chain-axe and the machine hummed to life, increasing in volume until the whir flattened out into a loud purr of death. “For Nortland!” challenged Halder in Norse. The Romans echoed him with battle cries of “Rome!”

The trio raced through the general melee, only striking out when combat directly impacted their advancement. In only a few short minutes they reach the far end of the corridor. Halder slammed into an iron door. “We must. . go up,” he panted. “Stairway through here.”

Scipio leapt to assist Halder in turning the massive wheel that would open the door. The rusted metal squealed, resisting the efforts of the two straining men. Julius turned to survey the hallway. Their run through the fighting had turned the tide in favor of the rebels. . or was it the loyalists? Either way, the faction that backed them appeared to have gained the upper hand. Cheering and chants of “For Nortland and the Duke!” rolled down the hallway as their enemy fled-all but a cluster of rebels who spotted Julius and his friends, and sprinted down the hallway toward them.

Julius hefted his sword. “Hurry up, we’ve got company.”

Scipio paused in helping Halder, drew his repeater from its holster on his back, and aimed it down the hallway. Snick-snick. The repeater launched its black quarrels into the charging Nortlanders. Two, three, four Nortlanders went down as quickly as Scipio could pull back the lever to load another quarrel. “This is my last clip,” he shouted as the screaming Nortlanders closed the distance.

The clip ran dry just as the last Nortlander leapt at Julius. Julius swept his spatha up and across the man’s exposed chest, using his buckler to hit the man in the face and take his weight. The Nortlander crashed into Julius, scrabbling and punching at the Roman. He had one hand around Julius’s neck when he suddenly went limp.

Julius pushed the dead man off. Scipio pulled his dagger from the man’s neck.

“Thanks.”

“Of course, sir.”

A loud squeal announced the access door finally giving way. Halder tossed the bent wheel onto the floor. “Let’s go,” he ordered, grabbing a lantern from the hallway and turning up the wick. Julius and Scipio followed him into a dark, cavernous space. They stood on a landing. A flight of stairs wound up and down, disappearing into inky blackness.

“Long way down,” Scipio observed as he leaned over the wooden guardrail.

Halder reached out and grabbed his tunic, pulling him back. “Rotten.” He pushed the wood with his fist and pieces popped off, falling down, down, down into the seemingly endless abyss. Scipio’s eyes widened as he gulped.

Julius peered upward. “How far up are we going?”

The Nortlander shrugged. “Until we stop.”

It seemed like an eternity as they wound up the many flights of stairs, the length of their passage marked by occasional doors set into the wall. Climb, climb, climb, turn. Repeat.

After what seemed like hours, Julius finally stumbled into Scipio as the man staggered to a halt. They collapsed upon the steps, panting, Julius fumbling for his canteen. He savored the flat, metallic taste of the water as though it was the nectar of the gods. Scipio eyed him jealously. Julius thought briefly about hoarding the remaining drops to himself before relenting and handing over the canteen. Scipio drained the remaining water and handed it back wordlessly. Julius turned to see why they had paused their ascent.

Halder had stopped before a nondescript steel door, no different from every other doorway they had passed. It must have been marked in some unobtrusive way, to get their guide’s attention. Halder tapped on it lightly, once, twice, three times.

The door swung soundlessly open, spilling light and the sound of soothing music onto the long staircase. Voices beckoned them inside. Scipio hauled Julius to his feet, and they followed Halder inside. Scipio cursed loudly.

A large war party awaited them, men with finely crafted armor and weapons, their retainers no less finely equipped. The men greeted Halder graciously, or so it appeared, and a customary shot of dark liquor was shared among the men. The Romans were first eyed suspiciously, then welcomed warmly. Julius and Scipio quickly downed their shots of the smooth liquor, no doubt from some special aged stock.

Julius looked around. The walls were decorated with tasteful tapestries and pieces of native art. Small fountains in recessed niches pattered soothingly between wood-paneled doors below carved lintels. The luxury stood in stark contrast to the spartan accommodations they had seen elsewhere in the mountain fortress.

“You can tell that some of those rich and mighty types live here,” Scipio whispered to Julius as the men followed Halder through the well-lit hallways.

“This looks like I’d expect of a rich apartment complex in Rome,” Julius replied.

Halder turned and smiled at him. “We capture Roman builder. Make him build us these rooms. We like Roman things. Just no like Romans.” His grin turned predatory for a moment. “But it okay. I like you.” Chuckling, he pointed to a doorway. “This is the one. Your woman is inside.”

Julius looked at him blankly. “My woman? You mean the senatora?”

Halder nodded, eyes twinkling.

The centurion tried the door handle, cursing when he discovered that it was locked. Guess we’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way. He took a few steps back, then charged the door at full speed, impacting the door with his armored shoulder. He rebounded from the solid panel and sprawled on the floor, cursing in pain as stars swam before his eyes.

Scipio helped him up, laughing. “You should have seen yourself, sir! It was like the door really didn’t like you!”

Julius ignored him, rubbing his shoulder and arm. He looked at Halder, who had doubled over with laughter; the men behind him were laughing as well. Great, I just nixed our chances of being taken seriously. “I’d like to see you try it,” he said defensively.

Halder, still laughing, stepped up to the door and hacked away at it with his chain-axe. The powerful weapon splintered away great hunks of wood. Pausing, he pushed in the center with one large hand, and the door collapsed in on itself. Bowing low, Halder swept his arm out in a sarcastic invitation.

“Nortlanders,” Julius muttered as he stepped past the man.

He entered a lushly decorated suite, the sheer amount of fur, gold trimmings, and delicately carved wood practically screaming wealth. Scipio, who had followed, looked around with gleaming eyes. “Could I. . borrow some things, sir?” he asked. Julius told him to ask Halder. I wonder how that will go.

He looked about the room, then checked the smaller side rooms, discovering two bathrooms, a separate dining room, storage rooms, and one eerily empty room with just a single chair. Confused, and losing hope, Julius opened the last door to find a bedroom. The room was cozy, warmed by a fireplace in which a fire crackled, warding off the stony chill of the walls. But the crackling fire reminded Julius of the events in Sundsvall, and he bleakly recalled his argument with Gwendyrn, the renewal of their friendship, and the battle that had torn them apart. I haven’t seen him, or any other Roman but Scipio, in. . weeks? Months? Who knows how long I’ve been captive. He mentally pushed his thoughts away.

“Senatora? Senatora Pelia? Are you in here?” Julius walked over to the bed, pushing aside the lightweight curtains around it. He gave a quick cheer. “I’ve got her, Scipio! Bring Halder!”

The other men bounded into the room. “I told you. Here she is,” Halder reminded Julius as he sauntered into the bedroom with Scipio close on his heels.

“How will we get her out of here, sir? She looks dead. Is she breathing?” Scipio asked.

Pulling his gauntlet off, Julius placed his hand in front of her mouth. He felt the warmth and faint passage of her breath on the back of his hand. “She’s alive. I don’t think we can move her much while she’s asleep. But we have to get her out of here before we continue the battle.”

Halder shrugged. “You carry. I fight.”

Julius shook his head. “I don’t think we can carry her out of this fortress without someone knowing it. And I don’t think they’re likely to let us escape easily. Plus, it’s hard to fight or run when you’re carrying a person.”

Halder was about to reply when he froze, eyes darting around the room. Scipio opened his mouth to say something, but Halder reached out and silenced him with one meaty hand. Julius stood silent as well, straining his senses for a hint of what had alerted Halder.

Then he heard it: a faint creak coming from a well-stocked bookshelf in the corner. Halder strode over and gripped both sides of the bookshelf, pulling it toward him. To Julius’s surprise, the bookcase opened like a door, revealing a small girl in servant’s clothing. She sputtered before turning to flee. Halder grabbed her and held her up by her arm, spouting a stream of Norse at her. She quailed, tears rolling down her face. Something about her seemed very familiar to Julius. She finally spoke, haltingly, in Norse.

Halder lowered her to the ground and looked at Julius. “She one of yours, Roman.”

She turned, and for the first time Julius got a good look at her face as she looked up at him, her eyes red from crying. She looked so familiar, Julius was sure he must know her. He moved hesitantly toward her.

And then it all clicked.

“Marciena?”

“Julius? Julius!” She practically screamed at him as she ran into his arms. She flung her thin arms around his neck and held tight. Julius cupped her head with his hand and held her against him, blinking tears. For what seemed like an eternity, Julius held his little sister, all else forgotten in his reunion with the last member of his family.

Finally, Julius stood back to look at her. “What happened? How are you here? Why were you listening in on us?” The questions tumbled out.

Marciena looked confused, her answers halting.

Halder stepped forward. “No time for talk,” he urged, gesturing to another Nortlander who had just appeared in the doorway. “Enemy come.”

Julius turned back to look at Marciena. I have to get her out of here. He reached a heart-wrenching decision. “Marciena, do you know a way out of here?”

She nodded silently, eyes still wide at the rapidly unfolding events.

“Could you guide Scipio here to it?”

“No. I want you to come!” Her Latin was a bit rusty, and had acquired a new accent, but it was still her voice.

He sighed. “I can’t. I’m a soldier. I have to defend the senatora. But if you can take Scipio,” he gestured to the young soldier, who smiled and waved playfully at her, “out of the fortress, you can help us all. If you can lead my commander, Tribune Appius, into Midgard, we can save the senatora and go home.”

Marciena looked upset. Julius felt choked up himself. “You. . you have to get out. I won’t have you stuck here. Get Appius. Be safe, ’Ciena,” he whispered, using the nickname given to her when she was just a babe.

She hugged him fiercely, gave him a peck on the cheek, then took Scipio’s hand and led him into the dark opening of the servant’s passage behind the bookcase. She looked back at Julius once, then the door closed behind them.

And once again, Julius was all alone.

Chapter 23

Constantine

The pounding of hammers sounded like the beating of war drums. The Roman legions were about to wage war as Midgard had never seen it. Along the vast curtain wall of the fortress, Constantine could feel the hundreds of eyes watching their preparations.

In the midst of the Romans’ great encampment, a siege caterpillar was being constructed. It had taken them several days to put it together, but the final work was impressive. The long machine looked like its namesake, with large wheels for traction and articulated legs for climbing. Each of the dozens of legs was tipped with a steel alloy claw that was capable of breaking and grasping walls, mountains, or any vertical structure that it ran into.

Constantine walked along the rampart of their new castrum, less than two miles from the fortress walls. At first, his new subordinate commanders had cautioned against situating their camp so close to the enemy citadel. Let them see. They shall know fear, and it shall consume them, he’d reminded them. Rome was never stopped, only delayed.

And there would be no more delays. Not when Roman honor was at sake. Or my own personal honor, he thought wryly. Let’s see if they insist on hiding behind their big fancy walls while we parade around outside.

He pulled out his binoculars, spinning the ring on the side of the device to zoom in on the enemy fortifications. Defensive towers studded the entire mountainside, built into the rock. The curtain wall had been hewn out of the cliff face as well, centuries of work at the hands of slaves. But the result was nearly impregnable. The crenellated battlements were interspersed with Nortland catapults. Every now and then, one would fling its payload in their direction. The legionnaires would shout derisively as the shot fell harmlessly into the snow. But Constantine knew better. “They’re marking the range. They know we won’t be able to move fast.”

Murtes had moved up beside him. Constantine nodded a greeting to the man, who saluted briefly. “Didn’t mean to interrupt, sir, but the longer we wait, the tougher it will be to crack that nut.”

“Is the siege caterpillar ready?”

“It should be by this evening.”

“Very well, then. We’ll launch the assault tonight. The darkness will help us get closer to the walls. It’s not as if we’ll miss that target.” He lowered the binoculars.

Murtes looked at him for a moment, then turned and leaned on the battlement. “How are you holding up, sir?” he asked.

Constantine put on a brave face. “Ready to go.”

“Have you eaten today? Or gotten some sleep? I know things have been hectic, but if we’re about to go into battle, we need you at your best,” Murtes said.

Constantine placed a hand on the older man’s shoulder. “You need not worry about me, Commander. Look to your men. I can look after myself.”

“Then do so, sir. Go see the cook and then rest. The men will take heart from your willingness to rest with the enemy so close. Besides, you will need your strength for tonight,” Murtes pressed.

Constantine thanked the commander for his concern, then climbed off the battlement. Perhaps I should get something to eat. I haven’t had anything since that porridge at breakfast. His stomach grumbled. Yes, definitely some food.

He negotiated his way through the camp. Here and there, a soldier would approach to ask him a question about the coming battle. Constantine knew that some generals believed it was best to hide things from their men, to keep them unaware of the challenges or dangers they were about to face. Yet others believed their men to be no more than supplies, things to be utilized to achieve an objective. Constantine felt otherwise. To be a good leader is to love your men. To be a good general, you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love. And so he talked with his men, listened to their fears and concerns, allaying them or strengthening their morale and fortitude. It had not been easy at first. He was not used to dealing with so many. . peasants. . and their problems.

He shook his head. How wrong I was. Their problems are more important than the problems of nobles and lords. Here we are worrying about this victory, and here they are worrying about what’s for dinner!

Not that he could blame them. Since the departure of General Minnicus and his lackeys, all supply caravans had ceased. They had been unable to raise any other Roman military unit on the wireless, and bad weather prevented them from sending up any of the few skimmers or observation balloons they had available.

He finally made his way into the mess hall, and stood in line with his men, as was his usual routine. Normally officers would receive better rations, and indeed his soup had a bit of meat in it, along with some rehydrated vegetables. Pretty pathetic when being an officer gets you a single piece of extra beef, he thought sarcastically as he ate quickly. He made a big show of thanking the cooks for their work and clapping his hand on a few backs before retiring to his tent.

After leaving orders that he should not be disturbed until dusk, Constantine pulled off his muddy boots, dropped his cloak from his shoulders, and laid his head on his pillow. Within moments, he had fallen into a deep sleep.

A loud commotion woke him. He glanced around, alarmed. His tent was burning! Stumbling from his cot, he grabbed his gear and rolled out of the blazing canvas.

All around him, the camp burned. He could see Nortlanders running here and there, pillaging, slaughtering camp followers, striking down legionnaires that tried to fight back.

Constantine made to move toward the largest host of Nortlanders, when one lumbered from between two tents and leapt at him. Constantine fumbled with his sword, barely managing to free it from his scabbard before the Nortlander crashed into him. They fell into the mud, wrestling. His opponent kicked him, hard, and Constantine cried out as he felt something pop in his right knee. He hit back with the pommel of his spatha, driving the weighted lead ball into the man’s face, breaking past the thin iron nose guard of his helmet and cracking open his nose. Blood poured out and the man recoiled in pain.

In a flash, Constantine swept his sword down across his body, the stroke slashing across the raider’s face. He thrashed backward, tumbling off of Constantine into the mud, blood pouring from him. Constantine lay there for a moment, recovering his wits before he tried to regain his footing. Using a discarded pila as a crutch, he lunged to his feet, losing his sword in the process.

He hobbled forward, tottering around bodies and abandoned possessions. He found himself approaching the command tent. The Nortlanders ignored him, intent on their unhindered pillage. Shrieks and screams told of horrendous acts behind tent walls, as shadows armed with axes struck down cowering victims.

Why is this happening? What went wrong?

He finally arrived at the central plaza. Roman bodies were being dumped into a bonfire roaring in the middle of the cleared ground. He watched as familiar faces-Murtes, Paulos, Caesar, Gwendyrn-were tossed unceremoniously into the roaring flames. The wounded were not being spared, either. Constantine cried out as he saw a man, still moving, thrown into the flames by two laughing barbarians. He hobbled toward them, intent on revenge.

A shadow moved to intercept him. In the firelight, he could just make out the man’s face. It’s the man from Brittenburg. The one who escaped into the airship, Constantine recalled, recognizing the man’s deadly grace.

“Come to join our party? We’d love to have you, primus imperio.” Corbus snickered, his sword rasping from its sheath.

Constantine felt at his waist for a weapon, and found nothing.

“No weapons? I’m not the chivalrous type.” Corbus smiled, then attacked.

Constantine managed to block the first two swipes with his pila, then fell as the shaft splintered. He spun, landing on his knees, facing the long, muddy road that led toward Midgard.

“A fitting end, if I do say so myself. After all, it was your failure to lead that brought us this victory,” Corbus said. Constantine saw the burning skeleton of the siege caterpillar in the distance, leaning against the wall like some drunken buffoon. “Goodbye, prince.”

Constantine woke with a start. His tunic was drenched in cold sweat, his sword halfway out of its scabbard.

“Sir?” A guard peeked through the flap.

Constantine hastily hid his drawn weapon. “Yes?”

“A messenger’s here to see you. He says it’s urgent.”

“Very well. I’ll be out in a minute.”

The guard saluted and withdrew. Constantine quickly doffed his tunic, opening his travel trunk for a new one. His hands rummaged through the debris of the last year of legion service. Amazing how much stuff you accumulate in such a short time. Finally, he pulled a clean tunic from the recesses of the trunk and dressed again. He buckled his lorica on and wrapped his utility belt and scabbard around his waist before stepping through the tent flap and out into the evening air.

Dusk had fallen, the last lines of sunlight highlighting the tops of the castrum walls and the Laurel flag fluttering on its pole. A small party of legionnaires stood to one side, and Constantine walked over. The men saluted him.

“Sir, file leader Krull, eastern perimeter patrol. We came across these two walking into our territory. The man claims he’s a legionnaire from the Fourth. He does bear a legion tattoo. The girl claims they have a message from Centurion Caesar, along with a secret way into the fortress.”

“Thank you, file leader. You may return to your post with your men. Excellent job.”

The pug-nosed sub-officer saluted, then withdrew. Constantine was left alone with a single guard, the oddly geared legionnaire, and the young girl. “What am I to do with you?” he mused aloud.

“Believe us, sir,” the legionnaire said.

“Tell me your story.”

And so the man told his whole story from beginning to end-how he had come north with the IV Britannia. The last minutes of desperate fighting. His incarceration with Centurion Caesar. The proposition to fight for the enemy against a common enemy. Their journey through the depths of the mountain into the luxurious chambers of the nation’s most powerful men. The discovery of the hidden passage thanks to Caesar’s sister, Marciena. Finally, their exit from the tunnel into the middle of a perimeter patrol.

Constantine laughed. “You must have given them quite a fright. I’m surprised you weren’t killed on sight!”

The legionnaire, one Felix Scipio, shrugged at the comment. “I think we were just very lucky, sir. That, and at least I look like a legionnaire, even if I do have some borrowed Nortland gear. I had to kill a guard or two on the way down. My sword broke, so I took this instead.” He hefted a single-handed war axe. A smaller weapon than its cousin, the chain-axe, it nevertheless had a razor-sharp blade and crushing mallet counterweight.

Constantine considered the situation for a moment. “Very well, Legionnaire Scipio. Welcome back to the legions. The IV Britannia no longer exists, I’m afraid. I’d be glad to enroll you in one of the other legions here, or you can remain with the girl on a temporary basis. Your choice.”

Scipio considered his options for a moment, looking down at his gangly charge. “I think I’ll stay with her, sir, if you’ll allow it.”

Constantine lifted a brow at Marciena. She shrugged and nodded, shivering in the cold winter air. Abruptly, Constantine realized how ill-equipped she was for the cold weather. Her thin servant’s uniform was no defense against the cold. “Please, come into my tent. You can warm up and relax.” He beckoned them inside, pausing to ask the guard to get some hot food and drink.

When he entered, the girl had curled up on his bed, while Scipio looked on, an amused smile on his face.

“Sorry, sir, she just seemed to need to rest.”

“No worries, legionnaire. Now, what can you tell me about the events inside?”

Several hours later, Constantine had the basis of a plan. Considering the dream a warning against trying a frontal assault, he gathered his legion commanders in the headquarters tent, to map out his assault plan.

Constantine himself would lead the XIII Germania into the secret passage and find a way to open the gates from the inside. Meanwhile, the III Cimbrian and VII Germania would assault the walls using the siege caterpillar. They were under orders to not press the assault, instead reserving the bulk of their strength for when the gates were finally breached from the inside.

“We’ll use the confusion inside to our advantage. With the Nortlanders fighting each other, we have a chance to take the walls. Once that happens, they won’t stand a chance, divided as they are,” Constantine stated.

Paulos looked up at him from across the table. “What if they take our invasion as a sign to unify and fight off the invaders? It’s happened before when we’ve tried to take advantage of internal strife during war.”

Constantine paused. It was a good question. “We just have to hope that Centurion Caesar figures out our plan as soon as we enact it. If we can link up with some loyalists. . or rebels, whichever ones support the duke, we can participate in an ‘allied’ attack. So try to figure out who is whom before you go killing every Nortlander you see. And no looting or distractions. We’re here to win, save the senatora, and get home.” The officers around the table nodded.

“Any more questions?”

None were voiced. The assembled officer corps saluted their leader solemnly, lamplight glinting off their well-polished armor. Constantine shook the hand of each as they left the tent.

“Gods be with you, sir,” Paulos said.

“And also with you. I’ll see you on the other side.”

“Don’t make me send someone to rescue you. Again.”

The plan decided upon, it was only a matter of quietly waking the men and having them assemble in their cohorts and divisions. Shorter-ranged ballistae and protective mantlets were brought up and assembled before being moved into position.

“Commander, the XIII Germania is ready and awaiting your orders.” A familiar face appeared at his side.

“Very well, Centurion Gwendyrn. Silence is the order of the day.” Gwendyrn nodded, then turned abruptly and faded back into the darkness.

The march began, the legion’s goal, the secret entrance revealed by Scipio and Marciena. Scipio was at the head of the column, leading his legionnaire brothers. He would be joining them on their assault through the fortress.

Constantine checked his heavier standard-issue shield, which had replaced his thinner air legion equipment. I’d rather have the heavier stuff in the tunnels, he conceded; it’s more able to withstand a beating. He knew he was taking a gamble, sending his less experienced air legion on an underground mission into the depths of an enemy fortress, their hopes riding on the memory of a single man who had been through the tunnels exactly once before. I suppose I’d better pray.

Chapter 24

Julius

Julius parried an axe swing with his sword, letting the blow fall off to his side. Shield high, he stepped forward, smashing the man’s face, then his exposed foot. Howling, the Nortlander spun around, and Julius delivered a quick stab with his spatha.

His foe dispatched, Julius took the opportunity to glance around. The Roman-Nortland allied force was being pushed back into the apartments. To make matters worse, some enterprising adversary had made use of the stair system as well. Even now, more rebel supporters were forcing their way through the loyalists holding the apartments.

Overall, the news was not good. They had last heard from Duke Laufas over an hour ago, as his men fought to access the great armories below the citadel. Since then they had been cut off, as the rebel forces seemed to gain ground over the self-proclaimed loyalists.

The ker-chung of stone throwers filled the hallway, bringing screams of pain and death. Beyond the skirmish, someone had taken charge and organized the various rebel forces into a coherent unit. They were firing indiscriminately into the mass of fighting soldiers. Friend and foe alike fell under the heavy lead slugs.

Taking cover in a convenient alcove, Julius looked frantically for Halder. Spotting him, he waved his sword to get his attention. “Halder! We need to fall back into one of the chambers!”

Halder nodded, used the butt end of his chain-axe to kill a militiaman, then shouted at his men. Grudgingly, the loyalists fell back toward the apartments. The rebels paused in their assault, as some leader must have been trying to reorganize them before executing his final attack.

Halder and Julius pulled the last of their men around the corner of the corridor.

“Not good.” Halder said stoically.

“They’ve got us outnumbered. We should be able to slow them in the hallways, but numbers will eventually overwhelm us. Can we use the back way out?”

Halder shook his head, gesturing to the new ranks of loyalists who were joining them. Julius recognized a few faces from the rearguard they had put in place to guard the staircase. “Sealed the door,” Halder explained.

That must have been the large explosion I heard earlier. “Can we use the secret passageway in the senatora’s room?”

Halder evidently hadn’t thought of that. They raced into the room, finding Senatora Pelia sitting up and groggily looking around. Julius quickly explained the situation as Halder pulled at the bookshelf, trying to open the secret passage. Julius joined him, their muscles straining; the furniture piece refused to move.

“Perhaps there is a trigger?”

“Trig-her?”

“Like, something that makes it open?” Julius wiggled his forefinger as if flicking a switch.

They set about seeking a trigger. Julius pulled books off the shelf while Halder went around pulling and twisting on the candleholders. Hearing the clash and clang of renewed fighting out in the hallway, they doubled their efforts.

“There must be something here,” Julius cried out in desperation.

“Maybe it only opens from the inside?” the senatora said wearily.

Julius resorted to hitting bricks on the fireplace with the poker, hoping against hope that something, anything, would work.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him. “No more. It is time to fight,” Halder said. His tone was gruff, but also perhaps a bit sad.

Julius nodded, dropping the poker with a clang. He drew his spatha again. The fighting had now spilled into the outer rooms of the apartments. Julius turned to look at the senatora. “Domina, please hide under the bed. Perhaps they won’t even remember you’re here.” The young woman nodded slowly, still trying to shake the effects of whatever had happened to her. “Halder, could you take care of that chain?”

With a single stroke, the chain parted like soft butter, and Octavia rolled under the bed. May the gods see her safe, Julius prayed. And may the gods see my sister safe, as well. He turned to follow Halder into the outer chambers.

The scrimmage had overturned divans and scattered broken pieces of fine pottery. In the ruins of the once well-appointed room, Nortlander fought Nortlander. Following Halder’s lead, Julius sidled along the right wall, his scutum guarding his left side.

From there, Julius hamstrung a Nortlander guard about to finish off a wounded loyalist. The man flashed him a look of gratitude that crumpled under a deathblow from another attacker’s war hammer. Howling, Julius drew a long gash across the man’s throat with his spatha. As blood arced into the air, Julius turned just in time to be tossed against the wall by a charging attacker. Pinned to the wall, Julius struggled to keep his shield between him and his opponent. The Nortlander’s scarred faced and huge biceps spoke of a seasoned warrior. Sure enough, the man fought dirty like one, head-butting Julius then kicking him in the side on his way down. Instinctively, Julius turned and fell with his scutum atop him. The wood and steel shield saved his life.

The heavy crack as an axe penetrated the shield numbed Julius’s left arm. But the axe was stuck in the shield, for as the man hauled his weapon up, Julius was pulled back to his feet. He took advantage of the man’s surprise to deliver several quick jabs, crippling, then mortally wounding the man with a gut strike. With his foe dispatched, Julius hastily tried to free his arm from the now ruined shield with blood-slippery fingers.

He had just managed to free his arm when two more barbarians advanced upon Julius faced them one-handed and without a shield, finally grabbing his dagger with still tingling fingers, forcing them to operate. He killed one with a lucky slash to the back as he careened out of control on a wild swipe. His other opponent nicked Julius’s sword arm with his own short sword, then his leg. Julius could feel his strength leaving him as the wounds began to take a toll. Mustering his last bit of energy, Julius feinted high, then stabbed low. The man must have underestimated him, as he let down his guard entirely. Julius’s sword entered his thigh, severing an artery. Blood gushed and shrieking, the man went down, his voice only adding to the din of battle.

Julius looked around, chest heaving. Halder was down, five men standing over him with long, vicious-looking spears poised as another tied his arms. Most of the other loyalists were dead, and the wounded were being dispatched brutally and mercilessly. Julius watched as the last two loyalists surrendered, only to be hacked down. Sensing his defeat, Julius lowered his sword as the rebels surrounded him.

“My, my, if it isn’t my old Roman friend, Julius Caesar.”

Julius turned to see Corbus enter the room. The man looked around at the dead piled two and three high. “You’ve been awfully busy, haven’t you?” he said snidely. “But your time is up, and this little rebellion is over. You never actually thought this would succeed, did you? After all, no one likes to fight a king with a master assassin as his ally.”

The man flashed his daggers, spinning them in two hands. “Now, drop your weapon and you get to live to see the end of this revolution.”

Disgusted with himself for surrendering to this man for the second time, Julius spat and tossed down his spatha.

“Bind him,” Corbus ordered. “I don’t want him escaping before I can finally kill him.”

A short time later he and Halder were on their knees before the great Copper Throne. The man wearing the crown looked. . Impatient, thought Julius. He squirmed every few seconds, as though trying to get comfortable in the hulking mass of pure copper. This must be the new king.

Halder spat to one side. “Thief; murderer,” he muttered.

The king stirred and rose, fiddling with his odd-looking gauntlets as he descended the dais steps. He looked the prisoners over carefully, his startlingly purple eyes examining every detail. “Roman? In Midgard?” He looked exceptionally concerned.

Corbus stepped up, saying something in Norse that made the king laugh and relax. The assassin turned back to Julius, and spoke in Latin. “I was just telling the king that you were only a prisoner the loyalists let out. They must have been desperate for soldiers, to have actually freed prisoners.”

The king spoke again in Norse, and Julius caught no more than one word out of ten. Beside him, Halder looked angry. Shaking his head, he declared, “No!”

Now Julius could see just what was on those gauntlets. This isn’t good.

Long, slender needle daggers extended from one gauntlet, while a single, flat blade extended from the other. Wicked, deadly, and concealed. Where did he get those weapons? one part of Julius’s mind pondered while the rest froze in terror as the king advanced.

He stopped before Halder, grabbing the man’s coarse black hair with one hand and staring into his eyes. The king repeated his demand in Norse, and Halder spit in his face. In response, the king slammed his blade hand into Halder’s throat, decapitating him. Julius cried out as Halder’s body hit the floor. The king tossed the head down as well, and laughing, marched back up to his throne. He thrust out his hand, beckoning.

A nervous-looking servant handed him a towel and he fastidiously cleaned his blade attachment. That done, he dropped the cloth on the floor, staring at Julius. The king made a comment to Corbus, and the assassin replied sharply. After a long pause in their conversation, Corbus spoke an affirmative and the king waved his hand dismissively.

Corbus turned his head to look at Julius, who was still recovering from the shock of seeing Halder decapitated before him. “You’re very lucky, Roman. The king wishes you to be a bargaining chip. I would rather kill you.” Hand caressing his sword hilt, he walked past Julius, then stopped right behind him and whispered in his ear, “You will not leave here alive.”

Julius felt his blood go cold.

At that moment, a messenger burst into the throne room, his boots ringing on the flagstone floor. A waterfall of Norse tumbled out of his mouth, and the king rose immediately from his seat, shouting orders. Armed men hastily assembled. Corbus, flashing a predatory smile, placed his northern-style helm upon his head and grabbed a large round shield.

Julius felt himself being grabbed from behind and pulled backward. The war party marched out double quick as Julius was swung about. Tumbling sideways, the centurion bounced hard onto the flagstone floor in the corner of the throne room where he lay, his world spinning.

Julius waited a few minutes after the footsteps faded from the room. When he realized he could no longer hear the sounds of anyone in the area, he cautiously tried to roll over. He succeeded, but could see nothing beyond table legs and hard stone floor.

Sighing, Julius set to work trying to loosen his bonds.

Chapter 25

Constantine

The torchlight flickered along the walls as the long file of legionnaires hiked through the secret entrance to Midgard. Their commanding officer marched alongside, then closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, bringing to mind the layout on the command table.

Midgard was so massive that the table could only accommodate half the fortress at one time. What Constantine did understand was that the fortress was divided into four equal quadrants, each one serving a different purpose. The secret passageway ran under the curtain wall on the southwest side of the fortress, winding its way through the residential quadrant before arriving somewhere on the uppermost floors of the zone. The other three zones-comercia, forge, and temple districts-radiated from the small central citadel district where the palace was. Although not necessarily a different district, the smallest zone was the goal of this attack, as the Roman plan assumed the king would be present in his throne room at the heart of the palace quarter.

To make matters even more complicated, they had to hope that their assault coincided with the one launched outside the walls by the III Cimbrian and the VII Germania. At this moment, men were laying down wire as they progressed through the depths, in the hope that there could be communication with the outside. If we can’t communicate, it will simply come down to both parties following the timetables set at the meeting. But who knows what could go wrong on either end? Without the other, either assault is doomed on its own.

“Sir, are you okay?”

Constantine opened his eyes. “Yes, legionnaire. Thanks for your concern.” He placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. The man glanced at his fellow soldiers with the look of a man trying to get out of an obligation. Constantine recognized the signs. “Speak your mind, man; I’ll answer whatever question you’d like.”

Light from the torches made shadows on the man’s unshaven, hollow-cheeked face. Hesitantly, the man spoke. “If I may, sir, why are we still storming the fortress? Is it true what they say about you just wanting to rescue the senatora?” He looked pained as he said it, but Constantine could tell that it was something many of his men had been thinking about. Other legionnaires had paused in their ascent, clogging the passageway.

“You there, men! Keep it moving!” an under-officer shouted up from behind them.

“Walk with me, trooper. It wouldn’t do to have our attack gummed up.” Constantine walked side by side with the legionnaire as the column resumed its progress. They moved at double speed as Constantine tried to catch up to the first portion of his command.

“I know many men have been asking why we continue to fight.” He made sure his voice carried so that others would hear him. “The simple truth is, we have not done what we were ordered to do. Our orders were to punish the Nortlanders for their raid and destruction of Brittenburg. I know many of you may have felt that our victory on the plains outside this fortress should account for that.”

He paused to swing around a large obstruction jutting into the passage, gripping the cold, rough rock to do so. He used the pause in his explanation to gather his thoughts.

“I think the men would agree, sir,” the legionnaire prompted behind him.

“What’s your name, soldier?”

“Legionnaire First Class Jarl Trelmus.”

“Well, Legionnaire Trelmus, I say we have not finished our objective. In my opinion, winning a battle is not the same as destroying a city. In any case, if simply winning a battle was sufficient to force these raiders to cease their destructive ways, then why didn’t the battle of Vilnus, where the Nortlanders lost twenty thousand men to General Pelia’s trap, stop them?”

The legionnaire looked confused for a moment, but Constantine pressed on, slamming his fist with a thwack into the palm of his leather gauntlet for effect. “No! That is not enough. It is not enough to just win one battle, then return home. I care not about glory or fame; I already have plenty. I’m the primus imperio! Together, we can avenge Brittenburg the right way, through a victory that they will remember. We may not be able to conquer them, and quite frankly I’m perfectly happy to leave this gods-forsaken land of ice and snow to them.” The legionnaires around him chuckled. Constantine felt the mood change from one of resignation to one of determination.

“So we press on to give these barbarians the lashing they deserve. And if we happen to save the senatora, why, I think that would simply be the icing on the cake.”

“Especially for you, sir.” The man said slyly.

“Of course, Trelmus, of course.”

The legionnaire saluted as Constantine took his leave, pressing farther up the column beneath vaulted stonework and smooth stone arches looking hundreds of years old. He passed cohort after cohort as he moved to the front of the column, giving the occasional greeting here, an encouraging word there, never breaking stride.

They climbed ever higher, the path winding upward, doubling back on itself and passing along deep trenches and over rickety bridges. Finally they entered an area showing more habitation. Torches and lanterns lit the hallways. After a hasty conference with his leading cohort centurion, Constantine ordered out scouts and flankers to catch or kill any witnesses.

Finally Legionnaire Scipio halted in front of a nondescript wooden door. “This is it, sir. This is the doorway Marciena and I escaped through. I will tell you though, sir, it may be smart to block this doorway and keep it open. It cannot be opened from the inside.”

Scipio stepped to the side as the entry party gathered at the door, repeaters drawn. Constantine wanted to intervene and give last minute instructions, but he didn’t want to be seen as interfering with his subordinate’s command. Finally, he simply nodded at the 1st Cohort’s fresh-faced centurion. Everyone in this legion seems so young, yet it seems like an age since we mustered last year.

Scipio yanked down on a lever at the side of the door. Gears and chains whirred, and the door swung open on silent hinges.

The first legionnaires entered the room and spread out. Behind them, more legionnaires in full formation entered, blocking the doorway with their large scuta shields

“Clear, sir!” came the directive.

Constantine entered the room, hand repeater drawn. He stepped carefully over several bodies that bore evidence of extreme and recent trauma. Two of them appeared to have been executed or hacked down from behind. All were wearing Nortland gear. The smell of death was nearly overwhelming.

“File leader, was this our doing?” he asked, just to be sure.

“No sir, the room was as it appears when we entered. It’s worse in the main room.”

Constantine realized they were in a bedchamber. The massive four-post bed and lavishly appointed furniture and rugs spoke of wealth. Not that the occupant’s money is worth much now. It will be impossible to get the blood out of these carpets.

While his men checked several other rooms that opened off the bedchamber, he walked into the main room, and a much more grisly scene.

“Nortlanders fighting Nortlanders. Seems the girl was right,” The 1st Cohort’s centurion, a weedy, perennially happy man named Claudius Orestius, commented. He pointed to blue ribbons tied around some of the Nortlanders’ arms. “Loyalists or rebels perhaps? The situation is probably too fluid, but it looks like the blue guys took a lot more casualties here. The non-blues seem to have taken most of their wounded as well. He pointed to trails of blood where wounded men had been dragged or carried away.

“Very well, let’s fan out,” Constantine ordered. “Scout the hallway outside while I bring up the rest of the legion. We’ve got to try to figure out exactly how to get to the throne room.” He gratefully stepped into the hallway, leaving behind some of the overwhelming stench of death. “And get those bodies out of those rooms. We have to walk through them, for Jupiter’s sake!”

While the 2nd Cohort began to purge the rooms of their dead occupants, Constantine followed Orestius and the First into the hall. They set up a perimeter as 3rd Cohort began to move in.

They brought a guest over to their commander. “Sir, we found this one skulking about in the tunnels. She claims they are servants’ tunnels and that she was simply trying to do her chores.”

Constantine looked at the woman, then said in Norse, “Where is your king?”

The woman’s jaw dropped at hearing him speak in her tongue. She garbled her response, and Constantine waited patiently, staring stolidly into her blue eyes. Finally she became coherent. “I know the way.”

Constantine turned to his men. “Good news! We now have a guide.”

“Best news I’ve heard all day,” grumbled someone.

Constantine detailed a squad to escort her to the front of the column, then pulled their commanding officer aside. “Keep an eye on her. She doesn’t seem the type to lead us astray, but I’m taking no chances. Grab another prisoner as soon as possible.”

The centurion saluted and gathered the rest of his men. With 1st and 3rd Cohorts leading the way, the XIII Germania began their assault on the Midgard fortress.

Ducking low to remain in cover behind the shield line, Constantine advanced to find Centurion Orestius. The arrival of the XIII Germania was completely unforeseen by the northerners. Working in concentrated and well-practiced teams, the Romans had quickly swamped any areas of resistance. Runners connecting the leading edge of the legion with the base camp told of the outside assault gaining momentum.

I’d love to have some way to communicate with them here at the front. The rock had proven too thick to allow wireless transmissions, so traditional wired messages had to do. “What’s the situation, Centurion?” Constantine asked.

“Sir! The Nortlanders seem to have established some type of barricade. The guide says that through those large doors is the throne room. They’ve got those rapid firing rock throwers of theirs. Those things are able to shatter our scuta,” Orestius informed him.

Constantine looked around. The 1st Cohort had taken some casualties on the way down, and many men were tired and wounded. “I just passed Centurion Gwendyrn and his men. We’ll pull them up and they’ll take the main thrust, with you supporting. In the meantime, keep their heads down with your repeaters.”

“Yes, sir!” Orestius smiled.

Constantine backed away, ducking as the whine of the lead shot zipped overhead. Occasionally, the balls would slam into the shield wall. Even rarer still, one found its mark. He passed a legionnaire’s crumpled body, placed against the wall by his companions. His helmet was missing and part of his skull was shattered. Constantine grimaced and ducked lower.

He found Centurion Gwendyrn just around the corner, his men taking a moment to munch on hard biscuits and gulp water. The centurion greeted his former tribune warmly.

“I hope you’ll still like me in a minute,” Constantine joked, then informed the one-time Gallic farmer of his plan.

Gwendyrn saluted sharply. “We’ll get you that doorway, sir, and get you into that throne room.”

“As I’d expected.”

“You’ll be joining us, sir?”

“There’s no place I’d rather be.”

Gwendyrn organized his men while Constantine checked the standoff in the corridors. The Romans were exchanging fire with the Nortlanders, but nothing but a quick rush right at the defenders would end it.

There was no other way.

“All right sir, we’re ready.”

Constantine caught Orestius’ eye and gestured. Whistling, he pulled his cohort back around the convenient corner, his front ranks backing away slowly to provide cover for their legionmates. Once there, they reassembled behind 13th Cohort. Farther back, other cohorts were arriving. Good, Constantine thought. We’ll need as many men as possible when we storm that throne room.

The last few men walked backward around the corner, a few shots from stone throwers coming after them. Constantine heard cheering from the Nortlanders, as well as some off-tune singing. So typical.

“We’ll give them something to sing about,” Gwendyrn boasted to his men. They beat their swords on their shields as they waited for the order to advance.

Constantine counted to ten. Relax your guard, relax your guard. He prayed to Minerva and Nike briefly, then gripped his spatha tightly. “Charge!”

The cohort pounded around the corner, feet sounding like a thousand drums as they raced the three hundred feet or so toward the Nortland lines. Howling in surprise, the Nortlanders fired hurriedly at these new opponents, their aim wild. The Romans closed the gap. Shields before them, the Romans took the first concentrated fire well; only a few legionnaires went down.

And then the barricade was right before them. Legionnaires tried to push the upturned benches and food carts out of the way while engaged in hand to hand combat. It was not a fight to their advantage.

Constantine saw one barbarian use his axe to pull a legionnaire toward him, then strike down the off-balance Roman with a vicious slash to the face. Another used a long boar spear to pin legionnaires while his countrymen fell upon the trapped men.

“Use your plumbatae!” Constantine heard someone shout. The lethal metal darts flew overhead, and a quick series of explosions threw stone, wood, and worse over the combatants.

Constantine leapt into the fight. Using his shield as an umbrella to stop the rain of axe blows, he stabbed with his spatha at the unprotected legs and feet of his opponents. Several men fell into formation beside him, covering him on his left and his right from vicious Nortlander counterattacks. They must be targeting my white plume, Constantine thought briefly as he crunched a man’s arm with his scutum, the tough metal rim breaking the man’s arm with a crack. The man’s face went ashen and another legionnaire quickly dispatched him.

Constantine checked his surroundings. They were inside the barricade’s perimeter. All along the barricade, legionnaires were clambering over dead or wounded defenders. Even so, the wounded Nortlanders fought on.

No quarter was offered, nor was any given.

The remaining Nortlanders rallied near the large metal door. Please, call for help, Constantine mentally urged, hoping they would turn coward and seek the safety of the throne room, thus allowing the Romans entry.

Instead, the Nortlanders charged, one brute of a man carving his way through legionnaires and tossing them up into the air. His double chain-axes chewed through shields, armor, helmets, and appendages.

Constantine looked at his formation mates. “Follow me!” he yelled as he charged in, his men forming a wedge behind him. With the battle joined, the remaining northerners fought desperately, taking down two or three legionnaires for every barbarian lost.

Leaping dead bodies, Constantine saw Gwendyrn engage the hulking brute from the other side. The large legionnaire swatted one axe out of the barbarian’s meaty hand, the weapon clattering to the floor where it spun in circles, its razor-sharp teeth trying to gain purchase on air. Roaring, the barbarian punched Gwendyrn in the face. The Gallic legionnaire flew backward, his men rushing forward to shield him from the renewed onslaught of the last Nortland berserker.

We’re losing time! Constantine’s brain cried as the berserker wielded his remaining axe two-handed now, cleaving through those careless enough to get too close to him.

Sheathing his sword, Constantine pulled out his hand repeater, firing the miniature bolts into the man from just a few feet away. Bellowing, the man turned, his eyes tinged red and his mouth frothing in battle madness. Holy Hera.

The man bore down on him like an enraged bull. Constantine’s bolts seemed to do nothing against the man, until there was a small explosion and a blast of heat and smoke.

Constantine had ducked down behind his shield, bracing for an impact that never came. He peeked over its edge to find the man on the ground before him, blown nearly in two, guts scattered. The commander looked up to see his savior.

Gwendyrn wiped his hand across his bloody face. “Dat stupid git bwoke my nose. So I bwoke his back wit dis,” he said angrily, pinching the bridge of his crooked nose with his thumb and forefinger. In his other hand he held a plumbata.

“Well, Centurion, you certainly have the best aim I know of. Perfect hit,” Constantine commended. “Now, does anyone know how we can open these doors?”

Chapter 26

Julius

The slamming door, followed by heavy footfalls, announced the return of the king and his cronies. Julius heard cruel laughter and grunting. Finally, Julius was hauled to his feet. His boots scrabbled for purchase on the stone floor, and he leaned heavily on his captor. The scene that greeted him made his stomach sink.

On his knees within a circle of the king’s henchmen, Duke Laufas huddled under the pummeling of their fists, grunting in pain with each meaty blow.

“Enough!” The king held up his hand and his men stepped back. Looking exceptionally pleased with himself, he spouted a guttural stream of Norse.

I hate not knowing what’s going on, Julius thought. As if he’d heard, Corbus appeared next to him. “The king is telling the rebel leader that he must order his men to submit. Assuming there are any left willing to fight for him,” Corbus sneered. Julius remained silent.

“By the way, did you know that your Roman brothers appear to be fighting amongst themselves? There used to be four legions out there, now there are just two.” Julius looked up at that information.

A haggard-looking militiaman ran into the hall. Julius had learned to distinguish them from their better-equipped professional allies. The leather helmet and simple armored jerkin stood in stark contrast to the steel helm and chainmail-reinforced tunic of the king’s soldiers and raiders. The man blurted something in Norse that seemed to alarm everyone in the hall. Julius caught the flicker of a smile on Laufas’ blood-streaked face. The king stood and began shouting orders at various lords. Soldiers raced in all directions, some even blundering into each other in their haste.

Corbus’s hand grabbed Julius’s hair, yanking him around. “Roman! Your compatriots must wish for death, as they assault our walls directly. But worry not that your time with us will be short, for we intend to deny them. Even now, our men are mustering to the wall to crush your pitiful war machine and your puny countrymen.”

Julius laughed in his face at the end of this tirade. “Very typical of you, Corbus. Why aren’t you out there fighting?” he jeered.

Corbus hit him in the stomach and marched away in a fury. The door slammed shut behind him.

“That’s one bad man to anger,” Laufas said quietly through gritted teeth.

“We’re already prisoners and probably going to die anyway; what’s the worst that could happen?”

A short while later, Julius watched another militiaman rush into the throne room. I hope it’s more bad news for this so-called king.

“Seems your fellow Romans have discovered the tunnels and have invaded the residential quarter. Excellent timing, I might add,” Laufas translated.

“Well, I hope they get here soon. I’m awfully tired of being tied up.”

Another file of soldiers marched through the room. Just outside the large iron door they began to build a barricade. Chairs, tables, even the benches from the throne room went into its construction. “Seems your Romans are closer than they thought,” Laufas noted as they watched.

Another one of the king’s cronies slammed the door shut with a resounding boom. Julius felt the vibrations through the floor as the man slid a long metal brace into position across the door. Things are probably about to get interesting. He began working surreptitiously at returning feeling to his bound hands, rubbing his palms together and wriggling cramped fingers until he felt the sharp tingle of pins and needles. Trying hard to maintain a look of calm nonchalance, he flexed and relaxed his arms, hoping to loosen the bonds.

“Use this,” the duke whispered. He tapped his boot hard on the floor. The sound went unnoticed by the king and his cronies, who were having a heated discussion around a command table at the back of the room. A short blade shot up out of the back of his boot.

One eye on the few remaining guards who huddled together, apparently gossiping about the Roman attacks, Julius inched closer to the duke then crouched, carefully shifting to position himself over the blade to slice the tough leather cords, and not his hands and fingers. I’m sure we look absurd. A five-year-old should be able to catch us, Julius thought, waiting for a guard to glance their way and cry the alarm. But it must have been his lucky day, for his bonds were shredded almost to the breaking point when the duke hissed, “Stop.

“You don’t want them to know you’re untied, and with the bonds still on, it looks more convincing,” the duke explained. Nodding, Julius wiggled a pace or two away from the captured general who, looking back over his shoulder at an awkward angle, went to work on his own bonds.

With his task complete, the duke tapped his toe hard again, and the heel blade slid back into his boot.

“Nice contraption,” Julius said.

“It definitely has its uses.”

Tearful cries and the sobs of women and children alerted Julius. He craned his head around, trying to find the source of the sound. Corbus came around the edge of the dais, smiling triumphantly as he led a roped line of women and children. Julius felt the duke stiffen next to him as he, too, saw the prisoners. Not prisoners, hostages, Julius thought as he saw the senatora in the group as well. At least she’s awake now.

Swaggering, Corbus brought them before the king. The line bunched together, women and children drawing close for comfort. Bowing low, Corbus cleared his throat to get the man’s attention. Scowling, the king returned to the dais and settled on the throne to listen to the assassin.

Unable to understand Corbus’s Norse, Julius focused his attention on the duke. He saw the duke’s eyes narrow, then his brows came down in a frown. “Sir? What is going to happen?” Julius whispered.

“They want us to give an oath of loyalty. If we don’t, those hostages will die. I cannot swear; it violates my blood oath to the rightful king, sacred above all others.”

Julius looked back to the dais, where the king appeared to be considering Corbus’s idea. “What about your wife?” Julius asked quietly, turning to the duke. Tears were rolling down the duke’s face as he stared at the floor.

There must be another way out of this! “Can you stall him?” Julius asked urgently. “Delay him as much as possible? The legions will be here, I know it. We just have to give them more time.”

Laufas turned to look at the centurion. “That is our only hope. A drowning man grasps at any branch, no matter how thin.” He wiped his face on his shoulder, his face hardening with a look of steely determination. “We shall stall, Centurion Caesar, we shall stall.”

There came a pause in the conversation. In fact, the entire throne room seemed to have gone silent. Julius slowly scanned the room, looking for the disturbance. Then he heard it-the sound of fighting! Yes! Here comes our rescue team! Julius thought excitedly, cracking a smile that he quickly tried to cover by dropping his head.

Listening to the clash and clang of swords and axes that filtered faintly through the barred door, Julius tried to imagine what it was like outside, legionnaires fighting to take the barricaded position, most likely taking heavy casualties from the heavily armed defenders.

Corbus spoke above the sounds of battle. “It makes no matter, Roman, that your friends are here. They shall never enter this chamber. And you, my dear duke, shall have submitted to the Copper Throne as you should.” He pointed his dagger at the duke, then turned and roughly pulled the woman who must have been Laufas’ wife from the line. He sliced her free of the rest of the hostages, and Senatora Pelia fell in a heap with two small girls. She pulled them to her as they cried, eyes full of hatred as she stared at Corbus.

The king rose from the dais to stand before the Copper Throne, its burnished metal creating a shimmering halo around him. But he was no saint. He stepped in close to the cowering woman and caressed her face with his hand. She shook visibly, tears running down her face. He said something in Norse, accompanied by crude gestures that made Julius grimace. The king traced his finger down the nape of the duchess’ neck, talking in a low voice the whole while. Julius saw Laufas try to rise to his feet, but the strong hands of two guards kept him down.

“Asta!” he cried.

The king smiled at the duke’s attempts to free himself. He slid one of his needle-sharp blades out of his gauntlet, tracing the curves of Asta’s body from neck to stomach with its point. No longer crying, she stood shaking in mute fear. Or is it anger? Julius wondered.

Then the world exploded.

Chunks of masonry and metal erupted inward, sending everyone racing for cover. Julius fell to the floor and curled into a fetal position as debris rained down. He peeked up just in time to see a large piece of stone plummeting right at him. Julius desperately rolled to the right, and the stone shattered the slate floor where he had just been cowering. Alarm bells began to ring as legionnaires swarmed into the throne room.

The Nortlanders were in complete disarray. Julius decided to act. Straining his arms, he snapped his bonds. He grabbed a spear from a dazed guard, dispatched him quickly, and went in search of the senatora within the choking cloud of stone dust settling over the throne room. He couldn’t see more than a few feet in any direction. Shouts and legion war cries filtered through the gloom as legionnaires charged into the room, visible only as outlines in the murk. Surprised but still ferocious, the Nortland defenders joined with them. Julius sprinted toward the location he’d last seen Senatora Pelia and the duke’s family.

He skidded to a halt on the flagstone floor. The senatora was gone. Only Laufas’ two children knelt there, weeping over their mother’s body. He scooped them up and ran, heading toward what he hoped was a doorway.

He found only an alcove in the wall, a place to store weapons, apparently, going by the weapons rack. They must have gone this way! He pushed the children into the corner and knelt beside them. “Don’t leave here,” he ordered in broken Norse. The children nodded, the younger one still sobbing. “Did you see where the senatora went?” He saw the blank look in their eyes. “The nice woman with you?”

The older girl scrunched up her face as though she were trying to remember. “There was that explosion, and then. . and then. . mama fell. . and then. . the man with the daggers took her. He killed mama!” Close to tears again, the girl clung tight to her sister.

“Which way did they go?” Julius asked tenderly, knowing that each minute was not to be wasted.

“I think they went out this door here. I saw it close when you ran up to us,” the girl hiccupped.

Without a word, Julius ran off, determined to hunt down the assassin and his hostage if it was the last thing he did. Hopefully this will not be the last thing I do.

The doorway led to a series of small lifts. One was already in operation, the chains and gears clinking as they moved. Julius shut the gate on another one and pulled a lever down. With a jolt, the machine whirred to life, lowering him into the depths. He looked over the edge of the lift, seeing the light of a single lantern on the other lift far below. “Senatora?” he shouted.

A strangled yelp came back, cut off in mid response. That’s her.

Julius scanned the lift’s control panel, fiddling with the lever to see if he could make it go faster. Finding no option, he settled back and took stock of his situation as the two lifts inched ever downward.

He dug through each of his belt pouches, finding little of use. A pair of utility gloves, a small ball of twine, and various rocks and other odds and ends. Great, what an abundance of material with which to craft a rescue plan. Julius now realized that he was chasing an extremely talented killer with a pittance of tools and a single spear at his disposal.

He lay back and thought for a few moments, giving his brain the time it needed to come up with ideas. What Julius got was absolutely nothing. He peeked over the edge again, and saw that the other lift was growing steadily larger. A pool of light illuminated it, and Julius surmised that he was approaching his destination.

All of a sudden his lift lurched, stopping abruptly in midair. Julius pulled the lever up and down, trying to get the machine restarted. It was no use. He was stuck.

Or was he? Julius looked at the sturdy chain to his left, his hands moving to the tough utility gloves in his pouch. It’s the only way. He pulled on the gloves, then stowed his spear awkwardly on his back from shoulder to hip, pushing it through the webbing and belt. He eyed the chain assembly. “Oh well, here goes nothing.”

He took a running leap and jumped for the other cable. His hands wrapped around the heavy links and he swung to a stop with a bone-rattling shock. Releasing a brief cheer on a weak exhalation, he offered up a prayer. Thanks be to you, gods. If I get out of this alive, I shall deliver to you an ox. An entire ox. With all the good parts still on it. Frantic times like this made him a very religious man.

He clambered down the chains, one after another. Each time he tried to go faster, he found himself nearly falling. It would do him no good to hurry up and die, he told himself. Instead he moved slowly and purposefully, hand under hand, down the chain.

Arms screaming, he finally saw the platform and pushed himself to continue until, judging it safe, he dropped the last ten feet and collapsed in a heap on the platform. Julius spent a moment massaging his arms, trying to get feeling back into them for the second time that day. Thank goodness Corbus wasn’t waiting there for me. I would have been an easy kill.

Standing with the aide of his spear, Julius surveyed the hallway that stretched before him. The tunnel ran downward at a steep incline, with oil lanterns set at intervals lighting the way. Hefting the spear in one hand, Julius loped down the tunnel.

He found himself wishing for his spatha and scutum. May as well wish for a friggin’ mechaniphant while you’re at it, he berated himself. Make do with what you have.

The monotony of his descent into the earth finally ended at a large arch set into the stone-the end of the tunnel. Julius heard noises. Anticipation and adrenaline gave him newfound energy as he sprinted to the doorway. He paused to one side and glanced around the corner.

And gasped. He was looking at an immense workshop and manufactoria. Machines in various states of assemblage or disassemblage stood about, while every conceivable tool of the modern industrial trade could be seen.

Julius slipped inside, taking cover behind a large tool chest. Moving from cover to cover, he crept toward the sounds of voices he’d heard from the tunnel. As he moved forward, he couldn’t help but notice the increase of natural daylight. Perhaps the facility had very large windows? But the rapidly dropping temperature soon made Julius realize that this facility was open to the outside world. Finally he paused to let his eyes adjust to the harsh winter sunlight.

“And how exactly do you plan to escape here? There’s no way off this peninsula that isn’t controlled by Rome,” the senatora was saying, full of bluster. Julius detected the undercurrents of fear and worry, though. Corbus must have mumbled his reply, because Julius could not hear him properly.

He crept closer, finally seeing Corbus fiddling with the controls of a large mecha-wolf. The senatora was seated behind him. She happened to turn his way for a moment. Taking a chance, Julius waved at her while Corbus’s attention was focused on the machine. She saw him and gave a brief nod back, before turning back to Corbus.

“And it will be too cold for us to travel overland,” she continued, raising her voice to cover Julius’s movements as he crept closer. “This machine will run out of fuel. And this thing can’t swim, right?” She kept one eye on him as she scolded the assassin.

Finally Julius nodded to her and stepped out. “Good afternoon, Corbus. Going somewhere?”

Corbus turned quickly to face this new threat. In a flash, Octavia pulled his hand repeater from its belt holster and jabbed its razor-sharp tip between his shoulder blades. “You’ll be happy to know that I’m taking you back to Rome to be tried for the deaths of over fifteen thousand Brittenburgers and for your involvement in the Brittenburg Revolt. I’ve heard they’ve already hung several revolt leaders already. I’m dying to see you join them.”

Corbus gave a weak smile. “And what makes you think I’m going to come peacefully?” he asked.

Julius considered. “I’ve got an army coming down that hallway just this minute. The other legions have surrounded the city. You have a repeater aimed right at your spine, and you have nowhere left to run.” He cocked his head to one side. “I think that’s enough.”

Corbus grinned wickedly. “You wish, Centurion Caesar, that you could capture me.”

Chapter 27

Constantine

Constantine watched Julius disappear through the doorway at the back of the throne room. He was busy grappling with one of the king’s massive bodyguards. The barrel-chested Nortlander was using his superior strength to beat his way through Constantine’s shield with his axe. Spinning, the prince tried to evade the man’s strike, but his axe embedded itself in the tough shield and snagged there.

Constantine jerked his shield backward, pulling the larger man off balance. Quick as a whip, Constantine stabbed with his spatha, the hardened steel splitting chainmail and sliding easily through the man’s toughened leather jerkin. He withdrew his weapon and turned, dropping his shield and pulling his dagger as another bodyguard came at him.

As Constantine deflected his aggressive strokes, he saw the enemy king fighting blade to blade with the man whom Constantine could only assume from his description was Duke Laufas. The men moved like water, flowing through poses as graceful and deadly as those taught by his former swordsmaster back in Rome.

Blocking his foe’s next swing, Constantine stabbed his dagger up and into the man’s neck. Blood spurted, and the man collapsed to the ground, hands trying to staunch the bleeding. Constantine turned, alert for any other aggressors.

The battle was essentially over, the last few Nortlanders dead or surrendering. Only the king and the duke battled on, the king with his unique gauntlet weapons and armor resplendent in gold and copper filigree, the duke, stripped of his armor when captured, wielding a stolen chain-axe that must have malfunctioned. Nevertheless, the duke drove the king up the steps, one hard-fought level at a time.

Constantine’s legionnaires formed a circle around the combatants, cheering as the duke advanced on the beleaguered king. The duke managed to land a strike on the king’s arm, shattering armor and sheering off much of the decorative detailing. The king stepped back, cursing at the duke in Norse.

Though awed by the single combat being fought before him, Constantine knew there was more to be done. He muscled his way through the crowd until he found Centurion Gwendyrn. “Centurion! Lead men through that doorway and pursue that assassin. I want him dead or alive, you understand me? And for the gods’ sake, bring the senatora back in one piece.”

Gwendyrn saluted and hurried off, dragging men away from the contest and beckoning them to follow him. Constantine watched until shouts and cries of alarm pulled his attention back to the fight.

The duke had slipped on the bloody steps and his axe had fallen from his grasp. The king was quick to charge in on the weaponless duke, who struggled to fend off several near misses. He took several light wounds, including a cut just above the eye, before he ducked low, tackled the king, and slammed him down onto the floor. He brought up his knee and slammed it into the king’s groin. The watching legionnaires groaned in sympathy.

The king flailed at the duke’s unprotected back before finally getting his two legs under himself and throwing the duke off. Stumbling back, the duke wiped blood out of his eye with his sleeve, then slammed his foot on the floor. That’s an odd thing to do, Constantine thought as he debated getting a weapon to the duke.

A stream of war cries preceded the entrance of more Nortland troopers. The legionnaires spun, preparing to receive them, but the Nortlanders stopped and their leader stepped forward. “Let us through, Roman,” the gray-bearded man demanded.

Constantine motioned to his men, and they parted. The royal duel in the center of the throne room had paused. The king made a demand in a high-pitched voice, one that the duke seemed to immediately counter.

Constantine grabbed one of his legionnaires who understood more Norse than he. “What is going on?”

“As near as I can tell, sir, the king wants the new officer-he’s Gunther Therodi, Western March Lord, by the way-well, the king wants him to execute the duke. But I don’t think that lord is on the king’s side. Now he’s saying something about letting the duel decide the fate of the kingdom.” The man frowned in concentration for a moment, then shook his head, but Constantine didn’t complain. The conversation was moving so fast that he thought even some of the lord’s own troops, who seemed somewhat shocked at the turn of events, weren’t understanding everything.

“Well done, soldier.”

“By the way, sir, that lord let something slip. He said the southern walls had fallen to the Romans as well, and that the leaders had to do something immediately.”

Constantine pulled off his helm, sighing as cool air stroked his sweat-dampened head, and allowed a faint smile at the success of his plan. Making up his mind, he approached the men on the dais.

“This is a matter for us, Roman. I shall speak with you after,” the duke said in a clear voice.

Constantine nodded, gave a slight bow, and stepped back into his line. If they want to do it their way, more power to them. “Legionnaires, form block,” he ordered. The legionnaires quickly moved to form a solid block of troops before the throne. The lord’s men moved to form their own ring around the throne.

The king, obviously fed up with this exchange and his lack of perceived power, charged at the duke. The duke assumed a strange pose, planting his left leg forward and his right leg back. As the king closed the last few feet, the duke pushed off with his left foot, propelling himself into the air as he swung his right foot up in a ferocious kick. The boot drove into the king’s chest and the taller man doubled over with an oomph. Laufas had to yank his boot clear of the king’s chest. The king crumpled to the floor, blood pouring from a narrow hole in his cuirass.

Ah! He had a hidden blade! Impressed, Constantine sheathed his spatha, waiting to see what would happen next.

The duke bent and plucked the copper crown from the head of the deceased king. “King Lokus is dead. The royal line is done. As the Warden of the East, I claim the throne,” he declared in ringing tones, first in Norse, then in Latin. The West March Lord, Therodi, knelt and bowed his head.

As a Roman, Constantine would kneel to no man but the emperor, but he went to full parade ground attention, his assembled men following suit. The duke ascended to the throne, then sat wearily upon the massive seat.

The Nortlanders stood, and Constantine lowered his salute. King Laufas stared at Constantine with his stern eyes. He spoke in a soft voice that demanded respect and authority, underscoring his newfound power. “We have not been properly introduced. I am King Nikulas Laufas, crowned king of the Nortland Empire. And you are?”

“Commander Constantine Tiberius Appius, XIII Germania Legion, commanding officer, Nortland Expeditionary Force.”

Constantine thought he saw a twinkle in Laufas’ eyes, something that was confirmed when the man smiled. “Ah, so the emperor sends his only son to confirm the legitimacy of my throne? What a kind gesture on behalf of our southern neighbor,” he stated, offering an unspoken opportunity.

Constantine, moderately well versed in the world of politics, understood immediately. Then again, being raised in Rome, international hotbed of intrigue and political doubletalk, probably makes me look for double entendres everywhere. “Of course, Your Highness. We were on a mission to bring the traitors in your ranks to justice, and they succeeded in clouding even your exceptionally strong judgment with their lies and falsehoods. Alas, we were too late to save King Bismark from their treachery, perpetrated by none other than the assassin Corbus, the same villain who led the assault on Brittenburg.” Yes, I know that most of this is stretching the truth just a tad, but you want an excuse for our presence, you’ve got it.

Laufas sat on his throne, nodding as the Roman spoke his piece. Regardless, Constantine began to feel a strong urge to get out of there. There were too many things to do, from chasing Corbus to stopping the assault on Midgard by his other two legions. “Your Honor, if I may, I have men pursuing the assassin. We must continue the chase. I shall send messengers to my men attacking the walls, telling them to fall back to our camp-provided your men do not stop them from going.”

Laufas agreed, turning to speak to the other Nortlanders. Lord Therodi seemed to argue with him. After several terse minutes where it appeared they would come to blows, Therodi pacing and gesturing wildly while Laufas continued to speak in calm, measured tones, Therodi threw up his hands in surrender and fell silent.

All the while, Constantine was feeling more and more concerned. There was just a feeling in his gut that something was wrong. Finally, he could bear it no longer. “Your Highness?” Both men turned to look at him. Therodi, face ruddy with passion, stared down at him; Laufas’ face was unreadable, a mask of serenity.

“Let me guess, Commander Appius: you are eager to be off and chasing that assassin. I shall not delay you. In fact, I will send Lord Therodi, here, with you. Fear not, he speaks fluent Latin, he just chooses to be a traditionalist and not talk directly with you.” The king gave a wan smile.

“Oh, and Commander, if you could bring me the assassin back alive, I’d very much like to kill him myself.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” Constantine saluted again, then jogged to the back of the room, following the path that Gwendyrn had taken just a short while before. His men clattered behind, following him in pursuit of the Roman Empire’s Most Wanted criminal.

Chapter 28

Octavia

“You wish, Centurion Caesar, that you could capture me.”

“I believe I have,” the centurion boasted from the floor. He advanced on the great machine Octavia and Corbus were seated upon, spear held in both hands.

In response, Corbus slammed his hand down on a button on the complicated control panel before him. The machine whirred loudly. Octavia, surprised by this sudden move, lost focus as the war engine came to life.

“Shoot him!” Centurion Caesar shouted at her as the machine reared up.

Octavia fired the first bolt, missing Corbus’s back and instead striking his bicep. Corbus turned and smacked her with his armored gauntlet as she tried to reload, knocking her off the war machine. She tumbled down its side, bouncing off the frame of the mecha-wolf several times before landing awkwardly on the floor. She heard a crunch and the repeater fell from her hands as pain lanced through her body. She watched Corbus bound down the workshop gallery on his mecha-wolf, its mass shaking the room with each giant leap.

The centurion ran to her side, his spear clattering onto the floor next to her. “Let’s go, Senatora!” He offered his hand, and she grasped it.

Her body screaming, Octavia ordered her legs to move. Gasping and lightheaded with pain, she fell back. “I can’t feel or move my legs, Centurion Caesar. Something is wrong.”

Caesar looked her over quickly. Evidently seeing nothing wrong, he looked at her in confusion. He gingerly placed his hands around her back, prodding around her spine while whispering to her, “Can you feel that? Or that?” His fingers finally moved high enough that their touch seemed to trigger all of Octavia’s nerves. She cried out in pain. The centurion uttered a hasty apology.

He looked around. “Domina, I’m going to move you to make sure that you’re safe.” He grasped her under her arms, cursing as he slipped on his spear. Stretching, Octavia managed to grab it, cutting her hand on the spear tip. She hissed as her blood dripped down her hand from the deep gash. The centurion stumbled backward, resting her upright against a support column.

At the end of the workshop, Corbus had stopped his mecha-wolf and sent it prowling back toward them, its metal claws sparking against the flooring with each footfall. When Corbus spoke, his voice was mechanically amplified by the beast’s loudspeaker. “There you go, little centurion. A nice present for your primus imperio. Somehow I doubt he’ll like a crippled woman!” he taunted. Octavia could practically feel his exuberance through his mechanical voice.

Grasping the spear with both hands, Centurion Caesar advanced on the assassin. Such boldness from a man so outsized by his enemy, she thought. For a moment he passed out of her range of vision, blocked by various mechanical components and tool chests. Mustering her strength, she crawled on her elbows along the floor, dragging her useless legs behind her, her bleeding hand leaving a bloody trail. She had just managed to move beyond a scrap heap when she heard Caesar’s voice.

“Surely you aren’t afraid to take out a single legionnaire. What would people say if you fled from me?”

He must be stalling, there’s no way he can take out that massive machine with just a spear.

The beast whined to life, launching a sheet of flame from its mouth. The flaming liquid splattered over the manufactoria’s floor, where it continued to burn with ferocious vigor. The centurion paced back and forth, trying to find a way around the flames. He cursed loudly, throwing buckets of water, metal scraps, anything on the flames, trying to snuff them out.

Corbus’s voice blasted from the loudspeakers again. “Sorry, boy, but that just won’t do. This is the king’s own mecha-wolf, and that is Greek fire. Would you believe they stole the recipe from you guys over fifty years ago? Incredible; here you are, thinking you are the apex of civilization, and yet you still can’t figure out how to douse this flame.”

A cacophony behind them announced the arrival of reinforcements. Latin voices shouted orders as legionnaires spread out.

“Oh look, you’ve brought friends. But it’s too late.” With that, Corbus turned the war machine around and threw it into top gear. With long, limber strides, it disappeared into the snowy world outside the workshop. The centurion threw his spear after it in disgust. Octavia heard his roar of frustration over the crackling flames.

Other legionnaires moved past her, one of the first ones kneeling next to her and shouting for the medicae. She felt woozy, and her vision swam, as one legionnaire became two fuzzy outlines. “Senatora Pelia? Stay with me, Senatora; the medicae are almost here.” She moved her bloody hand before her face to examine it. It didn’t hurt anymore.

In fact, nothing seemed to hurt anymore at all.

Her world faded to black.

“Senatora!”

Epilogue

Alexandros

The drone of the engines continued to rise as the winds outside buffeted the freshly repaired hull of H.M.A.S. Scioparto. Snowflakes hurtled past the windows, while icicles had formed on the exterior surfaces despite the crew’s efforts to de-ice the critical components of the airship.

Captain Tiveri Alexandros stood on the bridge, hands gripping the guardrail as he practically willed the ship through the storm clouds outside. Going against the advice of his officers, his superiors, and even ignoring direct orders, Alexandros had brought his ship back to Nortland, forging through the turbulent winter storms that frequently blanketed the county to search for any evidence of the primus imperio and his lost men.

When General Minnicus had returned with the pitiful few survivors of his expeditionary force, he had ordered Sundsvall burned for yet a third time as the fleet evacuated him and his men. At the first and only debriefing session, the general had described how Nortland mecha-wolf riders had outflanked his army and butchered every unit in their path, collapsing the right flank of his army. He tearfully shared how Commander Appius had used his XIII Germania as a rearguard, holding off the overwhelming hordes of barbarians so that his general could escape.

During this speech, Alexandros was suspicious about many of the details that Minnicus shared-or rather, what he refused to share. Why were most of his men not bearing the standard legion equipment or uniforms? Why couldn’t he explain how he had gained new “advisors” during the expedition?

Air-Admiral Polentio had shared his reservations privately with Alexandros later on and secretly authorized this mission, knowing that the captain and prince were somewhat close. In fact, Alexandros considered Tribune Appius to be a close friend. Even so, he had his doubts about the real reason he had accepted this mission.

Come now, are you still trying to get your family off of the military and political blacklists? Or are you seriously pretending that this is because you are a loyal subject of the emperor? Parts of his brain could be decidedly mocking and cynical at times, Alexandros decided.

A particularly hard gust of wind pushed the airship to starboard. The captain turned to his helmsman. “Two points to port, if you please.”

Groaning, the ship turned into the wind, the whine of her engines increasing yet another notch above the pitch of the wind.

“Get me the engine room,” he ordered. An ensign scrambled to respond.

Captain Alexandros turned and walked back across the deck, over the newly patched floor grates where bloodstains were still barely visible, to the command chair.

“Engine room is available, sir,” the bright-eyed ensign reported.

“Thank you, Ensign Polentio.” He nodded gravely to the grandson of the air-admiral. The old man has a stake in my mission, too, he thought as he picked up the brass speaking tube and placed it to his ear.

“Engine room.” The voice was not that of Chief Mechanic Tuderius, but rather one of his assistants.

“This is the captain. Put the chief on.”

There was a pause. Then the clipped voice of his chief engineer greeted him with, “Sir, I’m awfully busy here.”

“Of course, Tuderius,” Alexandros replied. Even a small distraction like this could mean something going wrong. “But we need a bit more power.”

“I’m giving it all we’ve got, Captain. The ice is weighing her down, and if we keep going like this, the engines will burn out too, in a few hours. They’ve been in the red for the last three!”

“Just get me that power. I’ll get rid of the ice.” He closed the speaking tube, looking around at his bridge crew. Everyone but the helmsman had been paying rapt attention to the captain’s conversation. They quickly resumed their work.

“Mr. Travins, would you please order the de-icing crew up again?” His first officer nodded, passing the message through one of the many speaking tubes on the bridge as Alexandros, bundled in his long airman’s greatcoat, the officers’ version of the traditional leather flying jacket, moved to the observation bubble to watch his men out in the storm. Dangling from long lifelines and clinging to ropes, they worked with rubber mallets and de-icing spray, knocking off icicles and spraying the freezing portions of the gasbag with the saline solution to keep the airship afloat. He did not envy those poor men.

Travins moved to stand next to him. “How much longer do you think this storm will last, sir?”

He knew that Travins would probably be taken soon for one of the newer ships in the fleet, so he was truly savoring every moment of having a competent first officer on board. That, and it takes so damn long to break in a new one, he mused. “Perhaps an hour, perhaps a day. The tougher winds are on the outside, from my experience.”

Travins stood thoughtfully, digesting this information. “And sir, what will we do if we arrive and find the primus imperio alive?”

Alexandros grinned. “Then we get to rescue him, be declared saviors of the realm, retire in style, and see it shoved into Minnicus’ face in person.”

Travins laughed out loud at that, then took his leave. Alexandros continued to watch the storm billow outside the windows, feeling like a leaf lost in a hurricane.

In fact, Alexandros’ guess was correct. Less than two hours later, the airship broke through the last band of wind and snow into bright sunlight. The ground below them stretched white for as far as the eye could see. Before them loomed the largest mountain that Alexandros had ever set eyes upon.

“That must be Midgard,” he told the crew. “If we’re right, the missing legions should be around here somewhere. Order all observations ports manned with fresh eyes.”

Crewmen raced to their posts, replacing the weary, storm-blinded men who tottered back to their warm bunks. Reports started to flood in from the various lookouts. Alexandros himself scanned the ground with his borrowed pair of binoculars, twisting the dial to increase the magnification ability of his new gear.

“Sir, portside lookout reports a Roman castrum, still intact,” the communications officer called.

“I’ve got destroyed mechaniphants and mecha-wolves on the starboard side.”

“Topside lookout reports that there appears to be a siege caterpillar against the curtain walls; looks like it’s still active.”

“Wireless operator, begin sending messages,” Alexandros barked. “If that fails, get out the signal flags. There must be someone alive down there.”

Several tense seconds followed, the suddenly quiet cabin disturbed only by the beeps and clicks from the wireless room.

“Take us down to five hundred feet,” Alexandros ordered. The airship lost height as it vented gas and its tailwings forced the ship lower. Peering out the window, he saw figures moving within the Roman camp and between the camp and the fortress. But are they friend or foe?

The ringing of a bell announced the arrival of a wireless message. Again silence on the bridge as the crew turned as one to watch the operator scribble down the message, fold it, and hand it to the first officer, who walked it over to the captain. He read it once, then again, tears coming to his eyes. He read it aloud: “To: H.M.A.S. Scioparto. Stop. Message received loud and clear. Stop. Primus imperio alive and well. Stop. What in Mercury’s name took you so long? Stop. End Message.”

The bridge crew erupted into cheers. Alexandros sank into his chair, relief washing over him. Men slapped him on the back and congratulated him.

“Well done, sir!” Travins said, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Well done, indeed.

Content

Daniel Ottalini
Copper Centurion

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Epilogue