Taurus (14 page)

Barca eyed her and approached smugly. “Well, well. You are not so clever now, without a bow and arrow in your hand.”

She tried to cover her growing unease. “I understand you are angry that a woman bested you.”

Barca growled. “You have not bested me. You have simply entertained the Commander for a while.” He laughed in ridicule. “Tonight he announces his marriage to the lovely Alithia, daughter of Hestonius.”

Kallie shrugged. “Perhaps it is you who should be concerned, Barca. Yet another woman will keep him from you.”

“As long as you are put aside, no one much cares whom he marries,” Barca shot back.

The high-pitched laughter of Lidia floated across the room. Angered for weeks by Virga’s willingness to run off with the emperor, she obviously enjoyed this evening immensely, with victory within her grasp.

Hamilcar drew up beside Barca. “My brother is upset the giant evades him.” The young man laughed uproariously in the face of his older brother. “Is he begging you for a clue to his whereabouts?”

“Keep your tongue still, Brother, if you know what’s good for you!” Barca moved away, his taunting at an end.

“Thank you, Hamilcar.”

“He has another reason to hate you.” Hamilcar spoke in a low tone, his rich brown eyes sparkling in the lamplight.

“What reason?”

“He hoped for the Lady Virga’s hand, to vault him to the pinnacle of Panua’s nobility through marriage.”

Kallie considered this information carefully. “And she…returned his interest?”

Hamilcar chuckled and shook his head. “No, she knew he merely wanted to position his way into the governorship should anything happen to her dear brother. And now she is a Gregorian.”

Everyone in Panua wanted power and position. “And what about you?” Kallie asked.

Taurus entered the room, and the focus shifted to the man who ruled them. Kallie recognized undisguised devotion as the young man gazed at the governor.
Gods! He worships the man
.

Taurus walked straight to Kallie and took her hand. He smiled at Hamilcar in appreciation; his voice low and sensual. “She is a vision of loveliness, is she not?” Not waiting for a reply, he drew her away.

Hamilcar nodded, dumbstruck, and watched him escort Kallie to sit with his honored guests, including Alithia. Lidia smiled as the meal progressed, content and smug.

Taurus acted as though nothing had changed. The Hestonius family greeted the governor and Kallie with polite conversation and introduced the young woman she knew would marry Taurus—a pretty girl, timid and demure. Taurus nodded with disinterest. His false smile faded quickly under Lidia’s watchful eyes.

Kallie remained tense during dinner, and Taurus mistook her mood for annoyance with him.

“I will make it up to you,” he whispered as his eyes flashed over her exposed cleavage.

Kallie laughed lightly. “I wish you well in your marriage, Governor. May you have many heirs for the sake of Panua.” She raised her glass high, and the company around them fell silent. She sipped her wine, and Taurus took the cup from her, draining its contents.

“Here’s to the fine sons who will carry my name far into the future.”

The company joined in the toast. Kallie glanced at the large doors leading out onto the terrace. The moon had begun to rise, and the sky darkened quickly at this time of year.

When dinner ended, Kallie anxiously hoped to retire for the evening. “Governor, may I leave you to the company of your guests?”

Taurus eyed her with a question behind his gaze.

“Your betrothed and her family wish to talk with you alone.” She forced a smile, even though every part of her railed at him.

“If you must, but I expect you in my room later,” he grumbled half-heartedly.

She scanned his face, committing the details to memory.

I’ll never look upon him again.
Her heart sank, and the pit of her stomach ached at the coming loss. “I will miss you, Taurus,” she whispered softly. She rarely used his given name.

His lips curved into a satisfied smile, not knowing this parting would last for eternity.

****

Holding a burning taper in her hand, Kallie raced up the stairs and unlocked the tower door. She reached the turret and ran to the straw piled high under the banners flapping in the light breeze. She had to hurry. It had taken time to dress in her boyish clothes, gather the few things hidden in her room, and wait for the proper moment to avoid the servants in the hall.

Mira had been helpful, but Kallie had to do this alone. The taper touched the dry straw, and she stood back to watch the flames spread eagerly across the top of the bundle and catch alight. As smoke curled upward, Kallie hurried down the tower stairs. At the bottom of the spiraling staircase, she paused to lock the door. She flung the key across the hall into one of the dark recesses lining the wall and paused in surprise as a man stepped out of the shadows.
Barca!

He wore a contemptuous look on his face as he closed the gap between them.

“You little bitch!” His face twisted in fury. He grabbed her by the scruff and pushed her against the wall. “I’ll kill you for this, but first you will tell me where to find the giant.”

Bile rose in her throat. Barca could kill her without a thought, but she would never betray Atticus.

“He’s in Greece, long gone from here.” Kallie held his eyes to convey sincerity.

“You lie!” Barca spat. “Lidia has spies, and knows of your deceit.”

A knife glinted in his hand as he raised it to her face, the point of the blade touching the soft delicate skin of her cheek. “Pity to waste such fine Gregorian looks. The Governor will be disappointed.”

His arm tensed as he prepared to use force. A loud
thud
came from behind him, and he fell to the ground. Kallie stood rigid, her back to the wall as she raised her eyes to see Hamilcar with a crooked smile on his face.

“Go!” His head jerked to the stairs leading to the servant’s quarters. Kallie gaped a moment too long. His face split with a wonderful grin.

“Greet my friend when you reach the gatehouse.”

He steered her to the door. She took one last look at Barca, lying on the floor among scattered pieces of a large vase. He would enjoy a huge headache for days and never know who gave him the nasty blow.

Kallie, too shocked to speak, turned and ran with all her might. As she careened down the stairs at top speed, servants rushed upward.

“Fire!” someone screamed.

“Smoke!” called another. They yelled for buckets of water and thick blankets as Kallie threaded her way through the soldiers and workers rushing to put out the fire, now visible from the courtyard. Women and small children hurried in the same direction as Kallie before it was too late to escape the fire.

No one tried to stop her. She kept her head down but encouraged the soldiers to help the family of the governor, hoping the chaos continued for a while longer. The fire in the tower would burn out within half an hour, enough time to steal a fine horse and reach the gatehouse.

Unfortunately, Kallie couldn’t see Pilum in the darkness of the stable, but the head boy on duty recognized her.

“Make ready the governor’s horse. He comes this way and plans to find the men responsible for this.” Kallie pointed to the tower. The boy followed her instructions, having no reason to ignore the favored woman of the governor.

The horse, a beautiful chestnut mare, spirited and challenging to ride, appeared moments later. Kallie had no time to change her mind.
Gods, he will be angry! Hannibal is his favorite.

She tried not to look anxious while the boy helped her onto the horse. Soldiers, workers, and peasants alike jumped out of the way, as she guided the horse to her destination. In the confusion, she searched for her accomplice. The gates were not open, and she worried she might be imprisoned in the inner courtyard.

The familiar face of Verragius popped out among the throng of people. He signaled, and the gates slowly opened. Sighing in relief, she drew near him and he jumped onto Hannibal’s back to settle behind her.

“Ride to the city below, where we will find your friend the giant. He has given me a landmark to seek.” Verragius yelled in excitement, he tightened his arms about her waist, holding firmly to the saddle.

“Ride quickly, Kallie,” he shouted above the din of the people. They sped over the narrow stone bridge spanning the river. Halfway to the city, Kallie stopped and turned to look up at the fortress. The flames were gone, and it was too dark to see if smoke filled the air.

“You have a friend in the fortress?”

Verragius chuckled. “I have many friends.”

She shrugged, in no mood to play games. She trusted him because the words spoken by the servant girl were the ones she had waited to hear. Verragius, cocky and arrogant, enjoyed dangerous situations.

“The one in the fortress is a favorite of mine.” His voice was a low purr. “Is he well?”

“If you mean Hamilcar, then he is well. If you mean Barca, then I would say not.”

Verragius burst into peals of laughter.

They skirted the city avoiding the now thinning crowd. “Where to?” Kallie murmured.

“He will come to us. We wait at the entrance of the great aqueduct.”

The moon appeared from behind a cloud, full and bright. Kallie shivered. The wolf from her dreams entered her mind’s eye. Could a man change into a wolf at the command of the full moon?

A figure moved in the distance. Judging by the size of its girth, her uncle Atticus waited up ahead. She jumped from the horse at the sight of his friendly smile and leapt into the safety of his embrace. “Uncle,” she cried.

Atticus studied her face in the moonlight. “All is well with you?” Atticus asked with his characteristic gruffness.

“Yes,” Kallie smiled, although an unfamiliar sensation tugged at her chest.

Atticus turned to Verragius, as he dismounted the horse, greeting him with caution. “It is arranged. You and a companion have a place in the house of Theodosius, the sculptor.”

The younger man nodded as a scroll passed between them. “I hope to see you in Greece, my friends.” Verragius said with a note of inquiry in his voice. “I am in your debt. This is more than I dared hope for.”

“Your debt is paid.” Atticus growled solemnly and then laughed. “If we can keep this fine horse?”

“I wouldn’t dare be caught with the beast.”

Atticus raised his bushy eyebrows. “Then we’d best be on our way.”

Verragius turned to Kallie as she prepared to depart. “Thank Hamilcar for his kindness,” she whispered.

“He is thanked well enough.” Verragius raised the scroll high in the air.

Kallie glanced up to the fortress looming over the city. She said a silent goodbye to the life she had briefly known with the Governor of Panua, their time together soon to be a dim memory, perhaps not a fond one, after escaping in such a blatant fashion.

I’ll never forget you, Taurus!

Chapter Eleven

After yelling to the Hestonius family to seek safety, Taurus bolted out of the reception room. Kallie dominated his thoughts. Shouts of “Fire!” rang throughout the halls of the fortress, and the direction of the hurrying men caused his gut to ache. He pushed through soldiers carrying buckets of water and blankets to fight the flames, calling for them to form an orderly line.

The smell of smoke filled the air, increasing as he neared his quarters. The doors to his rooms lay open and Kristokus waited with a cloth covering his nose. “No one is in here, Governor. I searched carefully and sent the servants away.”

“Where is she, Kristokus?” Taurus held a firm grip on his temper, and his growing dread.

“Nowhere to be found, but Captain Barca has been injured.”

He pointed in the direction where Barca lay on the floor groaning.

Taurus shook his friend. “What happened here?”

Barca held his hand over a nasty bump. “The girl set a fire and planned to run. Someone came at me from behind as I tried to stop her.” He groaned again. “The key to the tower is over there.”

Taurus ordered a few men to climb the tower and snuff out the fire.

“Where did she run?” Foreboding washed over him. He wanted an answer, but it would not be to his liking.

“Down there, I think.” Barca gestured to the stairs leading to the courtyard.

Taurus ordered Kristokus to attend to Barca’s needs and hurried down the stairs. If
he
had been intent on escape, once the diversion took effect he would head for the stables and find a horse.

Rushing into the stables he yelled out, “Any horses missing, Silus?” The boy on duty gulped at the sight of him covered in soot streaks and smelling of smoke.

“Your lady came by earlier and took Hannibal on your order. She waits for you in the courtyard.” The boy’s eyes were huge with fear.

Damn her!
To steal his best mount was unforgiveable, but Taurus groaned, angry not at the theft of the horse—he could do without the beast. Her swift and deliberate departure cut him to the quick. She had planned this for a long time, and someone had helped her.

Taurus moved through the adjacent drill yard. He called an order for his captain to send out multiple search parties to track the girl and her accomplices. Nothing else could be done but to wait, and Taurus had no patience. As Governor of Panua he would be defied by no one. No one dared disobey him.

No one…except a girl from Rome who shot arrows and played with fire!

****

Hours later, Taurus stared unseeing into a fire in the great reception hall. The fireplace filled the expansive wall, and a large dog lay in front of its warm, comforting flames. It raised an ear as footsteps approached. Kristokus came into view, and the dog lowered its ear with disinterest.

“Master,” the steward spoke quietly.

“Hmm,” Taurus grunted.

“The woman known as Krayunna is asking for you.”

Taurus raised his eyes to the steward. “Who?”

“The beldame. She tends to our residents.”

Taurus shrugged. “I have no need of her. There is no potion or spell to bring me peace.” Taurus laughed harshly. “But bring me the strongest wine you can lay your hand upon, Kristokus.”