Taurus (2 page)

The large man appeared on the far side of the tent, dangling a rope from his huge hands. Taurus tensed, ready to flee. He would be damned if he allowed this man to tie him up while the girl looked on. He expected the giant to take control of the situation, but the girl spoke up.

“Good morning, General,” she mocked. “Are you quite awake now, or do you require more time to take care of your personal needs?”

Taurus’ jaw flexed, reining in his temper. This slip of a girl and her accomplice tested his patience. “Where are my men?” he growled. If she had slain them during the night, his anger would prove fierce.

The girl moved a few paces closer, the arrow aimed at his chest. “Your men are fine. They will be taken care of while you accompany me on a mission.”

Taurus drew his brows together, scowling. “A mission!” He cried, incredulous at her confidence. “Why would I go anywhere with you?”

“You have no choice if you wish to save your friend.”

Taurus didn’t move, knowing whom she meant. The episode in the forest declared Barca more than a mere underling. She nodded in satisfaction, her face calm and her lips curved into a delicious bow shape, mocking him again.

“How do I know he’s not dead and this is but a ploy?”

The girl inclined her head to the giant, who pulled on the rope. Barca stumbled into view, his face contorted in silent fury.

“Ready the horses, and let’s be on our way,” she pressed.

Taurus eyed the girl, unsure if his men were safe. He hesitated. The girl shook her head. Now was not the time for questions.

Moments later, his hands bound together, Taurus straddled a horse. The girl had the reins of his mount tethered to her saddle, and they sped from the border region, heading south. Taurus watched as she sat blade straight and handled the horse like a man. He had never known a woman to ride a horse, much less show the confidence this girl displayed. A cap covered her long sleek hair and her garments gave the illusion of a nondescript boy.

Taurus sat in stunned silence at the thought they travelled alone. She had left the giant without preamble; he must trust in her ability to look after herself. On the other hand, perhaps he had no choice. Taurus’ mind ran wildly out of control as he watched her shapely bottom bouncing in the saddle, a mere four cubits ahead. The masculine part of him chose to enjoy the view and leave thoughts of revenge for later.

The sun had reached its apex when she reined under the cover of trees, to rest and water the horses. She jumped out of the saddle and signaled for Taurus to do the same. He stayed put, although he itched to dismount. She smiled and shrugged, unfastening her water-skin to drink deeply.

Taurus licked his dry lips. Water lay within reach, but he needed help because the ropes bound his hands. The girl pulled out a ration of food, chewed with deliberate pleasure, and made a satisfied sound.

“Your troops carry good food. And such big portions, too. You spoil them, General.” Her audacity defied belief. Stolen food marked her a thief, a punishable offence, in addition to kidnapping, and whatever else he thought of between here and their destination. He vowed silently to turn the tables and gain the upper hand.

The girl sat on a rock and eyed him with curiosity. “I plan on resting here for a while. You may as well remove yourself from the horse.” She laughed. “Your rear will be sore by the end of the day if you don’t stretch your legs.”

He grudgingly dismounted and, after stretching, stood by a fallen log. He stared in disgust at his situation. “Who are you, and where are we going?”

Her mouth formed a perfect o as she gazed at him. “It is I who will ask the questions, and you who must answer.”

He admired her ease as she sat alone with a stranger, with only a length of rope separating her between life and death. She slid a knife from her sleeve, lifted the water-skin, and held it to his mouth while he drank in great gulps. As she drew the spout away, water ran down his chin, and it surprised him when she wiped his face with the palm of her hand. The water was cool and refreshing and her touch light and carefree.

“Let’s start again.” She popped a ration of food into his mouth. Hunger gnawed his gut, although he would never admit such a thing. “You are a general, according to your men’s idle conversation.” She flashed a smile.

Taurus shrugged. His military title was Supreme Commander, but his men often referred to him as “the General.”

“Panua has lots of men in the military,” the girl reflected. “All men are conscripted into service. Correct?”

“True.” Taurus grudged the reply.

“Hmm. Your army is large, but not as large as neighboring countries. A frustrating fact when your allies are few and far away, General,” she mused.

“Are you here to give advice on the military, young one?” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

“No.” Her laughter echoed around the wood. “I merely need to know the chances of having the whole Roman army follow me into Panua.”

Taurus sat down with a thud and gave her his full attention when she mentioned Rome. The emperor was a young man who had come into power in the last five years. Taurus bristled. He despised the arrogant, supercilious Romans and their attitude toward the rest of the world. Panua sat inconveniently near the wandering eyes of Rome and its ruler, Caius Gregorian, who had for the most part ignored the tiny neighbor. Taurus desired to keep the sights of Rome focused elsewhere.

“Is there a reason for the Romans to come after you? Are you and your friend criminals?”

It was the girl’s turn to shrug. “It depends on what you consider a criminal offense.” She popped another ration into his mouth. “We ride to the capital of Panua, and there you will be released. That’s all you need to know.”

The girl’s plan made no sense. She walked into a trap. He almost felt sorry for her, but remembered the look on Barca’s face as the giant had tugged him into view. And he, the Supreme Commander, Governor of Panua, sat bound and handfed like a lapdog. On that basis alone he must execute them both. He gauged his opportunity to overpower her, even with tied hands, but she held a knife at the ready, and he had witnessed her skill with a bow and arrow.

“What’s in Panua?” He swallowed the ration.

The girl raised her large eyes level with his. For the first time he saw their startling blue-grey color, resembling storm clouds before a heavy rainfall.

“The governor’s residence.”

“You have business with the governor?” Taurus considered the state of her sanity. She seemed clear-headed enough, but to ride to the capital and knock on the door of the governor doomed her plan to failure from the beginning.

“I cannot tell you my purpose, but be assured you are safe and will come to no harm.” A beautiful smile lit her face, and Taurus thought the sun had come from behind a cloud. “Is he truly the monster they speak of in Rome?” The girl made a sign to ward off evil.

Indignation rose in his throat. “Monster! You Romans need look no farther than your own emperor to find a true monster.”

“I agree. Caius Gregorian is worse than a demon from Hades.” Her reply left him speechless for a moment as she packed away the remaining rations and water with a sigh.

“What do you know of Gregorian?” Taurus asked.

She offered her hand to pull him up from the log where he sat. This was the moment to upend her and use the knife to slit the ropes, along with her throat. He jumped to his feet in an instant, about to knock her off balance.

“I am his sister, Kalliassa Gregorian.”

Taurus paused in mid-swing, erupting into fits of laughter at the ridiculous claim. Noble Roman women did not cavort through the countryside shooting arrows, riding horses, and taking prisoners. “Come now, be truthful.” Taurus chuckled, amused by the girl. “No one in their right mind would believe such nonsense.”

She moved out of his reach. “It does not matter what you think. The governor will believe me, and he is the only one important enough to assist me.” She mounted her horse and signaled for him to do the same.

Taurus smirked as he swung into the saddle. She eyed him curiously. “You may call me Kallie. I have no wish for my real name to be used for now.”

He made a concerted effort to keep a straight face. She planned to see the governor of Panua but did not know she conveniently held him in her grasp.

“What of my men?”

“My friend will release them later today, but not the one named Barca.” Kallie smiled ruefully at Taurus as though she understood his asking. “I will give you a token to return to the camp. My companion will know I have safely arrived at the governor’s house. Your officer will be free once the token is delivered.”

Taurus settled in the saddle, planning to make her pay for this insult. He would be home by sunset, and life was about to take an interesting turn, if she was truly who she claimed to be. Meeting a Gregorian was the last thing he’d envisioned, but now his imagination ran wild at the unexpected appearance of this strange girl, disguised as a boy, calling herself
sister
to the emperor.

Chapter Two

The home of the governor stood on the remains of an old Roman fort that over many years had transformed itself into a palace. To the outside world, it proved an impenetrable rock on the top of a huge hillside overlooking the city. It had been the governor’s residence for the last two decades, ever since the Romans killed his father. Lidia Paulinus had singlehandedly turned Panua and the surrounding region into a separate state, defying Rome and the old emperor, making Panua a law unto itself. When she adopted a boy in her son’s memory, she groomed him as the heir and eventual master of Panua. An old woman with deep wounds, Lidia harbored a hatred of Rome that burned like an eternal flame, flaring out of control every once in a while. The people had fought many battles on her behalf to keep the enemy from their door, but when the old Roman emperor died and the new one took his place, Panua had waited and watched for his first move.

Now, as Taurus rode behind a woman claiming to be the sister of Caius Gregorian, he considered this might be part of a devious plan by the young emperor, or a fortunate gift from the Fates. To have a family member of Gregorian under his control tempted him beyond reason, even if she were a touch strange. To hold her hostage gave him a huge advantage in negotiations with a hated enemy. Lidia would be beside herself with joy at the prospect of having the girl at her disposal. Caution was required when dealing with Lidia. He superseded her wishes in all things, but she could be wily and persuasive.

The girl slowed the pace, and Taurus drew level as she eyed the terrain ahead.

“It would be best to enter the city by the east gate,” he offered.

She shot him a look of suspicion.

“General, I do not intend to enter the city with you at my side. You have been my guide this far on deserted back roads, but one word from you and I would be mobbed by soldiers.” She smiled, perhaps knowing he would not like her next words. “We enter the city under cover of darkness. You will remain hidden until we are within steps of the gates to the fortress.”

Taurus shook his head.

“Between now and our arrival in Panua you will tell me the layout of the fortress. Otherwise you may not see your friend for a long time.” She tossed her dark hair, confident in the outcome. “I will find a way to meet the governor. Trust me, he will want to see me. You have done no wrong to your master.”

Yes, he will want to see you,
Taurus scoffed silently
.
“How do you intend to travel unnoticed through the city?” He may have doubted her ability if he hadn’t seen her in action.

“With this,” she mocked, and reached over to pick the money pouch from his belt.

Taurus grudgingly admired her. “You commit another offense against me, woman. Are you sure you want to add theft to the charges I will bring against you?”

She heaved a sigh and kicked her horse forward. “There is no point in arguing, and I am in a hurry. The giant waits for word within two days.”

****

Taurus’ back itched like mad as he writhed on a stinking pile of wet straw covering the floor of a rickety cart. The indignity of it enraged Taurus, and he mentally added a further insult to his ever-growing list. Planning his revenge came easily as the methods she applied against him gave him an idea. Arrows, ropes, wet straw…and, best of all, it must be slow and painful. The cart rattled along the ruts of the city streets, and Taurus’ head bumped on the rough wood. It was pitch black. Muffled sounds reached his ears, but nothing helped him determine their proximity to the fortress.
My fortress!
He swore to enact a law to search every cart entering the city but quickly derided his impractical idea.

The cart came to a halt, and the girl removed the straw covering his face. She shook him with concern, as he lay inert, his bones aching from the journey.

“General, are you all right?” She pressed her ear to his lips for a sign of breathing.

“Barely,” he groaned. With that assurance, she questioned him on the sentry positions and their numbers at night. The sound of soldiers marching reached them through the darkness, signaling the change of guard on duty for the night watch. Taurus had an urge to call a command and have the men respond to his order—a familiar action to bring an end to this nightmare. The girl sensed the danger and pressed her mouth onto his, ending the possibility of a last-minute discovery. Her lips lingered for a long moment, much longer than he anticipated. The will to resist evaporated, and he responded to her inviting lips with equal interest as her hands explored his chest, skimming the fabric of his tunic, sliding to his shoulders. Her fingers curved around him, pressing his powerful muscles with her light touch.

“What is your name, General?” she whispered, as she released his lips.

Unable to retort acidly that it was little of her concern, he muttered, “Taurus,” in a daze. The numbness in his body began to ease.

“I will remember you,” she mused.

“Yes, you will,” he said flatly, the unexpected euphoria gone.