Emperor's Knife by Alex Gough

Author:Alex Gough
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788630894
Publisher: Canelo
Published: 2019-09-17T16:00:00+00:00

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‘I should cut you up and feed you to the dogs, you stupid bitch,’ he yelled, grabbing her by the hair and throwing her to the ground. It had rained the previous night, and all the sun had done was warm the wet dirt and shit that coated the road rather than drying it out, so the ordure splashed her as she fell.

She landed on hands and knees, looking up at him with a pitiful expression which almost melted the heart of the watching Silus and made him intervene before he remembered they were both just acting. Atius jabbed a finger in her direction, and yelled curses at her again.

‘This is the last time you disobey me,’ he yelled, and gave her a backhanded swipe across the face with his good hand. Daya did a good job of rocking with the blow, just enough to take the force out of it, but not so much it didn’t sound convincing.

Silus lurked in the shadows a dozen yards away. As soon as Euprepes had emerged from the stables and started to make his way back towards the main street, Silus had nipped ahead and given Atius the nod. Atius had started his performance with the enthusiasm of a Greek actor.

A few passers-by and people sitting on the floor or at nearby tables turned to watch in idle curiosity. Watching a master beat his slave was hardly a rarity, but it was uncommon enough to warrant a little attention if one was bored enough.

‘Maybe I’ll sell you to the quarries,’ Atius said angrily. ‘Then I’ll get a little cash for you, and you will still be dead inside six months.’

‘Please, master, no, I beg you,’ said Daya piteously.

‘I gave you every chance. I’ve had enough. Maybe I should just give you away to one of these good people.’

That attracted some notice. It wasn’t every day that someone gave a slave away for free.

‘You,’ said Atius, pointing at an old man with a mouth full of sausage sitting at a tavern table. ‘Will you take her from me?’ Before the man could hastily swallow and reply, Atius singled out a man too young to have more than the barest growth of beard lounging against a wall. ‘How about you? You could take her as a bed slave, if you like girls that look like boys.’ Silus was sure Atius would pay for that later. ‘Come on, who wants her? All I ask is someone who is prepared to knock her about enough to keep her in her place.’

‘I’ll take her,’ said a podgy man in a tight-fitting tunic.

‘No, give her to me,’ said a broad-shouldered man with a russet beard.

‘I spoke up first,’ said the podgy man.

‘You’ll get my fist down your throat if you speak up again,’ said the red beard.

‘Let me take the poor wretch,’ said a middle-aged woman of middling wealth judging by her fine but not too fine dress and jewellery. ‘I’ll turn her into a decent house slave, with no need for beatings.

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