Melissa Scott by A Choice Of Destinies

Author:A Choice Of Destinies [Destinies, A Choice Of]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2012-06-01T18:36:39+00:00

In the heart of the forest, Horatius Regulus crouched unmoving in the limbs of a tree, hoping the branches would hide him from the troopers still combing the wood. His whole body ached with the effort of keeping absolutely still: the slightest unnatural tremor of leaves would betray him. Resolutely, he set himself to ignore the pain, to wait patiently for full darkness so that he could slip away to warn the consul. His mouth twisted bitterly. He would have two failures to report now, besides the battle. He had missed his chance to kill the Macedonian king and in doing so had signed the death warrant for what was left of his century. But there had been nothing else to do and if he hadn’t missed… He put that thought aside with an effort. Alexander was hurt, which could only help the Roman cause. And there was always the chance of fever, perhaps even a mortal one: on balance, that was worth the death of all his men, and his own, if it came to that.

The sound of horses crashing through the underbrush was moving away at last. Cautiously, Horatius shifted his grip on the nearest branch, then drew his leg up until it was braced more comfortably against the treetrunk. Despite his care, the dead leaves rattled alarmingly and a handful sifted down to join the others carpeting the base of the tree. Horatius tensed and shifted his grip on his second pilum. There was no sign that the Macedonians had heard, and, slowly, Horatius relaxed. It sounded almost as though the last of the horsemen were moving out of the wood. Still, it was not until after midnight that the Roman dropped painfully from his hiding place and struck out northwest toward the consul’s army.

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