The Claudia Seferius Mysteries, Bundle #4 by Marilyn Todd

Author:Marilyn Todd [Todd, Marilyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery
Publisher: Untreed Reads Publishing
Published: 2015-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

XVIII

After the exuberance of Zeltane, the mood on Rovin couldn’t have been starker. Children still chanted their Latin alphabet under awnings stretched between the streets and parroted their counting, like children everywhere across the Roman Empire, but children are nothing if not little sponges. Rovin children had picked up on the depression that hung over the island, and their recitation was weak. Fishwives, usually so garrulous and bawdy, now filleted the catch in silence, and the expressions of the traders in the plaza where the Zeltane Fire had burned were grim. None of the islanders had been involved in last night’s fracas, but they were Histri, and the perpetrators’ shame hung around their necks like grinding stones.

Caught off guard by the presence of soldiers at Salome’s farm, the attackers had been quickly rounded up, a task made easier by the vigilance of a man with a swirling moustache and hair that fell to his shoulders in a manner reminiscent of Apollo, who’d noticed fires burning on the mainland and knew Salome well enough to realize that these weren’t down to any May Day celebrations. It was also thanks to Mazares that much of her livestock, most of the buildings and quite a lot of the crops had been saved, while the prisoners had only their own bloodlust to blame for being caught. If they’d settled for torching the farm and then fleeing, they’d have probably got clean away. Instead, thirteen now awaited His Majesty’s justice, five of whom faced execution for rape, including Claudia’s attackers.

Attempted rape normally carried the lesser penalty of scorching, whereby a cart was filled with willow sticks over which the gagged prisoner was bound, then the sticks set to smoulder as the oxen plodded slowly round the perpetrator’s village, the prisoner’s pain and humiliation plain for all to see. But one of Salome’s little Amazons had met this pair before—only the Commander of the King’s Bodyguard hadn’t been around to prevent her ordeal. The cart carrying this pair of charmers would be filled with sticks that burned properly, and the Amazon had permission to light the fire herself.

‘Ever since you arrived, I seem to greet you with the words “How are you feeling?”’

Mazares’s expression was grave. Exactly what you’d expect after another predator had tried to muscle in on his tethered goat.

‘But how are you feeling this morning?’

He’d run her to ground on Rovin’s pine-clad tip, where she was looking out across the blue lagoons to the surrounding archipelago, while a white-tailed sea eagle skimmed the water with its talons, eventually flapping off towards an islet, a silver fish writhing in its yellow claws.

The bait shot Mazares her most radiant smile.

‘Didn’t they warn you that I collect bruises like some men collect art and little boys collect caterpillars?’ She didn’t miss a beat as she added, ‘Have you reconsidered your decision concerning my armed escort?’

Last night, he’d been anxiety personified when Pavan carried her back. But it hadn’t stopped him from punishing the escort for dereliction of duty.

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