CHAPTER FIFTEEN: HEALED. AGAIN.

  White-hot pain lanced through Cassius’ leg, pain ripped his lungs open as he wordlessly screamed into the [Medicus’] impassive face. The man’s leathery hands were wrapped tight around Cassius’ ankle as the faint glow of mana faded away.

  “You’re welcome. I hope not to see you again,” the old man groused, rising slowly as he turned to the next patient across the large yard. Cassius blinked as he regathered his breath, taking in the high morning sun as it began to cross into the afternoon. A slight headache pulsed at his temples while the stale taste of wine still clung to his tongue.

  “Let’s go. I made the old man heal you first.” Pius pushed off of the building as he spoke, looking just as dirty and haggard as he had before he had fallen asleep. The smaller man offered a hand which Cassius took, rising to his feet smoothly. His ankle sent a spasm of pain through his leg for a moment before fading away.

  “Hurry up, Marcus wants us,” Pius said, speaking over his shoulder as he weaved around the line so injured [Legionnaires] and [Guardsmen] who dotted the lawn. Now that he was standing, Cassius could see the yard was packed with them, having easily doubled since he’d fallen asleep at dawn.

  Pius led Cassius through the wounded, past the bloodied and torn apart ruins of the back lawn, and into the building they’d fought on. Blood had dried into a tacky residue that tugged at their boots as they walked across the patio and into the manor itself.

  Voice could be heard, strained and whispery, exhaustion apparent as they discussed what to do. Cassius wondered why it was that Pius was leading him here, he had no true importance aside from being from Marcus’ line.

  “Who’s alive and still functioning?” Cassius whispered to Pius as they wound their way through the halls, the sound of the voices increasing in volume.

  “Marcus is the only file leader still combat ready. Three others are in the lawns with injuries and the other six are dead. It was a red night,” Pius said solemnly.

  “Marcus is officially in charge then?”

  “As of this moment he is. There’s only about forty of us left combat ready. We have the [Medicus] healing those who can get back into combat as soon as possible rather than the most severely wounded. It’ll be a week or more if we don’t receive more healers.”

  Cassius grimaced at Pius’ words as they turned a corner into a richly appointed room, a long, dark table covered in maps as the remnants of the leadership talked to each other. Valeria stood in the corner by herself, drinking from a crystal pitcher, water sloshed over the edge as the woman drank deeply, looking at the strata like they were all mad.

  Marcus was near the center of the group, still in his full armor, and looking ready to fall over. Deep rings had been carved under his eyes, a paleness to his normally tanned face. He looked over toward them and hope sparked in his eyes as others glanced at them and then back to the table. Only Vira in the corner gave them more than a passing glance, and even she did nothing more than a quick wink before looking back at the maps.

  “If they head further down the sands during low tide, they could come up here. The cliffs aren’t as steep,” one of the Agricola strata was saying, pointing toward the map. Marcus broke away from the discussion and came up to them, slapping Cassius’ shoulder loudly as a smile broke across his face.

  “Save me from opinions,” Marcus whispered, looking venomously at the bickering groups.

  “What is it that they are struggling with?” Pius asked. Cassius wondered himself, but remembered his own social blunders when he had been in Centurion Durum’s tent and decided to keep his mouth closed.

  “Where did they go? Scouts went down and into the caves and there is nothing there aside from skeletons and more dead villagers. Further down the coast there is a less arduous cliff they could climb and head further inland to continue raiding.”

  “What do you think?” Pius whispered.

  “I think that I’m too tired to think. We should send riders out in every direction to pick up where they went,” Marcus said.

  “Why do we think they’re still here? They could have returned to their homeland now that they failed?” Cassius said. He immediately bit his tongue as both of the legionnaires looked at him and nodded.

  “They lost two of their number and it looked as if the summoner was more frail than its guards,” Pius offered with a single shoulder shrug.

  “Nobody has crossed the Shifting Wall since the First Consul,” Marcus said.

  “We’ve never been attacked from beyond it either. I can see the need for another expedition beyond the wall,” Cassius said. His earlier thoughts of not opening his mouth had been knifed and buried in a shallow grave as the two men nodded in sync.

  “It’ll require the full legion though, not just our cohort. Auxiliary as well, a massive baggage train. This would be an undertaking that’d take months,” Marcus whispered, his eyes glazed over in thought.

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  “Not for the first scouting party. We can argue for us and a small group of the strata to push forward, to see what it’s like and if we can find the summoner before the full expedition,” Cassius said, his gut rebelling at the thought of taking months to go and find the one responsible for so much death and suffering.

  “We’re too injured to field something like that,” Pius dismissed out of hand.

  “If we were a standard century, but if we were an auxiliary force to a scouting party of the strata, we could go,” Marcus countered. All three of them looked over to where the nobles were still arguing with one another.

  “Do you think the Agricola will go for it? They’ve been bled heavily and may wish to shift the cost to another?” Pius floated to them. Marcus and Cassius both snorted and shook their heads.

  “It’s because they’ve been bled that they’ll wish to ride out. They’ve lost too much face here by having the invader escape. The senator won’t be long behind and I’m certain he’ll rally his family if only to anoint himself the defender of the republic,” Marcus spat.

  “Hadranius will be here sooner than later. He will likely beat the tribune if he doesn’t dawdle too long,” Cassius said, vaguely remembering his earlier conversation with Vira.

  “Then we will need to get those who are healthy ready for battle. Pius, grab Valeria and start getting the men equipped. Scavenge whatever equipment you need and raid whatever larder there is to be found. Double our water canteens and dried rations,” Marcus ordered.

  “It’ll be heavy,” Pius warned.

  “Heavy or starving to death?” Marcus shot back. Pius nodded his head and broke away from the impromptu meeting, drawing more than a few eyes as he grabbed Valeria who set down her nearly empty pitcher of water and the two of them left.

  “And what is it that our legion has decided to do?” One of the Agricola said, his voice raspy from wear as he looked over toward them.

  “I am curious as well,” Lady Statia Agricola Custos said, her eyes narrowed at them from her spot at the head of the table. Vira stirred next to her, rising to her full height.

  “An expedition beyond the wall may be in order. If our foe has come from beyond it, then we shall have to set out to find them. Before that expedition can be launched, we will need a scouting party to go through. What’s left of my century shall prepare to do that,” Marcus said, standing straight and tall.

  “Ridiculous. You are under half-strength with no officers left. You will stay here until your tribune arrives,” Lady Custos said. Cassius bristled at her words and Marcus stirred as well.

  “I appreciate your suggestion and wisdom, Lady Custos, but we are legionnaires and obey only the senate. Not the stratas,” Marcus reminded them.

  The entire room rippled at his words, more than one look of indignation on the noble faces as they straightened and hands brushed pommels. Cassius didn’t like the looks on their faces, ugly looks on their handsome features.

  “He is right, regardless if we like it or not. But I suggest an alteration to the plan. Ten of our number go with your legionnaires, for the added strength and representation,” Vira suggested. Eyes turned to look at her and Cassius had to remember that while she was young, she spoke with her mother’s voice as the head of the Agricola family. Every clan would yield to the head of the family if they were pushed to it.

  “Some wisdom then. Vira, I assume you will wish to go?” Statia asked. Vira smiled a bit and nodded in return, her own wrist lying loosely over the pommel of her sword as she winked at Cassius.

  “I can not command a legionnaire, but I still suggest you wait until either the senator or your tribune arrives, but if you leave then I would not be averse to sending some of my coterie with you,” Statia hedged.

  “I appreciate your concern, my lady. We will take whatever help we can, but be warned, that the woods beyond the wall look to be dense and it will be hard pressed to navigate on horseback,” Marcus said.

  “We know how to walk,” Vira said, rolling her eyes as the rest of the meeting slowly broke down from who to send hunting after the disappeared summoner, and to who would accompany them.

  “Come on, we need to get going. I want to leave at first light, before the senator or tribune gets here,” Marcus growled, grabbing at Cassius’ arm and leading him out of the planning hall.

  “Why so?” Cassius asked.

  “I am not the centurion. She had backers in Aurum which allowed her to turn her nose to the senator. I can not. If he arrives before we leave, then I will have to obey his commands. Which would have us sitting here while that summoner escapes us,” Marcus said.

  “You do think he went back beyond the wall then?” Cassius asked.

  “It is as good a thought as any other. I doubt he would push further into the interior after losing his guards. If I had been doing the same, I would retreat with the knowledge I have and bring it back to my superiors,” Marcus said.

  “What do you need from me?” Cassius asked.

  “See if you can receive a blessing from the stone. Then I want you to attend me like Hostus did for Lucilia. It will not be permanent, once Hostus is back on his feet he will resume his duties,” Marcus said.

  “I don’t know what an attendant’s duties are.”

  “Do what I say, pay attention to what’s going on. Relay orders for me in battle, be my counsel,” Marcus explained.

  “Why me and not the others? They are much more experienced,” Cassius said, not understanding what it was that Marcus was trying to do.

  “Neither of them are interested in it. You haven’t been around long enough for me to care if you don’t want to be my attendant. The rest of the century is too fragmented right now to pull a veteran out of their line. You’re just who is left.”

  Cassius actually felt better about that than if Marcus had told him that he was a good choice. Cassius was the only one who could be spared since he was so inexperienced.

  “Now, I am going to find somewhere to sleep. Receive the blessings and help Valeria and Pius gather our supplies. Wake me at dusk,” Marcus ordered as he broke away and marched out of the manor, leaving Cassius by himself. His stomach growled loudly, startling a passing maid who shot him a look.

  “Food, then the blessings of the stone,” Cassius said outloud, turning back into the manor and following his nose towards the kitchen.