Free Return to Me by Morgan O'Neill Page B

time doubting if even a kernel of what he said was true.
    Keeping this in mind, she smiled at him. “What do I need to hear?”
    Magnus answered first. “He tells me there has been a peace of sorts between Honorius and Athaulf — and that Honorius consented to Placidia marrying Athaulf in a great ceremony in Narbonne.”
    Gigi nodded. “I remember reading about that, but didn’t know Honorius had anything to do with it.” She turned to Lucius. “The Visigoths are in Barcino by now, though, right?”
    “Indeed, indeed,” Lucius said. “You will find them there. They had to flee to Hispania because of the blockade, and because General Constantius threatens them. As for the marriage, I believe our great emperor only pretends to be happy about it, but in truth his hand was forced and most believe he did it to save face.”
    “That definitely sounds like Honorius,” Gigi commented. “But why the peace?”
    “Ah, that is because of Jovinus!” Lucius said, knowingly. “Jovinus was General Sarus’s man, and he was enraged when King Athaulf had Sarus murdered a few years back. So Jovinus made a pact with Honorius, vowing to help the emperor by usurping the Visigoth throne and allying with Rome.”
    Worried, Gigi glanced at Magnus, who frowned. She’d never heard of Jovinus, and was shocked at the news of Sarus’s death. Why had Athaulf ordered him killed? She had no idea, but she could imagine how incensed, and therefore dangerous, Sarus’s brother, Sergeric, must be over this. She knew he was already on a path to murdering Athaulf and his children, and seizing power.
    “There’s more,” Lucius said. “This is the best part. You can’t imagine how everyone waited for news during all of this. It was so exciting, and for once, we little people were not having to pay the price for the Western Roman Empire’s deeds.”
    “Tell us,” Magnus urged.
    “There have been many who have threatened Emperor Honorius over the years: King Alaric, of course, but also others like the northern barbarian, Constantine III, who tried to claim the purple for himself, and then Constantine’s son, whose name escapes me. But Honorius is not the only one to have enemies and rivals. That brings me back to Jovinus, who attacked King Athaulf in revenge for General Sarus’s death, but also in a bid for power. However, Athaulf soundly defeated him. He sent his head on a pike to Honorius, and that is why the emperor, quaking in his boots, made peace with King Athaulf!
    “But now,” he continued with relish, “General Constantius is the supreme commander of the western army, and, as such, many think he is the one who calls the shots, not Honorius. Last year, Constantius had Heraclian, the military commander of Africa and his rival, assassinated! And now, he has turned his attention to the Visigoths, and this is the reason Honorius no longer quakes in his boots, for General Constantius has vowed to give him Athaulf’s head before the year is done.”
    Gigi stared at Magnus and said in English, “I can’t wrap my head around all of this, but it can’t be good.”
    “We’ll find out more when we get to Spain,” Magnus promised, then turned to Lucius and said in Latin, “Thank you, cousin. You have been most helpful.”
    The young man smiled, but gave no reply. The well of his information had apparently run dry.
    Gigi gazed at the sea, watching the whitecaps, a glimmer of hope glowing in her heart. Tomorrow they would be with Placidia and Athaulf. She couldn’t waste her time thinking about politics. Only one thing was paramount, only one; their remaining knapsack held the medicine that would save the baby. And then, she would play her flute in celebration.
    Tomorrow. Gigi let herself smile.

PART TWO

Chapter 7
    Barcelona, Spain
    Early the next morning, as Barcelona came into view, Gigi helped Lucius prepare the boat for arrival. She turned and gazed at the coast. Ancient Barcelona gleamed in the sunlight, its fortress walls