Free The Road to Rome by Ben Kane Page B

Caesar?
    At last the centurions at the back ordered the soldiers there to turn about and face the enemy. If only we had some of the long spears which the Forgotten Legion used, thought Romulus. Those weapons had been able to stop any cavalry. Instead they had just their scuta , swords and a pair of javelins each. In less than twenty heartbeats, the chariots would hit their lines. Then they would be hit from the rear by hundreds of cavalry, before the enemy foot soldiers finished the job. Romulus spat on the ground. He hoped that their deaths bought enough time for Caesar and the other legions to emerge fully prepared.
    Less than a hundred paces remained between the tightly packed chariots and the Roman front ranks. They left nowhere to go. It was a case of being run down by fast-moving armoured horses, or cut apart by the blades they pulled. The grinning charioteers knew it too, and urged their teams to greater speeds.
    ‘Ready pila !’ bellowed the centurions. The fearful soldiers obeyed, cocking back their right arms and preparing to release.
    Now the legionaries could see the steeds’ nostrils flaring with effort, their heads bobbing up and down. Their hooves pounded on the hard ground, and their harness jingled. Romulus fancied he could almost hear the scythed blades whirr as they spun round on the wheels.
    Fifty paces until they struck. Time began to move in a blur. A wheel on one chariot struck a rock, sending it up at a crazy angle and throwing its driver free. It overturned, dragging its horses into those of another team. Both chariots careered crazily to a halt and a hoarse cheer went up from the legionaries. But the rest were still closing in fast. Behind Romulus, a man cursed their bad luck, Caesar and all the gods. Another began to wail with fear. Anxious to release his javelin, Petronius shifted from foot to foot beside Romulus.
    Twenty-five paces, thought Romulus. He could clearly see the stubble on the face of the charioteer heading for them. Good killing distance for their pila , and their only chance to make some dent in the enemy numbers. He looked to the centurion, whose mouth was opening to give the order. Before he could give it, a piece of lead took the officer in the centre of the forehead. Released by a slinger as a parting shot, it was as clean a kill as Romulus had ever seen. The crack with which the small piece of metal struck left no doubt as to its lethality. The centurion dropped soundlessly, without giving the order to release.
    Romulus’ head spun frantically, searching for the optio , but he was at the rear with the tesserarius , ensuring that no one tried to flee.
    All around them, the other centuries were throwing their javelins. Tall as a man, their long wooden shafts were topped by a pyramidal iron tip which could punch through shields and armour to kill. In graceful clouds, they climbed into the air, falling among the charioteers in a shower of lethal points. Many enemy warriors were struck down, losing control of their teams of horses, which panicked and collided with one another.The three which would reach Romulus and his comrades were unaffected, though, and the charioteers grinned with satisfaction.
    Behind them ran thousands of peltasts and infantry.
    Of Caesar there was no sign.

Chapter IV: The Temple of Orcus

    The Lupanar, Rome
    J ovina did not hear what Scaevola said to Fabiola. Sensing an opportunity, though, the madam darted forward to her side. ‘This is the new owner,’ she declared with a flash of real malice. ‘We’re to sign the deal later today.’
    Old bitch, thought Fabiola in alarm. She had already made up her mind to sell.
    Scaevola’s eyebrows rose sharply. ‘It’s this whore I should be talking to then, eh?’
    Confusion mixed with the triumph on Jovina’s face. ‘You know Fabiola?’
    ‘Let’s say that we have a certain amount of . . . shared history.’ He sniggered. ‘Don’t we, gorgeous?’
    His men leered, all unshaven jaws, rotten teeth and