Page 78
“And your reasoning for this is?”
Eavus frantically searched for possibilities. “The…markings, sir. On their clothing. Some of them are…Oditi, sir.”
“Who?”
“Oditi,” the Triconum officer said. “A coastal tribe.”
The commander returned his gaze to Eavus. “And why would this matter?”
Eavus’ mind scrambled for anything that sounded reasonable. “The Oditi have a treaty with Aleteria, sir.” The Triconum officer nodded his agreement. Eavus’ heart raced, but he pushed on. “They’re also…enemies of the Dinaeii.” It could be true.
“Are they the cannibals?”
“That’s the Sculpae,” his friend offered.
Gods, were they cannibals? Eavus hadn’t heard that rumor, but his spine tightened. “I believe the Sculpae boil their victims, sir, but I don’t know that they eat them.”
“By Viduus, these people need to be wiped from the earth.”
The commander ignored the aside. “Get to the point, legionary.”
“I didn’t see brands, sir.” Eavus almost sighed with relief. That part he knew to be true. “If these prisoners have been legitimately convicted, they should have brands.”
“What does this have to do with all the tribes?”
He had no idea. He’d just been babbling. “The Oditi…may have falsely identified any Dinaeii in the wagon.”
“Honestly, legionary.” The officer from Triconum had been stationed here too long for performative tasks. “If a few extra locals get sent to the mines, does it really matter? You want us to check the paperwork for every prisoner in that wagon?”
Eavus swallowed. It was a tight line, making suggestions to a superior. One hint of mockery or arrogance or even misplaced confidence in his tone, and he’d be subject to a whipping for insubordination. “Just their arms, sir.”
“And who are you?” The gray-eyed commander hardened his assessment again. Eavus straightened.
“Second Legionary Ricaea Marceas, sir. Seventh cohort, eighth division. Or was.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Was?”
“I’ve been sent north on an urgent message from Lordinius, sir.” Eavus indicated the cylinder at his hip.
“And what is the contents of this message?”
“I’m not at liberty, sir.” Eavus fumbled for the letter of transit that was tucked within his inner belt. The leather had gone soft from an almost-week of traveling next to his body heat, but the words burned into it were still black with atramentum.
“Free passage and full cooperation with all urgency.” The commander raised both eyebrows this time. “You’re more important than you look, legionary.”
“Sir.”
“And these Dinaeii?”
Heat bloomed on the back of Eavus’ neck and wrapped around to his cheeks. Please, gods, let it be true enough. “I can’t confirm, sir,” he said, trying to imply significance, “but there may be a new treaty with the Dinaeii.” He tucked his transit letter away, being sure to tap the cylinder at his hip in the process. “It could be important, sir, that we not detain anyone illegally?”
Eavus waited, begging his pulse to still. The commander peered behind him, watching the last of the wagons enter the fort.
The Triconum officer let out a deep, annoyed exhale. “Come on, Quin. Let’s get this over. You there! Halt that cart!” His tone instantly shifted to one that made Eavus snap to better attention.
“Come, soldier.” The commander gestured to the wagons. “Show me who you saw.”
TWENTY-NINE
