Page 72 of His Talisman

“The Roman Republic did, yes. This is a copy of a copy from about twenty AD, or CE if you want to use that. Only the first two books are in Latin. I have translated it already and have made notes. It’s only this curiously repetitive sacrifice that I’m studying.”

He pulled over a laptop, opened it, and turned it on. “You can use this for the Latin also. The best dictionary site is bookmarked here. Cross-reference, please. Some words have several meanings. For example,intemeratacan mean chaste or unsullied. You’ll find this is the word I’m having trouble with.”

So…he already knew the sticking point, but wanted me to translate a whole page? This was just a matter of googling.

I wasn’t totally incapable of doing this. I glanced at the spread pages and saw a diagram with tiny notations. “I can try,” I murmured. “If it’s just these.”

“Good. That table is yours. Here are the other books you will need.” He stacked a few more on the honey-hued timber table. Even that was likely an antique. “This is my notebook. It explains what I’m having trouble with. Plus I will give you the key. Use it wisely.”

“I will.” I pulled up a chair and sat. What had I let myself in for? “Okay.” I picked up a pen and twiddled it. The Latin dictionary was modern, and I dragged that over first. I’d never touched a book that was really ancient, and I eyed the oldest tome, wondering how to handle it. To think a real person had made this, read it, two thousand years ago. “I don’t have to use gloves to read these?”

“No. Not those. You like chess, Cassius?”

I’d not seen the chess set, but a timber board had been built into a square table beside a window. The morning sun slanted in and painted gold across the board, the tall chess pieces, and Cassius’s fair hair.

Having retrieved some pieces from a drawer beneath the table, he left a finger atop the black king. “I have played. Bet you’re shocked.”

“A little. Would you like a game, for stakes?” The doctor rested his hand on my shoulder.

“Sure.” He began to set the rest of the pieces into position. “Winner gets a wish, or a question?”

“That could be dangerous, Cassius. I’ll agree, with limits—we state our wish or question before the game begins. I wish to go fishing with you while Charity studies. I’m sure she won’t complain?”

His smile was disarming, even more so when he pulled up a chair until it was adjacent to mine then sat close. Our thighs were pressed together. He draped his arm across my back and gave me a thorough yet warm and gentle hug. Touching a man or being touched by one when sex was not the aim was a whole other ball game. There would always be an undercurrent of attraction, but this was plain and simplynice.

I wanted more of these hugs, and after a second leaned my head toward him, nudging his upper arm—which reminded me of the height difference between us. I was getting too sentimental and off-guard.

“Is that the truth, Charity?”

“I…yes, I suppose though I’d love to watch you, and to walk.” I liked the idea of wandering along the beach while they fished, if not the actual catching of fish. I had an aversion to killing creatures for any reason except hunger and a need to eat them.

“You can join us this afternoon.”

“Fishing is not much of a wish, doctor.” Cassius leaned an arm on the carved back of his own chair. The chair’s design was simple, elegant, and it matched the others in the sanctum. “I’d do that anyway. My wish is to get to wield one of your ancient swords.”

“Done. Let’s play. If you lose, we just fish.” Then doctor squeezed my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. “I’ll be quizzing you on this later. Remember, you only need to translate this page.”

I nodded. It looked doable, with the dictionary.

“White or black?” Cassius gestured at the chess board.

In between deciphering the Latin, I watched them play. I knew how to play chess, but once I’d realized that even an app on my phone could beat me at chess, I’d lost interest. I wasn’t pining for chess, I was wondering why—why any of this? Did the doctor really need this done when he must be light years ahead of my amateur skills?

He’d let us in here after punishing me for coming here, which must mean the diary book was important. Ihadto retrieve my phone and read that. Cassius must be wondering this too. Why ban me from a place then rescind the ban?

“Fishing,” Cassius said quietly, studying the moved pieces. “Why do I get the feeling you’re grooming me for something, doctor.” The look he sent the man was dead serious.

“Perhaps I am. I might be grooming both of you. How does that strike you?” He moved a pawn.

“Curiously. You know I’m winning already.”

The doctor laughed, and I watched his face. He’d relaxed since that first day when he’d visited me on the ship. That might not be surprising. We had both been a little, or a lot, stressed and off balance.

I twiddled a pen in one hand as I read the books. It was a habit I had when I wasn’t typing or writing. This was pretty easy, really. There were articles online about the sacrifices and some had the terms used in a way that made it easier to understand.Precatiowas prayer, for instance.

I was a quarter done, even if I wasn’t sure if the order was correct, because languages screwed around with sentence structure. I’d have to go over it a few times. The thing that really bothered me in a niggly, creepy way was that this wasn’t about animal sacrifice; the words spoke of sacrificing humans to please the gods.

“What do you think of vigilante justice, Cassius?”

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