The Emperor Series Books 1-5. Conn Iggulden

Pompey whispered, close to Gaius’ ear.

      Gaius looked around, but there was no one close enough to overhear, except for the three Marius obviously trusted.

      ‘He will close the gates. If Sulla tries to force an entry, the Senate will have to declare him an enemy of Rome. He will have to either begin a siege or retreat. I suspect he will put himself at Marius’ command, as any general in the field might do to the consul of Rome.’

      Pompey agreed, unblinking. ‘A dangerous path, Marius, as I said. I cannot support you openly, but I will do my best for you in private. Congratulations on your triumphal march. You looked splendid.’ He gestured to the two with him and they walked away.

      Gaius began to speak again, but Marius shook his head.

      ‘Let us go outside, the air is thick with intrigue in here.’ They moved towards the doors and, outside, Marius put a finger to his lips to stop Gaius’ questions. ‘Not here. There are too many listeners.’

      Gaius glanced around and saw that some of Sulla’s senators were close, staring over with undisguised hostility. He followed Marius out into the forum, taking a seat on the stone steps away from where they could be overheard. Nearby, the First-Born still stood to attention, looking invincible in their shining armour. It was a peculiar feeling to be in the presence of thousands and yet to sit relaxed with his uncle on the very steps of the Senate.

      Gaius could not hold it in any longer.

      ‘How did you swing the vote against Sulla?’

      Marius began to laugh and wiped his forehead free of sudden perspiration.

      ‘Planning, my lad. I knew of the landing of Mithridates almost as soon as it happened, days before Sulla heard. I used the oldest lever in the world to persuade the waverers in the Senate to vote for me and, even then, it was closer than I would have liked. It cost me a fortune, but from tomorrow morning I have control of Rome.’

      ‘He will be back, though,’ Gaius warned.

      Marius snorted. ‘In six months or longer, perhaps. He could be killed on the battlefield, he could even lose to Mithridates; I have heard he is a canny general. Even if Sulla beats him in double time and finds fair sea winds to Greece and back, I will have months to prepare. He will leave as easily as he likes, but I tell you now, he won’t get back in without a fight.’

      Gaius shook his head in disbelief at this confirmation of his thoughts.

      ‘What happens now? Do we go back to your house?’

      Marius smiled a little sadly in response. ‘No. I had to sell it for the bribes – Sulla was already bribing them, you see, and I had to double his offers in most cases. It took everything I own, except my horse, my sword and my armour. I may be the first penniless general Rome has ever had.’ He laughed quietly.

      ‘If you had lost the vote, you would have lost everything!’ Gaius whispered, shocked by the stakes.

      ‘But I did not lose! I have Rome and my legion stands in front of us.’

      ‘What would you have done if you had lost, though?’

      Marius blew air through his lips in disdain. ‘I would have left to fight Mithridates, of course. Am I not a servant of the city? Mind you, it would have taken a brave man to accept my bribe and still vote against me with my legion waiting just outside, wouldn’t it? We must be thankful that the Senate value gold as much as they do. They think of new horses and slaves, but they have never been poor as I was poor. I value gold only for what it brings me and this is where it has put me down – on these steps, with the greatest city in the world at my back. Cheer up, lad, this is a day for celebration, not regrets.’

      ‘No, it’s not that. I was just thinking that Marcus and Renius are heading east to join the Fourth Macedonia. There’s a fair chance they will meet this Mithridates coming the other way.’

      ‘I hope not. Those two would have that Greek for breakfast and I want Sulla to have something to do when he gets there.’

      Gaius laughed and they stood up together. Marius looked at his legion and Gaius could feel the joy and pride burning out of him.

      ‘This has been a good day. You have met the men of power in the city and I have been loved by the people and backed by the Senate. By the way, that slave girl of yours, the pretty one? I’d sell her if I were you. It’s one thing to tumble a girl a few times, but you seem to be sweet on her and that will lead to trouble.’

      Gaius looked away, biting his lip. Were there no secrets?

      Marius continued blithely, unaware of his companion’s discomfort.

      ‘Have you even tried her yet? No? Maybe that will get her out of your system. I know a few good houses here if you want to get a little experience in first. Just ask when you’re ready.’

      Gaius did not reply, his cheeks hot.

      Marius stood and looked with obvious pride at the Primigenia legion ranked before them.

      ‘Shall we march the men over to the city barracks, lad? I think they could do with a good meal and a decent night’s sleep after all this marching and standing in the sun.’

       CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

      Marcus looked out onto the Mediterranean Sea and breathed in the warm air, heavy with salt. After a week at sea, boredom had set in. He knew every inch of the small trading vessel and had even helped in the hold, counting amphorae of thick oil and ebony planking transported from Africa. For a while, his interest had been kindled by the hundreds of rats below the decks and he spent two days crawling to their nests in the darkness, armed with a dagger and a marble paperweight stolen from the captain’s cabin. After throwing dozens of the little bodies overboard, they had learned to recognise his smell or his careful tread, retreating into crevices deep in the wood of the ship the moment he set foot on the ladder below.

      He sighed and watched the sunset, still awed by the colours of the sinking sun out at sea. As a passenger, he could have stayed in his cabin for the whole journey, as Renius seemed determined to do, but the tiny, cramped space offered nothing in terms of amusement and Marcus had quickly come to use it only to sleep.

      The captain had allowed him to stand watch and he had even tried his hand at controlling the two great steering oars at the back, or what he had learned to call the stern, but his interest soon paled.

      ‘Another couple of weeks of this will kill me,’ he muttered to himself, using his knife to cut his initials into the wooden rail. A scuffling noise sounded behind him, but he didn’t turn, just smiled and kept watching the sunset. There was silence and then another noise, the sort a small body might make if it was shifting for comfort.

      Marcus spun and launched his knife underarm, as Renius had once taught him. It thudded into the mast and quivered. There was a squeak of terror and a flash of dirty white feet in the darkness as something scuttled deeper into shadow, trying too hard to be silent.

      Marcus strolled over to the knife and freed it with a wrench. Sliding it back into the waist sheath, he squinted into the blackness.

      ‘Come out, Peppis, I know you’re in there,’ he called. He heard a sniff. ‘I wouldn’t have hit you with the knife, it was just a joke. Honestly.’

      Slowly, a skeletal little boy emerged from behind some sacking. He was filthy almost beyond belief and his eyes were wide with fear.

      ‘I was just watching you,’ Peppis said, nervously.

      Marcus looked more closely at him, noticing a small crust of dried blood under his nose and a purple bruise over one eye.

      ‘Have the men been beating you again?’ he said, trying to make his