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Back Emperor
Chapters (76)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. I
  4. II
  5. III
  6. I - INVADER AD 43-70
  7. I
  8. II
  9. III
  10. IV
  11. V
  12. VI
  13. VII
  14. VIII
  15. IX
  16. X
  17. XI
  18. XII
  19. XIII
  20. XIV
  21. XV
  22. XVI
  23. XVII
  24. XVIII
  25. XIX
  26. XX
  27. XXI
  28. XXII
  29. XXIII
  30. XXIV
  31. XXV
  32. XXVI
  33. II - BUILDER AD 122-138
  34. I
  35. II
  36. III
  37. IV
  38. V
  39. VI
  40. VII
  41. VIII
  42. IX
  43. X
  44. XI
  45. XII
  46. XIII
  47. XIV
  48. XV
  49. XVI
  50. XVII
  51. XVIII
  52. XIX
  53. XX
  54. XXI
  55. III - EMPEROR AD 314—337
  56. I
  57. II
  58. III
  59. IV
  60. V
  61. VI
  62. VII
  63. VIII
  64. IX
  65. X
  66. XI
  67. XII
  68. XIII
  69. XIV
  70. XV
  71. EPILOGUE
  72. I
  73. II
  74. III
  75. IV
  76. Afterword

‘Oh, it won’t harm you. It will just be that for a sunset and a sunrise you won’t be able to impose your will on your own body.’ She ran a fingertip down his chest. ‘How awful for you. But never mind, there is somebody else who will be able to make good use of your fine body while you’re gone. You’ve guessed, have you? You’re the favour, you see, to sweeten the deal you forced me to make. It’s not my choice at all, oh no, it’s simply a consequence of your own actions. You see that, don’t you?’

Suddenly Brigonius remembered the way Hadrian had looked at him. Anger and fear flooded him, but still he couldn’t move; he lolled on his couch, a helpless doll, his limbs heavy as logs. ‘What have you done - have you promised me to Hadrian?’

Another face loomed over him now: pale skin, black eyes, lips like a wound.

Severa was whispering in his ear. ‘Oh, not the Emperor - you aren’t pretty or young enough for him - but Primigenius, who wields the power I needed. He has issues with our proposal, you know, for he has his own pet architect he hoped to promote. And then there is simple jealousy, of one bed-warmer for another. Primigenius lusts for you, yet hates you at the same time, for he knows you caught the Emperor’s eye, if only briefly. Isn’t that a paradox? Won’t it add spice to the night you’re about to spend together?’ She came closer still; he could feel her breath on his ear, smell the spices on her tongue. ‘And after he’s split you open, o Brittunculus, my daughter will never touch you again.’

That red mouth descended towards him, but he couldn’t move, couldn’t struggle, couldn’t even cry out.

XIII

XIII

Brigonius rode west towards Banna, along the line of the Wall.

A year after Hadrian’s decision, this part of Brigantia had been transformed into a vast construction yard. On this bright late spring morning, from the higher ground Brigonius could see how from horizon to horizon a corridor of broken ground cut across the crags and green-clad hills, mapped out by surveyors’ flags and poles, and scarred brown by the ruts of wheels and the prints of feet and hooves. It was a slash through the countryside’s green flesh. And all along its length legionaries toiled, hauling and laying stone, maggots in the wound.

In what had been left of last summer, governor Nepos had set his workforce the target of completing three miles of Wall, which had been achieved easily. This year, in the first full season, the three legions working on the Wall were each to complete five more miles.