‘You’re free now, lad!’ Mandracus grinned as they made camp the first night. ‘No more masters giving you orders. Here we are just comrades. No masters and no slaves. We live off the land, as well as off those who use slaves to make themselves rich. You’ll get used to it soon enough. I imagine you’re still feeling a bit anxious, aren’t you?’

Lupus nodded.

‘Well, don’t. No one’s going to eat you. Speaking of which,’ the rebel leader rummaged in his sidebag and drew out a small loaf of bread and a hunk of cheese. ‘Here. Eat this. You need to keep your strength up.’

‘Thanks.’ Lupus shuffled closer to the fire and let the warmth of the flames seep into his tired muscles. He swallowed the first mouthful and turned to Mandracus. ‘What will happen to me after you’ve taken me to Brixus?’

‘That’s up to Brixus,’ the man replied, then bit off a small piece from a strip of dried beef. ‘He’ll want to question you about Caesar, and your friend Marcus, before he decides what to do next. I dare say he will offer you the chance to join the rebel army.’

‘If I refuse?’

‘You won’t refuse. Trust me. Once you understand what this is all about. Once Brixus has explained his plans to you, then you’ll want to stay and fight with us and put an end to slavery.’

‘You seem very sure of it.’

‘Let’s just say that Brixus can be very persuasive. It’s probably wisest not to refuse the offer.’

Lupus nodded and ate some more food before he spoke again. ‘I’m not sure that I would want to live on the run all the time. Even though I was a slave, I was treated well enough.’

‘Good for you,’ Mandracus muttered. ‘But most slaves aren’t as pampered as you were, Lupus. Most are worked to death. Many in mines and on farming estates. Those are the worst places to be. That’s where I was before Spartacus and his men found me all those years ago. Seems like a lifetime now. I’ve been free ever since. Yes, I’ve been hunted and I’ve often wondered how long it will all last. But I am still free, and I have a wife and two young girls, and they have known nothing but freedom.’

‘It must be a hard life, here in the mountains.’

‘Life is hard.’ Mandracus admitted. ‘It’s a struggle. But we treat each other with respect, we share what we have and we can choose our own fate. That is something a slave can never do. Thanks to people like your former master. And now it seems that he has resolved to crush us.’ He stared into the flames and Lupus saw his expression harden when he spoke again. ‘Caesar will find that we are a much tougher nut to crack than he imagines. You should be able to give Brixus some insight into Caesar’s thinking when he questions you.’

‘I’ll tell him what I can,’ Lupus replied. ‘But I don’t think it will be much help. Caesar does not take his slaves into his confidence... Some perhaps. He seems to have a high opinion of Marcus.’