‘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.’

Mandracus glanced round sharply. ‘The boy who was with you at the ambush?’

Lupus nodded.

‘Tell me about him.’

‘Why? You said earlier that Brixus would also want to know about him. What’s so special about Marcus?’

‘Just curious. It’s probably nothing,’ Mandracus replied carefully. ‘Brixus has mentioned a boy gladiator he once knew in the past. Your friend Marcus might know something about him.’

Lupus finished eating and held his hands up to the fire, then rubbed them together. ‘Not much to tell. The master ... I mean Caesar, bought him from a gladiator school near Capua over a year ago. Caesar’s niece had fallen into the school’s arena as Marcus was facing two wolves. He saved her from them and Caesar recognized that he had potential, so he bought him to join us in Rome as part of Caesar’s bodyguard.’

‘I see. And what does Marcus look like?’

‘You saw for yourself at the ambush.’

Mandracus nodded. ‘True, but it was only a fleeting glimpse, in the middle of a fight. I can’t recall any details.’

Lupus shrugged. ‘He’s tall for his age, and thin. No, not thin. Sinewy would be a better word for it. He thinks quickly and has sharp reflexes, and he’s as brave as they come.’ He smiled with pride as he recalled his friend.