Bunching his muscle, and drawing the sword back a short distance, Cato punched it up through the soft skin, under the ribs, until the point fetched up against bone. The Silurian flung his head back and let out a sharp gasp. His body tensed as Cato twisted the blade, left and right, and then ripped it free. A rush of blood followed the blade and spattered down on to the ground below the stake, where a barely visible curl of steam licked into the air. The Silurian began to tremble violently and his breathing came in snatched, ragged gasps, growing weaker all the time until at length his body went limp and his head slumped down on his breast. The body hung in the cold air like a side of meat in a butcher’s shop. Cato fought to keep his expression neutral as he bent down to wipe the blade clean on a tussock of grass. He removed as much of the blood as he could before straightening up and thrusting his sword back into its scabbard with a sharp snap. He looked round to see the other men watching him.

‘We’re finished here. Time to move on.’

There was a pause before Trebellius cleared his throat. ‘Begging your pardon, sir, but this is where my men and I turn back.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘This is where the valley starts, sir. Like you said yourself, these bodies mark the turf controlled by the fort. You’ll be safe until you reach your new command now.’

Cato stared at the decurion and saw that he was doing a poor job of disguising his fear.

‘You may be right, but I would prefer it if you and your men escorted us to within sight of the fort before leaving us. Just so that you can report back to the legate that we arrived in one piece and didn’t disappear somewhere along the route. If you understand me.’

Trebellius nodded slowly. ‘I understand, sir. But, as I said, I’m turning back.’

This was too much for Macro who turned on the decurion with a ferocious glare. ‘Abandoning us, more like. You coward! What are you afraid of?’ Macro gestured to the bodies hanging on the stakes. ‘You think these cunts are going to jump down and give you a good hiding? Trebellius, for the gods’ sake, grow a pair!’

The decurion gritted his teeth and answered in a cold, flat tone. ‘I ain’t a coward. I’ve been fighting on this cursed island for the last eight years, like most of my men here. I’ve got five years to go before my discharge. So I obey my orders, to the letter. And my orders say for me and my men to escort you and the prefect to this valley. That we’ve done.’

‘Then I’m giving you new orders,’ Cato interrupted. ‘I’m ordering you to escort us to Bruccium.’