‘Absolutely. Most of the officers are good men, but we’ve seen how easily they can be led from the straight and narrow. There’s a few of them I still don’t trust. They’ll need watching.The last thing we need right now is some kind of counter-coup to restore Scrofa to command. That would be a bloody disaster. So you have to stay here, Cato. Anyway, I’d thought you’d be glad to have a cohort of your own to command.’

‘It’s a big responsibility, and given the doubtful loyalty of some of the men I’d rather be out in the field.’

‘I’m sure you would.’ Macro’s expression grew serious. ‘But not this time, Cato.You’ll be in charge here. You know who you can rely on. Parmenion may be getting on, but he’s a tough old bird, and straight as they come. If anything happens to me, then you must take care of Bannus. Don’t go tear-arsing around the desert looking for revenge, understand?’

‘It’s all right, sir. I know what needs to be done. Just make sure you don’t take any unnecessary risks.’

‘Me?’ Macro touched his chest with a hurt expression. ‘Take risks? I wouldn’t know where to begin.’

Dawn was breaking across the desert as the gates of the fort creaked open and Macro led two squadrons of mounted men through the gatehouse. Despite the heat of the day, the nights were cold, and Cato was wrapped in a thick cloak as he stood in the tower above the gate and watched his friend ride out on to the stony track that led away from Fort Bushir, south and east towards the great trade route along which the caravans brought precious goods into the Empire from lands no Roman had ever seen. The first rays of the sun burnished the sand a fiery red and the dust kicked up by the horses’ hooves rose up in swirling puffs of orange. Long shadows flickered across the plateau like ripples of dark water and Cato could not help feeling a sense of foreboding as he watched the small column head out to do battle with the desert raiders. When he could no longer distinguish Macro from the rest of the men, Cato turned away and gazed down at the long barrack blocks stretching away from the wall. The fort was his to command, and to his surprise he found that beneath all his concern about his aptitude for his new role, he was secretly delighted to be the acting commander of the Second Illyrian cohort.

07 The Eagle In the Sand

CHAPTER NINETEEN

‘They’re here, sir,’ the decurion said softly.