The nearest men heard and turned to respond, reluctantly giving up the chance to slaughter more of the enemy. A few others carried on a few paces before their blood rage faded and they retreated towards the fort. But a handful, maddened with battle rage, charged on and were lost amid the dark shadows of the Judaean ranks. Cato waited for the last of his men to clamber down the rubble slope, then turned to follow them, ducking as a slingshot zipped close overhead. Macro was waiting for him in front of the breach, grinning.

‘I tell you, Cato, you’re losing it. A few more wild charges like that and I’m sending you into the arena. You’d scare any gladiator out of his skin.’

Cato felt himself blush, instantly angry that he had made himself look so foolhardy.

‘Oh, come now.’ Macro clapped him on the shoulder. ‘You and the lads did well. They won’t be coming back again in a hurry.’

‘Maybe not in a hurry,’ Cato conceded. ‘But they will be back.’

‘Of course they will.’ Macro nodded over his shoulder at the flames rising up from the buildings a short distance behind the inner wall. ‘Meanwhile we’ve got other problems to worry about . . .’

07 The Eagle In the Sand

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

They made their way back through the breach and went to find Centurion Parmenion. The veteran officer was working alongside his men pulling down the cohort’s stables in an attempt to create a firebreak so that there was still a way through to the rest of the fort for the men defending the breach. A short distance away fire was consuming the granary and the roaring of the flames was punctuated by explosions of sparks from the building’s timbers. Cato and Macro felt the heat hit them as they approached Parmenion and Macro had to squint as his eyes began to sting. Parmenion ordered his men to continue the work as he made his report to the prefect. His face was streaked with sweat and grime.

Macro pointed towards the stables. ‘Where are the horses?’

‘Scrofa took them to the far side of the fort, sir. He’s tethering them along the east wall.’

‘Fair enough,’ Macro conceded. ‘Good job. Better move the hostages there as well, in case the fire spreads to their cells. Now then, what’s the news on the fire?’

‘We’re not going to be able to stop it spreading, sir. This firebreak’s only going to divide it, keep an avenue open for you and the boys on the inner wall, if you get pushed back.’

‘If we lose the wall, we lose the fort,’ Macro responded bitterly.

‘Maybe not,’ said Cato. ‘Not immediately at least. If we lose the wall then we have to use the fire as the next line of defence. It won’t burn itself out for some hours.’