The Warrior's Princess

  Jess nodded. ‘Yes, please.’ Her mouth had gone dry.

  Kim, Steph and Will were there in twenty minutes.

  There weren’t enough chairs and Will seated himself cross-legged on a cushion at Kim’s feet as they sat down around the low table on the roof terrace. Carmella’s spread was still lying there, the colourful cards bright in the sunlight.

  ‘I think we can all agree that Dan has seriously lost it. But what can we do about it? There is no proof of anything apart from our word against his. He’s been bloody clever.’ Will shifted his weight, trying to get more comfortable as Carmella appeared with more coffee. ‘I owe you an apology, Carmella, for not believing you can do whatever you do.’ He grinned. ‘You’ve saved my life in your own mysterious way.’

  ‘I am glad to have helped you, Will.’ She smiled back at him.

  He held her gaze for a moment, then he turned back to the others. ‘So, what if Jess did go back to London? Would she be safe there?’

  Carmella shook her head. She took her place again in front of the cards. ‘I don’t think that is enough.’ She looked down at them in silence for a long moment, then she glanced up at Steph who had been studying them in silence. ‘You have seen what they say?’

  Steph nodded.

  Will frowned. ‘Hang on a minute. What do they say exactly?’

  Carmella shrugged. ‘That Jess should disappear, as you suggest. But I don’t think she would be any safer in London than here.’

  ‘I suppose I could change my name. Dye my hair.’ Jess gave a wan smile. She looked up. ‘Where’s Rhodri?’ she asked suddenly.

  ‘Don’t worry, he’s still in Rome.’ Kim grinned suggestively. ‘He rang to say he’s not going anywhere until he knows you’re safe.’

  ‘That’s nice of him.’ The knowledge was reassuring. Jess rubbed her face with her hands. She was near to tears. ‘Changing my identity isn’t going to help, though, is it; Dan is going to find me through Titus.’

  ‘I think one thing can save you,’ Carmella put in thoughtfully. ‘You must forget about Eigon. No more questions. No more research. No more Rome. Don’t let Titus – or Eigon – into your head. I told you this before. And I told you how to do it. Surround yourself with light. Call for angels to protect you. These are time-honoured ways to keep yourself safe, Jess. You must use them. If they cannot reach you inside your head, they cannot find you.’

  Jess scrambled to her feet. She went and stood by the parapet, staring down. ‘But I can’t put them out of my head,’ she whispered. Her voice was full of anguish. ‘I have to know what happened.’

  * * *

  Dan was sitting in a bar three streets away. He lifted a grappa to his lips with a shaking hand. He had seen what happened to Julia. Through Titus’s eyes he had seen him cut her throat. They raped her, then she was killed. It was so easy. And so quick. Too quick. He swallowed some more grappa and wiped his lips on his sleeve. He had looked through Titus’s strange amber-coloured eyes. He had felt what Titus had felt. It had been exciting. He enjoyed it. It was not the same as fighting in battle. It was not man to man, even combat. It was a sacrifice. An offering to the god of love.

  And then through Titus’s eyes he had seen what it would be like when it was his turn and the woman lying helpless before him was Jess. What if he raped her again? Titus would be there watching, he would taunt Dan for holding back and this time, Dan would kill her. And it would be real; powerful. Exciting.

  He still didn’t know why he had done it, that first time. He hadn’t planned it. Or had he? He had been carrying that drug around with him for a long time after he had confiscated it in a locker search at the college, almost as if he knew, one day, he would want to use it. He had drunk too much at the disco. He had been turned on by so many young nubile girls displaying their wares to him on every side, the smell of sex exuded in that hall that night had been overpowering. He could have had any of those girls but he had watched Jess. Seen her dancing with Ash, seen the boy grinding his hips against hers provocatively, seen her laughing; then she had danced with Will and he had seen them holding each other more and more closely. And who did he have to dance with? His wife was at home with the children. He was a senior master and he had danced with the headmaster’s wife. And the French student teacher. That was better. And Jess; she could hardly refuse. But she had held him at arm’s length. She had looked at him with a disengaged smile and listened politely. And then she had gone off to dance again with Ash. It was then he had decided. He would show her what love-making was like. What it was really like. And he had.

  He beckoned the waiter and ordered another drink.

  It was only the next morning that he realised what he had done.

  At first he had thought he’d got away with it. She obviously couldn’t remember anything about it. But then slowly she had begun to piece it all together. He should have known the silly bitch wouldn’t let it go. As soon as she remembered he knew he had blown his career, his future and his marriage.

  The threats to kill her hadn’t been real. Of course they hadn’t. Not at first. He just wanted to terrify her into silence. But it hadn’t worked. It had probably made matters worse. After that the plan had been to make people think she had suffered a breakdown. Not difficult. She had completely lost it as far as he could see, with her ghosts and her voices and her visions, and the bloodstained sketchbooks. He shuddered at the memory. But then the voice had started murmuring in his head. The voice of another man. The voice which had been following him ever since that day at Ty Bran when she had fled into the fields leaving him to face his demons alone.

  He hadn’t really intended to take it any further. Of course not. He was a civilised man. But in his dream, when he saw the flare of terror in Jess’s eyes, it had excited him and when he woke up, sweating in his bed, he had found himself engulfed not just by lust but by a visceral excitement which had everything to do with wondering what it would be like to kill her for real. The man in his head knew. The man in his head was egging him on.

  22

  Eigon had called Flavius into the atrium. ‘When did Julia say she would return?’ It was dark outside. Heavy thundershowers were drifting in from the north. Normally she gave no thought at all to Julia, far too preoccupied to worry about her friend’s flighty comings and goings, but this time she was uneasy.

  ‘She didn’t say.’ Flavius shuffled his feet. ‘She was angry because I wouldn’t go with her. We quarrelled.’

  ‘Send a messenger then, to the house of her aunt. She may have decided to stay as the weather has turned so horrible. She should have thought to tell us though.’ Eigon sighed. All afternoon there had been a succession of men and women at the gate asking for her services. She had dressed wound after wound. Handed out herbal pills and potions. Given advice. Since Melinus had died she was working alone in the herb room and finding out just how many people he had been helping in his strange gruff way. Exhausted she walked across the atrium and stood staring down into the pool of water. The rain was draining into it from the gutters on the roof with a steady drip. The sound was comforting.

  Flavius reappeared almost at once. His face had cleared with relief. He knew he was wrong to have allowed her to leave the house without a proper escort and he felt guilty and afraid. ‘Her litter has returned with a message to say that she is staying away tonight.’

  ‘Good! So at least she had the decency to tell us in the end.’ Eigon shook her head in exasperation. ‘Very well, tell the cooks they can serve the evening meal. I will go and see if Papa is well enough to get up for it or if he would like it in his room.’

  Antonia was sitting with Caradoc. He was sitting up looking more cheerful than she had seen him for a long while. ‘This charming young lady has been entertaining me, Eigon, while your mother has some well-earned time to herself,’ he said as his daughter appeared. ‘She came to see you, of course, but you were busy so I captured her.’ He reached over and patted Antonia’s hand.

  Cerys joined them however
when they sat down together in the dining room, reclining on their couches as the slaves brought in their evening meal. She seemed unaware that this girl whose company gave so much pleasure to her husband was the sister of the man she had forbidden Eigon to see.

  Caradoc’s colour was good; he ate with enthusiasm and he engaged the three women with him in lively conversation. ‘I can see your talks with Peter have done you good, my lord.’ Antonia smiled at him gently. ‘I have heard you will not ask for baptism, but you must admit that Jesus is a powerful healer.’

  Caradoc raised an eyebrow, nodding. ‘I grant you that, child. He is indeed and Peter had won our Melinus over to his cause.’ There was a moment’s uncomfortable pause.

  ‘Did you see Peter, Mam?’ Eigon quickly jumped into the silence.

  Cerys shook her head. ‘I worship no gods but my own.’ She leaned across and clasped her husband’s fingers. ‘And neither does my lord and husband. The very idea! And neither I hope do you.’ Her eyes narrowed as she glanced at Eigon.

  ‘Mam!’ Eigon coloured. ‘You are being discourteous to our guest.’

  ‘No.’ Cerys turned a weary face towards Antonia and smiled. ‘Antonia knows I love her. But I do not have to love her god. He has caused nothing but trouble for his own followers and for my dear Melinus.’ She sighed.

  ‘Melinus was not a Christian, Lady Cerys,’ Antonia corrected quietly. ‘It was not for that reason that he was arrested.’ Her shoulders slumped.

  Eigon glanced at the slave waiting to clear their dishes and nodded. He was a young man, barely more than a boy, thin, with bright darting eyes and a ready crooked smile. He came over at once and noisily gathered up the plates. She glanced up at him, amused. He had clearly been listening and had decided to ensure a change of subject in his own manner. ‘Bring the fruit, Silas, thank you.’ She looked up and caught his eye. ‘And more wine for my father.’ She had noticed this boy before and liked him. She would make sure that Aelius gave him more responsibility. Her train of thought was interrupted by an unearthly cry from the courtyard. They looked at each other in consternation. Caradoc sat up and threw his napkin down on the table. ‘What is that?’

  ‘Wait, Father. I will see.’ White-faced, Eigon ran towards the door. Aelius was standing in the atrium with three of the house slaves. Two of the men were dripping wet from the rain. Aelius turned towards her, his face the colour of a linen shroud.

  He opened his mouth to speak but no words came.

  ‘What is it?’ Caradoc appeared in the doorway behind her, leaning heavily on the door frame for support. ‘What has happened?’

  Aelius shook his head. He had put his hands over his face and his shoulders were heaving with sobs.

  Eigon ran towards him and seized his arm. ‘What is it? Tell us!’

  ‘It is the lady Julia,’ one of the slaves said, his voice barely audible. Rain was pooling round his feet and his hair and tunic were soaked. ‘I went out to fetch more firewood and I found her by the wall. She looked as though she was asleep.’

  Eigon felt the blood in her veins turn to ice. She stared from the man to Aelius and back. ‘Where is she? Show me.’

  ‘No, lady!’ The slave shook his head. ‘No, you mustn’t.’

  ‘But you will show me.’ Caradoc’s voice was strong. He stepped forward shakily. ‘Now, Aelius.’

  The courtyard was noisy with rain, great drops splattering onto the cobbles, turning the dust to rivulets of mud, hissing on the torches as the slaves led the way. A dark shape lay by the gates to the road, wrapped in a blanket. The corner had been folded back to reveal Julia’s face. She looked serene, her face unmarked, her hair streaked back by the rain. Eigon stooped and pulled the coloured blanket away with shaking hands. The wound across Julia’s neck had been washed clean of blood by the rain. Her throat had been severed almost to the bone. She was naked but for the blanket and for a dozen gold bracelets on the arms which were crossed on her breasts. With a little moan of grief Eigon turned away. It was her father who ordered Julia to be brought indoors and laid decently in a side room. Then he walked into the atrium and summoned the household.

  ‘I want to know who did this and why.’ His face was grim. The warrior and king, so long effaced by illness had reappeared. ‘Thieves do not leave their victims with more gold than they have taken. They do not select Celtic gold, and wrap the body in a Celtic plaid for the Roman friend of a Celtic household, without a good reason.’

  Eigon hadn’t even noticed the intricate carving and design of the bangles or the tartan design of the rug. Impressed that her father had taken in the scene so quickly and in such detail, she glanced at her mother. This was another message that no one in the household was safe. The people closest to her. The people she loved. Desperately she tried to restrain her tears, trying to copy her father’s strength. Her mother was stony-faced. In shock. Not registering, not acknowledging what had happened. But she must know. She must have realised as Eigon had realised that this was a message from Titus Marcus Olivinus.

  ‘Mam –’

  ‘No!’ Cerys turned on her ferociously. ‘No! Don’t you dare say anything, Eigon, do you hear me? The girl was out of control. Foolish. She behaved like a slut! She asked for this!’ She turned and fled towards her private rooms.

  The others stared after her, shocked. ‘I am sorry, Eigon,’ Caradoc said slowly. ‘Your mother is overcome with the horror of this. And she is wrong. No one deserves this. No one, least of all little Julia. I don’t know how we are going to tell Pomponia Graecina.’

  ‘Jess!’ Someone was shaking her arm. ‘Jess, wake up. Now!’

  Jess shivered. Somehow she refocused her eyes to find Will standing beside her. They were alone together on the roof terrace.

  ‘Jess, you have to stop this. Disappearing into your own little world is not going to help you,’ he said gently. ‘I want you to come back with me. We’ll go to my parents’ down in Cornwall. As far as I recall Dan doesn’t know about them, and even if he does, it would be very hard for him to get near you there. They live in a small village where everyone knows everyone. If a stranger arrived word would get round in seconds.’

  ‘I can’t hide for the rest of my life, Will.’

  ‘No, I’m not suggesting you do. But it will do in the interim. While we work out a plan.’ He put his hands on her shoulders, staring into her eyes. ‘I can’t let Dan hurt you any more, Jess.’

  For a long moment they stared at each other. He leaned forward and gently kissed her on the lips. She pulled away sharply. ‘No! No, Will! I’m sorry. I just can’t bear anyone to touch me. Not yet.’ She shuddered. ‘Oh God!’ She buried her face in her hands.

  ‘I understand.’ He moved a couple of paces away from her. ‘It was insensitive of me. But don’t turn your back on my offer, Jess. Please. You need help.’

  ‘Will, Dan has already tried to kill you!’

  ‘I don’t think he did. He had every opportunity to kill me when he drugged me.’

  ‘Well, he might not be so restrained next time.’ She pushed past him and stepped through the windows into the apartment. The three others were standing in there looking anxiously towards them.

  ‘Jess –?’ Kim said.

  Jess shook her head. ‘No! Please leave me alone.’ She started to run towards Carmella’s bathroom. There she locked the door and subsided onto the floor, tears pouring down her face.

  ‘Mam, you have to listen!’ Eigon had cornered her mother in the dining room where Cerys was watching the slaves put away the cups and bowls in the cupboard.

  Cerys jumped. She turned a tear-streaked face to her daughter. ‘Your father is ill, Eigon. He collapsed after Pomponia Graecina and Aulus Plautius left with Julia’s body.’

  Eigon headed for the door. ‘I’ll go to him.’

  ‘Leave him for now. He is asleep.’ Cerys sighed. ‘Without Melinus there is no hope for him.’ She was hugging her arms around herself. Another tear coursed down her cheek. The slaves glanced at each other and quietly d
isappeared towards the kitchens.

  ‘Mam, I can treat him,’ Eigon said. ‘You know I can. I have the medicines that Melinus taught me how to make, and I can help with those. And we can ask Peter to come again and pray with him. I know,’ she rushed on as she saw her mother’s face close, ‘I know you don’t approve of him, but his Jesus is so powerful. Papa likes Peter. He trusts him.’ She shook her head in exasperation. Her mother was impossible to pin down. Every time she tried to speak to her about Peter and the Christians she changed the subject, just as she managed to sidestep the issue of Titus. There was no arguing with her. Eigon shivered. What could they do anyway? His viciousness knew no bounds. They were never going to escape him. He was there, lurking, an unseen enemy in the shadows, waiting. And one day he would catch her alone.

  ‘Tell her,’ Jess murmured. ‘Insist. Don’t let her fob you off. You are too vulnerable. You have to be protected.’

  Eigon turned. She scanned the shadows of the room and frowned. ‘Can you hear me?’ Jess sat up. ‘Eigon?’

  ‘Jess!’ Will’s voice reached her through the door. ‘Jess, open up. I need to speak to you.’