The Sword of Jupiter (Imperium Book 1), page 61
“Yes. It’s not good. We needed those men, although Eborius had already made it clear he didn’t plan on participating in our plan, so in the end, we might actually have more soldiers in the field.”
“Speaking of Eborius?”
“Died in combat leading his legion into the Seventh. They found his body an hour ago. Pius still lives, although he took a bad blow to the head.”
“What about the ring leaders?”
“We got most of them, at least those we know about such as Silo, Mutilus, and Spurius. There’s also other news.”
“Ramirez told me a few minutes ago. Have you found him?”
“No. There are reports that Caesius fled as soon as the Seventh started to engage the First Legion. I think he saw the writing on the wall when they didn’t capture you right away. All indications point to your son being the ringleader. Silo hasn’t talked, but Spurius started offering information for his life as soon as we took him. He also suggests that your son has been in contact with the Carthaginians directly.”
“I can’t believe he’d do this.”
“I think it goes further than that,” Ramirez said. “I haven’t said anything yet, because we’re still interrogating the ring leaders, but I am pretty sure he was behind your poisoning. Clovius took poison when we went to bring him in, after learning about your son.”
Despite his renewed vigor from the medical nanites when Ky first arrived, the Emperor looked old and broken.
“I need to rest.”
“We’ll find him, your majesty,” Ramirez said.
The Emperor just nodded and leaned on his daughter, who gave Ky a worried look before helping her father off.
“He’s taking the news badly,” Ramirez said to Ky when the Emperor had left.
“You warned me I was pushing too hard, changing too many things. I know you had said it might come to civil war, but I hadn’t expected it to happen so fast, especially with the Carthaginian threat hanging over us.”
“It would have happened either way. Remember the attempt on the Emperor’s life happened before you arrived, and I get the impression from Spurius that Caesius’s betrayal to the Carthaginians happened long before that. I would bet he’s who told them about Lucilla’s journey to the Glevum, and how to find them.”
“If we find him, I want him brought back alive, to answer for his crimes.”
“If he is working for the Carthaginians, then he probably ran all the way to Londinium. We won’t get our hands on him any time soon.”
“We’ll get there, eventually. I told the Emperor I would bring Rome through this, and I meant it. We’ll beat back their army, we’ll kick them off of Britannia, and we will make sure they never threaten Rome again.”
“As you say, Consul,” Ramirez said with a slight bow of his head.
To Be Continued …
About The Author
Travis Starnes is a freelance writer living in Texas. He has a love for books of all types, but preferably sci-fi, mystery and the occasional history. His passion is creating worlds and characters that live and breathe, letting them loose, and seeing what happens.
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amazon.com/TravisStarnes/e/B072YBDC3S/
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Other Books By Travis Starnes
John Taylor Stories
Rebirth
False Signs
The Wrong Girl
Burying the Past
Family Ties
Election Day
Danger Close
Country Roads Series
Playing by Ear
Travis Starnes, The Sword of Jupiter (Imperium Book 1)
