Centurion Read Free Page A

up and report, chest heaving.
    ‘Lost two men, sir . . . One back on the track, and the other just then.’
    ‘I saw.’ Castor nodded.
    ‘What now?’
    ‘We hold them off for as long as we can.’
    ‘And then?’
    Castor laughed. ‘Then we die. But not before we send at least forty of them ahead of us to line our path to Hades.’
    Septimus forced himself to grin, for the sake of the men watching the exchange. Then he glanced over Castor’s shoulders and his expression hardened.’Here they come, sir.’
    Castor turned round and raised his shield. ‘We have to hold them here! Form up!’
    Septimus stood at his side and the four men raised their spears ready to thrust over the heads of the two officers. Beyond the entrance the dark mass of the Parthians charged across the rubble-strewn ground and hurled themselves at the shields blocking the door. Castor braced himself an instant before the inside of his shield lurched towards him under the impact. Then he dug his iron-shod boots in and thrust back, punching his weight behind the shield boss.There was an explosive gasp as the blow struck home. Over his shoulder the sharp point and shaft of one of the auxiliaries stabbed out and there was a cry of agony from outside the watchtower. As the spear was drawn back a flicker of warm droplets spattered across Castor’s eyes. He blinked them away as a sword blow hacked against the outside of his shield. Beside him, Centurion Septimus pressed his shield forward into the mass of the enemy crowding the entrance and thrust his sword at any exposed flesh he could see between the rim of his shield and the door frame.
    As long as the two officers stood their ground and were supported by the men behind, ready to stab out with their spears, the enemy could not get in through the entrance. For a moment Castor felt his spirits rise as the fight began to go their way for the first time.
    Too late he sensed the flicker of movement low to the ground just outside the entrance as one of the Parthians crouched and swept his blade beneath the rim of Castor’s shield. The edge of the blade cut deep into his ankle, severing leather, flesh and muscle before it fetched up against bone. The pain was instantaneous, like a red-hot bar thrust into the joint. Castor staggered backwards with an explosive cry of pain and rage.
    Septimus glanced back quickly, seeing his commander slump to one side of the entrance. ‘Next man! Into line!’
    The nearest auxiliary, crouching low to protect his legs, pressed himself forward, alongside Septimus, as his comrades thrust their spear tips at the enemy in a flurry of attacks to drive them back from the entrance. Then all at once there was a shout of alarm from the darkness and the crash of heavy masonry outside the watchtower. As Castor leaned round the frame to look he saw a piece of dressed stone smash down on to the Parthians, crushing a man’s head as it drove his body to the ground. More rocks and stones fell on the attackers, killing and maiming several before they could scramble back across the site to a safe distance.
    ‘Bloody marvellous,’ Septimus growled with pleasure at the sight. ‘See how they like being hit without a chance to fight back. Bastards.’
    As the enemy moved out of range the barrage of stones tailed off and the sounds of combat gave way to the jeers and whistles of the auxiliaries in the watchtower, and the moans and cries of the injured men in front of the entrance. Septimus took a last glance outside before he motioned one of the men to take his place. Leaning his shield against the wall he knelt down to examine Castor’s wound, straining his eyes to make it out by the wan glow from the starry heavens shining through the entrance. His hands gently probed the injury and felt the shards of bone amid the mangled flesh. Castor sucked in a deep breath and clenched his teeth as he fought back the impulse to cry out in agony.
    Septimus glanced up at him. ‘I’m sorry to say your