The Far Shore Read Free Page B

king, who apologised for his conduct during the journey, raised a brief but heartfelt toast to them, then left. The mood in the hall became considerably more rowdy and people began to queue up to thank Cassius and Indavara personally. Some of the ladies present also offered enthusiastic kisses.
    Only when this duty was complete were they free to fill their plates. Cassius found he had rather lost his appetite after all the excitement. He managed a bit of cheese and a few little cakes, then settled for supping his wine. The local concoction was unusual – sweet and fortified with spices – but he swiftly acquired a taste for it. Indavara used the wine only to slosh down his food; he was already on to his second plateful.
    Speaker Argunt sidled up and knelt by Cassius’s chair. ‘Word is spreading across the city. The people will bring gifts and flowers for you in the morning.’
    ‘That’s very kind.’
    Argunt leaned in closer. ‘You not only saved the king, but also made him appear a hero.’
    ‘The gods have smiled upon us this night.’
    ‘Indeed. Though not on First Minister Vyedra, I fear. The king has had him arrested and appointed me in his stead.’
    ‘Really? Why?’
    ‘He was in charge of security.’
    With a wink, Argunt stood up and walked away. Before Cassius could take another sip of wine, a rather voluptuous woman of about forty hurried over. She was wearing a fox fur around her neck and sweating profusely.
    ‘Centurion, I am the Countess Sifke. May I too offer my profound thanks for your heroic actions.’
    Cassius’s actual title was ‘officer’ but he often chose not to correct the error.
    ‘Thank you, Countess.’
    She looked past Cassius at Indavara, who was stripping a greasy chicken leg with his teeth.
    ‘You too, of course, young man.’
    Indavara answered with a grunt.
    ‘What a throw, sir,’ the countess continued. ‘Worthy of an Olympiad.’
    ‘You should see me with a javelin, madam.’
    Indavara grunted a different kind of grunt.
    ‘I wonder, sir,’ said the countess, ‘would you like to come and join my party? I’m here with my four daughters. They would be enchanted to meet you.’
    Cassius glanced over at the girls: three black heads of hair and one red, and fair faces too, watching coyly from a corner.
    ‘Likewise, I’m sure. We will be over presently.’
    The countess smiled and wobbled her way back to her table.
    Indavara put down the chicken leg and stood up to inspect the rest of the food.
    Cassius gave him a napkin. ‘Clean yourself up.’
    ‘Why?’ asked Indavara, wiping his chin.
    Cassius aimed a thumb towards the corner.
    The bodyguard grinned when he saw the girls.
    ‘Come,’ said Cassius, grabbing his wine as he stood. ‘Time to enjoy the warm embrace of a grateful nation.’

I
Rhodes, November AD 272
    Even as the ship finally slid alongside the quay, as the yelling sailors tied off the mooring ropes and fixed the gangplank, the dozen passengers remained by the side-rail. They stood in a line, gazing across the harbour, though the object of their fascination had been visible for hours, soon after the island’s high mountains materialised out of the morning mist.
    ‘Half the bronze in the world, they say.’
    ‘Two hundred feet high it was.’
    ‘I heard three hundred.’
    ‘You could get a thousand men inside it.’
    ‘Probably more.’
    ‘And to think it’s just lain there like that for five hundred years.’
    ‘Five hundred and fifty, actually,’ said Cassius.
    It was a remarkable sight, but he was struggling not to be slightly underwhelmed. Hadn’t someone told him the statue once stood astride the port; that high-masted ships sailed between the sun-god Helios’s legs? Looking back at the narrow breakwaters that enclosed the harbour, he now saw how ridiculous this notion was.
    The statue was in fact about a mile back from the water, built upon an enormous stone platform. The god appeared to have been cut off at the knees. The body had