The Wadjet Eye Read Free Page B

vessel?"
    The boy looked to where Artemas pointed, and nodded.
    "Is your captain on board?"

    The boy looked puzzled for a moment, then he pointed. Artemas and Damon followed his outstretched finger to a group of men bent over charts spread open across a block of granite. They walked over to the men, who were sharing news of the trade winds.
    "Be careful," one man was saying. "The shoal has shifted here. We saw the skeleton of a ship run aground. It will have broken up by now, and there'll be no marker for you."
    The other captains marked their charts—all except one, who was biting off chunks of lamb from a bone he grasped in his right hand. His left held a cup of wine.
    The man across from Artemas looked up at him. Despite his height, Artemas stood on tiptoe, craning his neck at their charts.
    "Move along. There's nothing for you to see here," one of the men ordered gruffly.
    Damon turned to go, but Artemas grabbed him by the elbow. "My friend and I are waiting to speak with the captain of the Roman ship."
    The man with the lamb bone pointed it at him. Grease shone from his chin. "And what if he does not want to speak with you?"
    "Then he'll be missing an opportunity to take a ship's physician aboard." Artemas gestured toward Damon. Damon straightened up the best he could, although he didn't know why. What did he care how these scruffy seamen saw him?

    Artemas went on like a merchant selling from his booth, only it was Damon he was trying to market. "He studies under Cleopatra's own physician. I hear that your oarsmen are suffering from disease."
    Damon looked at Artemas. Where had he heard that? Probably playing a hunch—oarsmen were always suffering from something. The confines of the hold and the demands of the rowing bred illness.
    Artemas stepped in front of Damon. "And I can organize your men for battle in case of a pirate attack."
    The captains laughed. "You are a bit young to have much experience in warfare, aren't you?" said the man who had spoken first.
    Artemas bristled. "Old enough."
    Not old enough,
Damon thought. He knew Artemas was sensitive about his inexperience. Many had served for years by the time they reached Artemas's age. But Egypt had been at peace all his and Artemas's lives. It was hard to gain experience in warfare without war.
    "In Alexandria's library I have studied Alexander the Great's every move, studied maps, strategies, even the words of his generals." Artemas jammed his fists onto his hips and puffed out his chest. "Experience isn't everything. But if it's experience you are looking for, you'll have it with Damon as your ship's physician."

    Damon pulled Artemas by the arm. "Come on, Artemas. There'll be other ships heading to Caesar's legions."
    Artemas stood rooted. Damon glanced from Artemas to the Roman captain. He could see the captain calculating how many dead oarsmen he had been forced to toss over the side on the journey here. The captain was thinking perhaps it would not be such a bad idea to take a physician aboard, protect his investment. What had Artemas gotten him into?
    The captain's expressions changed as he thought this through. It was rather a slow process. Damon knew that Artemas was growing impatient. Before Artemas could say more, Damon turned to leave, hoping his friend would follow.
    The captain shouted after him, "You'll not see another vessel this way for months. If it's to Caesar's forces you are headed, it's my ship or none." He pointed to Damon. Til take you, if you wish."
    Damon yanked on the immobile Artemas. "It's both of us or none." They'd find some way to get to his father. He didn't like the looks of this captain or his rot-wormed ship.
    "I suppose I could use someone to keep the latrines empty."

    Damon was horrified. He pulled harder on Artemas. But Artemas broke into a grin.
    "We're headed for Caesar." Artemas pinned Damon's arms to his sides in a hug and quickly added, "And to your father, too!"
    "You can't be serious, Artemas."
    "I'd wade