Cato felt sick at the prospect of being an outcast amongst his army comrades. He swallowed. 'I'd better make a clean breast of it, before any rumours start circulating. For the good of the cohort.'

'Shit, Cato, there's no need to play the heroic martyr just yet,' Macro responded irritably.'Just wait a while.You'll soon find out if he talked. Meanwhile it would be better for you if you didn't torment yourself over it.' Macro thought a moment and pointed a finger at Cato. 'Is that what this is about?'

'What?'

'You volunteering to get this message through to the king.'

'No. It has nothing to do with that.'

Macro stared at him for an instant and then shrugged. 'If you say so. Just don't go and get yourself killed out of some perverse sense of righting a wrong. I know you, Cato.'

'Don't worry. I have no intention of throwing my life away.'

'All right, then.' Macro was not wholly convinced. 'Just be careful, eh?'

Cato was watching two figures climbing the slope towards them: Balthus and Carpex. The two Romans clambered to their feet and bowed their heads in greeting.

'It's time,' Balthus announced to Cato. 'You must follow my man and do exactly as he says. There is a way into the citadel, but you must trust him, and obey. Do not speak, even in Greek, for your accent will betray you. And don't forget the signal.We will not enter the city if we do not see it.'

'I understand.'

'Well then, much as it pains me to say it, Roman, I wish you good luck.'

'Thank you.' Cato turned to Macro. 'I'll see you in the citadel later on, sir.'

'Of course you will.' Macro smiled and slapped him on the shoulder. 'As the prince says, good luck.'

'Thank you, sir,' Cato said solemnly and then turned to follow Carpex up towards the ridge.

08 Centurion

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

They crossed the ridge and descended the far side, keeping behind the line of the rocky spur that jutted out into the plain towards Palmyra. The sun set behind the ridge and they walked in silence as the shadows thickened about them in the gathering dusk. Cato followed Carpex closely, keeping a wary eye on the ground ahead of them, looking for any signs of human habitation or enemy patrols. But the landscape this side of the city was mainly barren and deserted and only a handful of the creatures of the desert were abroad. A jackal, startled by the two men, scrambled away into some low brush with a shrill yipping noise. Overhead a vulture spiralled lazily in the sky and Cato could not help thinking that both animals would quickly grow fat on the flesh of dead men in the days to come.

As the last glimmer of light faded in the sky they reached the end of the spur and paused as they caught sight of the twinkling lamps strung along the wall of the city and burning faintly in the windows and on the flat roofs of the buildings beyond. A number of fires burned outside the gates where travellers and merchants camped for the night, continuing about their business despite the power struggle taking place within Palmyra.The bulk of the citadel loomed over the eastern side of the city and Cato touched his companion on the shoulder.

'Which way now?'

Carpex pointed out a shallow depression that snaked from the hills and across the plain towards the city. In the few days each year that rain fell this was one of the streams that fed off the hills and into the oasis. But now it was quite dry and provided ample cover for their approach.

'Stay behind me, master. If we encounter anyone, not a word, eh?'

'I know. Let's go.'

They trotted towards the lip of the narrow water channel and slid down on to the bed. The ground was smooth and hard and they made barely a sound as they padded quickly along, following the course of the channel. Once Cato thought he heard voices, and stopped Carpex until he was sure there was nothing, and then they cautiously continued forward again. After they had gone perhaps three miles, as Cato calculated it, the narrowing course of the dried-up bed of the stream petered out and they emerged on to the plain no more than half a mile from the city. Just ahead, a grove of palms marked the spot where the flow of water ended its journey from the hills and Carpex beckoned to Cato to follow him to the tall, thin trunks curving up towards the spiky fronds above. There was a faint evening breeze which ruffled the long leaves so that they rustled as the two men crept into the shadows beneath and cautiously made their way through the husked trunks to the far side of the grove.

Carpex suddenly crouched down and bade Cato to do the same. As Cato shuffled to his side Carpex turned to him with a fierce glare and touched a finger to his lips. No more than thirty paces away, where the palm trees were more stunted and dispersed, the unmistakable silhouettes of several camels knelt on the ground. A short distance beyond there was a dark huddle of men sitting under the stars speaking Aramaic in muted voices.

'Rebels?' Cato whispered.

Carpex shook his head.'Merchants.' He tilted his head to one side for a moment to listen before he continued, 'They're complaining about the way the uprising is interfering with their trade.'

Cato grunted lightly. 'I wish I had their problems. What do we do? We have to get round them.'

'Yes. This way.' Carpex lowered himself to the ground and crept along the fringe of the trees on all fours, careful not to disturb the dried fronds that had fallen from the palms. He paused and glanced back at Cato, whispering, 'Go carefully, Roman.There may be scorpions, or snakes hunting in the darkness.'

'Snakes?'

'Yes, vipers. Now come!'

Cato followed him, trying not to flinch at the thought of any lethal reptiles or insects that might lie in his path. He cast wary glances towards the camels and the men slightly further off. Once he froze as a camel turned to him, jaws working casually, and grunted. It soon lost interest, and turned back and chewed contentedly. As soon as they were a safe distance from the traders they stood up again and continued towards the city.To their left was the track leading east towards Parthia and Carpex angled towards it. Cato grasped his arm.

'Why this route? We're bound to be seen.'

'Of course. This way we could be anybody travelling to Palmyra. If we're seen coming from the hills to the north, we might cause suspicion. Trust me, master.'

Cato took a deep breath and nodded.'Looks like I'll have to.'

'Yes. Now please – no more talking.'

As soon as they reached the track they followed it towards the city. A short distance along it they passed a caravan heading in the opposite direction, making the most of the comfort of the cool night air to begin its journey. Carpex exchanged a few comments with some of the drivers as they passed by and once the tail of the caravan was behind them he turned to Cato.

'It seems that the merchants are sending their most valuable stock out of the city. Many of the wealthiest families have already left. They're fearful that there will be a big battle, master. Perhaps they have already heard that your governor Longinus is coming with his legions?'

Cato nodded. If it came to battle, or a siege, then it would be the people of Palmyra who suffered most. He could understand their desire to get away until the fighting was over. As ever the poor, who had no other home, nor the means to support themselves, were condemned to remain behind and weather the bloody tempest that was about to break over their city.

As they approached the eastern gate, Cato could see that there was still a handful of people sitting or sleeping on the ground either side of the route. Even with the revolt, some of the locals still dared to go in and out of the city, tending to their smallholdings or making sure their goats remained safe.The gate itself was open, but heavily guarded by armed men who prevented access during the hours of the night. By the light of the torches burning in brackets above the gate, and the braziers on either side, Cato could see that they wore scale armour over loose robes and baggy leggings. Each wore a conical helmet and was equipped with a round shield and a spear. They barred the way into the city.