The Pompeiian Horse

11. LIGHT

MAY

"Master Scando gives you his biggest apologies," the messenger said, returning the pouch of silver coins Janus had sent to contract Ehren's time. "Horse is not available for the next ten days."

"Why?" Janus asked, accepting the bag. After much debate, he had decided to say goodbye to Ehren face to face. He was not a coward, and even if they should not be anything to the other, he knew disappearing without an explanation would devastate the blond man.

"I'm not authorized to give you details."

"Too many customers?"

The messenger shook his head- like someone fighting the urge to vomit.

Janus opened the pouch and pried the slave's hand loose to put a silver coin in it. "Tell me what happened."

With eyes like plates, the slim old man looked from the coin in his hand to Janus's face several times. Janus could see the dilemma in the man's eyes. Scando had very loyal slaves or punished them truly harshly. Finally, the messenger sighed as if his greed had won the battle. "Horse had a fight with another whore. He got the worst part, and his handsome face is all messed up. Scando doesn't want customers to see him like that."

Janus felt like he had been thrown from Nebulus. The world was upside-down for an instant that became longer and more hurtful with each passing heartbeat. Ehren was injured. "Who did it?" Janus growled, startling the messenger, who shook his head, visibly frightened now that Janus was shaking him. "Tell. Me. Who. Hurt. Eh- Horse!"

"Lion! Lion did it, Centurion!"

Releasing the slave as if he were a glowing ember, Janus closed his fists. He had no logical claim on Ehren, could not be anything but a customer to Ehren. Nevertheless, something inside him was enraged and murderous, hungry for a vengeance that should not be his. He took a deep breath; he would face these conflicting things inside his chest as a soldier because he had not been anything else for a long time. Ehren was a wounded comrade; Janus needed to be by his side to give him comfort and support, but also to appraise the enemy. He pushed the coins' pouch into the messenger's hands. "Tell your master I'm coming to see Horse tomorrow morning, and I won't take no for an answer."

The slave looked at the coin Janus had given him and then at the pouch. Janus understood; Scando would think the slave stole the coin since the fee was incomplete.

Janus chuckled. "I took it out of the pouch, old man," with both of his, he closed the messenger's hand holding the silver coin, "because the whore is damaged goods."

With a solemn nod, the messenger said, "Thank you, Centurion. I will pass your message to my master." He bowed and left the atrium.

Janus followed the slave's departure, and his eyes met Thalia's as she came toward him from an inner corridor. She had her veil over most of her face, and only gave him a wordless nod when she passed him by. Nevertheless, the twinkle in her eyes told Janus she approved of his actions. He chuckled as his cousin-in-law turned around, in a swirl of silky fabrics, to face him.

"I'm going to the theater later. Care to join me?" Thalia asked.

"What's the play about?"

"It's a Greek comedy. Obviously not new since they're all old, but it's the first time presenting in Pompeii." Thalia grabbed Janus's arm and pulled him to walk with her. "Come on, cousin. You've been all sulky for days. You need a distraction."

Thalia knew why Janus had been with a dark cloud over his head for days, but she was polite enough not to comment on it. Besides, she was right; he needed a distraction or he was liable to start breaking things by the end of the day. He should have gone straight to The Zoo to see Ehren today.