The Pompeiian Horse

14. OUTCOME

MAY

Today was Ehren's last day as part of The Zoo. Scando should be meeting with Janus at this very moment to transfer Ehren's contract. He would leave this place behind forever as soon as both men returned from the Forum.

Ehren had gone earlier to the baths to be at his best when Janus took him to Pompo's house. He had been a little hesitant at first. Janus had told him about Pompo's first reaction to his confession, but assured Ehren Pompo was on their side now. The Patrician only wanted was to see his cousin happy, no matter with whom. Janus was convinced Thalia had been a great part of Pompo's change of heart.

Before Ehren could get to say a final goodbye to the other men in the practice courtyard, a commotion stopped him. First a bloodcurdling scream— then the sound of people running. He turned around and followed the direction of subsequent screams. The Larges threw their weapons and ran behind him.

They found an utterly macabre scene: Lion in a pool of blood. His neck was in an unnatural position, almost facing backward, his eyes frozen in flabbergasted shock. He had been stabbed too many times to count in a single glance. A wooden sword was lodged deeply in his back at a disturbing angle; the weapon somehow familiar to Ehren.

Somebody bodily grabbed Elia, the first to find Lion, and carried her away; she still screamed, absolutely aghast. All others gaped at the body on the ground; none seemed to know what to do next.

Lamb sidled beside Ehren and held onto Ehren's arm silently. He patted the boy's shoulder. Ehren had honestly wanted to kill Lion a hundred times. Now, seeing his body broken like this was not just anticlimactic but sad; even if, as ex-gladiators, they were men accustomed to see dead, bloodied corpses.

"Should we move the body?" asked Rhino.

"It's best to leave it alone until the city guards arrive," Ox said.

"You're right." Tiger looked around the house slaves. "Who went to get the guards?"

The slaves gave furtive glances among them, but none uttered a word.

"All right. Khero, please go find Scando at the Forum," Ehren said. "Tunio, go get the guards."

Both slaves nodded and left them at a jog.

"The Larges will stay here until the guards or Scando appear. The rest, please go back to your chores. We don't want the master to have more than one apoplexy today," Ehren added.

"What about Elia?" one of the kitchen slaves asked. The woman was new, and Ehren had not learned her name yet.

Elephant answered that one, "Give her something to calm down, so she's feeling better by the time the guards come around to question her."

"We'll do that," said the woman and left, embracing two other girls.

Lion had not been liked; he was a supreme jerk most of the time, but the gruesome scene had affected everyone one way or another.

All the Smalls had joined the Larges, only Parrot was mysteriously absent.

"Where's the snitch?" Dormouse moved his head as if counting his peers.

"Yeah, where's the little birdie?" Ox's voice came out dark and low.

Squirrel put his hand over his mouth and shook his head. "Gods. You think he did this?"

"No," Ox said. "I'm just saying it's very suspicious that he's always in the thick of it, and now he's not around."

"He's too little to get away with this." Tiger did not look completely convinced of his own words. "Sure, whoever did this attacked him from behind, but still."