The Slave's Gladiator (OH)

Chapter 15: The Truth

The waves crashed along the ship as Panormus became a growing dot along the horizon. Few citizens stirred as they pulled into the giant port. Only the fisherman and po workers were truly awake at the sun's horizon glow.

"Last time I was with Gamba, we had just arrived at Oyo's domus." Valeria turned to Rocca. "Do you know his brother, Oyo?"

"Yes, I do," Rocca replied. A true smile softened the captain's usually harsh features. "I met him through Gamba. Oyo hired me as one of his agents until I was able to make it out on my own."

Wait, so she was talking about Gamba? But from the way they acted, you wouldn't think they were close. "But there was tension between the two of them when I arrived with Gamba."

Rocca frowned. "I did hear that there may have been a disagreement between the two of them."

A disagreement?

"But Gamba never really talks about his brother with anyone."

Huh. Valeria leaned against the railing. A conflicting feeling of worry crept up her back. I wonder why. As they pulled into port, Rocca told her co-captain to stand alert, before they headed down the ship and into the heart of Panormus.

"There it is." Valeria pointed to the domus not far from Panormus' coastal side. "Oyo's place." Reaching up the steps, Valeria knocked against the wooden door which summoned a slave.

"What can I do for you?"

"Is Oyo here?" Valeria stepped forward. "We need to talk to him about Gamba."

"Gamba?" The slave sidestepped to reveal Oyo. His worried eyes flickered between the two of them. "Do you know where he is? Is he not with you?"

"No." Valeria shook her head. "No, he's not."

Oyo's eyebrow furrowed. "We left to look for you."

For me? Valeria's heart ached at his words. Guilt sat like a rock in her gut. "What happened after I left?"

"Well, he was obviously heartbroken, not that I blame you." Oyo sighed. "I told him to give you some time, and we'll start looking for you the next day. We split up, but he never came back." Oyo shook his head. "I thought he found you and just moved on."

"Just like that?" Valeria's frown. "Without a single goodbye?"

"It's not like he hasn't done it before."

Valeria's eyebrow furrowed even more. With each new thing she learned about Gamba's past, the more questions piled up inside her brain. Why would he just...disappear? That didn't sound like the Gamba she knew. From the way he talked about family, he was clear that he did care about them.

"Well, we think we know what happened to him." Rocca folded her arms. "He has a nice bounty on his head from our old boss."

"Of course," Oyo muttered. As he turned his back to them, Valeria and Rocca stepped in just as he continued. "I knew this mercenary life was going to be nothing but trouble." He looked toward Rocca. "You were a mercenary, any ideas?"

Rocca's lips twitched into a smug smile.

"I doubt anyone would be able to cart a very angry Gamba. They must have caught him by surprise, which means he's most likely unconscious somewhere." She rubbed her chin. "If I'm correct, then there may be a small mine Titianus funded not too far from here. It's in the countryside though, so it'll be a day or two of carting."

"And you think he's there?" Valeria asked.

"It's a possibility. They probably have him chained."

"That's better than no start at all," Oyo finished."I'll send some slaves to gather supplies and have the stablemasters set up a cart."