‘It’s a possibility.’
‘Damned Romans.’ Ario swore. ‘If they’d only listened when you told them...’
‘They’ll be listening now.’ Marius turned his gaze back towards the bed. ‘In any case, I need you to get four of your best men ready to ride to Coria.’
‘Four?’
‘Yes.’ He nodded emphatically. ‘I need them to take Livia back to her daughter. She’s staying with Nerva’s wife in the fort. If Hermenia has any sense, which she does, she’ll take the girl to Eboracum for safety. Livia needs to go with them. I can’t abandon my post, but she needs to leave the moment she wakes up.’
‘Do you think she’ll go?’ Ario lifted his eyebrows. ‘You told her not to go near the prisoner and she ignored you. You told her to stay in the villa and she ignored you. Something tells me she won’t leave just because you tell her to either.’
‘It’s for her own good.’
‘And if you think that telling her that will make any difference, then you don’t know women very well, my friend. They’re stubborn and she’s already put herself in the way of a dagger for you.’ He held his hands up as Marius glared savagely. ‘I’m just saying that she might take some convincing, that’s all, but I’ll tell my men to be ready.’
Marius glowered after Ario’s retreating back, assailed by a new set of worries. What if Ario was right and she wouldn’t leave simply because he asked her to? He didn’t doubt that she’d want to get back to Julia, but what if she decided it was her duty to stay and help? What if she wouldn’t listen to reason? There was little enough chance of survival for any of them in the fort. They would be a few hundred against a few thousand. In which case, he had to convince her. He had to make her leave, any way that he could...
‘Marius?’ Her voice was little more than a whisper, but he was on his feet in an instant, leaning over the bed and cradling her face in his hands.
‘Try not to move. You took a nasty blow to the head.’
‘You’re alive...and you’re smiling...’ She blinked a few times as if she thought she might be dreaming. ‘You never smile.’
‘I am now.’ Despite what he had to tell her, he couldn’t stop himself. The sound of her voice made his heart soar.
‘It suits you.’ Her own lips curved at last. ‘You should do it more often.’
‘Then I will.’ He was struck with a pang of regret, realising that he might not have time to do much of anything any more, ironically just when he’d found a reason to be happy. But at least he could still save her, which also meant that he had to hurry...
‘What happened?’ She tipped her head to one side as he smoothed his thumbs over her cheeks.
‘You saved my life, though I’m afraid you’re going to have a pretty big bruise to show for it.’
‘Then the attack’s over?’ Her expression turned hopeful. ‘Did we win?’
We? He felt a warm glow in his chest. Apparently she really had chosen sides...
‘For now, but this is only a respite.’
‘What do you mean?’ She tried to sit up, but he moved his hands to her shoulders, holding her down on the bed.
‘They’ll be back. The rebellion’s only just getting started.’
‘Julia!’ This time she succeeded in pushing past him, jolting to an upright position, her expression stricken with panic.
‘Don’t worry, she’s safe in Coria. There’s a thousand men based there, not to mention Hermenia. She’s worth a few hundred herself, although under the circumstances I’d expect her to take Julia south for safety.’
‘But she said that she’d never leave Nerva!’
‘Trust me, she’ll make an exception for your daughter. Hermenia’s loyal, but she’s sensible, too.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Ario’s getting some of his men ready to take you to Coria to join them.’
For a moment, he thought she hadn’t understood, her forehead creasing as she stared at him silently for a few moments.
‘Livia?’
‘You truly believe that Julia will be safe with Hermenia?’
‘I do, but...’