Call to Juno (Tales of Ancient Rome #3)(136)

Aemilius put his hand on Medullinus’s arm. “Your brother deserves the accolade. He delivered the traitoress to us.”

Camillus smiled. “How does it feel to see your niece in the Carcer, Aemilius?”

“Deeply satisfying. Especially when she’s executed tomorrow.”

The dictator glanced across to the baby. “And the princess? What do you want to do with her? Artile has no interest in keeping her as a slave. After all, she is your grandniece.”

Aemilius’s gaze hovered over the child’s sleeping form. “I don’t plan to raise a half-breed foe. And I want no reminder of the shame Caecilia brought on my House. The brat will be exposed on the Esquiline.”

Marcus was stunned. His father had never expressed such an intention before.

“No!” Pinna rushed to Camillus. “You said the royal children would not be harmed!”

Aemilius glowered at her. “How dare you speak?” He transferred his scowl to Camillus. “Isn’t it time you controlled your woman?”

Taking Pinna by the elbow, Camillus pushed her behind him. “Exposing the child seems extreme, Aemilius.”

“I’m the patriarch of my family. She’s my kin. And just a girl. It’s no one’s business but my own.”

Pinna made to speak again, but Camillus snapped, “Be quiet. Go back to your sewing.”

Marcus was not prepared to be silenced. “Father, please reconsider. The princess can be given to one of our servant girls to raise. Don’t kill her. She can be sold as a slave when she’s old enough if you don’t want her under your roof.”

Aemilius walked to the tent flap. “If I wanted your opinion, I’d ask for it.”

Marcus bridled but said no more, thinking how cruel it was the little girl’s fate should be left to his father and the priest. Again, he waited for Camillus to countermand Aemilius; instead the dictator nodded, announcing that Pinna would deliver the child to the senator’s house after the triumph.

Medullinus and Spurius rose. Also callous, they offered no opinion as to Aemilius’s edict. Artile followed, not even glancing at the doomed baby.

Stricken, Pinna rocked the cradle, murmuring to the child who’d woken.

Caius Genucius remained rooted to the spot. He was sweating profusely, drops glistening on the black mat of hair protruding from his tunic.

Marcus turned to go.

“Wait, Marcus Aemilius,” said Genucius. “I want you to hear this.”

Confused, the tribune glanced across to Camillus, who signaled him to stay.

Genucius crossed his arms and fixed his gaze on the general. “Are you really going to recommend the veterans pay a tenth part to the treasury?”

“I can’t see a way around it. The army took the cream; the civilians, the dregs. To satisfy Apollo, the tithe has to be genuine.”

The plebeian stepped closer. Marcus was surprised at his threatening stance.

“How long do you think you can manipulate me?”

Camillus tensed. “What do you mean?”

“Making me a knight but denying me a cavalry command at Nepete. I’ve always supported your patrician causes to the detriment of my class. But this is important to me. For the first time in Rome’s history, poor foot sloggers have seized their fair share. They should keep it. Let the city idlers surrender their lot.”

“So you’d rather anger Apollo?”

“No, I’d rather the knights pay more. I saw the wagon loads of booty your handpicked horsemen were able to claim.”

Camillus became heated. “Your hoardings from the conquest are far from meager.”

“You should be made accountable for this negligence!”

“And you know a dictator is immune from prosecution!”

Genucius rubbed perspiration from his face. He pointed at Pinna. “Then know this. All this time you’ve been bedding a whore. Your faithful tribune and your piece of cunni have been plotting behind your back. And once I spread the news, you, the great vir triumphalis, will become the laughing stock of Rome.”





SIXTY-THREE



Pinna, Rome, Summer, 396 BC

Pinna froze, heart hammering.

Confused, Camillus swung around to her. “What? What are you talking about?”

“Your concubine is a lupa. Her name is Lollia, daughter of Gnaeus Lollius. I’ve checked with the city magistrate. Her name is on the prostitutes’ roll.”

Pinna remained paralyzed, hating the hurt in her Wolf’s eyes.

He grabbed her and shook her. “Speak to me! Is this true?”

“Yes. But I didn’t lie about my father. I’m the daughter of a soldier.”

He released her, shying away as though she were a leper. He rounded on Genucius, still incredulous. “You tell me now? Why not last year when you first chanced upon her in my tent at Falerii? Didn’t you think to advise me I was plowing a field already seeded by a hundred other men?”

Genucius reddened. “She’s vicious. She keeps tally of men’s secrets.”

Pinna rubbed her arms where Camillus had grabbed her. There were so many layers to her coercion. Her threats had always been to ensure a man’s silence. Now such secrets were like chaff, choking her throat. What point was there in blurting them? Her Wolf was lost to her no matter what she said.