The Emperor's Exile (Eagles of the Empire 19) Read online

  Copyright © 2020 Simon Scarrow

  The right of Simon Scarrow to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.

  First published in Great Britain in 2020

  by HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP

  First published as an Ebook in 2020

  by HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP

  All characters – other than the obvious historical figures – in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library

  Ebook conversion by Avon DataSet Ltd, Arden Court, Alcester, Warwickshire

  eISBN: 978 1 4722 5842 7

  Cover design by Patrick Insole

  Map by Tim Peters

  HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP

  An Hachette UK Company

  Carmelite House

  50 Victoria Embankment

  London EC4Y 0DZ

  www.headline.co.uk

  www.hachette.co.uk

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About the Author

  Also by Simon Scarrow

  Praise

  About the Book

  Dedication

  Map – Roman Province of Sardinia AD 57

  Cast List

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Discover more thrilling novels from Simon Scarrow

  About the Author

  Simon Scarrow has been passionate about writing since an early age. After a childhood spent travelling the world, he pursued his great love of history as a teacher before becoming a full-time writer. His Roman soldier heroes Cato and Macro first appeared in 2000 in UNDER THE EAGLE, and have subsequently fought their way through many bestselling novels, including TRAITORS OF ROME, THE BLOOD OF ROME, and DAY OF THE CAESARS.

  Simon Scarrow is also the author of the novels YOUNG BLOODS, THE GENERALS, FIRE AND SWORD and THE FIELDS OF DEATH, chronicling the lives of the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte, and of SWORD & SCIMITAR, the epic tale of the 1565 Siege of Malta, as well as HEARTS OF STONE, set in Greece during the Second World War. He is the co-author with T. J. Andrews of Roman era bestsellers PIRATA, INVADER and ARENA, and the co-author with Lee Francis of the contemporary thriller PLAYING WITH DEATH.

  To find out more about Simon Scarrow and his novels, visit www.simonscarrow.co.uk and www.catoandmacro.com .

  @SimonScarrow

  /OfficialSimonScarrow

  By Simon Scarrow

  Blackout

  The Eagles of the Empire Series

  The Britannia Campaign

  Under the Eagle (AD 42–43, Britannia)

  The Eagle’s Conquest (AD 43, Britannia)

  When the Eagle Hunts (AD 44, Britannia)

  The Eagle and the Wolves (AD 44, Britannia)

  The Eagle’s Prey (AD 44, Britannia)

  Rome and the Eastern Provinces

  The Eagle’s Prophecy (AD 45, Rome)

  The Eagle in the Sand (AD 46, Judaea)

  Centurion (AD 46, Syria)

  The Mediterranean

  The Gladiator (AD 48–49, Crete)

  The Legion (AD 49, Egypt)

  Praetorian (AD 51, Rome)

  The Return to Britannia

  The Blood Crows (AD 51, Britannia)

  Brothers in Blood (AD 51, Britannia)

  Britannia (AD 52, Britannia)

  Hispania

  Invictus (AD 54, Hispania)

  The Return to Rome

  Day of the Caesars (AD 54, Rome)

  The Eastern Campaign

  The Blood of Rome (AD 55, Armenia)

  Traitors of Rome (AD 56, Syria)

  The Emperor’s Exile (AD 57, Sardinia)

  The Wellington and Napoleon Quartet

  Young Bloods

  The Generals

  Fire and Sword

  The Fields of Death

  Sword and Scimitar

  (Great Siege of Malta)

  Hearts of Stone

  (Second World War)

  The Gladiator Series

  Gladiator: Fight for Freedom

  Gladiator: Street Fighter

  Gladiator: Son of Spartacus

  Gladiator: Vengeance

  Writing with T. J. Andrews

  Arena (AD 41, Rome)

  Invader (AD 44, Britannia)

  Pirata (AD 25, Adriatic)

  Writing with Lee Francis

  Playing With Death

  Praise for the Eagles of the Empire novels

  ‘Blood, gore, political intrigue . . . A historical fiction thriller that’ll have you reaching for your gladius’ Daily Sport

  ‘Gripping . . . Ferocious and compelling, it is a story of blood, romance and sacrifice’ Daily Express

  ‘Brilliantly told adventures . . . Roman soldiering at its very best – even by Scarrow’s high standards’ Sunday Sport

  ‘A new book in Simon Scarrow’s series about the Roman army is always a joy’ The Times

  ‘I really don’t need this kind of competition . . . It’s a great read’ Bernard Cornwell

  ‘Scarrow’s [novels] rank with the best’ Independent

  ‘A fast-moving and exceptionally well-paced historical thriller’ BBC History Magazine

  ‘Rollicking good fun’ Mail on Sunday

  ‘[Simon Scarrow] blends together the historical facts and characters to create a book that simply cannot be put down . . . Highly recommended’ Historical Novels Review

  About the Book

  Summer, AD 57. Battle-scarred veterans of the Roman army Tribune Cato and Centurion Macro return to Rome. Thanks to the failure of their recent campaign on the eastern frontier they face a hostile reception at the imperial court. Their reputations and future are at stake.

  When Emperor Nero’s infatuation with his mistress is exploited by political enemies, he reluctantly banishes her into exile. Cato, isolated and unwelcome in Roma, is forced to escort her to Sardinia.

  Arriving on the restless, simmering island with a small cadre of officers, Cato faces peril on three fronts: a fractured command, a deadly plague spreading across the province . . . and a violent ins
urgency threatening to tip the province into blood-stained chaos.

  To my son, Nick, in the year of his 21st birthday and graduation.

  Congratulations, respect and love.

  Cast List

  Praetorians

  Prefect Quintus Licinius Cato : a young officer, much put upon

  Centurion Lucius Cornelius Macro : a veteran coming up to retirement

  Centurions : Ignatius, Plancinus, Porcino, Metellus, officers of the Second Cohort of the Praetorian Guard, all good men and true

  Optios : Pelius, Cornelius, of the Second Cohort, bound for promotion (and a troubled province)

  Cato’s Household

  Apollonius : an intelligence operative, and intelligent with it

  Petronella : wife of Macro, looking forward to his eventual retirement

  Lucius : son of Cato, looking forward to growing up and becoming Macro

  Croton : major-domo of Cato’s household

  Pollenus : a slave, formerly owned by Senator Seneca and therefore viewed with justifiable suspicion

  Cassius : a ferocious-looking mongrel with a heart of gold

  Imperial Palace

  Emperor Nero : vain playboy ruler of the Roman world

  Senator Seneca : Nero’s patient mentor

  Prefect Burrus : Nero’s impatient adviser

  Province of Sardinia

  Governor Borus Pomponius Scurra : an indolent aristocrat promoted far beyond his meagre abilities

  Decianus Catus : adviser to Scurra; a man who knows how to pull strings

  Decurion Locullus : a soldier on Scurra’s staff

  Claudia Acte : Nero’s exiled mistress, and none too pleased about it

  Centurion Massimilianus : senior centurion of the Sixth Gallic cohort

  Optio Micus : a courageous young officer of the Sixth Gallic cohort

  Pinotus : magistrate of the town of Augustis

  Lupis : a former hunter turned auxiliary soldier

  Calgarno : a young brigand who has bitten off more than he can chew

  Barcano : a mule-team owner who values his business above his life

  Vespillo : a mule driver who values his life above his employer’s business

  Benicus : a brigand leader, who values other people’s property above his ethics

  Milopus : a shepherd who knows more than is good for him

  Others

  Olearius Rhianarius Probitas : owner of a no-frills shipping company

  Prefects : Vestinus, Bastillus and Tadius, cohort commanders of the Sardinian garrison

  Chapter One

  Rome, summer AD 57

  There was a fine view of the city from the garden of the Pride of Latium. The inn was atop a small rise just off the Via Ostiensis, the road that led from the port of Ostia to Rome, some fifteen miles away. A light breeze rustled through the boughs of a tall poplar tree growing a short distance from the inn. The tables and benches in the garden were sheltered from the stifling glare of the mid-afternoon sun by an arrangement of trellises over which vines had been trained. The Pride of Latium was well positioned to take advantage of the passing trade. There were merchants and cart drivers travelling along the route that carried goods to the capital from across the breadth of the Empire, officials and tourists coming and going from the recently completed port complex at Ostia. There were travellers leaving Rome to voyage across the ocean, or, in the case of the small group seated at the table with the best view of Rome, returning to the capital after a period of service on the eastern frontier.

  There were five of them: two men, a woman, a young boy and a large, wild-looking dog. They were being watched closely by the owner of the inn as he wiped ants off his counter with an old rag. He was shrewd enough to recognise soldiers when he saw them, in or out of uniform. Even though the men were dressed in light linen tunics rather than the heavy wool of the legions, they carried themselves with the assurance of veterans, and they bore the scars of men who had seen plenty of action. The oldest of the party was shorter than average but powerfully built. His cropped dark hair was streaked with grey and his heavy features were lined and scarred. But there were creases about his eyes and each side of his mouth and a ready smile that indicated good humour, as well as the marks of hard-won experience. He had fifty years under his belt, the innkeeper estimated, and must surely have reached the end of his career. The other man, sitting beside the boy, was also dark-haired but well over a decade younger, perhaps aged thirty or so. It was hard to be certain as there was a thoughtfulness to his expression and a controlled grace to his movements that revealed a maturity beyond his years. He was as tall as his comrade was short and as slender as the older man was bulky and muscular.

  They were as mismatched a pair as any two men the innkeeper had seen, but they were clearly tough cases, and he was grateful they were only on their first jar of wine and sober. He hoped they would remain that way. Soldiers in their cups could be cheery and maudlin one moment, and angry and violent the next, on the merest of presumed slights. Fortunately, the woman and the boy were likely to be a moderating influence. She was sitting next to the older man and shifted closer to him as he wrapped a hairy arm around her. Her long dark hair was tied back in a simple ponytail and revealed a wide face with dark eyes and sensuous lips. She had a full figure and an easy manner and matched the men in drinking the wine cup for cup. The boy was five or so, with dark curly hair, and had the same thin features as the younger man, whom the innkeeper assumed was his father. There was a sly mischief about the child’s expression, and as the adults talked, he reached a small hand towards the woman’s cup until she swatted it gently away without even looking, as women will when they have developed the uncanny sixth sense that comes with raising children.

  The innkeeper smiled as he tossed the rag into a bucket of murky water and made his way over to their table, keeping his distance from the dog.

  ‘Will you be having anything to eat, my friends?’

  They glanced up at him and the older man replied. ‘What do you have?’

  ‘There’s a beef stew. Pork cuts – hot or cold. There’s roasted chicken, goat’s cheese, fresh-baked bread and seasonal fruit. Take your pick and I’ll have my girl prepare you the best roadside meal you’ll ever eat on the Ostian Way.’

  ‘The best food over a whole fifteen miles?’ The older man chuckled and continued in a wry tone. ‘Wouldn’t be much of a challenge to put that to the test.’

  ‘Leave off, Macro,’ the younger man intervened as he turned to address the innkeeper. ‘We need a quick meal. We’ll take the cold cuts of pork and chicken with a basket of bread. Do you have olive oil and garum?’

  ‘Yes, for a bit extra.’

  ‘Don’t like garum,’ the boy muttered. ‘Horrible stuff.’

  The older man smiled at him. ‘You don’t have to eat it, Lucius. I’ll have your ration, lad.’

  ‘What’s the price?’

  The innkeeper did a quick mental calculation based on the cost of the raw ingredients, but mostly based on the quality of the men’s clothing and the likelihood of them carrying their savings from their previous posting. In his experience, such men returning home tended to be willing to spend over the odds without creating a fuss. He scratched the side of his head and cleared his throat. ‘I can do you some good scoff for three sestertii a head. Garum, oil and another jar of wine included.’

  ‘Three sestertii!’ the woman gasped in derision. ‘Three? You are joking, mate. If we paid five for the lot we’d still be paying over the odds.’

  ‘Now look here . . .’ The innkeeper arranged his features into an indignant expression and took a half-step back. But she cut him off before he could go any further, thrusting a finger at him and looking down its length as if she was taking aim with an arrow.

  ‘No! You look here, you gouging weasel. I’ve bought food in the markets of Rome since I could walk. I’ve also been to country markets and those in the streets of Tarsus the last two years. Nowhere have I seen anyone try it on
like you are doing right now.’

  ‘But . . . but prices have increased since you were away,’ he blustered. ‘There’s been a famine in Sardinia, and a plague, and it’s driving up costs.’

  ‘Pull the other one,’ she shot back.

  The younger man could not help laughing. He took her hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze. ‘Easy there, Petronella. You’re scaring the man. This is my treat.’ He looked at the innkeeper. ‘Let’s split the difference, for the sake of peace and amity, eh?’

  ‘Ten, then,’ the innkeeper replied swiftly. ‘Can’t do it for any less.’

  ‘Ten?’ The man sighed. ‘Let’s call it eight, or I’ll set Petronella loose on you again.’

  The innkeeper glanced at her warily and sucked in a breath between his stained teeth before he nodded. ‘Eight, then. But no wine.’

  ‘With wine,’ the other man insisted firmly, all trace of humour gone from his voice as he stared hard with dark eyes.

  The innkeeper puffed out his cheeks, then turned and scurried back to the door behind the counter that led to the kitchen, shouting instructions at his serving girl.

  ‘That’s my lass,’ said Macro. ‘Fierce as a lioness. I have the scratches to prove it.’

  ‘You shouldn’t have paid eight, Master Cato.’ Petronella frowned. ‘It’s too much.’

  Cato shook his head, mildly amused that she still deferred to him as her master on occasion. He had freed her over a year ago, after Macro’s affection for her had been made clear. And now they were married and the veteran centurion was determined to apply for his discharge so that the two of them could settle into peaceful retirement. In truth, peace might be a little bit more difficult to achieve than Macro assumed, since they were shortly bound for Britannia, where he was to take up his half of the business owned by himself and his mother. Cato knew her well enough to be sure she would match Petronella’s fierce personality claw for claw. If he was any judge of either woman’s character, then Macro was going to have his hands full. The centurion would soon be wishing he was back serving with the legions facing somewhat less fearsome conflict. Still, that was his choice and there was nothing Cato could, or would, do about it now that his friend had made his decision. He would miss having Macro around – would miss him greatly – but he must find his own way ahead. Perhaps their paths would cross again in the future if Cato was assigned to the army in Britannia.