Page 65 of Ensnaring the Dove
Colombia’s pulse trebled.Jupiter, what are they doing?
She caught sight of a familiar figure then. Her father stood on the steps to the principia, his cloak wine-red in the lamplight. He didn’t wear his helmet or lorica this eve—and his expression was thunderous.
A handful of high-ranking officers, Linus among them, spanned out behind him.
With a jolt, Colombia realized they were blocking the way into the building.
Naked blades glinted in the crowd below, and Colombia’s chest constricted. Many of the soldiers had drawn their pugiones, their fighting daggers—yet her father had yet to draw his own.
“Hades take them,” she whispered. “They’re mutinying.”
Aedan grunted his agreement, and as they stepped under the portico, which ran around the edge of the principia, they both slowed their pace.
“Sheath your blades, and go back to your beds.” Her father’s voice, hard and angry, rang across the courtyard. “You’re wasting your time here.”
“Give us our wages!” came a rough, answering shout. “You’re holding onto them for yourselves, you greedy bastards.”
“There’s nothing to give,” the commander countered. “Our strongroom has nothing … only enough coin to buy essential supplies for your rations left.”
“We don’t believe you,” another soldier called out.
Shouts of “liar” echoed against stone.
“Show us then!”
Severus drew his pugio, his brows knitting together. “You demand nothing from me,” he rasped. “None of you are setting foot inside this building.”
“Just try to stop us,” someone else shouted.
“We’ll get coin out of you, one way or another,” a legionary added, taking a threatening step forward and brandishing his pugio.
“Stand down,caenum!” Severus roared at him.
Colombia’s blood started to thunder in her ears. The Gods save them, things were about to get ugly. Her father and his officers weren’t giving an inch. The aggression that shivered through the air scared her, yet she couldn’t just stand here and watch.
She had to do something.
Leaving Aedan’s side, she crept around the edge of the portico, moving toward the narrow gap between the mob and her father.
“Return to the barracks,” Linus shouted, his voice cracking with outrage. “And we’ll deal with you in the morning.”
That was the wrong thing to say, for a collective growl went up amongst the crowd. They all knew what ‘deal with you’ meant.
Colombia’s father had told her what happened to soldiers who rebelled. They’d be turned over to those who hadn’t taken part in this mutiny—to be beaten to death with clubs and stones.
“Colombia!” Aedan caught hold of her arm as she crept forward farther still. “What are you doing?”
She glanced over her shoulder, her gaze meeting his for an instant. “What needs to be done … stay here!” And with that, she twisted free of his grip and darted forward into the gap.
She heard Aedan curse behind her and hoped he would indeed heed her. Having a Briton in their midst wouldn’t calm the men’s tempers—but maybeshecould.
Skidding to a halt between the bottom step and the crowd of angry men, her heart quailed.
Up close, they looked incensed, maddened—faces taut, eyes glinting. They appeared capable of murder.
“Colombia!” Her father boomed. “Get back!”
Ignoring him, Colombia drew herself up, letting the gazes of the soldiers settle upon her.