The Eagles Prophecy

'No…'

She nodded. 'He made me pregnant and ran away. So I had to marry that oaf you called a father. But years later Minucius came back for me. By then you were old enough to look after yourself. Besides, the situation was complicated enough already.' Portia continued wearily. 'I told him I'd miscarried the baby. He never knew about you.'

They stared at each other for a moment. Macro shook his head. It wasn't true. Couldn't be. But deep inside, he knew it was. There was no reason for her to lie to him, and a flood of memories and half-understood comments flooded into his mind. He looked up and met her gaze again. She nodded slowly and stood, gently closed her thin arms around his head and held him close. Macro was too dazed to react, and simply closed his eyes tightly and clenched his fists.

'Oh, my baby… my boy,' Portia said softly. 'What have you done to us?'

06 The Eagles Prophecy

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

'A fine job all round!' Narcissus smiled happily. 'Couldn't have asked for a better outcome. We've got the scrolls, the pirates have been defeated and the Liberators have gone away empty-handed. Shame that Rufius Pollo and that man Anobarbus have gone to ground. But I'm sure they'll be rooted out and dealt with before long… Oh! My apologies, do please take a seat. I'll send for some refreshments. I assume, after your rather wearisome journey from Rave

Opposite the Imperial Secretary stood three dishevelled individuals. Spattered with mud and sporting several days' growth of beard, they eyed him blearily. Vespasian was the first to respond.

'Yes. That would be nice. Thanks.'

While Narcissus called for a servant and gave the orders, his guests slumped down into the seats arranged in front of the Imperial Secretary's desk. Cato, mindful of his rank, waited until Vespasian and Vitellius were seated before he joined them. As soon as Cato was in place Narcissus leaned across his desk with an excited expression.

'So then, to business. The scrolls – let's see them.'

Vespasian took the small knapsack from his side and undid the strap. Then he flipped the cover back and reached inside. He brought the scrolls out, one at a time, and placed them on top of the desk, then pushed them towards Narcissus. The Imperial Secretary gazed at them in unabashed awe. Then he glanced up at Cato. 'I assume you've worked out what these are?'

'Yes, sir.'

Vespasian stirred for a moment. 'I thought… Never mind.'

Narcissus had returned his gaze to the scrolls and had not noticed the prefect's brief look of surprise.

'The Sybilline prophecies,' Narcissus said quietly. 'I can hardly believe they exist, and yet here they are. It doesn't seem possible.'

'It nearly wasn't.' Vespasian scratched his chin. 'You have no idea how much blood has been shed to retrieve those scrolls.'

'Yes, I'm sure I'll read all about it in your reports.' Narcissus flashed a smile at him. 'You won't find me, or the Emperor, ungrateful for your efforts, I promise.'

'That's so reassuring.'

The comment was lost on Narcissus, whose eyes had been drawn back to the scrolls. It seemed to Cato that Narcissus hardly dared to touch them. It was quite understandable, the young centurion reflected. The scrolls had been pe

And yet there was something else in Narcissus' expression, something that troubled Cato. It was like avarice, or ambition or both. It was clear that Narcissus recognised the power that the scrolls conferred. And there was also fear, clearly visible in the hand that stretched out, and stopped just before the tips of the fingers touched the aged leather of the scroll cases.

If there was any prophetic value in the scrolls then knowledge of events to come was a double-edged gift and Cato wondered if – had he been in Narcissus' position – his thirst to know would have won out over his fear of knowing too much; of knowing what fate had in store for the Empire. After all, what would it profit a man to be forewarned of some great calamity to befall the state, or some tragedy more immediate and personal, if he could do nothing to cheat such a destiny? Sometimes ignorance could be a blessing, thought Cato with a wry smile.

He glanced at Vespasian and Vitellius and wondered if they shared his trepidation about the contents of the scrolls. Vespasian perhaps. But it was hard to imagine that the ruthless desire for self-advancement that burned in Vitellius' heart would be able to resist the lure of the scrolls.

Vitellius sniffed. 'Go ahead,' he told the Imperial Secretary. 'They won't bite you.'

Narcissus looked at the tribune searchingly, then leaned forward and drew the scrolls back across the desk towards him.'I'll have a look at them later, when I can give them the time they deserve.'

'Oh, I'm sure they'll make for interesting reading,' Vitellius smiled. 'Assuming the prophecies don't share our soothsayers' predilection for ambiguity and wild speculation. If you need any help…'

'I'll manage, thank you, Vitellius.'

Glancing at Vitellius Cato could not help feeling that it was just as well that Vespasian had taken charge of the operation to retrieve the scrolls, and had taken them into his protection the moment the scrolls had fallen back into Roman hands.

The scrolls, in their knapsack, had not left Vespasian's side for the entire journey from Rave

'Once you have read them, what then?' asked Vespasian.

'What then?' Narcissus frowned. 'What do you mean?'

'What will happen to the scrolls? I assume you'll have them placed with the others in the temple of Jupiter.'

Narcissus laughed. 'I shall do no such thing!'

Vespasian stared at him for an instant.'I don't understand. I thought that was the whole point – to reunite the scrolls.'

'Why should I want to do that?'

'So that they can be consulted.'

'Consulted by who?'

Vespasian laughed. 'By the Emperor. By his priests. By the senate.'

Narcissus nodded.'Precisely. You make my point for me.'

'I'm sorry. I don't get it.'

The Imperial Secretary sat back in his chair with a smile. 'If people are given access to the scrolls then they might just use them for their own political ends.'

'As if!' Vitellius gri

Vespasian rounded on him irritably.'Not all of us are like you.'

'No. But enough of us are. You have spent too much time away from Rome, Vespasian. There are any number of senators out there who harbour ambitions for high office.' His eyes twinkled with malice. 'And even if they don't, you can be sure their wives do…'