Read The Last Disciple for Free Online Page B

likely to inspire enemies than friends.
    By then, Titus had reached Vitas’s side. He, too, watched Maglorius with a wary eye.
    “I don’t understand you,” Titus said to Vitas. “When we were younger, you would happily have begun a brawl. Now you exhibit nothing but patience and maturity. Let’s have some fun. We’ll fight this man, then talk.”
    “Forgive my friend, Maglorius,” Vitas said. “After our time together in the legions he believes he is invincible.”
    “You bear a striking resemblance to Damian,” Maglorius said quietly. “Are you the brother he has mentioned? Vitas? All the way from Rome?”
    “I am. And this is Titus Flavius Vespasianus.”
    “Son of Vespasian? Who commanded a legion in Gaul?”
    That should have been the second warning for Vitas. Maglorius asked about Vespasian’s time in Gaul and avoided the much more obvious connection: Britannia, where nearly twenty years earlier, Vespasian had famously fought thirty battles, subjugated two tribes, and captured twenty towns.
    “Yes, Vespasian is my father,” Titus said proudly.
    Maglorius reexamined Titus. And smiled slightly. Dangerously.
    That should have been another warning for Vitas. He was too anxious to find Damian. Too anxious to prevent his younger brother from dying in his first fight as a gladiator. Vitas knew Maglorius was right in his judgment about Damian’s poor fighting skills.
    “I will lead you to Damian,” Maglorius said. “You two appear able to take care of yourselves, but the streets of a harbor town like this are no place for strangers at night.” He gave them a slight smile. “Trust me. It’s too dangerous.”
    Vitas shrugged.
    “But first,” Maglorius said, “let us have a few drinks. I have no intention of going anywhere with a parched throat.”

    As the woman continued to trim his hair and the boy continued to apply makeup, Helius listened to the slave with his eyes closed, as if the old slave were a harpist performing a beautiful melody. Yes, that was the picture Helius wanted to present to these three. Total serenity.
    “‘Here is a copy of something from the archives,’” the slave began, reading slowly from the scroll. “‘If the emperor Tiberius found this important enough to bring it to Senate vote, then you should be aware of it and end the tribulation you have brought upon the innocent.’”
    “That was the portion addressed to Nero?” Helius asked, eyes still closed, speaking as if the scroll were devoid of any significance, as if the cursed Greek graffiti on the back of it were a mere curiosity.
    “Yes,” the slave said, almost absently. It was obvious by his concentration on the scroll that he was reading ahead with considerable interest.
    “And what comes next is from the archives?” Helius asked. “A matter brought before the Senate by Tiberius.”
    “It would appear so,” the slave answered.
    “Continue,” Helius said with a wave. “All of you.”
    The slave read the rest of it to the audience of Helius and the boy slave and the woman slave. Helius was focused on the contents of the letter and unaware that both the boy and the woman had stopped their attentions to him, so absorbed were they by what they heard. It wasn’t until the slave began to roll up the scroll that Helius opened his eyes and noticed they had listened so intently.
    “Fine, then,” Helius said. He was proud of his ability to remain calm. On the inside, he was shaking. If Nero heard of this—
    No, he commanded himself sharply. Do not think of consequences. Think of what must be done next.
    “No one else knows of this scroll except Tigellinus?” Helius asked.
    “I was with him the entire time,” the slave answered. “From the moment the young Jew was arrested to our arrival at the palace. Until I read this to you, Tigellinus was the only one to open the scroll.”
    Helius stood and addressed all three slaves. “Wait here until I return.” He noticed the puzzled looks on their faces. His