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asked. “And what do you mean, that you shall train the men? You do not go alone, forgetting us!”
    â€œYour command of the language is surely increasing.” Gracus grinned at her. “Most especially if you now can argue in Latin instead of your mother tongue.”
    The three cats sat up abruptly from dozing in their basket. A chilly breeze that morning had sent them indoors instead of outside under the trees as usual.
    â€œWhat is he talking about?” Kezia whispered.
    â€œShhh!” Ira hissed. “I want to hear our new orders!”
    â€œ His new orders,” Abishag corrected the other black cat. “Remember, we’re supposed to be with him only to find the Messiah.”
    Gracus was explaining to Polla their upcoming travels.
    â€œTyre is the biggest port in all of the Roman Empire. You will see galleons, huge warships, and many other ships and boats. Every soldier going to war or to serve in farther lands must pass through Tyre. And Zeugma! What I hear from other commanders is that my pay will suffice to purchase us a fine house upon the hillside and enjoy some of the best things the gods choose to share with us.”

    Polla threw her arms about his neck. “You do intend to take us with you! You do not mean to forget us and depart us here!”
    Gracus laughed. “My favored one, your mastery of Latin deserts you when you grow excited. I will not leave you nor forget you, for I cannot leave behind my heart.”
    Kezia sighed. “He loves her! Isn’t that wonderful? Now we have a real home, with two people to love us and a servant to look after us.”
    Abishag shook her head. “We travel with them only to find the Christ child. Yes, they have been very good to us. But we must fulfill the prophecy.”
    Kezia yawned. “Oh, quit worrying so about the prophecies. You’re beginning to sound like Ptolemy.”
    â€œI wish he were with us,” Abishag murmured, watching Citus as the servant moved about the room, already beginning to sort things for the trip. Finally, we have a way to the harbor and passage. And I will not believe the awful things Asmodeus whispered about Ptolemy. He would not have sent us on this journey if he did not believe we would return to him.
    The next day Gracus went alone to the harbor, to arrange passage for three humans, his chariot and horse, and the cats, for neither he nor Polla wished to leave them behind.
    Striding along amid the ships being loaded and unloaded, bundles and amphorae cradled in nets pulled up by men sweating in the humid air of the harbor, Gracus hoped to find a good ship with an honest captain. Shouts and curses in strange languages sounded in his ears, and odd creatures shrieked from cages sitting on the docks; once, something pursued by a seaman scuttled past his feet in their leather caligae as he continued his search.
    So far the ships and captains he recognized he did not wish to sail with; as a veteran soldier in the service of the emperor, he had some experience already with travel upon the Mediterranean Sea.
    Suddenly a heavy hand that lacked half of three fingers fell upon his shoulder, and he turned abruptly to face whoever had accosted him.
    â€œSeeking passage, are you?” the man demanded, craning his neck closer to Gracus so that the man’s one functioning eye could see him clearly. A hideous scar that ran the length of his face brought attention to his milk-white left eye. His scowl revealed a front tooth banded in gold, and he kept his hand upon Gracus’s shoulder.
    â€œAlexos!” Gracus exclaimed and pulled the captain’s remnant of a hand from his shoulder into a warm handshake with both his own. “I am blessed by the gods yet again, for I would dare sail with you in pursuit of Poseidon’s treasure, should you desire that golden hoard!”
    The captain abruptly dropped the handshake and spat into the dirty waters of the harbor. “Take no offense,