Chapter 7 - FATHER AND SON
They reached the valley at sunrise.
The camp had been attacked.
Tents burned.
Wounded soldiers lay beneath trees.
Lucan searched every face.
“Marcus!”
Mara ran ahead.
“Marcus!”
A soldier turned toward her.
His eyes widened.
“Mara?”
Then a voice came from behind him.
“No.”
Lucan stopped.
A tall man emerged from the smoke.
He was older than Lucan had imagined.
A long scar crossed his jaw.
His dark hair had turned gray at the temples.
He walked with a slight limp.
But his eyes were the same hazel color as Lucan's.
The man stared at Mara.
Then at the boy.
His sword slipped from his hand.
“Lucan?”
Nobody moved.
Lucan had imagined this moment a thousand different ways since learning the truth.
He had imagined running into his father's arms.
Instead, he stood frozen.
Marcus slowly approached.
“You're alive.”
Lucan swallowed.
“So are you.”
Marcus looked at Mara.
“I thought…”
“I know.”
Mara crossed the distance between them.
Marcus pulled her into his arms.
For nine years of grief, there were no words.
Then Marcus looked at Lucan.
He knelt.
Lucan noticed tears in the general's eyes.
“You have every right to hate me.”
“I don't know you well enough to hate you.”
The words hurt Marcus.
Lucan saw it.
But they were true.
Marcus nodded.
“Then maybe you'll give me the chance to change that.”
Umbra appeared behind Lucan.
Marcus stared at the lion.
“Old friend.”
Umbra ran to him.
The giant lion nearly knocked Marcus over.
Soldiers laughed.
Marcus buried both hands in the lion's mane.
“I thought they killed you too.”
Lucan watched them.
The lion had reunited a family everyone believed was dead.
But the happiness lasted less than an hour.
Darius explained Varro's plan.
Marcus immediately ordered the camp evacuated.
“We move east.”
A scout interrupted.
“General.”
He handed Marcus a message.
Marcus read it.
His face hardened.
“What is it?” Mara asked.
Marcus handed her the parchment.
Cassian had arrested hundreds of families connected to the Seventh Legion.
Unless Marcus surrendered within three days, executions would begin.
Lucan looked at his father.
“You can't surrender.”
Marcus said nothing.
“Father.”
It was the first time Lucan had called him that.
Marcus looked at him.
“If I don't, innocent people die.”
“If you do, Cassian kills you.”
“Maybe.”
“And then he kills us.”
Marcus stared at the message.
Lucan remembered the arena.
“Cassian wins because everyone is afraid of him.”
Marcus looked surprised.
Lucan continued.
“You have proof he's a liar.”
“Where is it?”
Marcus looked toward the mountains.
“In Rome.”
Lucan frowned.
“You hid the evidence in the city?”
Marcus nodded.
“Somewhere Cassian would never destroy.”
“Where?”
May you like
Marcus gave a tired smile.
“Under his throne.”
