The Immortal Scrolls by Kristin Secorsky Page A

my company?” she teased.
    Androcles turned to look at her. He never thought he was there to keep her company but was delighted as he realized that was why she’d brought him minus slaves. “I’m sorry, Araceli,” he said.
    Araceli noticed the look of surprise on his face and giggled. She placed her lips on the cup and took a sip of wine, and then she handed it to him. He took the cup from her but instead of drinking from the opposite side of the cup he deliberately turned it and drank from the same exact spot she had. Araceli smiled flirtatiously. He handed back the cup. “Tell me how you were injured,” she said.
    “It happened when I was with the legion in Britannia,” he said.
    “You went to Britannia?” she said, her eyes wide with interest.
    “Yes. I had been there for a few years already before it happened. There was a rebellion at one of the Roman occupations. It was supposed to be an easy victory. We were in the woods on a patrol, and they surprised us. I was knocked off my horse and hit the ground hard. Before I could draw my sword, I was struck in the leg,” he said, pointing to his calf. “As I tried to get free, the man tried to get his sword free, and it dragged up the length of my leg.”
    Androcles looked at Araceli, who was covering her mouth with her hand in shock. He looked back down at his leg. “I was able to strike the man down, and reinforcements came soon after. Unable to walk, and not sure if I ever would again, my general discharged me. Now I am back here.” He was quiet again. Androcles watched her as she studied his frightening wound. The wind was blowing the loose hairs around her face. Araceli looked back to find him watching her. Her body seemed to tingle all over when he looked at her that way. He reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She looked up at him. Androcles was afraid he had overstepped his bounds. He was already overstepping them sitting here with her.
    “How long were you in the legion?” she asked, trying to clear the awkwardness.
    “About ten years. I had just been promoted to centurion, but I was a weapons trainer for many years,” he said regretfully.
    “Will you teach me sometime?” she said with childlike interest.
    “Of course,” he said, surprised. “Thank you for the boots and the sandals, Araceli,” he said softly as he gazed into her eyes.
    “It was my pleasure, Androcles,” she said, almost breathless.
    Androcles felt strange, like they were being watched. He broke his gaze from Araceli’s beautiful face and looked around in the trees. He didn’t see anything, but his instincts told him they were being watched. It could be thieves, or it could be an innocent passerby. Androcles stood up quickly and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
    “What is it?” she asked worriedly.
    Androcles reached down and helped Araceli stand up. “I’m not sure. But I have the feeling we are being watched,” he said. Araceli looked around the trees. “I think we should head home now, domina.”
    “Very well,” she said as she followed him away from the trees. They walked quickly. Androcles kept his hand on his sword the whole way back.

    Later that evening Araceli was in the atrium playing her lyre. Androcles stood at attention along the wall just a few feet away. There were other guards and slaves milling about. Androcles watched her hands move fluidly over the strings as if they had a mind of their own. He felt like he could watch her play forever. He noticed movement out in the courtyard. Elek was coming out of his little two-room building. He headed over to Araceli. She noticed him coming and stopped playing.
    “Elek!” she said. “How are you today?”
    “Very well, domina,” he said in his old raspy voice. “I came to apologize for frightening you today.”
    “What are you talking about, Elek?” she asked, confused.
    “I was out today collecting herbs. I saw you and your guard, but you left before this old man