Read Online Hannibal Enemy of Rome by Ben Kane - Free Book Online

war that we have been preparing for these years past.’ He moved to the table behind him, upon which sat a glazed red jug and several beakers. ‘Let us raise a toast to Hannibal Barca.’
    ‘Shame Hanno didn’t hear your speech too,’ said Sapho, throwing a meaningful glance at Bostar. Busily pouring wine, their father didn’t see it.
    ‘Indeed,’ Malchus replied, handing each a full cup. ‘Such occasions do not come often. For the rest of his life, the boy will regret that he was playing truant while history was made.’ He swallowed a mouthful of wine. ‘Have you seen him?’
    There was a short, awkward silence.
    He looked from one to the other. ‘Well?’
    ‘We ran into him this morning,’ Sapho admitted. ‘On our way to the Agora. He was with Suniaton.’
    Malchus swore. ‘That must have been just after he’d scarpered out of the house. The little ruffian ignored my shouts! Did the pair of them give you the slip?’
    ‘Not exactly,’ Sapho replied awkwardly, giving Bostar another pointed stare.
    Malchus caught the tension between his sons. ‘What’s going on?’
    Bostar cleared his throat. ‘We talked, and then let them go.’ He rephrased his words. ‘
I
let them go.’
    ‘Why?’ Malchus cried angrily. ‘You knew how important my speech was.’
    Bostar flushed. ‘I’m sorry, Father. Perhaps I acted wrongly, but I couldn’t help thinking that, like us, Hanno will soon be at war. For the moment, though, he’s still a boy. Let him enjoy himself while he can.’
    Tapping a finger against his teeth, Malchus turned to Sapho. ‘What did you say?’
    ‘Initially, I thought that we should force Hanno to come with us, Father, but Bostar had a point. As he was the senior officer present, I gave way to his judgement.’ Bostar tried to interrupt, but Sapho continued talking. ‘In hindsight, it was possibly the wrong decision. I should have argued with him.’
    ‘How dare you!’ Bostar cried. ‘I made no mention of rank! We made the decision together.’
    Sapho’s lip curled. ‘Did we?’
    Malchus held up his hands. ‘Enough!’
    Throwing each other angry looks, the brothers fell silent.
    Malchus thought for a moment. ‘I am sorely disappointed in you, Sapho, for not protesting more at your brother’s desire to let Hanno do as he wished.’ He regarded Bostar next. ‘Shame on you, as a senior officer, for forgetting that our primary purpose is to gain revenge on Rome. In comparison, frivolities such as fishing are irrelevant!’ Ignoring their muttered apologies, Malchus raised his cup. ‘Let us forget Hanno and his wastrel friend, and drink a toast to Hannibal Barca, and to our victory in the coming war with Rome!’
    They followed his lead, but neither brother clinked his beaker off the other’s.
    Hanno’s wish for an easy death was not granted. Eventually the storm passed, and the ferocious waves died down. Dawn arrived, bringing with it calm seas and a clear sky. The wind changed direction; it was now coming from the northeast. Hanno’s hopes rose briefly, before falling again. The breeze was not strong enough to carry them back home, and the current continued to carry their small vessel eastwards. Silence reigned; all the seabirds had been driven off by the inclement weather. Suniaton’s exhaustion had finally got the better of him, and he lay slumped on the boat’s sole, snoring.
    Hanno grimaced at the irony of it. The peaceful scene could not have been more at odds with what they had endured overnight. His sodden clothes were drying fast in the warm sunshine. The boat rocked gently from side to side, wavelets slapping off the hull. A pod of dolphins broke the surface nearby, but the sight did not bring the usual smile to Hanno’s face. Now, their graceful shapes and gliding motion were an acute reminderthat he belonged on the land, which was nowhere to be seen. Apart from the dolphins, they were utterly alone.
    Regret, and an unfamiliar feeling, that of humility, filled Hanno. I