Read Online Tyrant by Christian Cameron - Free Book Online Page B

hesitation. The Scyth took a deep drink, rubbed his mouth with his hand. Then Coenus caught the Scyth in a bear hug. ‘I think I like you, barbarian!’ he said.
     
    Kineas shook his head. ‘I thought you stole the horse.’
     
    The Scyth either didn’t understand or ignored the subject. ‘Where for you go? Leave tomorrow, yes? Yes, yes?’
     
    Kineas was conscious of the sounds of conversation from the drive. Isokles and his family were arriving. It was late. ‘Olbia,’ he said.
     
    The Scyth looked at him. He handed the flask to Diodorus as if he had always been part of their circle. ‘Long,’ he said. ‘Far.’ His Greek wasn’t barbaric. He pronounced his few words well, but had no notion of the complex rules of cases that governed nouns.
     
    ‘Ten days?’ asked Diodorus. That’s what the merchants had said.
     
    The Scyth shrugged. His eyes were back on the horse.
     
    ‘You’ll guide us?’ asked Kineas.
     
    ‘Me go for you. You go . Horse good. Yes?’
     
    ‘I think that’s a deal, boss.’ Niceas nodded. ‘I’ll just keep an eye on the bugger, shall I?’
     
    Coenus shook his head. ‘Ataelus and I share a hobby. Let’s go get drunk, my friend.’
     
    Ataelus grinned. ‘Think for like you, too, Hellene!’ he said to Coenus. They walked off together toward the wine shops of town.
     
    Niceas looked at Diodorus. ‘I guess we get to watch the camp.’
     
    ‘While I go to a dinner party? Excellent.’ Kineas grinned. ‘He’ll make a superb scout if we can keep him.’
     
    Niceas waited until Coenus and the Scyth were out of earshot before going on. ‘He’s plenty smart.’
     
    Kineas had seen some intelligence in the face, but he was surprised to hear Niceas confirm it. ‘Smart just how?’
     
    Niceas pointed at the horse. ‘If he had just stayed here with us, would we trust him on the plains? But he’s already shown he could ride off, right? Stands to reason we’ll trust him more.’
     
    Kineas saw it, put that way. ‘You’re as much a philosopher as that Spartan kid, Niceas.’
     
    Niceas nodded. ‘Always thought so. And if he’s a philosopher, I’m a Hipparch in the Guards.’
     
    ‘Enlighten me.’ Kineas was actually standing on the balls of his feet, that eager to be in Calchus’s house on time, but Niceas was not much given to bursts of conversation and when he spoke it was worth listening to.
     
    ‘I heard from Dio about his javelin throw. He swam for an hour, maybe more, before you rescued him, or so I heard it. Spartan bastard. Out of shape - don’t know why. But he’s officer class - Spartiate. The tough ones. Fucking killing machines.’
     
    ‘I’ll bear that in mind,’ Kineas said.
     
    ‘Don’t marry the girl until we’ve done our contract,’ said Niceas.
     
    Dismissed by his own hyperetes, Kineas headed for the house. He was still thinking about Niceas’s comments when he found himself lying full length on a wide couch with the Spartan himself.
     
    ‘I hope you don’t mind sharing with me,’ Philokles said. ‘I asked Calchus to put me here. I think he was going to give you Ajax.’
     
    ‘Thanks.’ The Spartan’s breath was heavy with wine already. Kineas moved a fraction away.
     
    ‘You are leaving tomorrow?’
     
    ‘Yes.’
     
    ‘For Olbia?’
     
    ‘Yes. That’s where we have our contract.’ Kineas was finding it hard to talk to Philokles, a man who seemed immune to social convention, while the other guests, Isokles, Ajax, and a robed and veiled figure that had to be a woman all stood, obviously waiting to be introduced to the principal guest before taking their ease.
     
    ‘Will you take me?’ Philokles clearly resented having to ask. A good deal of suppressed arrogance was very close to the surface.
     
    ‘Can you ride?’
     
    ‘Not well. But I can.’
     
    ‘Can you cook?’ Kineas was in a hurry to end this - Isokles had just shifted his weight, they were being very rude to the other guests, why couldn’t