Lucius looked at the captain, his eyes did indeed appear sincere, as did the smile that creased his leathery face. “Forgive me, Captain. It’s a force of habit. I’ve had too many run-ins with people who wear masks easily.”
“I understand. But there are no masks here, Lucius. At sea, the Gods don’t tolerate falsity.” He smiled. “And I too have a family to protect.”
“Understood.” Lucius smiled.
Creticus looked at the broad shore of Gaul in the distance and scanned it for landmarks. “We should be reaching Condevincum by evening. It will take a couple of hours to unload the cargo and then take on more, so, if you and your family want to explore the port, you can. The baths there are decent.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Lucius said. “I’ll speak with my wife to see if she wants to go ashore.”
“Exce
