Phoebus did not listen, but walked slowly forward, the point of his gladius out in front of him as if he were sneaking upon prey in a wood.
There was a sudden cry, and then the smacking of steel upon wood from within.
“Phoebus!” Lucius rushed forward as he heard his son’s angry voice ringing out.
“Thief! I’ll kill you!” Phoebus yelled.
“Leave us be!” a woman’s voice cried out.
There was the clash of steel and wood again, a yelp of pain, and then Phoebus emerged dragging someone by a ragged tunic, the point of his blade at the person’s throat.
“They were inside, Baba!” Phoebus said, throwing a short, bald man into the dust at Lucius’ feet.
The man swept up with the broken piece of wooden handle he had been wielding, but Lucius parried it right away, sending it flying from the man’s h
