The trooper’s body lay limp and a spear of wood jutted from out of the top of his lorica, blood pouring from the wound as if from a well faucet.
“Check the hull and make sure there are no holes!” the optio ordered, giving Antonius and Sabinus a furious look.
Antonius ignored the man, and looked to where their horses had come ashore upriver and were now trimming the grass.
“We need to go,” Sabinus said, taking the reins of both mounts and pulling them toward Antonius.
“We can’t just leave them like this.” Antonius looked to the dead trooper and felt guilty that the man might have a young wife, as he did, whom he would not be returning to.
“Antonius,” Sabinus put a hand on his shoulder. “We have to go find shelter for the night, and then help Gaius, Daxos, and the others. We need to go.
