The Tyrant's Tomb

for me to worry about—two more loved ones watching me with concern,
wondering how long until I went full-on zombie.
“I appreciate the sentiment,” I said, “but…What is Lavinia doing?”
About a hundred yards away, Lavinia and Don the faun stood on a bridge
across the Little Tiber—which was very much not on the way to the Field of
Mars—having what looked like a serious argument. Perhaps I shouldn’t have
brought this to Hazel’s attention. Then again, if Lavinia wanted to go
unnoticed, she should have chosen a different hair color—like camouflage,
for instance—and not waved her arms around so much.
“I don’t know.” Hazel’s expression reminded me of a tired mother who
had found her toddler trying to climb into the monkey exhibit for the dozenth
time. “Lavinia!”
Lavinia looked over. She patted the air as if to say, Just give me a minute,
then went back to arguing with Don.
“Am I too young to get ulcers?” Hazel wondered aloud.
I had little occasion for humor, given all that was happening, but that
comment made me laugh.
As we got closer to the Field of Mars, I saw legionnaires breaking into
cohorts, moving to different activities spread across the wasteland. One
group was digging defensive trenches. Another had gathered on the shore of
an artificial lake that hadn’t been there yesterday, waiting to board two
makeshift boats that looked nothing like Caligula’s yachts. A third group
sledded down a dirt hill on their shields.
Hazel sighed. “That would be my group of delinquents. If you’ll excuse
me, I’m off to teach them how to slay ghouls.”
She jogged away, leaving me alone with my cartwheeling sidekick.
“So where do we go?” I asked Meg. “Frank said we had, er, special
jobs?”
“Yep.” Meg pointed to the far end of the field, where the Fifth Cohort
was waiting at a target range. “You’re teaching archery.”
I stared at her. “I’m doing what now?”
“Frank taught the morning class, since you slept forever. Now it’s your
turn.”
“But—I can’t teach as Lester, especially in my condition! Besides,
Romans never rely on archery in combat. They think projectile weapons are
beneath them!”