The Pillars of the dead
It was two days after our brush with the Tersedi in Catraise when Lepidua and I encountered the pillars of the dead. Not for the first time that week there was an early morning mist which reduced visibility to a little more than fifty paces, which wasn’t good when running the risk of coming face to face with one of Tahirs patrols. As was our custom Lepidua was leading the way, with me trailing her twenty paces behind. Every now and then she would raise her left hand, which was the signal to stop, and I would watch fascinated as she tilted her head from side to side whilst listening for the most imperceptible of sounds. Once she was satisfied there were none she would make a circular motion with her right hand which was the signal to move on. During the time we’d been together I’d seen many different sides to Lepidua. There was Lepidua the slave who would not allow herself to be se...
