Chapter 1
The Find
[ Dacia. Winter, 219 B.C. ]
The wooden wheels splattered up mud as the small convoy made its way on the narrow road through the forest.
Cotiso, a sixty-four-year-old traveling merchant couldn’t usually afford to hire this many guards to protect his cargo. Because of the disturbing news he had heard about the wolves and bandit attacks in these parts, Cotiso had almost abandoned his plan to continue on his way to Panonni this year.
He’d been on the verge of turning back home for the winter but, luckily, he had found a couple of merchants heading in the same direction. They decided to combine their convoys together, hire more guards and share the costs.
Now, with fifteen guards and an experienced captain leading the way, Cotiso had little to worry about. Very few bandits could form gangs large enough to risk attacking this many. He could finally afford to relax and take a nap in his wagon.
He heard a commotion from outside and shortly afterwards the convoy stopped. Cotiso pushed up the wagon’s cover to catch a glimpse of what was going on.
The sunset and the mist made it hard to see, Cotiso had to focus his sight to recognize the scene.
A handful of guards with torches had gathered around something upfront of the caravan while the rest of the guards were on their horses, scanning their surroundings warily with swords in their hands.