The Golden Acorn - Catherine Cooper [82]
‘What do we do now?’ Jack whispered.
‘Wait till there’s no one around, then you can slip in, grab the plates, drop them in the well and off we go. This is going to be easier than I thought.’
They settled down but before long the middle door opened again and a soldier came out. He was carrying something.
‘It’s him,’ said Jack, ‘the soldier with the scar on his chin and he’s got the plates.’
Camelin groaned, ‘I think I know where he’ll be going.’
They watched the soldier go back to the important looking buildings. He stood outside the middle door and knocked loudly. A voice from within shouted something and the soldier replied, ‘Marcus Cornelius Drusus, I have something which might be important.’
The door opened and Drusus entered the office. It was important that Jack and Camelin knew what was being said so they risked being seen and flew onto the roof. Maximus was already speaking.
‘…and it was the young boy you killed, not the Druid, who was carrying these plates?’
‘Yes Prefect,’ Drusus confirmed.
‘And you thought you’d get a reward for bringing me two worthless bits of metal?’ the Prefect shouted. ‘They’re only good for smelting. Don’t any of these people use gold or silver?’
Camelin and Jack looked at each other. Jack couldn’t risk saying anything but he knew Camelin was thinking the same. Why hadn’t Drusus taken all three plates to show the Prefect?
‘My apologies for bothering you,’ Drusus replied. ‘I thought they might be of some importance. The boy had them hidden in his tunic; he lost his life trying to escape with them.’
‘That will be all Drusus,’ the Prefect said gruffly.
Jack heard the clang of metal from inside the office before the door opened and Drusus stepped out. Jack’s heart sank; the soldier’s hands were empty, the plates were gone.
‘Looks like we’ve got a problem,’ sighed Camelin when they were safely back in the tree outside the fort. ‘We could have done without the plates being in two different places and especially when one of those places is the Prefect’s office. It’s going to be twice as difficult and more dangerous trying to retrieve them now.’
THIEF
Jack was worried; he didn’t want to stay inside the fort a moment longer than he had to.
‘Do we wait until it’s dark?’ he asked.
‘No, they double the guard at night. It’s probably best for you to go into the Prefect’s office when he goes out to brief the soldiers. He does it every morning. When I used to come over here, spying for Nora, it was always the best time to help myself to any breakfast leftovers. The whole camp assembles in the big space in the middle, the bit they call the forum. Maximus always keeps them standing there for ages. After he’s given them their daily orders he comes back to his office until lunchtime.’
Three long blasts from the horn they’d heard earlier echoed around the fortress.
‘What’s that mean?’ asked Jack.
‘It means Quintus Flavius Maximus is ready to address the camp. You’ll be able to get in there now. Come on, follow me.’
They flew low over the buildings, avoiding groups of soldiers as they hurried towards the forum.
‘When you’ve got these plates you’ll have time to find out what Drusus did with the other one. The soldiers don’t go back to their barracks until later.’
Jack was feeling nervous. Although the plates didn’t belong to Maximus he didn’t feel right about searching the Camp Prefect’s office. If they caught him they’d think he was a thief.
He’d tried to memorise the plan of the camp while they’d been up in the tree. It was useful being able to fly. Having a bird’s eye view of a place made it easier to understand where everything was. He thought he’d be able to make his way back to the well without any trouble once he had the plates.
‘Are you ready to transform?’ asked Camelin.
‘Ready,’ replied