With the commander of the Fourth now kneeling before the prince, the time for the oath had come.
Alpheo stepped forth, behind him, two solemn servants led forth a great sacrificial bull, its hooves thudding heavily against the packed sand. The beast was massive, its flanks trembling, nostrils flaring with nervous breath as it stared wide-eyed at the mass of armored men and stone-faced spectators.
It snorted and twisted its head, but the ropes guiding it held firm. It would soon meet its fate in the taurobolium, the blood basin awaiting it at the foot of the raised altar.
The crowd quieted. The breeze stilled. All eyes were fixed on the man kneeling in the dust.
Then, in a clear voice that cut across the silence, Edric lifted his head as he spoke:
