Mary Reed - Eight for Eternity

He popped the sausage into his mouth.

By now the spicy odor of the food was mixing with the coppery smell of blood.

“You are too kind, sir. Too kind. But I fear I will have to close early. The friends of these two are likely to pay me a visit.” He half turned and peered out through the doorway leading to the street as if he expected the villains to come bursting through. “There’s something out there, sirs. It’s not just the likes of these two.” He kicked at the Blue and the Green who lay together peacefully.

“There’s evil abroad in the city. Evil.”

“Evil! Demons!”

Sunburnt faces glistening with sweat turned toward the ragged man limping across the docks, shouting. The hoarse shouts-nearly screams-could be heard above the creak of cart wheels, the yells of sailors and laborers, the thump of sacks, and the crash of crates.

“Demons! That’s what lives in the palace, you poor fools!” He shook a splintered piece of wood in the face of a hulking dock worker, who stepped back quickly, despite the fact that he towered over the mad man. “And not only there!” the man thundered. “They’re everywhere! Evil has fallen on the city. Evil! The only way to root it out is to pull it up stem and branch!”

Those interrupted in their labors and not directly in the man’s path greeted this pronouncement with a selection of ripe oaths, mingled with shouts of derision.

An emaciated boy had been about to steal a fish for supper out of one of the baskets lined up at the edge of the dock as a fishing boat’s crew unloaded its cargo. The boat’s captain turned toward the shouting, spotted the boy, and glared.

“What you saying what’s new?” the boy cried, voice cracking with frustration. “You’re the one who’s a demon!”

The ragged man looked around the curious congregation which was keeping a distance. “Wisdom from a stripling.” He laughed.

The captain of the fishing boat leapt ashore. “You and that dirty little urchin are working together, aren’t you?” He grabbed the speaker’s shoulder, but the wretch shook it off with a convulsive movement and lurched away. He clambered up a pile of marble blocks, destined perhaps for an imperial residence or a church. Once atop he stood with his arms spread out, face turned to the glowering sky. Many of the onlookers began to drift back to their labors. A fellow in filthy clothes preaching incoherently from on high was too common a sight to maintain their interest.

A beggar who had observed the scene from a doorway at the base of the sea wall which towered above the docks stepped out and craned his neck to see the man standing above.

“What’s that about demons?” he asked. “Any ‘round here? Where’d you see them?”

The man he addressed peered down. “If you cannot see them, you are fortunate. They swarm everywhere. There are several down there on the dock disguised as men…but if you have vision you can see through their fleshly disguise.”

The beggar shivered in exaggerated fashion. “Which ones do you mean?”

The man pointed to the captain, now busy kicking the emaciated boy away from the baskets, helping him along with a invitation to bring his sister back and he would give her something for nothing all right, and then put his finger to his lips to enjoin silence.

“What, him?”

“See his dark face behind that sly smile? Teeth sharp as a tonsor’s razor? Oh yes, my friend, he’ll be waiting to take you for your final journey when the time comes! And any wind he sails on takes his passengers straight to the devil’s kingdom! Because there is only one wind in all the world and that’s its destination. Just take a look at him. You can see right away he’s one who sails the hellish wind.”

“I’ve heard he’s had bad fortune with his crews. It explains a lot. If he’s a demon….”

“He is, and the king who rules them here is Justinian. Haven’t you heard he prowls the palace at night without his face? Of course! He doesn’t want anyone to see his real face for fear the sight will kill them! But I intend to confront and banish him! Then will evil be gone from the city!”

“Wouldn’t mind that.” The beggar winked at the captain who stood listening, having banished the boy.

“I only wish I was in league with the emperor,” remarked the captain. “Think how rich I would be!”

“Not much charity to be had lately,” said the beggar. “Now there’s evil for you. And it’s dangerous being out when them Blues and Greens are having their bit of fun. But how do you expect to get in the palace? You can’t just stroll in and ask to talk to the emperor, can you?”

The ragged man stared down and smiled. “Those at the palace know their own when they see them. I’ll have no trouble coming and going as I please. Besides, I have in my possession a magickal charm.” He shook the broken stick he carried. “It will gain me entry to the imperial audience hall quicker than you can steal a loaf!”

January 12, 532

The walkway echoed to the thud of Felix’s boots. When the heat haze of summer formed shimmering visions over the sea visible between carefully clipped topiary depicting fabulous beasts, the high, airy way would offer a shady retreat behind its curtain of honeysuckle. Now at the deadest time of year, where the dense mat of vines kept out sunlight, traces of frost lingered.

The broad shouldered young excubitor frowned and tugged at his beard as he strode along. Why had Captain Gallio been so mysterious about this assignment? Why had he left the explanation to Narses? Felix would have preferred not to be anywhere within hailing distance of the emperor’s chamberlain and treasurer.

That perfumed fool. His scowl deepened. A military man being ordered about by a eunuch! If he were captain he’d never-

A woman screamed.

Felix drew his sword and broke into a run, alert for ambush. Even deep in the palace grounds to drop his guard for a heartbeat could be fatal.

He reached the end of the colonnade and burst out into a walled terrace. An attractive, fair-haired woman sat on a semi-circular marble bench overlooking the sea. Her robes were dark green, decorated simply with pale yellow embroidery at the hem and neckline. A servant to one of the court ladies, who had borrowed some of her mistress’ plainer clothing and would get a sound thrashing for it when she ventured back to her work, Felix thought.

She looked up as he approached. Loose curls framed her features. The red lips and rosy cheeks showed she had been at her mistress’ makeup too. “Oh, what a big strong fellow. You frightened that ruffian so much he ran away….”

Felix glanced around. He saw nobody on the brick pathway that extended several yards along the terrace in each direction. Edged with naked flower beds there was no cover for anything bigger than a rabbit.

The woman laughed. “Yes, you are right, there was nobody here but myself. Life at the palace can be so boring. Sometimes I could just scream.”

“A habit that might liven things up more than one might wish.” Felix put his sword back in his belt.

“You belong to the palace guard, don’t you? Such fine young men.” She sounded as if she were out of breath from some exertion, even though she was simply sitting still. “Do you have a wife?”

The abrupt change of subject startled Felix. He shook his head. “Don’t stay out in the grounds after dark,” he advised. “It isn’t wise, especially with all the unrest in the city.”

“You don’t think troublemakers can get into the palace? Surely that’s your job? To keep them out?”

“No one can get into the imperial chambers. The gardens are another matter. Armies of bureaucrats, clerks, merchants, and petty officials have business on the palace grounds every day. We keep track of them as best we can. Then too, the whole complex is surrounded by buildings of all sorts, and who knows what passages run underneath our feet or whether someone can get over a wall somewhere?”