Mary Reed - Ten for Dying

John sat on one side of the desk and Felix on the other. “Yes. I understand from Anatolius you have made progress in your investigation, but time is running out.”

“I have formed suspicions. Too many. I sense I’m on the verge of a solution though. Don’t tell me you’ve deduced from our visit to the church what I haven’t been able to find out after running around the city for a week?”

“Not at all. I was presented with new information you couldn’t have discovered.”

“Aboard a ship?”

“Let me explain quickly. As far as I can tell I managed to get into the city without being recognized, but nothing is ever certain here. This is what happened. Almost as soon as the Leviathan sailed, a well-dressed traveler drew my attention because of his secretive behavior and apparent special relationship with the captain. At one point Peter was pushed overboard-he was fished out safely-and I suspected this traveler was the culprit, because it happened not long after Peter had been in the captain’s cabin where the stranger was lodging.”

“There was something in the cabin the rascal didn’t want anyone to see?”

“That’s right. Taking advantage of the absence of most of the crew ashore at the next port, I searched the cabin and found a soft package carrying the imperial seal. Although my inspection of the package was interrupted, I assume it was what the traveler feared Peter might have noticed, for he, the traveler, sought to silence me with a garrotte.”

Felix stared at John in amazement. He noticed for the first time the necklace of purpled flesh around John’s neck, a fainter copy of the deadly necklace worn by the dead courier in Felix’s courtyard. “Was it a matter of the traveler hiding something or had Justinian ordered him to make sure you never made it into exile?”

“The former, I believe. He didn’t take into account that I was a military man once. I managed to throw him off and get a glimpse of his face. However, I couldn’t prevent him fleeing the ship with the package.”

“Mithra!” Felix cursed.

“The ship’s captain, who had not been paid in advance for his favored passenger’s voyage, was only too happy to identify him, although at no little expense to me. His name is Karpos, and he’s an aide to Belisarius. He did not reveal his business to the captain and the captain did not enquire, but given he was traveling on a boat wallowing from port to port around the coastline, it seems obvious he left the city in haste, taking the first available ship. You recall we sailed the morning after the relic was stolen and a piece of cloth would make for a small, soft package. An aide to Belisarius would doubtless possess an imperial seal in order to facilitate transportation of official documents. No doubt he thought the captain’s cabin was a safer place to leave it than carrying it around on his person.”

“Belisarius is involved in this business?”

“It points that way. I overheard crew members speak of the delights to be experienced when the ship arrives in Italy and calls at Crotone. Belisarius is currently campaigning in that area.”

Felix nodded thoughtfully. If Belisarius was involved then doubtless Antonina was involved, as he had suspected, and it seems likely her servant Tychon had been assisting her.

“Witnesses to the theft at the church reported seeing demons, you’ll recall,” John went on, “and according to Hypatia visions could be created by inhaling a mixture of incense and mandrake. She tells me the latter is also known as Circe’s plant.”

“She’s not the only person we know who is well versed in herbal lore,” Felix observed with a frown.

“Indeed. The instant I learned the identity of our mysterious traveler, I recalled common talk about Antonina’s entanglement with Karpos, the young man who had accompanied her back from Italy. She’s as notorious for her infidelities as for her potions.”

“It’s no secret she came to Constantinople to convince Justinian to give Belisarius more financial support but was thwarted by Theodora’s death. Could it be…?”

“A relic as precious as the Virgin’s shroud would be worth a large sum, particularly if held for ransom, or perhaps it would attract loyalty from certain people. Some might even imagine it does possess magickal powers which would aid Belisarius.”

“It’s certainly possible,” Felix replied.

“Antonina is a ruthless woman, but I cannot think how she would have the gall to steal one of the city’s holies relics. Nor do I think Karpos would have taken part in the robbery himself. She’s not likely to admit anything, but the weight of circumstantial evidence may be enough to bring about some sort of resolution.”

“Well…”

John stood. “I must take ship and catch up with the Leviathan now.” He pulled a folded sheet of parchment from his robes and handed it to Felix. “I have written this information down and added to matters to which you can attest it makes a strong case against Belisarius for someone who is looking to make a case against him.”

“And I know exactly who that is.”

“So, my great bear, you will have your command.” Anastasia gave Felix a kiss he did not return with his customary ardor.

He had asked her to walk in the garden, away from the prying eyes and ears of the servants. They stopped in front of a huge rose bush. The roses, nodding as bees came and went, and the buds fallen to the path, enveloped them in sweet perfume. Sunlight slanting through the flowers lent a blush to Anastasia’s features. She glowed with the impossible beauty of things forbidden.

“Yes, I will be leading troops in Italy when Germanus takes over the campaign, which is sure to happen. He grinned like a wolf when he read John’s letter. I could practically see blood dripping from his jaws.”

Anastasia made a face. “What an image!” She regarded him through narrowed eyes. “What is troubling you, Felix? Shouldn’t we be celebrating?”

Felix found himself gazing over her shoulder into the roses and forced himself to look into her perfect, aristocratic face. “We can’t continue, Anastasia. It won’t work.”

She looked at him as if she hadn’t heard correctly. What was going on behind the mask she seemed to draw suddenly over her emotions? Felix couldn’t guess. Then she laughed lightly, as a lady might laugh at an inept and slightly inappropriate joke from the lips of a callow young courtier. “What can you possibly mean by ‘it won’t work’? The events of the past days have upset your humors. I can understand that. We can soon put that right.”

She laid a hand on his arm. He did not react. It took all his willpower.

“I am only a soldier, Anastasia, and you are the sister of an empress.”

“Only a soldier? A general, you mean! What more fitting partner for a general than a member of the imperial family?”

“As a general under the command of Germanus I will occupy a lesser position than I do now as excubitor captain. For myself, I do not care. I would return to battle as a common foot soldier if necessary.”

“And how long would a man of your ability remain a foot soldier or a common general?”

“You are ambitious, Anastasia. I am not for the kind of rank you envisage. You see me in charge of the Army of the East when Germanus succeeds Justinian and perhaps later my succeeding Germanus. You see yourself as empress, like your sister.”

“Have I given you that impression? You’re being unfair.”

“I’m a simple man. I’ve always felt out of place at the palace. That is your world.”

“You know I spend as little time at the palace as possible. I will travel to Italy with you.”

“And we will be like Belisarius and Antonina. I don’t want that.”