Luke Devenish - Nest of vipers

'This minnow.'

Sejanus glanced once at the girl. 'She was one of the Patrician Youth Choir — the last of them, Father.'

Tiberius felt a distinct twinge of sadness, but it was gone before it could trouble him. As a precaution against its returning, he reached for his cup of the Eastern flower. He drank and was aware of the nibbling again. 'Aren't all these other little minnows from the choir?'

'No, Father,' said Sejanus, immune to the Emperor's depravity. 'These other children were taken from parents who were traitors.'

'I dislike seeing the minnows' numbers decrease. Find more for me, Sejanus.'

The Prefect nodded, still studying the wax print of the ring. 'Anything you wish, Father.'

When the Emperor and his Prefect had gone, a red-headed youth crept out of the grotto's shadows and knelt beside the pool's edge. The girl lay still upon the steps, half in the water, half out. The youth had seen her struggles and had wanted more than anything to help her, but he had been too frightened. Then, when she had floated lifeless to the surface, he had wept in silence and shame from his hiding place in the dark. But once the Emperor had gone, the red-haired youth had seen what they had missed. Her chest had risen. She had taken air.

But now nothing moved. He placed his ear against her breast and it was still. He listened to her insides. There was no sound. Looking about him, his eyes fell on the burning candles. He crept to the grotto wall and took a waxy stump from its nook, protecting the flame with his fingers. It was beautiful. Just like the girl.

Kneeling beside her again, the red-haired youth held the candle above her. He tilted his hand and a drop of liquid wax struck her skin. The girl stayed still. He tilted the candle further, letting the yellow flame itself caress her.

The girl awoke with a shout.

She was frightened when she saw him and realised what he had done. But when he made her see that she'd almost died and that his flame had saved her from Hades, she was grateful. But the island prison had corrupted her. She knew of no other way to thank the youth than to place his pale, white hand between her legs.

Her name was Albucilla, she told him.

Red-haired Ahenobarbus of the Aemilii could not tell her his name, although he wished to all the gods that he could. Even if he hadn't been born a mute, he suspected, he would have lost the power of speech anyway, such was the strength of Albucilla's earthy beauty.

'I don't want it.'

'But you must have it. You're already fourteen.'

'I don't care — I don't want it. Are you deaf, Iphicles? I'm not going to tell you again.' Although Little Boots's anger was aimed wholly at me, his continued jealousy of Lygdus was such that he made sure his spittle struck the eunuch's face too, even though the matter had nothing to do with my apprentice. We three stood waiting for Livia to emerge from her suite.

'But it's your toga virilis — your robe of manhood. To refuse it is not done, domine.'

'Not if I refuse to be a man. I'm a child.'

'You're nearly fifteen.'

He kicked me in the shin.

' Domine!'

He took off down the hall before I could chase him.

'Come back! The Augusta has requested to see you.'

'You're just a fucking slave!'

He was gone, leaving me clutching my poor shin, aghast. 'What's the matter with him?' I asked Lygdus. 'He's becoming unmanageable.'

'Becoming?' said Lygdus with sarcasm. He wiped Little Boots's spittle from his cheek.

'He still has the greatest respect for me, Lygdus. We are bonded.'

'You're deluding yourself, just as you have deluded yourself about everything.'

Tears rushed to my eyes and I had to blink them back. 'You are so hurtful, Lygdus. You never spoke to me this cruelly before.'

'Before what?' He knew the answer but wanted me to say it.

I just stared at him, heartbroken.

'Before what, Iphicles? Before the domina recovered?'

'Yes,' I whispered, ashamed. 'You know it.'

'Well, she has recovered and everything has changed — for you more than anyone. And I am glad.' He leaned forward, mocking me with his look. 'When will she take her revenge on you? What form will it take? Will it be agonising?'

'Lygdus.' A sob left my lips.

'You led me into evil,' he hissed.

'It was evil for the sake of a greater good.'

'No, it wasn't. And it will never happen again. It's Little Boots we should have killed with the footbath water, not Castor.'

'But the prophecies — '

'They've been twisted by your lies. Just ask the domina. I already have, as it happens.'

'You've been speaking to her without me there to protect you?'

'Cybele came to her, after all, not to you.' Lygdus bent to whisper in my ear. 'And she has come to her again. I don't need you to hold my hand, Iphicles,' he laughed. 'The domina likes me. She tells me secrets.' He stood in contemptuous silence while I gave in to my tears. Then he passed me a small square of linen from his tunica pocket to wipe my eyes.

'You shouldn't concern yourself with it,' he said, with something of his old friendliness. 'Your time has passed, that is all. You are tired and spent. It is not surprising you have so vilely misinterpreted things — and acted with such incompetence, too. It is understandable and even forgivable. But the domina needs youth and vigour now to complete her work, which of course you understand. Cybele has chosen a new Attis.'

I gasped. Then I burned with raw anger. 'Go!' I spat at him. 'Leave me alone. The domina sent for me to bring Little Boots to her, not you. So go!'

Lygdus didn't move. 'The domina summoned me here about another matter.'

'What could that possibly be?' I demanded.

Lygdus looked at me pityingly.

'Tell me!'

'Ah, Lygdus,' said Livia. 'Here you are.' She had appeared silently at the door of her suite while we argued. We threw ourselves to the floor.

'No need for that,' she said. 'We are all friends.'

Lygdus clambered upright again but the look she gave me when I followed him made me stay where I was.

'What have you brought me?' she asked him.

'Information,' Lygdus whispered. His tone was grave.

I couldn't see his face from my position, but Livia's tone at once echoed his earnestness. 'My chair, then, while I try to find the fortitude to hear it, slave.'

She wasn't talking to Lygdus. She meant me. Burning, I crawled on my belly to the wall where a chair rested and dragged the thing back to her while still prone. Livia sat down before I'd pulled my hand from beneath the chair's leg, and a pinch of my skin was caught between the leg and the floor. Livia made no attempt to free me.

'Now, your information, Lygdus. Does it involve my great-grandson Drusus, as I feared?'

'Yes, domina.'

She tut-tutted. 'And my granddaughter Livilla?'

'Her as well, domina. Things are just as you suspected.'

Livia tut-tutted again.

I was in agony but still my mind reeled, trying to calculate the implications. I knew nothing of any schemes involving Livilla and her transvestite nephew Drusus. I was completely in the dark.

'What was the nature of the offer made?' asked Livia.

'The Lady Livilla offered your great-grandson glory, domina.'

'Of course she did. Although I'd be surprised if that alone were sufficient.'

Lygdus nodded his head. 'She made the offer in her dressing room. There were no maids present. And when she had made it, she allowed him to remain in the room while she took herself away to the garden.' Lygdus lowered his voice to indicate his profound disgust. 'She permitted Drusus to remain in the dressing room alone for several hours, domina.'

Livia was grim. 'What was so special to him that he needed such privacy, Lygdus?'

'Her gowns…'

Livia gripped the chair arms tightly, shutting her eyes. 'So depraved!'