“But I am the emperor, not you!” Justin snapped. “So why isn’t he poisoning me? Am I dead? Perhaps that’s what I smell. I’m putrefying. Is that it, Proclus? Is your emperor dead and rotting?”
“No, Caesar,” came the murmured reply.
“Proclus is the type of man you need to put your faith in, nephew. Even if I was indeed dead and rotting, my quaestor here would have me hauled around the palace until I was a mere pile of bones, if such had been my orders.”
The emperor reached out and clamped a big, veined hand on Justinian’s forearm. “Does that feel like the hand of a phantom? That actress of yours put this ludicrous idea into your head, didn’t she? Perhaps it is the actress who is poisoning you. Have you thought of that? According to Euphemia…”
“We have already discussed Euphemia’s opinions.” Justinian pulled his arm away from the older man’s surprisingly strong grip.
“My dear Euphemia’s fond of you, Justinian. She just doesn’t consider the actress a proper match.”
“But what about this dream? I’m rather surprised you dismiss it so lightly, uncle. Remember thirty or so years ago when you were fighting the Isaurians and got thrown in prison by your commander-”
“Yes, John the Hunchback. I forget now what his reason was supposed to be.”
“Whatever the reason, you were to be executed, but then the Hunchback dreamed three nights running of an angel that ordered your release. When he spared your life because of those dreams, did you then dismiss them as nonsense?”
“They weren’t dreams, you fool! An angel appeared to the Hunchback in his sleep. Do you think angels just stroll up and knock on your door in broad daylight? How could the Gourd be poisoning you, anyway? Do you have him working in the kitchen boiling your eggs? Euphemia says-”
“Caesar,” Proclus put in abruptly, “if I may offer an opinion, the Gourd has been doing a remarkable job in rectifying a situation that has gone unattended far too long. His pretense of being a magician is shrewd. Since no one can be everywhere at once, observing every street and alleyway, the next best thing is to appear to be doing just that. Now potential criminals imagine that they are being scrutinized by magickal means, so they watch themselves.”
Apparently Proclus made a subtle gesture or uttered a prearranged word, for the emperor and his attendants prepared to leave. Observed from a distance, Justin might have appeared to merely stand, so unobtrusively did his assistants grasp his arms and lift him.
“I agree it is time to go, excellency. Justinian must get his rest,” Proclus said tactfully before turning his attention to Justinian. “Might I suggest that this dream will not seem so portentous when your illness has run its course? No one opposes the Prefect’s methods except those who would prefer to live in terror while the Blues run wild. I can assure you no man of good will has anything to fear.”
***
The emperor and his small entourage had hardly left the room before Theodora returned. “Has the old fool been slandering me again?”
“It isn’t Justin who slanders you, but his dead wife. He constantly talks about her. I noticed he sometimes called her Lupicina. I really don’t think he realized he had.”
“I wonder if he used her slave name in private? Perhaps even in bed…”
“Ignore any mention of Euphemia, Theodora. She can’t oppose you any longer now she’s dead.”
“To everyone but the emperor.” Justinian let his head fall back and stared into the smoky haze obscuring the gilded ceiling. “Don’t be so certain that Justin believes everything he says. Assumed weakness can serve as a weapon to those who know how to wield it. On the other hand, if he’s really losing his wits, his actions will become totally unpredictable. Those around him must tread all the more warily. Including us. Especially us.”
A servant again drifted out of the dimness to wipe Justinian’s forehead and then was gone as quickly as a dream.
Theodora leaned over Justinian. “So you suppose Justin might be exaggerating his frailty? He did come to visit you today, after all.”
“Yes, and it was an unannounced visit at that. I suspect it was really to see if I’d been exaggerating my own illness.”
“I know you aren’t, but he would hardly take my word for it.” Theodora placed her scarlet lips briefly against Justinian’s forehead. “Soon you will be well, my love, and then I will take you often to that place where things are not so complicated.”
Justinian smiled weakly. “If the empire was wrenched from my grasp, I would still have what I treasure most.”
Theodora dropped to her knees, bringing her face level with her consort’s. With her eyes blazing, her lips slightly parted, and shadows stroking the smooth concavities of her cheeks, she briefly took on the aspect of some pagan love goddess. Then her eyes narrowed and her features turned harder, almost masculine. “But we will not let anyone wrench the empire away from us, will we?”
“No, of course not! We’ve both worked too hard to allow that.”
“This plot you fear, Justinian. Are you certain it hasn’t been spawned by your fever rather than Justin? The man’s a peasant. Subtle intrigue isn’t his way.”
Justinian let out a ragged breath. “Everyone says Justin’s a peasant. Why is that, when they can see with their own eyes he’s an emperor? And a ruthless one, peasant or not. Don’t you recall Amantius, the chamberlain who plotted to put his own man on the throne when Anastasius died? He gave money to Justin to buy support for his candidate. Justin used it for his own ambitious ends and within two weeks of taking the throne he had had Amantius executed.”
“You own many eminent peoples’…admiration,” Theodora pointed out.
“Like land holdings, people do not necessarily remain owned by the same person.”
“But to accuse you, emperor in all but name, of having a hand in murder! Surely that is impossible? After all, emperors may kill. They cannot commit murder.”
“I am not yet emperor and my name is linked to the Blues, some of whom are accused of the murder of Hypatius. More such links will be forged soon. You’ll see.”
“Justin is a doddering old man. Such a plot is beyond him.”
“It is not beyond Proclus. Or many others.” Theodora traced Justinian’s lips with her fingertip. “What about that slave you rescued from the dungeon? Has he discovered anything useful?”
“Not yet.”
Theodora gave a throaty chuckle. “Amantius. Wasn’t he a eunuch like this slave of yours? Would it not be a delightful irony after Justin, having bested a eunuch for the throne, hatched a plot against you that was foiled by another of those creatures? However, you say this slave is not proving to be useful?”
“I said he has discovered nothing yet. He is intelligent and a fighter and I am certain will prove useful even if he never learns a single thing of value to us concerning the current matter. For example, already certain people realize I have my eye on them through him. In fact, I may well have other delicate missions for such a man.”
Theodora smiled. “And a slave is expendable!” She brought her face closer to Justinian’s. “Do you think Justin actually sees Euphemia?”
Justinian registered surprise at the question.
“Might it not be that two people become so close they cannot be parted, even by death?”
“That’s something you’d have to ask a philosopher. Or perhaps the Patriarch.”
Theodora stood abruptly. The movement sent her perfume swirling around Justinian. “I will not let anyone steal our empire from us! Soon you will assume your rightful place.”
“But first I must recover my strength.”
“Are you really so unwell, my love?” Theodora leaned across the bed and pulled one of Justinian’s hands up to her breast. “Perhaps you are not quite as ill as you think?”
With the easy grace of the mime she had once been, she was suddenly straddling him. The servant who had advanced to wipe Justinian’s forehead yet again could not suppress a gasp. She began to retreat.