In the Heart of Darkness

Palace. They could hear the sound of fighting coming from somewhere in the outer complex.

As Narses had predicted, Pompeius was waiting for them. In a manner of speaking: the nobleman was squatting on the floor, leaning his head against a wall, sobbing.

Narses leaned over, seized Hypatius by his hair, and dragged the 'emperor's' brother to his feet.

'The only place you're safe now is with me,' hissed the eunuch. 'If you collapse again-if you disobey me in any way-I'll leave you.' Narses released his grip and stalked toward one of the corridors leading to another building in the complex. Ajatasutra strode alongside. Hypatius followed.

The sound of fighting grew louder. Among those sounds, Narses recognized the heavy thundering of a cavalry charge. So did Ajatasutra. Both men picked up their pace.

'Where are we going?' whispered the assassin. 'And why'-he pointed with a thumb over his shoulder-'are you so intent on hauling that creature with us?'

'I'll need him,' growled Narses.

They reached the end of the corridor. They were in another large room in yet another building. Narses plunged through a door against the left wall.

Again, a short corridor. Again, another room in yet another building. Again, Narses led the way through another door. Again, another corridor.

Ajatasutra, though he had an abstract knowledge of the Great Palace's layout, was by now completely disoriented.

'Where are we going?' he repeated.

'I have something to attend to,' muttered Narses.

The eunuch broke into a trot. The corridor made a bend. Once around the bend, Ajatasutra could see that the corridor ended in a massive set of double doors. One of the doors was ajar. Beyond, Ajatasutra heard the sound of indistinct voices.

Once they got within ten feet of the half-open door, Ajatasutra recognized one of the voices in the room beyond.

John of Cappadocia's voice.

Narses hissed. 'That bastard. I knew he'd come here first.'

The eunuch turned his head. Reptilian eyes focussed on Ajatasutra. 'Decide,' he commanded.

Ajatasutra hesitated for only a second. Then, with a half-smile:

'You're the best of a bad lot.'

Narses nodded. He gestured toward Pompeius, who was just now staggering up.

'Keep him safe,' muttered the eunuch. 'And deal with the bucellarii.'

Narses turned away and slid through the door. Ajatasutra followed, dragging Pompeius by the arm.

Inside, they found a dramatic tableau.

Theodora was on her knees, cradling Justinian. The Emperor, though still unconscious, was beginning to moan.

John of Cappadocia loomed above her, with a sword in his hand. His three bucellarii were standing a few feet away, between John and Narses. Hearing the eunuch enter, the bodyguards turned hastily and raised their weapons. Then, recognizing him, they lowered the swords and stepped aside. Narses slid past them, heading toward John and the Empress.

Ajatasutra relinguished his grip on Pompeius and sidled close to the bucellarii.

The Cappadocian glared down at the Empress. He began to snarl something.

Theodora, her face like a mask, sneered:

'Stop talking, traitor. Do it, coward.'

John raised his sword.

Narses, hissing like a snake:

'Stop, you idiot! We're going to need her. Alive.'

Startled, John turned away from the Empress. His sword lowered, slightly.

'Why?' he demanded. 'We were going to kill her, anyway, after she hailed the new Emperor. She and Justinian both. There's no reason to wait, now.' He scowled. 'And why are you here?'

Narses strode forward.

'I swear, Cappadocian, you've got the brains of a toad.'

Closer, closer.

'Think, John-think.'

Closer, closer. The eunuch pointed to the Empress. John turned his head, following the pointing finger.

Narses struck.

Ajatasutra, watching, was impressed. The old eunuch stabbed like a viper. The little knife seemed to come from nowhere, before it sank into John's ribcage.

John screamed, staggered, dropped his sword. The knife was still protruding from his side.

Narses stepped back.

The bucellarii bellowed, raised their swords, and took a step toward the eunuch.

One step. They got no further.

Ajatasutra slew the three bucellarii in as many seconds. Three quick blows from his dagger into the bodyguards' backs. Each blow-powerful, swift-slid expertly between gaps in the armor, severing spinal cords. Ajatasutra's victims died before they even realized what had happened. The bodyguards simply slumped to the floor.

John of Cappadocia had already fallen to the floor. But his was no lifeless slump. The praetorian prefect's face was twisted with agony. He was apparently trying to scream, but no sound escaped from the rictus distorting his face.

'It's quite a nasty poison,' remarked Narses cheerfully. 'Utterly paralyzing, for all the pain. Deadly, too. After a time.'

Ajatasutra quickly cleaned his dagger, but he did not replace it in its hidden sheath.

'Explain,' he commanded.

Narses began to sneer. But then, seeing the expression on the assassin's face, thought better of it. 'Do you still have any illusions, Ajatasutra?' he demanded. The eunuch pointed toward a nearby wall. Through that wall, thick as it was, came the sounds of combat. Grenade explosions, shouts, screams.

'It's over,' he pronounced. 'We lost.'

Ajatasutra frowned. Without being conscious of the act, the assassin hefted his dagger.

Narses was conscious of that act. He spoke hurriedly:

'Think, Ajatasutra. Where did Antonina get the grenades? She didn't steal them from us. She had them made. That means she's been planning this for months. It means everything that fool Procopius told that fool Balban was duplicity. Not his-the gossiping idiot! — but hers. Antonina hasn't been holding orgies on her estate- she's been training an army and equipping them with gunpowder weapons.'

Ajatasutra's frown deepened. 'But she couldn't have the knowledge-'

He got no further. Theodora's cawing laugh cut him short. The assassin, seeing the triumph in her face, suddenly knew that Narses was right.

He lowered the dagger. Lowered it, but did not sheathe the weapon. 'There's still a chance,' he said. 'From what I saw, she doesn't have much of an army. Balban still has the kshatriya, and the mob.'

Narses shook his head.

'No chance at all, Ajatasutra. Not with Belisarius here.'

The eunuch shook his head again. The gesture had a grim finality to it.

'No chance,' he repeated. 'Not with Belisarius here. He's already shattered the Army of Bithynia. Even if Balban manages to defeat Antonina in the Hippodrome, he'll still have to face Belisarius. With what? A few hundred kshatriya? Faction thugs?'

Narses gestured scornfully at the bodies of John's bucellarii. 'Or do you think these lap dogs are capable of facing Belisarius-and his cataphracts?'

Ajatasutra stared at the three corpses. Not for long, however. The sounds of combat were growing