trade routes, and found it to be completely satisfactory?'
The eparch regarded Nikos closely; I had seen the same look on the face of a man trying to determine the age of the horse he was buying. 'You have a destination in mind, I presume?'
'The short journey to Theodosiopolis should suffice. It would take only a few days, and amply serve the purpose.'
The eparch considered this, tapping his fingertips together. Finally, he said, 'It is a meritable idea, Komes Nikos. I think you should do it-'
'Good,' replied Nikos swiftly. 'I will make the arrangements at once.'
'On your own,' continued the eparch, more forcefully. 'That would allow me to stay here and prepare for next year's council. The governor is expected in a few days, and I could greet him and relate the details of our agreement. It would be time well spent. You go.'
'But I am not the eparch,' Nikos pointed out. 'I could not-'
'It makes no difference. The journey is largely symbolic anyway. It will carry the same significance whether I go along or not.'
Komes Nikos seemed about to make an objection; I could almost see the protest forming on his lips. But he checked himself and said, 'Very well. If that is your decision.'
'That is my decision,' replied Nicephorus precisely.
'I shall leave in the morning. Good day to you, eparch.' He turned suddenly and, for the first time, saw me standing just inside the doorway. His face stiffened; he crossed the room in quick, long strides. 'Beware, meddling priest,' he whispered under his breath as he passed. 'Beware.'
'Ah, Aidan, you are here,' called the eparch, beckoning me to enter. 'The day has grown cold. I am chilled to the bone.'
Unfolding the cloak, I placed it around his shoulders. 'I could light the brazier,' I offered.
'Too much bother,' he said. 'I will not stay out here much longer. The light is failing.' He looked at the doorway, as if expecting to see Nikos standing there. 'Did you hear what he said?'
'Yes, eparch.'
'What do you think?'
'I know nothing of these matters,' I answered.
'But you know Nikos,' the eparch pointed out. 'You know him and, what is more, you distrust him-as do I.' Nicephorus paused, ordering his thoughts. 'I distrust him because I do not know where his true loyalties lie. He is ambitious, I believe. Many young men are ambitious, and I have seen more than my share; but in our friend Nikos, ambition serves an end I cannot see.' Turning stiffly to me, he asked, 'Was he lying, do you think?'
'You would know better than I, eparch,' I answered. Suspicion, Justin had said, is the knife in your sleeve and the shield at your back.
'I think we must assume that he was. But if so, I cannot see any possible gain in it-for him or anyone else. Can you?'
'No, eparch.' Even as I answered I felt the creeping damp of the prison cell I had seen in my dream. I shivered and looked around me; the courtyard had grown dim as daylight waned. 'It is getting dark. Shall I not light the brazier for you?'
'No, no, that will not be necessary,' said the eparch, rising. 'I am going to my room.' He folded the parchment and tucked it under his arm as he started for the door. 'Walk with me, Aidan.'
I fell into step beside him and we entered the corridor. 'I do not know how you came to be slave to the Danes,' he said, 'but I want you to know that I intend speaking to the emperor on our return.'
'Eparch?'
'About your freedom, son,' he said in a fatherly tone. 'It would be a sad waste of your talents to spend the rest of your life translating Greek for barbarians. We must do something about that, I think.'
'Thank you, eparch,' I replied, for I could think of nothing else to say.
'We had best keep this between ourselves for now,' he cautioned. 'It would be less awkward when the time comes.'
'Of course.'
'Tell Flautus that I will take my meal in my room,' the eparch instructed. 'I have had enough of celebration feasts for awhile.' We had reached his door; he opened it and dismissed me. 'Oh, Aidan,' he said calling me back, 'would you ask Jarl Harald to place a guard at my door tonight? I think I would sleep a little better for it.'
'Yes, eparch; at once.'
He thanked me and I took my leave, going straight-away to find Harald and arrange for the guard. Taking the eparch's concern to heart, I also remained out of sight that night, behaving as a dutiful slave and staying close to Harald. But nothing happened, and the house remained quiet. I went to sleep thinking: Nikos departs tomorrow and we will not have to worry about him any more.
The next day, Nikos prepared to leave, leading a group of thirty barbarian guards and a dozen opportunistic traders desirous of an escorted journey to Theodosiopolis. He spoke briefly to the eparch and left the villa, where- upon Nicephorus went in to break fast in his customary fashion. I served him at table whenever I could so that I might remain privy to his affairs.
Thus, the eparch was just sitting down when Nikos returned. 'A matter of urgency has arisen,' he said, striding quickly into the courtyard. 'It requires your attention.'
The eparch's expression of anger gave way to bewil-derment when the magister and another man appeared in the doorway behind Nikos. The eparch rose to his feet and bade the men to enter.
'Forgive my intrusion, eparch,' the magister said quickly. 'I am glad to have arrived before it was too late.'
'Too late?' wondered Nicephorus.
'Ah,' said the magister, glancing at Nikos, 'too late to prevent the komes from leaving.'
The eparch frowned. 'Why should that cause you concern, I wonder?'
'I will explain,' offered the magister.
'It would be a kindness,' allowed the eparch.
'Consul Psellon,' he indicated the man beside him, 'has just come from the governor with a message for you.'
'I see. May I have it, please?' Nicephorus held out his hand.
Magister Sergius nudged the man, who put his hand into a fold of his cloak, and withdrew a thick square of parchment tied with a black silk band and sealed with a red spot of wax. 'It is the exarch's seal, you see,' volunteered Sergius.
'Thank you for that observation, magister,' intoned the eparch. 'No doubt I would have failed to appreciate that detail. I am, as always, indebted to you.'
Sergius coloured and made to further his explanation, but Nikos cut him off, saying, 'Thank you, magister. I think we are fully capable of assessing the importance of this document without your assistance.'
'Of course.' The magister subsided gratefully.
Eyeing the magister and consul in turn, the eparch took up the bundle, untied it, broke the seal, unfolded the heavy parchment and began to read, his lips moving over the words as he scanned the document. 'This is most interesting,' he observed upon finishing. 'Most interesting, indeed.'
Without waiting to be asked, Nikos snatched up the parchment and began to read. 'It is from the governor,' he observed, still reading.
'So it would appear,' mused Nicephorus, staring at the magister and consul with an expression of rank scepticism.
'He is asking us to join him in Sebastea,' Nikos continued. 'He says there is word of-' he broke off abruptly, glancing at the eparch. 'It is a matter of extreme urgency,' he finished lamely.
'Apparently,' conceded the eparch, still staring at the two before him. 'When did this message arrive?' he asked.
'Just this morning,' declared the magister. 'I came directly to you the moment Psellon arrived.'
'I see.' The eparch's eyes narrowed. 'So you knew the contents of this message, did you?'
'By no means, eparch!' The magister all but shrieked at the implication. 'But I knew it to be important- Psellon told me that much.'
