'Anyone might use his name in order to gain followers,' she said with more conviction than she was feeling.
'Then where is he, goddess? It is no secret that your elder son and your younger son quarreled violently the night before I entered this city. Prince Demetrius left the palace in a rage. He has not been seen in public since that night.' Aurelian took her by the shoulders and looked down into her face. 'Zenobia, I cannot protect the boy if he persists in his behavior. Yesterday I will forgive. What your son and his friends did is understandable to me, but now they must cease this very futile rebellion. Find the boy and reason with him.'
'He will not listen,' she said.
'You have seen him?'
She nodded. 'Last night. He chooses to be a martyr. He thinks it is what his father would want of him.'
Aurelian smiled a rueful smile. 'Your sons have a great deal of their mother in them,' he said. 'They are both as stubborn as you are, although in different ways. Try again, goddess. Try to reach him before he steps over the line between the accceptable and the unacceptable. You understand me, don't you?'
She nodded dumbly. He was being unbelievably kind, and she wondered why. Obviously he was trying to win her over, but when he bent to brush her lips with his she turned her head away, refusing for a moment to give any quarter. He could have easily forced her, but instead he laughed softly and released her, then turned and left the room without another word.
In her confinement Zenobia ate, slept, and lived without worry for nine days and nights. At the end of that time she felt renewed, more certain of herself than she had in many years. The city remained quiet. She had not sought to see her younger son again, for she had said what she had to say to him. He would either come to his senses or he wouldn't. She prayed daily that he would, and should he not, she prayed he might escape Aurelian. One thing she did know. He could not possibly succeed. The important thing now was Vaba; his wife, and the expected child; their exile and their eventual return to Palmyra. She was almost anxious for the trip to Rome to begin.
12
On the morning of the tenth day after the council's death Zen-obia found Aurelian waiting for her when she came from her bath. The sight of her after his voluntary absence made his heart quicken. Her golden skin was rosy and dewy, and she seemed to be enfolded in a cloud of hyacinth. Herkalasiris was a delicious bright crimson, her first gay color in many days. 'How fair you are,' he said almost without thinking, and she smiled.
'Good morning, Roman. Have you given orders to free me now?'
'You are free to roam the palace, and have guests,' he answered, 'but you may not leave the grounds.'
'Why not?'
'Because I want to keep the peace. I need no demonstrations, goddess.'
'When do we leave for Rome?' she asked him.
'Are you anxious to go?'
'Yes.'
'Why?'
'I want to get on with my life, Roman, and you tell me that my life is no longer here.'
'How coolly logical you are, goddess,' he smiled, amused. 'Well, you should be happy to learn that we leave here in just a few more days. First your eldest son must leave with his wife for Cyrene. I am sending an entire legion with him as escort. His young brother-in-law and mother-in-law will go with them. It is their choice-at least until little Flavia delivers her child.'
'Is it safe for Flavia to travel now?' Zenobia asked. 'Please do not endanger her or my grandchild.'
'Her own physician has examined her, goddess, and has pronounced her most healthy and fit to travel.'
'And how is my son to live in Cyrene, Caesar?'
'He will be given a most generous allowance, Zenobia.'
'And after they are gone, we shall go?'
'Yes. You, and your younger son if we can find him, and your little daughter. She is a most charming child, goddess. I like her, but she certainly does not resemble either you or your sons.'
'She resembles my mother's people,' Zenobia said quickly. 'Mama was quite blond and fair, but tell me, Roman, you have been seeing my child?'
'She was quite worried about you, goddess, and needed reassurrance. I was able to offer that reassurance. Iam very good with little girls. You must remember that I raised my niece, Carissa.'
'You might have allowed Mavia to be with me,' Zenobia said sharply.
'No, goddess. I felt you needed the nine days of mourning to reflect upon your situation. The child would have distracted you.' He was telling her once more that it was he who controlled her life.
'As always, Caesar, you are most kind and thoughtful,' Zenobia murmured.
Aurelian laughed. 'Why is it that even when you are thanking me, goddess, I get the feeling that you are slinging missiles at me?'
Zenobia looked at him, eyes wide, her whole expression one of innocence. 'I do not understand,' she said, 'I thought I was being most polite to you, Caesar.'
'The hell you did,' he muttered thickly, reaching out and pulling her against him. 'You continue to fascinate me and defy me at every opportunity, goddess!' A hard arm was tight about her slender waist, and now his free hand cradled her head as his mouth came down on hers in a brief but burning kiss. 'I am tired of sleeping alone,' he said. 'Your mourning is over, Zenobia, and tonight I intend returning to your bed. Have you missed me, goddess?'
'No,' she said, smiling up at him, her gray eyes looking directly into his blue ones.
He laughed, but she could see the anger hidden deep in his eyes. 'One day you will regret your defiance, goddess. One day I will grow bored with it, and find a more comfortable mistress.'
'I did not choose to be your mistress, Caesar.'
'It is not up to you to choose,' he said cruelly. 'Remember that when I grow tired of you I may pass you on to anyone it pleases me to, goddess. Perhaps I shall give you to some Gaulish or Germanic chieftain. I wonder how long you would last in the wet, cold, dark forests of the North?' He bent once more and plundered her lips savagely, bruising them this time, forcing his tongue into her mouth where it darted about, first stroking the sensitive roof of her mouth then sensuously caressing the sides of her tongue.
How I hate him! Zenobia thought. But by Venus and Cupid he can rouse my senses! She shivered as she felt a large, warm hand upon her breast, and struggled to get away from him, but Aurelian lifted his head, saying, 'I desire you now, goddess, and I shall have you!' Then he swiftly kicked her legs out from beneath her, and together they fell to the thick rugs strewn upon the floor. She gasped for breath as his greater weight knocked the wind from her.
Maddened by his own passion now, Aurelian hurriedly pushed her gown up and yanked it over her head, flinging it across the room. His hands caressed her possessively, slipping over her smooth, cool body, setting her to quivering as the strings of a lyre might vibrate with a sensitive touch. Closing her eyes for a moment, she allowed the sensations to sweep over her.
Seated upon her hips, Aurelian watched the passion creep slowly into Zenobia's expression. A cynical look swept into his eyes and etched smile lines at the comers of his mouth. She was using him, and he was tempted to get up and walk away. Unfortunately he desired her far too much at this moment to salvage his pride. Why could he not make her love him? He was kind and thoughtful of her and her family and close friends. He was even willing to forgive her rebellious younger son, yet she still scorned him. His one satisfaction was that she did not scorn his body as much as she might want to.
Angry now, he pulled her thighs none too gently apart; then drove immediately into her body, which was already honeyed and awaiting him. She gasped and her eyes flew open with surprise, for of late he had been gentle with her. In and out, in and out, in and out, he moved with increasing rapidity; and Zenobia cried a soft protest. 'I only use you as you use me, goddess,' he said, mocking her.
