Free Rome 2: The Coming of the King by M. C. Scott Page A

request.’
    ‘Perhaps she thought you might school our brother and ourself in the worship of your gods. Isis, perhaps? Would you do that, who have been a servant in her name?’
    Hypatia shook her head. ‘Not unless you requested it, majesty. The god of the Hebrews would not permit such a thing and it is known that the king pays homage to him alone.’ Unlike his queen, who was known to favour Greek gods, Helios and Athena foremost amongst them.
    ‘And yet,’ said Berenice, ‘we have temples of Isis in our city.’
    Hypatia gave a brief nod. ‘Your majesties are kind to your subjects, allowing them freedom in their worship. The world knows of your benevolence.’
    Berenice tilted her head. ‘The world, I believe, considers benevolence, or its lack, to be the legacy of our grandfather. Would you say the world was wrong?’
    Poppaea had promised a trap, and here it was, neatly laid and quite candid. There was a relief in seeing it so soon.
    Hypatia’s choices were three: to agree, to disagree – or to speak the truth as she understood it.
    With the colour still high in her cheeks, she chose the last of these.
    ‘I would say the world chooses kindly to ignore the fact that the Roman governor, acting as the hand of the emperor, decides the choice of worship in the city and has done so for the past fifty years. And that the current incumbent, like his predecessors, will not lightly offend the Syrians whose taxes fill his coffers by denying them their right to worship freely whichever god or gods they choose. I notice it has not kept their youths from their annual rush of blood to the head. It seems to have come thisyear rather earlier than might have been expected, and to have an unusual degree of violence.’
    What she had sensed as she stepped off the Krateis had become increasingly obvious as she had explored the city. Only here, in the palace, was there a semblance of absolute normality, as if the outer world was unable to impose itself.
    There was silence. Nobody moved except Drusilla, who turned, smiling, and said something softly to her sister, barely to be heard.
    Berenice nodded her agreement. With care, she re-rolled the letter into its cylinder and wound the threads round it.
    ‘ An intellect few can match . Poppaea did warn us.’ Superficially, her eyes held the same warm amusement as her voice. The currents beneath were as mixed and complex as those that pulled ships to their deaths in the seas outside.
    ‘What gifts do you bring?’
    ‘A water clock of Alexandrian design and a pair of hunting hounds for her majesty’s kennels. I have taken the liberty of leaving them in the beast gardens to be fed and cared for. It is well known that the queen loves the hunt above all other pursuits.’
    ‘Indeed. Were the hounds Poppaea’s?’
    ‘They were, majesty. They were of Egyptian hunting stock, mixed with the war-hounds of the Britons that were sent to her as a gift after Rome’s fire. She believed them among the best in the world.’
    ‘Then perhaps tomorrow morning, when today’s duty is behind us, we shall discover if this is true.’ Berenice rose. Her spring-clad attendants rose with her.
    Thus dismissed, Hypatia drew back to let the royal party pass her. Berenice paused, still on the dais.
    ‘We accept the gifts of our dear friend, now dead. You will be given a room in the palace. Polyphemos will see to it. You are free to spend your time as you see fit. Five days from now, however, we require your company at the theatre. The performance will be more tedious than you can imagine butwhat takes place before it may be worthy of your attention. We gather here at the afternoon’s sixth hour. A gown will be given. Do not take this to mean that your existing garment is considered unfit, only that we require conformity in those who follow us.’

C HAPTER S IX
    PANTERA WOKE BEFORE dawn, and left the inn quietly, but with no particular effort to keep himself hidden.
    Even so, nobody followed him, which