Page 59 of Of Love and Treason
Quintus already had. He understood now why Valentine and the others could be so serene. God had not used His power to keep Valentine from being arrested but had given him peace instead. A question wiggled its way through the peace. He looked at his daughter. What would this new belief require of them?
Iris gave a nod, eyes wandering the cell. “Even so, I must believe. How can I not?”
The lantern guttered and extinguished, dropping the cell into darkness. Iris let out a strangled squeak. Quintus gripped her hand.
“It’s all right,” he soothed. “It was just the lantern.”
“I thought maybe...” Her words came on a relieved breath, but her grip on his hand did not ease as he turned them toward the stairs. Dawn showed itself as a pale-gray rectangle around the edges of the ironclad door. Iris released a long sigh of relief when he pushed it open, gaze darting around the room. She didn’t speak until Quintus had closed the cell door.
“What’s going on, Pater?” She crossed her arms. “Why didn’t you tell Beatrix her nephew was here?”
“I was following orders, Iris.” He turned the key in the lock and sighed, resting his forehead against the cold iron of the door. “He was to be arrested for unlawful religious gatherings and held secretly to scare him into recanting.”
“Orders from whom?”
“I took a bribe.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “If I arrested him, theamount of money they promised would get us out of here. I didn’t know it was your friend’s nephew.”
She was silent for two breaths. “He said he won’t recant. What’s going to happen to him?”
“I don’t know.” He hooked the keys back onto his belt.
“We can’t just leave him here! Not after what he’s done, what he’s told us.” Her voice was laced with panic that bloomed in her dark eyes.
Quintus glanced toward the front door, where Helix stood guard outside. He lowered his voice. “We’ll talk more about this later.” He hoped she understood the warning in his tone. They would have to keep this quiet for now. “It’s dawn. Go home.”
“Pater!” Her eyes went wide. “We have to tell Titus!”
XXV
THE MESSENGER HADN’T GIVEN HIMthe reason for the urgency, but Titus rushed anyway. He’d run most of the way at a dead sprint and was out of breath by the time he pounded up the stairs to the carcer. The guard swung the door open before Titus reached the top.
He pushed inside and swept the entire office in a quick glance. “I got your message.” No sign of the tribune, nor Quintus for that matter. Iris sat behind the desk. Alone.
“What’s going on?” He turned to face her. “I got an urgent message to come here.”
Iris stared at him. “I hardly recognize you, but for your voice. You look...”
He inhaled to make a quip in response but then noticed her eyes. Pointed at him. And focused. He went still.
“What are you talking about?” His heart began to thrum.
“Older, for one thing.” Her voice trembled a little. Then her teeth flashed against her skin in a sudden grin. “You grew into those ears. I was doubtful.”
He pinched his earlobe. She was teasing. Had to be. He glanced around again. “What’s going on? I ran all the way here.”
Iris tugged at her earlobe, mimicking him. She grinned and stood, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“Mars and Jupiter.” His hands fell to his sides. “Can you really see me?”
She nodded and bit her lip, a strangled bubble of laughter escaping. Titus crossed the office in two strides and grabbed her face in his wide hands, staring hard into her deep-brown eyes. “If you’re teasing me, I’m going to throw you in the Tullianum with Hades.”
Iris laughed and shook her head, a tear escaping each eye. “I’m not.”
“Seriously.”
“As a Stoic.”
Something crumbled in his chest as the reality hit him. She would never pull a prank like this. Titus crushed her to his chest in a hug. “Jupiter Optimus Maximus!” He kissed the top of her head and pushed her back at arm’s length to look at her again. “How?”
