Page 61 of Of Love and Treason
He crossed his arms and settled his weight. “Well. Tell me what happened.”
They all did. Sometimes Valentine spoke, and then Iris broke in, or Quintus asked Valentine to repeat one of the stories he’d told earlier about Jesus. Titus took it all in, the glowing excitement on Iris’s and Quintus’s faces and the restored calm of the prisoner. The story was unbelievable at best. Except for the fact that Iris had been blind but now could see.That, he could not deny. When the stories turned to center around the exploits of the Christian god, Titus stopped listening. He stood with his arms crossed, the words echoing off the stone walls and low ceiling that brushed against his hair. For a time, all he heard were the echoes as his mind ran.
This was a problem.
“Quintus, I need to talk with you.” He spun away. The room went quiet. He felt their eyes on him as he strode toward the stairs, satisfied when two sets of footsteps followed.
“What’s wrong, Titus?” Iris’s forehead creased as she emerged into the warm humidity of the office.
Titus shoved the iron door shut behind them. “What is he doing here?”
Quintus swallowed. “That’s classified.”
“I’m a speculatore, Quintus.EverythingI do is classified.” Titus turned to Iris. “Do you mind?” He gestured to the front door.
“Yes, I do.”
He shot her a look that said he wasn’t joking. Her lips tightened but she complied with a huff. Titus waited until the door closed on her heels, then whirled on Quintus. “I’ve got orders to have that man followed and arrested.” He pointed toward the cell door.
“Valentine?On what charges?” Quintus sputtered. “He healed Iris—you can’t arrest him!”
“You already did.”
“That wasbefore!”
“Who put him here?” Titus wrestled his voice into a deeper tone. “Who else knows what he’s done?” His mind ran. Who had solved the case before he had? How had Quintus gotten involved? Would this affect his promotion?
“No one—one person—I don’t know. I agreed to a bribe, all right?” Quintus crossed the room and poured himself a drink, hands shaking. “The amount is enough to get me and Iris out of the city, or I wouldn’t have risked it.”
Titus ran his hands through his hair. That solved one problem—and created another.
“I’m awaiting the order that I can release him.” Quintus tossed back the cup and poured a second. “It’s the least I can do for the man who healed my daughter and gave us hope.”
Titus massaged the back of his neck and turned away, pacing to the front door and back. “He’s a notarius.”
“I know.” Quintus set the amphora back in its place.
“He’s been writing marriage contracts despite the emperor’s edict.”
“He’sthe notarius?” Quintus waved a hand, clarifying. “You’re sayingValentineis The Cupid? The Friend of Lovers? The one everyone’s talking about?”
Titus gritted his teeth. “You mean,the man committing high treason? Yes.”
Quintus threw back the second cup of wine and set the cup on the shelf. “The people will riot if you arrest him.”
Titus shrugged. “No one cared when you did.”
“No one knows.”
“No one’s supposed to know when I take care of him either.”
Quintus shook his head. “You can’t kill him. Not after what he’s done for Iris. We should be lavishing him with gifts, not prison and trial!”
“Oh, there won’t be a trial.”
“You’re certain it’s him?”
“Quite.” Titus paused and held Quintus’s steady gaze. “But I can’t do anything without proof—on account of his grandfather.”
