Page 79 of Of Love and Treason
“A bit overwhelmed.” She didn’t trust her emotions to remain in check if she revealed the truth.
Beatrix studied her a moment, then took her hand. “Me too. Come with me.”
Iris didn’t protest as Beatrix led her up the steep residential streetsof Quirinal Hill. Here single dwellings lined the streets, hidden behind high stucco and marble-tiled walls.
After laboring a few blocks, Iris trusted her voice enough to speak. “Shouldn’t you be opening your shop?”
“Not this morning.” Puffing, Beatrix paused on a corner to catch her breath and let a slave laden with full water jars pass. “I had an eviction notice on my door. The market office is turning out all Christian shopkeepers.” She let out a long breath. “After nearly twenty years, they’re closing my shop.”
“Can’t you fight it?” Iris’s problems seemed to pale in comparison. Beatrix’s shop was her only source of income. Especially important now that Valentine could not return to the notarii office.
Beatrix shook her head. “The only way to fight it is to bring proof of my participation in one of the sacrifices.” She sighed. “I won’t do that, so I’ll lose the shop.”
“Paulina let me go today.” In the wake of Beatrix’s news, it didn’t seem as terrible.
“I suspected as much. I couldn’t buy a raisin bun this morning.”
“Nowthis trulyisa terrible day.”
They both managed a laugh. Beatrix wiped a hand over the wetness on her own cheek and knocked at an unobtrusive door in the side of a white-painted wall.
“I’m sorry.” Iris touched her arm. “You must be devastated.”
“I am sad.” Beatrix hesitated. “But I feel a bit of relief, oddly enough. Though I’m not sure why.” She looked at Iris thoughtfully as the door opened.
“Hello, Phoebe.” Beatrix greeted the servant and attempted a bright smile. She stepped inside and tugged Iris into a warm kitchen. “Sorry to burst into your culina like this—is Martha awake?”
Phoebe bowed. “Welcome, Beatrix.” She smiled. “The family is about to break their fast. Come, they will be happy for you to join.”
It wasn’t until they stepped out of the culina and into a lush and damp courtyard that Iris realized they were in the home of Marius and Martha. She’d never entered it other than through the front clinic. The courtyard was quiet aside from the birds singing in thepalms overhead, flitting down to the branches of the potted almond tree. Phoebe left them alone in the blue triclinium, with a promise to alert Martha.
Beatrix settled on a couch. Iris followed suit. Would Valentine join them? Part of her wished he would leave the city and be safe. The other part longed for him to walk through the door.
Martha and Delphine came instead. Martha’s face bunched with concern. Her brown eyes darted between Iris and Beatrix, unsure whom to greet first and how.
“Bea, Iris—what are you doing here?” Martha clasped her hands and hurried toward them. “Is all well?” She glanced at Iris with a trace of alarm in her eyes.
“I think—” Beatrix patted Iris’s hand—“we’ve both had much better days.”
“It’s not yet breakfast.” Martha sat across from them. “What’s happened?”
Phoebe entered just long enough to deposit a tray of fruit, pastries, and steaming calda. At the sight of the tray, Iris’s stomach growled. Delphine served the calda as Beatrix and Iris shared the woes of their morning. The Calogarus women shook their heads, worry etching deeper lines into Martha’s forehead.
“It’s starting again just like twenty years ago.” Martha spoke softly. “Do you remember it, Bea? When Emperor Decius took control?”
“You probably don’t remember the reign of Decius.” Beatrix glanced at Iris and Delphine, who had been small girls at the time. “Similar to now, the priests and advisers convinced Emperor Decius that the decay of the empire was linked to the tolerance of non-Roman religions. He commanded everyone to participate in the traditional sacrifices where they received a certificate of compliance. Those who didn’t have a certificate were executed.”
Iris swallowed. She didn’t recall the reign of Decius, but when she was ten, Emperor Valerian took control and began a full campaign against the Christians, ordering the deaths of countless church leaders with the vain hope that by removing the leaders, the followerswould disintegrate. Her father had nearly lived at the prison, and Titus had joined the Praetorian legions shortly after.
“More calda?”
Delphine’s voice broke through her thoughts. Iris held out her nearly empty cup and Delphine refilled it, the bright aromas of lemon, lavender, and basil rising with the steam.
“Thank you.” Iris turned her attention back to Beatrix and Martha, who sadly shook their heads. Delphine resumed her seat as the door opened.
“Aunt Bea?”
Valentine and Abachum stepped through the doorway. Valentine looked as if he’d either just rolled out of bed or hadn’t slept in days. His tunic was rumpled, dark circles hung beneath his eyes, and his black hair stood on end in a way Iris found rather charming. His eyes darted to Iris and back to his aunt, face stilling as the oddity of the early visit swept over him.
