He immediately chided himself. He had too much pride to run away and it was unworthy of him to mistrust Anastasia. What reason had she ever given him to doubt her?
***
A few streets away Anastasia rode behind the closed curtains of one of the less gaudy imperial carriages, unaware she was accompanied by Dedi, who, clinging to the back of the conveyance, prayed he would neither fall off nor be discovered.
Passersby glanced with curiosity as the carriage clattered past, wondering what elevated personage might be concealed and for what reason an aristocrat or high official was out and about in the city. And if there was a strange, little man hanging onto the back of the carriage, what business was it of theirs? The wealthy and powerful were often given to peculiar whims. On the other hand, if the twisted little creature was unknown to the passenger and up to no good…well, what business was it of theirs?
Dedi’s perch was less than salubrious. He was coated with dust churned up by the hooves of the horses’ and the carriage wheels. It gave his shriveled face a mummy-like appearance. He suppressed a cough, felt grit in his mouth, and spit mud.
Nevertheless, further from the palace he would have a better chance of escaping with whatever he managed to pilfer from her.
He needed a token from her to control her sister.
Although he had managed to recall Theodora she had chosen to fly to Antonina rather than subject herself to Dedi’s will. He had no way of knowing why. As soon as he glimpsed the empress through the window Dedi had ducked away to avoid detection. Antonina was well-versed in magick herself and might have detected his presence. No doubt she intended to employ Theodora’s reanimated shade for her own purposes.
The carriage hit a rut and the jolt nearly threw Dedi into the street. He tightened his grip. Darkness had fallen. He could see they were approaching the Church of the Holy Apostles because of the light pouring from its windows. The carriage came to a halt behind the building.
How odd. Why would Anastasia be carrying a package to the church?
Sticking his head around the side of the carriage he recognized the priest, Basilius, standing in the grounds, apparently waiting. When Anastasia alighted from the carriage he came over to greet her.
“You have brought me something, as you promised?” Dedi heard Basilius ask.
The carriage had drawn up in front of Theodora’s mausoleum. Dedi dropped quietly to the ground and crept underneath the carriage, out of sight of the driver but nearer to where Anastasia stood with Basilius.
Anastasia presented the package to the priest. “A small offering for the church. A chalice specially blessed by certain clergy in whom Theodora took a particular interest.”
Basilius looked at the package suspiciously. “You don’t mean those heretics of hers?”
“Surely you would not decline a tribute to the late empress?”
“No. Certainly not.” He took the package gingerly as if it were filthy.
Dedi was studying Anastasia carefully. His mouth widened in a gleeful grin. Tonight was one of particular good fortune, for Anastasia was wearing a necklace of garnets and silver he knew had once belonged to Theodora, and indeed had been a favorite of hers.
He sprang from beneath the carriage, grabbed the necklace, snapped its chain, and was gone into the night before either Anastasia or Basilius could do more than gasp in surprise and horror.
Chapter Fifty-two
Felix lay on a red-upholstered couch pinned down by the dark-eyed glare of a life-sized portrait of the late empress. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep while waiting for evening. In fact, he had intended to use Antonina’s invitation to linger to devise some method of questioning her further. But exhaustion had overtaken him. Unless…his gaze fell on his empty wine cup. Unless Antonina had given him something to help him sleep.
He felt his chest tighten and his heart beat faster. Though he had looked away he could sense the painted empress staring at him. Theodora’s image brought back the same wary reactions that her physical presence had caused. The aura of menace that had accompanied her alive seemed to emanate from the colored plaster. In reality the aura only existed in Felix’s mind and in the minds of many at the palace and in the city. Thus the empress lived on in the fear she had struck into those who had known her. Felix knew that very well, and yet…
He jumped at the touch of a hand on his shoulder.
“You are awake.” Antonina perched on the edge of the couch. “I gave you a little potion to help you relax. You’ve slept a long time. It will be dawn soon.”
How could he have been so stupid as to drink anything Antonina had offered him? Then again, he had used the potions and ointments Anastasia had obtained from her friend. Maybe Antonina had only wanted to help him. He didn’t remember. That frightened him.
He sat up. The garden visible through the window was brightly lit. But no, that was also a painting.
“Why did you come here, Felix?”
He looked down at his hands, glistening in places with ointment. “I explained…”
“You don’t think I believe you dared to come here because you had some eruptions on your skin, do you?”
“Some eruptions? Is that what you call leprosy?”
Antonina laughed unpleasantly. “Leprosy? Do you think I’m a fool?”
“I was told it was leprosy.”
“By who? A fool?”
“No.” Felix had never thought of Isis as a fool. He had concluded she had been mistaken because she was upset, or as a result of age. Or had she intended to get rid of Felix quickly by frightening him?
“You did hope to interrogate me, didn’t you?” Antonina said.
“What would I want to interrogate you about?”
“Really, Felix. Can’t you do better than that?” She looked fixedly at him. Her blue eyes resembled shining cutting tools, torture instruments ready to slice him wide open and lay bare every vein and sinew of any secret he might have inside his body.
“I did wonder about your servant, Tychon. Anastasia told me the poor fellow threw himself over the sea wall. My own head servant has just vanished, you see.”
Her next remark caught him by surprise. “How much do you know about the theft of the Virgin’s shroud, Felix?”
He tried not to look startled. Did she realize that was what had brought him here? And did that imply she had a connection to the matter? “What do you mean? Why do you want to know?”
Antonina smiled. “Don’t look so shocked. Anastasia told me about your investigation. Naturally I am interested. Her sister’s tomb, my dear friend’s tomb, was desecrated.” She nodded in the direction of the painted Theodora. Felix had an irrational fear that the dead empress would respond. However, she remained silent and motionless. Her implacable gaze did not waver.
“It was only an amulet and a few frogs,” Felix said. “A lot of frogs, I admit.”
“And there were demons involved?”
“If Anastasia told you all about it, why ask me?”
“She didn’t say whether you knew anything further about the demons, where they might have come from.”
“From the underworld, I imagine. Well, that’s why I asked about Tychon. Anastasia told me that according to witnesses he cried out that he was being chased by demons. Why did he think that? Were they the demons-or so-called demons-who stole the shroud? Was Tychon perhaps-”
“Where did the demons go after running out of the church?”
“I wish I knew. I’m not even certain the workers I spoke to at the church were telling the truth about seeing demons. I’m not sure if anyone has told me the truth.”
“Including me?”
“Why do you think I’d suspect you of lying? About what? I merely came here for assistance with these spots-what I thought was a serious condition.”