Pantera completed his translation. ‘My dove has reached the Poet, who in turn sends this to me and to Menachem. Listen, I will read it.’ His voice was strained. It echoed in his own ears.
From the Poet to the Leopard and to Israel’s new king, greetings. You must know that the Twelfth legion marched yesterday from Antioch under command of Cestius Gallus, governor of Syria, with orders to retake the city of Jerusalem, and the nation of Israel. Those who have the emperor’s ear have tried and failed to divert them: Nero will not call them back. Defend yourselves immediately, lest your peace and prosperity wither on the vine.
He felt the press of their waiting. The light was gone from Hypatia’s eyes. She was gathering herself, becoming sober again, taking on a weight that was not yet hers.
She said, ‘Menachem must be told.’
‘I’ll do it.’ As his gift, Pantera took the weight from her. It settled about his shoulders like chain mail, and was not unbearable. ‘He will have reached the heights by now and have formally named Gideon as his High Priest and Yusaf as his counsellor. When he comes down, I will tell him and we will plan the defence of Jerusalem. We have arms and men who listen. All is not lost and we may yet negotiate with Nero. You…’ His gaze held first Hypatia, then Iksahra, and after them the others. ‘You have a day and a night to do whatever you choose. Use it, and then come back to me in the palace and we will see what needs to be done.’
He waited to see them go before he moved. Mergus, Estaph, Kleopatra; those three turned back towards the city, to the baths, and the markets and the clamour of celebration.
Hypatia turned away from the city and Iksahra with her in a swirl of white linen, her cat a smear of gold-black pelt and muscle at her heels; they three, two women and their beast, with the hunting birds soaring above, walked back across the grasslands towards the hills.
Pantera stayed a while, watching them go, before he turned back to the city, to a man who must be both king and commander, and lead his army onward into war.