Read Online Like Fire Through Bone by E. E. Ottoman - Free Book Online Page A

you, are going to have to be kneeling on it. But I suppose being aware of these things and thinking ahead comes with the experience of age.” She turned back to Panagiotis, reached forward, pulled from his hand the square of linen he still clutched, and used it to dab at the corners of his mouth. “My women tell me that there was quite a commotion in the kitchen this morning.”
    Vasilios wanted to sigh deeply, but instead looked down at the floor. “I had to go to General Markos’s house early this morning, and some of the kitchen staff decided because I was not there, they were not going to run to you or one of your women to ask for permission to go to market and instead didn’t go to market at all. I gave them a talking to when I got back and cut off their wine shares for a week.”
    Eudoxia frowned at that. “What did General Markos want?”
    Vasilios’s heart began beating so fast he was afraid she might be able to hear it, and he swallowed dryly. “He wanted to tell me that he’d read over the papers I had delivered to him, and wanted us to put an offer on the land parcel for him.” To his great relief Eudoxia nodded.
    “You may go.”
    Without a second glance, Vasilios bowed again, ducked out of the room, and headed toward his own. When he got there, he found someone kind had left him a tray of food from the evening meal. He drank some wine and ate a little cheese and bread, but his stomach heaved and almost rebelled at the mere smell of the meat on the tray.
    Finally he pulled off his clothes, discarded them on the floor, and slid into bed. He never slept naked or left costly clothes on the floor, but this time he was too tired to care. For a long time after he’d blown out the lamp, he stared unseeingly at the ceiling. He was tired, it had been a long, emotionally challenging day, and he hadn’t slept well for several nights. He was also terrified that if he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, he would have the dreams again. As he lay there, his mind began to present him with every image, every horrible, sickening detail of the three dreams. His hands shook, and Vasilios wondered if he’d do his eyes harm by staring fixedly at the ceiling above his bed without blinking.
    Eventually, though, his mind lost the fight against his body, and he did sleep. Luckily he did not dream.

3

     
    T HE message from Markos came several days later, while Vasilios was overseeing the sorting and storing of a new batch of linen that Eudoxia had ordered for the women’s quarter. Some of the linen would be made into pillows, curtains, and other household items, and part would be made into new tunics, trousers, and drapes for the concubines and their daughters.
    “A message from General Markos’s household for you, Vasilios.” One of the concubines’ eunuchs bowed deeply to him. Vasilios turned away from where another eunuch was holding up each piece of linen and then putting it into the household or garment pile, depending on what Vasilios instructed.
    “Oh yes? Give it here.” He held out the hand not holding the wax tablet with the inventory list on it.
    With another little bow, the eunuch handed him a folded piece of paper. Taking the paper, Vasilios felt a twinge of guilt over the fact that after he’d had the young eunuch lashed, most of the eunuchs acted as if they were afraid of him.
    He unfolded the paper.
     
    Requesting your presence a quarter past the evening meal. I have already sent word to Panagiotis.
     
    Vasilios cast about for his pen before realizing he had a stylus. He glared balefully at it for a moment, then turned back to the eunuch. “Is the servant who brought this note still here?”
    The man’s gaze was firmly fixed on the ground. “Yes, Vasilios.”
    “Look at me,” Vasilios snapped and then regretted it immediately when the man paled, his gaze jerking to Vasilios’s face. “Run back and tell that servant that I will be there.”
    The eunuch nodded, bowed again, and then ran.