Read Online Written in the Ashes by K. Hollan Van Zandt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: K. Hollan Van Zandt
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nodded, then raised his voice to speak. “Heirax, the High Counselor of this chamber, has spoken the righteous word of God, and reminded us of our true duty as the keepers of His law. I decree that witchcraft is a pagan abomination punishable by death in this city, and that any woman thought to be a witch will be brought to trial before the people. If she confesses to her sins and renounces her evil doing and takes up the path of the gospels of our lord Jesus Christ, she shall be forgiven. But if she does not confess, or refuses to renounce her sins, she shall be killed in a manner befitting a sorceress of black magic, by stoning or slitting of the throat.”
There was silence around the table then, until Ammonius stood and brought his hands before him. Some twenty-odd members of the clergy joined him, facing the bishop. “Praise Christ, our Lord.”
“Sit down, Ammonius,” barked Cyril. “This campaign will go on until the pagans are vanquished, and the witch Hypatia is dead. Alexandria is a Christian city, and we shall make it known to every pagan in that heathen library of theirs. Now go. Leave me to discuss the matter with my Parabolans. Heirax, summon the appointed leaders at once; I have a headache and I am tired of looking at you.” Cyril turned his head.
“As you wish, Your Eminence.” Heirax stood. “Peter, will you gather your men from the square?”
“Consider it done,” said Peter, who rose to his full height. The gesture always disturbed the bishop further, as his own height was enough of a concern for him that he had special lifts put in his shoes for when he delivered his sermons from the dais.
With Peter out of the room, Cyril’s eyes flicked to his High Counselor, Heirax, who was gathering his robes about him. “See that Peter sits on the other side of the table from me from this point forward. And I demand you leave me at once and return only when you have something interesting to report.”
Heirax nodded and stepped out of the room with the other clergy, all the while facing the bishop, never turning his back.
6
Alizar’s ship sailed at dawn as planned. Hannah felt she would miss him, and contemplated his kindness as she went about her morning chores. There was no question the house felt different without him.
Jemir opened the window in the kitchen a little wider to let in the song that lilted down from the balcony. It had never occurred to him how quiet Alizar’s house had been before. He closed his eyes and let himself be swept up in the sweetness of her voice, as if it were an antidote to all that privately ailed him. Later, when Hannah came in and plopped down onto one of the cushions on the floor, he felt his heart warm with affection.
“You sing beautifully.”
Hannah’s cheeks blossomed. “I did not realize you could hear me all the way in here. I am sorry. I will sing more softly.”
“ Kuklamu , if you sing softly you will offend the gods who gave you that voice.”
Hannah turned her eyes down to the floor in modesty, her eyelashes brushing her cheeks.
Jemir threw her a rag. “You know what today is?”
Hannah caught the rag in the air and began wiping down the table. She did not know.
“You go to the Great Library and the Museion. Alizar has arranged that you will have a tutor.” Jemir could see by the expression on Hannah’s face that the shepherd’s daughter had no idea what a rare privilege this was, especially for a slave—and a female slave at that. Maybe she had not heard the stories of what marvels the library housed. Jemir saw at once his opportunity to build the anticipation for her. She would think he was describing a dream. It did not matter. The library might very well be a dream of the gods.
Hannah took up a long wooden spoon from the table and turned it over in her palms as she wiped it clean.
Jemir started with something he knew that any girl would love to hear about: the butterfly enclosure. Thousands of blue and yellow and white
There was silence around the table then, until Ammonius stood and brought his hands before him. Some twenty-odd members of the clergy joined him, facing the bishop. “Praise Christ, our Lord.”
“Sit down, Ammonius,” barked Cyril. “This campaign will go on until the pagans are vanquished, and the witch Hypatia is dead. Alexandria is a Christian city, and we shall make it known to every pagan in that heathen library of theirs. Now go. Leave me to discuss the matter with my Parabolans. Heirax, summon the appointed leaders at once; I have a headache and I am tired of looking at you.” Cyril turned his head.
“As you wish, Your Eminence.” Heirax stood. “Peter, will you gather your men from the square?”
“Consider it done,” said Peter, who rose to his full height. The gesture always disturbed the bishop further, as his own height was enough of a concern for him that he had special lifts put in his shoes for when he delivered his sermons from the dais.
With Peter out of the room, Cyril’s eyes flicked to his High Counselor, Heirax, who was gathering his robes about him. “See that Peter sits on the other side of the table from me from this point forward. And I demand you leave me at once and return only when you have something interesting to report.”
Heirax nodded and stepped out of the room with the other clergy, all the while facing the bishop, never turning his back.
6
Alizar’s ship sailed at dawn as planned. Hannah felt she would miss him, and contemplated his kindness as she went about her morning chores. There was no question the house felt different without him.
Jemir opened the window in the kitchen a little wider to let in the song that lilted down from the balcony. It had never occurred to him how quiet Alizar’s house had been before. He closed his eyes and let himself be swept up in the sweetness of her voice, as if it were an antidote to all that privately ailed him. Later, when Hannah came in and plopped down onto one of the cushions on the floor, he felt his heart warm with affection.
“You sing beautifully.”
Hannah’s cheeks blossomed. “I did not realize you could hear me all the way in here. I am sorry. I will sing more softly.”
“ Kuklamu , if you sing softly you will offend the gods who gave you that voice.”
Hannah turned her eyes down to the floor in modesty, her eyelashes brushing her cheeks.
Jemir threw her a rag. “You know what today is?”
Hannah caught the rag in the air and began wiping down the table. She did not know.
“You go to the Great Library and the Museion. Alizar has arranged that you will have a tutor.” Jemir could see by the expression on Hannah’s face that the shepherd’s daughter had no idea what a rare privilege this was, especially for a slave—and a female slave at that. Maybe she had not heard the stories of what marvels the library housed. Jemir saw at once his opportunity to build the anticipation for her. She would think he was describing a dream. It did not matter. The library might very well be a dream of the gods.
Hannah took up a long wooden spoon from the table and turned it over in her palms as she wiped it clean.
Jemir started with something he knew that any girl would love to hear about: the butterfly enclosure. Thousands of blue and yellow and white
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