An Echo in the Darkness(168)

“She obeyed God above everyone and everything, Julia. You know she did. Your child lives. You can be sure of that.”

The tears ran down the sides of Julia’s face, into her hair. “Oh, I hope so,” she whispered brokenly. “O God, please, I hope so. . . .” She drew in her breath, curling slightly on her side as pain gripped her. She wept softly, inconsolable.

Azar mixed a mandragora into watered wine and held Julia so she could drink it. Julia relaxed slowly as Azar dabbed the perspiration from her forehead and murmured to her, touching her face tenderly. Sighing, Julia turned on her side and held Azar’s hand against her cheek.

“She will sleep now,” Azar said and began to clean the room.

Marcus could see Azar was exhausted, for as she gathered the clothes, her limp was more pronounced. He took her walking stick from her and set it aside. Before she could protest, he swept her up in his arms. “As you will also,” he said and carried her to the sleeping couch against the wall.

As he held her, he caught the subtle scent of her, and his heart began to pound heavily. She was slender and light, and he remembered catching Hadassah up in his arms once in the same manner. As he laid Azar down, he sensed her tension. The veil had shifted slightly, and he saw her scarred throat. Unable to stop himself, he reached out to gently touch her skin, and she stiffened, her hands flying up to press the veils to her face.

Marcus drew back slowly, his heart racing. What was happening to him? “Azar . . . ,” he said hoarsely.

“Go,” she said, her voice choked with tears. “Go away, please.”

Marcus did as she asked, but rather than go to his own bedchambers for the night, he went downstairs again. Throwing a cloak over his shoulders, he went out of the villa.

He had to know about her.

Striding down the street, he headed toward the center of Ephesus. It was late, and crowds of people milled about, gathering on corners and in doorways to laugh and talk. He wove through them and kept going with purposeful strides. When he reached his destination, he pounded on the door with his fist. A servant opened it. “Office hours are—”

Marcus pushed the door open and entered the antechamber. “Tell the physician Marcus Lucianus Valerian is here to see him on a matter of importance.”

He paced the antechamber while he waited.

Alexander entered, his expression cold. “Did Rapha send you?”

“I didn’t come about my sister,” Marcus said and noticed Alexander’s eyes narrow. “I’ve some questions I’d like answered.”

Alexander’s mouth curved wryly. “Questions about your health?”

“Questions about the woman you sent to take care of my sister.”

“I didn’t send her, Valerian. In fact, if I could have my way, Rapha would still be here with me!” With that, the physician spun and walked away.

Undaunted, Marcus followed him toward the inner courtyard. Alexander turned to face him, eyes dark with anger. “Rapha is wasting her time on your sister. I told her that when we first saw her. There’s nothing she can do unless she can call down another miracle from God.”

“Another miracle?”

“You don’t even know what you have in your house, do you, Valerian?”

“Then tell me.”

“It began months ago when we were called to the house of an idol maker whose wife had been in labor two days. When I examined her, I knew the baby would have to be removed or she and the child would die. Rapha said no. She touched the woman’s abdomen. The child turned and came out. Just like that.” He snapped his fingers at Marcus. He gave a hard laugh. “Your sister called for us because she’d heard of Rapha’s reputation. She wanted a miracle, too. She didn’t get one.”

Marcus’ eyes narrowed. “You’ve a singularly nasty way of speaking about Julia. Surely you’ve taken care of other women who’ve lived as freely as she has.”

“More than I care to recount.”

“And you commend them all to oblivion?”

“Promiscuity has its own rewards.”

Marcus’ eyes narrowed, and he considered the other man for a moment, then shook his head. “Your dislike of my sister goes far deeper than some generalized distaste for her lifestyle. It’s personal.”

“I’d never seen your sister before the night Rapha and I were called to her villa. But even on short acquaintance, I found her to be one of the most self-centered women I’d ever met. Frankly, I was more than willing to leave her to her fate.”

“But Azar had other ideas.”

Alexander was silent for a moment. He wanted to strike Marcus, to call Rashid in to finish what he had tried to do with his treasured knife. But he knew both options were impossible. He was allowing his feelings to get in the way of his better judgment. He forced himself to answer calmly. “She didn’t like the fame she was receiving. People were beginning to look upon her as a goddess. She said God is Rapha, not her. That’s why she left.”