An Echo in the Darkness(78)

She trembled, her mind in tumult. She pressed her fingertips to her aching temples, remembering Julia running down from the gardens and leaping into her father’s arms when he’d come home from a long trip. She could almost hear her joyous laughter as Decimus swung her up high in the air and then held her close, telling her what a beautiful little girl she had become in the months he’d been gone.

Later, that same daughter had screamed she hated him and wished him dead.

O Jesus, what can I do for my child? What can I do? O God, show me what to do!

A strange weakness came over her, and she sank down. She clung to the railing with her left hand, trying to prevent herself from falling. Sitting on the balcony floor, she leaned heavily against the iron bars. She wanted to call out for her maid, but when she opened her mouth, only an unintelligible sound came. She wanted to pull herself up again but found she had no feeling in her right arm or leg. Fear filled her until all she could hear was the sound of her own heart beating in her ears.

The sun sank slowly, its rosy warmth against her back.

Someone tapped at the door of Phoebe’s chambers. “My lady?”

The door opened slowly, and the maid peered in. Frowning slightly, she entered and crossed the room to where she had placed the tray of food earlier. Nothing had been touched. Lavinnia straightened with the tray and glanced toward the bed. Seeing no one in it, she looked around the room again and then toward the balcony.

Uttering a cry, she dropped the tray. The crash reverberated through the household. “My lady!” Lavinnia cried out, hurrying to Phoebe. Throwing herself onto her knees, she bent over her mistress. “My lady! Oh! My lady!”

Iulius charged into the room and saw the maid weeping hysterically as she bent over Phoebe on the balcony. He ran to her. “What’s happened?” He pushed the girl aside so he could lift Phoebe from the cold tiles.

“I don’t know! I came in to get the tray and saw her lying here.”

“Be quiet, girl!” He carried Phoebe to her bed and laid her down gently. Her eyes were open and they shone with fear. She lifted her left hand weakly, and he grasped it. “Get some blankets,” he said and heard the maid hurry from the room.

“You’ve worked too hard for too long, my lady. You’ll rest now and be better in a few days,” he said with an assurance he was far from feeling. He was cold with fear for her. He stroked her forehead and wondered if she understood what he was saying. Her face was slack on one side, her eyelid and mouth drooping. She made sounds, but they were beyond recognition. The more she tried, the more distraught she became. Unable to bear it, he put his fingers against her lips.

“Don’t try to talk now, my lady. Rest. Sleep.”

Tears ran down across her cheeks. She closed her eyes.

Lavinnia returned with blankets. Others followed her into the room, servants who loved their mistress and were afraid for her. “Gaius has gone for a physician,” Perenna, the downstairs maid, said. A young man brought more wood for the brazier and set it closer to the bed. The laundress, cooks, and other servants all crowded into the room and stood about the bed, grieving as though Phoebe Valerian were already dead.

The cook’s son, Gaius, brought the physician straight up the stairs and into Phoebe’s bedchamber. Iulius told everyone to leave and then stood by watching the man examine her.

“What’s wrong with her, my lord?” Iulius said after the examination.

The physician didn’t answer. Stepping away from the bed, he looked at Iulius. “Are you in charge here?”

“Yes, my lord.”

The physician shook his head. “Nothing can be done.”

“What is it? What’s happened to her?”

“A god has touched her and caused a brain seizure. She doesn’t even know what’s going on around her.”

“You won’t help her?”

“I can’t help her. It’s in the hands of whatever god has placed his hand on her.” He started toward the door, but Iulius blocked his way.

“You’re a physician. You can’t just walk away and leave her like this!”

“Who are you to question me? I know far more about these matters than you do and I tell you there’s nothing that can be done for her. You have two choices. You can try to feed her and keep her alive in hopes the god or goddess who did this to her will relent and remove the curse. Or you can leave her alone and allow her to die with dignity.”

“Die with dignity?”

“Yes. And I’d advise you to do that. Be merciful and put some of this in her drink,” he said and held out a small vial. When Iulius didn’t take it, he set it on the small table near the bed. “You can let nature take its course,” he said, “but, in my opinion, that would be the ultimate cruelty.” He looked toward the bed. “She’s of little use to herself or anyone else in this state. If she had a choice, I’m sure she would choose to die.”