“Are you listening to me?” Herigast said, grabbing the front of his tunic and shaking him. “They’re going to kill her unless you tell them Anomia’s lying!”
“I will never lie,” Rizpah’s words haunted him again. He knew she would tell the truth, even if her life was forfeit.
“O God,” Atretes said under his breath. “O Jesus, what have I done?” He jerked free of Herigast and ran. As he did, he tried to remember what he had said, how much he had told Anomia that could be used against Rizpah.
Enough to get her killed.
When he reached the gathering, he pushed his way through the warriors to get to the inner circle. Rizpah stood in the center, hands bound. “Don’t say anything!” he told her. “Don’t answer any of their questions!”
Anomia stepped forward quickly, pointing at him. “Keep him away from her! She’s cast a spell on him and can make him say anything!”
Hands fell upon him.
“Let go of me!” He struggled as they dragged him back. “You don’t have to answer their accusations, Rizpah! Say nothing!” Pain lanced his heart at the look of sorrow in her eyes. He had betrayed her. With his own lips, he had poured out the words that would be used against her.
“Atretes told me himself she bewitched him!” Anomia called out to the gathering, her eyes glittering as she looked at him.
“You’re the witch!”
She relished the anguish and rage she saw in Atretes’ face, gloating openly. Let him suffer for his indifference toward her. “He said the child isn’t even hers.”
“Rizpah is his mother!”
“You told me yourself the mother’s name was Julia! You told me this woman took your child—”
“Don’t listen to her!” Atretes fought against those holding him. Others helped, forcing him to his knees.
“And you said she cast a spell upon the child so he wouldn’t take milk from anyone but her.”
Rizpah looked at him, and he wanted to die.
“It’s Atretes’ word against yours,” Rolf said, stunning every warrior present as he entered the circle.
“Betrayer!” Anomia cried out at him, eyes blazing. “You dare question me, a high priestess of Tiwaz?”
“I dare,” he said. “I dare even more!” He pointed at her while addressing the others in a loud voice. “Anomia is the one who sent me to kill the Roman! She has a heart for murder. Don’t listen to her!”
Atretes uttered a loud cry and tried to fight free of the men holding him.
“I didn’t send you! Tiwaz sent you.” She felt Gundrid’s look and turned on him. “The lot was cast upon the white cloth, and the honor fell to Rolf. The Roman was a deceiver!” His fear of her made him acquiesce, obliterating that small threat.
“The Roman spared my life!” Rolf cried out to all.
“In order to fool us into believing he came in peace!” Anomia said disdainfully. “He came to weaken us, to make us believe in his god who said to forget trespasses done against us! Should we forget what Rome has done to us? Should we forget those who have died, those who have been taken as slaves, those who have been left crippled?” She looked from face to face, knowing those who were most vulnerable, driving her words into their hearts.
“The Roman came to make us turn away from Tiwaz!” she cried out. “Turn from Tiwaz, and be destroyed! Is it any wonder Tiwaz called for the Roman’s execution? Tiwaz saw the truth about him.”
She thrust out her hand. “As Tiwaz knows the truth about this woman! She is unclean! She is a black-eyed witch! Atretes told me himself. He said she was with another man before him, perhaps more than one. He said she had another child by another man and that child died. He said Roman women cast their children upon the rocks.”
Some of the men shouted, “Harlot! Kill her!”
“She’s lying,” Atretes cried out, fighting with all his strength and gaining nothing.
Freyja pressed her way forward, striving for inward calm as she raised her hands and beseeched all for quiet. “You must have proof, Anomia.”
“There is no proof!” Atretes ground out as loudly as he could. “It’s her word against mine.”
“See how the Ionian has bewitched him!”
The men shouted.
Gundrid raised his arms high in the air. “Mother Freyja wants proof. I will give you proof of other crimes the woman has committed while here among us,” he said in his orator’s voice. “She practices cannibalism, a crime worthy of death. She eats the rejuvenating flesh and drinks the blood of this Jesus Christ whom she serves. And through witchcraft, she has drawn Atretes into this abominable practice.”