Oracle of the Dead(66)

By late morning, Hermes was back with Perna. “What does the praetor wish of me?” he asked.

“You will accompany me back to the tunnel of the Oracle.” I said. “There are some questions about its construction that I wish you to clear up for me.” I said these things in the tones of a Roman magistrate, tones leaving no scope for protest or debate, tones that allowed for nothing save obedience.

He knuckled his forehead. “As the praetor wishes.”

A while later we were on our way to the temple complex. Besides Perna, Hermes and a dozen or so of my men rode with us, together with my lictors.

“What’s this about, Praetor?” Perna asked.

“I want to know everything you can tell me about the ventilation system that provides air to the tunnel.”

“Oh. I see.” Of course he comprehended nothing, but knew better than to question me in my present mood.

We found the temple complex doing a fine business. The impromptu fair had dispersed, but there were plenty of petitioners seeking the advice of the Oracle. Iola emerged from the tunnel with her latest group and looked surprised to see me and alarmed at the size of my entourage.

“What may I do for the praetor?” she asked, approaching my horse. Behind her were a number of her acolytes, looking even more apprehensive.

“Iola, I must go into the tunnel again. There are some things I did not look into last time.”

“Sir, we have many people who need the counsel of Hecate.” She gestured toward the small crowd resting beneath the shade of the trees.

“They can come back another time. This is official business. It is business in which you should best not interfere.”

She bowed. “Even the servants of the gods must yield to the authority of Rome.”

I dismounted. “Perna, you and Hermes come along with me.” We went to the tunnel and ignited the torches we carried. We didn’t have to go far inside. I stopped at the first set of ventilation slots and held my torch up. The flame was drawn slightly toward the first slot.

“Perna, what lies above this tunnel? I know there must be some sort of channel to convey air into or out of the tunnel. What is its nature?”

Perna took a close look at the slot. “Well, there must be a tunnel up there, lying parallel to this one, following it down.”

“How large would that tunnel be?”

He shrugged. “At least as large as this one. It couldn’t be any smaller, or there’d be no room for whoever carved it.”

“Where would that tunnel lead?” I asked him.

“I don’t know of any tunnels surfacing anywhere near here. Of course, it might’ve caved in or got filled with rubble. But there’s enough clearance for air to move, or everyone would suffocate down there.” He pointed down the dimly lit descending tunnel.

“I need to know exactly where it leads. Perna, this is what I want you to do: I want you to go find some really good stone carvers. Bring them back here, equipped with their tools—and be quiet about it.”

“What do you need them for?” he asked.

“I want them to carve a hole up there,” I pointed to the slot, “large enough for us to get into the overhead ventilation tunnel. I want to know exactly where it leads, in both directions.”

“But, Praetor,” he said, “what about the goddess? She’ll consider this a desecration, and from what I hear, she’s a bad goddess to cross. I don’t want to get on the wrong side of Hecate.”

“Nonsense,” I told him. “Temples get altered and augmented and restored all the time. The gods never take notice of a little chiselwork. We’ll tidy it up nicely when we’re done and I’ll make a handsome gift for the goddess. Now go, and remember, not a word of what we are doing here.”

“As you wish, Praetor.” He left and we went outside.

“Do you think this is a good idea?” Hermes said.

“It’s the only way we’ll ever learn what’s been going on here, and how it’s been carried out. We can expect trouble from Iola and her colleagues. When the time comes, the lictors will have to take care of them. Go pass the word, but quietly. And they’re to take note if any of the Oracle staff try to leave. I don’t want them warning anybody, so be prepared to stop them.”

“I’ll see to it,” he said.

While we waited for Perna to return, I walked about under the shade of the trees, pondering what I had learned so far and what more I needed to learn. This was where the woman Floria had unknowingly betrayed her master, and, as I thought of this, something else clinked into place like a stone in a well-made wall and I smiled slightly. Things were getting clearer now.