“My fate was to be either barren or sorrowing.”
With a guttural roar he shoved the pedestal washstand crashing to the floor. His cista bounced and rolled against the wall, the jewelry spilling from it. He walked to her table, sweeping aside the silver boxes with nail files and hairpins. Her glass flask of perfume shattered as it hit the floor, the floral scent exploding into the air. Pastes of carmine, albumen, and khol streaked the floor.
“Please, Vel. You’re frightening me.”
He halted, his fingers clenched. “I will find him and kill him.”
Caecilia crossed to him, her palm covering his balled fist. “Can’t you see why I never told you about this? I knew you wouldn’t be able to control your rage. I didn’t want to see you executed for murder.”
He pulled away, cradling the elbow of his injured arm. “Any judge would say I was justified.”
“Perhaps, but I didn’t want to risk it. I’m glad your brother is no longer in Veii.”
“You should have told me. First the dice throw, and now this. How can I trust you, Bellatrix?”
Blood drained from her face. “Please don’t say that. There was another reason I didn’t speak.”
“What?” he growled. “What excuse is there this time?”
“Because . . . because I knew that if you discovered Artile had caused Seianta’s pain, you would forgive her. Maybe even yearn for her again.”
His expression softened as he cupped her face in his hands. “Have you so little faith in me? My love for Seianta lies in ashes; it can’t be rekindled.”
She pressed herself against him, the cold metal of his armor hard against her.
He wrapped his arms around her, his cheek resting on her hair. “Promise me there are no more secrets.”
“None,” she murmured. “Never again.”
They held each other, smashed glass and cosmetics scattered around them, the scent of lilies heavy in the air. Caecilia’s heartbeat slowed, relief flooding through her. Every bittersweet lie at last exposed.
TWENTY
Semni, Veii, Winter, 397 BC
Clasping Nerie’s hand and cradling Thia in the crook of one arm, Semni smiled as she headed to the family chamber. Given the princes’ high-pitched squeals, she suspected the king was visiting them. Her mouth dropped open as she passed through the doorway. Aricia sat on a chair, Larce and Arnth capering around her. Semni scanned the room to find the junior nursemaid, Perca. Timid as always, the thirteen-year-old was standing to the side, whistling softly with a worried look.
Tas was perched on a stool beside the visitor, enrapt. Goose bumps prickled Semni’s skin as she remembered how Aricia had stoked the boy’s fervor before. She didn’t understand why he would be so eager to meet her again; the last time he’d seen his former nursemaid, he’d been scared by her urgent pleas to flee while a battle was raging. The patterns of affection forged from birth under her care must have been hard to erase.
“What are you doing here?” Semni let go of Nerie’s hand and strode over to the boys, pushing Larce behind her to a howl of protest. Then she grasped Arnth’s elbow and dragged him beside her.
“Perca, get over here!” She handed the baby to the maid. “Take the children to the nursery.” She glared at Tas. “You, too.”
The boy stuck out his chin. “No.”
His insolence stung. She thought they had formed a special bond. Now with the appearance of Aricia, such affinity had taken second place.
The cepen rose, wobbling. “Don’t worry, Semni. I don’t plan to snatch him. I just wanted to see him.” She looked across to the younger boys. “I miss all of them.”
Larce tugged at Semni’s chiton. “Why are you so angry? Please let us stay.”
She patted his curls. “Do as I say, young master. I need to talk to Aricia alone.”
The prince’s shoulders slumped, but obedient, he followed Perca as she gripped the hand of the squirming Arnth.
Semni swung Nerie onto her hip. He clung to her, alarmed by the stridency in her voice. She glared at the seven-year-old prince. “Do as I say, Tas. Go with the others.”
Again he made no attempt to move. Aricia crouched down and stroked the boy’s cheek. “Listen to her, my pet. You can tell me more about your dream another time.”
The endearment grated. She felt a knot in her stomach at how quickly the two had fallen into intimacy. “What dream?”
“The wolf and the bull that are fighting underground. Queen Uni is watching them.”
Semni wasn’t prepared to interrogate him further about his vision in front of the novice priestess. “Why aren’t you with your tutor? Have you run away from him again?”
“No, he has a stomachache and is lying in bed. He told me to practice my writing by myself.” He pointed to a wooden and wax tablet on the table.
“Go and find your brothers. Now!”
Tas hesitated, looking at Aricia. She smiled and nodded assurance. “Go, my pet. Do as Semni says.”
The boy submitted with reluctant footsteps. At the doorway, he turned, avoiding the wet nurse to gaze directly at Aricia. He smiled, showing his new front teeth. “So I’ll be the greatest fulgurator in Veii one day? I’ll understand the gods’ wishes in lightning and thunder.”
“Yes, my pet. And a haruspex skilled in reading the livers of beasts.”
“Even though Apa says I must be a warrior?”
Semni sensed she was losing control. “Go!”
Once the boy had disappeared, she rounded on Aricia. “How dare you fill his head with nonsense again! How dare you cross the threshold of the House of Mastarna after what you did!”
“I came with Lady Tanchvil. She’s visiting the king and queen. I thought I could ask for their pardon, but they refused to see me.”
“So you decided to defy them again and find Tas.”
“It was you I wanted to find. I want your forgiveness. I want to seek my mother’s, too. There are so many whom I’ve wronged.”
Semni was disarmed by the girl’s candor. An image surfaced of the uncertain nursemaid who’d shared shy confidences and sought Semni’s love: an innocent with a crush on a rebel.
She glanced toward the doorway, aware that proximity to Aricia would unfairly condemn her if she were seen. Yet she was curious how this girl had survived after being evicted by Lady Caecilia, then deserted by the manipulative priest. “What happened with Lord Artile?”
“He betrayed me. He promised me he would make me his acolyte. He promised to teach me how to read so I might study the Holy Books. But he never planned to take me to Velzna to see the sacred spring. He used me to get to Tas. When I failed to bring the prince to him, he absconded, carrying the codex with him.”
“How did he escape?”