Return to Me

chapter 10


Ravenna, Italy

Dipsas stood in the baptistery, staring at the pulpit. Something strange, well beyond her ken, had happened here.

The emperor watched her, his dark brown eyes hooded, suspicious. She wasn’t concerned about him, however. She would prove her worth.

“You say, O Great One, that your flutist, one Horace, disappeared, and the woman, another flutist, appeared to take his place?”

Honorius nodded, and then turned to his axe-bearing guards. “Out,” he ordered them. “We wish to be alone with Dipsas. We would speak to her in private.”

They obeyed without question. She walked to the pulpit and placed her hands upon it, then closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

“What do you see?” Honorius asked.

There was very little, really, just a whirl of stars, mere pinpricks, as if she had bent over too fast and then righted herself. She sighed in frustration, but she knew patience was necessary, and if she waited, something would come.

Breathing deeply, she let her thoughts coalesce, and slowly a shape took form, a woman rising from the glittering mist. Dipsas kept her eyes closed and concentrated, but the figure remained maddeningly indistinct, like a faded memory.

She opened her eyes. “O Great One, do you have anything that belonged to her?”

Honorius nodded. “A ring and … indeed, we think someone must still have the gown she wore.”

“Command the gown be brought to me,” Dipsas said. “I shall learn more once I have touched that which knew the warmth of her body.”

“Will you be able to tell us where she was born? We shall lavish great riches upon you if you could also find out where she and Magnus hid for four years.”

Dipsas stroked the edge of the marble pulpit, so smooth and cool to the touch. “I do not need riches,” she demurred. “Serving you is reward enough, my lord.”

But that was a lie. Hiding her smile, she glanced at Honorius. He gloated in her flattery, feeling powerful, but this was mere illusion.

She thought of the world and all its denizens. The emperor would be dust soon enough. As would they all.

• • •

Africanus had spent grueling days going over every detail he knew about Magnus and Gigiperrin’s near capture and escape. He’d been grilled by Honorius and his advisors regarding their strange possessions. And he had watched the emperor use the so-called lightning bolt weapon on prisoners and slaves. He’d also shown him detailed drawings of the body of the soldier who had been killed by the other weapon — a weapon that had produced a sound like thunder and ripped through the man’s chest, killing him instantly.

Unimaginable weapons of lightning and thunder. Honorius had been gleeful as he speculated how they might turn the tide and help Roman soldiers win back territories so recently lost to the barbarous hordes. In hearing this, Africanus’s heart swelled with pride in knowing he had played a part in such a great endeavor. Woe be to Rome’s enemies!

He waited in the depths of the palace, in the realm of the magicians. He felt uncomfortable here, for it was dark and smelled poisonous, like sulfur. He watched as several of Honorius’s advisors examined the boxes that had contained dozens of small, bronze, lozenge-shaped objects. Hard, cold, and without scent, the lozenges had confounded everyone so far, and the boxes were in themselves strange and wondrous; they appeared to be made of something akin to papyrus, but not. In fact, the substance was of an unknown origin, better than papyrus in that it was quite strong and held its shape. Moreover, it was covered with an amazingly life-like painting of the object, the colored paint and writing highly resistant to water and other despoliations.

Africanus recalled every word and number he had seen in that indecipherable writing, having pondered it again and again, to no avail: “Independence. 50 centerfire pistol cartridges 45 auto.”

What could it mean? What was their function? If he could but unlock these secrets! Africanus clenched his fists in frustration.

“Hail the Roman Emperor of the West, Flavius Honorius Augustus!”

Honorius swept into the room with Theophanes. Africanus bowed to the emperor and went down on one knee.

“Rise, Titus Africanus.”

He got to his feet and bowed again.

“What are these?” Honorius pointed toward the metal lozenges, which were neatly arranged on the nearest table, along with another object, a rectangular case made from the same dark, smooth substance as the lightning bolt weapon. Unlike the weapon, the case’s surface was reflective and had been scored with indentations in a grid pattern, with a fine tube extending from the side.

Honorius honed in on the case. “This is interesting. Is it another weapon?”

“Forgive us, Great Emperor,” Theophanes cut in, “but I, as yet, do not know. The investigation is ongoing, and I am certain the answer will be found.”

Nodding, Honorius leaned in for a closer look. “We see more of that strange language, Theophanes. Do you know what ‘XTG Technology 2 Year Warranty’ means?”

“No, my lord, but our translators are working day and night to decipher it,” Theophanes said.

Africanus cleared his throat in a bid for attention.

Honorius turned. “Speak.”

“Venerabilis, the confounding words may be nonsensical. They could be a magical incantation,” Africanus explained. “Moreover, General Constantius himself discovered that the end of the slim tube fits into the small space on the side of your lightning bolt weapon.”

He turned to Theophanes. “Did you know of this?”

“Indeed.” The man nodded and bowed.

“And yet, you failed to tell us.” Honorius frowned. “Already, too much time has passed. It vexes us that many so-called ‘great’ minds have learned so little.”

Theophanes paled. Honorius smiled, but his gaze had grown deadly.

Africanus took to his knee. “My only desire is to serve you, my lord. What would you have me do next? Your will be done.”

Honorius waved his hand. “Your devotion is admirable, Africanus. Come then, you shall join us, and may God grant the coming moments prove fruitful.”

• • •

Weary from the long day, her joints aching, Dipsas stood in the audience hall. She was alone, but for the scattering of Germani guards. The throne beckoned her, the upholstery sumptuous and inviting, but she knew she would be killed on the spot if she dared take a seat.

She gazed into the sky-blue eyes of the nearest guard. He and his brethren were mercenaries, thugs hired by Honorius for protection. They were her distant kinsmen, and ages ago their ancestors had hailed from the same tribe. Yet, she felt no connection to them. She had never, in fact, felt a connection with anyone on this earth but her sister, with whom she shared the rare gift of second sight.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the drift of conversation in the hallway. She closed her eyes and waited, knowing Emperor Honorius approached.

“Ah, Dipsas!” he called out.

She glanced in his direction. He wore a purple toga embroidered with silver threads. His dark hair gleamed beneath a crown of pearls and gold. The tall legatus, Titus Africanus, walked a few paces behind. A slave followed them, carrying a bundle of blue silk.

Dipsas immediately perked up, for she guessed the silk was that which Honorius had promised, the dress worn by the flute player.

Honorius sat on his throne and waited. Dipsas took the bundle and shook it out to full length. She could tell the silk gown had once been beautiful, but it was now torn and covered with brown stains.

Excited, Dipsas put it to her nose and breathed. Blood stains. The essence of the flute player was here, a part of the fabric. She smelled cedar wood, too, and guessed it came from a storage chest. With the cloth still pressed against her nose, she closed her eyes. Her thoughts crystallized and she saw whirling colors rising like smoke, along with twinkling lights, the precursors of great magic.

Come to me, she thought. You who are veiled in mystery. Come and let me see you.

She smiled as the shimmering form of a woman took shape, a beautiful lady holding a golden flute. Dipsas held herself still, not even daring to breathe, as a melody drifted into her thoughts, the tune light and soft, like a bird twittering in the far distance. The music faded, yet she waited until she was convinced it would not come again. She exhaled, then resumed breathing deeply of the fabric, until she conjured another vision, tantalizing, pure and white, someone else, another woman.

No, a statue. Venus.

She turned and looked into Honorius’s eyes, and saw that he discerned her excitement.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Is there a statue of Venus somewhere nearby, O Great One?”

Honorius frowned.

Africanus stepped forward and bowed. “My lord, shall I inquire as to the location of the nearest statue of Venus?”

Honorius opened his mouth to speak, but Dipsas raised her hand. “No need!” she called out, suddenly certain. “I can see her. She is here on the grounds of the palace. In a small garden.”

• • •

As Dipsas neared the garden, the hair on her arms rose. She ignored the others and entered, leaving them to wait on the path. This place, this moment, went well beyond the courtiers’ jaded curiosity and Honorius’s greedy wishes. The garden held secrets, vague and spent, whisperings of the ancient past. Although it was in sore disuse, overgrown and littered with twigs and leaves, this was a sacred spot.

And then Dipsas saw her. Venus. She stood in a pond surrounded by columns. Behind her, a tiny cascade of spring water splashed over green stones. Dipsas plunged her hand into the emerald depths and let her fingers trail through it, enjoying its cool purity. Venus stared down at her, her marble features retaining traces of paint, much faded and stained, yet still quite beautiful. Dipsas knew the goddess originally worshiped here was far older than Venus, perhaps a foreign deity like Isis, or one of the truly ancient ones, like the fat Earth Mother of the skin wearers, whose name had been lost to history.

A breeze picked up, and as the leaves whirled, Dipsas spotted a niche behind the falling water. She bent down to examine it. But for some wet leaves, the niche was empty, and she touched the damp interior, seeking information.

The world suddenly grew distant and cold. Her mind pulled her away from the here and now, to see that which had been.

Moments passed. Long moments, until the stone spoke to her. A man had been here. His things had been hidden in the niche, and then retrieved. A man, but who … ?

She tried to conjure a vision of him, but nothing more came. This did not surprise her; in order for her magic to work, she needed to touch tangible objects, things held by the owner, worn and cherished.

Dipsas struggled to straighten her back and looked into Venus’s painted eyes, her mind shifting to her own needs. “O Divine Lady, I am called Dipsas,” she whispered. “But you know it is not my true name. I am your humble servant Amalaswintha. You are no mere love goddess, as I am no mere witch. No, we are each so much more! Help me, Great One! I seek those who caused the death of my blood kin, my sister, the only one I ever loved, the only one who ever loved me.”

The goddess gazed down at her, serene and unmoving. She would deign to answer all questions in her own time. Patience had its rewards, but Dipsas decided to hasten the path to retribution. She would loose the spell on him, her nephew, the mother-killer.

The blood moon was coming very soon. The time was ripe.

She twisted and looked at the sky, recalling her sister in glorious youth, blond hair flowing, blue eyes glittering hot and cold, a strange, god-sent mingling of fire and ice.

“Randegund,” she cried out. “My Randegund! I, Amalaswintha, shall avenge you!”