“From the deserts of Saïs. I will tell you the whole later, after we have eaten.”
“How could they have crossed the Middle Sea when such monstrous waves destroyed every shoreline?”
“How and where they crossed I do not know. Only the Eagle can tell us that tale.”
Adelheid’s gaze skimmed the audience hall, noting each person and what they were doing or to whom they were speaking, noting what soldiers guarded the door and which shutters were open and which closed. “What power have I here, Holy Mother? I have your power, as skopos. It has served us well. So far.”
“Do you not trust in God, Adelheid?”
Her expression was wary, and her tone sharp. “It is men I do not trust. A powerful lord—and there are still some in Aosta, especially in the west where they were spared the worst of the cataclysm—may choose to raise another biscop or holy deacon to high office. She may claim the skopos’ throne, and that family will therefore gain support for their own faction.”
“Their claims would be false.”
“So we would argue.”
“You have seen God’s hands at work here on Earth. How can you doubt Their power?”
“I have seen destruction raised by a great working, raised by human hands. All I know of God’s power is that They chose to spare me from death while killing Henry. I have one child who lives, and another who will soon die.” The shadows had touched her, but she went on without faltering. “I have few supporters from the noble clans who rode south and east to support Henry’s empire. Darre is in ruins, uninhabitable. What remains of southern Aosta I do not know. I have marched through the eastern lands myself. They are devastated. Must I go to the Arethousans for help? Sanglant will not aid me. He intends to become regnant in Henry’s place. Yet now Elene of Wayland falls into my hands. With her, I might buy cooperation from Duke Conrad. He has ambitions of his own. She is more valuable to me alive than dead.”
“She is dangerous.”
“Are you not more dangerous still, Holy Mother? ‘The skopos can be judged by no one.’ This is a powerful spell.”
“It is no spell! The skopos is obliged to govern all peoples who reside in the Circle of Unity.”
“Then is the emperor, or empress, your servant?”
Antonia nodded. “As above, so below.”
“You have other servants, scourges whose touch is death.”
“I have the tools I need.”
“You are well armed for the coming war. Let me keep Lady Elene alive, as a hostage, a companion piece to Princess Blessing. As for the Eagle, I care not. Do with him as you wish. If his death would save my daughter’s life, I would tear out his heart with my own hands!”
“A heathen desire, Your Majesty. And yet,” she added kindly, seeing how Adelheid set her jaw and clenched her hands upon the arms of her royal chair, “spoken out of a mother’s desperation. I have no healing powers of that kind. My gift is to restore God’s realm on this Earth.”
“So I pray,” murmured Adelheid.
Antonia smiled, knowing that her first battle had been won.
XII
WHERE THEIR FLIGHT TOOK THEM
1
HE did not like it at Quedlinhame, and he liked it less so many days later at Gent when, for the second time, she rose before dawn and drew on a penitent’s robe.
“It dishonors you,” he said, watching her.
“It does not dishonor me to pray. It does not dishonor me to ask forgiveness for my sins. I am stained with the blood of many men.”
“As am I!”
She was dressed like any humble pilgrim in a robe of coarse, undyed linen, with head and feet bare despite the cool spring weather and damp ground. “You killed them cleanly. I did not.”
“We can all pray in the church for forgiveness, Liath. This …”