Ilario, the Stone Golem (48 page)

It caught Honorius sufficiently off-balance that he inhaled wine,

dropped his wooden goblet, and sprang up to dash the wine-lees off his

hose, all the while spluttering in outrage and panic. Orazi gave me a

reproachful look.

‘Carrasco makes an excellent nurse.’ It was more than I could do to

restrain a grin, but I stifled it at the realisation that Honorius’s panic was

genuine. ‘It’s safe. I wouldn’t put Onorata in danger.’

Grumbling, Honorius resumed his seat on the settle.

I looked around at the other three, as well as my father.

‘I only landed at dawn today. Has there been gossip or news of Videric

or Rosamunda? Oh—’ The Rialto came vividly back to me. ‘—and

Federico? Did he chicken out? Has he turned up back here in Taraco?’

Orazi shook his head. ‘Nah, not him. Nor his lady wife nor family,

neither. I reckon they’ve gone north like they said.’

Honorius said, ‘I confess I think better of him for that.’

‘I . . . think I may do, too.’

‘As for Videric and Rosamunda—’ Honorius gave the men-at-arms a

questioning look, and spoke again when none of them did. ‘There are no

credible
rumours. They’re still on his estates.’

Now I am close enough to be in the same kingdom with Videric, I

wonder if the idea is as splendid as it seemed in Venice.

A sideways look at Honorius confirmed the man a mind-reader, at

least of his son-daughter.

‘No rumours about Carthage, either.’ Honorius signalled for more

wine. ‘But I had reason to be concerned about you, son-daughter, I

thought. We heard stories of some “demon” attack on Queen Ty-

amenhotep. Was that while you were in her city?’

I steadied my goblet with my other hand as Saverico poured.

‘It was the golem.’

Honorius snapped his fingers in irritation. ‘I should have guessed
that
.

“Demon”, indeed. What happened?’

‘An envoy from Carthage tried to use the golem to kill the Pharaoh-

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Queen.’ I found it comforting to lean my shoulder against Honorius’s.

‘But we stopped it.’

Honorius ran his free hand through his cropped hair, looking queasy.

‘Damned if I would have gone near it! Wait –
you
stopped it? Not the Queen’s soldiers? You—’

I couldn’t help but look innocent in the face of his bluster. ‘I had the

book-buyer’s help . . . ’

Honorius narrowed his eyes at me. ‘How could you fight a monstrous

thing like that?’

I took another swallow, feeling a relaxation that was partly drinking

wine on top of too little food, and mostly the relief of Honorius’s

company.

‘Who’d
fight
the thing? We disabled it beforehand. So when the envoy

tried, nothing happened.’

‘Disabled—’

Four pairs of eyes watched me. Saverico and Berenguer in wonder,

Orazi both sceptical and bemused, and my father looking as if he

suspected some trick was being played on the Lion of Castile.

‘We used . . . A secret weapon.’ I bit down on my lower lip and

managed not to smile.

‘Secret weapon,’ Honorius echoed.

‘You blew it up!’ Saverico yelped excitedly.

Gravely, I said, ‘No, I think they would have noticed that.’

Orazi snickered.

‘And where did this “secret weapon” come from?’ Honorius inquired.

‘Out of Masaccio’s workshop. Or – the recipe did.’

‘“Recipe.”’ My father’s eyes began to narrow. His lip twitched.

‘They’d notice Greek Fire, too!’

Berenguer interrupted scornfully. ‘What kind of weapon comes out of

a painter’s workshop?’

Over Saverico’s and Orazi’s raucous comments, I managed to make

myself heard. ‘It had lime in it . . . ’

Honorius grinned and pounced. ‘You burned the damn stone man!’

‘No, no burning; not even with quicklime.’

A considerable hubbub arose from the men-at-arms, speculating what

weapon might destroy a stone man without leaving signs of this. I paid

no attention, watching the creasing of lines about Honorius’s eyes.

‘A secret weapon,’ he speculated aloud, holding back a smile. ‘Made

out of what you may find in a painter’s workshop. Which
you
had

knowledge of. Beginning with lime—’

The room’s outer door opened. Safrac de Aguilar stood with the royal

guard, a regretful expression making his long face even longer.

‘My apologies, but it’s near on the hour of Terce. We must go.’

I rose from the settle, conscious that Honorius stood up beside me.

239

‘It’s not a time to annoy Rodrigo Sanguerra.’ I looked up at my father.

‘I’ll be back later. As soon as I can.’

Honorius nodded soberly, and wrung my hands in a parting grip.

Halfway to the door, he called, ‘Quicklime and what else? Give me a

clue! What other secret ingredient is there?’

Safrac de Aguilar stepped aside to let me pass. I glanced back over my

shoulder, and left the Lion of Castile with a single word.

‘Cheese!’

240

6

By the time we reached the royal appartments, Terce had rung out from

the chapel bells. De Aguilar looked apprehensive as he led me into King

Rodrigo’s council chamber.

King Rodrigo Sanguerra and the envoy of Alexandria both stood,

chairs shoved rudely back from the inlaid wood table, shouting at each

other in contesting bass and tenor.

I crossed my arms over my chest, and glanced at Aldra Safrac. ‘No

need to be concerned. If I got up on the table and took all my clothes off,

I doubt either one of them would notice.’

Safrac de Aguilar proved to have a thoroughly pleasant laugh.

Neither of the quarrelling men reacted to it.

King Rodrigo Sanguerra sat decisively down in his chair.

‘No,’ he said. ‘
No
.’

It was Aldra Safrac’s suggestion that the King might wish to break his

fast which moved us all into one of the lesser chambers. Smaller, more

comfortable, I felt it take the edge off Rodrigo’s temper.

If
I
recall
correctly,
he
was
never
even-tempered
if
ill-fed
.

It would have been impolite to refuse food myself, so I ate in the

King’s company again. Rekhmire’ copied me for the manners of

Taraco. When we were done, King Rodrigo took off his overrobe and

stretched out his arms, gazing down from the high window at the inland

mountains. The late morning sun cut lined crevasses into his features.

‘Your pardon, Majesty,’ Rekhmire’ said, with an inoffensiveness I

envied. ‘But will you tell me what does not please you about this?’

Rodrigo turned his back to the sculpted window. To my surprise, he

gazed at me.

‘I’m glad to see you not murdered,’ he observed, ‘despite all the

trouble you’ve caused me. So much I can say. For the rest, and this

“war-junk” . . . My high council is due to meet at Sext. If I tell them I intend to recall Aldra Videric – on what they will see as a pretext – we shall still be talking this time next month, and still nothing will get done!’

Rekhmire’’s brandy-coloured eyes met mine, for the briefest of

moments. I read
Not
enough
perfectly clearly.

The Egyptian spoke deferentially; only someone who knew him well

would have detected the acid quality to his speech.

241

‘Would it speed matters if the foreign ship were to fire on that

headland?’ He indicated the chamber’s other window, which faced south

east. ‘Just by way of a demonstration?’

Through the stone frame carved with oak leaves and acorns, I saw a

coastal view long familiar to me. Roman ruins on a headland, a mile or so

away from the city itself; broken-off stout pillars rounded by centuries of

rain and frost. I remember taking stolen bottles of wine up there with

other slaves, resting on the sun-heated rock, watching lizards dart into

crevices.

‘Even if it would, I do not permit the suggestion.’ King Rodrigo seated

himself in the oak chair at the table’s head, taking his weight on his wrists

like an old man. Even with the little time I had been gone, he seemed

older to me.

Or
perhaps,
until
now,
I
have
never
entirely
stopped
seeing
the
man
I
saw
at
fifteen.
When
he
bought
and
paid
for
me.

Rodrigo Sanguerra studied me with an intent gaze.

Cao!

It sounded better in Chin.

I realised a little late that the light from the windows clearly illuminated

my face. The King nodded as if his suspicions were confirmed.

‘I think . . . yes. Ilario, if there is anything to be done here, the

representative of New Alexandria and I will do it. You should return to

the monstrous ship as soon as you can. If anything’s to be made out of

this, we need not confuse people over who truly sired you!’

I spoke before Rekhmire’ could interject.

‘Does it matter, sire? My father’s in prison, so no man will see us

together. And no one will hear it from me if you desire me to say

nothing.’

The King shot a look at me, clearly assessing.

‘Rosamunda was your dam, I don’t doubt it. But the Lion of Castile

has left his imprint all over your face. If that story got out, every man would be calling Lord Videric a cuckold!’

Rodrigo shook his head.

‘Bad enough that my boy-girl Court Fool should turn out to be First

Minister Videric’s child! That was scandal enough! If word gets out that

all Pirro Videric is to you is your mother’s husband . . . ’

He eased back in his chair, chin on fist again, watching me.
I know this

of
old
, I thought, relaxing a little. He doesn’t trust an Alexandrine, but me

– me he desires to convince him.

Rodrigo scowled. ‘After the accusations made by Carthage, Videric’s

enemies here in my court can despise him for fathering a freak. With

your true parentage known – they would laugh at my lord Videric

because his wife had another man’s child. Nothing is harder to recover

from than laughter.’

Captain-General Honorius might resent being accused of fathering a

242

freak, I thought. But the King would have spoken to my father, and

would know that by now.

He’s
seeing
if
I
can
be
goaded
into
unwise
speech.

‘I need Aldra Pirro Videric back.’ Rodrigo’s voice was a bass growl. He

switched his glare to Rekhmire’. ‘I don’t believe I need Queen Ty-ameny

to tell me this!’

Rekhmire’ bowed his head, where he sat on a less-decorated chair;

much in the manner that I’d seen him do when being book-buyer to a

difficult client. ‘It’s in the interests of New Alexandria to offer what

assistance we can, Majesty. No one wants a war.’

The King’s gaze shifted to that window which allowed a view south.

‘
Carthage
wants war. And I dare say Constantinople and Carthage will at

some date contest the future of the Middle Sea – although I take it, from

what you say, that this is not yet?’

‘The Great Queen fights to ensure it is not.’

The late morning haze had burned off the sea. At the window’s edge,

it was just possible to see Zheng He’s impossibly large ship.

The King looked back towards me.

‘You bring me
a
cause. Not a sufficient one to carry it through.’

My stomach plummeted.

Rodrigo Sanguerra shifted his gaze rapidly to Rekhmire’. ‘So. What

else have you to suggest?’

Refreshments were brought in from time to time, and I noted how

certain faces appeared again and again among the servants. Like Safrac

de Aguilar, who kept the door, men that King Rodrigo could trust not to

spread rumours. When I excused myself to the necessary-room, I

investigated long enough to find Attila and Tottola in an antechamber,

boasting to the King’s household guards.

I stopped long enough to arrange food and drink for them, and to

comprehend that – however outrageous their stories – they were not