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Back Copper Chain Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. CONTENTS
  5. MAP
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  62. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eudora hovered anxiously, wringing her hands as she watched Sophia attend to her mother. ‘Do as she says, Mother.’

‘Chew it slowly, and then take a sip of the medicine to wash it down,’ Sophia instructed.

The old woman on the stool nodded, grimacing as she chewed the bitter herbs. Kneeling on the cold stone floor, Sophia began to work at the old woman’s fingers and hands. The old woman closed her eyes with relief, tears forming at their corners as Sophia tended to her arthritic joints.

‘The medicine,’ Sophia said with a smile, nodding at the wooden cup. Eudora came forward and lifted the cup to her mother’s lips.

‘Will it get any better?’ Eudora asked.

‘No.’ Sophia shook her head. ‘But if I come once a week, she can live with it.’ She smiled up at her elderly patient. ‘That’s better, isn’t it, Tharis?’

‘Thank you, priestess,’ Tharis murmured.

‘Now,’ Sophia said to Eudora as she kneaded the woman’s hands and rubbed each knuckle in turn. She glanced at the auburn-haired maidservant. ‘Did Nilus mention my father again?’

‘No, he was only talking about Philippos. Lord Nilus was complaining that he is going to lose the election.’

Sophia frowned. ‘Think carefully. Are you certain my father’s name never came up?’

‘I am certain, priestess. I promise. It was just the one time.’

Sophia’s hands were growing tired, but she continued rubbing and squeezing nonetheless. ‘And remind me what Nilus said again.’

‘He said to one of the consuls—’

‘Which consul?’

‘Consul Carolas.’

Sophia nodded. ‘Go on.’

‘He said to Consul Carolas: “Be careful with your loyalties, or you’ll suffer Aristocles’ fate.”’

Sophia pondered as she tended to Eudora’s mother. Nilus had been cold to her ever since her father’s death. He’d never offered her his sympathy, and if he saw her in the city, he would ignore her and turn away, swiftly walking in the opposite direction. She’d managed to force a confrontation once, asking him whether her father had said anything before his heart gave out. Nilus had stammered something about Aristocles being emotional about returning home. The man who was one of her father’s closest friends now spent all his time with the lords Anneas, Leon, and Harod, consuls Sophia knew had been her father’s enemies.

Nilus had mentioned her father’s name in a threat to another consul. Sophia was determined to know the truth. If Nilus did have anything to do with her father’s death, she vowed to herself that she would do something about it.

‘Keep listening, Eudora. If he mentions my father . . . the slightest thing, I want to know.’

‘I will, priestess. I promise.’

Sophia rose to her feet and began to gather her things. ‘I’ll leave more medicine with you, and I’ll return in a week.’

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