Pandora Gets Greedy (10 page)

“No, Pandora, we didn't. Well, Zeus didn't think it would matter and I didn't press the subject. I guess we all forgot about your conversations with your father and that this might make them somewhat awkward.”

“Awkward!” Pandy chuffed, with a bitter laugh. “Great Hermes, my father thinks I'm
dead
! Ten years have gone by without any word from me and now he's … he's …”

“I'm sorry,” Hermes said. “Truly, Pandora. But if you manage to capture Greed, I feel certain—kinda—that this mess might possibly be cleared up. And I can tell you that the day counter on your map still reads the same; ten years have not altered that. So … good times, eh? No pun intended.”

No one laughed.

“Well then … I'm off,” he said. “I have been rather busy lately, but if I get a moment, I'll try to check on your father. No promises, okay? But I'll try.”

Without waiting for a thank-you, which Pandy had no intention of saying, Hermes disappeared.

Pandy turned and looked up at Alcie and Iole; her eyes were wet and her lower lip was quivering, but her voice was steady.

“My father is really,
really
sick and my baby brother is a … a … youth. I just found out that I have lost out on ten years of everybody's lives that I don't want to miss. Saving the world is one thing, but we gotta get home!”

“I shouldn't go in,” Alcie said, pausing outside the entry-way to the private chambers of Lucius Valerius. “You go and put Grumpius Maximus's water pitcher on his table, get all his scrolls and stuff ready for tomorrow, figure out which oversize pin he's going to use to keep his cloak from dragging on the ground. Y'know, page-type stuff. And I'll just wait out here.”

“Don't be silly,” Pandy countered. But Alcie could tell her best friend's thoughts were far away from the home of Lucius Valerius; Pandy was still very much in shock. “Everyone is asleep, so no one will know. Besides, there's so much junk in there, I need you to hold a second candle for a little more light. I have a full pitcher here. C'mon, Alce, just do it.”

“Why do you have to keep it full?”

“Because he likes a drink of water first thing in the
morning. He doesn't want to have to wait while I fill it up. Simple.”

“Sounds like a camel.”

“Well, he sure drinks like one, and it's more and more every day. I bring him water so much, I don't do anything else when I'm with him.”

“Weird,” Alcie said. “Sounds like he's sick. You don't suppose … nah, it's too crazy. Okay, so go in and tidy up. I'll be here.”

“Look, Alce, it's so crowded in there with swords and statues that I've even tripped over stuff in the daylight. And after talking to Hermes, I can't really think straight. Come on, it's not like you're a thief or anything; you work here too.”

“Well, when you put it like that,” Alcie said. “Plus, I can always blame you if we're caught. Say you made me do it. Heh heh.”

“Yeah, say that,” said Pandy absently, moving into the room.

With Lucius's water pitcher in one hand and a taper in the other, Pandy began to weave her way through the maze of objects that littered the floor. Alcie was right behind her, holding a second candle high and trying to be silent, when she smashed her big toe into the base of a small marble pedestal, nearly toppling a bronze bust. She bent over in agony and was about to
scream, but Pandy instantly set down her light and put her own hand over Alcie's mouth. Alcie clutched her toe, bobbed up and down for a moment, and then was still.

“You okay?” Pandy asked.

Alcie nodded her head.

“I can let go?”

She nodded again.

Pandy took her hand away and Alcie hissed out an exhale through gritted teeth.

“My toe is going to fall off!” she whispered.

“No, it won't, but it's not going to be pretty for a few days,” Pandy said, reaching the writing table of Valerius and setting the pitcher down. “Okay, done. I'll get up early and set out everything else. Let's get some sleep.”

At that moment, Pandy caught the flash of another light in the corridor and the sound of a heavy footstep.

“Gods!” Alcie said, hearing it as well. “Whoever it is is coming in here!”

“C'mere!” Pandy said, dragging Alcie to a small alcove cut into the wall just behind the table and pulling the curtain fast across the opening.

“Don't make a sound,” Pandy mouthed. Then, she quickly blew out their candles, plunging them into darkness. As whoever was in the corridor entered the room,
the smoke from Alcie's candle drifted up into her nose and she felt herself begin to sneeze. Pandy put her finger under Alcie's nose until Alcie nodded her head, then Pandy took her finger away.

And Alcie sneezed.

Only she sneezed inside her head; she didn't make a sound. But she saw stars; her mouth fell open and her eyes crossed. In the middle of what might very well be mortal danger and with the tremendous shock of her father's condition still resonating in her system, Pandy had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing.

Whoever was in the room had now arrived at the table and was sitting easily, as if he or she knew the configuration of the room well. Then there was the sound of water being poured into a cup and the sound of someone gulping and swallowing. There was no further movement for a long time, only a sigh now and then and a bit of finger drumming on the tabletop.

Whoever it was, was thirsty … and impatient.

Suddenly, from around the sides and under the privacy curtain, there was a brilliant flash of light.

“Gracious One,” they heard Lucius say from his seat. His voice was deeper than usual and sounded very tired. Pandy gripped Alcie's arm.

“Status report?” said a voice that nearly caused Pandy's knees to buckle. She dug her fingers into Alcie's
arm until Alcie had to pry them out. Pandy leaned and whispered into Alcie's ear.

“
Hera!
”

Both Pandy and Alcie voluntarily slowed their breathing and locked their legs.

“What do you know?” asked the goddess.

“Caesar revealed the aureus today,” Lucius began. “He held it up to the gawking eyes of the grotesque populace without the permission of the Senate!”

“He doesn't need you or your silly Senate,” replied the goddess with a laugh, at which point Alcie gently poked Pandy in the ribs.

“
Not
Hera,” she whispered.

“All the gods admire that about your new ruler, Lucius. He has the arrogance of an immortal, but it's well deserved. Me, I like dealing with mortals who're a little more wishy-washy and bendable. Weak … like you. If I had felt for an instant that Caesar would have agreed to my bargain I would be dealing with him now, not you. As it turns out, Caesar didn't need my help to attain the highest office in the land. Unfortunate for me.”

“If Juno will allow me to continue?”

“I suppose I must. Have you come up with some sort of plan now or shall I think of that for you as well?”

Lucius cleared his throat; Pandy couldn't tell what emotion lay behind the noise: frustration or fear.

“Caesar also announced that from now on, the aureus will bear the likeness of the ruler of Rome. It's not simply his bluster in the Senate anymore; he has decreed it to the entire citizenry; it's law! And so I have already arranged for the engraver—an artist by the name of Varius—to be taken from Caesar's home and placed in … let's just say, a secure location, where he will either create a new aureus with my likeness on it or he will be put to death slowly and painfully.”

“A kidnapping?” asked Juno. “All that commotion? Will it not wake the rest of the household, perhaps even Caesar himself?”

“The artist is housed in a small building at the back of the insula. It is used for storage and houses the slave lavatoriums. No one will hear; and beside this, Caesar and most of his entourage were and still are feasting at another senator's house this past evening. No one is at the insula except the artist, two or three house slaves—old women, and the ruler's new stableboy who also happens to be my gladiator whom Caesar stole from me today. I may have to kidnap him as well.”

“No, no … patience, Valerius,” he thought to himself. “Just a few more days.”

Alcie flinched and grabbed Pandy's hand.

“I like it. And Hera will like it, once she hears of it,” Juno said after a moment. “But don't play coy with me,
mortal. What do you mean by ‘secure location'? You will have no secrets from me.”

“We are taking Varius from Caesar's insula in Subura …”

“You know, that's the one thing that bothers me about your ruler,” Juno interrupted. “He's not yet built a royal palace on the Palatine Hill, preferring instead to reside in the same garbage dump he was raised in. I don't care if it is the largest, tallest insula in Subura. It's silly. Common. Go on.”

“That's why he should never have
become
ruler. He's stupid and showy in his commonness,” Lucius spat.

“My, my,” Juno smirked. “I haven't seen such a hunger for power—or anything, for that matter—in ages. Normally I like it, but on you it just looks foolish. Ah, well, since beggars—even immortal beggars—cannot be choosers, continue before I grow bored: you're taking the artist …”

“Yes, from Subura to … well, as I said, his quarters also house the slave lavatoriums, so it will be relatively easy for my men to remove a few stones, create a nice-sized hole underneath and pull the poor young man down into the sewers. They replace the stones and no one is the wiser. The sewers are about to undergo extensive renovation so Caesar has blocked the main entrances. No one will think to look there. Of course,
after the feast in my home when I unveil the new coin, no one will think to look at all. With my likeness on the aureus, the Senate and the citizenry will have no choice but to hand me the imperial crown. It must be done by Caesar's own decree! Caesar will be executed and I—”

Lucius's voice broke.

“I will be ruler of Rome!”

“And then the fun begins. Let's go over the bargain again, shall we?” Juno said. It sounded to Pandy and Alcie as if the goddess was now pacing about the room.

“Once I am supreme ruler …,” Lucius began.

“
Excuse
me?” Juno squeaked, her footsteps halted.

“Of Rome! Only of Rome.”

“That's better.”

“When I am ruler,” Lucius said, as if he were biting down on a sweet apricot cake, savoring each word, “I shall double the number of armed guards. Then I shall order the destruction of all temples and the death of all priests and priestesses of every deity except yours. The new guards will see to it that my orders are followed and anyone who tries to intervene will be executed as an enemy of the state. Then I shall triple the number of temples to you, my queen. I shall decree that any and all sacrificial fires burn only for you, that only your statues grace homes and gathering places. Your star will shine
brighter than any other in the heavens. Even moreso than that of your husband!”

“And with respect for his power greatly diminished,” Juno said, “it will be a simple matter to take his power for myself. Once I am secure as the most powerful immortal, we shall help Hera to take the place of Zeus in the hearts and minds of those ridiculous Greeks. Then, finally, the world will begin to run right!”

“If I may be so bold as to inquire?” Lucius said.

“Yes?”

“Where
is
Hera? I know she is instrumental to our … your plans. But you have told me the Greek gods have been in Rome for some time; why does she not help you now?”

“Because,” Juno voice quieted, but her words became clipped, “I have only tonight discovered that my lovely counterpart lies in pieces in a storage room underneath some abandoned insula. I have been played for a fool, lied to for days as to her whereabouts; told that she was off visiting temples and the like. And yet all the while I have felt certain that something was terribly amiss. Hera and I have been in almost constant communication for the last several weeks about her plans for the destruction of that brat, Pandora, including her intention to follow Pandora to Persia. But I have not heard a peep in days, and then the Greek contingent began to arrive and along with them, the lies.”

Pandy looked at Alcie, both realizing the amount of hatred aimed at them was now doubled.

Juno sighed.

“No matter in the long run, I suppose. Everyone who has stood against us will suffer. Very well, your plans are in motion. And so are mine. In a very short time, you will rule this city and I shall rule the earth and sky. Stay true to your course, Valerius. Don't make me have to turn you into a tree frog and find someone else.”

“I will not fail you, Gracious One.”

“Good, although I'd like to see you hopping about in a tree. I think Caesar himself said something about it earlier today. Amusing image. We shall speak again soon. Farewell.”

There was a flash of light under and around the sides of the curtain and then … silence. Pandy and Alcie heard more water being poured and the sounds of drinking. Then Lucius began to mutter as he made his way out of the room.

“I wonder if she's as revolting in Greece …”

“You know, you both didn't have to come with me,” Pandy said softly, as two centurion night guards walked by slowly on patrol.

“Exactly what do you mean by ‘both'?” asked Alcie, craning her neck to peer out from their hiding place beside a large doorway. “Do you mean that neither of us had to come with you or that you would have preferred only one of us to … to …”

“Accompany,” said Iole from behind Alcie.