Claudia by Michele McGrath

Author:Michele McGrath [McGrath, Michele]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Riverscourt Publishing
Published: 2014-09-14T04:00:00+00:00

He arrived in Caesarea several days later to find Claudia looking brighter in the cool sea breeze but also anxious. New lines had formed in the corners of her eyes and her eyelids looked heavy, as if she had not slept well. When she could, she asked him,

“The Prophet?”

He sighed. “Your prophet is dead.”

She gasped and sat down hurriedly. “How?”

“He was crucified.”

“Oh, husband, not on your orders?”

“No, by his own people.”

“Nevertheless, they would not crucify him without your permission. You promised me you would listen to him.”

“I did listen to him and I found him innocent.”

“Then why didn’t you release him?”

“The rabble was screaming for his death. If I had tried, there would have been a riot and I did not have enough troops to quell it. I cannot lose the province, for the sake of one man. I washed my hands in front of them all and told them that his blood would be on their heads, not mine. I did try, believe me.”

“I am sure you did,” Claudia said dully, “but it does not matter now. Let us pray to all the gods that I was mistaken and the second part of my dream will not come true.”

As she said the words, she saw again the face of the widow beneath the olive trees. Miryam understood now what it was like to lose a child.

“Poor woman,” she murmured.

“Who?”

“The Prophet’s mother. She has lost her only son. I tried to save him and so did you but, gods forgive us, it wasn’t enough.”

In that instant, Claudia knew that neither she nor her husband would escape the cruel fate she had seen so clearly.

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