Unburning Alexandria (Sierra Waters) by Levinson Paul

Author:Levinson, Paul [Levinson, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: JoSara MeDia
Published: 2013-04-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

[Carthage, 413 AD]

Augustine closed his eyes and sipped his wine. "What, exactly, do you want?"

"Kykeon," Heron answered, and helped himself. "This is the first I have ever seen you prefer ordinary wine."

"I want to have a clear head for this conversation," Augustine said, tiredly. "I want to understand exactly what you wish to accomplish with this . . . plan."

"Stability, continuity," Heron replied.

"That is what we all want. But we do not usually kill to attain it."

Heron smiled. "Your Church has done so already, many times."

Augustine shook his head. "What can she do? She is just a woman. One woman. Not an army. Not even a man."

"Women can move men, as you well know. But that is not my concern. It is the knowledge that she seeks to move that poses a danger, the gravest danger to humanity."

Augustine said nothing, then, "the Church seeks to preserve knowledge."

Heron continued as if Augustine had said nothing. "In the future, the human race has teetered on the edge, many times. They – we – survived only because the forces of good had slightly more knowledge than the forces of evil."

"Nothing we know about her indicates she would give her knowledge to evil-doers."

"That is not the danger, as I am sure you understand," Heron said. "Knowledge always leaks. It cannot be contained. Once that text finds its way into the future–"

"Your Chronica text?" Augustine asked.

"Yes. A copy already surfaced in Londinium, more than two millennia from now. Fortunately one of my people discovered it and destroyed it."

"I understand," Augustine said.

"Good."

"What would you have me do?" Augustine said. "As you have told me more than once, the woman is well protected."

"You have someone in your employ who loves her," Heron said, quietly. "He can penetrate her protection."

"If he loves her, why would he kill her?"

"Because you will enable him to understand that there are more important guides in this universe than personal, lustful love. As you yourself have come to realize."

* * *

Synesius walked the streets of Carthage. His sandals clacked on worn stones. His blood pounded in his ears and clouded his eyes. But he did not need to see clearly. He knew where he was. At the end of streets.

He held Hypatia's heart in his hand. Her locket felt warm.

He had arrived back here, in this time, earlier than expected. The devices were imprecise, as Jonah had told him the very first time they had met, here in Carthage, in Synesius's quarters. That was less than a year ago, in the time that had elapsed here. And, coincidentally, less than a year in his own lifetime – coincidence, because he now understood that the two, time elapsing in a given place, time elapsing in a person's life, could be vastly different if that person traveled through time.

What Synesius knew he did not know were Augustine's intentions in this matter of Hypatia. Synesius had sent word to Augustine the Bishop of Hippo, still here in Carthage, that he had returned from his mission. Augustine had requested his presence.

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