Assassins of Kantara by James Boschert

Author:James Boschert [Boschert, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B06ZYJQC65
Publisher: Penmore Press LLC
Published: 2017-04-19T07:00:00+00:00

The Empire of Byzantium

Nothing has changed.

The body is susceptible to pain,

it must eat and breathe air and sleep,

it has thin skin and blood right underneath,

an adequate stock of teeth and nails,

its bones are breakable, its joints are stretchable.

In tortures all this is taken into account.

—Wislawa Szymborska

Chapter 20

Exazenos

While Theodora was being taken home, Exazenos sat in his chambers and brooded. Something was bothering him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Not even a glass of cool amber wine from Nicaea could stop his mind from worrying at the problem—like a dog gnawing at a piece of leather, he thought ruefully. Somehow he had been taken off balance by the woman.

Theodora had poise, and although he had detected nervousness she had contained it well under a mask of professionalism. No recognition there, but it would come in time, he promised himself.

He drained his glass and stood up. There were other issues to consider besides a snip of a woman whom he intended to destroy, along with whatever was left of her family—and that included her brother. Shaking his head, he tried to dismiss the cool eyes that had regarded him with nothing more than professional interest, but somehow he could not. To distract himself he went and looked out of the window towards the northern approaches of the Golden Gate.

Why was the emperor not more concerned about the menace threatening Thessalonica? he wondered. If that city fell then the road to Constantinople would be wide open. Those Franks from Sicily meant to destroy this city if they could, and King William would then take the entire empire for himself. Exazenos hated the senate class and wanted nothing less than their annihilation, but that didn’t mean he wanted to die alongside them at the pointed end of spears wielded by Franks and other barbarians. Perhaps, he thought reluctantly, it had been... hasty to have so many officers of the army and navy executed. Now all Exazenos could do was to speculate and fume. Even he had to be careful around the emperor, who had become more paranoid than ever and trusted no one at all.

He recalled a conversation. They had been eating well, alone except for some statue-like servants against the wall, when he’d spoke of his concerns.

“My Emperor, how are the preparations going on the walls in case of a possible siege?” Exazenos knew that Andronikos had, with his usual efficiency, ordered the walls repaired. He had even ordered the demolition of houses in the vicinity of the walls to eliminate the possibility of fire. Exazenos had merely asked out of interest.

Andronikos spat out a piece of gristle, which landed on the pure white table cloth. “What siege? What are you talking about? Thessalonica perhaps, Exaz?” he demanded, mildly enough.

“No, my Lord, that siege has begun. It’s too late to help them; but here, I’m talking about this city, Constantinople. Unless you intend to send an army to relieve Thessalonica?” Exazenos asked, sipping his wine.

“I have been in conference with my Generals, I have send more than one army,” Andronikos snapped.

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