Fires of Alexandria Read online

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  The slab of stone was cold and sucked the heat from her body. Heron shivered, pulling her arms that had been hanging from the sides to her chest.

  At least my clothes are still on, she thought, sitting up in the cell. Heron checked her molded genitalia, to confirm her ruse was still intact.

  Almost the moment she sat vertically, a flickering torch light lit up the hallway outside. Keys rattled in a lock.

  "Follow me," said Lysimachus, holding his torch high so the flames licked at the stone ceiling.

  Heron crossed her arms and followed. Thoughts of attacking the Alabarch were squashed when she saw Lefty waiting outside the door. He had the eager grin of a Sobek crocodile waiting for a sacrificial hen.

  The room beyond the stone cell was a sepulcher adorned with crypt entrances along the opposing walls. Lysimachus shoved his torch into a groove in the wall and brought a goblet of dark liquid to Heron.

  While drinking from his own, Lysimachus indicated with a nod that she should drink. Heron swirled the liquid, bringing the scent of fermented grapes to her nose.

  Lysimachus set his goblet on the stone. "Do you think you're fooling me?"

  "About what?"

  "Your daughter." He raised his eyebrows.

  "I'm not in the mood for this game again," she said. "I have the monies for my debts this month, as requested."

  The coin pouch appeared in the Alabarch's hand. He shook it mockingly. "This one?"

  "Yes, that one."

  "Shame. Shame." Lysimachus threw the pouch to Lefty. "It's not the full sixty talents."

  "I have the rest back at the workshop. If you would have asked instead of sneaking into my place and clubbing me over the head, I could have given it to you," she said.

  She didn't have the full amount yet, but it was to have arrived before dusk.

  Lysimachus approached her with a smile on his face, eyes darting to Lefty.

  "Heron, that fee won't be good enough now."

  "You can't keep changing the game. I'll get the monies for you."

  He shook his head. "But you violated my clearly stated rules. I said there would be no escaping and my sources clearly saw someone sneaking out of the workshop the other night."

  Heron sucked in a breath.

  "I see you know about this."

  Heron shook her head. "No."

  "Tsk. Tsk. You lie poorly." Lysimachus nodded toward Lefty.

  Rough hands grabbed her by the shoulders.

  "Wait." Heron held up her hand.

  Lysimachus waved her on. She sighed, showing she would listen to him. The hands left her shoulders.

  "Make any deal you want, but the girl can't be a part of it," said Heron.

  The Alabarch's face soured into a grimace. He punched her in the gut. Lefty grabbed her as she doubled over, cinching his arm around her neck and dragging her backwards.

  Heron struggled against his massive arms. He smelled like dried blood.

  She tried kicking backwards into his groin, but he held her firmly. A small amount of air was making it past his choking grip.

  Heron looked up to see Lysimachus kicking her between the legs. His foot contacted partially between the molded genitalia and her leg. Heron realized her mistake when he glared at her questioningly for her lack of reaction.

  Before she could fake the pain, Lefty threw her backwards, cracking her head against stone. Ropes burned into her wrists as she was tied to a sarcophagus. On her back, she could see Lefty's eyes, coldly observing her.

  "You really need to start listening to me," said Lysimachus. "I'm going to have to teach you why this is so important."

  He reached down to the ground and handed a long object to Lefty. She couldn't make out what it was in the flickering light.

  "And when I find your daughter, she's going to join my household as my body slave," he said. "And if the payments on your debts don't keep coming, I'll take it out on her."

  Lysimachus nodded to Lefty and he raised the axe handle above his head. Right before he swung, Lysimachus stuffed a cloth covered in mildew in her mouth.

  The impact exploded her knee, sending white-hot shards of pain into her head. She blacked out, twice. Spots rotated in her vision.

  As she came to, she heard Lefty shuffling to the other side. Lysimachus leaned over and spit in her face. She choked on the cloth, trying to catch her breath.

  Lefty swung three more times.